A Church Where There Was None
A Church Where There Was None
In one of the most spiritually difficult regions of the world, a church planter is quietly carrying the gospel across borders, mountains, and closed communities.
For security reasons, we cannot share his name.
Before he met Jesus, he was known for violence and was a disliked guest at the police station. He drank heavily from the morning, fought regularly, and was feared in his community. He describes himself as a terrible husband, someone who never thanked his wife and never spoke kindly to her.
Then he encountered Christ.
The first sign of change came at home. One morning, he simply thanked his wife for breakfast. She was so shocked that she checked his arms for signs of drug use because she could not believe the man she knew had suddenly become gentle.
Jesus had completely transformed him.
Today, he is one of the boldest evangelists we know.
Every single day, he shares the gospel with people around him. Often with many people in one day. His faith is not theoretical. It shapes every conversation, every journey, and every sacrifice he makes.
He now leads a growing church in eastern Turkey, in a place where there had previously been no known church community. But his ministry has expanded far beyond one city.
Once or twice each month, he travels to neighbouring provinces with little or no Christian witness. These regions are deeply resistant to the gospel, culturally isolated, and difficult for outsiders to enter. In one province, his wife even rented a small flat so they could stay longer, welcome people into their home, and create space for conversation and discipleship.
He also travels regularly into a remote enclave situated between Turkey, Armenia, and Iran. Though geographically separated from the rest of Azerbaijan, it belongs politically to Azerbaijan and is heavily monitored. Entering the region involves intense questioning and scrutiny.
Yet despite the difficulty, God has used him there powerfully.
Around thirty locals have come to faith. Just last week a man who works at the hotel my friend is staying made a decision to follow Christ after a period of 2 years and many conversations. Unfortunately the believers are not gathering together in a place yet. The people fear arrest and serious punishments once being caught by the authorities. Especially after the believers heard about what happened to a believer who shared the gospel boldly in his town. While he was sharing in a cafe, the police arrested him and without an orderly court case he was sentenced to 11 years of prison. The charges of smuggling weapons and being an Armenian spy.
The journeys are exhausting and expensive. But he continues because he believes the gospel must reach places others overlook.
Stories of God’s supernatural work follow him everywhere.
On one occasion, he had a dream in which he saw a specific car parked outside a church building. In the dream, he clearly saw the number plate. When he woke up, he wrote it down and later contacted a friend in the police force, who helped him identify the owner.
He called the man and simply said:
“I’m from the church. I saw your car in front of the church and wondered whether you needed anything. I felt God wanted me to contact you.”
The man was stunned.
“I also had a dream,” he replied. “I felt God was telling me, ‘I will send my servant to you.’”
The man, who described himself as an atheist, immediately asked to begin weekly Bible studies.
This is the kind of ministry happening quietly through our network.
But right now, this brother urgently needs support.
For several years, a believer who owned a tourism business helped fund his ministry. Recently, however, that supporter was forced to leave Turkey and close both his home and business. Overnight, a major source of financial stability disappeared.
Without new partners, continuing this work will become increasingly difficult.
Yet the opportunities before him are extraordinary. Churches are being planted where none existed. People are hearing the gospel for the first time. Small communities of believers are forming in places many would consider unreachable.
We are sharing this story because we believe the global Church should know what God is doing and because no one should carry this kind of mission alone.
If you would like to support frontline church planting in some of the least reached regions of the world, we would love to hear from you.
Together, we can help sustain the work of those carrying the hope of Jesus into places where His name is rarely heard.
If you would be interested in helping to fund this believers ministry please get in touch.
