Region / Country: Middle East and North Africa

Find out about a rare and beautiful demonstration of gospel unity

FCSI Israel and IVCF Canada have had a partnership for six years. Both movements have taken their students on short-term mission trips to visit the other. It was through this partnership that FCSI heard about the conference IVCF run every year to help their students dig into the gospel of Mark. The idea appealed to FCSI. They sensed that many of their students had an ‘audience’ approach to Bible study; they heard it taught but they didn’t know how to study or understand it for themselves.

With mentoring and support, FCSI ran their first Mark Manuscript conference in 2014 with 20 students participating. Since then the conference has grown to around 120 students. General Secretary Rasha Saba told us why:

“Students are realising they can understand the Bible and they’re finding that they want to study the Bible in order to meet Jesus through his Word. It’s been an amazing experience for us to see how people’s lives are changing as a result.”

The conference brings together Arab Christians, Messianic Jews and international students: a rare and beautiful demonstration of gospel unity that transcends barriers of background, culture and language.

The next Mark Manuscript conference will take place in August. Please join us in praying for it:

  • Pray that many seekers (as well as believers) would sign up.
  • Pray for the necessary finances to be raised.
  • Pray that students would be increasingly captivated by the person of Jesus as they study together, and that they would want to share him with their friends on campus.

Thanks for praying with us!

When gospel unity overcomes the biggest barriers

What’s unique about FCSI Israel?

The movement is unique in that it brings together Arab Christians, Messianic Jews and also international students. We operate in three main languages — Arabic, Hebrew and English — but there are actually many more languages spoken between us. Our backgrounds, cultures and political viewpoints can be quite different, but we have the same heart to be united and serve together.

What struggles do Christian students face?

The universities in Israel are, on the whole, very secular. Yet there are also plenty of students from different religious backgrounds. So Christian students face big challenges in terms of being surrounded by different worldviews and lifestyles, and witnessing into that. The other big issue is that all of the Christian students are in the minority within their ethnic groups — both the Arab Christians and the Messianic Jews. And when you’re in the minority, and many people don’t understand or agree with what you believe, it becomes harder to leave your bubble and share your faith.

How has student ministry been changing in recent years?

Students are starting to go outside their social circles more. They are more courageous to share the gospel. And as they become more known to the community, people are becoming more open to engage with us. In Israel it’s not a matter of restrictions — there’s freedom of religious practice — it’s more a psychological fear, a feeling of being the minority. But recently God has been raising up people who are studying apologetics, and this training is giving students greater confidence to go out and share their faith. And we are seeing students from different backgrounds come and engage and ask questions. It’s not happening on every campus yet, but it’s encouraging to see change starting to happen.

FCSI Israel

What conversations do you have most often with Christian students?

In many of the churches, people are not challenged to think about why we believe what we believe. So when students come to university, they’re confronted with questions they don’t know how to answer. They need to learn to engage with those questions. So we often talk about how they can share their faith with others in a way that engages the mind.

Apart from that, we discuss the same things that students probably right across the world are discussing today: relationships, sexuality, how to live a godly life in a secular world — that kind of thing.

How often do you gather together as a whole movement?

We have a joint conference once a year in May, with all three groups (Arab Christians, Messianic Jews and international students) represented. The conference is led by a committee made up of students from each of those groups. We also come together for the Mark Manuscript Bible study conference once a year. We’d like to gather together more often, and are praying for more opportunities to do that.

FCSI Israel

What were some of the highlights of the FCSI conference this year?

This year the theme of the conference was Jesus in the Centre. 120 students gathered to learn about our role in God’s big salvation story with Jesus at the centre. The times of sung worship were a real highlight, as always. We sing in Hebrew, Arabic and English. Christians who rarely meet altogether, in one place praising the God of the nations: it’s an amazing and moving experience — really a glimpse of heaven! And it was great to see students engaging and getting to know one another better through small group discussions and over meals. It’s a place where new friendships are made.

I was also encouraged to see the maturity of certain students who were struggling to overcome relational problems and differences. They were willing to put those differences aside for the sake of gospel unity and to put Jesus at the centre.

Why do you think it’s so important to do things together?

I keep putting in front of my eyes Jesus’ prayer that his people would be united so that the lost would come to know Jesus. There are huge challenges, and I don’t have answers to how these challenges will be overcome. But I believe in my heart that we have to be united if we are to start focusing on the salvation of everyone who lives in this land. Too often we put people into categories when we meet them; we make assumptions and dehumanise them. And the reason is because we don’t know each other. If we’re going to see any real and lasting change in Israel and in the church, we must get to know each other — on a daily basis, not just at a conference. We need to know not only how to worship together but how to live life together, and that is much more challenging. We are seeing friendships develop across FCSI after students meeting at joint conferences, and my prayer is to see that happen more and more.

What’s your prayer for the coming years?

My prayer is that we’d see students doing more mission and outreach on campus. We long to see many more people coming to Christ. Students are thirsty and open during their university years, and we want Christian students to make the most of that window of opportunity. I’m tired of seeing Christians sitting inside churches, and their ‘sharing’ just stays within the church walls, rather than in the community. So I’m praying that our students would bring Jesus into their communities, sharing the gospel and witnessing practically with their lives. And of course, my prayer is for unity! I know that’s big. But I sense this is God’s heart and he is moving us in that direction.

Friendship behind the veil

Student Camps in Northern Europe

“Who are you, God? Are you there at all? If you’re there, take me to a place where I can find answers.”

God heard Alfred’s* faltering prayer.

It wasn’t long before he had the unexpected opportunity to leave his Muslim community and move to Northern Europe to study for one semester. There, he heard about a camp some Christians were organising for international students. Alfred decided to go along. He was curious. He wanted to know more about the God these Christians worshipped. He wanted to see for himself what the Bible said. Could it be true that Jesus’ sacrifice on the cross was the only way to be forgiven?

Over the following months he continued to meet up with his new Christian friends, asking them questions, watching their lives. They cared for him. When he injured his ankle, they visited him. They spent time eating together, playing games, chatting.

There was another camp at the end of the semester. Alfred delayed his return flight so that he could attend. On the last night the students heard the story of the Prodigal Son. Alfred knew that he wanted that relationship with God as His Father; he wanted the new life Jesus offered. That night he prayed for forgiveness and put his trust in Jesus as his Saviour.

The very next day he shared with the other campers how God had been working in his life over the last few months. He spoke of the change Jesus had made in his heart, of the hope and joy and peace he now felt, of his new desire to love and serve God.

Now back in his home country, Alfred is continuing to read his Bible and pray. But he has no Christian community there. Please pray for protection and for fellowship for him. Pray that he’d have opportunities and wisdom in sharing his new faith with his family and friends. It’s not going to be easy for him.

*name changed

Hospitality in Eastern Europe

I had never intended to work with Muslim students. I didn’t know much about Islam. I didn’t particularly want to. But as I opened my home to host international students, I was surprised to find that half the students turning up each week were Muslims. And so, I sort of stumbled into this exciting ministry, learning as I went.

Apart from the social activities we organise, we also offer a weekly English Bible Study. Although the Bible studies are open to all international students, it’s the Muslim students who are regular. Over the past few years, we’ve had the chance to study the Bible with Muslim students from Azerbaijan, Georgia, Turkey, Yemen, Mauritania, and Burkina Faso.

One thing I’ve realised is that working with Muslim students doesn’t require a lot of training, or a certain type of personality, or big outreach events. We’re just ordinary Christians. We try to make our Muslim friends welcome, asking them questions and getting to know what they believe. Because religion is a big part of their lives as well, talking about spiritual matters happens surprisingly naturally.

Small things make a real difference: making sure we cook without pork; waiting to eat dinner together after sunset during Ramadan. Hospitality is such an important part of Muslim culture. Sometimes they cook for us too — once we had eight Yemeni students come over to cook us traditional Yemeni food!

I’m so grateful that God brought these students into my life. I know that God is at work in all of the international students in our groups, but it seems more apparent with the Muslim students. I encourage everyone to become friends with a Muslim student or two, and see how God will use you to have an impact in their lives, and them in yours.

Mission trips to North Africa

It was my first time going to North Africa. I was totally captivated on arrival.

The heat, the noise, the smells, the colours! It was so different from what I’d ever experienced in Europe. The people on the street were warm and friendly. But I was also struck by the poverty of many. Such a contrast from the wealth I consider normal back home.

The five days went quickly. We got to know one young Muslim woman. She had suffered a lot, having been treated badly by some of the men in her life. We talked to her about God’s love for the broken and the lost. We were able to give her a copy of Luke’s gospel before we left, and she and I have stayed in contact since. She’s invited me to go back and visit in the future.

We also met a local man who had converted from Islam to Christianity, along with his wife and two daughters. He had spent time in prison because of his faith. His children were being excluded at school because they didn’t wear the headscarf or take part in Ramadan. And when his family met up with other Christians, they had to do it in secret. It was incredible to see his strong faith, enduring real suffering with joy, for the sake of Christ.

It made me ask: why am I so afraid to talk about my faith with my friends back home, when the only thing I might lose is my self-image and not my life?

Coming back, I have a new appreciation of the privilege of knowing Jesus and of the freedom I have to talk about him in Europe.

International Student Forum in Eurasia

Earlier this year my friend and I travelled to a neighbouring country in Eurasia to help out at a camp for international students. There were more than sixty participants from 12 countries. Many were from closed Muslim countries that we can’t go to. There were talks explaining the Christian faith, and lots of other fun activities throughout the day — sport, national dances, games, music, drama!

We were both helping to lead small discussion groups. During those group times we discussed big questions such as, ‘Who is God?’ ‘What is sin?’ ‘How can we be saved?’ I was able to share what it means for me to be a follower of Jesus and why I decided to follow Him.

As we chatted together I believe that the Holy Spirit was at work in the hearts of these Muslim students. Some of them shared their reflections:

“God helped me to find myself through this forum. I found out who I am.”

“After this forum I’m starting to get an interest in relations with God.”

“I am really eager to find the Truth after this forum.”

Please pray for these students.

Discussing the Quran and the Bible in France

Why would they only discuss the Bible and not the Quran?! The Turkish student was furious and said he’d never come back.

That was what prompted me to try something new.

We now have five discussion groups across the country. Muslim students and Christian students come together to discuss what they believe in a friendly, respectful environment. They ask questions and learn about each other’s faith. We look at topics such as ‘What is faith?’ ‘Who is God?’ “Men and women in the Bible and in the Quran’, and ‘Prayer’.

French universities welcome more than 70,000 students every year from Muslim countries such as Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia and Senegal. There are also many French students of Muslim faith. Over the last three years, 60 Muslim students have participated in these discussion groups. We praise God for these 60, but are all too aware of the vast numbers yet to be reached.

Pray that more groups would be started across the country. Pray that the Muslim students who have already heard the gospel would come to faith in Jesus.

These discussion groups are known as ‘ABC’ groups (Autour de la Bible et du Coran). There are resources available in French for students wishing to start discussion groups at: http://croissance.gbu.fr/?cat=74.

Buddy program in the Netherlands

It was an everyday sight. A group of students, laughing together, as they slipped and skidded around an ice rink. But what made this group unique was that half of them were Dutch Christians; the other half were Middle Eastern Muslims.

The buddy program, linking up international Muslim students with local Christian students, has prompted many new friendships. The ‘buddies’ meet up at least once every two weeks. It’s more than just an opportunity to practise Dutch. It’s genuine friendship. And through it, the Muslim students are getting the chance to hear about the God of the Bible for the first time in their lives.

There have also been dialogue evenings organised for Muslim and Christian students, to learn more about the others’ beliefs. Big questions get discussed:

“What does it mean for you to pray?”

“Could God forgive you if you kill someone?”

“What do people in the church here actually think about us Muslims?”

Many have been keen to know more. Some have also been willing to read the Bible.

And with the recent arrival of many refugees (including students) from Islamic countries, the opportunities to reach out to Muslims are abundant. Pray that we would make the most of this unprecedented opportunity to share the hope that we have with those who are lost without it.

He put his hand on my shoulder

My name is Aalim*. Most people would consider me a contradiction. I’m a Tunisian Christian.

I grew up in a Muslim family. My life was straightforward. I never questioned Islam. I never considered Christianity.

But then one day I met a Christian, who was living in my hometown.

He was a kind person and very open-minded. I thought he would make a good Muslim; I should take him to the mosque. But as we talked I found that he was very convinced of his Christian faith. His lifestyle surprised me. He didn’t drink alcohol and he didn’t believe in sex before marriage. He was pure-hearted. Contrary to what I’d expected, he made me want to look into the Christian religion and read the Enjeel (gospel).

He invited me to go to church with him. Part of me was reluctant; part of me was curious. I wanted to see the way Christians prayed and worshiped. The biggest surprise for me was finding that there were Tunisians there who had converted from Islam to Christianity. Astonishing!

The first sermon I heard was from Luke 6:32–36, when Jesus taught about loving your enemies.

I was struck by the differences between Christianity and Islam. Jesus taught that we should actually love our enemies! As a Muslim I had been taught to love my neighbours and hate my enemies. The Christian faith was not at all what I’d expected. It was much more beautiful.

The searching begins

I started to ask questions. Of both Islam and Christianity. The Muslims in the mosque did not appreciate that. I spent months searching for the truth, comparing the Quran and the Bible.

I met an ex-Imam who had converted to Christianity. And others too. I was touched by their testimonies, but it was inconceivable that I would make that decision myself. In our culture it is a shocking, shameful and dangerous thing to convert. You can be killed for it.

After a year of searching, I sank into depression. I was lost. I’d lost all my faith in Islam, but I was too afraid to become a Christian. I didn’t know how to face society, how to deal with the traditions I’d grown up with, my family, my neighbours. Many people from my home town would speak about me as the person who wanted to change his religion and become a Christian.

It was a tough year. I failed my exams because I’d spent all my time reading and comparing Christianity and Islam. My friends and neighbours were waiting to celebrate my results with me, but when they heard I’d failed they told me that this was God’s way of punishing me. They told me to repent and turn back to Islam.

By the summer of 2005 I was totally depressed. I didn’t want to meet with people. I just stayed in my room, and cried.

I was blaming God in my prayers. He had brought me to this situation! Why didn’t he show me the truth? I felt that he had turned his back on me. Other people had met him in dreams, but not me; I was still lost. I felt desperately alone and hopeless.

Meeting Jesus

One day in September that year I was in my room, alone at home, trying to take a nap through my tears. I was half asleep when someone came into my room. He sat on the bed next to me, and put his hand on my shoulder. He was very strong but didn’t hurt me. I couldn’t look at him or even move away from him. And he said:

“Aalim, you’ve spent all this time looking for me and you didn’t know who I am?”

I asked: “Who are you?”

He answered: “I am in the Father and the Father is in me; who ever saw me saw the Father!”

He took his hand from my shoulder and as he walked away he said to me: “You need to follow me.”

He left the room, and at that moment I woke up. I started looking for him. I thought maybe it had been my father, trying to make fun of me. But nobody was at home. And in my heart, I knew that it was Jesus.

I realised that the words he had spoken were familiar — somewhere in the New Testament! I only had the gospel of John at home (I had to hide my New Testament and my copy of the whole Bible from my parents). So, I opened John’s gospel and found this verse:

“Philip said, ‘Lord, show us the Father and that will be enough for us.’ Jesus answered: ‘Don’t you know me, Philip, even after I have been among you such a long time? Anyone who has seen me has seen the Father.’” John 14: 8,9 (NIV)

Straight away I knew that it was the Lord Jesus himself who had come to me in my hopelessness. I had no excuse not to follow him now.

That day changed my entire life. I became so happy and my mood changed. I remember the first time I sang and the first time I worshipped the Lord. It was so joyful!

Ten months later I was baptised.

A costly decision

It was not easy for my family. They told me that I’d brought shame to them. My father tried to convince me to change my mind. My mother told me she felt like I was not her son. I lost my relationships with many members of my extended family. I lost the friendship of my neighbours.

As a Christian student I faced many challenges. It’s not easy to share your faith at university.

I later applied for a job and was refused because of my Christian faith. They told me: “We know that you are an evangelist and you will make problems for us in our company. We don’t want to work with infidels and people who eat pork.”

Encouragements along the way

But there have also been encouragements along the way: my brother has become a believer, and his wife also. My mother is not yet a believer but she has seen Jesus in a dream. My father is now more positive about Christians but he says he wants to stay a Muslim.

The government allows us to meet in a public church building in downtown. This is really God’s grace! The rest of the Arab world can’t do that. Normally in Islam converts would be killed, but since the Revolution we’ve had more freedom of religion and more freedom to share our faith.

Recently, people have been questioning the Islamic faith after seeing the real face of Islam with ISIS. Some are asking more about Jesus; some are becoming Christians. But radical Islam is also rising, and there is a strong Islamic political party that may take power in the next elections.

Please pray for us. We need your prayers.

*name changed

Middle east: summer outreach

From door-knocking to film nights; from Beach volleyball matches to Scrabble games: Christian students in one Middle Eastern country spent the summer months seeking to engage non-Christian students on their campus in a whole host of ways. Friendships were made and the gospel was shared. The students also spent time walking around the neighbourhoods in pairs, praying for opportunities to meet people, for new life, and for the many struggling financially. One student reflected:

“It has helped to increase our empathy for the people here and fuels our desire to see them saved one day.”

Another student shared:

“The project was a blessing for me. It allowed me to have fun in the Lord but also to share the love of God with my brothers and sisters. During the various activities, I came to realise the power of the Gospel. It was a first time for me but God used me to bless someone, to speak on His behalf and also to pray for that person who was in need.”

The IFES Innovation Project supported this and many other student initiatives to share the gospel on campus in creative and innovative ways. Find out more about how IFES is supporting student evangelism around the world.