Acts 2

We left the city heading for the Iran border just after lunch. It was another 120° day and a long journey lie ahead. We were anxious as we traveled the open roads through several military checkpoints. On a previous trip our driver, Pastor ‘M’, was taken along with his wife and 2 year old son to an outpost for interrogation and possible execution. The Pastor was excited about our trip to worship with a house church of 39 Muslim background believers in a town of 300,000 people just a mere 8 miles from the Iranian border. He mentioned the fact that this city isn’t as open to Christianity as the city we were driving from. The city we departed from was 98% Muslim and our destination was, for all intensive purposes, 100% Muslim. This pastor spent the last year traveling regularly to this city to plant a church. Now the first fruits of his efforts were gathering that evening for a worship service in one of the believer’s homes.

We lost two other pastors traveling with us due to a vehicle breakdown but our car managed to get through all of the checkpoints. As we drove over the final hill starting our descent towards the now visible city, we were overcome by the most foreboding wall-like mountains I have ever seen. I was informed that the mountains were the barrier that runs between Iraq and Iran. I have never seen anything like those mountains, as if they were man made to keep anything from getting in or out.

We drove through the modest city which at first glance was either in utter decay or experiencing a flurry of new development. My thought was that this town was being built up, in a stage of economic development after years of war and upheaval. We proceeded through the streets heading for the poorest neighborhood. We arrived right around 6:00 p.m. coming to a stop in front a home in a row of similar structures. This particular home bore one important distinction from its neighbors: it was the home where the only known Christians lived and gathered to worship their Savior. The front door as well as all of the windows were noticeably open as we entered a room filled with men, women, and children sitting on the floor along all four sides of the room. In the middle of the room was a stack of worship hymnals and the Holy Bible translated into their native tongue.

Pastor M had spent over a year preaching the Gospel in this town, of how God had made Jesus both Lord and Christ, this Jesus who was crucified. And when these certain Muslim men and women heard this they were cut to the heart, and said, “Brother, what shall we do?” And the Pastor said to them, “Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.” So these who received his word were baptized, and others began to be added to the group.

Today the leaders of the church, the women and children, devote themselves to the apostles’ teaching.They remain in fellowship, breaking bread, and praying.All who believe are together and have all things in common. And they commonly sell their possessions and belongings, distributing the proceeds to all who have need. And day by day, worshiping God together and breaking bread in their homes, they receive their food with glad and generous hearts, praising God and having favor with all people.

And the Lord is adding to their number, day by day, one Muslim who has been saved.