GlocalNet

I’m sitting at DFW waiting to board my plane, about to head to Doha, Qatar, on the Arabian peninsula to meet with 250 Middle-Eastern leaders.  They are flying me there, putting me up, just to have conversations.  They don’t believe I’m really an evangelical because I like them and want to have a relationship with them.  It’s not hard for them to have that view.  Last night I listened to a brilliant report on CBN about Christians in the Holy Land and how they were leaving, not from Muslim persecution, but from the whole political situation.  I was proud of them - I thought maybe they’re getting it.  Then when the story was over, Pat Robertson, who I guess didn’t listen to it, commented “its sad all those Christians having to leave because of the persecution - don’t you believe it when they say Islam is a religion of peace!”  This morning I read another article from a European evangelical member of parliament in a particular country where he is trying to use the law and other conservative groups to stem Islam’s growth in Europe.  He was quoted as saying harsh and inflammatory things about the prophet Mohammed - it was so unnecessary. 

The response in the West on how we relate to Muslims and our fears is very different from evangelicals in the East and in Africa who have lived with Muslims for centuries.  I was with some of the world’s leading global pastors a week ago, one from India, one from Cote D’Ivoire, one from Indonesia, and one from Israel/Palestine, their response to Islam is radically different than ours. 

In the West, we tend to vilify our opponent - not just win the argument but demonize those we disagree with.  In the West, we project worst case scenarios in which we are being taken over and if we don’t act now certain doom follows.  In the West, we use politics, laws, and public policy to push our will on others.

My four pastor friends who have grown huge churches - one from the largest Muslim nation in the world - Indonesia, the second largest - India, an African, and one from Israel/Palestine - the heart of the conflict, would have a very similar response.

First, each one of them has strong relationships with the Islamic leaders in their countries.  Most are friends with them.  They eat meals together, they talk, and they really care about each other.  In one place, the top Islamic leader is someone who protects the pastor in his particular country if he hears of extremist plots. 

Second of all, they don’t view all Muslims as terrorist.  They are not.  They don’t ignore the terrorism, they don’t stick their heads in the sand, they have faced persecution and some in those countries have faced martyrdom from Muslims for being Christians.  BUT, this is the fringe and not the mainstream.  All people have “terrorists” be they right wing white extremist groups, or militant Hindus in India where the Christians and Muslims bond together to survive. 

Third, they respect them.  They don’t vilify them or degrade them, or say unnecessary inflammatory things that only divide. 

Fourth, they love them.  Just like Muslims want all people to listen to the prophet Mohammed, we want them to listen to our Savior Jesus.  If we don’t care about people or treat them with respect, why in the world would they listen to us?  What kind of Gospel are we portraying when we act in hate towards others?  If you do view Muslims as your enemy, at a minimum, Jesus said that we should love our enemies. 

Fifth, they serve them.  One church in Indonesia took up an offering to rebuild a mosque that had been destroyed - it led to the mosque and the government raising money to build the church that did that.  If faith starts as an intellectual conversation, we aren’t going anywhere.  If it starts as a human conversation on serving each other then we have a shot. 

I guess the real question is - do we love Muslims and want them to hear our message and see it lived out in us? Or, do we want to win a competition by strategies of the world?  I wish we really believed in the Holy Spirit - if we’d live in the filling of the Spirit our walk would be radically different than just a religious response.

I’ll try to twitter - there’s wifi at the hotel I’m staying out.  I’ll say more later - but think about it . . . For God so loved the world (Muslims) . . . that he gave his only begotten Son . . . Sooooo, let’s treat them as potential brothers and sisters - and if not that, then at least fellow human beings.