“The candle of hope burnt in me”

For some believers from Muslim background (BMBs), following Jesus can be a lonely journey. In one part of East Africa, openly following Jesus can be very difficult. Some do not feel able to speak openly about their faith or meet freely with other Christians. This can make Christian fellowship and discipleship difficult too.

Recently a member of the Word of Life team had the opportunity to spend a few days with a small group of BMBs in the area. Contact with the group began through relationships and introductions. Over time, a few were able to connect with one another.

They invited our team member to spend time with them and help them learn more about following Jesus. During the visit, they were introduced to Come Follow Me, Word of Life’s relational discipleship course for Christ’s followers of Muslim background. Because of the local situation, the usual training format had to be adapted. The material was shared in a way that the group could understand and put into practice.

In their time together one participant spoke openly about how difficult it had been to follow Jesus without fellowship with other Christians: “I have known Jesus for more than two years, but Christianity is difficult without fellowship and sharing life. Sometimes I regret becoming a Christian. I am alone and no one is beside me.” But meeting others brought encouragement: “After I had the conversation with you, my spirit was uplifted and inspired. When I met [other believers], the candle of hope burnt in me.”

The participant also spoke about the Come Follow Me lessons and said, “The lessons are quite fit to our context and we will pursue our Bible study of the 20 lessons.”
Another participant shared, “CFM is more than theology. It is life and shows where you should go and how to live out life for yourself and the Lord.”

The group plans to continue working through the Come Follow Me lessons together, and there are hopes that they can also connect with other Christians in the area.

Their story is a reminder of why discipleship and Christian community matter.
At Word of Life, our vision is for new believers from a Muslim heritage to grow from first steps into a mature faith, becoming disciples and disciple-makers. We long to see mature individual believers being part of Christian communities which nurture one another, allow space for every member ministry under godly leadership, make a positive impression in the watching Muslim community and continue healthy into the next generation.

Please pray for this small group as they continue following Jesus and learning together. Pray for encouragement, fellowship and growth in their faith.

About Come Follow Me
Come Follow Me is a relational discipleship course for Christ’s followers of Muslim background, available in multiple languages.

Find out more about Come Follow Me and the available resources at word.org.uk/courses/