Brad,* a Central Eurasia team member living in Turkey, met a young man, Cem, at a coffee shop in Istanbul. During the conversation, Brad told him a parable from the Bible.
When Brad opened his Bible to show Cem the same parable he had just related, Cem’s eyes grew wide. “You actually have a Bible!” he exclaimed. “I’ve always wanted to read one of these!”
That day Cem eagerly received his very first Bible.
Across Turkey, the vast majority of people have never read God’s Word. Many of them have never even seen a Bible.
Turkey has no official state religion, but the population is overwhelmingly Muslim. Only about 2 percent of Turkey’s citizens are classified as Christian. Even among these, only a small number have a personal relationship with Christ.
In this land where the Early Church spread, the gospel is virtually unknown today.
Even so, a growing number of Turks are becoming curious about the Bible. The commonly held opinion is that Christians have corrupted God’s Word over the years, yet many are interested in reading the Gospels and learning about Jesus. And while
Christian websites are available to them, they are especially eager to examine a physical copy of the Bible printed in Turkish.
The problem is, our Central Eurasia team needs a constant supply of New Testaments to give to men and women who demonstrate spiritual hunger.
Not long ago, two women were at a park, praying that God would lead them to spiritually hungry people with whom they could share the gospel. They soon struck up a conversation with Aigul, a city employee. During Aigul’s break from work, the two women shared with her about Jesus and gave her a Bible. They made plans to meet again to talk more.
A few days later, the women met with Aigul and asked her about what she had read. “I haven’t read anything,” the woman replied.
Discouraged, the women asked why.
“Because when I got home, my two adult children saw the Bible and took it from me,” Aigul replied. “They didn’t want to destroy it, they wanted to read it! Do you have another copy I can keep for myself?”
We must not ignore this kind of hunger for God’s Word. The good news is—we don’t have to!
Bibles are available in Turkish, and our team is ready to distribute them. The cost is minimal—only $2 for one New Testament!
All we need are people—like you—who will help us purchase a large quantity of New Testaments so they are available when opportunities come to distribute them.
Will you help us today? You can supply 25 New Testaments for only $50. Those 25 New Testaments have the potential to change the lives of 25 people—or even 25 families—for eternity.
Our Central Eurasia team regularly experiences divine encounters with people who are spiritually searching and ready to hear the gospel. While visiting a university campus, some of our team met Esen. As they sat together on a bench outside, the group began discussing God, faith and the Bible.
Suddenly Esen said, “You won’t believe this, but two other people recently told me about this Jesus and mentioned the Bible. I think Jesus wants me to read the Bible.”
When one of the team members gave her a Turkish-language New Testament, Esen said, “Be sure and give me your phone number. I want to talk to you about the Bible while I read it.
Not long afterward, two team members met up with Esen again. During that meeting, Esen chose to trust Jesus and follow Him. Today she is taking baby steps in her walk with Christ as she continues to read the Scriptures.
Encounters like this one are becoming increasingly common. Will you help our team have enough Bibles to meet the demand?
Remember, $2 will supply a Turkish-language New Testament for someone who has never seen or read a copy of God’s Word; $50 will provide 25 copies. For such a small amount, you can help change the lives of spiritually seeking people in Turkey.
P.S. Because of its location, Turkey is a gateway between Europe and Asia. People from across Central Eurasia and the Middle East have moved to Istanbul and the surrounding area. Those who are reached with the gospel can have a major impact in sharing
the good news of salvation with family members living in countries where gospel witnesses are few and opposition is strong.
Your gift to provide Turkish-language Bibles can touch families in Turkey and far beyond. Please be as generous as you can.