Count The Cost

Count The Cost In the Muslim-dominated community of Tazmalt, in northern Algeria, newly converted Christians Zafir and his wife, Hiba, already faced challenges because of their faith in Christ. Zafir’s father kicked the couple out of the house that belonged to the family, and fired Zafir from his job. To add to the insult, both families of Zafir and Hiba broke all ties with the couple. One Sunday afternoon, while the couple was walking to church, Zafir’s brother, while clutching a knife, threatened to kill Zafir telling them that they could get back everything they had lost, if they would just renounce their faith in Christ. Homeless, jobless, and without any support from their families, Zafir and Hiba moved into a new community in the neighboring village of Ibadissen. Still they faced challenges. Their neighbors threw stones at their house and hurled insults at them because they are Christians. Thankfully, Zafir and Hiba have been able to remain strong in the face of this adversity. The largest number of converts are said to be in the mountainous Kabyle region of northern Algeria... yet being a Christian remains a challenge even there. The Muslim majority introduced legislation that identifies all Christians as being “outside of the village” and thus they have no say in village affairs and have limited possibilities in doing business. A concrete example of this discrimination is the way Christians were told to bury their deceased. The Muslims decided that Christians cannot be buried next to Muslims. This mandate was eventually rescinded. In Algeria, strong Christian communities are of utmost importance for new converts like Zafir and Hiba. Open Doors helps to build and strengthen believers in Algeria through training and funds so they can remain strong through adversity. While being a Christian in Algeria may cost you everything, the believers remain faithful and zealous about their faith in God. One With Them Jesus tells us to “count up the cost” of following Him and decide if He is worth it. We might quickly jump to praise Him and think, “Of course Jesus is worth it!” Our “costs” may be very little; how would you count up the cost today? Zafir and Hiba have lost family, jobs, friends, and are outcasts in their society. Would you and I still think those costs were worth it? Thankful for the power of the Holy Spirit that gives believers the kind of faith to stand strong in the storms that come to persecuted Christians, let’s be One With Them today in prayer and in praising God for our costs. *The names in this article are changed for security reasons. 2013.07.01

“If anyone comes to me and does not hate his own father and mother and wife and children and brothers and sisters, yes, and even his own life, he cannot be my disciple. Whoever does not bear his own cross and come after me cannot be my disciple. For which of you, desiring to build a tower, does not first sit down and count the cost, whether he has enough to complete it?” (Luke 14:26-28)