Welcome back. This evening marks the start of Ramadan, Islam’s holiest month. It’ll be a busy couple of weeks for our Christian brothers and sisters in hard to reach countries where Islam is the majority religion, as people gather to celebrate and opportunities for gospel conversations arise. We hope you’re moved to pray and support them as you read The Commission today.

In today’s edition:

• Jesus lived there, yet many still don’t know him

• Sharing the gospel with religious nominalists

• Being a Christian is illegal there—and still the faith grows

🇪🇬 Once Jesus’ home, majority Muslim today.

Soon after the birth of Jesus, Joseph and Mary fled to Egypt to escape King Herod’s persecution (Matthew 2:13–23). They lived there for a few years when Jesus was a child. Today, Islam is the main religion in Egypt, and followers of Christ face religious persecution.

How to Pray: As we hope to see more churches planted in Egypt, pray for faithful pastors to be raised up and unreached people groups to be reached with the gospel. As Egyptian believers share the gospel, pray for their endurance and safety as they face opposition for their faith.

🇮🇩 A nation of believers… but do they truly believe?

I used to think I lived in a deeply religious country. Churches on every corner. Christian radio and TV. People casually talking about God in everyday life. But then I went to Indonesia—and realized that religious identity there is on an entirely different level.

Indonesia is a country of 17,000 islands and over 270 million people. It’s also one of the most religiously diverse places on earth. Every citizen is required to declare a religion on their national ID card—Protestant, Catholic, Muslim, Hindu, Buddhist, or Confucian. You can’t leave it blank. You have to choose.

At first glance, this might seem like a country where faith is flourishing. Mosques, cathedrals, temples, and megachurches fill the streets of Jakarta. During my visit, I stood inside a mosque that holds 200,000 worshipers, then walked across the street to a Catholic cathedral before heading to a massive Protestant church. I even found myself in a Hindu temple during a festival where they were celebrating the birthdays of all their gods on the same day. (It reminded me of those office birthday parties where they lump everyone’s celebration into one Friday afternoon.)

But here’s the reality: In Indonesia, millions of people check a religious box without actually practicing that faith. They identify as Christian, Muslim, or Hindu simply because their family or town does. Many have never read their religion’s sacred texts or participated in its core beliefs.

This phenomenon is called religious nominalism—when someone identifies with a faith in name only. It happens everywhere, but in Indonesia, the system itself reinforces it. You have to pick a religion at 17. It’s not a choice between belief and unbelief; it’s just picking a label.

And this raises an interesting question: If you had to declare your faith on an official document, what would you write—and would you truly believe it?

This realization struck me as I spoke with a local pastor in Jakarta. He told me something surprising: Sometimes, it’s harder to share the gospel with nominal Christians than with people who have never heard it at all. Why? Because they already think they know what Christianity is—even if they’ve never actually encountered the gospel.

And this is exactly why later this year we’re launching our next documentary series. We want to take you inside the heart of Indonesia, to meet the people who are checking the boxes—and those who have never even had the chance to hear about Jesus.

In this new series, we’ll introduce you to the unreached people groups of Indonesia—millions who have never heard the gospel, not even once. Unlike nominal Christians who think they know the message but don’t, these communities have never had access to the truth of Jesus.

Indonesia is home to some of the largest unreached populations in the world. Many of these groups live in remote islands or areas where Christianity is virtually unknown. Others face cultural and social barriers that make it difficult for the gospel to take root. Our goal is to tell their stories—honestly, powerfully, and with the urgency they deserve.

So, what does it mean to truly believe? And how do we reach those who’ve never had the chance? Let’s explore this together.

Stay tuned for our next video series—you won’t want to miss it.

— Steven Morales

🇸🇦 May they endure in faith and hope with boldness.

The Details: It’s costly to be a follower of Christ in Saudi Arabia. In fact, it’s illegal to convert from Islam to Christianity. The government heavily monitors citizens and enforces religious persecution on Christians, including violence, arrest, and deportation. Sharing the gospel or meeting together for a church service or prayer is extremely dangerous. 

The Takeaways: Despite intense religious persecution, Saudi Christians are continuing to be bold in their faith. As we hope to see God continue to grow his Kingdom, we can pray that Saudi followers of Christ would endure in faith and hope as they face persecution.

As we hope to see persecution lessen, we can also pray that unjust leaders would be removed and that citizens would be free from government oppression and violence. Lastly, pray that many more Saudi Muslims would hear the gospel and place their faith in Christ.

📍 Attention Worthy

• Learn more about Ramadan and why it should matter to you as a Christian.

• What do you do when expectations about ministry don’t line up with on-the-ground results? Pastor Scott Logsdon explains why slow and faithful is a good expectation for missions in a microwave world.

• Moms Need the Great Commission. Jessica B. encourages mothers to remember that Jesus sees them—and their kids—exactly where they are, and commissions them with the same words given to Peter, James, and John.

THIS WEEK’S COLLABORATORS:

Selah Lipsey, Steven Morales, Jairo Namnún, Camille Suazo

MAKE YOUR LIFE COUNT!