Muslim Refugees in Greece Converting to Christianity, Planting Churches as They Help Spread Revival

Refugees arrive at the port of Elefsina, Greece where hundreds are living after escaping war and persecution in their home countries in the Middle East. Reuters

Refugees from the Middle East who have found refuge in Greece have not only begun converting to Christianity. They have also started sharing God's love to their fellow migrants.

In an article posted on Desiring God, Christian leader David Crabb shared how the kingdom of God "is growing" in Greece, where 97 percent of the population are Orthodox Christians. Most of them, however, affiliate themselves to the church culturally, and not necessarily in the religious sense.

Even amid this environment, more and more Muslim refugees in Athens are becoming open to the Christian faith. Javad, an Iranian Muslim convert, for instance, is even helping in promoting Church growth in Greece.

According to Crabb, Javad first heard God's Word through a satellite radio when he was still living in Iran. There, he did not know any Christians, and did not have access to the Holy Bible.

When Javad sought refuge in Greece, he had the opportunity to fully embrace and even spread the Christian faith, even if it would cost him his life and safety under Islamic law, which treats converts to other religions as apostates.

"When I came to faith, I knew I could never go back to my family or to Iran, but it's worth it because I have Jesus," Javad told Crabb, as quoted by the Christian Broadcasting Network.

The Christian convert now goes to the streets of Greece to share the gospel. During one of his ministries, Javad met a veiled Muslim woman, who said bad words to him while he passed by.

Because of Javad's persistence, however, something miraculous happened.

"A few weeks later, he was preaching again at church, and after the service a woman — with no veil — came up to him and said, 'I heard you preach in the park a few weeks ago and cursed you, but now I have eyes to see that Jesus is the Son of God,'" Crabb recalled.

related articles
\'We are living in darkness\': The heartbreaking suffering of refugees stranded in Greece
'We are living in darkness': The heartbreaking suffering of refugees stranded in Greece

'We are living in darkness': The heartbreaking suffering of refugees stranded in Greece

ISIS using fake passports to send fanatics to Europe in preparation for attack, top intel official warns
ISIS using fake passports to send fanatics to Europe in preparation for attack, top intel official warns

ISIS using fake passports to send fanatics to Europe in preparation for attack, top intel official warns

Refugee Council blasts May\'s emphasis on border control as UN summit begins
Refugee Council blasts May's emphasis on border control as UN summit begins

Refugee Council blasts May's emphasis on border control as UN summit begins

News
Sex offender ‘manipulating’ system to stay in the UK as ‘Christian’ asylum seeker
Sex offender ‘manipulating’ system to stay in the UK as ‘Christian’ asylum seeker

Immigration judges found his history of sexual offences did not invalidate his claim to Christian conversion

Disappointment as St Albans council votes to end prayers before meetings
Disappointment as St Albans council votes to end prayers before meetings

A local Christian leader in the city of St Albans has criticized a vote by the council to scrap prayers before official meetings.

Who was St Joseph and what do we know about him?
Who was St Joseph and what do we know about him?

The 19th of March is St Joseph’s Day, which in some countries is known as Father’s Day, but who was St Joseph and what do we know about him? This is the story …

Calls for urgent policy reforms to address widening marriage gap between rich and poor
Calls for urgent policy reforms to address widening marriage gap between rich and poor

A new report released by the Marriage Foundation has called for urgent policy changes by the government to address what it describes as a "calamitous" marriage gap of 51 per cent between wealthy and low-income couples.