Like most of the world, countries in the Near East (also known today as the Middle East) wrestle with the effects of COVID-19 pandemic, including its economic impact. They continue to struggle even after vaccination programs have been started.
But in spite of the results of the health crisis to these nations, people are still experiencing the move of the Holy Spirit.
Mission Network News said that the countries in the region such as Syria, Lebanon, Iraq and Jordan are being reached out by Cry Out Now Ministries. But its outreaches like door-to-door Scripture distributions or street evangelism were halted due to government-mandated curfews, contact restrictions and lockdowns.
Given this limitation, ministry workers have resolved to get creative with Gospel outreach. Thus, the group decided to use modern technology and started to share about Jesus online.
"Today with social media, there can be campaigns with thousands of people being connected with a message that goes out that people can click on if there's a spiritual interest and even start to do a Bible study online.... We hear of people coming to faith just through responding to a message that they get on Facebook or a Facebook ad or some message that goes out through WhatsApp."
One of the people being reached out using this system is a Jordanian and Muslim man who was disillusioned with Islam but was clueless of who to ask about his questions. He was contacted through social media by one of the members of the ministry and the man replied out of intrigue.
Peter, a ministry member whose real name was kept for security reasons, said, "This guy has gone all the way through from just debating and looking at comparing the Quran with the Scriptures...to the point where he recognizes he doesn't want to talk about the Quran anymore because he really believes that he's found the truth."
The Jordanian has yet to accept Jesus Christ as his Savior but the ministry is pleading for prayers that he and others around the Near East Region would receive the Gospel.
"God's promises are still valid," Peter went on to say. "God is not on hold. That's one of the lessons that we sense. He's not on hold. He hasn't said, 'Okay, we can relax a bit on the commitment to disciple nations and to see people come to know Him.' God is still working."
According to a demographic study provided by the Pew Research Center dated April 2, 2015, number of Christians is projected to grow in the Middle East and Africa by 3.1% in 2050, immensely dominated by the Muslims at 93.7%.
The study points out that in accordance with the survey data from select countries including Egypt, Iraq and Tunisia, changes in religious identity in the region are rare. The Center's analysis figured out that "as of 2012, more than half of the countries in the Middle East and North Africa have laws banning apostasy (the act of abandoning one's faith), in some cases carrying the death penalty as punishment."
