Ijaz Mashi

Based in Faisalabad, Punjab, he ministers in a region where few if any government leaders profess faith in Christ, and openly sharing the Gospel can carry significant risk. Still, Ijaz approaches this challenging mission field with great faith, trusting God to open doors through prayer, friendship, and the truth of His Word.

Ijaz has served the Lord for more than 15 years as an evangelist, pastor, preacher, Bible teacher, and educator. Raised in a poor, rural family, he became the first in his family to receive an extensive formal education. His education includes master’s degrees in education and English and a Ph.D. in theology. He and his wife have three children.

After years of evangelism and pastoral ministry, Ijaz began praying for God to give him a new assignment. Through his longtime friendship with Capitol Ministries’ Asia Director, Kumar Singh Praja, he learned about the ministry to political leaders. Ijaz prayed about the opportunity for a year before completing Capitol Ministries Ministry Leader training in Kathmandu, Nepal, in September 2024.

Ijaz understands that relationships often open doors in Pakistan that traditional ministry cannot. Rather than beginning with a sermon, he begins with friendship.
“That is the first point—to be a friend,” Ijaz shares.

He invites political leaders to share a cup of tea or a meal, remembers birthdays and important occasions, asks about their families, and assures them of his prayers. As friendships grow, opportunities arise to discuss the Bible, answer questions about Christianity, and share the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

Ijaz points to 1 Corinthians 13:13—But now faith, hope, and love, abide these three; but the greatest of these is love—as foundational to his approach.

“I show them the love of Jesus through my life, through my character, and through my ministry,” he says. “I love them. I pray for them.”

Despite the dangers of Gospel ministry in Pakistan, Ijaz remains confident in Christ. His prayer is for wisdom, protection, and greater opportunities to build genuine friendships with political leaders—doing life alongside them and faithfully pointing them toward Jesus Christ.