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| Out of the comfort zone in Turkey |
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Istanbul is one of the largest cities in Europe. Somewhere between 15 and 18 million people live in this vast expanse of cityscape that takes four hours to drive from end to end. It is beautiful. White buildings and mosques dominate the skyline in every direction and the glistening blue Bosphorus cuts through, separating the continents of Europe and Asia. There is a heady, exotic atmosphere as the streets bustle with the noise of so many people; the loud call to prayer from the mosques blares out five times a day and can be heard wherever you are, and the bustle slows as people respectfully wait for the ten minute call to end.
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Turkey has a population of about 70 million, of which there are approximately 3,000 to 3,500 believers. In Istanbul there are around 40 churches, many of which are small house churches with a membership of only two or three. There is no law against church meetings (Turkey is officially a secular country), but permission from the correct authorities is needed, and churches are viewed with suspicion by the vast majority of people.
On my first visit to Istanbul for Eurovangelism I met with Adem*, one of the first Turkish men to lead a church in Turkey. Adem became a believer in 1991 as he searched for a God who cared about his life and eventually tracked down a New Testament that he could read. He began attending a church which was led by foreign missionaries until 1998, when he became the leader.
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Adem's church is not large, 20 - 30 people meet in a rented house where they worship God with great fervour. And they are making a difference. Many church members are faithful in sharing the gospel with family and friends, despite the risks and potential costs this involves, and this has led to new visitors to the church - some who keep coming back! In Adem's church, this method of evangelism has proven to be the most effective so far; thousands of leaflets were given out for an evangelistic concert, resulting in no new members. The church also do follow up for a Bible correspondence course (advertised anonymously in any newspapers that will allow it); and Adem is at the church building most days to receive visitors - people tend to go to him for prayer when they have had a 'spell' put on them - Adem responds by going through the Bible with them and sharing the Gospel!
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Despite many problems, I was amazed to discover the church is an outward looking one, seeking to love and serve the local community. Adem told me that they recently studied the book of James and were challenged by the relationship between faith and action. They believe that giving to those in need is one of the basic principles of church, and often respond to such need when members tell them about friends or even people they have met in the street. One member met a lady who was begging, struck up a relationship with her, and eventually visited her in her home and saw the great need she was in. In this way, the members build up relationships with people and the church helps financially, giving the small amount they have in the context of loving relationships.
The church is fantastic and lunch afterwards with Adem and his family was a real eye-opener. Adem talked of the burden he feels when people commit their lives to Christ, which often results in them being abandoned by friends and family, as well as losing their job. He told me of the many people he has seen coming to faith, only to have to send them elsewhere to a church that can afford to help them financially.
Indeed, only that morning, I had met a man, Mahmut*, who had become a Christian in February. Mahmut lives in his one room office, which used to be where he ran his business. He is well known in his neighbourhood, so people soon found out when he made a commitment to Christ, something blasphemous for a Turk to do. A meeting was held and it was decreed that nobody would buy or sell from Mahmut any longer. He has not had money to pay his rent for three months now.
In the west we often talk about “counting the cost of following Jesus”. Mahmut wakes up each day to the reality of that cost. He and the few others like him have literally given everything to follow their Lord and make him known once again in a city that was once the proud home of Eastern Christianity.
Sally Macpherson
*Names have been changed to protect identity.
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Alpha in Turkey
Other exciting news in Turkey comes following a meeting with a man who has a vision to start Alpha. He has set up a team of four people, has printed the Alpha Manual, and is currently awaiting funding for the book “Questions of Life” to be printed. This is fantastic as we have seen many people across Europe being introduced into a relationship with Jesus through the Alpha course. There are already six churches who are keen to start running a course this autumn!
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| How you can help |
Please Help
The greatest burden facing Adem is a lack of finances to be able to help people in need, particularly people who risk everything to follow Christ. If you would like to be a source of great encouragement to this church, please mark your gift “Turkey”.
For further prayer requests please see the August Prayer Diary online.
You can also visit our Prayer Blog for immediate requests. Click Here. |
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