With the overthrow of Mubarak and the rise of the Muslim Brotherhood, the Church in Egypt is at a critical juncture. In light of mounting anti-semitism and increasing violence against followers of Jesus, there is reason to grieve. But there is also reason to rejoice.

The increasing violence and rampant abuse of basic human rights is proving fruitful for truth. Egyptians are seeing the true face of Islam–and they’re leaving in droves. I was told that this is the most widespread advance of the Gospel Egypt has ever known. Since it is all underground, it is impossible to know the numbers. Time will tell.

As one leader told me, it turns out that the Muslim Brotherhood may end up being the most effective evangelist in Egypt’s history.

May the Lamb receive the reward of His suffering.

The Arab Spring and the Gospel of the Kingdom from Frontier Alliance International on Vimeo.

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]]> http://daltonthomas.org/2013/05/15/pentecost-its-importance-and-implications-for-the-past-present-and-future/feed/ 0 http://daltonthomas.org/2013/05/11/principles-of-pioneering-8-tests-in-the-life-of-every-leader/ http://daltonthomas.org/2013/05/11/principles-of-pioneering-8-tests-in-the-life-of-every-leader/#comments Sat, 11 May 2013 12:49:44 +0000 daltonthomas http://daltonthomas.org/?p=4757 Every leader needs to have a theology of testing. If we do not wake up every morning and view our days as God ordained tests that form us and forge for His purposes and for His glory, we will live beneath His intentions for our lives. Every believer needs to understand divine testing; pioneering leaders all the more.

Prove me, O LORD, and try me; test my heart and my mind. (Psalm 26:2)

For you, God, tested us; you refined us like silver. (Psalm 66:10)

In school we are tested so that the institution can determine whether we are competent enough to progress. Wise students who have a vision for the future prepare for those tests by studying and making sure they have what is required to face the test and pass it. Far too many leaders don’t approach divine testing the same way.

Too many leaders waste tests, fail tests and keep taking the same tests over and over again because they don’t realize that God intends to forge them.

Right now you have just been tested by God, are being tested by God, or are about to be tested by God. Are you prepared to face them and pass them?

The crucible is for silver, and the furnace is for gold, and the LORD tests hearts. (Proverbs 17:3)

Below are four truths about testing and eight tests you will face if you are a leader. I have in my mind’s eye pioneers in particular. If you are going to lead in a pioneering context, you better be prepared for these tests. They are coming! And with force.

TRUTHS ABOUT TESTING

1. They are frequent (almost perpetual) – In the early days the mistakes we make as a leader has the least amount of consequences. But as we grow, and our influence with us, the impact of mistakes becomes greater. We always need to be tested and receive critical analysis so that our blindspots are acknowledged and dealt with.
2. They must be passed – Tests are not arbitrary. They are given to be passed. They are given for our good. The qualities possessed in a test is what you will need in the future promotion. Without those qualities He will not promote you. There are seasonal tests and tests of a lifetime. These tests define us. Consider Saul’s hasty sacrifice or Peter’s denials. Tests matter.
3. They always precede promotion – God tests us for the purpose of promoting us. With that said, we need to know the difference between Self-promotion and God-promotion. They are not the same. Self promotion can come without testing. But when we promote ourselves, we are not safe. When God tests and promotes, we are safe. Divine promotion is the one we want. It is invincible regardless of who opposes us or how. Climbing a ladder isn’t evidence of promotion. We should always ask “Am I passing the test Lord?” and “What do you want to do with my life Lord?”
4. They are necessary – In order for us to be greatly used by God we must be greatly tested by Him. Some leaders are tested in private and some are tested in public. One copes with hiddenness and the other with public humiliation. But all are tested. And all are tested necessarily. We need to be tested.

EIGHT KINDS OF TESTS IN THE LIVES OF EVERY LEADER

1. The test of small things. What do you do as a leader when you’re asked to fulfill a task that we are overqualified for? What do you do when faced with something that feels beneath you? The test of small things is critical in establishing integrity, meekness and authenticity. Jesus washed feet and bled on a cross. The higher the call to lead, the lower we must go to serve.
2. The testing of our motives. The testing of our motives can come in a million different ways. Sometime through the offer of favor and blessing (like Jesus’ temptations in the wilderness) or through opposition and persecution. This text reveals whether we are true to ourselves and through it we gain integrity.
3. The test of hiddenness. We need to be true to our calling before we are given a platform and given an opportunity for our calling to be expressed. We develop personal integrity in our calling by investing time and energy into the formation of our gifts before they are publicly seen and acknowledged.
4. The test of possible promotion. Will we stay true to ourselves and our calling when a potential promotion or platform is on the horizon? Do the prospects of blessing and prominence deter us from our course? Can we be bought? Will we compromise when we are faced with gain? What if we are offered a promotion in an area that is contrary to the path that we are walking? Do we speak to leaders differently because we perceive they have the ability to promote us? Or do we trust the Lord to promote us and honor our leaders as brothers in the Lord?
5. The test of showing up when the stakes are low. Will we be present and punctual when no one is looking? When the stakes are low, will we cultivate integrity and character in the grace of God living before an audience of One? One of the fastest ways to erode the unity and vibrancy of a team is when people on the team show up late or don’t show up at all. It maximizes the opportunities to bear offense towards brothers and sisters.
6. The test of stewardship. Will we be wise and generous with what we have? How we use our resources when we have little is how we will use it when we have much. It is a delusion to think that we will be wise and generous when we have wealth. This doesn’t just apply to finances but every kind of resource. Some people are wise and stingy, and some people are generous and stupid. We want to be wise and generous.
7. The Test of Injustice. When we are slandered, stolen from, lied to, gossiped about or betrayed, how do we respond? Do we respond in humility and mercy or in pride and anger? Do we believe in divine vindication? Or do we feel the need to defend ourselves? The test of injustice will come in the life of every leader. Most leaders I know would say that the test of injustice is THE test that makes or breaks leaders. Every fruitful leader has stories about injustices done against them. This test accomplishes more than we can possibly imagine.
8. The Test of praise. When men speak well of us, we are tested as to whether our identity will be rooted in what they say or what God says. When we are perceived in a good light, will we “read our own press” and feed our spirits on what people say about us or about what God says about us? What people think and what God thinks are rarely every similar.

These are only a few tests. There are many more. But these are essential for every leader to understand and prepare for. We will all face each of these tests; some of them multiple times at several critical junctions in our walk with Jesus as we shepherd His people.

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In Matthew 9:36-37, Jesus commanded us to pray that the Lord of the harvest would thrust laborers out into barren harvest fields for the sake of His Name. But what kind of laborers should we be praying for? What kind of laborers are needed for the final frontier of global missions?

I. THE TESTIMONY OF ADONIRAM JUDSON

A. 1788-1850
B. Left the US as a congregationalist
C. Baptized in India by one of William Carey’s associates
D. Translated the Bible into Burmese, spent 21 months in prison, buried 2 wives and 5 children
E. Attended Providence College (now Brown) at 17 where he became a deist
F. Jacob Eames from Maine influenced his diesm
G. Converted at 21 after listening to a dying man in a hotel room moaning all night to find out in the morning that it was his friend Jacob Eames.
H. Entered Andover Theological Seminary
I. 18 converts in the first 10 years after learning the language
J. Imprisoned in Oung-Pen-La and tortured. Ann and Maria died shortly after
K. 7000 baptized by his death. 63 congregations. 163 missionaries.
L. 600,000 members in 3,500 churches in Myanmar today

II. “SUFFER BY THE POWER OF GOD” // 2 TIMOTHY

2 Timothy is Paul’s final address to a young laborer. They are his parting words at the end of his life before his beheading. Paul described the kind of laborer that was required then and the kind that is required now.

A. The central message of 2 Timothy is found in 1:6-8. These three verses frame the message of this weighty epistle.

For this reason I remind you to fan into flame the gift of God, which is in you through the laying on of my hands, for God gave us a spirit not of fear but of power and love and self-control. Therefore do not be ashamed of the testimony about our Lord, nor of me his prisoner, but share in suffering for the gospel by the power of God. (2 Timothy 1:6-8)

B. The phrase “share in suffering for the Gospel by the power of God” is the primary thrust of Paul’s appeal to this young domestic laborer. There are three reasons why I believe this is clear.

1. First, we are able to see that a thread of redemptive suffering for the sake of the Gospel runs throughout the whole book. Paul mentions the issue of suffering no less than fourteen times. This is a rather incredible number considering the book is only four chapters long. Thematically speaking, 2 Timothy is about suffering. The following fourteen passages make this clear.

• “Onesiphorus . . . was not ashamed of my chains” (1:16).
• “Share in suffering as a good soldier of Christ Jesus” (2:3).
• “I am suffering [for the Gospel], bound with chains as a criminal” (2:9).
• “I endure everything for the sake of the elect” (2:10).
• “If we endure, we will also reign with him” (2:12).
• “Do your best to present yourself . . . a worker who has no need to be ashamed” (2:15).
• “And the Lord’s servant must . . . patiently endure evil” (2:24).
• “In the last days there will come times of difficulty” (3:1).
• “You . . . have followed my . . . persecutions and sufferings” (3:10).
• “All who desire to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted” (3:12).
• “As for you . . . endure suffering” (4:5).
• “I am already being poured out as a drink offering, and the time of my departure has come” (4:6).
• “I have fought the good fight” (4:7).
• “At my first defense no one came to stand by me, but all deserted me” (4:16).

2. Second, as Paul lay in a filthy jail cell awaiting execution, he was embodying and demonstrating the exhortation to “fan into flames” the fire of consecration and courage. When Paul told Timothy to “share in suffering for the Gospel” in verse 8, he was asking him to embrace the same kind of opposition that he himself was experiencing for bearing faithful witness to the Gospel. It is profound that this verse about suffering comes on the heels of the exhortation to “fan into flames” the fire of fervency. The conjunction word “therefore” between the sentences is designed to point us to the end for which the flames were first kindled and intended to be fanned: (1) That Timothy would overcome ungodly shame as he testified of the Lord Jesus and (2) that Timothy would lay down his life to suffer with Paul. Put those two together and you have this message: “Timothy! Take up the courage that is available to you through the indwelling Holy Spirit and come with me to suffer gloriously!” Exegetically speaking, 2 Timothy is about suffering. 

3. Third, all of Paul’s advice, admonition and exhortation are aimed at preparing Timothy to stand firm in the face of pressure. This is the end for which Paul is laboring to edify him. If Timothy stood faithful in the face of opposition, so would those he was called to serve. In Paul’s mind, this was a corporate issue. Paul was encouraging this young man to look upon the pressures and afflictions that had fallen upon him as an example of what he should expect and anticipate due to his high calling. This letter to Timothy wasn’t about Paul’s explaining doctrine, as in Romans or Ephesians, but about calling Timothy to a sacrificial lifestyle, which was being modeled through Paul’s own distresses as he wrote from prison. If this was faithfully modeled through Timothy, the Church would thrive. Pastorally speaking, 2 Timothy is about suffering.

III. 6 TRUTHS CONCERNING THE NATURE OF REDEMPTIVE SUFFERING 

A. Suffering has Many Sources (all of which are overseen by God)

1.     God

Yet if anyone suffers as a Christian, let him not be ashamed, but let him glorify God in that name. For it is time for judgment to begin at the household of God; and if it begins with us, what will be the outcome for those who do not obey the gospel of God? And “If the righteous is scarcely saved, what will become of the ungodly and the sinner?” Therefore let those who suffer according to God’s will entrust their souls to a faithful Creator while doing good. (1 Peter 4:16-19)

2.     Satan

…God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power. He went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, for God was with him. (Acts 10:38)

3.     Men

Others suffered mocking and flogging, and even chains and imprisonment. They were stoned, they were sawn in two, they were killed with the sword. They went about in skins of sheep and goats, destitute, afflicted, mistreated– of whom the world was not worthy–wandering about in deserts and mountains, and in dens and caves of the earth. (Heb. 11:36-38)

4.     Creation

For the creation was subjected to futility, not willingly, but because of him who subjected it, in hope that the creation itself will be set free from its bondage to corruption and obtain the freedom of the glory of the children of God. For we know that the whole creation has been groaning together in the pains of childbirth until now. (Rom 8:20-22)

B. Suffering is the Result of Our Association with Jesus and the World’s Hatred of Him

“If the world hates you, know that it has hated me before it hated you. If you were of the world, the world would love you as its own; but because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you. Remember the word that I said to you: ‘A servant is not greater than his master.’ If they persecuted me, they will also persecute you. If they kept my word, they will also keep yours. But all these things they will do to you on account of my name, because they do not know him who sent me. If I had not come and spoken to them, they would not have been guilty of sin, but now they have no excuse for their sin. Whoever hates me hates my Father also. If I had not done among them the works that no one else did, they would not be guilty of sin, but now they have seen and hated both me and my Father. But the word that is written in their Law must be fulfilled: ‘They hated me without a cause.’ (John 15:18-25)

C. Suffering is the Result of God’s Desire for the Gospel of Vicarious Suffering to be Demonstrated in the Present Tense

Now I rejoice in my sufferings for your sake, and in my flesh I am filling up what is lacking in Christ’s afflictions for the sake of his body, that is, the church, of which I became a minister according to the stewardship from God that was given to me for you, to make the word of God fully known… (Colossians 1:24-25)

D. Suffering is Necessary for Those who are Called to Steward Lofty Revelation to Protect Them from Self-Exaltation

I know a man in Christ who fourteen years ago was caught up to the third heaven–whether in the body or out of the body I do not know, God knows. And I know that this man was caught up into paradise–whether in the body or out of the body I do not know, God knows– and he heard things that cannot be told, which man may not utter. On behalf of this man I will boast, but on my own behalf I will not boast, except of my weaknesses. Though if I should wish to boast, I would not be a fool, for I would be speaking the truth. But I refrain from it, so that no one may think more of me than he sees in me or hears from me. So to keep me from becoming conceited because of the surpassing greatness of the revelations, a thorn was given me in the flesh, a messenger of Satan to harass me, to keep me from becoming conceited. Three times I pleaded with the Lord about this, that it should leave me. But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me. For the sake of Christ, then, I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities. For when I am weak, then I am strong. (2 Cor. 12:2-10)

E. Suffering is Necessary to Purge the Soul so that Christ May Be Our Greatest Gain

But whatever gain I had, I counted as loss for the sake of Christ. Indeed, I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have suffered the loss of all things and count them as rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which comes through faith in Christ, the righteousness from God that depends on faith– that I may know him and the power of his resurrection, and may share his sufferings, becoming like him in his death… (Philippians 3:7-10) 

F. Suffering is Something that We are Commanded to Expect and Not be Surprised About:

Beloved, do not be surprised at the fiery trial when it comes upon you to test you, as though something strange were happening to you. But rejoice insofar as you share Christ’s sufferings, that you may also rejoice and be glad when his glory is revealed. If you are insulted for the name of Christ, you are blessed, because the Spirit of glory and of God rests upon you. But let none of you suffer as a murderer or a thief or an evildoer or as a meddler. Yet if anyone suffers as a Christian, let him not be ashamed, but let him glorify God in that name. For it is time for judgment to begin at the household of God; and if it begins with us, what will be the outcome for those who do not obey the gospel of God? And “If the righteous is scarcely saved, what will become of the ungodly and the sinner?” Therefore let those who suffer according to God’s will entrust their souls to a faithful Creator while doing good. (1Pe 4:12-19)

IV. FRUITFULNESS THROUGH SUFFERING

The crowd that had been with him when he called Lazarus out of the tomb and raised him from the dead continued to bear witness. The reason why the crowd went to meet him was that they heard he had done this sign. So the Pharisees said to one another, “You see that you are gaining nothing. Look, the world has gone after him.” Now among those who went up to worship at the feast were some Greeks. So these came to Philip, who was from Bethsaida in Galilee, and asked him, “Sir, we wish to see Jesus.” Philip went and told Andrew; Andrew and Philip went and told Jesus. And Jesus answered them, “The hour has come for the Son of Man to be glorified. Truly, truly, I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it bears much fruit. Whoever loves his life loses it, and whoever hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life. If anyone serves me, he must follow me; and where I am, there will my servant be also. If anyone serves me, the Father will honor him. “Now is my soul troubled. And what shall I say? ‘Father, save me from this hour’? But for this purpose I have come to this hour. Father, glorify your name.” Then a voice came from heaven: “I have glorified it, and I will glorify it again.” The crowd that stood there and heard it said that it had thundered. Others said, “An angel has spoken to him.” Jesus answered, “This voice has come for your sake, not mine. (John 12:17-30)

There are a few truths contained in this passage that we need to understand when responding to the call to missions:

1. Crowds gathering because of signs and wonders alone is insufficient to produce Gospel-fruit in the nations – suffering is also needed; Christ’s and ours
2. Jesus’ glory consisted of suffering
3. Jesus’ suffering was declared to be a model for ours
4. We need to hear God declare the glory of suffering lest we oppose the logic of it

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 I.     WHY GIVE ATTENTION TO MARTYRDOM? THE HISTORICAL CONTINUUM OF BLOODSHED

A. The beginning: John the Baptist, Jesus, Stephen, James in one concentrated timeframe. Then all of the disciples and Paul would lay down their lives. One disciple remained (John) and penned the call to “love our lives not unto death.” (Revelation 12:11)

James, the son of Zebedee, was the first of the apostles to know death as gain when Herod Agrippa executed him with the sword in Jerusalem around AD 44. Phillip was killed in Phrygia in AD 54 after his head was fastened to a pillar and rocks were hurled at his defenseless body. In AD 63 James, the brother of Jesus, was cast down from the Temple, stoned, and then beaten to death with a club. In AD 64 Barnabas was dragged out of the city Salamina on Cyprus and then burned. That same year Mark was dragged to the stake through the streets of Alexandria resulting in “his whole body [being] torn open, so that there was not a single spot on it, which did not bleed.” He was dead before he reached the stake. Tradition suggests Peter was crucified upside down in Rome around AD 67-68. Andrew was crucified in Greece. Jude was killed in what is now Iran. And Thomas spilled his blood on the distant soil of India. The death of those young men and the subsequent beheading of the apostle Paul marked the beginning of a historical continuum of martyrdom that persists to this very day. This leads us to the next point.

B. The present: 60% of all martyrs come from this past century. There were more martyrs in the past century than the others combined. Examples:

C. The future: the greatest expression of martyrdom will be in the generation of the Lord’s return.

1. Matthew 24:9-14

2. Revelation 6

3. Revelation 7

4. Revelation 12

D. The past, present and future bear witness to one central reality: that Jesus is worth more than anything we could ever lose in life and more precious than anything we could ever lose in death.

II. THE INNER ESSENCE OF THE CALL TO MARTYRDOM // SIX PROPOSITIONS FROM EPHESIANS 3:7-13

⁷ Of this gospel I was made a minister according to the gift of God’s grace, which was given me by the working of his power. ⁸ To me, though I am the very least of all the saints, this grace was given, to preach to the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ, ⁹ and to bring to light for everyone what is the plan of the mystery hidden for ages in God who created all things, ¹⁰ so that through the church the manifold wisdom of God might now be made known to the rulers and authorities in the heavenly places. This was according to the eternal purpose that He has realized in Christ Jesus our Lord.” (Ephesians 3:7-11)

1.         God’s highest ambition in history and eternity is to display His manifold wisdom (10-11)

2.       The audience of this display of manifold wisdom is heavenly powers and principalities – fallen and holy (10b)

3.        The church is the means by which and through which God displays His manifold wisdom (10a)

4.      The unsearchable riches of Christ is the means by which and through which the church is wrought and established (8b)

5.      Preaching is the means by which and through which the unsearchable riches of Christ is made known to the church gathered (8a)

6.        Divine grace and power dispensed upon a broken man is the means by which this preaching is made manifest. (7-8a)

III.          HOW IS THE WISDOM OF GOD DISPLAYED THROUGH THE CHURCH?

And I, when I came to you, brothers, did not come proclaiming to you the testimony of God with lofty speech or wisdom. 2 For I decided to know nothing among you except Jesus Christ and him crucified. 3 And I was with you in weakness and in fear and much trembling, 4 and my speech and my message were not in plausible words of wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power, 5 so that your faith might not rest in the wisdom of men but in the power of God.

6 Yet among the mature we do impart wisdom, although it is not a wisdom of this age or of the rulers of this age, who are doomed to pass away. 7 But we impart a secret and hidden wisdom of God, which God decreed before the ages for our glory. 8 None of the rulers of this age understood this, for if they had, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory. 9 But, as it is written,

“What no eye has seen, nor ear heard, nor the heart of man imagined, what God has prepared for those who love him”—

10 these things God has revealed to us through the Spirit. For the Spirit searches everything, even the depths of God. 11 For who knows a person’s thoughts except the spirit of that person, which is in him? So also no one comprehends the thoughts of God except the Spirit of God. 12 Now we have received not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, that we might understand the things freely given us by God. 13 And we impart this in words not taught by human wisdom but taught by the Spirit, interpreting spiritual truths to those who are spiritual.

14 The natural person does not accept the things of the Spirit of God, for they are folly to him, and he is not able to understand them because they are spiritually discerned. 15 The spiritual person judges all things, but is himself to be judged by no one. 16 “For who has understood the mind of the Lord so as to instruct him?” But we have the mind of Christ. (1 Corinthians 1:1-16)

IV. MARTYRDOM: THE ESCHATOLOGICAL DISPLAY OF THE WISDOM OF GOD THROUGH THE CHURCH

Now war arose in heaven, Michael and his angels fighting against the dragon. And the dragon and his angels fought back, 8 but he was defeated, and there was no longer any place for them in heaven. 9 And the great dragon was thrown down, that ancient serpent, who is called the devil and Satan, the deceiver of the whole world—he was thrown down to the earth, and his angels were thrown down with him. 10 And I heard a loud voice in heaven, saying, “Now the salvation and the power and the kingdom of our God and the authority of his Christ have come, for the accuser of our brothers has been thrown down, who accuses them day and night before our God. 11 And they have conquered him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony, for they loved not their lives even unto death. 12 Therefore, rejoice, O heavens and you who dwell in them! But woe to you, O earth and sea, for the devil has come down to you in great wrath, because he knows that his time is short!” (Revelation 12:7-12)

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What the Lord has done over those 365 days has been nothing short of miraculous.

LAUNCHING THE MISSION

In April (2012) the Lord brought together a core team of about 30 people from different cities and nations bound in unity by a holy “ambition” for the sake of the Name (Rom. 15:21-22). In May our newly formed leadership team took a scouting trip to determine where we would base our operations. In June and July young families and singles “let goods and kindred go” in preparation for the move. In August we met as a pioneering team in Kentucky to officially launch FAI. There we consecrated ourselves to the work to which He has called us and turned our faces east.

LAUNCHING OUR GLOBAL HEADQUARTERS

In September the first wave of families and individuals landed in Asia to establish a functioning Headquarters from which to launch into the nations over the coming years and decades. Every month since September more families and individuals have relocated to join the work. More arrivals of long-term laborers are scheduled to continue joining us throughout the summer. Having outgrown everything we have moved into, we are now in the process of scattering our housing throughout the city and planting multiple gatherings where we meet daily for prayer and worship and weekly for the breaking of bread and the exposition of the Word. Our aim is not to build a centralized missions base but to undergird a regional Church Planting movement modeled after Acts 2:42-47 and Acts 13:1-2.

LOOKING AHEAD

While we celebrate the miraculous growth of the mission over the last year, we remain burdened and sober. There are vast unoccupied fields that are white and ready for harvest. But there are few or no laborers to work them. Therefore we are bent by the grace of God on future expansion. Through (1) local evangelism and discipleship, (2) regional training and mobilization, and (3) international recruitment and advocacy we long to engage Asia, North Africa and the Mediterranean Basin with the Gospel of grace.

Later this week we will be sending out some exciting news about the future. Until then, we covet your intercession and remain deeply grateful for your friendship and support.

On this One Year Anniversary of the birth of the mission, we are groaning for the Day when missions will be no more.

All for His glory,
The FAI Leadership Team

Our Core Values: Proclaim from Frontier Alliance International on Vimeo.

The preeminence of Jesus is the great passion of God. And it therefore ought to be the great passion of the Church.

The supremacy of Jesus over life and death and everything in between affects everything we do in every given moment whether we know it or not–especially our missiology. If our approach to Romans 15:20-21 “foundation laying” missions to the nations is not anchored in this great vision of God, everything that is built upon its foundation will be found deficient and wanting–regardless of how impressive it is in the sight of men.

It is with Paul’s passion in mind that we at FAI, as a spiritual family and mission, resist and reject what has come to be known as the “Insider Movement.”

Over the coming weeks we will be posting valuable resources over at faimission.org from many different sources so as to present what we believe is a beautiful alternative to what is being offered to missionaries and Muslims right now by those who are seeking to establish “Common Ground” with those who believe that “God has no Son.”

Below is an excellent introduction to the Insider Movement and an overview of the jugular issues. It was written by Georges Houssney (his full biography is at the bottom of the article). Houssney grew up in Lebanon is now active in engaging Islam with the Gospel of grace and training others to do the same.

For the Glory of Jesus,
Dalton Thomas

~

The last four decades have witnessed a major shift in missionary thought and practice. The Lausanne Movement, launched in 1974 at the world congress in Switzerland, sparked a worldwide revolution of innovative approaches to missions. Driven by a strong desire to see the Great Commission fulfilled in our lifetime, myriads of mission agencies implemented major changes in their mission statements and strategies. This gave rise to an ocean of new methods and approaches.

This paper will focus on the Insider Movement (IM) because of the growing concern in missions circles about the philosophy and practices of the movement, especially in Muslim contexts. Some agencies have drafted position statements barring their staff from extreme contextualization practices.

It is worthwhile to note that God has been doing wonderful things among Muslims all over the world. The numbers of conversions to Christ are unprecedented. Although the IM claims huge results, most of the fruit is produced by national believers who faithfully preach and teach the word to their own people, often unbeknownst to western missionaries. Due to the scope of this paper we will not be addressing fruitful practices. Rather, we will expose the unbiblical concepts and practices of the Insider Movement.

What is the Insider Movement?

Insider Movement is a fairly recent term used to describe a variety of approaches such as Common Ground, Common Word, Camel Method, and the C1-C6 scale of contextualization. Although leaders of these movements do not all agree on details, they share common convictions. Some of them object to being categorized as Insiders. However, an examination of each approach reveals that they hold in common similar views of Islam, Muhammad, and the Qur’an. Consequently, their view of God, Christ, and the gospel are impacted.

David Hesselgrave, a prominent missiologist, wrote in “Contextualization that is authentic and relevant” (International Journal of Frontier Missions 12(3):115-119.):

“It is obvious that a wide variety of meanings, methods, and models are attached to the word contextualization… Still in its infancy, that word has already been defined and redefined, used and abused, amplified and vilified, coronated and crucified.(Hesselgrave 1984:693)”

Nevertheless, the writings and practices of Insiders demonstrate a number of presuppositions that they seem to agree on. Generally, Insiders tend to have a positive view of Islam, Muhammad and the Qur’an. Many believe that Muhammad is some sort of prophet from God, that the Qur’an is at least a partially inspired word from God that points to Jesus, and that Islamic culture is not contradictory to the biblical message. Therefore, they do not invite Muslims out of Islam (they would call this “extraction”). Rather, they ask Muslims to follow Jesus while remaining Muslim and participating in Islamic religious practices such as prayer in mosques, reading the Qur’an, and fasting during the month of Ramadan.

Proponents of these approaches are extremely vocal. They have been given major platforms in seminaries, publications, and international conferences.

Positive factors

It would be unfair and untrue to claim that the Insider Movement is all wrong. The study of contextualization indeed has benefitted the missionary movement in many ways.

1. The Muslim world, which had been virtually ignored, suddenly jumped to the forefront of missions.
2. There is a heightened awareness and involvement in the once forgotten Muslim world by churches and mission organizations.
3. New mission agencies began to emerge for the exclusive purpose of reaching Muslims. Most large mission agencies now have Muslim ministry departments.
4. Numerous journals, books, and publications have emerged in print and online.
5. Seminaries increasingly offer degrees in Islamic studies and missiology.
6. There has been a greater sensitivity to the culture and compassion toward Muslims in place of prejudice and even hatred by many.
7. There is now more interest in understanding Islam and and gaining better knowledge of the Qur’an.
8. There is a growing enthusiasm by workers about reaching out to difficult fields through creative access to Muslim countries which were traditionally closed.

The motivation and intentions are generally good. Many have been drawn to the movement innocently because they have been taught that it is the only approach that works. The Insider approach also provides many good and innovative ideas that rightly challenge some traditional methods. However, it is extremely important for donors, pastors, Christian leaders, and mission directors to be aware of the pitfalls of this movement. We need to examine it in light of the scriptures in obedience to the warning: “Dear friends, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, because many false prophets have gone out into the world.” (1 John 4:1)

Drawbacks

Despite its positive contributions, the Insider Movement has many downsides. The message of the gospel has been polluted and muddied by syncretism. Echoing postmodern sentiment, Christian workers became enamored with cultural diversity and innovative methodology. Rather than being bold, workers have become secretive in the name of cultural sensitivity. The result is that the transformational power of the gospel is surrendered to cheap grace and a gospel that costs as little as possible.

Traditional missionary approaches have been mocked and set aside in favor of “missiologically correct” methods. Statistics about “insider movements” are commonly exaggerated. Claims of hundreds, even millions, of followers have been reported. When asked where these people are, the answer is often, “We cannot tell you because of security concerns.”

The movement has been controversial to say the least. Much confusion and division has arisen in the missionary community and, more importantly, among national believers. Although each method claims a large following, some leaders have admitted that the numbers are much less than originally thought. Numbers and statistics can be large or small depending on whether they are referring to seekers, converts, or members. Since these groups remain within the Muslim community, it is impossible to quantify the results, so most of the reported statistics are sheer speculation. Surveys have been done to investigate the actual beliefs of the members and indigenous leaders of these groups, with disturbing results.

Mission to Islam

It is no secret that reaching Muslims is among the most difficult tasks of the modern church. Missionaries began to discover that there were many barriers that needed to be surmounted and that communicating the gospel to Muslims was extremely challenging. Until recently, the missionary movement has been unsuccessful in most Muslim lands. Churches were small and weak and tended to draw membership from historical churches rather than from Muslim communities. The lack of fruit in drawing Muslims to Christianity was attributed to many factors including closed doors, resistance by Muslims, negative effects of colonialism, and the association between the message of the gospel and westernization.

God is drawing Muslims to his Kingdom

While many missionaries are consumed with finding new approaches and writing them down, there is a band of faithful workers preaching the gospel unashamedly. The church is growing in the Muslim world. The major work is being done by the national church in the midst of suffering and persecution and despite its poverty and limited resources. There is also a body of missionaries who have adhered to the old fashioned preaching of the gospel. Many of these work quietly and prefer not to publicize their results. Some are just too busy doing ministry to stop and address the emerging trends. As a result, Insiders have been largely unchallenged in missiological arenas until recently.

The excessive use and abuse of contextualization has finally alerted some theologians, missions leaders and church leaders to this problem and a number of them have risen to the challenge of addressing this movement.

Problems with the Insider Movement:

If you hear Insiders speak, it is admittedly hard to judge them. They are well meaning, compassionate, zealous and sacrificial. However, good intentions are not enough. God can use any method. The question is: Should we settle for any method or are we to test the spirits and make sure we are biblically correct?

Here is a summary of the main problems with this movement:

1. Wrong diagnosis

In the medical field a wrong diagnosis can be fatal. Contextualization was theorized based on the wrong diagnosis of why “missionary work among Muslims has failed in the last fourteen centuries.” Failure was blamed on closed doors, persecution, wrong methods and cultural insensitivity of western missionary practices. Although there is some merit to all of these problems, the foundational problem is much simpler: “The harvest is plentiful and workers are few.” (Matthew 9:37, Luke 10:2) Since the mid seventies the traditional methods were rejected without being tried. When asked if he has tried to use the Bible directly to share the gospel, a leader in the Insider Movement replied, “Well, I was not interested in reaching Muslims until I learned of this method.” He had not led a soul to Christ, yet suddenly he was a purported expert on the how to use the Qur’an as a bridge. Many alternative methods have been suggested without first trying the “traditional” method of proclaiming the good news of God’s love and forgiveness. The reality is that wherever the gospel has been preached, Muslims have responded. What is needed is more people preaching the clear and simple, yet powerful gospel. Significant numbers of Muslims are hungry and waiting. Jesus already warned: “For many are invited, but few are chosen.” (Matthew 22:14)

2. Wrong Paradigm

The various approaches within the Insider Movement base their philosophy of ministry on a paradigm designed by John Travis (Pseudonym), namely, the C1-C6 Scale. It is a scale that claims to describe the various types of churches that supposedly exist or should exist in the Muslim world. Here is a summary of the scale:

C1 Model: (Traditional church using non-indigenous language.)

• Christian churches in Muslim countries that exist as islands, removed from the culture. Christians exist as an ethnic/religious minority.

C2 Model: (Traditional church using indigenous language.)

• Church uses indigenous language, but all its cultural forms are far removed from the broader Islamic culture.

C3 Model: (Contextualized Christ-centered communities using Muslim’s language and non-religiously indigenous cultural forms.)

• Style of worship, dress, etc., are loosely from the indigenous culture.
• Local rituals and traditions, if used, are purged of religious elements.
• A conscious attempt is made to break from all visible elements of Islam–such as observing Ramadan, dietary laws, association with the mosque and so forth.
• Believers may meet in a church or more religiously neutral locations, such as homes.
• C3 amounts to an “extraction” strategy.
• The majority of congregations are of Muslim background and call themselves Christians.

C4 Model: (Contextualized Christ-centered communities using Muslim’s language and biblically permissible cultural and Islamic forms.)

• Similar to C3, except believers’ worship looks like Muslim worship, in that they keep the fast, avoid pork and alcohol, and use Islamic terms and dress.
• The community is almost entirely of Muslim background.
• Though highly contextualized, believers are not seen as Muslims by the Muslim community.
• They do not consider themselves as Muslims, although they may not accept the term “Christian” either. Believers call themselves “followers of Isa Al Masih,” (Jesus the Messiah).

C5 Model: (Christ-centered communities of “Messianic Muslims” who have accepted Jesus as Lord and Savior.)

• Believers remain legally and socially within the Islamic community.
• They do not view themselves as “Christians,” since in context that refers to traitors against the community.
• Some aspects of Islam that are incompatible with the Bible are rejected or if possible reinterpreted, while others are not.
• Believers may remain active in the mosque, commonly pray traditional Muslim prayers, fast, and do all the things their Islamic neighbors do.
• Unsaved Muslims may view C5 believers as deviant and masquerading as Muslims and may expel them from the Islamic community.
• If sufficient numbers permit, a C5 “Messianic mosque” may be established.

C6 Model: (Small Christ-centered communities of secret/underground believers.)

• Isolated by extreme hostility, usually these are individual believers but sometimes they meet together in small groups. Believers typically do not attempt to share their faith, but some suffer imprisonment or martyrdom.

This paradigm is man-made and is designed to direct the reader to the C5 level by using terminology that biases the reader against C1-C3 and language that speaks favorably toward C4 and C5. For C1 and C2 we read: “Christian churches exist.. as islands removed from the culture.” For C3 we read: “C3 amounts to an extraction strategy.” C4 seems to be more accepted, but certainly C5 is described as the best. Insiders usually are associated with the C5 level.

A more biblical paradigm promotes transformation of the community rather than conformity to the culture.

3. Wrong view of Islam
Many insiders view Islam as an improvement on the pagan idolatry of pre-Islamic Arabia. One of the major architects of contextualization, Charles Kraft equated Muhammad with the Apostle Paul,writing, What Paul did by interpreting Hebrew Christianity to the Greeks, Muhammad did for the Arabs. Nabeel Jabbour, a Navigator leader, believes that Islam as a religion started down the right track but jumped off the rails. (Said to me personally during a three hour meeting in my office.) He mentioned several Muslim reformers whom he admires. These, and many others who have bought into the Insider mentality believe that Islam needs to be reformed, not abandoned.

4. Wrong View of the Qur’an

Insiders hold that the gospel message is contained in the Qur’an. References to Jesus in the Qur’an are given new meanings by interpreting them from a Christian perspective. Insider leaders read into the Qur’an to conjure up a nonexistent Christian soteriology (way of salvation) that contradicts the true meaning of the text. They often say that one reason the Qur’an is a word of God is that it points to Jesus.

“A careful study of the Qur’an reveals that most of the elements of salvation, Jesus, the gospel, are indeed laying there ready to be used and exploited… A reinterpreted Qur’an can carry Christians a long way.” (A veteran missionary working with a Reformed mission in
West Africa, in response to a comment on a biblicalmissiology.org)

Fouad Accad writes in his book Building Bridges: “After 30 years of studying the Qur’an I find it overwhelmingly pro-Christ, pro-Bible and pro-Christian.” While some verses in the Qur’an may contain a positive view of Jesus as a prophet, the Qur’an denies Christ’s deity and his redemptive work on the cross. The Muslim understanding of Jesus as Messiah, the “word of God”, and the “spirit of God” is totally different from the Christian interpretation. It is dishonest to reinterpret the Qur’an as if it encourages faith in Christ for salvation. It is likely that Muslims will discover the true Islamic interpretation later on and renounce faith in Jesus because it was founded on misinterpretations. We as Christians do not accept Islamic reinterpretations of the Bible, such as Muslim efforts to claim that the Bible prophecies about Muhammad. Anyone with a working knowledge of the Bible can easily dismiss these claims as propaganda. However, Insider reinterpretations of the Qur’an go to far greater lengths than their Muslim counterparts, creating a shameful image of Christians as deceivers and twisters of the truth. It is not wrong to quote the Qur’an the way Paul quotes the Greek poets, as a discussion point to introduce biblical truth. But it is problematic when the Qur’an is given sacred value along with the Bible. To authenticate the Bible’s message through the Qur’an is to give the Qur’an preeminence over the Bible.

5. Wrong Use of the Qur’an

In his speech to the areopagus in Acts 17, Paul made reference to the “altar of the unknown God” and quoted a short line from Greek poetry. However, he did not use Greek thought or literature as the basis of his message. He concentrated on the scriptures. No doubt had he lived in our times, Paul would have quoted the Qur’an too. But he would not have quoted it excessively, built his theology on it, or hint that the Qur’an may be “a word from God”. Paul used a couple references to Greek thought to introduce a biblical message that clearly contradicted Greek philosophy and religion. IM, however, uses the Qur’an as the basis of their message, which they claim is consistent with a true understanding of Islam.

One tract produced by the Camel Method to give to Muslims is called “Ruhullah.” The tract explains the message of salvation based on numerous texts from the Qur’an, supplemented by three Bible verses (John 8:32, 14:5, 15:13) . At the end of the tract, a verse from the Bible is quoted. When the Bible is quoted at the very end, by that time the reader is deeply entrenched in the Qur’an. A reference or two to the Bible does not wipe out the mental and spiritual impact of the Qur’an on the readers. Then at the end of the tract comes a fully contextualized sinner’s prayer. The prayer basically asks Muslims to acknowledge that God sent the prophet Isa as a sacrifice to save them. The tract promises that this prayer will guarantee them forgiveness of sins and an eternal life. The prayer lacks the most critical components of the gospel. There is not recognition of sin and rebellion against God, no plea for repentance, no call to surrender their lives to Jesus as Lord and give up everything for the sake of winning Christ. The entire tract does not speak of being born again by the Spirit of God, or say that Jesus is the Son of God. The sonship and lordship of Christ have been sacrificed to ease the acceptance of free salvation, reducing Jesus to a mere scapegoat. There is no call to holiness, or any call to action besides praying the prayer at the end, after which it says, “You can now live your life in peace knowing that after death you can go directly to be with Allah.”

From beginning to end, the tract is designed to be viewed by readers as a Muslim message with some references to the Bible.

It is one thing to quote the Qur’an in the context of a biblical message and another to use the Qur’an to delude people into thinking that it too is a word of God that contains the truth about Christ.

6. Weak Hermeneutics

In addition to their creative Qur’anic reinterpretations, the Insider Movement has misinterpreted and twisted biblical texts to justify its methods. The Insider Movement violates solid principles of hermeneutics. They often fish for meanings in a text that contradict the context. They do this in interpreting both the Bible and the Qur’an. Paul’s speech on Mars Hill in Acts 17 is often used as an example of a contextualist who quotes Greek poets to deliver his message. A closer look at Paul’s speech reveals that Paul proclaimed Jesus, spoke about God’s judgement, and invited the pagans to repent and believe in the resurrected Jesus. His audience recognized that he was bringing in new teaching about “new gods” and they mocked his teaching on the resurrection. The result of his speech was some rejected others accepted his message. Acts records these significant words: “those who believed joined Paul…” Acts 17:4, 34. He did not join them (inside paganism), but they joined him.

Muslim scholars will not accept any interpretation of the Qur’an if it tries to make the Qur’an say what it does not say. Insiders are guilty of violating Islamic hermeneutics as well. Muslims who have been taught by Insiders what the “real” interpretation of the Qur’an is often get angry and reject the message Insiders have taught them when they discover that the Qur’an does not carry those meanings. Ultimately they begin to learn the true Islamic meanings and they realize they have been deceived by the missionary.

7. Diluted Gospel

In order to gain a hearing, the IM makes the gospel message more palatable and less offensive. Insiders seem to be satisfied when a Muslim recognizes Jesus as more than a prophet. They convince Muslims that the Qur’an holds him with higher honor and calls him “Word of God” and “Spirit of God”. A Muslim cannot argue with what the Qur’an says, but that does not mean he or she has understood the incarnation of the Logos of God (John 1:1). There are millions of nominal Christians who cognitively believe that Jesus died, but that does not make them born again by the Spirit of God. The assumption that all we need to do is to get Muslims to accept Christian claims is a major problem with the method. When the message is contaminated by the Qur’an and other competing truth claims the hearer is confused. Though he or she may go along and pray the sinner’s prayer, the spark of the Spirit of God is missing. God wants us to present the pure message in context of His revealed word, not from any book that acknowledges Jesus or seems to revere him.

8. Confusion between Culture and Religion

Many books on contextualization emerged in the mid seventies, declaring culture to be the most important aspect of a Muslim’s life. We read that Islam is an indivisible mixture of religion and culture,and that it is futile to try to separate the two. IM proponents confuse Islam as a religion with the culture of Muslims. There are 56 countries with a Muslim majority and each has many subcultures and/or ethnic groups. In Northern Iraq there are Muslim, Yazidi, and Christian Kurds. They are united in Kurdish identity and culture but separated by religion. Similarly Berbers, Tatars, Albanians, and  hundreds of other ethnic groups do not have to give up their ethnic identity when they convert but they surely have to give up their religion. It is naive to lump all Muslims into one cultural category, even though Muslims themselves dream of being united as such, under the Islamic umma(community or kingdom). It is unfortunate that the IM actually buys into this fictitious concept of a unified ummathat is propagated by Islamic groups. However, praying in a mosque rather than a church is not a cultural act. It is religious. Denying that Jesus is the Son of God is not cultural, but theological. If culture is the sum total of a group’s lifestyle, values and beliefs, can we as Christians endorse the whole package? Let us celebrate cultural diversity, but not at the expense of the truth.

9. Weak Christology

Perhaps the most critical problem with the IM is its view of Christ. If you read the literature and the way Insiders present Christ, you will discover that they have surrendered the biblical image of Jesus to the Jesus of the Qur’an. The Qur’an is the enemy’s tool to deceive Muslims into thinking that they believe in Jesus. The Jesus of the Qur’an is a different Jesus, one who may be a great prophet, but not the only Son of the Living God. In the Qur’an, Jesus is not the savior of the world and God’s only mediator between God and man. It is unbelievable that Bible translators in the languages of Muslims are removing the phrase “Son of God” and the fatherhood of God from their translations. They explain this action by claiming that “Son” is not literal anyway, so doing away with it does not change the message. This demonstrates their weak Christology. If Jesus is not the Son of God, then he is just another prophet. In this and many other ways, Insiders are giving in to Islamic theology. The gospel message must include the fact that God in his great love came down in human form to rescue us. John 3:16 states that God so loved the world that he sacrificed his one and only Son. If Jesus is not the Son of God, there John 3:16 is meaningless.  Paul stressed: “Jews demand miraculous signs and Greeks look for wisdom, but we preach Christ crucified: a stumbling block to Jews and foolishness to Gentiles.” I Corinthians 1:22-23. IMers need to rise to the challenge of preaching a message that may offend Muslims. It seems that they are not willing to do that.

10. Succumbs to Violation of Human rights

Muslim nations have persecuted Christians for centuries. Their laws against Ridda (leaving Islam) violate the God-given rights of free choice and expression. The Insider approach denies Muslims their inalienable right to choose their religion and enjoy full benefits like all other citizens. The Insider approach does not contribute to the fight for the human rights of these people as their conversion is not brought to light and therefore they are tacitly succumbing to human rights abuses in Muslim nations.

How long shall we continue to accept Islam’s intimidation of minorities and their abuse of power? The blood of the martyrs trickling down from Calvary to Saudi Arabia has been the seed of the church throughout history. Insiders need to join the cause of freedom by encouraging people to fight for their freedom. Courageous people in Malaysia, Iran, Egypt among others have caused political shakeups in those countries. Now authorities have to think twice before they execute one more convert to Christianity. The Church in Malaysia, Algeria, Kosova and numerous other places have won many rights that they could not have been attained without sacrifice. Insiders are promoting a gospel that costs little. The gospel cost Jesus everything, and we all need to count the cost of the salvation that Jesus won for us on the cross.

11. Low view of the Universal Church

By keeping “followers of Isa” inside Islam, Insiders are in effect promoting the Muslim Umma and by the same token undermining the One Holy Universal Church. Jesus stressed, “I have other sheep that are not of this sheep pen. I must bring them also. They too will listen to my voice, and there shall be one flock and one shepherd.” Here Jesus wants to combine the various communities into one body. (John 10:16.) “that they may be one as we are one (John 17:22.) Ekklesia, the Greek for church is the called out ones from the main stream of any community to the : “One holy nation.”  (I Peter 2:9). The Muslim Umma has a political agenda of world dominance. What will happen to the Insider followers of Isa when the umma imposes Sharia law on them? To encourage converts to stay separate from the rest of the church is to push them into the kingdom of darkness without the support they need from the children of light (Ephesians 5:8).

12. Undermines the New Identity in Christ

Insiders want followers of Isa to retain their Muslim identity. They argue that “Christian” is a bad term because of connotations of immorality or association with the West. They prefer to be known as “Followers Of Isa.” There are many problems with this:

a) Muslims who hear the phrase “Follower Of Isa” have to figure out whether you are a Christian or a convert to Islam. If you continue to deny that you are a Christian then you are practically admitting that you have converted to Islam.

b) The concept of following a prophet is foreign to a Muslim. Islam is about submission to Allah and not following Muhammad. So while Insiders are trying to contextualize they have only brought confusion.

c) It is harder to explain what is meant by “follower of Isa” than to dispel misperceptions about the meaning of a true Christian?

d) To give a follower of Jesus a Muslim identity is an affront to the cross and a blatant denial of his name. Peter was emphatic when he said: “if you suffer as a Christian, do not be ashamed, but praise God that you bear that name.” (1 Peter 4:16.) This verse alone is enough to defeat the argument that the name Christian is not in the Bible or that it was a derogatory name. Peter says even so, do not be ashamed but rather praise God. The designations: “Muslim Background Believer”, “Muslim follower of Jesus”, or “Completed Pakka Muslim’  do not reflect the shift in allegiance nor help the convert in the “newness of life.” (Romans 6:4) In fact it encourages converts to hide their identity. Until converts gain a new identity they remain in the claws of the old and over time they abandon their cognitive convictions and return to the old ways. “If anyone is in Christ…” refers to belonging to a new community identified with Christ. Notice also in these among many other verses that thename of Jesus is our identity. “They will treat you this way because of my name…” (John 15:21) and “I will show him how much he must suffer for my name.” (Acts 9:16)

13. Undermines the Spiritual Warfare

The Bible is clear about the nature of the spiritual battle. (Ephesians 6:12; II Corinthians 10:4). There is a Satan out there. There are demons. There is false teaching and there are false prophets. Insiders are bold in infiltrating the battle zone and exposing themselves to Satan’s tactics. Already there are rumors that some of them have officially converted to Islam. Many of them dress like Muslims and live the Muslim lifestyle including attending the mosque, fasting during Ramadan and participating in Islamic rituals at every level. Some have no problem praying the shahada (confession) that Muhammad is a prophet from God. This not only exposes them but also their converts to false teaching by Muslim imams and teachers.

14. Undermines Fellowship of the Saints

Insiders deny converts the opportunity to fully participate in open Christian fellowship. Insider converts tend to marry non-believing Muslims and often do not even tell their spouses they are any different than the rest of the Muslim community. How long can their fervent faith last in an oppressive environment. How long will the light shine under a bushel? Christian Fellowship is paramount for spiritual growth. Without it many fervent Christians have lost their faith. To cause this by design is appalling. Converts do not understand Christian fellowship unless they see it modeled. It takes a Muslim years to know how to relate to other Christians. The fruit of the Spirit must be encouraged and lived out in a loving community. One of the biggest struggles of Muslims is learning how to to forgive. Only when they have to battle this with other Christians will they be able to fully grasp God’s Grace and forgiveness. Insiders deny converts these opportunities that are only possible within the fellowship of the saints.

15. Legalism Vs. Grace

Islam is a legalistic system that gives Muslims the impression that when they perform certain religious rites and duties, they have done all they can and God will have to add his mercy for them to have any hope in eternal life. Remaining within Islam and practicing the rituals denies them the understanding of God’s grace and the truth that we are not saved by works but by faith based on God’s love and grace which is a gift of God. (Ephesians 2:8-9) When Muslims perform the prayer rituals, they are not communicating with God. They have memorized certain verses from the Qur’an. Most of them don’t even understand what they are saying. Yet what matters to them is that they are performing their duties as required by the Sharia. How is the Insider able to demonstrate not only in words but in actions the richness of God’s grace against the futility of human effort to please God? The answer is: It is not possible to practice legalism and believe otherwise. “Since you died with Christ to the basic principles of this world, why, as though you still belonged to it, do you submit to its rules…” (Colossians 2:20-23)

16. Truth in Advertising or Deception?

The tactic of appearing as Muslims and accepting the Qur’an and Muhammad without revealing the full truth that Islam is an evil system is deceptive. As soon as the truth comes out, the new “followers” are likely to feel cheated and and reject the “fake” truths they were exposed to. Muslims will feel manipulated to go through a process without knowing where this will lead them.

17. Avoids Extraction and Persecution

One of the major motivating factors behind the Insider Movement is the desire to help converts avoid persecution that is a result of extraction. When a Muslim becomes a Christian in the traditional way, they are exposed to persecution and in some cases execution by their family or by the authorities. The problem with this is that persecution is part and parcel of the calling of God on our lives to exchange earthly life for the eternal life. Jesus was clear in his call that when we come to him we abandon everything including family and possessions. (Matthew 10:37; Luke 14:26) He also warned us that we will be persecuted, “…they will lay hands on you and persecute you… all on account of my name.” (Luke 21:12) And “If they persecuted me, they will persecute you also.”(John 15:20) The blood of the martyrs is the seed of the church.

Of course missionaries should not expose converts to persecution. The fact in the Muslim world is that most converts are never persecuted. Many experience no more than a scolding, argument, or some level of conflict with their families that doesn’t last very long. Often this lasts for a short time, days, weeks and in some rare cases a few months. It is not uncommon for other family members to begin following in the steps of the “defector” within a year of two. If converts needs to be extracted physically from a potentially violent situation, the church should be ready to find them a safe haven until the threat subsides, which it does in most cases. However, unless a Muslim is willing to give up his life, he has not understood the nature of the new life in Christ. “And everyone who has left houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or children or fields for my sake will receive a hundred times as much and will inherit eternal life.” (Matthew 19:29) “For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for me and for the gospel will save it.” (Mark 8:35)

18. Downplays the Role of the Holy Spirit

Conversion is not a cultural, social or psychological phenomenon. True conversion is the work of the Holy Spirit. “…no one can say, “Jesus is Lord,” except by the Holy Spirit.” (1 Corinthians 12:3) “No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws him…” (John 6:44) Paul was quick to tell the churches he planted:

“This is what we speak, not in words taught us by human wisdom but in words taught by the Spirit, expressing spiritual truths in spiritual words. (I Corinthians 2:13) And “When I came to you, brothers, I did not come with eloquence or superior wisdom as I proclaimed to you the testimony about God. For I resolved to know nothing while I was with you except Jesus Christ and him crucified. My message and my preaching were not with wise and persuasive words, but with a demonstration of the Spirit’s power…” (I Corinthians 2:1-4)

Insider tactics are conceived behind desks and at seminary libraries, not in the thicket of darkness proclaiming the light of Christ. It is an academic approach theorized by professors who have had little or no success on the mission field and little or no experience in the Muslim world. No strategy, no matter how well thought through, can save even one soul, though any strategy when the Holy Spirit is present has the potential of convicting the lost of “…sin and righteousness and judgment.” (John 16:8)

19. Promotes a Cheap Gospel

When Christ called his disciples he expected them to leave everything and follow him. (Luke 5:11). Abraham was called to “Leave your country, your people and your father’s household and go…” (Genesis 12:1) In the excellent book by Ronald Sider “The scandal of the Evangelical Conscience, we read: When Christians today reduce the gospel to forgiveness of sins, they are offering a one-sided heretical message that is flatly unfaithful to Jesus….” This is basically what Insiders are offering Muslims. Jesus sacrificed (Qurban) to guarantee you forgiveness of sins. This renders Jesus as a sacrificed scapegoat, not a risen Lord. See the “Ruhullah” tract on the Camel Method website (camelmethod.com/tracks.htm).

Handling the Word of God Correctly

All false teaching boils down to misinterpretations of the Bible. Individuals and groups often interpret the Bible in a manner that supports their presuppositions and personal inclinations. The Apostle Paul was well aware of this danger when he exhorted Timothy to “handle the word of truth correctly” (2 Tim 2:15)  And he added: “… we do not use deception, nor do we distort the word of God.” (II Corinthians 4:2)

Affirming biblical authority is not about quoting scriptures to support our positions. Rather it is discovering God’s mind and heart concerning all aspects of life and ministry. There are right and wrong ways to interpret the Bible. Heresy and false teachings are endemic in the missiological community. Today, in a post modern worldview many pastors and theologians are hesitant to judge other people’s interpretations. Though this may show compassion, it gives the wrong impression that any interpretation is as good as any other, thus allowing heresy to go unchallenged.

Final Word:

As people entrusted with the gospel, we need to make every effort to protect its purity and expose false teaching. Although the Insider Movement has some positive elements, it is generally contrary to the word of God and needs to humbly re-evaluate its approach. We who try to uphold the gospel need to not be distracted by false teaching but rather be motivated to preach the unadulterated truth of the gospel and expect it to transform all those who come in touch with it.

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Georges Houssney was raised in the predominantly Muslim city of Tripoli, Lebanon. He came to faith in Jesus Christ as a teenager. Soon God grew a deep love for Muslims in his heart, and he began to sense God’s call for full-time service among them. Well-known for his work supervising the translation and publication of the Bible into clear modern Arabic, Georges and his family moved from the Middle East to the United States in 1982 to minister to international students. Georges is passionate about reaching internationals here and abroad with the great news of salvation. He writes and lectures internationally about ministry to Muslims, and he strives to awaken a new generation who will proclaim the gospel boldly. Georges is founder and director of Horizons International and does Muslim evangelism training through his trainingEngaging Islam.

http://engagingislam.org

http://biblicalmissiology.org/2010/05/03/position-paper-on-the-insider-movement/