He chose a new name and a new life

3 minutes 30 seconds read

The first message the media team received was simple: ‘I want to be baptised.’

It came from a 20-year-old young man living in a country where such a confession can carry a death sentence. When the media team replied, he explained that he no longer wished to be known by the name he had been given at birth. He had chosen another. ‘Do not call me Siraj* anymore,’ he said. ‘Luke* is the name I have chosen.’

Luke comes from a powerful and deeply religious family. Several generations of his male relatives hold tribal, religious, and political influence, and loyalty to tradition is woven into family life in ways that leave little room for questions or doubt.

Yet, for Luke, questions came.

Over time, Luke found himself unsettled by what he saw and heard around him. Rather than voicing those questions openly, he began searching quietly online, reading widely and examining for himself the beliefs he had inherited. That search eventually led him to the person of Jesus Christ, and to a conviction that would not leave him.

He declared, ‘I believe in the Lord Jesus Christ as Saviour and Lord.’ But what troubled him most was whether grace could truly reach someone with his past. ‘Please tell me, will the Lord Jesus Christ forgive me for my past and for being born into a Muslim family and wasting my life far from him?’

When the media team reassured him of Christ’s forgiveness and love, Luke responded with a simple confession that marked a turning point in his life: ‘I testify that Jesus Christ is the only Saviour.’

Shortly after he made that declaration, his new faith was discovered. It happened when he was questioned by a colleague, having been found reading Christian material during a break at work. He did not deny what he believed, and so word quickly reached his family. A painful and violent confrontation followed. Luke was beaten, confined to his room, and deprived of food, then given an ultimatum: renounce Christ, or face expulsion from the family and the loss of everything he stood to inherit. Refusal to renounce his faith would result in his father informing his uncle so they could agree on enforcing the punishment for apostasy (historically, death, although application of the laws varies depending on the nation).

For several days, there was no word from him. When Luke eventually reached out again, his first request was simple. He asked for prayer. The media responder read Psalm 91 with him, and before the call ended, Luke quietly said: ‘If you no longer hear from me, it means I am no longer alive. Remember me in your prayers.’

The following day, the same, stark choice was placed before him again. Luke’s answer did not change: ‘I choose Christ, and I will not turn back.’

He was forced to leave his home and is now staying with a friend, separated from his family, his security, and his future as he once understood it. Even so, his faith has continued to grow. Luke remains committed to discipleship, joins a weekly online fellowship group, and recently shared his testimony with others, encouraging them to remain steadfast in Christ, because, as he says, ‘He is life.’

Pioneers Media is now seeking wise and careful ways for Luke to be supported spiritually, including steps toward baptism, in a place where following Jesus requires both courage and discretion.

As Luke continues to walk this costly path of faith, please pray for protection, perseverance, provision and for his discipleship and baptism. At the same time, please pray for the many others who are quietly searching for truth in places where faith comes at great cost.

This story was first published in the Ramadan Praise Report in February 2026.
*Names changed for security purposes and library images used.