Monthly Archives: September 2020

In the annals of famous last words, few are as pervasive, inclusive and pumped full of promise as the mandate Jesus gives his disciples (including you and me!) in Acts 1.8, “. . .you’ll be my witnesses in Jerusalem, Judea and Samaria and to the ends of the earth.”

It’s both a charge and a promise, a nudge and an assurance. Filled with the power of the Holy Spirit, Jesus followers from all over will take the good news everywhere to everyone.

It’s an echo of the covenant God cut with Abraham so long ago, “I will bless you. . .and all peoples on earth will be blessed through you.”

Has the promise been kept? Yes, in many places, in many ways for many peoples. But also no. It has yet to become reality for others.

Good friends of mine are investing prayer, money, and copious cogitation in the development of a list of Muslim peoples who’ve yet to experience that witness for the first time or who are currently without it.

Their term is unengaged. The technical definition is something like, “no one is on the ground, speaking the local language, working toward reproducing discipleship movements.”

As the list nears completion, they estimate around 500 Muslim people groups fit that definition. 500 groups, ranging from thousands to tens of millions in size, among whom no witnesses have yet to begin the work.

Babies are born and grandmas die. Pandemics are fought and wars are lost. Tears are shed and laughter shared. All without the first witness to the cosmos-shifting good news that God came, lived, died and rose again.

500 of these groups. What are we going to do? What does God want us to do? What about me? What about you?

Maybe like me, you love to befriend Muslims, but struggle to talk about deep stuff.

How do you turn a conversation toward spiritual things?

Often when I think about this question I’m faced with the awkward realization that I’m not as spiritual as I wish I were. Which is quickly followed by, “What the heck am I doing even talking about stuff like this?!?” But I want to grow and maybe you do too. And one of the pleasant side effects of reaching out to others is growing spiritually yourself.

Here are three ways to turn the corner.

1. My Facebook friend Ginny is a treasure who talks to tons of Muslims. She says, “Let’s become ‘conversationally fluent’ with the Bible, knowing how to speak it into ordinary conversations, without long explanation or embarrassment.”

A specific way to do this is to springboard from topic of conversation to something Jesus said. “That reminds me of a story Jesus told.” Then tell it!

2. Ginny also says we can turn the corner by, “sharing what God has done and is doing in our life! We can know these things, but if we don’t feel confident sharing them, we’ll stay silent. It’s critical for believers to develop this fluency with each other, to normalize it in conversation with other believers. We embrace a cultural belief that it’s invasive, rude, or inappropriate to talk about Christ. We think there’s some sort of complex dance leading to a conversation about Jesus. But that’s not true about our own culture nor most Muslim ones.”

Particularly share how God relates to your pain. Everyone hurts. “I’m struggling with this, but God is helping me.” Or maybe I believe or am trying to hope God will help me.

3. Finally, ask how you can pray for your friend. Then do it. Hand on shoulder right here and now or awkwardly typed out prayers if you’re connecting online! This might deepen things in a hurry!

Do you have other, perhaps better, conversation shifters? Share them here.

We cultivate love when we allow our most vulnerable and powerful selves to be deeply seen and known. . .       – Brené Brown

Last week I asked you to choose which type of Muslim Connector you were. Of those who responded, almost 70% chose “You’ve Got a Friend in Me,” the option for people who prefer to engage Muslims through building friendships. (If the options in your email were not selectable I apologize. MailChimp.com had some indigestion.)

To start developing skill and confidence in building friendships with Muslims, here are the four super basic steps we need to take and the mistake to avoid. If these feel like kindergarten to you, please pass them on to friends who might be new to all this “Muslim stuff!”

1. Go where you’re more likely to find Muslims. Not so good: Bars, church, Trump rallies or in these crazy COVID days, anywhere in public! Better odds: Pakistan, Louisville, ethnic groceries/apartment complexes/neighborhoods, and in these crazy COVID days, online.

2. Ask good questions. Cultivate curiosity. Risk bugging a few, while blessing most.

3. Share food. Whether you bake, broil or fry in oil, many Muslim cultures are deeply wired to accept, then return, food-borne hospitality.

4. Share your life. Involve Muslim friends in both normal and exceptional events. Share yourself at the level of depth you’d like the relationship to go to. I’m terrible at this. I want so much to look like I’ve got it together, but this is the path to connection. (Tweet this.)

Avoid this mistake: Don’t put off talking about God. Don’t wait to speak about, and to, Jesus with your new Muslim friend.

What basic steps would you add to this list? Please comment here.

Next week we’ll look at turning the corner to spiritual conversations.