"A church in every province, a Bible in every home" in Turkey
Leadership
Unlike most children in Turkey, “Paul” grew up in a home where his father read the Bible to his family everyday. An Assyrian Orthodox family, they practiced their religion together, following the rituals that their ancestors had followed for hundreds of years. When he was 16, Paul attended a film showing at a local church. That night he gave his life to Jesus Christ. After serving two years in the military, Paul served as a house church leader, trainer, and mentor for nearly 20 years. In 1996, Silas Ministries asked Paul to join their team, connecting and encouraging church leaders throughout Turkey. Paul is married and has three children.
Ministry Vision & Strategy
Because the Church in Turkey is so small and persecution so great, a strong spirit of unity and cooperation is needed among the believers to help strengthen and encourage church growth. Silas Ministries was established in 1995 to help bring about this unity and cooperation. Silas’ vision is to see “a church in every province and a Bible in every home.” Thanks to Silas and other partnerships, today more than 90 house churches exist throughout the country.
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From 'Death' to Life by God's Grace
Around the world, it is common for Muslim families to reject members who convert to Christianity. In Turkey, this can take many forms but most often the believer is considered “dead” to the family. In one such case, a man named “Erol” was estranged from his family for several years. When a crisis occurred in Erol’s family, he was distressed that he could not console or speak with his family members. At the same time, Paul happened to be traveling in the same city. He offered to accompany Erol to help reconcile the man with his family. “Though tense at first, I was able to help Erol minister to his family and encourage them during their difficult time,” Paul said. “I helped Erol explain to his family the responsibilities that Erol has for his family as a Christian, and that he desires to fulfill them. The time ended in prayer and since that time, by God’s grace, their relationship has improved.
May God use this reconciliation and new start to bring the whole family to Him.”
Context
Operation World labels Turkey the “largest unreached country in the world.” At some 72 million people, with an evangelical population estimated at little over 3,000, the title is sadly well-deserved. Never mind that Paul lived in Tarsus, or that the seven churches of Revelation, or indeed a whole portion of the Book of Acts developed in Turkey.
Turkey is a mysterious country, a bridge between West and East, not quite Asian, not quite European, and certainly not Arab. By their own definition, Turkey is a “secular state.” Turkey is the only Islamic NATO member, and its leaders hope to also become the largest (by population) member of the European Union. Some argue Turkey is not fit for European Community membership as it is too big, too poor, and too Muslim.
For nearly a millennium, Islamic law strongly influenced Turkish life; however, in the 20th century, Turkey’s government instituted extensive cultural and political reforms. Most of the people accepted these more liberal changes, but militant Islamic groups continue to persecute the Church.
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Research and Church Development, Silas
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In order to develop unity and cooperation among the scattered churches in Turkey, a full-time “traveling pastor” is necessary to visit fellowships, gather information about their needs, and determine priorities for future work. Paul’s visits are used to assess the churches’ efforts and provide counsel, encouragement, training, and prayer support to the pastors and church leadership.
In one Turkish city of about 500,000 people, there were only six known local believers. With the help of Silas Ministries, these believers were able to begin meeting regularly as a house church. Drawing from Paul’s knowledge and experience in ministry, a young believer was mentored to lead this newly formed fellowship.
Churches in isolated or difficult-to-reach areas have little opportunity to learn from or coordinate efforts with outside churches, so priority is given to assist these communities of believers. Emphasis is also given to areas where unreached people are concentrated. In 2008, Silas conducted three trips to research ministry opportunities among the Crimean Tatar people group. The Crimean Tatars are one of the largest groups of unreached people in Turkey. Through a local Crimean Tatar believer, Silas has been making connections with people throughout the province. Through this work, a new team is forming to strengthen work among Crimean Tatars and expand ministry opportunities in their area.
Through Silas Ministries, Christian literature is distributed, training programs are offered, facilities for believers to meet and fellowship together are made available, and guidance is provided to local lay leaders in further developing the Turkish Church. Gifts to this project will provide salary, travel, and office support for Paul’s ministry.
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