Openness to the Gospel exploding in tense Egypt

Tahrir Square (Photo by Ramy Raoof)

Egypt (MNN) ― Egypt's president and military remain at odds after President Morsi defied a court ruling and convened Parliament. Tom Doyle with e3 Partners says the standoff could mean civil war as soon as next week.

Doyle just left Egypt a few days ago. In an e-mail, he reveals, "The mood in the country is extremely tense. Even though we were here in May...everything is different."

For the last year, the interim government of Egypt was run by the Egyptian military. Right around election time, the military dissolved the Muslim Brotherhood-dominated Parliament. Mohammad Morsi won the election, and this last Tuesday 0ordered parliament to reconvene. Doyle says that on Tuesday night Tahrir Square was jammed with thousands of protestors in favor of Morsi.

Doyle says since the military has threatened to remove Morsi from office if he does not dissolve parliament next week, civil war could erupt instead.

In the midst of disaster though, Doyle notes, "Egyptians have never been more open to Jesus."

Doyle says over 1 million Muslims have now become believers and have a deep love for Jesus. Recently an Egyptian official even went on television saying that 3 million Egyptian Muslims have left Islam and are now following Jesus.

These new believers are risking their lives to follow Christ. Doyle says 82% of Egyptians believe that if a person leaves Islam, they should be killed. Muslim converts to Christians are often killed, with no response from the government.

Yet believers are excited about their new-found faith, and record numbers seem to be meeting Christ in dreams and visions. As Egypt's political structure crumbles, its church presence is building brick by brick into a beautiful kingdom. 

The 10 national leaders that make up e3 Team Egypt have planted about 50 churches in the last six months, says Doyle, and eight of those are in villages which had no church until now.

The Spirit is moving in Egypt. Pray that in uncertain times more and more Egyptians would cling to the hope found in the Lord Jesus Christ.