**Writer's update: The series of "Conviction" was intended to be three parts. After further contemplation, the third part of conviction is quite personal. In order to keep this blog something MORE than a diary or journal of life, the third part will remain, for now, a private discourse between myself and the Lord. I pray that these remaining two articles have given you insight into my heart, proven helpful, and thought provoking. Bless your beautiful souls. =^]
Last post, I addressed the conviction I received from the Lord through a peer situation. In this installment I will address the conviction the Lord laid upon my heart about "missions," and the shadowy corners that He is shining His light on.
Last weekend IHOPU held a symposium on "Understanding the Challenge of Islam." The first speaker was Joshua Lingel - founder of i² ministries, which focuses on missions to Muslims. His teaching was simple, direct and historical. It felt like being in class. The title was: "Why Care about Muslims?"
Honestly, I wanted to learn more about the Muslim culture and hear about how one should go about witnessing to them. Instead, as is per usual in an introductory speech of a symposium the problem was first addressed. I would love to say that I don't have any problems concerning ministry to Muslims. In fact, I even witnessed to a Muslim guy on my walks to church during the Elder-era! However, the Lord really used just a small portion of this speech and the one given by Dr. Sasan Tavassoli (another teacher, former Shi'ite Muslim from Iran) to show that I had some major pit-falls in my heart.
The Lord has been kind enough to show me one of the long-term plans that He has for my life would be ministry to various countries. I never actually realized that a majority of the countries He highlighted were dominated by Islam. Thus, I never realized how little I knew about Islam and Muslims or about my heart's true thoughts lying there just under the shadows.
The Lord has been kind enough to show me one of the long-term plans that He has for my life would be ministry to various countries. I never actually realized that a majority of the countries He highlighted were dominated by Islam. Thus, I never realized how little I knew about Islam and Muslims or about my heart's true thoughts lying there just under the shadows.
Mr. Lingel discussed the history of missions to Muslims and how there has been little real efforts given toward Muslims. This part was filled with neat tid-bits but, mostly, fruitless for me. Then, he started targeting the thoughts that we have against Muslims as a country. The accusations in our hearts and even -- as Dr. Sassan pointed out -- the rejection of the kind of Islam that slammed into our country and the acceptance of the false ideas that Islam is truly a peaceful religion. This is where it began to hit in me. I have immense accusations against Muslims!
Over the past year the Lord has taken me through accusations in my heart towards adult ministry. Anyone that knows me knows that I love worship and that I love youth. I would never have guessed, and neither would any of you, that I HATED adult ministry. I thought adults were fake, spiritually dead and past the point of revival. Leading worship for adult services was really difficult for me because the Lord dredged up these accusations that I never considered; I couldn't even deny them because I didn't know they were there! I soon learned to see that He was inviting me to go low and serve the adults on my team (youngest member yet the leader... fun! Truly, it was after I got my act together), and the adults in the room. The Lord really invited me into His heart for them; they weren't too far gone. The Lord wanted to minister to them just as much as He wanted to minister to youth. He was not at all finished with them and they have sooo much future ahead of them! This same journey is not all that different than the one I feel the Lord is leading me on regarding Muslims.
Of course, I want to be open to whatever ministry opportunities the Lord puts in my path. But, I can't minister out of a heart that doesn't actually truly, from the depths of my heart, care about people. I must know what the Lord feels about Muslims. I must know how He thinks about them. I also must know my current heart posture toward them.
When Jesus gave the "great commission" He gave it to all of us and His purpose in naming countries to the disciples was because they were Gentile nations who had not experienced Jesus. He is calling us to go to those communities that have not had encounters with Jesus. Yet, the statistics say that most ministry is focused on those who may have already had examples of Christ or at least Western Christianity. Not that those regions aren't important as well, but, why are we not focusing on Muslim cultures?
Here are the dark thoughts of my heart towards Muslims: They're weird. Unless they have miraculous visions of Jesus, they won't get saved. Their hearts are too hard. If I see one walking towards me, I'll probably walk the other way. Why are they in our country? Why are we sending soldiers to fight for their rights? They've chosen hell. I'm scared of them. I'm scared they'll attack me. I'm scared they'll know all about their religion and mine and I won't be able to theologically convince them that Jesus is who Christians say He is - who I believe He is. Will they convince me otherwise of my beliefs? Will I become exasperated and just give up on them or accuse them of something ridiculous and thus "wash my hands of them?"
Here are the dark thoughts of my heart towards Muslims: They're weird. Unless they have miraculous visions of Jesus, they won't get saved. Their hearts are too hard. If I see one walking towards me, I'll probably walk the other way. Why are they in our country? Why are we sending soldiers to fight for their rights? They've chosen hell. I'm scared of them. I'm scared they'll attack me. I'm scared they'll know all about their religion and mine and I won't be able to theologically convince them that Jesus is who Christians say He is - who I believe He is. Will they convince me otherwise of my beliefs? Will I become exasperated and just give up on them or accuse them of something ridiculous and thus "wash my hands of them?"
Really dark stuff! I think the heart of it was really that I won't be able to save them. As if I could without Holy Spirit anyway!? My thoughts towards Muslims regarding their salvation are quite similar to what my thoughts were towards adults in my church - their time is up, their hearts are too far away, etc. I believe the Lord really wants me to get into HIS heart regarding Muslims: His heart is for them. Jesus already died for them. While they are yet sinners Christ died for them - He loved them first and He is wanting a great harvest from the Muslim community. I believe the question He is posing to me is: Are you REALLY ready to 'go into all the earth and make disciples'? It's not just about convincing the Muslim that his ideas of God are wrong, it's about going to this unloved people group and making disciples of Christ out of them. Have I become a disciple of Christ yet? Am I ready to love them as Christ has loved me and wants to love them? Am I capable of that love yet?
I don't think my answer is a resounding "YES!" right now. I think the Lord is working in me about this. I think the preparation for this will involve getting to actually know Him better and understanding the Islamic community/religion more in order to minister to them. There has been a lot of talk lately about "becoming all things for all people," in regards to the modern church and current American culture. I love America, I think people here need Jesus just as much if not more than other countries. However, we have heard. Jesus is readily available free of charge (most times -- the genuine times) to anyone who wants Him at ANY time. There are still cultures who have not had genuine encounters with Christ - where the gospel of Christ is NOT readily available - or those cultures who have yet obtain a true revelation of Christ through His genuine disciples. The Lord is calling us to be those true witnesses of Him to these cultures. He is wanting us to be His friends and be His ambassadors of love, mercy and grace to the Gentile nations; the people groups, the nations, the cultures who have no faithful witnesses that are willing and ready to make disciples unto Jesus.
Lord, make me a disciple. Teach me. Train me. Reveal to me Your heart. Give me wisdom and revelation in regards to being a disciple and a witness of Your heart and character. Jesus, You are the Faithful witness - make me a faithful witness of You and Your Father. May I become one with You just as You and Your Father are one? May I have Your heart in place of mine? I want to be effective and able to say without hesitance, "Follow me, as I follow the example of Christ."
Hi, JD! I'd definitely found these posts thought provoking. =) Among the thoughts provoked, I realized that I've had similar attitudes towards the adults when leading them in worship, especially the time I did Video Cafe(I only do Matinee twice a month, atm, though I tried VC once). I'm used to everyone standing, at the very least out of respect for the fact that it's "worship time," but they sat there, didn't clap, and most didn't sing along. In the moments I had to notice, between worrying about the next chord(there was a lot of that) and truly worshipping, I felt so frustrated--like, why am I doing this if they don't appreciate it? They can just listen to tapes(I mean...mp3s. I went to the mid-90s for a second.).
ReplyDeleteBut in this dialogue with myself(& I'm pretty sure God was in there, showing me things), I realized I shouldn't even be evaluating how appreciated I feel. I'm supposed to be appreciating, worshipping God the whole time, and bringing his presence into that room, and it's the adults' responsibility to respond to Him(and some of them do! It's amazing.). I can't let my personal feelings be a hinderance, because even if some are spiritually dry, and especially then, they need a chance to be in a situation where He's present so they can respond to Him, because, like you said, most of them have still got a lot of life ahead of them that God can use. =)