Unprecedented Church Growth in North Africa

As the sun sets over the Mediterranean Sea, Muslims across North Africa are coming to faith in Jesus Christ in record numbers.

From the shores of Casablanca, Morocco, to Tripoli, Libya, experts say the growth of Christianity over the last 20 years has been unprecedented.

Now that growth is also evident in the North African nation of Algeria.

Pastor Salah leads one of the largest churches in Algeria. Some 1,200 believers attend the church, in a country where 99 percent of the population is Muslim.

Salah reports that every new Christian in his church comes from a Muslim background, and, since the church opened, they have baptised on average 150-160 believers per year.

Zino, a former Muslim, was invited to attend Pastor Salah’s church by a friend. What he saw transformed him.

“I saw Algerians worshipping God with all their hearts and it touched me,” Zino shared.

Others like Farhat, who is also a former Muslim, spoke of miraculous encounters. He said he was illiterate and couldn’t read the Bible when he accepted the Lord. Then God made a change.

“Since then I’ve read the Bible and understood the Word of God,” he told CBN News. “This is just an example of what God has done in my life, and this is the case of many people here in Algeria.”

Even though Algeria is overwhelmingly Muslim, the government has given Protestant churches the freedom to register their congregations.

“It is the first Muslim Arab government who recognises, officially, churches from Islam,” said Youssef Qurahmane, a leading Algerian.

He added that, although the government will harass and intimidate Christians from time to time, the level of persecution is nothing like it was 20 years ago.

In fact, Qurahmane is seeing God open unprecedented doors.

“God has given to us many opportunities to witness at the police stations, at the courts, and in fact one time I went to the police station and they gave me 45 minutes to speak about Jesus! Just imagine yourself: they are all Muslims sitting and telling me, ‘Tell us about Jesus!'” he exclaimed.

Emboldened by God’s power, Algerian Christians are now on a mission to take the Gospel to the four corners of the globe.

Pastor Qurahmane told CBN News: “God has put in our heart to be able to send 1,000 missionaries by the year 2025.”

• Give thanks for the growth of the Church across North Africa, in particular in Algeria, and for the Government acceptance of the Church in that country.
• Give thanks for the vision of Algerian Christians to go beyond their borders to reach Muslims in other countries with the Gospel.
• Pray for the continued growth of the Church in this region, and for many to have life changing encounters with the Living Christ.
• Pray for peace across North Africa, and or protection for Christians, especially with the rise in influence of ISIL.

Psalm 40 vs 3: “He put a new song in my mouth, a song of praise to our God. Many will see and fear, and put their trust in the Lord.”

Source: http://www.cbn.com/cbnnews