GlocalNet

Ghiath and Bob

I’ve been to Syria before and had already established many of the relationships there.  The Muslims I’ve come to know there I don’t see them so much as people of a different religion as much as I see them as friends that I like to be around.  We talk about God a lot – and the world.  We talk about our challenges, dreams, goals, etc.  They dream just like we do. 

I prayed with some of my Muslim friends (I’ll write about that tomorrow maybe) and when we got through my young friend Ghiath, a brilliant engineer told me, “Bob, I am praying that God will let you and I be in heaven together.”  I told him, “Ghiath, I am praying for exactly the same thing.”  We embraced and I have continued to pray that prayer as I am sure he has as well.  I wonder how that prayer of agreement works?  I sure want it to. 

One very interesting talk we had one day was on the Great Commission and the Dawah.  The Dawah is the Islamic equivalent to the Great Commission.  Muslims are to share the truth about Allah to the whole world just as we as Christians are to proclaim the truth of who Jesus is.  There were some points we all agreed on:

1.  None of us want followers in our faith who are not passionate about it or do so out of obligation or force – it must be a heartfelt thing.
2.  Each person must have the freedom to think and decide for themselves.  Coercion or obstruction is not right. 
3.  The problem is not with sharing the good news of our faith but how we treat followers of another religion.  We should never vilify another religion to make ours look good – ours should stand or fall on the merits of truth – not comparison. 
4.  We should not confuse following a religion with undercutting a society or disrespecting a culture that may be centuries or millenniums old. 
5.  Without the ability to change ones religion – there is no freedom of religion.

Practically – how that is put into practice in different cultures with long histories and traditions is another thing.  Not long ago at a U.N. meeting I suggested to a Muslim friend that anytime he hears of discrimination or persecution of Muslims in the West or Christian communities around the world I would help him, and when I hear of discrimination or persecution of Christians in the Middle-East or Muslim parts of the world he should help me.  He agreed with the idea.  At that same U.N. meeting a close Muslim friend of mine shared with me how to be a Muslim and warned of the danger of me not accepting the prophet Mohammed as the last of the prophets.  I wasn’t offended at all.  I was grateful for him being honest with me about his faith and what it taught.  To me, he was showing me that he loved me – that he would risk our friendship to tell me in kindness, as he did, the truth of his faith.  I love that man deeply and have high respect for him – he is an incredibly kind man. 

In visiting with Muslims both at the grassroots levels, the religious level, and the gatekeepers of their societies I have had this conversation many times before.  I’ve yet to find a single Muslim leader objecting to it.  Their response to me has always been when we talk naturally about God and how he is working in our lives they are happy to hear that.  Many Muslim leaders have asked me how I became a follower of Jesus, why I am a follower of Jesus, what I believe . . .  all of this is me sharing my faith.  I have also served in Muslim societies together with Muslims doing humanitarian work as a Jesus follower – I have never been treated with disrespect or looked at suspiciously and I’ve been in some very delicate places. 

There are 3 things we do that I think make this work.  First, I believe we serve because we are converted – not to convert.  It is God who saves men – not us.  We live the faith, love others, serve others, share who Jesus is to us and let God be God.  You can read my book Glocalization on that, there’s a whole chapter on it.  Second, we go through the front door – we don’t sneak around or hide who we are or what we are doing or go under false pretense.  Third, we work with the society – not the church.  I’m convinced the grid for engagement is the society – if we limit it to the church it will never become a movement – only a religious institution and/or organization.  Religious work can actually undermine religion! 

Our world is connected, and every religion is everywhere, and people of all faiths are in all places – it’s no longer as geographically bound as it once was.  This demands a new way and a new level of communication as well as the methods of engagement. 

For those who would share their faith in the future, Muslims and Christians alike, it will require:
1.  Knowing your faith, its key points, and why it matters.  For Christians, ignorance on things like grace and the Trinity are no longer heavy things that can be ignored, but must be simplified to be explained.  For Muslims – tell us what you believe about Jesus.  I didn’t know you believed in his return.  I also learned what you believe about his return is different from what we believe – that’s ok – just tell us. 

2.  Explaining your faith in a conversational way with legitimate relationships that you have will be the rails all faith will travel on – not religious projects or institution building.  I feel secure enough in my relationships with my Muslim friends to ask them anything about Islam – I have!  Their view of heaven, those 70 virgins a martyr gets – you name it – I’ve asked it!  They also ask me questions about Jesus – things I’ve never even thought of before. 

3.  Servanthood and society building will be the key methods of engagement – not tract distribution, etc.  Jesus said it as much when he told us to put our light on a hill so people can see the good works and ask us why.  Believe it or not – the Qur’an says the same thing. 

4.  Church planting and Mosque planting are the work of religious professionals and vocationalist – I’m convinced the future will be faith driven by individuals and masses who are calling people to change the world for good.  Amr Khalid of Egypt is an illustration of this with Muslims.  Eboo Patel of Chicago is another Muslim example.  Mother Teresa is an example of this with Christians.  This morning I read USA Today – the newspaper – and there was an entire section on sharing.  It spoke of how in spite of all the hard times – this young millennial American generation is full force into civic service – glocally – like no generation since the pre-WWII generation.  I am not fearful of the future.  I’m excited about it. 

I believe in Jesus, God in the flesh, completely divine, born of a virgin, lived a sinless life, died on the cross for our sins, resurrected the 3rd day, at the right hand of the Father waiting to return again.  I believe in the Trinity – one God, three persons.  Let there be no question – but I also believe we are in a different world, and how we communicate our faith is just as revolutionary for all faiths as the Rosetta stone was in its age, the Guttenberg press, and now the internet and a world that is connected unlike any other time in history.  We need to hold on to the truth – but with new ways to communicate it. 

I believe.