Muslim people groups continue to oppose Christianity
Islam is the second-largest religion in Ghana. For most people, converting from Isalm to Christianity means being ostracized by their communities, and often even by their own families. With people groups such as the Jula (also called Dyula), the community of the clan means everything, and such a conversion is often viewed as a hostile betrayal. As a result, it’s very difficult for Muslims in these people groups to even express an interest in Christianity, much less a desire for converting.
Zak and Prisca are a Christian Outreach Fellowship (COF) missionary couple who are dedicated to reaching the unreached people group of Jula and providing support for Muslim converts. Zak’s ministry with COF began in 2017 when Zak’s spiritual mentor recommended him to COF as a potential person who could reach the Jula people group. Zak was passionate about the Kingdom business, soul-winning, and ministry, and he felt that COF was the right platform for him to pursue his calling.
A unique challenge: Muslim Background Believers
Since then, Zak (pictured here) and Prisca have been working tirelessly to reach out to the Jula people group, over 80% of which are Muslim. As a result, their outreach has birthed a church mostly with Muslim Background Believers (MBBs). However, they realized that in order to continue effective discipleship among the Jula, they would need a resource center specifically designed for MBBs and the specific challenges that come from converting from Islam to Christianity.
This realization led Zak and some Christian friends of his to put up a Resource Center for the Muslim Background Believers in Wa.
New Resource Center will provide support to Muslim converts
The Resource Center will serve as an office, a ‘Seeker Center’ for Muslims who want to learn about Christianity, and a refuge for Muslims who have been rejected by their families and are stranded. Zak and his team understand the challenges that MBBs face in their walk of faith, and they hope that this center will provide the necessary support for these believers to grow and mature in their faith.
However, the COVID-19 pandemic and the restriction protocols made it challenging for Zak and his team to continue their outreach physically. To overcome this obstacle, Zak created a Facebook account specifically for ministering to Muslims. The Facebook platform allowed Zak to reach Muslims far and near, and it also made it possible for some Muslims to engage Zak with questions that they were unable or unwilling to ask in person.
An innovative approach to ministry
Zak and Prisca’s ministry among the Jula people group is an inspiring example of the transformative power of outreach and discipleship. Their passion for the Kingdom business and soul-winning has led them to make a significant impact in the lives of many MBBs. The Resource Center for MBBs and the Facebook platform for ministering to Muslims are just a few examples of their innovative approach to ministry.
We pray that God would bless the efforts of Zak, Prisca, and their fellow missionaries. May God continue to provide a way for the Gospel to permeate the Jula people group through outreach, Facebook, and the audio Bible ministry.
The Bibles to Ghana ministry continues to bring many people to Christ every day, and is committed to bringing the Word of God to villages that have never before heard the Gospel. Click here to read more about this ministry in Ghana, Africa.