Marwan and Inge’s journey began with a simple desire to use their gifts to serve the practical needs of others. For the past ten years, they have devoted themselves to discipling Muslim Background Believers (MBBs) in Europe, equipping pastors and leaders with the skills they need to effectively shepherd their congregations. Their faithful obedience, however, has yielded far more than they could have ever imagined. What began as a humble act of service has become a force for change, sparking a movement that has touched countless lives and introduced people to Jesus across Europe and beyond.
In their recent ministry days, Marwan and Inge recognized that marriage counselling was becoming a critical need for the MBBs they served, and especially for their pastors and leaders. As they learned more about the struggles and challenges that were causing relational strife and tension, Marwan and Inge identified how the breakdown of marriages among MBBs was having a ripple effect on entire communities of faith. They witnessed churches on the verge of collapse, and knew they had to take action.
However, Marwan and Inge also quickly realized that caring, counselling, discipling, and strengthening these MBB marriages was a huge task that they, as a couple, could not sustain on their own. At the same time, they discerned the voice of God in their devotional times together. In Exodus 18:17-23 they read about Jethro, Moses’ father-in-law, who said, 17“What you are doing is not good. 18… The work is too heavy for you; you cannot handle it alone… 21Select capable men from all the people … and appoint them as officials over thousands, hundreds, fifties, and tens.”
With the awareness that their retirement was also on the horizon, Marwan and Inge further recognized the need to raise up a new generation of leaders who could carry on this critical work in their absence. To make this happen, they created an innovative curriculum and training program to equip pastors, leaders, and especially lay people to continue this marriage ministry within their local communities and the general Muslim population of Europe. Marwan and Inge then identified key individuals and couples to take through this rigorous training process and to mentor and coach. Through their dedicated efforts, a network of capable and committed leaders are now able to provide counselling to other couples and individuals, other Muslims across Europe, and even back in their home countries.
Moreover, Marwan and Inge established an accredited counselling program that equips individuals and couples with the necessary credentials to provide legitimate and legally recognized services to the MBB and the greater Muslim community.
By God’s grace, today over 12 individuals and couples have completed the training and certification and are actively engaged in this ministry within their communities. Many more are going through the process. Currently, at least one, if not more, trained and certified counsellors from each Arabic people group in the area can provide counselling services in their language and dialect.
Praise be to God, for what began as a couple of Canadian international workers simply using their gifting, training, and passion for meeting genuine and practical needs has now become a network of local believers introducing many people to the forgiveness, freedom and healing that comes from knowing, loving, following, and proclaiming Jesus.