RAMAZAN ARKAN
My name is Ramazan Arkan. I am the pastor of Antalya Evangelical Church in Turkey. I grew up Muslim. My whole family is Muslim. I learned about my faith from my mother when I was a child. Later when I was a teenager, I joined a conservative Islamic group in Antalya. I went to this group during my school years. I learned a lot about Islam from the leaders of this group. During that time, I practiced Islam seriously. But, I never read the Koran myself. I just learned about Islam by listening to others. After graduating from high school, I made some new friends. They were atheist and communist. They didn’t believe in Islam. When I spent time with these new friends, they argued with me about Islam and said that there were many wrong things in my religion. I then started to doubt Islam and decided to search out my faith and read the Koran. I bought a Koran in the Turkish language. When I started reading, I thought that the Koran would answer my questions and doubts. But the opposite happened. I had more doubt and questions after reading the Koran. I found many contradictions in the Koran so I asked a lot of questions to my spiritual teachers. They gave answers to my questions, but their answers didn’t satisfy me. Little by little, I started to lose my faith. I became an atheist like my friends. Then I started to join in their communist activities. During that time, my life became very sinful and corrupt.
I was working for one company. I met one guy there who became a good friend of mine. One day, he told me that he was a Christian. Before him, I never had any Christian friends. When we spent time together, we talked a lot about Christianity. He had also been an atheist and he tried to convince me that atheism wasn’t right. I wanted to show him that Christianity was wrong. But, I didn’t know anything about Christianity and I couldn’t argue with him. So, I got a Bible from him and started to read the Bible so I could convince him that he was wrong. One day, he invited me to a church meeting. I said I would come, but I didn’t want to come to learn about Christianity or to search about God. I thought that if I went to church, I could perhaps meet a foreign girl, get married, and leave my country.
I went to church for this reason. But, I soon realized that I could not reach this goal through the church. Something else happened though. I was very touched by the people at the church. They were so friendly and kind to me. They accepted me as I was. I really liked the church people. I didn’t believe in Christianity. But, I went to church for 2 and a half years almost every Sunday because I liked to spend time with the people. During those 2 and a half years, I learned many things about Christianity from the sermons and teaching times. Those things did not affect my heart until I went to do my military service. All Turks have to do military service. They don’t have a choice. I didn’t want to go to the military because I was against the military. When I went there my life became miserable. I was very depressed.
One day, when I was on night duty, God started to speak to me with the verses and other truths I had learned at the church. I didn’t see any miracles or visions, but as I remembered those verses, I felt God’s presence near me. This was the first time in my life I felt near to God. At that time, I understood that God exists and that Jesus is the only way to have a relationship with God. I started to cry and I bowed down and repented of all my sin. I accepted Jesus Christ to be my Lord and Savior. I gave my life into His hands. After that, Jesus totally changed me. I was baptized in the church and I went to Bible classes at the church. As I learned more about my faith, I wanted to grow even more.
I had a desire to do ministry for the Lord. I went to Bible school. Bible schools are not legal in Turkey. This Bible school was under the umbrella of a Turkish church. I went to Bible school for five years and I became a pastor in my church nearly eight years ago. I am married. My wife is from Akron, Ohio.
I was working for one company. I met one guy there who became a good friend of mine. One day, he told me that he was a Christian. Before him, I never had any Christian friends. When we spent time together, we talked a lot about Christianity. He had also been an atheist and he tried to convince me that atheism wasn’t right. I wanted to show him that Christianity was wrong. But, I didn’t know anything about Christianity and I couldn’t argue with him. So, I got a Bible from him and started to read the Bible so I could convince him that he was wrong. One day, he invited me to a church meeting. I said I would come, but I didn’t want to come to learn about Christianity or to search about God. I thought that if I went to church, I could perhaps meet a foreign girl, get married, and leave my country.
I went to church for this reason. But, I soon realized that I could not reach this goal through the church. Something else happened though. I was very touched by the people at the church. They were so friendly and kind to me. They accepted me as I was. I really liked the church people. I didn’t believe in Christianity. But, I went to church for 2 and a half years almost every Sunday because I liked to spend time with the people. During those 2 and a half years, I learned many things about Christianity from the sermons and teaching times. Those things did not affect my heart until I went to do my military service. All Turks have to do military service. They don’t have a choice. I didn’t want to go to the military because I was against the military. When I went there my life became miserable. I was very depressed.
One day, when I was on night duty, God started to speak to me with the verses and other truths I had learned at the church. I didn’t see any miracles or visions, but as I remembered those verses, I felt God’s presence near me. This was the first time in my life I felt near to God. At that time, I understood that God exists and that Jesus is the only way to have a relationship with God. I started to cry and I bowed down and repented of all my sin. I accepted Jesus Christ to be my Lord and Savior. I gave my life into His hands. After that, Jesus totally changed me. I was baptized in the church and I went to Bible classes at the church. As I learned more about my faith, I wanted to grow even more.
I had a desire to do ministry for the Lord. I went to Bible school. Bible schools are not legal in Turkey. This Bible school was under the umbrella of a Turkish church. I went to Bible school for five years and I became a pastor in my church nearly eight years ago. I am married. My wife is from Akron, Ohio.