The astonishing multiplication of ministry efforts in the Near East leaves leaders in awe of how God is at work.
Sam* and Ahmed* have always been committed to reaching out to people with Christ’s love. As OM workers in the Near East, they support small fellowships by building on existing relationships and working alongside local believers.
Due to restrictions on foreigners, it wasn't until 2023 that Sam and Ahmed were able to visit a certain area in the Near East. Once there, they started a training focused on reaching least-reached people groups while creating financial sustainability for participants.
“Little by little, we started building relationships with local churches and pastors, but we still had not established any grounds in [place],” remembered Sam.
One day, Sam received a phone call that was the catalyst for a big change. A long-lost acquaintance resurfaced to introduce Sam to Hossein*, a local believer. Hossein became the ministry’s person of peace — someone with a hunger for God who would champion the vision of Discovery Bible Study (DBS) and lead it to miraculous growth.
Casting the vision
In 2024, Sam travelled to meet Hossein and learn about the work he was doing in his community. Hossein was dedicated full-time to discipling a group of 22 people, despite receiving little financial support and having few resources. Without a structured study plan, he either read from the Bible, preached or encouraged people to turn to Christ.
Hossein showed Sam around and took him to meet a few of the group’s participants. When Sam explained the DBS method and how it could help people grow in their faith, Hossein “took it to heart and was a faithful disciple,” recalled Sam.
Discovery Bible Study is a simple method designed for people to discover first-hand what Scripture says about God, about people and what it means to follow Jesus. Participants are encouraged to apply what they learn in their daily lives and share the verses with those around them.
Mentoring
Due to their backgrounds and personal experiences, Sam and Ahmed understood the challenges believers in the Near East face and could offer Hossein and his group help and encouragement.
Having served with Campus Crusade in North Africa for 15 years before joining OM in the Near East and leading a Bible School, Ahmed brought his knowledge of DBS, discipleship multiplication and how to share the love of Jesus with people from other faith backgrounds.
Sam's mentorship of Hossein was particularly meaningful due to their shared background from a least-reached people group. Sam, who became a believer nearly 26 years ago, recognises and appreciates the work Hossein is doing in reaching out to his people, who have historically been a challenging people group to access due to religious traditions, isolation and persecution.
Frequently, Sam and Ahmed hear positive updates from the groups, such as new members joining, people expressing interest in learning about DBS and answered prayers. The most surprising news was the rapid multiplication.
Growing fast
Within six months, the growth was noticeable. The original group expanded from 22 people to over 100, and was divided into 13 groups across neighbouring villages, including two second-generation groups. Two children’s ministries have also started, with approximately 80 children attending. Additionally, two young leaders, trained alongside Hossein, lead three university groups of about 20 students.
Reflecting on the rapid growth, Sam wondered: why had similar progress not occurred in other places, despite conducting hundreds of DBS training sessions over the past seven years? He realised that a key difference was Hossein’s total commitment to the ministry — no other job demanded his attention. In contrast, most of the other disciples Sam and Ahmed trained juggle multiple jobs alongside their ministry.
This discovery highlighted two points for Sam that he sees as essential in establishing a fruitful ministry: find a person who has a heart for God's work and enable them to work full-time in the ministry.
“If I find someone who is faithful and he has really devoted himself to God, then we need to start thinking about how we can support these people to do the ministry,” he said.
Please pray for openness to the gospel and economic growth in the Near East. Pray for more DBS leaders who will help the ministry reach a third generation and beyond. Pray for the safety and protection of all believers and their leaders. Pray for support and training for those passionate about sharing the good news of Christ.
*name changed