Story After Story of New Beginnings

You know that God is at work when 900 Arabic-speakers register to attend a conference aimed at exploring new life in Christ! That’s what struck Brother Rachid and his team after advertising the first New Beginning conference in November 2020 to both spiritual seekers and new believers. Learn more about that conference here. 

With such high interest for the first conference, the team hosted a second one in May 2021 and began planning a third one for December 2021. 

By far, the most rewarding aspect of each gathering? The quality of engagement from attendees. No one is casual about this spiritual journey. The risks and rewards are far too high. Listen to a few of the moving stories from those seeking to know spiritual truth:

Eager to learn 

In November 2020, one of our follow-up counselors interacted with an Egyptian woman named Malika, from a Muslim background. “This conference was her first time being in a Christian meeting,” the counselor reported. “All she knew about Christianity was from YouTube or through the research she conducted herself when she discovered that Islam was not the truth. 

“She loved the Lord Jesus and His character, but she didn’t know what she needed to do. I explained that I would write part of the salvation prayer and wait for her to copy and send it back to me. She accepted with excitement and asked Jesus to be Lord over her life. I sent her an email so I could have a follow-up with her and she replied the next day. To God be the glory for giving us this special opportunity to serve Him.” 

One step among many 

Most attendees learned about the New Beginning conferences because they had been avidly following Brother Rachid’s Facebook page. Some were in touch with the ministry for years, carefully navigating the momentous decision of whether or not to leave Islam and wholeheartedly follow Jesus. Others choose to follow, and the conference offered concrete, practical ways to grow in their new faith.

That’s the story that Abdel* from Egypt shared with Brother Rachid’s team. Before he began listening to the Let’s Be Clear program, he said, he was “like millions of Muslims who are Muslims by name, but who do not know the true principles of the religion. 

“Then I stared hearing shocking claims on Islamic YouTube channels, things I had no idea existed in Islam! I started to research, hoping these claims were false. To my surprise the verses they mentioned in the Qur’an were true. At first, I believed these teachings, but I could not justify that God wants to destroy human life. 

“I became an agnostic, and I decided to look for God through Christian TV programs like that of Brother Rachid, who had the biggest impact on my life. I began to read the Bible and accepted Jesus. My life has completely changed.”

Abdel then joined more than 450 others at New Beginning conference in November 2020. He spoke with one of the follow-up counselors via chat to say he was ready to get baptized. He also conveyed how much he had benefited from the event. “As you know, a lot of people who left Islam have lost family and friends and found themselves alone,” he said. 

“The conference was a great opportunity to get the new believers together and answer their questions — encourage them to make the right decisions and, more importantly, share in their struggles and show them that they are not alone and that they are loved.”

Thank you for how your prayers and financial support of Brother Rachid’s ministry are investments into the lives of Malika, Abdel, and so many more Muslims in their journey toward Jesus. Learn how your gifts can continue to make a difference.