Less than one week after Christian apologist Nabeel Qureshi entered the arms of Jesus, a "Celebration of Life" service will be held to remember his life and legacy, his team has announced.
The service will be held Thursday, September 21 at 10 AM CT at Houston's First Baptist Church, (7401 Katy Fwy, Houston, TX 77024). Those who wish to live stream the service can do so by visiting houstonsfirst.org/media or the Facebook page of Houston's First Baptist Church. The live stream will also be available at RZIM.org and and RZIM's Facebook page as well as YouTube.
Here is downloadable PDF of the program being handed out at Nabeel's service today at the church: http://bit.ly/NabeelProgram.
Qureshi, a Muslim convert to Christianity who previously served with Ravi Zacharias International Ministries, passed away at 34 after a year-long battle with stomach cancer. He received the cancer diagnosis on August 24, 2016 - eleven years from the very day he acknowledged and received Jesus Christ as his Lord and Savior.
A statement on his official Facebook account reads: "Thank you, dear brothers and sisters, for supporting Nabeel and his family with such an incredible outpouring of love and prayer throughout this journey and even now. It is deeply felt and appreciated.
Our broken hearts find great comfort and hope knowing that Nabeel has been welcomed into the arms of the risen Lord Jesus to whom he was faithful up to the very last.
Please continue to lift up his beloved wife Michelle and daughter Ayah as well as his parents, sister, and all their extended family."
A number of prominent faith leaders have reflected on Qureshi's tremendous legacy. Zacharias, who Qureshi called "uncle," said the late apologist "desired to cover the globe with that good news: that God's forgiveness was available to all."
"Even though his body was weak, his passion was undiminished," he said. "His answers to people's questions about God and Jesus were profound and persuasive. It's hard to believe that Nabeel Qureshi has left us all too soon. I am reminded that he died the same age as Jesus was when his mission was accomplished."
"Nabeel would want more than anything else that we carry the message of Jesus to help change the world," Zacharias said. "Only then can we understand that the sad news of Nabeel's death is temporary."
RZIM ministries called upon all to pray for Nabeel's wife and his daughter as well as for his parents and extended family.
"We know this is Nabeel's gain, but a tremendous loss for all those who loved him and were impacted by his life and testimony on earth," wrote RZIM team. "We are grateful for the outpouring of love and support shown to Nabeel and his family over these past several months, and we ask that you continue in prayer in the days ahead. May God bring comfort as we cling to our eternal hope in Jesus Christ."
In his final vlog update, posted less than a week before his passing, Qureshi asked supporters to continue to pray for his family - his parents, his wife, and his daughter - "should the worst happen" to him.
"I do hope that there will be people who will pray for them should the worst happen to me," he said. "Please do consider them going forward in your prayers on a daily basis."
Nabeel Qureshi Funeral: Ravi Zacharias Reflects on 'Abnormal' Life, Faith of His 'Son'
Nabeel Qureshi Mentor Reflects on Unfaltering Faith of Late Apologist, Shares Powerful 'Final Words'
Renowned Old Testament Scholar Reflects on Life, 'Incredible Impact' of Nabeel Qureshi
Click here to read all of our coverages on Nabeel Qureshi before and after his cancer diagnosis.
