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The reaction of the West to September 11 was one of panic and overreaction. There was an exodus of thousands of Arabs and Muslims from [the United States]. We want to take fear away. We deal with people. I object personally to the term terrorism, because I want to give [the terrorists] a face. Hamas is not terrorist. Hamas is people who lose all hope in the future and in life. When they decide to blow themselves up and die, it's not because they're politically motivated or want to attack the West. It's because they have not found a reason for living.

We, as Christians, are the only ones in the world that, on the basis of the Book, can offer everybody in the world a reason for living. If that reason for living is not there, do not blame them to find a reason for dying, because that's the only alternative—living or dying. We want to dive right into the very center of the conflict. That's why we go to those groups.

The second step is to introduce the church there—a weak church, a diminishing church—to the subject. They can reach out to the Muslims, but they were never taught to do that. Now they're scared to do it. We want to help them overcome their fear and reach out to the Muslims. So our ministry is to the church so that through the church the Muslims will be reached.

What does the Western church need to know about churches in the Muslim world and in the Middle East?

One, they have to know that there is a church. And our advice is that whenever there is a calamity, be it a natural disaster or, more likely, a revolutionary one—a bombing or an attack in Beslan, or sudden war in Afghanistan or in Iraq—that we ask the question, "Is there a church?" Then we can reach out and help the church to be the church in those areas.

In the Muslim world, there are a number of countries where there never was a church. So we need pioneers with vision and faith and support to go there to start the work. But we go where there's still a church, try and find them and then equip them, motivate them, guide them if necessary to a place where they can function.

What are the greatest strengths of the churches in that part of the world?

We evangelicals, we think we know it all. We think we've been around here for a long time. We haven't—less than 100 years. Before us there was a mainline church [in the Middle East] that was not really that interested in Islam. But their main strength is that they live very close to the biblical setting. They live in the area where the Bible took place. They have very low demands for life and they're not as materialistic as we are. And that is their strength.

Their weakness is that they do not feel connected to evangelical Christianity in the rest of the world. They feel rejected and even betrayed. They literally say, "We feel betrayed."

Why?

Because nobody looks after them. Right there at the very edge of the Temple Mount, there's a Christian and Missionary Alliance church. Not many tourists find that place. Why don't they go there? It's a perfect biblical setting, but only Arabs are there. Why are we not there?

We're telling them, "You're not part [of the Body of Christ]. You'll be chased out by Israel anyway very soon." And they probably will. And then the pilgrims go home; they had the time of their lives in the Holy Land. Gee, I call it the "unholy Holy Land." It's a very socialist, secularist state and you have to search hard for real Christianity. It would be so easy if you get in touch with the Palestinian Christians. Then you see, "Oh, there is a church." And when you get in touch with a Palestinian Christian, you will probably find the Messianic believers too. They do have contact.

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February (Web-only) 2005, Vol. 49