Tajikistan is a landlocked country in the middle of Asia. It is a country with many mountains. The majority religion is Islam. Less than half a percent of the population is Christian but there is great openness. Today you will hear about what God is doing in Tajikistan as we listen to the stories from a pastor who lives there. As you listen today, I hope that you will be inspired to pray for Tajikistan and perhaps even go there to preach the Gospel.
Transcript:
Evangelist Daniel King (00:51):
Welcome to the Evangelism Podcast. I’m Daniel King. I’m excited about telling people about Jesus. Today I have a very special guest with me, Pastor from Tajikistan. Thank you for being on the Evangelism Podcast.
Pastor from Tajikistan (01:06):
Thank you, Pastor.
Evangelist Daniel King (01:08):
Well, it is so wonderful to have you because you are the first person from Tajikistan that we have had as a guest on the Evangelism podcast. So can we begin, tell everyone where in the world is Tajikistan?
Pastor from Tajikistan (01:25):
Yes. Tajikistan is very beautiful country in the middle of Central Asia. It’s former Soviet countries. Yeah.
Evangelist Daniel King (01:34):
And so what are some of the nations around
Pastor from Tajikistan (01:36):
Tajikistan? Yeah, we have neighbors, four countries neighbors. It’s Uzbekistan, Kyogistan, and Afghanistan and China.
Evangelist Daniel King (01:46):
And all of the Stan countries are great harvest fields. There are places where there are many people that need Jesus. And Tajikistan is majority Muslim.
Pastor from Tajikistan (02:01):
Yes.
Evangelist Daniel King (02:02):
Tell me, what is the spiritual climate in Tajikistan?
Pastor from Tajikistan (02:05):
Yeah. Actually, we was part of Soviet countries for 70 years and we’re closed for gospel, but 35 years ago we get freedom. And after this freedom, we have very hard time also in Tajikistan during civil war, a couple of years ago in civil war and people have bad life, but gospel come right in 19s in Tajikistan and churches start. And for example, our church is now next year will be 35 years. And in this period, we have very good opportunity to preach gospel and share.
Evangelist Daniel King (02:49):
Wow. How did you become a Christian? Tell me your testimony.
Pastor from Tajikistan (02:53):
Yeah, it was like 30 years ago when I was 16 years old. And that time actually my father start to read Bible in Russian language. He’s not believer yet. And of course he read Quran also in Russian. And that time one ladies from Moscow, she came from Bible school, send to preach gospel in our city and she meet my sister in street and preaching gospel. And my sister come to church and she invite me also to be part of church. And I was young and I come to church and like it. It was preacher from Sweden and I became – And you
Evangelist Daniel King (03:37):
Became a believer?
Pastor from Tajikistan (03:38):
Yes.
Evangelist Daniel King (03:39):
And what about the rest of your family? Did they also become believers?
Pastor from Tajikistan (03:43):
Yes. My three sisters believer, my father and me. Yeah.
Evangelist Daniel King (03:48):
Wow. And one of the things that is so special about you is that you knew my father and mother, Robert and Susan King.
Pastor from Tajikistan (03:59):
Yes.
Evangelist Daniel King (03:59):
And my mother was actually teaching your children. Yes. And now one of your sons has grown up and has come to be a student at Oral Roberts University. And we got to meet him the other day and it’s so wonderful that he’s come here to Tulsa. And tell me some about how you decided to send your son to Oral Roberts University. That sounds like a miracle.
Pastor from Tajikistan (04:29):
Yeah. Actually I read Oral Roberts biography very many years ago and I have book about Oral Roberts. I know about this university maybe 25 years ago when I was young and want to be students of. It was my dream at that time, but I thinking it’s never be happen because. But God have own plan and it was very miracle here. He get to university and he get visa and now yeah, but God of grace, he’s here.
Evangelist Daniel King (05:06):
Wow. So we’re praying for your son. It is expensive for someone from Tajikistan to come to Oral Roberts University, but we are praying for God to provide for him so that he can get educated and then use his talent and skill for God. Tell me a little bit about your church. You have what is a very large church for the nation of Tajikistan. I understand that Tajikistan has about 10 million people.
Pastor from Tajikistan (05:40):
Yes.
Evangelist Daniel King (05:41):
And about how many Christians?
Pastor from Tajikistan (05:43):
Yeah, it’s very few percentagely Christians, maybe 0.1 or something like that because mostly 99% is Muslims and our church is like phenomenon in Tajikistan because 85 or 90% of member is Tajik or Uzbek. They have all Muslim background and they come by miracle and they pay some prices and suffering because of Christ and they are hero of faith in this way. In Tajik Christianity, we are quite big church, around 250 members. And like I mentioned, it’s 35 years and start by other peoples and I’m not first pastor. I am seven or eight numbers of pastors and I like leading church for last eight years and church is growing fast and the atmosphere is very open in Tajikistan. People coming all the time, believe to Jesus and we have worship in Tajik, we’re preaching in Tajik, and we share gospel in Tajik.
Evangelist Daniel King (06:57):
What is attracting people to come to Jesus?
Pastor from Tajikistan (07:00):
What
Evangelist Daniel King (07:01):
Methods of evangelism are
Pastor from Tajikistan (07:03):
Effective
Evangelist Daniel King (07:03):
In Tajikistan?
Pastor from Tajikistan (07:04):
Yeah. Mostly it’s miracles because people in our area, we all believe for miracles, for healings and for God is alive and he answer to pray and we see so many miracles around and people be healed and come to the Lord.
Evangelist Daniel King (07:24):
Share with me a testimony. What’s a miracle that’s impacted someone
Pastor from Tajikistan (07:29):
In
Evangelist Daniel King (07:29):
Your congregation?
Pastor from Tajikistan (07:31):
Yeah, I can share a testimony with my father. My father, when he start to read Bible, he was not believer yet, but he know about Jesus so many things and he knows Jesus is real and he can heal people. My sister, she was sick. It’s very bad condition in the hospital and my father pray. He was not believer, but he pray in Jesus’ name and he believes Jesus healed. Next day Shiva was healed. After this he said, “I now know Jesus can heal people.” This was big testimony. My grandfather, he sick cancer. He have kidney cancer for many months and we pray for him. After this, he was healed totally. He live many years after this and he died by age, not by sickness. We have many, many miracles all the time and it’s key because Muslims people believe for miracles and if they see Jesus do it, they became.
Evangelist Daniel King (08:44):
Amen.
Pastor from Tajikistan (08:45):
Well, we
Evangelist Daniel King (08:45):
Have seen Jesus do miracles all over the world and you’re right. Miracles help draw people to Jesus. So would you say that Tajikistan is open if people want to come and to tell people about Jesus?
Pastor from Tajikistan (09:05):
Yes. Right now we are very open country. We have support by government. We have official registration of church. We can do any activities and nobody limited us. I believe it’s golden time for Tajikistan opportunity to preach gospel.
Evangelist Daniel King (09:25):
Amen. Well, I really hope to visit Tajikistan someday. I’m really looking forward to seeing what God will do there. Then I believe that Tajikistan will be used by God to impact the other nations in the area because all of the stan countries, Afghanistan, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, they are places where Jesus needs to be shared.
Pastor from Tajikistan (09:58):
Amen. Amen.
Evangelist Daniel King (09:59):
Talk to me a little bit about what God has been saying to you at your church. What are you preaching about? What is on your heart? What is on God’s heart for the nation of Tajikistan?
Pastor from Tajikistan (10:12):
Yeah. Our church also, we believe for reach other nations and we call for missions. In beginning it was worth go to a mountain people and they receive gospel and they go further. During this last 30 years, we see is fulfilled this prophecy and we have sent many missionaries also around countries and working for great commandment. I think it’s main goal for us. Amen. Mission in our focus.
Evangelist Daniel King (10:47):
Wow, that’s such a blessing. Well, let’s finish by praying for Tajikistan and I would like to invite you to pray, but instead of praying in English, can you pray in your language and let’s pray for God to touch the nation of Tajikistan.
Pastor from Tajikistan (11:05):
Yes. Amen. Hallelujah. Amen. Amen.
Evangelist Daniel King (11:39):
Amen. If people are prompted by God to pray for the nation of Tajikistan, what are some of the specific prayer requests that you would ask people to pray for, for your nation?
Pastor from Tajikistan (11:54):
Yeah, it’s for churches, for believers, we can be bold to share gospel and be strong in Christ.
Evangelist Daniel King (12:04):
Amen. Amen. Pastor, thank you so much for being on the Evangelism Podcast.
Pastor from Tajikistan (12:08):
Thank you. Thank you, Daniel.
