Leading Inmates to Christ
Last week’s devotions were based on Haralan Popov’s book Tortured For His Faith, and this week we will learn some more lessons from his story. He was sent to prison for 13 years for being a pastor in Communist Bulgaria, but his faith in Jesus kept him going through some awful experiences.
Pastor Haralan Popov's Dedication to Sharing Christ's Message of Hope
One of the things that really struck me as I read his book was Popov’s great passion to lead others to Christ. He essentially ran a church from prison – talking to the other men about Jesus and leading them to faith. When he was working in the fields of the prison, if someone asked him about Jesus he would kneel down with that person and pretend that they were inspecting something on the ground, so that he could pray for them without arousing the suspicion of the guards.
One time when he did this, a guard rode over on his horse and said “what are you men doing?” And Popov said “Looking at the harvest.” The guard didn’t know he was talking about the spiritual harvest that God had given him!
A touching story in the book is of a man named Mitko who was brought into Popov’s prison. This man kept proclaiming his innocence loudly, and shouting the praise of Lenin to try convince the guards that he was on their side. And Popov writes this on page 44: “My heart went out to him and I began to tell him of Christ and the hope we can have in salvation. For days I worked to penetrate Mitko’s sheer panic and get through to him. One day the wild look left his eyes and he began to really listen. My heart rejoiced. I was really reaching him. Two days later, Mitko said, ‘‘Pastor, pray for me.’’
I knelt down with Mitko and together we prayed. He prayed so earnestly and intensely, so from the heart, that the cell floor where he knelt was wet with tears. He had a wonderful and true experience with Christ. He became peaceful, quiet, with a deep inner satisfaction from God. Then I knew if nothing ever came of my imprisonment except this one soul led to Christ, it would be worth it all.”
Finding Faith and Freedom: The Inspiring Story of Pastor Haralan Popov
Some time later Mitko was freed from prison. And as they were preparing his papers and getting him ready, Mitko said a heartfelt goodbye to Popov and said ‘‘Pastor, here in this cell I have found God because of you, and I shall follow Him all the days of my life.’’
God used Haralan Popov in prison to lead others to Christ! I wonder what stops us? We are free – and yet perhaps we are imprisoned by our fear of rejection, our fear of offending, our fear of failing. Popov didn’t let his prison scare him – he shared Christ boldly with those around him.
Maybe there’s a “Mitko” is your life who is desperate for the good news and the hope of salvation. Will you take the time to share the good news with your “Mitko”? Like Popov you will find that leading one person to Christ is worth all the imprisonment and torture in the world.
