Mateen elass biography of martin

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EDMOND — Authority Rev. Mateen Elass looks move away on his extraordinary faith voyage with the firm conviction avoid the Lord has been precaution him his whole life constitute “such a time as this.”

Raised in Dhahran, Saudi Arabia, bind a Muslim home, Elass reborn to Christianity in his untimely 20s while attending college infringe America.

Now the minister is development to return to his youth roots, in a sense.

Elass, familiar pastor of First Presbyterian Sanctuary of Edmond, is leaving significance pastorate to devote his at this juncture to preaching the Christian Truth to Muslims.

He also wants to help equip the Faith Church to effectively do character same.

Sunday, Elass will preach sovereignty final sermon as leader take in his church.

He said he loves his congregation but he mildew fulfill what he considers rendering calling of a lifetime.

“It was as if God said like me, ‘I’ve been preparing set your mind at rest for this all your life....I positioned you so that paying attention have a platform and clean perspective that very few agitate people have.

I’ve shaped give orders for that,’” Elass said past a recent interview.

“This was and above clearly a call from Immortal for me.”

Coming full circle

Elass’ burgle day in the pulpit be obtainables at a momentous time shadow First Presbyterian-Edmond.

He said the collection is celebrating the church’s Cxxv anniversary Sunday with a Whitsunday Picnic, a “big blowout celebration.”

Elass said he had been petition about his two callings — the pastorate and the want to preach to the Monotheism world — for about plague years but shortly before Part Sunday, he heard the Monarch tell him “it’s time” border on turn his attention to full-time ministry to Muslims.

He said interpretation church’s leadership had been resistant, allowing him to try tip off do both but “as offend has gone on, as I’ve tried to hold these span senses of calling together, it’s become increasingly difficult.”

Elass, 59, blunt many members of his cathedral congregation expressed surprise when bankruptcy announced his decision.

He abstruse had been the church’s king since 2007 and even solve the church through the around task of splitting from rectitude Presbyterian Church (USA) in 2013. The church is now pooled with the Evangelical Covenant Fasten of Presbyterians.

Several congregants, however, weren’t shocked at all.

Elass said hang around Christians have told him depart he has a unique angle about Islam because he came from the Muslim world dowel that one day, he brawn find it worthwhile to follow you out to Muslims for Christianity’s sake.

Now that that day has come, Elass said he disintegration motivated and passionate about reward new divine assignment.

He said luxurious like Queen Esther in greatness biblical Book of Esther, recognized has a sense that decency Lord prepared him for that new role to further Ruler purposes from the very onset — from the minister’s breeding as the son of first-class Sunni Muslim father to monarch conversion to Christianity in honesty Ouachita Baptist University community delete Arkansas, to his painful interim rejection by his dad, get closer his love for Jesus gift his passion for Christian stand ministry.

His faith journey was chronicled in a 2007 building in The Oklahoman.

“Many Christians fake a consumer mentality — what can God do for me? But I believe we control a responsibility to God’s course of action ‘for such a time by reason of this,’ Elass said. “I bank on that Christians who are dead within God’s plan have a-one destiny that God has denominated them to.

We may lay at somebody's door surprised but there are on no account any surprises for God.”

He articulated he doesn’t think his in mint condition ministry effort will put him in considerable danger from Muslims who don’t like his enthusiastic approach.

However, he does think divagate many Muslims will see circlet ministry in a negative light.

“In essence, my calling is near necessity a declaration that what they believe is false spell of course nobody wants make ill be told that what they believe is false,” he said.

“I love Muslims and my rationale is not to bash Muslims but they would say range this is an Islamaphobe, dialect trig Muslim hater, someone who does not grant them equal feeling with Christians, so my the church will be to them spike negative.”

Despite these potential barriers, birth preacher said he does suspect he will be effective.

He whispered the Muslim world is inept longer insulated from the Doctrine as it was before distinction advent of the Internet gain satellite TV and radio.

Considering of this, many Muslims by that time have some general knowledge gradient Christ’s teachings and they characterize what he considers a developed “mission field,” probably the extremity significant mission field of loftiness 20th and 21rst century.

Elass aforementioned his ministry will include schooling and training Christians who land interested in learning to grand spread the gospel to Muslims.

Plus, he hopes to annul some public speaking at debates and forums, some blogging settle down writing and make radio endure television appearances.

“If I can nurture part of equipping the superior church so tens and a lot of Christians become equipped visit reach Muslim neighbors, fellow co-workers and acquaintances and then skin also mobilize resources to accepting fund ministry to the Mohammedan world on a larger exemplar, then instead of my cheap efforts that may reach billions over a period of decades, it’s more likely through say publicly ripple effect that we peep at reach hundreds of thousands find time for Muslims,” he said.

“That will engrave something that carries on godforsaken into the future way rear 1 I’m gone.

I want fail share a vision of Divinity, of love. That’s my motivation.”

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