Why Evangelicals Should Be Thankful for Muslim Insiders
Why Evangelicals Should Be Thankful for Muslim Insiders
Oover the past half century, many Hindus, Muslims, and other peoples of the major religions have put their faith in Jesus, often as a result of miraculous encounters with God through dreams, healings, or the reading of Scripture.
These new Jesus followers, coming from different countries and ethnicities, express their faith in a variety of ways. One such way is called a "Jesus movement" or "insider movement," where families and groups follow Jesus as Savior and Lord while remaining within the socioreligious community of their birth.
What we are now seeing was predicted years ago by evangelical leaders such as Henry Riggs and Virginia Cobb. How should evangelical leaders today view such movements?
My family and I lived for more than 20 years in a Muslim-majority country. Most of those years were in a close-knit neighborhood where our children's "aunties" and "uncles" were our Muslim neighbors and friends. We were privileged to see a Jesus movement firsthand in that society, which actually began while we were out of the country. Through this movement, several of our long-time Muslim friends came to faith in Jesus. In recent years, we have had the chance to provide training in prayer for healing in a variety of Muslim settings, sometimes at the invitation of groups of Muslims who follow Jesus. In this way, we have heard many of their testimonies of love and devotion for Jesus.
The particular movement that we witnessed began when God touched a woman called "Fatimah." Before we met her, she had been reading a copy of the New Testament, given by trusted friends, for nearly 10 years. During that time, her son was miraculously healed when he was prayed for in the name of Isa al Masih (Jesus the Messiah). Fatimah was drawn to the Jesus revealed in the New Testament.
She assumed that because she was a Muslim, she could not become his follower. Then one day, she spoke with a wise Asian pastor who understood her dilemma. He said, "Fatimah, you can receive Jesus now, right where you are. You are saved by Jesus, not religion."
With joy, she received this good news. She felt the Spirit of God enter her heart, and the weight of sin lift from her life. Her mother, along with her son who had been healed, also embraced Jesus as Savior and Lord.
Fatimah became convinced that God had called her to bring the good news of Jesus to her Muslim family and friends. Soon, Jesus-centered groups began to form, gathering regularly for prayer, fellowship, and the study of the New Testament. Now, years later, these small groups continue to multiply. They have not "changed religions," but their changed lives demonstrate the reality of Jesus, right inside the religious communities of their birth.
Several characteristics about these groups stand out, as well as others we have seen elsewhere, that should be of importance to evangelicals. First, they accept Jesus as the Savior through whom their sins are forgiven.
Second, there is clear evidence of the work of the Spirit as they obey the Bible and grow in the lordship of Jesus.
Third, though they are not called Christians, they are spiritually and biblically part of the church universal put there by Christ because they are one in him. (Many I have met have deep friendships with Christians and often make statements such as, "Any person who truly follows Jesus is my brother or sister.")
Fourth, they affirm most aspects of their Muslim heritage, simply seeing it as their natural identity. Yet they clearly reform certain teachings and practices that are not in line with the New Testament. This makes them different from others around them, and many have already endured more suffering for the name of Jesus than most Western evangelicals will ever face.
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Kevin Higgins
Greetings again...as with many of you, I carry a pretty large responsibility in my work, a pretty heavy travel schedule, and a participation in a number of virtual groups, etc. All of these require time and frequent inability to check additional postings and comments such as those in this forum (important as they are). All that to say that I will likely not post further in THIS forum on the topics raised. I am happy to keep in the discussion with those of you who have my contect information (as several of you do). Blessings....In Jesus, Kevin
Kevin Higgins
Scott, Roger, and others...as we have each noted the limited charatcers in a comments section greatly curtails discussion in depth in this format. Scott, I noted your request about devotional reflection on Father and SOn...in this string and in the other group we are part of. I think you are making an extremely important suggestion. I have been giving it further thought and hope to engage that. My only delay is due to my experience in such matters: if I hastily reply it leaves my comments open to a lot of misinterpretation and thus increased confusion (not the fault of my readers, but the fault of my own half-conceived ideas when I try to reply too quickly). Re: the use of pseudonyms, Roger your clarification helps. of course social science verification parameters require what you describe. But they also can put people at risk (not just in "insider" contexts, but in many), hence accepted Human Research Subject ethical guidelines need to be followed in any such research. Kevin
Mike Tisdell
Debra starkey, Sincerity to a religious system is not the same thing as saving faith. The human prophet called Isa in the Qur'an is not the same person as the incarnate God called Jesus in Scripture. It is far more than just a question about the name used, it is a question about who he truly is. While a true believer may identify himself as a "follower of Isa", he should quickly be moving away from the false religion of Islam and embracing the universal church of Christ. Is it possible that some may have come to saving faith through errant IM ministries, maybe? But those promoting the Insider Movement are placing obstacles in the path of those who really might be genuinely drawn to Christ instead of pointing the way to him. True saving faith only comes when we enter into a relationship with Jesus, God's only Son and follow him; it does not come by identifying oneself with the imposter called Isa in the Qu'ran. Those who truly know him will not reject the Christ described in Scripture.
Roger Dixon
Kevin & others, I was probably not clear in my statement which wasn't meant to say no one could use pseudonyms but to emphasize that social science guidelines indicate that any research or opinion has to be open to checking, replication, etc. in order to be taken seriously. We can't simply believe whatever is put out there as fact without checking it. Too often these missionary stories have been proven to be mirages.
Salaam Corniche
Mr. Travis Greetings from someone who works among ex-Muslims who are now in Christ. Call them xMsinChrist. Non of this nonsense of "dual-religious identity" or multiple religious identities--sounds like a psychological disorder to me, nor hand-wringing over alligator tears of how this politically incorrect term is bothering the Holy Spirit, God's truth is God's truth. Jesus is mighty to save, mighty to keep, and mighty to sustain to the end. Mr. Travis, I have a question for you. Someone who worked in your area and documented trends in a paper kept confidential due to reasons you are aware of, interviewed an expat who observed the fruit of your C5 labors. What did he say? ""If you cut open the heart of a local person, what you find is Islam." How do you live with such an observation of the fruit of your labors?