God is moving powerfully among Muslims. Got it. More Muslims are coming to faith than all the years combined. Got it. God is bringing the mission home- The nations are at our doorsteps. Got it. No confusion here, just awe and fascination.
So, what am I confused and curious about? As God continues to move, unveiling His truth to the children of Ishmael, what does church planting and integration of Muslims in Western churches look like? What are the inevitable obstacles? The conversations around such questions must be instigated now rather than later. Or else, we face the inevitable danger of being slapped in the face with the consequences of this phenomenon, ill equipping our churches, leaders and the next generation on how best to maintain a relevant conversation about how the Church will effectively mold itself around His extraordinary movement before our eyes.
I took this conversation to a wise council of mentors and Christ warriors surrounding me. Have I mentioned how blessed I am to be in the company of such giants? To my surprise there were various opinions surrounding this topic, making it urgently clear to me that such discussions are vital. My confusion due to the various perspectives quickly turned into intrigue. How fascinating that these leaders who share similar perspectives and approaches on how to effectively reach Muslims that God is bringing to the West, can have different perspectives on how the church should look like after they come to faith. Let me be clear: no one is right or wrong. It is merely about the beauty and power of perspective.
Blending Approach: Muslims should integrate into existing Churches with the responsibility and role of that Church to embrace the diversity of that Muslim person's cultural background and identity. This would require the culturally - ethnically diverse Church to open itself up to different ways to worship and fellowship. The vision is to have a Church that exemplifies Revelation 7:9 - multitude of tongues, nations and peoples coming together to glorify our God. Yes, "Thy Kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven"
Obstacles:
Is this even possible? Yes, a diverse group of Muslims from various ethnic backgrounds can come together in Western Churches to celebrate and grow together, but are their diverse means of worship and fellowship truly represented? Lets be honest, it would simply mean that the different groups adhere to a "Western" way of doing Church within a "Western" system of Church. Do such churches give minorities the Church platform to share their form of worship and praise with the entire congregation? The more the new Muslim believer integrates and conforms into the Western Church, the less he or she will be able to relate Jesus to their own people and communities in a way that is culturally relevant to them. Are they going to sell a "western" form of Christianity to their own people?
Cluster Approach: Muslims coming to faith from different ethnic backgrounds should start their own individual churches with the freedom to express, grow, worship and fellowship within the beauty and vibrancy of their cultural backgrounds. Encouraging segregated ethnic clusters allows for less opportunity for discourse and conflict between ethnicity's, and less opportunity for Muslims coming to faith to conform and lose their unique cultural identities within a Western framework of Church.
Initially, due to the few new believers from a single cultural background inhabited in one geographic location, those few would come together to form a church. Although they come from diverse forms of traditions and practices, there exists the clear common thread that runs through all of them coming from Muslim shame and honor societies. Because they are a "few," they will be knitted together in common purpose and support. This cohesive union can not exist when larger numbers come together.
Obstacles: Does this take into account Third Culture Muslims coming to faith who still very much associate themselves with the West, therefore, easily being able to flourish within a Western framework of Church? Also, are the reasons behind ethnically segregated Churches due to fear? The fear of conflict and chaos? Should we allow room for fear to exert any power or influence on how the Church will look like? Are we not in danger of seeing ethnically segregated Churches, closed off to one another just like the countless Churches in the USA existing across the streets from one another, but have little to no communication with one another- unable to look past their own Church walls and programs? Are we replicating that unfortunate reality, but now with ethic Churches? This leads to the next perspective on this issue......
Clustered Collaboration Approach: The third perspective shared with me was that yes, clustered ethnic Churches are ideal to allow them the freedom to spiritually flourish in the divine beauty of who they already are. However, it is critical that these individual clusters of ethnic Churches collaborate and maintain communication. This collaboration and communication allows for increased dialogue about the vision of the Churches, resource sharing, celebration of diverse forms of worship with one another, but most importantly, pressing forward together towards ONE KINGDOM CAUSE.
Obstacles: Simply, can this "utopian faith scenario" ever truly exist? Is it not inevitable that we fall back into the pit of our own self interests when in the company of ethnically like people? Should we even take that chance?
Ok. I suppose I now have the opportunity to evaluate these approaches while seeking the Lord's wisdom to shine light upon them. My need to understand this is not curiosity, but rather a necessity in order to best equip and prepare me for what is to come. Piggybacking on what God is doing requires believers to look ahead with understanding and anticipation to shape the Church of the future in a vibrant and relevant way that honors Muslims coming to faith, but more importantly, honors and glorifies our King, the head of our Church.
Stay tuned for Part 2 of this post..... My own perspective and approach. Lets see what God will show me.
