author
Many people in Türkiye have questions: Who is God? What is real prayer? What do Christians believe? Each week, thousands of these seekers interact online in response to engaging with the Bible Correspondence Course (BCC) social media and Google advertising. Those who order a Bible are invited to meet with believers who live near them to explore questions of faith further.
In 2023, over 17,000 Turks ordered a New Testament online, 1,300 engaged in the BCC's Christian book series, 200 met face-to-face with a believer and 150 made professions of faith.
The BCC seeks to win new disciples and grow the Church. Ministry partners include churches and church planters who spread the gospel, follow up those seeking biblical truth and disciple new believers across the country's 81 provinces.
They don't just reach people in major cities; the BCC's extensive volunteer network extends into areas with minimal exposure to the Good News.
Even though many of the early churches were in Türkiye, only around 180 churches exist today. The BCC was founded in 1962 during the pioneering days of gospel workers in the country. As a remarkably effective evangelistic ministry, the BCC continues to grow, deeply impacting many in Türkiye with each passing year.
An Australian volunteer worker, Stuart*, believes it's a huge privilege to meet with people who have never met a Christian. "It's amazing to live a life with so much purpose impacting people for eternity."
"I reach out to those who have ordered Bibles online and help to answer their questions and share the gospel and my testimony with them. I seek to walk alongside them as I encourage them to discover the Bible with friends and family in their community."
When Hakan* began to explore Christianity, he felt a distinct peace that continued to draw him in. However, it wasn't until he met Stuart and another worker through the BCC that he understood the essence of believing in Jesus.
As Hakan compared the Bible to what he knew of the Qur'an, he asked, "So what things do Christians have to do in their faith?" The two workers shared their testimony with Hakan, explaining what entering a real relationship with God meant. Now, Hakan is connected to a local family leading a house church.
Many seeking the truth are often curious to meet a Christian, and the experience can be powerful. The story of Hakan is not uncommon in Türkiye, as God continues to draw people to Himself through the BCC.
*name changed
Pray for the thousands of seekers who engage with the BCC and order New Testaments. Pray for these seeds to find good soil, grow and bear much fruit.
Pray for the BCC volunteer network, for perseverance, wisdom and encouragement. Not every meet-up is as successful as with Hakan, and it can be discouraging when people lose interest or contact.
Pray for isolated believers throughout Türkiye. In remote areas, there's often only a handful of believers, sometimes just one in the area. Pray for them to stand firm in their faith and for the courage to share their faith with those in their community.
Pray for small groups and house gatherings throughout Türkiye to be strengthened and multiplied.
Share On Your Socials
Charlotte's family moves from the UK to Turkey to help locals get involved in missions.
Searching for truth, Ahmet travels to Africa and Europe before returning to Turkey to share Jesus with his family and friends.
At 04:00 on 6 February 2023, a 7.8 magnitude earthquake, followed by several large aftershocks, took place near the city of Gaziantep, Türkiye, in the southeastern part of the country. People across Türkiye, Syria, Lebanon, Cyprus and Israel were reported to have felt it. Since then, OM's partners have responded to help many.
In the midst of the destruction caused by earthquakes in Turkey, small communities of Jesus followers continue to demonstrate what it means to love one another.
The 7.8 magnitude earthquake on 6 February 2023 surprised people across Turkey and surrounding countries, but God is still at work in painful times.
The 7.8 magnitude earthquake in Turkey shifted Jabari's ministry to Syrian refugees from primarily on social media to in person. He and his wife now see an openness in many to hear the good news.
People impacted by an earthquake in 2023, experienced the love of Christ through Jesus followers eager to help.
In serving and loving those who had come to the table, one family found their hope restored after an earthquake destroyed their home.
After Serah accepted an invitation to join a new friend for a meal, it quickly grew into a weekly prayer meeting with a large group of women.
Through an outreach in Istanbul during Ramadan, two young women hear the good news of Christ.
When travel due to the new coronavirus comes to a halt, the short term outreach to Hungary goes online.
Nine years ago, Pippa (32) left her home in the UK and joined in with what God was doing among Buddhist communities in the Himalayas. Through challenges, doubts and crisis, prayer has been her unshakable foundation.
For teens Grace and Sophia, sharing Christ's love with those who don't know Him is what they are used to.
When the Esaus left their small Canadian town 52 years ago, they expected to be teaching at a Bible school. God however had other plans.
Four years ago, the Bullock family left the familiarity and security of life in the UK to serve God cross-culturally in Zambia. OM writer Ivy Chiu spoke to Dan and Ruth about why they took such a bold step, and what life is now like for their young family.
Aneli, a Mexican physiotherapist, gave up her comfortable home, job, and being close to family to use her professional skills to reach out to special needs people in Albania. Her plans seem to come to a halt with the coronavirus pandemic, however, until God opens the door for her to share His love in a beautiful, unplanned way.
Through trials and troubles, Alan and Vicki experienced God's love and peace, sharing it with others wherever they go.
When Patrick prayed for the Lord to lead him to one person whom he could further train and equip, Samuel was not the obvious choice.
“Life with God is an adventure, and do you trust Him enough to say 'Yes!' to that adventure?” When Jenna Montgomery heard a conference speaker say that, it was the final confirmation that she needed to step out. “God wanted me to use my professional skills to invest in something eternal,” she said in an interview with OM Journalist Nicky Andrews.
Igor undergoes transformation in his life before God can use him to serve the people he used to hate in the Cacausus region.
