NINEVAH, IRAQ (ANS) -- It is bigger than life….from ancient writings to fairy tales, the story of Jonah and the big fish is known in many lands. The classical Old Testament story of a Jewish prophet called by God to go and preach to the city of Nineveh, the center of the Assyrian empire…today’s northern Iraq. Nineveh was full of idolatry and violent people…feared and hated by the Jewish people. Yet, God wanted to have compassion and mercy on Nineveh…He chose Jonah as His messenger.

Mission International Co-director William Agius teaching Ephesians

Jonah’s hardened his heart….his hatred against them grew as he rebelled and fled on a boat to Tarshish to escape God’s mission for him. Jonah didn’t care that God’s judgment was certain unless the people of Nineveh repented and turned to Him. Jonah argued…God, why do you love those with a different religious view than me…or difference of race or nationality? Why do you care about the Ninavites? They are wild and barbaric, guilty of war and violence - They deserve punishment! And, I know, they will believe in Jehovah. They will become part of God’s family just like me! Then I will have to call them my brothers and love them… but me…a Jew…friends with an Assyrian…unthinkable!

Jonah had an issue with God…God sent a big fish…Jonah reluctantly obeyed…the results were historic. Jonah finally went to Nineveh…the people believed Jonah’s message of God’s love…God did have mercy…the people of Nineveh repented and their land was spared for over 200 years. Today over two thousand years later, the people of Nineveh are once again turning to God.

Recently, on the Biblical plains of northern Iraq, near the ancient city of Nineveh, over sixty Iraqi leaders and Believers gathered for an unprecedented Bible conference to learn more of God’s Word. From many ethnic backgrounds, Kurdish & Arab, orthodox Christian and Muslim backgrounds, everyone came for one purpose…to see new Christian leaders raised up to become pastors to disciple and lead the mighty influx of new Believers that are coming to Christ in to Iraq. This historical conference was conducted through Iraqi pastors and leaders from the cities of Baghdad, Mosul and Dohuk and was facilitated by Mission International, Calvary Chapel and The Joshua Fund.

In an intense six-day conference, the entire book of Ephesians was taught by several American pastors. By the time our teaching came to a close, several new Iraqi leaders had committed themselves to go into areas of the country to plant churches that have never had a Christian witness in modern history. All left with renewed courage and faith to continue serving the Lord with greater joy and fervor.

Also, during our time of fellowship, many Iraqi’s shared personal testimonies of God’s miraculous transforming power and protection that had changed their lives since the war began in 2003…The story of Hussien impacted us the most.

He began, “I was raised in a strict Muslim family. We lived in Najaf in the south of Iraq. My father was very religious and from the time I could walk he took me to the mosque every Friday to pray and be with my people…the Shia sect of Islam. As I grew older I began to study in the schools of Najaf and learn more of the Koran and its teachings.

"After I became a young man, I finished reading Koran and my teachers would like me to become a preacher in the mosque…we call this man the imam. I began praying to Allah that I could be this preacher. I graduated from holy school in Najaf in 2002.

"It was soon after this time that the Americans came to Iraq and made the war. Our Islamic leaders called on all of the faithful to join the militia‘s to fight against the infidel Americans…we called ourselves the Medhi Army and followed Mufti al Sadr.

Iraqi students study Ephesians

"My photo was taken in the black headscarf covering my face while holding the automatic machine gun to show I was ready to be a martyr in Jihad. I proudly wore the green headband with Arabic verses over me declaring that God was Great! I had pledged myself to Allah and wished to die against the Americans. My life followed the teachings of the Koran and Islam.

"One day a friend of mine questioned me about why Islam was so violent and discriminated against women. I argued with him that Islam wasn’t violent and that it was the real and true way…yet in my heart something was unsure. I found myself to be angry, hateful and so revengeful toward everyone and everything. Many days past and I secretly began asking questions about the Koran myself.

"My family was friends with an old man in a wheelchair who had a large library of holy books…I thought to go to this man and share my doubts. He handed me a book…a Holy Bible. He said many years before Saddam someone had given him this book. The Koran is a sword, but this book is a flower, he said. Looking into my eyes he instructed me to read. Without anyone knowing, I began to read this book.

"As I began to read the Bible, my soul and life begin to breathe again. What I had been searching for seemed to begin to come clear. What I had not found in Islam, I sensed Allah becoming real. I was not as angry or violent anymore. I went to see the old man again to tell him how things were changing. He told me of a group of people in Baghdad who followed the teachings of the Bible and that I should go and visit them to learn more of the ways of Jesus. I was determined to visit this place. I traveled to Baghdad to visit this group of people. I remembered, “Look for the cross on the top of the building,” the old man had said. When you see this you will know.

"Although I was a stranger, the moment I entered the building I felt a warm sensation…a sense of peace…people were greeting me and making me feel as though I was one of their family. Their smiles and love for me and each other melted my anger and doubts. The community and purpose I had searched for all my life immediately came into my heart. I felt I had been traveling and searching all my life and now I had finally found the answer….I was home.

"That was over three years ago… Today, I know understand why I was born into Muslim family. I know also why I was studying in the Islamic school. God let me learn everything that the Muslims teach…I know how they think…and now I believe God will use me to lead them to the true and living God. I am ready to go back and tell them of Esa and His love."

Hussein’s story is just a Polaroid of the incredible stories were hear coming out of Iraq today. The sons of Abraham, young men like Hussein from the Islamic Shia strongholds of Najaf are being called once again to be the witness of God’s love for mankind. In a supernatural move of God not seen since the early days of the church…the day of Pentecost is happening once again.

In God’s sovereignty, He is reaching into the hearts of young Shia Muslims by revealing Himself to them through dreams and visions and through His written Holy Word. Just as the Apostle Paul was fervent in his faith for the early church, once radicals for Islam, these young men and women like Hussein are now radical servants of the Lord and are following Him with reckless abandon.

Revival once again is coming to the Sons of Nineveh.
 

David LeCompte is the co-director of Mission International, a ministry whose primary mission is to assist the indigenous church in the Middle East and Northern Africa. For more information on Mission International please visit their web-site at www.missionintl.org. David also is the author of, “No Escape from Grozny” – A Christian Working in War –Torn Chechnya. This amazing book is David’s personal story of his work with war orphans and Chechen refugees from 1997-2006. To read more about David’s work and obtain a copy of his book, please visit www.noescapefromgrozny.com.