Fear or Obedience

“And do not fear those who kill the body, but are unable to kill the soul; but rather fear Him who is able to destroy both soul and body in hell.” Matthew 10:28, NASB.

Pastor Peter* leads one of the few Christian worship services in his community in the heart language of the Muslim majority group. It is against Islamic law for him to share the Gospel with his Muslim neighbors. Most of the members of his congregation are immigrants from other countries or students from other areas. They speak the language but are not from Muslim background.

A Muslim man came to worship services one Sunday. He had read in the Quran that Isa (the Arabic name for Jesus) knew about the final judgment. He wanted to know more about Isa. While this man does not come to church every Sunday, he comes regularly enough that Pastor Peter has had to think what will happen when he decides to follow Jesus and be baptized.

Many churches will not baptize a Muslim person who decides to follow Christ for fear of being shut down by the local authorities, or having their pastor put into prison. Pastor Peter knew these risks as well, and he acknowledges that the leaders in the church are nervous about baptizing a Muslim background believer. Yet in his heart he knows that it is better to be detained by the police than refuse to baptize people who come to the church on their own initiative. “Fear must not keep us from obedience,” said Pastor Peter.

*Name changed for security reasons.

Pray that:

Many Muslim people will be drawn to faith through Pastor Peter’s ministry.

Pastor Peter’s courage in the face of possible detainment will help other believers in his congregation to be bolder in sharing the Gospel with their Muslim friends and neighbors.

God’s people in the Pacific Rim will seek obedience even if it results in persecution and personal loss.

Pacific Rim is a region of the International Mission Board, SBC.