Reach Across

An Unexpected Invitation

noreply@blogger.com (Reach Across) — Fri, 22 Apr 2016 16:56:00 +0000

As one influential mission leader in our day has commented, “too many Christians are not even talking to Muslims!” That is not the case with our worker Steven [name changed], who has labored for more than thirty years in a predominantly Muslim country. Steven is constantly looking for openings to speak with Muslim religious leaders. And he has had many opportunities to give a testimony in front of influential people. Some of these muftis and imams have established an association that seeks to build better understanding between the various religious groups within this particular the country. They invited Steven to an inter-religious conference in the capital city, and invited another ReachAcross leader from Europe, David [again name changed], to attend with him. David’s description of his time at this convention (edited for this blog), shows us that the Holy Spirit can give us unexpected opportunities if we are open for them.

Initial Skepticism

Steven was skeptical at first, because such conferences usually don’t deal with the real issues, and resulting pronouncements often don’t lead to real action. Christians in the country encouraged him to attend, however, and he was able to invite other theologians to go with him—which was the reason that David was able to join him. The convention that resulted was held under the umbrella of the national Minister of Religion and attended by 200 delegates. Those who had organized the event—very professionally, as it turned out—seemed positively impressed by the attention it received, as well as the large number of attendees.

Impressive Gesture

The national Christians were very appreciative of the fact that they had been recognized and invited to the event. Various denominations were represented, including a Catholic archbishop. It included a Jewish representative from Great Britain, who at the closing ceremony was invited to sit up on the stage with the Minister of Religion and other guests of honor. This was an important gesture—the organizers seemed to really desire to work toward achieving peaceful coexistence between the various religious groups. They were prepared to deal with public threats initiated by extremist groups. They wanted to initiate a process that would continue in various work groups and publications.

Addressing Discrimination

The program at the conference addressed important aspects related to coexistence and tolerance. Muslim leaders spoke openly about the situation of religious minorities in the country as unsatisfactory. Unfortunately the talks did not generally get down to the real challenges of local religious minorities. But it was an unusual opportunity to speak openly about such weighty matters before such a distinguished group. David was able to give examples out his experience regarding the peaceful existence of Christians and Muslims together in West Africa. Good responses followed.

Please Pray for Me!

John 1:1 in Arabic

But the best was yet to come: David had some really deep and worthwhile conversations with imam from the Middle East. This man heard for the very first time that there was such a thing as a Bible translated into Arabic! Meetings with hosts, local muftis and imams, were very warm and cordial, as they expressed a very heart-felt hospitality. One of the imams hugged David and Steven as they all parted company and asked them to pray for him. After a long conversation about very personal topics (such as faithfulness in love and marriage), a local journalist commented that he had harbored false ideas about Christians.

And so God opened the way to a completely unexpected opportunity to meet with influential Muslim leaders and tell them about Jesus!

Authored by a ReachAcross leader

Muslim Background Believers in Jesus

noreply@blogger.com (Reach Across) — Tue, 23 Feb 2016 23:43:00 +0000

They aren't perfect. They can even be legalistic, and at times, almost unbiblical in their total

rejection of everything Muslim. I have known Muslim Background Believers (MBBs) in Jesus who would not even use the traditional greeting, 'as-salaam-allaykum', even though it comes straight out of Scripture (Jesus said, 'Peace be with you!' when he came to His disciples after His resurrection). Do they, at times, 'burn their bridges behind them' in their zealous love for their new-found Savior? Most, however, want to reach their own people, and need those who will walk along side them and help them make sense of their new world. The following article may help us understand better what MBBs go through (for security reasons, names of persons and people groups have been altered):

Mustafa, a young Muslim man in West Africa, got to know and began to follow Jesus. Since we were traveling a long distance together, he had time to tell me about how he had been kidnapped and tortured by his fellow students at the Qur’an school—in an attempt to bring him back to the ‘true faith’. Their imam had insisted that they not kill Mustafa—they were only to bring him back to reason. But they mistreated him so badly that they thought they had actually killed him, and threw him out of their car on the side of the road. Later on his own family tried to poison him because he refused to give up his faith. It was this very evening that he had asked Christians whether they ever fasted like Muslims do during the month of Ramadan, and as they shared with him the biblical basis for fasting, he decided not to eat anything that night. The next morning he discovered that his food had been poisoned, and had he eaten it, he would have died.

Rejection

Abdul, a Suranese man who follows Jesus, sat with me in his village in West Africa with several of his Muslim friends as we drank tea together. His elderly grandfather joined us, and greeted all with a friendly handshake—all, that is, except for his grandson. He related with contempt how he had followed a different way. It is very difficult for us as individualistic Westerners to comprehend how humiliating such rejection is, and what consequences it can have in daily life.

Murder

In an Arabic-speaking country in which people are living on the edge of existence because of civil war, two men are shot in the open street because they have publically begun to follow the Lord. Both leave a widow and children behind. Muslims who come to Christ are often excommunicated, mistreated, threatened, and at times even lay down their lives. Why do they have to pay such a high price for their faith in Jesus?

Leaving Islam

Islamic law demands capital punishment for apostates, even though many Muslims themselves are completely against such strict application of its requirements. The death penalty is backed constitutionally in only a few countries, and thus is seldom carried out by governmental authorities. But it is still often understood as a duty of all Muslims and is carried out simply by lynching, if pressure fails to bring the apostate back to Islam. Other kinds of intimidation or harassment to which believers are often subjected include the loss of employment, possessions, inheritance or even one’s spouse or custody of one’s children.

Family Honor

Most Muslim cultures regard the inter-connectedness with their social milieu, and loyalty to the same, to be of much higher value than the freedom of the individual. This means that leaving Islam is basically seen as a betrayal of the family and a defamation of family honor. And many times the only way to restore that honor is through drastic measures, even to the point of a [so-called] ‘honor-killing’. In many Muslim countries such murder crimes are not prosecuted, even if the law calls for it. In many cases the family members of those who decide to follow Jesus simply declare them as being dead, and even carry out a ritual funeral for them.

Belonging to Jesus

Countless Muslims who come to faith in Jesus experience what the Apostle Paul describes in 2 Tim. 3:12: “Indeed, all who desire to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted . . . .” They hold fast to their decision in spite of persecution because they have gotten to know the living God, and because they have experienced acceptance from Almighty God and have assurance of His love. They have received an unshakable hope in knowing that this God is their heavenly Father. They know that their lives are in His hand, and that He can protect them or take them to Himself, where every tear will be wiped away.

That's Livin', Man!

noreply@blogger.com (Reach Across) — Mon, 15 Feb 2016 16:54:00 +0000

For now we live, if you are standing fast in the Lord. (1 Thess. 3:8)

I don't know when or where I got it, but some preacher told the (certain apocryphal) story of a rich man who was buried in his big, red Cadillac convertible. As the car was rolled down into the huge, deep ditch, with the corpse at the wheel, someone yelled out, 'hey now, that's livin', man!'

Whether in irony, jest, or blind seriousness, it brings up the question as to what real life is, and we have a clue in the Apostle's statement about some co-workers of his returning to him from the more northern parts of Greece. Timothy (and Silas, too, it seems, see Acts 18:5) brought news that the Thessalonian believers were staying the course in their faith in Jesus, despite severe testing and persecution; it was as though Paul could breathe again.

Sounds peculiar, doesn't it, coming from a man who also asked a rhetorical question (for emphasis!) 'who can separate us from the love of Christ?' (Rom. 8:35). And what about Phil 4:6, 'do not be anxious about anything'!

I guess balance is the key. Some things did concern the great missionary greatly: 'And, apart from other things, there is the daily pressure on me of my anxiety for all the churches.' (2 Cor. 11:28) People were apparently his great concern, people for whom he had so often put his life on the line, people whose eternal destiny was wrapped up in trusting the priceless message of salvation which he had brought to them at great cost.

I don't claim to have been a part of any ministry that achieved what Paul the Apostle's did, but I think I have discovered what 'livin' is, and it ain't a Cadillac! In fact, as we sometimes putter around the country in our old van with nearly 180,000 miles, I'm very grateful to the Lord for the experience of knowing it is He who sustains us and brings us home, not a nice, new vehicle.

But compared to my friend, 'Raymond' that I wrote about last time, I'm a novice in the faith (in fact I'm probably still a novice, apart from any comparisons!). A few days after I wrote that last blog piece, suddenly he calls me. I had been nearly three months since he called, and I was worried!

Raymond was upbeat; he had gotten moved. Still in solitary confinement (OK, they don't technically call it that, but when you cut through the jargon, that's what it is), he gets two envelopes and two stamps a month. Maybe. He used one last month to write to his mother, and one to write to me. (This month he hasn't gotten any yet.) But they were really nice and pushed the telephone up on a small cart close to his window so he could use the phone and call me. A week later, he called me again.

The interesting thing was, that first call came about five minutes after I had walked in the door from spending an hour fasting and praying for Raymond together with another ReachAcross board member. I had not been especially encouraged during that time of prayer (though the hour passed quickly)--I'm a doubting Thomas if there ever was one!

As far as I know, Raymond is still there in solitary. He gets out a few hours a day though now to walk around, that is unless some inmate in the prison doesn't do something stupid (like stab another inmate or hit another inmate with an ax. Where do they get these things?--usually smuggled in as contraband by guards who work for nearly minimum wage and really don't much care whether they get caught or not.) They can be locked down for days on end if the prison warden decides to, or doesn't have enough staff (no prison in this state has enough staff, by the way).

So what's 'livin'? Knowing God through trusting in the saving power and presence of Jesus, according to John 17:3: 'And this is eternal life, that they know you the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom you have sent.' It's the joy that keeps you going when you've been betrayed and falsely accused. It's the confidence you have in spite of the fact that you haven't consistently lived up to God's moral standards, and have never quite done what you should have done.

And evidently it is also the hope that prison cells, lock-downs, and trying circumstances beyond our control are not the end of the journey.

And the assurance that our lives are making a difference in those of others.

Thanks for praying for Raymond! He still needs it!

For what is our hope or joy or crown of boasting before our Lord Jesus at his coming? Is it not you? For you are our glory and joy. (1 Thess. 2:19-20)

U.S. Director

Remember Those in Prison

noreply@blogger.com (Reach Across) — Fri, 15 Jan 2016 22:29:00 +0000

Remember those who are in prison, as though in prison with them, and those who are mistreated, since you also are in the body. (Hebrews 13:3)

Dear Friends,

Sorry for using another metaphor with Tolkien’s Hobbit tales. For the uninitated reading this, hobbits are very much like people, only shorter, live in a green, lush countryside they call ‘the Shire’, and have round doors on their homes. Those who are familiar with this fiction will know that the above idyllic scene of hobbit comfort was not the main context of the story. The final scene of his book, Return of the King, has the hobbit Frodo battling with the last bit of strength that he has at hell's doors. In the end, he is saved not by his effort, but by intervention from without that one would have never expected—a picture of Grace working in the midst of human horror.

I use this picture because, as I write this, our brother Raymond, missionary in prison, is in a Frodo-type situation. He has battled against false-accusations and been thrown into solitary confinement for his troubles. Imagine a cell the size of a large cleaning closet, moldy walls, one window but no lights, and pitch dark at night. Guys scream obscenities, break out the window, and just for kicks, break the fire-sprinkler pipe. You can never get away from the noise. One prisoner raps about killing an entire family. Another breaks through the concrete wall with goodness knows what. Raymond writes that sometimes it's helpful to have the noise--it drowns out his own sobs.

No visitors allowed, except for a voluntary, weekly, 10-minute one from a prison chaplain, if he feels like it, or doesn’t forget.

There are men who have been in this situation for years.

You do get a shower, once every ten days or so. A guard leads you down the hallway on a leash, treating you like the dog that you are assumed to be.

Raymond wrote, “I wish we could have met during the first 14 years of my faith . . . I prided myself back then of being a victorious Christian. People who knew me back then will tell you I was a loving, approachable, humble man of integrity.” Raymond has forgotten that we did meet, in 2008, when he first started the prison-initiative theological training program. From those who know him now (I’m not allowed to visit him), he hasn’t changed, he is still a man of integrity, a man I look up to. His criminal deeds lie well in the past, he is a new creation in Christ (2 Cor. 5:17).

My heart breaks because I feel partially responsible; in encouraging Raymond to visit Muslims in solitary confinement, I should have realized he was entering a spiritual battle that was like sending him into a buzz-saw. Without adequate prayer support, anything can happen, and obviously did.

Please pray for Raymond. Scripture says that we must ‘through many hardships enter the Kingdom of God’ (Acts 14:22). Obviously those on the ‘front lines’ of service suffer more than others. Some get thrown into Job-like situations that mirror the sufferings of our Lord. He wrote that he 'hates his life' now.

But those of us looking on can join in, too, through our intercession.

Just one more thing: I'm writing to Raymond every day now--the only thing that gets to him is snail mail. Today I wrote that I want to be there in heaven when Jesus pins that Ultimate Medal of Honor on him. Then I'll take my little ribbon (if I get one, but I'll be happy just to be inside the door!), and together we can throw them back in worship at Jesus' feet.

What a day that will be! Finally home! The Shire won't compare with that Garden-City! And Raymond and I can have a good long visit. And though I'm not sure of my Scripture references here, I think I'll have a good cup of tea, and he can finally have coffee with cream and sugar, whenever he wants.

U. S. Director

Injured in the Line of Duty

noreply@blogger.com (Reach Across) — Sat, 26 Dec 2015 18:39:00 +0000

Interesting. I was just typing an e-mail to our prisoner in the Lord, Raymond. You know, the guy that Jesus found on death row many years ago. He was going to commit suicide back then, but instead of being dragged down to death by despair over his sins, he was transformed by Grace. Now he's gotten permission to visit some of the inmates in solitary confinement, one of them who has been there for seven years.

I guess it doesn't get much lower than that.

It reminded me of something else, but bear with me just a moment in order to establish the connection. In the last few weeks, I was privileged to visit a brother of a friend, a man dying of brain cancer. It all started because of a love God has given him and me of the original languages of the Bible. Decades ago during my seminary days, I had a very good Hebrew teacher who taught us particularly some of the Psalms, as well as Isaiah 52:13-53:12. So I made it a life-long project to memorize Isaiah 53, among other passages, in the prophet's language. It has taken me most of my life, and probably will continue to do so, since I'm still trying not to forget what I've learned!

Anyway, the first time I went over to John's (not his real name) house, we looked at Isaiah 53 together. Then he said after a couple of hours together that he'd like to look at Habakkuk. Wow, that took some work, but it was good stuff. How could God allow evil like that, Habakkuk asked?

Next time, we started Jonah, because John knew the text of Jonah well. He pointed out to me that the word 'ra', or 'evil', is used for violence in Jonah (not the usual Hebrew word for violence, by the way, but I can't use the usual word here, since it might cause undue difficulty--it appears in other, modern languages, too). Violent Nineveh (1:2); violent storm (1:7); finally, in 4:1, 'violent, evil, Jonah'. In essence, God says that Jonah's nationalistic, favoristic attitude towards Israel and against those sinners of Nineveh was from the pit (not in line with John 3:16, for example).

We studied on, pretty much got through the whole first chapter in our three hours together. But I realized I was going to really have to put myself into it and make sure I had all the verbs analyzed well in advance, so I put extra time into the text of chapter 2.

We never got there. The day came I was supposed to go over, and John's brother called me: 'He would like to see you, but can only talk for a few minutes.' John was fast losing strength. So we could only talk about one verb in Jonah 2, which is translated 'surrounded', 'enveloped', and usually in a negative sense. The waters surrounded him and the fish was dragging Jonah down, pulling him into the pit of death. But there was a greater power surrounding him, the chesed, covenant love of God, and he got tossed up on to the shore of Greater Service.

Only a few days later, John got tossed up on to the Eternal Shore where Jesus was waiting for him.

Now back to Raymond. He's been lifted up to greater service, too. Just not the Final one, just yet. Thankfully, because we need him (check out Philippians 1:23-24!). I was in the process of sending him a small Christmas present over the Internet. Something to help him get a few cups of coffee with cream and sugar. (Prisoners don't get coffee with cream and sugar, it seems. They usually only have five minutes at chow time, anyway. It's a 'get in there and out, now!' sort of atmosphere. Coffee, if it is there, is black only.)

Raymond doesn't have much family left, and basically nothing in terms of personal possessions or income. Not like some prisoners who seem to be able to buy whole bunch of cigarettes for $10 apiece--not that Raymond is interested the least bit in tobacco.

I just wanted him to enjoy a few cups of coffee with sugar, and to know that we think of him; he's like family. A brother. Like John was.

Anyway, I was thinking of Raymond, descending down into the pit of one of the worst prisons in his state, trying to reach out to the worst of humanity (you can only talk to prisoners in solitary through a hole in the door, and you never know if you're get a razor blade or human excrement tossed at you).

I was interrupted by a phone call from someone raising money for local law enforcement hurt in the line of duty.

A worthy cause. But I explained to the caller that I was just about to send a gift to one of those prisoners that everybody hates, because they are evil, and the cause of all the grief to law enforcement in the first place. My point was that law enforcement is good, but Transformation through Christ is better.

The caller listened without saying a word while I gave him a 2-minute Gospel presentation about the Christ of Isaiah 53, who died for evil people like me. And him. And Raymond. He thanked me politely, and hung up. 'Maybe next year,' he said.

And wouldn't you know it, just as I hung up the phone, on came the aria from Handel's Messiah, 'I know that My Redeemer Liveth.' The One Who pulls up from the Pit of Despair and sets us on the shore to New Service. The One who surrounded us the whole time we were in the Pit in the first place. The One who was truly 'injured in the line of duty.'

'Behold your God!' Indeed. Not the remote God of Islam, but the One who, through Death, lifts us up into Life and Service.

John is home. Raymond, not yet. Me neither. Evidently we still have jobs to do.

But I'm so glad to be the brother of both of these.

Our Redeemer Lives!

Keep Calm and Think Biblically

noreply@blogger.com (Reach Across) — Mon, 09 Nov 2015 16:13:00 +0000

Several times recently I have been asked by concerned Christians questions along the lines of “will Muslims take over in the UK/the West?” or “how should we respond to the violence of Jihadists/ Islamic State etc?”. My precise answer depends upon the circumstances but is usually along the lines of “keep calm and think biblically.

What do I mean? There is a danger that we allow our thinking to be manipulated by the secular media or the agenda of people who want to scare us into supporting their particular cause. So here are some suggestions for a calm and biblical approach to Islam and current world events:

1) There is no God-given reason why the UK or any other country should not become Muslim. Most of the countries of the Middle East and North Africa now considered to be Muslim were once considered Christian. Why should our fate be any different? Do we really believe that somehow we deserve God’s favor more than other nations? Not only is this unbiblical, it is also racist! Already our so-called Christian countries are in practice aggressively secular. Political leaders, even some Church leaders, deny key Christian truths and society generally is often anti-Christian. Simply because our culture is familiar does not make it any less dangerous to us;

2) The statistical analyses used to “prove” that Muslims will take over at some future date are usually flawed. For example they often assume that immigration rates will continue at high levels, birth rates of future generations will remain high for Muslims but low for others and that western Muslims will not become secularized and effectively leave their faith. These are huge assumptions that are really just guesses. As I write we cannot accurately predict the results of the May 2015 general election never mind events decades into the future. Interestingly, most big world events are not predicted by the “experts” (think of the collapse of the Berlin Wall, the 2008 economic crisis, 9/11 etc – who saw them coming?). On the other hand confident predictions are usually useless – think of WMDs in Iraq!

3) While anti-western violence and rhetoric makes the headlines, it is often a mask for internal political strife. We need to realize that there is a battle for the future of Islam – in brief, there are alternatives which range from outward-looking modernizing reforms (such as Turkey under Ataturk and the ideals of some reformers in the “Arab Spring”) to backward-looking ideas from the 7thC (e.g. the Taliban). This internal strife explains why Muslim militants kill more Muslims than Christians. We need to understand that most Muslims are not the perpetrators of violence and oppression but victims.

4) In Matthew 24 Jesus teaches us to expect false religions, wars and persecution. He tells us this precisely so that we don’t get blown off course. We need to see the recent history of the West, during which serious persecution has been rare, as an abnormal period, not typical. Terrible though contemporary Islamic violence is, can we really say that it is worse than the horrors of the twentieth century (Hitler or Stalin or MaoTse Tung or Pol Pot for example)? We need to keep a sense of perspective and hear what Jesus says – expect these things and don’t panic.

5) We also need to remember that our God is sovereign over the nations (e.g. Psalm 47:8), and when they plot against him he laughs at them (Psalm 2:4). We must therefore trust in him and not give way to fear. Perhaps the Muslims will take over, after all while only a minority are violent it is a missionary religion, but on the other hand who can say that God in his infinite wisdom will not bring extraordinary blessing and save many Muslims? We really should trust in Almighty God and not assume that he is impotent. Already we do see that some Muslims are very disillusioned by current events and this has led to some coming to know the Savior.

So if we are to expect false religions and wars and persecutions and to trust in the Almighty God, what then should be our response to Islam and current events? Here are some ideas:

- Pray for and support practically if possible all who are oppressed and persecuted, especially Christians;

- Prayerfully develop a way of thinking that isn’t a knee jerk reaction to the things we hear. Instead find comfort in the knowledge that God knows what he is doing;

- Learn to love Muslims. Here in the UK the vast majority of Muslims are ordinary people trying to get by like everyone else and elsewhere many are poor and oppressed. They all need the Gospel;

- Seize the opportunity of Muslims in the UK to reach out to them. Instead of worrying about them, share the Gospel with them. The Great Commission applies to Muslims and not just Muslims overseas.

Finally, I am reminded of that great hymn by Arthur Campbell Aigner:

God is working his purpose out
as year succeeds to year:
God is working his purpose out,
and the time is drawing near;
nearer and nearer draws the time,
the time that shall surely be,
when the earth shall be filled
with the glory of God
as the waters cover the sea.

So don’t be frightened by current events, we have a great God who knows what he is doing – keep clam and think biblically.

'Peter,' (a UFM worker with Muslims in the UK), first published in Four Corners the in-house magazine of UFM (Worldwide)

Telling the Story--to Muslims, too!

noreply@blogger.com (Reach Across) — Wed, 04 Nov 2015 21:01:00 +0000

During this past year, one of our national directors made a visit to the Middle East. His observations are very insightful and helpful, so we’ve summarized them for you.

In many countries we are left with a struggle of trying to understand why radical Islam is so attractive to young people, and on the other hand to try and engage in some preventative measures.

I landed in this particular country three times during my trip, an island on the Persian Gulf that serves as a turnstile for masses of humanity traveling to many different countries. One impression stayed with me: there is no such thing as ‘Islam’ as a single identity. Although the 1.6 billion adherents to this religion do have an Ummah, or ‘community,’ they represent a huge diversity. In the airport I saw Muslims from Saudi Arabia, Malaysia, Afghanistan, Syria, Egypt, the Gulf States, Central Asia, and many African countries as well. They all adhere to the same religion, but there is a great variety in the way they live it out.

Fear is a Bad Advisor

I often meet Christians who live in dread of Islam and Muslims. Neglecting the many different facets of this religion, they try to generalize their way through to what can only be a very ‘flat’ conception of it. The problem is that this only tends to produce more fear and distance between us as Christians and Muslims as people. But telling Christians to ‘stop being afraid!’ probably won’t help, either. Ultimately, it has to do with our own faith in Christ. Should we let our fears paralyze us, or lead us to wise and loving actions?

Our Answer is Jesus

During my visit, I had the opportunity to talk at length with five Islamic scholars. As we enjoyed coffee and dates together, they explained to me the ‘advantages’ of being a Muslim. They wove their arguments skillfully together, and told me why Jesus cannot be the Son of God, and why the concept of the Trinity has only caused confusion about God in Western minds, and that there is only one logical conclusion to make of the whole thing: to follow the Qur’an as the final revelation from God. I didn’t want to start an argument, so instead, I asked a few questions, and in the process of that, contradicted their statements at just a few, critical points.

Personal Testimony

As I started to talk about my own personal relationship with God, these men suddenly perked up their ears. I asked them if I could share about why I am following Jesus, and when they gave me permission I realized that they were listening very carefully to what I said. I told them the story (Mark 2:1-12) of how four friends brought a lame man to Jesus. I related to them how he forgave the man’s sins, knew what the religious leaders were thinking, and healed the man with one single command. Muslims know as well as we Christians do that forgiving sins, knowing others’ thoughts, and the healing Voice are all divine prerogatives. This Gospel story shows that Jesus is not simply a good man or a prophet. And for the first time, most likely, these very religious men, who have spent a lot of time interacting with ‘Christianity,’ heard a story from the Bible.

I’m sure that Jesus will not let them off the hook!

Taking the Qur'an out of Context

noreply@blogger.com (Reach Across) — Mon, 26 Oct 2015 19:33:00 +0000

We felt this article so timely and important that we decided to post the link to it on our blog. The

author is a personal friend who knows many, many Muslims personally and interacts with them on a daily basis. Thank God and pray for this dear brother!

Taking the Qur'an Out of Context

Loving His Appearing

noreply@blogger.com (Reach Across) — Thu, 15 Oct 2015 14:25:00 +0000

Henceforth there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, will award to me on that Day, and not only to me but also to all who have loved his appearing. (2 Tim. 4:8)

The following mail arrived in our box today from a friend and worker who has gone to the Muslim world with another agency--not ReachAcross, but his words express it well--seek the Vine, not the fruit, and the fruit will eventually (and usually slowly!) grow and mature on its own:

In the recent past, we have been surprised by how much reference to the coming of Jesus some of the . . . * hymns we sing make, “I thirst for your coming; with faith, hope and patience I wait for your return…” These have come as a shock back into reality to us. True, we are here for a reason—to accomplish something! What we are to set our hearts upon, however, is not the fruit of what we have come to do. No! That could become very dangerous, spiritually speaking. Especially when the results are long in coming. Discouragement, cynicism, bitterness, burn-out easily set in. What we are to set are hearts upon is not the task itself. It is the One who commissioned us, the One to whom we belong, to whom we have been joined in baptism by the Spirit—Jesus, our Bridegroom.

These . . . hymn writers really had it right. What is it that enabled Paul to endure, with joy, in the face of terrible opposition for Jesus’ sake? It is “loving His appearing” (2Tim. 4: 7-8). Longing for Jesus and His return produces heart-faithfulness and endurance, Paul would tell us. True, he had his eye set on preaching Good News all the way up to Spain, but that ultimately wasn’t what his heart was yearning for. We too have set our eyes on bringing Good News of great joy to . . . . But, man, what a job!

After a year, we are beginning to realize how hard, how slow, how dis-couraging a task it can be. In light of what Paul shared with Timothy, what do we need? A continual perspective readjustment! “Don’t seek the fruit, seek the Vine,” Scripture would tell us—to abide in the Vine and in His love (Jn. 15: 1-11). As we continue and as we get ready to celebrate Christmas, be praying with us to this end, that we too may continue to grow deeper in knowing Jesus “who loved us and gave Himself for us” (Gal. 2; 20) that our hearts may long for His coming more fully—an unsatiable, ever increasing hunger and thirst for righteousness. Truly, it is always about who He is—and never about what we do. For the glory is always His—and never ours.

*For security reasons, the country where our friends are working has been removed in the text, and simply replaced with . . . . For the same reasons, the name of the writer has been withheld.

The Kingdom Vision is Still Alive!

noreply@blogger.com (Reach Across) — Thu, 23 Jul 2015 14:16:00 +0000

Stephen Carter, Professor of Law at Yale and evangelical Christian author, writes:

The end of the [Vietnam] war in 1975 marked the beginning of the end of rule by the World War II generation, and the dawn of modern America--the mean-spirited America of me-first, trust-nobody, sound bites, revile-anyone-who-disagrees, and devil-take-hindmost. All of this misbehavior is a mark of our timidity, not our confidence. Americans across the political spectrum cannot bear dissent, because we lack the courage to meet it squarely. . . . And yet, within that collapse of American self-belief, individual stories of triumph are possible.

In other words, there is still a dream in the middle of the American nightmare.

There's a new book out, entitled 'Millenials in Ministry', and I'm looking forward to reading it. It will be a while. I have a stack of books to read so high that I can't see over the top, and that doesn't include good novels like Stephen Carter's (he gives an intriguing look into the African-American community, a culture of which I understand so little, even though it is all around me). Novels come at the end of the day, when my mental processes have slowed down to a crawl--or didn't the Psalmist say that he would give the best part of the day to God's Word--'I will awaken the dawn' (Ps. 57:8)?

Be that as it may, I've been reflecting on my impression of the current American situation, and no, I'm not really thinking so much of recent federal legislation. What bothers me is, on the one hand, the inability of Christians to set boundaries and live by them, and on the other hand, our aloofness from the world--the fortress mentality so recently defended by Franklin Graham. (See, by the way, Marty Duren's excellent response to Graham's latest comments about Muslims.)

It bothers me about myself, first. I just read Psalm 1 again, and having had a very good Hebrew professor in seminary, I'll try my hand at my own paraphrase:

OH THE JOYS of the one who does not get involved in the plans of evil people, nor try and stay neutral on the path that sinners take. And she/he certainly doesn't take part in the critical, reviling, condescending attitude toward others that is often prevalent around us. Instead, good people are filled with delight in God's instructions for life, and they mull over them, and their implications for their daily choices, every chance they get.

It doesn't mean, I don't think, that we don't engage the world; what it means sis that we don't get sucked into the world's ways, including learning to say NO to a critical, negative spirit.

It means crossing cultural boundaries, and making friends.

For me, in the middle of all the troubling things around me, it means believing that a new generation of workers can and will be raised up to communicate and demonstrate Jesus to Muslim people who've never had a chance to learn about Him.

I've got proof of that; we've just gotten 5 new applications (and there' supposed to be some more coming) from young people who want to do just that.

I'm sincerely hoping people will pray them out, because the devil will try and stop them with every thing he can throw at them.

Still, it looks like the dream is still alive in the middle of the selfie-nightmare.

Actually, I think I prefer the word 'vision', rather than 'dream'. In other words, Kingdom-vision of God's promise, and not the so-called 'American dream'. The latter is probably more of a fantasy built on sand than anything else. The former is the true City on a Hill.

And nations shall come to your light, and kings to the brightness of your rising. (Isaiah 60:3).

Amen.

All the Children of the World

noreply@blogger.com (Reach Across) — Wed, 17 Jun 2015 16:30:00 +0000

‘Pa!

I have thirteen grandchildren, and I count them among my greatest treasure.

Sons are a heritage from the LORD, children a reward from him. (Psalm 127:3)

So when the three that are at that very cute 2-year stage (we have 7 under 7) hold up their hands and say ‘Pa!’—or walk in the door with a quizzical look, as one (I’ll just call him ‘B’) is prone to do, loudly asking ‘Pa?’ (where's Opa?!) –it moves me. (A word of explanation: ‘Opa’ is a German abbreviation for Grandpa. We used to live in Germany, so that’s how most of our grandkids distinguish us, Opa and Omi, from the other side of their families.)

This morning, the same quizzical grandkid marched right up to the office and proceeded to climb into my lap. I let him stay there as long as he wants. Forget work. Forget reports. Forget bank balances, donation receipts, and whatever. They’re important, but he is more important than any of that.

Is that what it means to the Father when we run into His presence in prayer?

We don’t always know what to say, and I think it often sounds like the babble of a 2-year old. (This morning though he pointed out the ‘whit niff’ on my desk (my old Swiss Army Knife that I’ve managed not to lose—a little unusual edition with its well-worn once-white scales.) He asks for my cell phone, but that’s not a good idea. Instead, I give him an old phone with the battery taken out, so he can’t inadvertently call 911.

I think we understand even less of God’s work than my grandson does of mine. I don’t let him play with a knife. He’ll cut himself with it—he doesn’t understand it’s purpose, nor have the fine motor skills needed to use it properly. And I don’t let him hit the computer keyboard. I don’t want two-year-olds to start typing in my reports—that’s my business, and he doesn't understand that, either.

So how often do we try to put our hands on things that belong to the Lord—things that He might give us in due time, but right now isn’t it? Or we attempt to meddle in the Boss’s files, and grasp what He's doing. Maybe we will never be able to grasp some things, and aren't supposed to. Maybe He just wants us to enjoy His Presence?

Little ‘B’ does notice and perhaps understand the tattered photocopy of a young child—I have no idea where it came from (and no, it's not the picture shown above; this child's eyes are almost haunting)—but some of the sadness in that little girl’s eyes briefly interrupts our banter. ‘B’ stares at the page in a way that makes me turn it over in my mind—who is she, and where does she live? What pain is engulfing her? I don’t know, but it reminds me to pray for her, and other folks mentioned in our prayer notes that came in this morning.

I think God delights in a child-like (not ‘childish’!) spirit that sits on his lap, and spills some tears over children in places like Syria, Egypt and the Middle East, where many wield power for their own, often selfish purposes.

But it doesn’t end with sadness. ‘B’ is a child whose smile can light up a whole room. And after a while he climbs down off my lap, and saunters over to the door. ‘Bah (bye) ‘Pa!

Has he tossed off some worries, knowing that Opa will take care of them? I don’t know the mind of a two-year old. But I do know that we should delight in the One who cares for us, and ‘throw our cares on Him, like a saddle on a horse (don’t ask me about saddles and horses; I got that description of this word from a Greek lexicon). One scholar translates it this way:

You can throw the whole weight of your anxieties upon him, for you are his personal concern. (1 Peter 5:7, J.B. Phillips)

Good to know. Better to practice, in child-like trust.

And don’t forget the children in the Muslim world. Nearly half the population is under the age of 15. They smile, but they often don’t have much hope.

Does that break our hearts, like it breaks His?

And I have other sheep that are not of this fold. I must bring them also . . . . (John 10:16a, ESV)

P.S. the picture on the right was drawn for me by a Bible school student decades ago. And no idyllic nonsense about fluffy sheep. I've worked with them. They are usually dirty, and they stink. Carrying a smelly sheep on one's shoulders is not something I ever wanted to do. But Jesus does it. All the time.

Disappointment

noreply@blogger.com (Reach Across) — Mon, 25 May 2015 16:29:00 +0000

Hopes dashed again.

It's Memorial Day here in the US, but this doesn't really have much to do with that. It's just that I got a call from ‘Raymond’, our prisoner ‘for the Lord’ (Eph. 4:1) who is using his life sentence in order to minister to Muslims. Seems he was talking to the assistant chaplain, who told him that I should be able to do a ‘pastoral’ visit. I had tried that before, but gotten nowhere. But sometimes things can change with a new situation, and especially an evangelical chaplain.

So I called him (the new chaplain) at the appointed time to arrange things. But I got the HEAD chaplain on the phone, which wasn’t supposed to happen.

I’m not quick on my feet. Slow processor, sort of like an old 386 in comparison to most people’s ‘i7’ (Intel’s newest one, if computer language means anything to you). So I rather stupidly talked to the head guy, instead of waiting until I could get the man I wanted.

That was the end of that. No visiting rights for me.

Needless to say, that did not make my day. After all, I’m just trying to minister to a guy in prison—a follower of Jesus who needs encouragement like we all do, right? And I've been trying to visit Raymond for more than two years. So why do I seem to always hit brick walls, or stumble over my own feet?

(Did I mention that I’m a Chicago Cubs fan, too? And Texas Tech. Go figure. But it has to do with personal history; all I’m saying is that you’d think I’d be used to disappointment by now.)

Speaking of brick walls, we got news that one of our good friends—former ESL student in the Middle East, had his house bombed. He had just left his bedroom to go to another room when an RPG hit the side of the house where he had been.

More news this morning: our former landlord in the Middle East was able to return to his house with his family, except that all of the windows have been blown out by the random shelling.

So I guess disappointment is relative. What’s important, I think, is to do what Peter says (in 1 Peter 4:1): ‘to arm ourselves with the same resolve’? And what might that be? Peter is referring to the sufferings of Christ for us, which He went through ‘in order to lead us to God’ (1 Peter 3:18). In other words, all that Jesus went through was orchestrated by the Father, who, Paul tells us, was in it all, ‘reconciling the world to Himself’ (2 Cor. 5:19).

Very often we do not understand why God is allowing certain things to happen—especially to our Muslim friends in the Middle East.

I was sitting here, thinking, ‘boy if I only had access to some powerful military, I would intervene on their behalf, destroy ISIS, or whatever’. Then it occurred to me that I have access to the only Power that matters, and the Father does hear our prayers.

We can’t just believe in the Sovereignty of God on Sunday morning: ‘God the great Creator of all things does uphold, direct, dispose, and govern all creatures, actions, and things, from the greatest even to the least . . . ,’ (Westminster Confession, Chapter V, on Providence) we have to apply it daily.

I believe that God knows what he is doing.

Even through disappointment and suffering.

Especially then. Come to think of it, maybe Memorial Day is a good day to post this after all.

Shouts from Beneath the Burqa

noreply@blogger.com (Reach Across) — Sun, 26 Apr 2015 21:25:00 +0000

Two things are bothering me today. One is such my embarrassment as an American Christian over Franklin Graham's comments on Muslims and the Holocaust -- and the other my consternation at how far behind I've fallen in my reading.

I hope that Graham isn't behind in his reading, and that it at the very least includes books like Nabeel Qureshi's Seeking Allah, Finding Jesus (about an American Muslim college student who struggles through to finding his real identity in Jesus; as you can guess, it is not an easy road). It seems to me that there is enough anti-Muslim feeling among American evangelicals without stoking the fire. And whatever Graham says will always hit the headlines.

I can only wish that we'll listen to other voices.

I'm almost always behind with my reading, including one of my favorite journals, Books and Culture. So on a recent trip, I took along a pile of the most 'recent editions'--like September/October 2014! So if you've read that one, my apologies. But 'Shouts from Beneath the Burqa: Eliza Griswold's Translations of Afghan Folk Poems' is one page that is well worth reading a few times.

Here's a small quote from the article:

I am shouting but you don't answer—

One day you'll look for me and I'll be gone from this world.

Such was the landay—a two-line folk poem repeated over centuries among Afghan nomads and farmers—that Rahila Muska recited over the phone to fellow Afghan women in 2010. A women's literary group, Mirman Baheer, meets every Saturday afternoon in the capital, Kabul, and hosts a call-in hotline that attracts young poets from rural provinces. After Rahila's sister caught her reading love poetry, Rahila's brothers beat her and destroyed her notebooks. Two weeks later, Rahila set herself on fire, then died."

And here's a bit more:

Others are brazenly confrontational, challenging husbands and fathers (most of Afghanistan's 15 million women are married by age 16; three out of four are forced marriages) as well as the political forces that shape their future:

May God destroy your tank and your drone,
You who've destroyed my village, my home.

The poems are from Griswold's newest volume, I Am the Beggar of the World.

The statistics show that nearly half of the Muslim population in the world is under the age of 15. And I don't know for sure, but I suspect that half of the Muslim population is also women?

Evidently evangelical Christians in the US care about the 20 million Jews in the world. I'm not always sure that they care about the 1.6 billion Muslims.

I don't think God has forgotten either, especially, 'the least of these.'

US Director

A Special Visit

noreply@blogger.com (Reach Across) — Sat, 11 Apr 2015 19:31:00 +0000

The light of the eyes rejoices the heart, and good news refreshes the bones. (Prov. 15:30)

Like cold water to a thirsty soul, so is good news from a far country. (Prov. 25:25)

My wife and I sometimes watch ‘Wheel of Fortune’. Yep, I’ll admit to some ‘worldly’ stuff in my life. Like dreaming of winning some exotic vacation in New Zealand or somewhere in the Caribbean. But you know what? So far I’ve primarily taken my dearest one to some of the poorest places on the planet. Well, we did live in Europe for a long time—and missed a lot of the typical vacation places most Americans head for (but then, you’ve probably never been to Yellowstone either, right?).

I’ll probably always dream of ‘romantic getaways’—which may not be so romantic once you get there (being a pessimist at heart, the first thing I think of are news stories on the web about cruises where everybody comes down with food poisoning), but really, neither of us would have it any other way.

But pause for a moment to think about what it means for our workers to get a visit from home. Here’s a sample—written from the kids’ perspective—of one m*ssion*ry family (come to think of it—maybe it’s more special to them than my dreams of New Zealand? And when you think about the fact that a lot of cross-cultural workers are former MKs, then one visit may have far-reaching implications.)

Dear Cousin Alyssa,*

We loved playing hide-and-seek with you, finding you behind shower curtains and closet doors. You taught us the thrill of hiding quietly, waiting in anticipation for you to find us. And you're smart, you know, because somehow you always knew where to look.

Mommy and Daddy loved playing games with you too. We noticed they put aside their usual evening "computer work" for playing games around the dinner table. Grown-up games with trains and houses and tracks! It was good to see Mommy and Daddy play.

And you made us laugh. Your silly songs, jokes, and stories made us giggle from the pit of our tummies. Made us throw back our heads and howl, brought out the twinkle in our eyes. At night, as we lay in our beds, we could hear Mommy and Daddy's laugh echoing down the hallway too. We liked that sound.

And oh, the adventures with you! The trip to the mosque and fort and tower

and the ride to the border. The bike rides around the center of town and the yummy schnitzel and noodles you made for us!

We heard Mommy and Daddy talking about how your visit was a "refreshing gift." Though we don't know what that means, we could tell from the smile on their faces and the calm in their voices that Mommy and Daddy were happy you took a very long airplane ride to see us. We've heard Mommy say our city is a place no one really wants to visit, but you came anyway!

So, we hope you'll take another airplane ride over the ocean again one day. Because we've heard Mommy say how much the people here liked you.

And you know what?

We love you too.
Love,
little s,f, and r

*Names, and some details changed for security purposes

A Child's Eye View of a Family Visit

noreply@blogger.com (Reach Across) — Mon, 30 Mar 2015 18:32:00 +0000

My wife and I sometimes watch ‘Wheel of Fortune’. Yep, I’ll admit to some ‘worldly’ stuff in my life. Like dreaming of winning some exotic vacation in New Zealand or somewhere in the Caribbean. But you know what? So far I’ve primarily taken my dearest one to some of the poorest places on the planet. Well, we did live in Europe for a long time—and missed a lot of the typical vacation places most Americans head for (in 28 years, I never went to Heidelberg, but then, you’ve probably never been to Yellowstone either, right?).

We heard Mommy and Daddy talking about how your visit was a "refreshing gift." Though we don't know what that means, we could tell from the smile on their faces and the calm in their voices that Mommy and Daddy were happy you took a very long airplane ride to see us. We've heard Mommy say our city is a place no one really wants to visit, but you came anyway!
So, we hope you'll take another airplane ride over the ocean again one day. Because we've heard Mommy say how much the people here liked you.

And you know what?

We love you too.
Love,
little s,f, and r

*Names, and some facts changed for security purposes

Remembering the Martyrs, Updated Version

noreply@blogger.com (Reach Across) — Wed, 04 Mar 2015 14:26:00 +0000

Here is the actual original English version of the poem that we posted a couple of days ago, with the even more original Arabic to follow:

Two rows of men walked the shore of the sea,
On a day when the world’s tears would run free,
One a row of assassins, who thought they did right,
The other of innocents, true sons of the light,
One holding knives in hands held high,
The other with hands empty, defenseless and tied,
One row of slits to conceal glaring-dead eyes,
The other with living eyes raised to the skies,
One row stood steady, pall-bearers of death,
The other knelt ready, welcoming heaven’s breath,
One row spewed wretched, contemptible threats,
The other spread God-given peace and rest.
A Question...
Who fears the other?
The row in orange, watching paradise open?
Or the row in black, with minds evil and broken

طابورين ماشيين جنب بحر

في يوم بكّى كل العباد

طابور سفاحين

وطابور أعز الولاد

طابور في ايديهم سكاكين

وطابور لايدين مربوطين لكن شُداد

طابور بيبصوا من فتحة للعينين

وطابور عينين للسما متثبتين في عناد

طابور واقفين وشايلين موت

وطابور راكعين ولحياة تانية على اتم استعداد

طابور حِس عالي وزعيق وتهديد ووعيد

وطابور هدوء وسلام على القلب ساد

=======

سؤال..

هو مين خايف من مين؟

طابور الهامات العالية

المكشوفة الممدودة للسما

ولا طابور الروس الملفوفة في السواد ؟!

In Memory of God's Children

noreply@blogger.com (Reach Across) — Thu, 26 Feb 2015 14:46:00 +0000

The following poem reached us today, written in Egypt by Christian workers, and translated into German (from Arabic?). We've tried to convey the sense of it in English. May the families of these Coptic Christians slaughtered by ISIS fanatics know the Presence and Comfort of Jesus.

Two groups of humanity moving forward this day,

Tears of the world flow in dismay.

A row of murderers who think themselves right,

The others, secure children of light.

A row of sharp blades gleaming, raised high;

A group of captives, vulnerable, tired.

A row of cowards with faces masked;

The others exposed, with eyes upward raised.

A row in command, their hands slinging out death—

God’s martyrs on knees with hearts in heaven.

A row slurring hateful, condemning accusations,

God’s children at rest in joyful anticipation.

One question which hangs in the air—

Which group is it that really knows fear?

The weak, prisoners in orange, home forever soon,

Or those parading in black, minds shrouded in gloom?

To all our brothers and sisters in the Muslim world this day, may God richly bless your testimony and give your strength and freedom from any form of fear.

'If you should suffer for righteousness sake, you will be blessed. Have no fear of them, nor be troubled . . . so that, when you are slandered, those who revile your good behavior in Christ may be put to shame.' (1 Peter 3:14,16)

Mosque Visit

noreply@blogger.com (Reach Across) — Mon, 16 Feb 2015 22:15:00 +0000

I had a great time last Friday. I didn’t really want to go and visit one of the local mosques again. I’m not the type who easily makes initial contact with people, but when a friend agreed to go with me—well, let’s just say that I felt the Holy Spirit tugging at me. I’m glad I did—we had a great time. Sure, the sermon was about what I expected, except at the end of it, a Muslim leader stood up and thanked the two guests in the back (that would be me and my friend) for coming and expressing solidarity with them (referring to the three Muslim college students shot to death the week before in North Carolina).

We stayed on for over two hours talking about the Bible and answering questions about Bible passages. It was a lot different from what I often hear around church. Too often, the average church member seems to be afraid of Muslims—doesn’t want to meet them, and (I guess—I’m not sure) thinks they are all somehow potential terrorists. Or maybe just different. Or maybe they just don’t know what to say.

The books that are published and read by evangelicals don’t seem to help much. Take this short excerpt from a review by Doug Howard, professor at Calvin College in Grand Rapids, Michigan of The Blood of Lambs, by Kamal Saleem. (The review itself appeared in Books and Culture magazine some time ago):

On Christmas Day 2009, our youngest son, Jay, found himself on Delta Northwest Airlines Flight 253 from Amsterdam to Detroit. Toward the end of the flight, Jay's seatmate, a Nigerian Muslim about his age named Umar abd al-Muttalib, tried to blow up the plane using a bomb hidden in his underwear. Reflecting on Jay's experience, and on Umar and the failed efforts by his father to warn authorities, has helped me clarify my attitude toward American Christian anti-Islamic literary polemics, including Kamal Saleem's "memoir, The Blood of Lambs. The book fits the familiar pattern of reassuring Christians of the superiority of their own faith tradition by negative comparisons with a dehumanized Islam. But Kamal Saleem's titillating dance with violence and fame makes the book more complicated and more uncomfortable than most like it. By embracing the glamorous violence it claims to abhor, it raises readers' hopes of touching secret human meanings through it.

I first encountered Kamal Saleem when he appeared at Calvin College in November 2007. A look at his website told me immediately that he was not who he said he was. The signature of his deception was his statement that "in my family was the Grand Wazir of Islam." The term is ridiculous, a spurious title meant to mislead the innocent with an aura of authority. . . .

Howard is clear, concise, and restrained in his comments; I just wish that the evangelical community would wake up and listen. I fear there may not be much chance of that in this country, especially with ISIS stealing the headlines.

But in all of this confusion, there seems to be a silver lining—many Muslims in our country—and especially perhaps the second generation that has gone through our school system (and been challenged to express and debate ideas) seem to be open to talk.

Jonah didn’t want to go to Nineveh—a violent and powerful people at the time whose practices might not have differed significantly from those of ISIS today (I’ll let the history buffs among us comment on that one). And American Christians—too often we don’t even want to visit our Muslim friends and sit down to a meal, prepared at their expense.

Don’t know what to say? I didn’t either, except I think I’ve discovered that the best approach to Muslims is simply to know, love, and memorize our own Scriptures. When I started quoting Isaiah 53 by heart, one of them said, ‘what I’ve been told by Christians I know is that they don’t need to memorize Scripture or make good moral choices—they already have salvation.’

Whether or not somebody really said that to him (it wouldn’t surprise me, though), my visit showed me again that Muslims are willing to talk about Jesus.

Are we?

Keep Building

noreply@blogger.com (Reach Across) — Mon, 02 Feb 2015 16:02:00 +0000

Joy, who wrote the piece we posted last week, actually wrote this one previously. Edited for our blog site, we include it here because it shows some a bit of what it means to live in the challenging environment of a majority-world Muslim country. Some might wonder, ‘is it worth the risk for a family with little children?’ According to a recent report, about 5% of the population respond positively to a text-message invitation to receive a Gospel-portion on their cell phones. That's millions of people! ‘How shall they hear without a preacher?’ –in words and in deeds, one might add. Or, as God said to Jonah (about the Ninevites, a very savage and violent people): "And should not I pity Nineveh, that great city, in which there are more than 120,000 persons who do not know their right hand from their left, and also much cattle?" (Jonah 4:11)

Just days after hearing another story of destruction, of bloodthirsty men claiming lives, my husband and I took a walk around the neighborhood where we live.

We don thick sweaters and shawls to brace ourselves against the January chill, a cold less sharp than we've experience before, but one that gnaws at our bones.

The boys ride their bikes ahead on the paved roads, racing each other under the hazy sky, while our toddler rides on his daddy’s back

"What are they building here?" I ask my husband as the boys park their bikes, eyes transfixed on the digger, the mounds of dirt piling high.

"They're adding on to this school building,” he replies.

We watch the digger move dirt, preparing the ground for another foundation. In just a few weeks we'll see laborers tossing bricks up the scaffold in one amazing assembly line. We'll see bamboo sticks holding up walls (or the roof or something....I'm not a carpenter;)) in one construction wonder. And then one day, we'll walk past the completed project.

We walk around a large grassy area where the boys join local and expat friends for afternoon play. As we round the corner, we marvel at another finished building...

"Let's go look at it." My husband leads the way to the new elementary school built for all the laborers' children. A project that began as a pile of dirt and rubble.

There are doors and windows and little desks lined up inside. We can almost hear the children's shrieks. The laughter in the courtyard or the lessons taught from the classrooms.

"Where's the playground, Mama?" Little E. asks.

"I'm sure they'll build one," I say.

We make our way home now under a inky sky, and I think of the note my sister sent me, telling me she saw me in a dream, exhausted and weary. Reminding me of the words in Galatians 6:9: "Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up."

There's a new determination as in my step as I click our green gate open. We'll just keep building too, no matter what the headlines read.

Our gardens' sporting leafy green lettuce and spinach now, and soon it'll have radishes and turnips ready to share with needy families inn our neighborhood. We’ll both soon be back at our jobs and the busy life of raising a family here.

We'll just keep building. Keep building. Building . . . .

Therefore, my beloved brothers, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that in the Lord your labor is not in vain. (1 Cor. 15:58)

Joy David

A Graduate Level Course in Trust

noreply@blogger.com (Reach Across) — Wed, 21 Jan 2015 21:14:00 +0000

The following comments were on the personal blog of one of our workers in Asia. Good words for all of us--even those of us 'resting easy' in the West--to remember:

Fear.

It's contagious, you know, spreads like a viral infection from the lips of the fearful.

I've felt it here. Felt the disease cripple my hands, feet. Make me turn off lamps at night so no light seeps through our windows and doors, making our house appear pitch black. Uninhabited.

I'm not immune to the disease.

And on Sunday, when a mom from little T.'s school distributes an audio message saying the "bad guys" have entered town, I feel prickly fear crawl all over my skin.

"I'm sooo scared," a mom texts, "don't want to send my kid to school."

"What do we do?" Another mom writes.

One by one, the mothers voice their concerns. The words are infectious.

Do I keep little T. home for another week (there was already a one week delay)? Should I dust off the homeschooling books?

I tell God I need a word. An antidote for the fear. I simply need to know. And I don't want to be put to shame.

Psalm 112.

The word comes like a gentle whisper. Like a Chinook wind. I flip through the Bible, eager to read the contents. My eyes rest on these words:

"Surely the righteous will never be shaken; they will be remembered forever. They will have no fear of bad news; their hearts are steadfast, trusting in the Lord. Their hearts are secure, they will have no fear; in the end they will look in triumph on their foes." (vs. 6-8)

On Monday, I dress little T. for school, sending him off with prayers and tears. Sending him off in light of God's promise and assurance. Sending him off in foolish faith (in the eyes of the world).

The truth is when God whispers the antidote, no matter how counter-intuitive to worldly wisdom, succumbing to fear is sheer faith suicide.

You want to know the antidote? "Blessed are those who fear the Lord." (Psalm 112:1a)

The more I fear God, the less I'll fear man.

I send little T. again on Tuesday. On Wednesday. On Thursday. And since then, each day with a little more courage that I possessed in the beginning.

Courage, bolstered by the fear of the Lord, can be infectious too, you know.

Can make you flip switches in every room of the house so those on the outside can see the light. . . .

Joy David

Praise the Lord!

Blessed are those who fear the Lord,
who find great delight in his commands.

Their children will be mighty in the land;
the generation of the upright will be blessed.

Wealth and riches are in their houses,
and their righteousness endures forever.

Even in darkness light dawns for the upright,
for those who are gracious and compassionate and righteous.

Good will come to those who are generous and lend freely, who conduct their affairs with justice.

Surely the righteous will never be shaken;
they will be remembered forever.

They will have no fear of bad news;
their hearts are steadfast, trusting in the Lord.

Their hearts are secure, they will have no fear;
in the end they will look in triumph on their foes.

They have freely scattered their gifts to the poor,
their righteousness endures forever;
their horn will be lifted high in honor.

The wicked will see and be vexed,

they will gnash their teeth and waste away;
the longings of the wicked will come to nothing.

Psalm 112

Using Imagination

noreply@blogger.com (Reach Across) — Mon, 08 Dec 2014 12:35:00 +0000

If you haven’t checked out our new

Internship opportunities on our website, we hope you will. Even if they aren’t geared for you, maybe you know someone who would be interested? Many folks tell us they just aren’t interested in Muslims, but maybe that’s because they don’t know any? Read what one intern wrote about his experience with Muslim minority folks in a Western context:

Ever wondered what your life would have been like if you were born in a different country? Maybe even on a different continent or perhaps in a very different cultural setting?

What would your life look like? Which values and norms would lead you in your decision making?

To which God would you pray?

During my stay in [City ‘X’] I met people who mostly grew up in a Muslim background. At their birth their father said the call to prayer in their ear. From childhood they saw their parents practicing their religion. And they soon got an idea of the lifestyle a Muslim should be leading: praying five times a day, fasting during Ramadan, giving donations, reading the Qur’an, respecting and loving family members, acting and dressing in a modest way, etc.

Or to sum it up, just being good.

I remember a time in my life where I’ve tried to be good, too, but in a Christian way: praying at least a certain number of times each day, giving donations, reading the Bible, respecting and loving my neighbor, acting and dressing in a modest way, and yes, at times even fasting!

I was longing for God, longing for a relationship with him, longing for to be close to him, longing for security. I thought that if did as much as I could, God would be gracious and meet me half-way.

In [City ‘X’] I rediscovered the same desire for God in many Muslim people I met. With all seriousness and discipline they were trying to obey all the rules, be good enough, stay pure, reach up to God, live right, and ultimately, gain eternal life.

I was deeply touched by this honest longing for God I shared with these people!

I didn’t grow up in a Muslim background, but was raised in a Christian home, and heard stories about Jesus. Eventually I gained more and more understanding of what it means to have a relationship with God. It is not me working my way up to him, but him humbling himself down to me. It’s not him meeting me half-way, for he came 100 % of the way. There is nothing I have to do in order to earn that relationship—no praying, fasting, giving, reading, acting and even loving will accomplish it. He has done everything. It is finished! And he did it because of his grace and compassion. And not just for the sake of me and other Christians, but because of his grace and compassion for the entire world!

In my internship, I was touched by the honest longing for God I saw in many Muslims. I came to realize that the message they deeply need to hear is the Good News I have heard many times before!

How can I stay silent? How can I not share the Story with them? How can I not introduce them to a God whose character is grace and compassion, who does not choose to act on the basis of my good deeds, but has already done everything needed to make this relationship possible?

The Gospel is God’s Great Treasure!

Let’s share it!

Who is it Behind the Veil?

noreply@blogger.com (Reach Across) — Mon, 03 Nov 2014 21:45:00 +0000

Ever wonder what the women are really like that lie 'hidden' beneath the ubiquitous veil (seen even on the streets of cities here in 'Bible Belt, USA'!)? A recent European intern shares her experience in this regard, and something about the 'veil' over her own eyes:

I had heard that the immigrant population of a certain UK city* was significant, but I couldn’t really imagine what that meant, until I landed at the airport—I could have been in Pakistan, Bangladesh—or the Middle East, for that matter! An hour and a half before, I had been surrounded with German friends and family, but now I didn’t even have the feeling I was in Europe at all. And talk about variety!—I was surrounded by men in their white sherwanis, women in their colourful, traditional Pakistani dresses, or covered completely in a black abaya and veil. I realized immediately that there is a big difference between talking about Muslims, and actually being among them. But I got used to it quickly and was really thrilled to be able to experience so much of Arab and Indian culture in the middle of the UK.

Being in the Internship Program presented me with opportunities to contact Muslims and get to know how they think. I was able to make friends with two ladies especially and enjoy their hospitality. One of them invited me to her house one evening to celebrate an iftar, an evening meal that comes at sundown, after Muslims have done without food or drink for the day during the month of fasting, or Ramadan. As we sat on the floor around a rug (which served as our table), I learned to reach in to the food using only my right hand.

Another friend invited me one day to her madrasa, or 'Koran school.' The cordial, and even sometimes cheerful and amusing atmosphere surprised me--up until that point, their full-body coverings had placed an aura of mystery around them that made them feel 'distant' to me. I had often wished I could peer behind their seemingly impenetrable veils, but on this particular day, I began to get a fresh view of them in two different ways. For one thing, I could actually see their faces--and the accompanying emotions. (Headscarves were allowed to disappear in this setting.) But I also began to see beyond faces, into personalities. There were the shy ones, yes, but also the spirited, cheerful ladies. The barriers in my own soul began to fall.

My love for Muslims has grown in this time. I've gotten to understand them better, and slowly been able to talk with them about my own faith. And in general I've been able to gain valuable experience that I would never have guessed possible--even 'next door' in England!

*The name of the city is withheld for security reasons.

Making Friends—Not Complicated, but It Does Take Some Effort

noreply@blogger.com (Reach Across) — Fri, 24 Oct 2014 18:59:00 +0000

The following is a report by one of our interns. It shows that real relationships can be formed, when we are willing to put forth the effort!

The first time I met Fatima ‘accidentally’ as we were both at the street cross-walk. ‘That boy looks tired!’, I called out above the traffic noise, ‘. . . and this one’, I pointed to the one in my own baby carriage, ‘is hungry!’ Instantly we were into a conversation about nutrition and life in general, and agreed to meet for a cup of tea at a ‘Moms and Tots’ get-together in our local church. I kept the appointment—at the same time for some weeks, but she never showed up.

So What’s Going to Win Out—Disappointment, or Curiosity?

Four weeks later I decided to take the initiative, and went knocking on the door of her tailor shop. ‘She’s just gone out, but she’ll be back soon.’ I wait as long as my son can, and with a polite ‘I’ll-come-back-next-week, I'm out the door, thinking I’m more likely to catch her at a different time. But next week doesn’t work, either: her son fell and had to have stitches on his forehead, so she’s gone to the hospital. ‘She’ll be back tomorrow', I'm told. Next day doesn't change things--'the stitches didn’t hold, so she took him back to ER’. Two days later I dropped by again with a nice ‘Get Better Soon’ greeting card and some Halal candy, which I had to leave on the counter. Missed her again. By now I’m wondering if I’m not getting on peoples’ nerves—constantly showing up, and always at the wrong time. Maybe she doesn’t even remember me? I don’t think I even recall what she looked like. On the one hand it’s probably my own impatience that’s bothering me—and the thought that it’s not really worth trying to make contact. But I’m still curious—why is it that we keep missing each other? Is the more to this than meets the eye?

A Friendship Grows

We didn’t connect the next couple of times, either, but finally I dropped in at the right time and she was very apologetic that it took so long. She thanked me for being so persistent, and invited me right away to her house—and served me a delicious mango juice drink. We had a great time together. The conversation eventually drifted to her handwork, and I expressed my appreciation for the delightful Pakistani women’s clothing I saw around me. As I got up to go, she promised me—‘insha’allah’—that she would get me one of their dresses. I thanked her, but I knew she would be busy during this month of fasting. She had a lot of wedding dresses to sew. Our next meeting was a week later during the Eid.* This time I dropped by with some friends and presents. She invited us in again, right in the middle of of all the business of her children getting dressed

for the evening celebration.

Wow—a Dress!

A week later she showed up—‘Insha’allah’—as agreed in our church, and brought me a beautiful Pakistani punjabi suit. It’s the right size, the right color. I couldn’t have picked it out better myself. I don’t know how to thank her—the dress itself is proof of how important I’ve become to her, and how quickly one can find friends—if we look for them!

*Islamic holiday, Eid-al-Fitr is a day of celebration ending the month of fasting (Ramadan)

Throw Yourselves Into It!

noreply@blogger.com (Reach Across) — Fri, 03 Oct 2014 16:30:00 +0000

With all this going for us, my dear, dear friends, stand your ground. And don’t hold back. Throw yourselves into the work of the Master, confident that nothing you do for him is a waste of time or effort. 1. Cor.15, 58 MSG

I have to admit to being a chronic complainer. 'What's it all for?'--I find myself asking. So few workers, and what seem to be sometimes so little results.

I am so glad that God is so very patient with me!

Speaking of patience, here is a letter that we got today from one of our workers in Asia. For security reasons, it has been very heavily edited, but you'll get the gist of what they were communicating:

"In the center we have rented for local kids to use, an electric socket had broken off, and the open wires were just hanging out. My husband wanted to fix it, but he's hurt his hand. So he could only give instructions to one of the local boys, but first he had to take one of them to a store down the street.

Mr. Patience (yep, that's his name!) sells electrical parts. But how did he and 'Stephen' get to talking about the Word of God--and even the fact that the Qur'an tells him that 'Jesus is the Word of God'?!

Because Mr. P's brother lives in the US. And that is where people like you come into play! Maybe he lives right next door to you? Or maybe he's a student at the local university? Or maybe he's a refugee seeking asylum?

Could you please go meet him, bring him a cake maybe, and the Jesus film in his language--or, even better, watch it together with him? He (or someone like him) would probably love that!

And please pray with us for Mr. Patience and his brother in America. Pray that they, and others, may they get to know the Light and then become witnesses for the Light!

And please pray for these kids and for the programs that we can offer. Most of them come off the street. Pray that they may get to know a Father in Heaven who is always there for them."

My colleague's letter reminds me that it's time to stop complaining and take the opportunities I'm given.

Not long ago, someone shared a story with us of a student here in the U.S. who had finished his graduate degree and was packing to go home. "What is all that stuff from home you've got there?," one of his friends asked. "That's things I brought with me to give to my American hosts when I got invited to their home," was his answer. "But I never got invited anywhere, so I'm taking it all back with me."

I hope this doesn't happen as often as I fear it might.

U.S. Director

Living in Fear, Part 2

noreply@blogger.com (Reach Across) — Wed, 24 Sep 2014 17:51:00 +0000

OK, here I go again. I guess I'm like a broken record. I just wrote about this, but I'm doing it again, and calling it part 2.

I just returned from a prayer meeting. It was great! I said it to the group, and I meant it—prayer meetings, as hard as they are to organize and actually get people to come, "are the lifeblood of the church". Without them, nothing goes forward. Activities will not produce fruit without prayer. When I phoned our international leader yesterday, he said he was just going to a meeting of a group of friends who pray for ReachAcross for two or more hours.

That’s a luxury that we don’t yet have here in the U.S. Maybe it is just my leadership at the national level that is to blame, but it is really difficult to find folks who are willing to sacrifice their time and energy in order to meet together and focus on specific and concentrated prayer.

Which doesn’t make sense, really. I mean, we have the privilege of entering the ‘Oval Office’ of the universe and sitting down with the King of Kings, and laying out our requests before Him, asking Him to intervene. And even better—we have the privilege of reading his Briefings in the Presence of His Spirit, and living each day, updated with fresh information on what He is doing.

So why won’t Christians make time for that?

And when we do make time for it, why do we so often concentrate in prayer on things that just make us more fearful?

For example, here are two requests that were on the prayer list for today:

‘Pray that our Heavenly Father will enlighten all politicians as to the true nature of ISIS.’

Or,

‘Express to God your concern about uncontrolled immigration into the U.S., including refugees from terror-sponsoring countries.’

Somehow I can’t get statements like that in harmony with biblical statements. I quoted some of this last time, but just in case you hadn't read it:

‘This is what the Lord Almighty says: ‘In a little while I will once more shake the heavens and the earth, the sea and the dry land. I will shake all nations . . . . I am going to shake the heavens and the earth. I will overturn royal thrones and shatter the power of the foreign kingdoms. I will overthrow chariots and their drivers; horses and their riders will fall, each by the sword of his brother.’ (Haggai 2:6, 21-22)

^‘See to it that you do not refuse him who speaks. If they did not escape when they refused him who warned them on earth, how much less will we, if we turn away from him who warns us from heaven? At that time his voice shook the earth, but now he has promised, “Once more I will shake not only the earth but also the heavens.”The words “once more” indicate the removing of what can be shaken—that is, created things—so that what cannot be shaken may remain. Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, let us be thankful, and so worship God acceptably with reverence and awe, for our “God is a consuming fire.’ (Hebrews 12:25-29)

If God is in control of the nations, and if He is shaking them in order to establish an eternal Kingdom, why do we get so out of shape when the borders of the U.S. are porous?

What if God might be sending people to us to reach for His Kingdom, especially since we don’t seem to be willing or able to go to them?

Isn’t fear misplaced when we are insecure and want to preserve the United States as it is, instead of fearing, respecting, and above, all, praising the Chief Executive of all things?

He used a big fish to swallow Jonah and get him where he wanted him to go, but evidently that didn’t make Jonah thankful.

Evidently God’s shaking our world today isn’t having the effect that it is supposed to, either.

Which is too bad, because we may be missing out on something very important.

‘Don’t let the devil rob you of your joy’, the preacher said last Sunday. Personally, I fear that he may be already doing just that.

Let’s hope it changes, soon. The world--and especially Muslims--needs an uplifting testimony from us Christians.

U.S. Director