Islamic StudiesChurch Planting Thoughts

Part I Dr. Robert Patton adaptation of materials

of Roland Muller

Three considerations

The messenger – must be considered authentic

The message – must be in context to be understood

The community of faith – must replace the umma of the Muslim faith

Part I

The Messenger

The messenger Gaining acceptance is key Learning the language well is a

must For Arabic speakers, this

automatically commands respect

The messenger Learning the culture and its basis

Fear-based Shame-based Guilt-based

Who are you? The role in society is important to

know for the church planter Good to be seen as a specialist in

religion eventually But often best to start as a learner if

you are new in the culture

Who are you? Show godliness in your l i fe Build bridges into the l ives of

others

Godliness Study and know the Bible Death to self – we must be

broken and not proud of ourselves, but confident in our God Life-experiences help

Godliness If we use teacher-based

evangelism We need to know ourselves as well

as the material We need to know the culture Preach and teach

Spiritual status of the individual helps our approach

Not interested, or even hosti le Somewhat interested Seeker Convert Disciple Leader

When not interested Seek opportunities to challenge their

viewpoint, worldview, etc But many do not go farther = at this

point, do not invest inordinate time

Somewhat interested Answer objections if they are serious Do not be surprised if they go deeper

into their own religion I have seen this presenting the gospel

to nominal Christians as well

Seeker Must reconcile differences between

Christian belief and his current teaching

You may become the teacher, or take him to someone as the teacher

Teacher must show that the real authority is the Word of God

Learn to be a teacher Study the methods of teachers in the

culture Be culturally appropriate – As an example, never point your feet

at someone if you are teaching Muslims

Learn to be a teacher Note what Hudson Taylor did

Not just Chinese clothes, but Clothes of a Chinese teacher or

scholar He used methods which were

appropriate Thus he dressed appropriately

Teaching Be careful about notes – they may

focus on them rather than the Bible itself

Be careful that you handle the Bible as your Holy book with respect

Teaching Muller recommended six one hour

sessions on basics Usually a few days between lessons Repeat – memorization is good

Teaching was focused Two or three main points Often teaching one on one best -

or two good fr iends Avoid men teaching women – it is

culturally offensive

Teaching Parables and proverbs are good

Sometimes for the hosti le Often for the interested Used to teach wisdom

Be careful that the parable or proverb clearly i l lustrates Biblical truth

Nearness in Muslim culture

Blood relationship Marriage Adoption Hospitality requirements Language also marks you as to

closeness Conformity is expected in close relation-

ships

Honor & shame Occur in strong group cultures Groups make basic decisions in l i fe –

l ike education, marriage, religion Honor for the group higher importance

than individual rights Family gives support to those inside it,

but expects conformity to its demands

Trust Usually trust those who are near Often hard to trust a God who is

considered far away Hope – for a Muslim, placed on your

own actions. You want your good deeds to outweigh your bad

Ultimate destiny basically depends on your works and actions

Group honor The group is his insurance as

well as everything else Losing a group = losing identity If one dishonors the group, the

eldest son must restore the honor

Situation for new Muslim convert

Can abandon faith and go back to Islam

Can abandon Islam and may get kil led Secret believer Become mentally unstable Integrate through the Holy Spirit

Goals Keep convert alive Unite faith as true believer Spiritual growth Come out as a follower of Jesus Integration of fel lowship

Goals – how to integrate?

Understand how the believer related to family

Recognize those who wil l be opposed and pray for them

Goals – how to integrate?

Recognize group weaknesses & sin & how deal to with them

Recognize the new believer’s weaknesses & sin; confess and abandon sin & yield to the Lord

Help believer see that he cannot l ive a two-faced life

Discipleship support Often requires daily contact Believer must have new group of

fr iends and support Believer needs daily spir itual input He may need to discuss non-spiritual

things

Coming out & making a stand

Very important Be a model in the family Demonstrate positive effects of

Jesus l iving in the new believer

Coming out & making a stand

Perhaps approach the most sympathetic person in the family – explain that he wants to serve God and also honor the family

They may try to dissuade him, but then see that there is an improvement

Discipleship Try to get him to read the Bible himself

and spend time in prayer He may need a place of refuge May want to memorize verses, and

later stories Learn to pray based on the claims of

the verses or point of the Bible story

Part II

The Message

Worldview Central to

Values Beliefs Feelings

Biblical worldview – see what happened when sin entered

Major effects of sin Guilt – conscience bothered them

Focus of western civil ization Shame – before God

Focus of eastern and mid-eastern cultures Fear of God

Animistic cultures Note – God solves all 3 problems

Guilt Focus is on guilt vs. innocence Focus is on securing our rights

yet avoid feeling guilty

Guilt

Weakness in the west – anything is OK as long as it does not hurt another “I ’m OK, you’re OK”

Roman law – the law is above even the emperor

Eastern church Question - how can I stand before

a Holy God and be in relationship with others? Focus more on shame than guilt

Eastern church Islam is more l ike this They cannot conceive of a man

that can make laws for everyone = this is God’s perogative Unity of religious and civil affairs

Problem for shame based culture

Shame based culture – problem of seeing sin occurs even when not found out

Confession is wrong if i t brings shame to your family

Fear-based – Note that is true in folk rel igion too Fear of man

Enemies Dictators, the state, etc.

Fear of the supernatural Demons, etc.

Answer – Power

Power Secular world – power comes from the

material universe Religious – power comes from outside

the material universe. Some use: Protection by rules (taboos) to avoid

offense Appeasement by sacrif ice

Confrontation in folk rel igion

There is real power backed by Satan Witchdoctor, shaman may partial ly

control the power Jesus Christ has all power, and lives

within the believer Ultimate complete victory comes

through Jesus Christ

Confrontation Often a power struggle with Satan by

the believer, who should show that Christ has greater power

The lost are turned from the power of darkness to the power of l ight

Shame-based Dominant mode – shame versus honor,

rather than guilt for breaking God’s standard of right versus wrong

Shame comes when the sin is exposed, but is a different emphasis from guilt for hurting a third party

Shame-based Shame – frequent responses in a

shame-based culture First covered up Second, denied Third – avenged if i t cannot be denied

Thus resentment at being exposed directed against those who exposed them

Shame treatment In the middle-east – avenged

Accuse someone of giving shame Make him pay, even death May need to pay blood money

In the far east – often suicide, as for example, Japan

Lying in a shame-based cultureculture

If lying protects the tribe or group, it is OK, because it is a lesser wrong than bringing shame to the grop

If i t is for self ish reasons, it is wrong

Lying in a shame culture Sometimes in the west with the young,

it is to be cool. “not cool” is shameful Sometimes people in this culture

crit icize to keep you from being proud = a kind of backhanded compliment

The Bible & shame I was surprised! Muller stated that

there are more references to shame and honor than to guilt and righteousness in the Bible

God raised His people from slaves to holding their heads high – Lev. 26:13

Only God can elevate to honor – not the person themselves: I Peter 2:6

Mankind is defi led We are guilty, but also defi led (totally

depraved and totally defi led) We must be cleansed (with the blood of

Christ) Muslims believe that prayers are more

honored in honorable places – mosque, Ka’aba

Mankind is naked

Mankind is naked before the Lord, but now clothed in Christ’s righteousness: 2 Cor. 5:1-2

In Leviticus 18, sexual sins is combined with “nakedness”

Mankind is naked

Sin separated us from God because we are naked and shameful and God is honorable

But God clothes us in the righteousness of His Son, Jesus Christ, who is totally r ighteous and honorable

Restoration Only God can restore honor God uses a mediator, Jesus Christ

Restoration God adopts us, considers us sons, and

elevates us to joint-heirs with Christ. The heir is in a position of prominence

and honor We must balance this with Christ’s

preference for humility and service

HIS power God moves us from weakness to

strength But not our strength, but HIS

strength, which is stronger than the strongest

His healing We are sick but He heals us

Not only physically Also spiritually

You may be able to start with honor, and then show redemption from guilt to innocence

The root of honor is not Pride

God will not honor the proud – they wil l swell with pride

He honors the humble – which brings HIM honor

All cultures All cultures are a mixture But often one area dominates Scratch where they itch

To be continued with Part II