Egypt’s Gideon looking to train 300 pastors

Ashraf feels like Gideon right now: He seeks 300 Egyptian men and women out of the thousands he could choose.

There will be no test for drinking water beside a stream as Gideon did. Ashraf, a Converge global worker, also won’t hold fear against these men and women as they discover God’s will.

“I’m looking for 300 young pastors to train,” he said. “I’m hoping we can take them to another level, and they will lead their 300 churches in Egypt to another level.”

Ashraf’s endeavor, called Gideon 300, will train and mobilize 300 pastors in Egypt. Like Converge, Ashraf wants to start a gospel movement among the least-reached Egyptians in our generation.

He was in his native Egypt in July for 45 days, helping organize a pastors’ conference there. During that trip, he observed there isn’t spiritual fruit like he would expect, given how many church activities there are.

“When you go to Egypt, you will find lots of events, lots of Christian work,” he explained. “I was looking at Egypt once and wondering why we don’t have fruits that should be equal to all these missions and events in the churches and the country.”

What ministry does Egypt need for a movement of disciples?

So, he started observing what was going on. He searched for insights into the disconnect between activities and advancing the kingdom.

He met some pastors who don’t treat their wives well because they still live based on their Islamic background. So, in response, Ashraf’s ministry includes teaching disciples of Arab background how not to think, believe and act according to past Islamic influences.

Referencing the Old Testament, Ashraf said the challenge resembles that of kings in the Bible. When the kings were obedient to God, the people followed in faith. But when the kings weren’t obedient, the people moved further from God.

Harry Fletcher, who met Ashraf and his family on a work trip, has come to the same conclusion. Fletcher knows prison chaplains in Egypt who said seminaries in the country of 110 million offer strong biblical and theological teaching.

However, those chaplains have told Fletcher some pastors beat their wives or have girlfriends on the side. That’s why the Gideon 300 project will be valuable to God’s future work in the country.

Training pastors

“If you want to make an impact, you’ve got to start with the senior pastor,” Fletcher said. “If he doesn’t have a burden for the unreached, the people aren’t going to have one. If he has one, he’s going to preach it, he’s going to live it, it will ooze through him, and the people will catch the vision.”

Approaching, reaching and training

Ashraf’s emphasis in ministry is making Christ known as Lord and Savior to people of Arab background, especially in Egypt. That’s where he came to Christ as a boy raised in a Catholic home.

God desired Ashraf to be a missionary, and he’s lived that out while working with Campus Crusade for Christ in Egypt, a nondenominational church in Al Minya, Egypt, and an American church while he pursued a seminary degree. Since 2013, he’s worked for Converge.

Ashraf has fashioned the Lord’s work into three priorities, which he summarizes as ART — approaching, reaching and training.

First, he approaches people of Arab background with bridges to the gospel. Second, he reaches out to Arabic-background people through group evangelism events and one-on-one interactions. Finally, he trains American and Egyptian believers on different subjects to help them reach the Arabic people.

“My mission work is to reach the needy people, either spiritually or financially, and most of those people do not go to church,” he said. “I like to work with the local church, but I encourage the local church to go alongside with me to reach the other people.”

Helping kids be healthy and safe on the way to school

One of the places Ashraf went to in Egypt was a garbage area where about 400 families live. He knows a pastor there who has befriended some of those people. These families have no school, hospital or clinics.

The children who live near the trash pile cannot go to school because the walk is too far. So, Ashraf and the pastor started pondering how they could raise funds to buy a bus for the children.

Kids with backpacks

Without a bus, some children ride in unsafe trucks or cars; children have died or been injured in car crashes.

“When we go to people, we don’t just preach to them about Jesus,” he said. “We go and help them.”

While in Egypt this summer, Ashraf also worked with a dentist who helped people. His ministry also included giving backpacks and school supplies to needy students and helping Sudanese refugees who resettled in Egypt. He said many of these Sudanese people come to Jesus as Ashraf and his partners play, pray and share the gospel.

Bob Marsh, who oversees Ashraf’s Converge ministry, said Ashraf’s entire family ministers together with grace, patience and passionate commitment.

While Ashraf was preparing for a trip to Egypt at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, he spoke with Marsh about life insurance. He knew the virus could infect him while in Egypt, and Marsh said the father of three wanted to provide for his family in case the worst should happen.

“That did not stop his commitment to go and minister to the sick and dying in Egypt,” Marsh said.

Backgrounds create obstacles, but God makes opportunities

Beyond these harrowing life experiences, Ashraf said challenges in ministry are often tied to the person’s Arabic background. This can include lasting lessons about marriage or finances from an Arabic culture that isn’t built on Christ’s foundation for loving neighbors and making disciples.

Ashraf isn’t discouraged, though, because he has seen God create many ministries in Egypt that are effectively helping people.

“We have lots of Arab channels, people making Jesus known,” he said. “Now Muslims can hear about Jesus, can hear about mistakes in the Koran. That’s helping there be openness to Jesus."

Help hold up the arms of God’s servants

Ashraf returned to Egypt in September and October to continue serving the Lord. Even as he treasures serving people, he welcomes partnerships with American churches and volunteers who want to be part of making disciples among the least reached.

The prophet Moses inspires Ashraf, similar to how Gideon motivated the Egyptian to serve the country’s pastors. In his mind, Ashraf sees Aaron and Hur holding Moses’ arms up as Joshua battles in the valley beyond them.

“Who is the most important man in this picture?” Ashraf asks.

To him, it’s the people who read his newsletters, pray for him and give for the needs of Egyptians who could become the leaders of a movement to serve the least reached.

“I’m in the field, but I need somebody,” he said. “We need your help.”

The help he’s receiving and the help he can give keep Ashraf’s eyes open for the 300 pastors the Lord is calling.

Converge is asking God for a gospel movement among every least-reached people group – in our generation. Learn how we are playing a role in accomplishing the Great Commission and how you can be involved.