International Newsletter September 2009
Dear Friends,
My Muslim body guard rushed to my side when the electricity suddenly went out. There were people in the audience from radical Islamic parts of the city and he was concerned for my safety but I felt God’s presence so strongly I knew I had nothing to fear. Download pdf
So I continued on with my preaching in total darkness. Mazen, who translated for me the year before, stood boldly next to me in the dark translating my preaching into Arabic.
Last year when Mazen was translating for me, he was told by someone that if he didn’t stop translating my preaching they would break his jaw but, despite these threats, he told me that I should “keep on preaching!”
After a few seconds the electricity came back on again and I could feel God so strongly it felt almost too easy when I spoke. I invited those who wanted to know Jesus to hold hands in a circle. 60 people in this Middle Eastern city joined hands with our band and prayed out loud publicly and asked Jesus to come into their lives. About 400 others listened and cheered while I spoke. God broke through that night mightily and our local team said it felt like a dream and that they couldn’t believe what they saw. Someone from the government who was sent to see if he should shut us down even thanked the local organiser for having us come.
The next day we had another concert in the youth centre that we have rented for 3 months to follow up on those who respond. Our local team says that this is the first youth centre of this kind in this city and maybe the whole country. That night another 25 people surrendered their lives to Jesus. This youth centre is a short walk from where the riot almost broke out when we played last year. After the concert a radical Islamic militia
fighter who was there that night texted Mazen and said “I love Jesus, I love Jesus! When will No Longer Music return to our city?”
Throughout the rest of the week we met with the local team, had late night bonfires with some of the non-Christian bands and talked about what it means to know Jesus. At the first youth meeting the following Saturday an entire band called “Necrophilia” fell to their knees and prayed to know Jesus.
Our time was also difficult. The band fought off sickness, 100 Fahrenheit heat (45°C), 4 car accidents in 10 days, smoke from a forest fire that made it difficult to breath and stress from those opposed to this youth center. But God gave us strength and His work is being established. My team shared passionately with others the truth of God’s love despite all the challenges and I am so proud of them.
God also moved powerfully in Croatia. 110 people signed up to attend the follow-up meetings that Luke & Ania Greenwood are leading there in a few weeks. Our concerts were covered on national television and there are huge doors opening for the Gospel in that country.
In Finland, hundreds of punks, goths, metal kids and students had the opportunity to hear for the first time the message of the cross. After the concert in Helsinki, I was praying with one guy in his 20’s and the Holy Spirit was so strong that he almost couldn’t stand. He said he now knew that Jesus was real. So many good conversations and first time encounters with Jesus. I have so much more to tell in future newsletters about all that God did in Croatia and Finland.
I just want to say thank you for your prayers and support that made this tour possible. I am so humbled by your support.
For the lost,
David Pierce
Steiger International
Praise Reports
God provided the remaining $4000 dollars for the tour!
Thank you so much for your sacrifice for the sake of the Gospel.
- Our van made it safely through the Middle East, and Europe.
- God kept our team safe and gave us the strength we needed in rough circumstances.
- Jesus was lifted up in places where He has never been proclaimed before.
- New works are being planted in the Middle East, Croatia and Finland and strongholds are being broken.
- There are no closed doors for Jesus!
Pray for God’s protection over those who responded in the concerts and meetings and for these new works. That Jesus will keep them safe and protect them as they are young and in the early stages.
