Leaders from various Christian churches prayed together for believers who formerly exercised Islam. These believers, called the Muslim background believers or MBB, are in need of prayer because they have experienced, or are currently experiencing persecution for leaving their former religion to follow the Lord Jesus Christ.
Harun Ibrahim, of Al-Hayat Ministries, hosted the Global Day of Prayer for the MBBs with the message, "You Are Not Alone." The prayer gathering, which lasted for about two hours, was meant to show support and compassion for the believers who are being persecuted simply because they left their Muslim faith and embraced Christianity.
Worth it all
Ibrahim shared via an interview with CBN what kind of hardship an MBB goes through. He began by describing how the Muslim community deals with people who turn away from Islam.
He said that Islam a religion that does not allow its followers to leave. Those who renounce the Muslim faith will be "punished" for it. Once somebody decides to turn away, he will be given three days to return. It the person does not return in three days, he will be persecuted.
People who turn their back from the religion experience various kinds of persecution, Ibrahim said. Some lose their jobs, some lose their children, their wives, and their families. In other countries, MBBs are even at risk of losing their lives.
Ibrahim was asked as to the reason why he believes so many Muslims still choose to embrace Christ even while it's dangerous to leave Islam.
He explained that Muslims who turn away from Islam to embrace Christianity accept their fate because they believe that persecution in this life is nothing worth comparing to eternal life with the living God.
He added that when people recognize the truth of God is as strong and as powerful as death, when they know in their hearts the value of the truth of the Gospel, they will no longer be afraid to leave Islam even if it's dangerous to do so.
Muslims who turn to Christ choose to pay the price for it because they know it's the truth and it sets people free in the inside, he said. Such believers may not look as free in the outside with all the persecution they might go through, but deep inside they know they are free in Christ.
Ibrahim said the prayer is simulcast using various avenues so that MBBs can join in to pray together with the faithful who gathered to pray for them and with them.
A safe community
Aside from organizing the Global Day of Prayer for the MBBs, Ibrahim also shared details about the Communio Messianica, a global movement created by and for MBBs.
Ibrahim said they started Communio Messianica to give MBBs a voice, and to give MBBs a community where they can encourage one another. He said MBBs understand each other's problems and pains, and having this community will help them grow stronger together. The community also aims to reach more Muslims for Christ.
As more Muslims convert to Christianity and the persecution rises, churches across the globe continue to unite to pray and strengthen the body of Christ. On Sunday, Christian churches from different parts of the world also gathered to pray for persecuted believers in China, India, and Nigeria.
