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Monday,
June 21, 2004
TURKISH ETHNIC COMMUNITY WELCOMES CHRIST
When offered the opportunity to believe in Christ, many members of an
ethnic community in Western Turkey leaped at the chance. Here is their
exciting unfolding story
By John Lindner
Special to ASSIST News Service
WESTERN TURKEY (ANS) -- Without
fanfare, a native missionary of Turkey is bringing the gospel to his
own people in Western Turkey. Some 40 have already been baptized, and
more than a hundred more are waiting for the same after proper
instruction and discipleship. And the whole thing is being done through
the whole-hearted cooperation of village authorities.
The story began nearly 30 years ago when a poor boy could not afford to
go to school. His father told him he could not afford the uniform.
Walking home that same day, they found a school uniform beside the road
that was the boy’s exact size. They took it as an answer from God—today
the boy credits Jesus.
Peter was the first boy from his village to graduate from the
university. His people are not practicing Muslims. There is a mosque
there, but Peter said the only one who attends is the mullah!
After graduating from the university, Peter spent some time in the
Turkish military. His contacts brought him in touch with an American
military officer. Months later Peter decided to take a vacation to
America to visit his friend. The friend had the arrival time wrong, and
Peter was left stranded at JFK airport. Strangers helped him get a
one-way ticket to Charlottesville, Va., where he showed up at Christian
Aid’s Guest House with one dollar in his pocket.
His new friends took him in and after several weeks sent
him to a Turkish believer’s conference in Florida. There he had a
glorious experience with Christ. He was overpowered in the Spirit, fell
flat on his face and heard Christ say to him, “Trust me, obey me, I
will lead you step by step.”
Transformed from that experience, Peter began seeking ways to bring the
message to his people back home. In 2001 he separated from Christian
Aid to form his own Turkish Gospel Outreach—now a branch of Hope
Builders, International.
What did his family think of his new found faith? He brought his father
to America and his father was amazed that Peter was a new man. No
longer proud, arrogant, or of harsh demeanor, Peter exhibited humility,
tenderness and forgiveness. Peter shared with his father what Christ
had done for him, and Peter’s father also trusted in Christ.
After returning home, his father invited Peter to come and bring the
message of Christ to his village. His father had one time been mayor of
his village, and his two uncles were head men in neighboring villages.
When Peter finally returned in September 2003, busloads of villagers
welcomed him at the airport, startling local security guards.
 Peter and his father
and uncles arranged a gathering of villagers in his home village,
bussing in as many as wanted to come from his uncle’s villages. About
700 showed up for that introductory gospel meeting and introduced them
to Jesus, while government officials sat in the audience. (Pictured: Part of the crowd at the
gospel meeting).
When Peter asked how many wanted to know more about having a personal
relationship with the Lord Jesus, nearly the entire crowd expressed an
interest.
But Peter was more interested in true discipleship than statistics. So
privately Peter and his associates visited homes one by one and
distributed New Testaments to those who wanted them. Though 47 new
believers have since been baptized, Peter wants to make sure the others
are properly discipled before proceeding with more baptisms.
 He also wants to raise the level of
living of his community as a whole. To help accomplish that scores of
school children were provided with uniforms and book money so they
could go to school. The government said if the collapsed roof of the
local school was rebuilt, they would supply the teachers, and it was
done. (Pictured: Peter
shares his development plan with men of the village.—face blurred to
avoid recognition).
Now a community development center is being constructed, consisting of
two buildings. One will house a meeting hall that can be used for
community gatherings. The other will host the development of small
crafts and businesses to help prosper the local people.
Already the physical appearance of the community is being transformed.
With hope for the future, the local people picked up litter, cut the
grass, trimmed the bushes, and began painting and repairing their
long-neglected buildings.
Last fall Lance Thollander, president of Hope Builders, International,
visited the field with Peter. As he was sharing his testimony through
an interpreter in a coffee shop with local residents, he told how he
had been raised with a vague knowledge of God but did not have a heart
for God until he learned he could trust Jesus Christ as his personal
Savior.
About that time a local resident interrupted him and said, “That is our
experience, too. We want to learn more about your God.”
Recent rulings by Turkish courts have affirmed the right to freedom of
religious expression for Turkish citizens. The fact that Peter’s father
was recently re-elected mayor of his village means there will be no
trouble from local authorities. Still, there is always danger of
trouble from other authorities and from guardians of the majority
religion. So prayer is urgently desired.
Peter has hope that his people will experience a new way of life and
possibly become a model community for his country. To learn more, or to
send support for Turkish Gospel Outreach, go to www.Hope-Builders.org
or write to Turkey@hope-builders.org.
___________________________________________________________________________
For 24 years John Lindner edited Christian Mission
magazine for Christian Aid and from 2001-2004 wrote and distributed the
organization’s e-mail newsletter, Missions Insider. He “retired” from
Christian Aid in January to pursue other writing, publishing and
international endeavors. He can be contacted at John@JMLministries.org.
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