RALEIGH, NC – The Timothy Initiative (TTI) began as a small, faith-based, church-planting organization. Its original name clearly identified the group’s original vision: Project India.

Within its first year of operation, the project had trained more than 3,000 church planters. By 2011, 7,000 had completed the training using TTI’s own 10-volume curriculum.

Having changed its name to The Timothy Initiative in 2009, the movement had spread to 30 countries by the end of 2012. The ministry continued to grow at such a rapid pace that, at the end of last year, it had planted 50,000 churches and commissioned a million disciples. This year, TTI workers planted another 10,000 churches.

The Timothy Initiative follows a simple, Bible-based methodology of:

• Disciples making disciples,
• Churches planting churches, and
• Leaders developing leaders.

Recently a TTI worker related the following story about a young Muslim militant in Nigeria by the name of Usama.

Somehow Usama had obtained and begun listening to a Christian worship CD whenever he was alone. One night, Jesus appeared to him in a dream. He told Usama, “Salvation has come to you.”

That’s guaranteed to rattle any Muslim whether he has listened to Christian worship music or not.

His older brother took him to a Quran scholar who gave Usama charms to wear to protect him from the “evil spirits” that were bothering him at night.

The charms didn’t work. Jesus visited him in a dream again the night after he had received the charms.

Usama had a third dream a couple of days later. This time he was trying to cross a river, but the water rose higher with every step he took. In the midst of his desperate situation, Jesus showed up again and pulled him out of the water.

This time, Jesus told him, “Salvation has come to you. Go and preach this Gospel of mine.”

The next day, he told his brother about the second and third dreams. He also said to him that he wanted to follow Jesus – not necessarily a good thing to tell your older Muslim brother without counting the cost.

The older brother exercised his “right” under Islamic law. He seized everything Usama owned, including his home and his children.

Eventually, Usama ended up in jail following a disagreement with a neighbor. Things were not going as he had hoped by choosing to follow Jesus. He lost everything, he was in prison, and he still had learned nothing about Jesus.

But, while he was incarcerated, a church planter from The Timothy Initiative came to minister to the prisoners. When he heard Usama’s story, the TTI worker shared the Gospel message. Usama put his faith and trust in Jesus that very day, and the angels in Heaven rejoiced.

Usama has since been released from jail. According to the TTI church planter,

“Usama knows that he will still face many difficulties in the days ahead because of his faith, but he is confident that Jesus, who revealed Himself to him, will walk with him through it all.”

Pray for Usama and the many others in Muslim countries to whom Jesus has been appearing.

Pray for the ongoing mission of The Timothy Initiative.

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