Please read Beauty from Ashes: Thousands of Syrians Are Coming to Christ at Christian Telegraph.
Excerpt from Article:
From what the ministry leaders told Christian Aid Mission, it is true. Literally thousands of Syrians from traditional Muslim backgrounds are turning to Jesus Christ. It’s not an inflating of the numbers, nor is it an optimistic estimate.
Here are some responses from three of the ministries that Christian Aid Mission assists in the region—headquartered in Lebanon, Turkey, and Iraq.
Of the Syrians that you are helping, and who are showing an interest in Christ, what makes you believe they are truly becoming Christians? What would indicate to you that a Syrian Muslim had definitely become a Christian?
Turkey: We cannot know exactly the truth, but we can understand it through their behavior. They read the Bible in their own language, even when people from the church are not around them. They prepare questions and ask the pastor. They think of God when they are alone and they try to tell about it to their relatives in Syria. However, we don’t know whether they will live as a Muslim or not when they are back in their country. But as I said before, the ones I see even until now are sincere.
What would indicate to us that a Syrian Muslim had become a Christian would be:
1. Women taking their scarves off.
2. Letting their kids join the Bible lessons. People don’t let their kids learn a belief they don’t accept, since kids are ready to learn easily.
3. Giving up some habits in their lives, like drugs and lying. And they confess their sins.
Iraq: God knows people’s hearts to start with, but we determine they are Christians by:
1. Professions of faith—The decision to follow Christ in these circumstances means the person has sentenced himself to death and makes himself likely to be killed at any moment. So they know very well the consequences.
2. The amount of questions they are asking about our Christian faith and comparing it to Islam
3. Their involvement in the church attendance and church activities
4. The desire to study the Bible and memorize it
5. The willingness to share their faith with others and talk about Jesus and His miracles in their lives
6. Involving their kids in the children’s programs, reading and doing Bible homework
7. The desire to obey the Lord in baptism and in sharing the Lord’s Supper
Lebanon: When they become followers of Jesus you can see a huge difference in their lives. … The way they share their faith sometimes would help us determine how they are thinking. After all, God looks inside the heart and knows all the details. We also can determine [their heart] because last year we had more than 1,200 baptisms. Do you think a Muslim would get baptized just to get a food package?
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