My Conversion

Foreword by Randy Murphy of CTO...
Recently, we welcomed to our home a most interesting and delightful guest…Umar Ado, a pastor from Nigeria. He had first heard of our ministry while visiting a man in South Carolina in 2006 who was being discipled over the phone by a discipler in Indiana. When Umar saw the CTO manual and heard about intimate discipleship, his immediate response was a great desire to be discipled and trained to reach his country with the application of Biblical truths. Through prayers and funds made available through regular CTO contributors, we were able to see Umar’s dream fulfilled as he spent a month in intensive discipleship. His humble attitude and quick applications of God’s principles brought immediate and significant changes. His month with us was an inspiration as we observed his joyful attitude because he had the privilege to serve his Lord in Nigeria. Not only do he and his family live in great poverty, but also as a former radical Muslim, he lives with the constant reality that his life is in jeopardy. It certainly became a time for our personal “attitude checks” that we in America have been given so much and so little is asked of us.

Umar has returned to his country with the goal of translating CTO into Housa, one of Nigeria’s languages. His wife witnessed such a transformation in him that she asked to be discipled by him, and together they are discipling a pastor who is director of education of large denomination in Nigeria and his wife. Umar is also leading three groups from his church through the Who’s in Charge? studies. This month he is presenting an overview of the CTO ministry to the faculty of a local seminary where he teaches some classes. The following is Umar’s story in his words:

MY CONVERSION
by Umar Ado...
"The greatest enemy of Islam is Christianity!" My Islamic teacher drilled this idea into my head and heart. As a young 5 year-old boy, I had been given by my family to be schooled in the Koran and Islam. My teachers discovered my abilities, and I was groomed with the intention to someday be a tool to fight Christianity. Little did they know that their plans would result in my eventual conversion to the truth of the Gospel.

I excelled in my studies beyond my peers, and my time to confront Christianity came in 1989. The village elders called me and said, "Umar, this is why the village sent you to school. A visiting pastor with a group of Christians will hold a crusade here to convert us to their religion. We want you to humiliate them and drive them away!" I devised a plan – we would verbally harass the Christians, then douse their cars with gasoline, set them on fire, and beat or kill them in the resulting confusion. By this time I myself had become an imam (teacher of the Muslim faith) and I engaged a group of my students to help carry out the plan. The village even raised enough money to pay off the police to see that our trouble making was not hindered. We headed to the church with a mob of about 5,000 Muslims to surround the small group of 25-30 believers and began our intimidation.

I started to interrupt the preacher with questions intended to embarrass him, but he asked me to let him finish his sermon and then he would answer my questions. I sat and listened to him preach for a while and then our barrage began. I would ask a question, then as the preacher was answering all 5,000 of us would shout "Allahu akbar!" I became so engrossed in the task of trying to confuse the preacher with my questions that I forgot to give the signal to light the fires. At 1 a.m., I finally remembered to give that signal. I raised my fist in the air and waited for the flames, but there was no response. I left the meeting and angrily questioned the three groups of boys who had not carried out my orders.

"Yes, we saw your signal but when we went to strike the matches to light the cars on fire, we could not because there was a great light that shone down from the sky on us”, explained the first group. I was furious! When I questioned the second and third groups, they explained that their arms were literally paralyzed and they could not move to carry out my orders. I chastened the "stupid" boys and intended to return the next night – only this time I would be the one to light the matches and drive them from our village!

That night was the most miserable of my life. I was filled with anger and turmoil as I thought about my confrontation with Christianity and the preacher’s words describing the love of God. I dropped to my knees in tears and confusion and threw out a challenge to this Jesus: "If you are in heaven, reveal your truth to me!" I cried. Could the words of my enemies, the Christians, be true? I was drawn to the Koran and turned to passages that mentioned Jesus as a prophet, but this time I saw them in a new light. It was as if a veil had been lifted from my eyes! I prayed aloud, "Oh Jesus, I promise I will obey whatever you say. This is the TRUTH!" Immediately a PEACE flooded my being and I decided to become a Christian, whatever the cost. I went to bed and slept peacefully.

The next morning, I reconsidered my intention to become a Christian. I knew it would cost me everything I held dear, and I could not turn my back on my Muslim faith and family. Immediately, the peace left me and the inner turmoil and confusion returned. That night, I went back to the meeting as agreed, but this time I listened intently to the message on the grace of God. I became so convicted that I knew I MUST receive Christ. However, my girlfriend literally held my arm to keep me from going forward at the preacher’s invitation, so I waited until the meeting adjourned and the crowd was dispersed.

I excused the rabble-rousers I had brought with me to interrupt the meeting, and at 2 a.m., I went to talk to the preacher who lived in my village. The man was afraid of me and did not believe my intentions were sincere since I had persecuted him and his flock for years. On August 6, 1989, I gave my life to Christ. The Christians who had once called me “the devil” rejoiced and said, "Can God perform this miracle in our time?" That very night, I prepared to begin my new life.

Knowing the Muslims would seek to take my life, the local Christians there took me away from my village and hid me. Over the next several months, amazing events occurred. Indeed, my former Muslim friends and students found me on two separate occasions and tried to kill me, but the Lord intervened. Much hardship fell on those Christians who befriended and protected me, and I was filled with guilt over what my decision had also cost them. The Lord ministered to me greatly in those very early days and He performed miracles to provide for me through His people.

One day I went into a church in another town. Lo and behold, the moment I entered this church my ears were shocked to hear them praying aloud for me by name! I had "just happened" to walk into the church of the same group who visited my village—the very ones I had harassed months before. They had prayed for two hours each Sunday for three months for my conversion and God directed me to them. How we rejoiced and praised God together as they, too, were shocked to learn of my decision to leave Islam and follow Christ. No doubt, it was their prayers that held me firm through those first difficult months.

Although I was very young in the Lord, I desired to go to a Bible School to learn all I could about my new faith so I could return someday to my village and lead my large family to the Savior. I had only the clothes on my back, but Christians gave me a Bible and shared their meager resources with me. The devil was busy trying to discourage me through many difficulties and attempts to take my life, but God was faithful to me. He miraculously provided a way to go to Bible School. It was there I met my wife and the Lord led me into the pastorate, although that was the farthest thing from my mind!

I am presently pastoring a church and am the National Coordinator of Life Challenge Africa Nigeria, training men to reach Muslims with truth and love. My passion is to reach Muslims and encourage Nigerian pastors to apologetically provide cogent and cohesive answers to Muslims seekers. I have received training in Arabic to prepare me for greater outreach. There is an urgent need to contextualize Muslims outreach materials and find appropriate answers to the legitimate questions that Nigerian Muslims are asking. Indeed, Christianity is a "threat" to Islam, but certainly not its "enemy." My testimony is one to attest to the life-changing message of the truth of the Gospel.

Yours in Him,
Rev. Umar Ado
LCAN Coordinator

Close Calls!

Charlie -- He Jus' Makes Me Smile!

Running Away To BE With God

“As often as possible Jesus withdrew to out-of-the-way places for prayer.” Luke 5:16 (Message)

Sitting on a downed log next to the slow moving river I meet with God. A canopy of purple from a red bud tree shades my head as lace from the sun. Pink blossoms blow gently past me to hover mysteriously above the rippling water. I would say we meet in silence, yet it is actually musical. Birds are chirping and squawking, insects are humming and buzzing, dry leaves are crunching, trees are swaying — all in a rhythmic harmony to the words Jesus speaks into my heart. “Praise Him, sun and moon, praise Him, all you shining stars. Praise Him, you highest heavens and you waters above the skies. Let them praise the name of the LORD, for He commanded and they were created. He set them in place forever and ever; He gave a decree that will never pass away. Praise the LORD from the earth, you great sea creatures and all ocean depths, lightning and hail, snow and clouds, stormy winds that do His bidding, you mountains and all hills, fruit trees and all cedars, wild animals and all cattle, small creatures and flying birds… Let them praise the name of the LORD, for His name alone is exalted; His splendor is above the earth and the heavens.” Psalm 148:3-13 (NASB)

Over the past twelve years our Father has called me to “run away” to be with Him alone in the woods again and again to pray, listen and be refreshed by Him. This past spring we have had an especially sweet time together. First just the two of us were alone for seven days at Camp Lutherhaven. Then with Him through a close friend of ours I was taught how to do a little hiking and appreciate the woods from yet a whole new perspective--bringing the Word with us to read and pray together, soaking in a sacred God’s creation.

"Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.” Matthew 11:28 (NASB) In quiet contemplation I breathe deep the sweet air of the forest, keeping my eyes peeled for what God may send to me to speak rest into my exhausted soul. This past few weeks He has sent cotton tailed bunnies, chipmunks, squirrels, a flock of blue jays, a red tailed fox, a kissing cardinal couple and even several deer. The intricate majesty of His “ordinary” creation astonishes me. Taking my eyes off of me, and moving them onto Him, I find that “He restores my soul. He guides me in paths of righteousness for His name's sake.” Psalms 23:3

Whenever I know it is time for me to leave the woods to go back to “normal life” I find a big part of me reacting like a small child. I beg God to stay with Him “here” for a little while longer. Honestly, I don’t know how anyone who follows Christ makes it without these quiet times alone with Him. It has been some of my most treasured moments with God.

So although I beg Him for us to stay “awhile longer,” I find that He always seems to remind me "My Presence will go with you, and I will give you rest." Exodus 33:14 That then allows me the opportunity to look forward to the next time I am able to “run away” and be alone with Him again.