Each believer’s journey to knowing Christ has been unique, as our intimate God reaches out to each individual in an intimate way.
Within our unique journeys, we also find common factors that have influenced our search for truth. One of the major influences for many of us has been media, including radio, television, and the Internet. Here are a few stories about how media played an important role in introducing us to Christ.
Fuad
Fuad had a strict Islamic upbringing in a home devoid of love. His father died when he was three months old and he was raised by an uncle who regularly beat Fuad until he bled all over. The abuse drove Fuad to search for a source of love.
“When you are raised with a religious upbringing you start to search for God,” says Fuad. “I was searching for a God who loved me, even if no one else did—but there was no love even in God.”
Fuad couldn’t swallow the image of a loveless God that was painted by his religion.
“I knew that something was wrong with the way I was being brought up,” says Fuad. “The love I was lacking in my family I looked for in God and it wasn’t there. There was no peace or love in God.”
Fuad was introduced to the concept of a loving God at age 16 while he was playing with the radio.
“I heard the Scripture that said, ‘Love your enemies,’” says Fuad. “I really liked that Scripture.”
Fuad was well-educated and he read extensively. Around the time he started listening to the radio he also started writing poetry and some of his poems even got published. The inspiration for his poetry often came from what he was hearing on the radio.
“Something powerful grabbed me when I listened to the radio,” says Fuad. “I didn’t know where the words came from or who said them, but they touched me. It affected me and comforted me. I marked the radio dial so that I could listen to it every night.”
Fuad continued to follow the program until he realized that what he was hearing were the words of Christ. He was shocked to learn that he had been listening to a Christian program.
“I didn’t listen to it because I was convinced of Christianity or even liked it,” says Fuad. “I listened because I felt there was a spiritual substance to it and it helped me write poetry.”
Fuad kept seeking the true image of God for more than a decade after he began listening to Christian radio. Over the years he was disillusioned by the different expressions of Islam and various other world religions—including Christianity. Finally Fuad gave up and prayed, “Lord, I’m tired. If you’re there, then tell me who you are.”
“The idea was in my heart that if there was truly a God who was worthy of worship then it was Christ,” says Fuad, “but I was not convinced.”
Shortly after that Fuad was in an Internet café one night talking to a Christian from another country that he had met online. She was telling him about Christ. As he was chatting with her, Fuad heard a voice in his right ear.
“I’ve been waiting for you for 12 years,” it said, “and I’m not waiting any longer.”
All the questions in Fuad’s chest disappeared in that moment. Suddenly, his long search was over.
“When I heard the voice I knew the One speaking was from outside of me and from my heart at the same time,” says Fuad. “It was Christ. I wanted to cry. I felt an unnatural peace. There was no horror or fear.”
Fuad got down on his knees on the floor of the Internet café. No one paid him any attention as the other Internet users remained absorbed in their own computer screens.
“I felt there was a different light inside the Internet café,” says Fuad. “I came to faith in Christ the same day I heard the voice.”