Afghanistan (MNN) — Two years ago, Afghanistan took center stage as the Taliban took over the country, plunging it into a state of violence and chaos. For a while, the world looked on with full attention, watching in horror and praying with fervor.

However, as lives get busy and new headlines emerge, it’s all too easy to forget. Or, we block our ears when a tragic tale arises from Afghanistan.

“It’s so easy to get caught up in the darkness, all the bad things happening,” Mike* with Global Catalytic Ministries says.

“But under the Taliban’s nose, people are coming to know the Lord because they’re seeing the true face of Islam.”

Read the full update from GCM here.

Global Catalytic Ministries trains and equips Christian leaders in Afghanistan. Each one quickly learns that serving Jesus means dying to self.

“Baptism is a funeral. In the West, we don’t treat it that way, but it’s a death process,” Mike explains.

It’s hard to fear death when you don’t love this world. “They love God so much that nothing else matters, not even death. That [type of transformation] is only done by the Lord,” Mike says.

The death process produces a “Maranatha cry.”

“The Maranatha cry [is] a lovesick cry for Jesus to come. ‘You have come, but You’re coming again’ is what Maranatha means,” Mike says.

“We don’t see the early Church looking back at the empty tomb. They were always looking forward and asking, ‘Did we miss Jesus? When is He returning?’ It was the return of the Lord that sparked their drive.”

GCM established numerous safe houses in the last two years, relocating thousands of Christians to safety. There is still more to be done. Here’s how you can help!

Please pray for “G” and his family as they courageously and covertly carry out the Lord’s work.
(Graphic, caption courtesy of Global Catalytic Ministries)

Pray for the safety, protection, and courage of Afghan Christians. “One of our disciple-makers went out and was starting to coach another believer to spread the Gospel, [but] he didn’t have the process down,” Mike says.

“The Taliban heard and beat him up pretty bad. We didn’t hear from him for a couple of days.”

Another believer, known only as “G,” recently began translating Bible stories:

We began discipling this brother early on as our serious conversations turned spiritual. Of the 26 stories we use to disciple, it took only 3 and he was ready to denounce everything he had previously followed and commit his life to Yeshua! This brother is a very high-valued target and has a lot of influence in his community. He began translating the stories into his native tongue and discipling his family and community from the safe house! He asked, “Is there any activity that we can do that would be pleasing to Adonai? My family and I pray for the Israeli brothers and sisters.”

See more frontline updates from GCM here.

 

*Name withheld for security purposes

 

Header image depicts a Taliban member. The Taliban’s interpretation of Islamic law, or Sharia, is deeply conservative and rigid. They do not tolerate religious minorities and respond with hatred and violence to Christianity. (Photo, caption courtesy of Global Catalytic Ministries)