Ex-Muslim: 'The Koran Can Lead to Jesus of the Bible'
WEST JAVA, Indonesia -- Saeful is famous for playing Sundanese music on this traditional instrument. But this is far from what he was known for in his younger years.
A high school drop out, Saeful extorted money from people, even going to the extent of hurting them just to get what he wanted.
"But all these stopped when our gang was being hunted by a sniper," Saeful said. "Some of my friends were killed. I was so afraid because I know I will be next and so I ran away from our village."
Saeful sought refuge at his father's house, but he didn't know where to begin looking-- he hadn't seen him in years. He was surprised when he eventually found his father in a Christian fellowship.
"We are Sundanese and we strictly follow Islam. And so I persuaded my father to go back to Islam," he said. "But my father said no I cannot. If you want to know about Christianity just read this bible because I cannot answer you."
So Seeful went home and read the bible his father had given him. He was comforted by , "Come to me ... and I will give you rest."
"At that time I was so afraid and so troubled and so I said to God I will believe you if you can give me peace. I also opened to , 'I am the way the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.'"
Saeful was convinced his father made the right choice. He too decided to follow Christ.
"From that moment, everything changed. And I was not afraid anymore," he said.
Saeful returned to his village a changed man. He served God by playing traditional music and that attracted the people in his community.
Saeful teaches traditional music. It is all part of what he calls "contextual ministry" where he evangelizes in the context of the culture of the people.
"I believe God gave me the talent for music and I can draw the people to God using the type of music that is close to their hearts," he said.
Muslims like Dede enjoys saeful's music.
"I really like music and so when I heard Mr. Saeful's traditional music, I joined the group," Dede said. "The songs gave me peace. Saeful's wife shared with me the deeper meaning of the songs and that's when I learned about Christianity."
"And that Jesus is God. After I believe in Jesus, I shared my faith to my family. They are also reading the Koran regularly and I showed them Jesus in the Koran and I tell them that Jesus is the way to God," he said. "This Koran can lead to Jesus of the Bible."
What about radical Muslims who may view him as an apostate and try to harm him for his faith
"I am not afraid because to me life is Christ and death is profit," Saeful said. "When people come to protest against me, it's an opportunity for me to tell them ...what's my mistake? I want to tell you Islam taught me and showed me the way, the real way to eternal happiness and it is only through Issa Almasih, Jesus."
