September 2013 Volume 8 #9

Wading River Baptist Church

P.O. Box 438, 1635 Wading River-Manor Road, Wading River, NY 11792 (631) 929-3512; 929-6022 www.wrbc.us office@wrbc.us

Muslim Evangelism and the Compromise of Christianity

Chrislam: How Missionaries are Promoting an Islamized Gospel. Revised First Edition, edited by Joshua Lingel, Jeff Morton, and Bill Mikides. Garden Grove, CA: i2 Ministries Publications, 2012.
cates of this position, but they agree in their fundamental focus. Writing in leading evangelical missions journals (primarily the International Journal of Frontier Missions, Missions Frontiers, and Evangelical Missions Quarterly), the leading IM thinkers have promoted an approach to evangelism in the Muslim world that encourages followers of Isa (Jesus) to remain within Islam in order to influence others in their community to believe in Him. On the popular C1-C6 Spectrum (explained on page 90), IM is C5: Christ-centered communities of Messianic Muslims who have accepted Jesus as Lord and Savior. The seriousness of this problem is captured in the editors introductory paragraph to Appendix 1 (A Letter to Lausanne Leadership, page 311): The influence and preponderance of insider movements voices in the global community is growing. It is not an insignificant blip on the missions radar screen; it is real, has weight, and is persuasively making its case as the major paradigm for the Church to reach Muslims. The IM philosophy has been popular with younger evangelicals, especially those associated with the emergent movement. They usually do not call themselves Christians, but followers of Jesus, and in order to implement their philosophy, they have to sacrifice many indispensable Christian doctrines. It is toward the exposition of the philosophy and practices of the Insider Movements that Chrislam is focused. This book does an outstanding job of exposing and evaluating IM (also often referred to as CG, Common Ground). The editors, all of whom have solid evangelical pedigrees, have been careful to begin the book by devoting three chapters to the beliefs of the movement in the words of those who subscribe to it. In particular, these proponents attempt to build a case from Scripture to validate their thinking in three critical areas: theology, missiology, and translation. Having let the advocates for IM speak in their own words, the editors then follow with three sections (embracing thirteen chapters by a range of scholars) devoted to the exposition and evaluation of these three dynamics. Certain issues emerge frequently in these chapters. Among the most prominent is the problem of the translations of the Scriptures in the languages of Muslim peoples in which terms relating to God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ have been changed for the sake of avoiding offense. Most conspicuously is the name Son of God, which has

A major controversy has developed in recent years as to the best method of evangelizing the Muslim world. This controversy is very important given the fact that after nominal Christianity, Islam is the largest and fastest growing religion in the world. Moreover, given the fact that Islam is more than a religionit is an entire cultureit is one of the most difficult to penetrate with the Gospel. This fact has led to a growing group of evangelistic strategies, virtually all of them connected with evangelical missions organizations, united under the banner of the label, Insider Movements (IM). There are small, nuanced variations between advo-

been altered in many texts to Messiah, and Father, which has been changed to names like God Most High or Guardian. In addition to translation, however, there are the issues of the compatibility of Islam and Christianity, the proper interpretation of the key IM biblical texts, the integrity of IM in its attempt to evangelize through deception, and its lack of interest in the church. In addition, important related concepts are explained, such as the C1-C6 Spectrum, mentioned above, and the CAMEL method. Part 5, consisting of six chapters, is especially interesting. Five of the six chapters are written by Muslim converts from Lebanon, Iraq, Algeria, Iran, and America. The other chapter is an interview with a believer from Bangladesh who was part of IM and was forced to leave it because of the problems it generated. For these committed Christians, IM holds no credibility. Part 6, comprising the final three chapters, is an overall assessment of the movement. The editors conclusions are that Islam is not a religion that can be adapted to Christianity, but is in fact a false religion. The Allah of the Quran is not the God of the Bible, and therefore Christians must not align themselves with a false God. Muhammad is a false prophet, Christians cannot be Muslim and Chris-

tian at the same time, and therefore Christians must not call themselves Muslim. As a sidelight, I found one observation to be particularly fascinating in terms of events in our contemporary world. Politically, many in the West have come to view the so-called Arab Spring with justified suspicion; it may be the most potent weapon in Islams quest for world domination. What has escaped almost all of us evangelicals is the degree to which it may be the most effective method for Christian evangelization of Muslims. Iraqi Muslim convert Elijah Abraham states that Islam is submission to the sword and the recitation of a creed (p. 265). In 1992, even before the advent of the Arab Spring, the French newspaper, Le Monde, identified several factors in the conversion of Algerian Muslims to Christianity. Heres what they wrote, as quoted by Bassam Madany (p. 269):
When we enquired from those who had come over to the Christian faith to learn about the factors that led to their conversion, they mentioned several. Among them was The violence of the fundamentalist Islamist movements. A Christian evangelist working in Algeria reported: These terrible events shocked people greatly. It proved that Islam was capable of unleash-

ing all that terror, and those horrific massacres! Even children were not spared during the uprising of the Islamists! Women were raped! Many people began to ask: Where is Allah? Some Algerians committed suicide! Others lost their minds; others became atheists, and still others chose the Messiah! Quite often, the New Christians testified to the fact that what they discovered in their new faith was love; it formed another factor in their conversion. These are some of their words: We found out that in Christianity, God is love. God loves all people. What attracted us to Christianity is its teaching that God is love.

Thus, instead of compromising with Islam and deceiving Muslims by trying to worship Christ while continuing in Islam, Christians need to stand firmly for biblical convictions, while teaching and modeling the Christian life, with the confidence that many Muslims will observe the stark difference between the two religions, and as many as God has ordained will turn from submission to the sword to submission to the Lord Jesus Christ. This book is highly recommended for anyone who is interested in Muslim evangelism today. Pastor Ron Glass

Missionaries of the Month Marvin & Denise Robinson

As we support and pray for the missionaries all over the world, let us not forget WRBCs missionaries, Marvin & Denise Robinson, that are just a little over 400 miles north of us and are active in ministering to people living in suburban governmentsubsidized housing developments and within the inner city of Rochester, NY. Marvin & Denise have always put out a standing invitation to visit with them to minister alongside of them. Mike & Diane Pandolfini, from the Missions Committee, accepted their invitation in May 2012 and can testify to the full schedule Marvin & Denise keep. Mike and Diane spent a few days following them around as they observed the Robinsons teaching in the Bible Clubs for the children, men and women; proclaiming the Word through open-air evangelism; developing projects for the elderly such as home carpentry and painting; running a program that distributes clothes and food to the needy, always accompanied by the sharing of the Word; and ministering in jails and visiting nursing homes. On the Lords Day, June 30, 2013, WRBC welcomed Marvin Robinson to the pulpit to preach and to take back a carload of clothes and school supplies that the church collected to help their ministry. Sadly, Denise was recovering from gall bladder surgery and could not make the trip. Lets keep our support and prayers focused on the Robinsons as well as those clear across the world. Joan Tyska

Thoughts on Tentmaking
From a Member of the WRBC Missionary Family
A Common Dilemma Before we married, my wife and I had a desire to be part of Gods work in a country in Asia that does not welcome missionaries. At the time, we made plans and preparations to join a ministry team in an adjoining country where we could evangelize and disciple nationals of the target country, most of whom would return to their home country. We hoped to have a stable place of residence in which to build relationships and raise our children without having to live secret lives. As the result of a visit to our target country at that time, we felt that keeping most of our activities secret would be too stressful (and unsuccessful). So we went to our target country to learn the language in preparation for our move to the adjoining country. During that time, I found that being a language student was a role that was easy for others to understand and one that led well to conversations about culture, family, and the meaning of life. We enjoyed life and ministry in that context so much that, while we were looking forward to ministry in the adjoining country, we prayerfully discussed whether to change our plans and remain in the target country itself. Nonetheless, after prayer and seeking counsel, we were making preparations to move to our target country. Unexpectedly, we could not obtain the necessary visas to live and work in that country. If God was calling us to live and minister in that country, we needed to find the way in which He was providing for us to be able to do that. Limited Access Countries These issues are by no means unique to us. Today, most of the countries that remain unreached by the Gospel do not welcome traditional missionaries. Increasingly, we who desire to be part of seeing Jesus Lordship proclaimed in every nation under heaven must find ways to live in those countries that will allow us to minister there. The balance of this article will look at ways in which instructions in 1 Peter 2 and the example left by Paul have guided us as we have shifted our plan toward a form of tentmaking. by him to punish those who do evil and to praise those who do good. For this is the will of God, that by doing good you should put to silence the ignorance of foolish people. Live as people who are free, not using your freedom as a cover-up for evil, but living as servants of God. Honor everyone. Love the brotherhood. Fear God. Honor the emperor (vv. 13-17). I find it hard to be subject to human institutions that are hostile to my faith and radically different from the democratic privileges that I have generally taken to be my birthright. However, I am told to do so for the Lords sake. Moreover, we are told to be willing to endure doing good and suffering for it, with Jesus as our example: But if when you do good and suffer for it you endure, this is a gracious thing in the sight of God. For to this you have been called, because Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example, so that you might follow in his steps. He committed no sin, neither was deceit found in his mouth. When he was reviled, he did not revile in return; when he suffered, he did not threaten, but continued entrusting himself to him who judges justly (vv. 20-23). The key is that Jesus did not insist on his own rights, nor on his birthright. He continued entrusting himself to him who judges justly. Pauls Approach The apostle Paul is the one whose career gave us the term tentmaker. A very helpful article by Ruth Siemens in the International Journal of Frontier Missions1 convincingly argues that Pauls work in Corinth making tents with Priscilla and Aquila was not just a short chapter in Pauls missionary activity, but rather an important component of his suc-

The Call 1 Peter 2

for

Integrity

in

An important hallmark of the Christian witness is that it is not in words only, but also through a transformed, attractive life. In 1 Peter 2:11-25, Peter gives several specific instructions and principles for Gods people in our roles as sojourners and exiles. First, we are reminded of our identity: Beloved, I urge you as sojourners and exiles. Regardless of where we live, we are not yet in our eternal home country. Those of us who have left our countries of birth and/or citizenship, are even more aware of this. Second, we are instructed to Keep your conduct among the Gentiles honorable, so that when they speak against you as evildoers, they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day of visitation. We not only must maintain the blameless teaching referenced in Titus 2:8, but also a blameless lifestyle. Peter goes on to describe important aspects of that blameless lifestyle that I have found especially germane and challenging as a cross-cultural worker: Be subject for the Lords sake to every human institution, whether it be to the emperor as supreme, or to governors as sent

cessful lay-led church-planting strategy to evangelize the then-known world. Prompted by her observations, I highlight three benefits I have drawn from Pauls example of devoting precious time and energy to sewing tents. 1. Credibility. By earning his own living, Paul was not subject to the charges of idleness or selfseeking in his preaching. (Incidentally, when I had been a language student for almost four years, there were many who could not easily understand how a father of young children could afford to take four years off from earning a living to study fulltime.) 2. Identification. Although Paul, with his Roman citizenship and excellent education, might have been seen as very different from slaves and working freedmen, his choice to work with his hands allowed his hearers to hear his message as one that had power and relevance, not only for the idle philosophers of the Areopagus, but also for those who had to work hard just to feed their families. (I have found it very helpful to be able to introduce myself as a teacher, which is a very common and respectable occupation in our target country.) 3. Modeling. By ministering while earning his living, Paul modeled the biblical work ethic of the Christian life, evangelizing on the job and ministering at every opportunity. This avoids the common misconception that most Christians do their religious thing on Sunday mornings, Wednesday nights, and perhaps in morning devotions, leaving the professionals who have left their day jobs to evangelize, preach, counsel, etc. Pauls model also freed newly planted churches from the trap of thinking that in order to be a real church they needed a full-time pastor (and a building). In his writings, Paul affirmed the legitimacy of pastors and missionaries whose livings were supplied or supplemented by

the saints, but by his example he showed that a bi-vocational pastor, missionary, elder, or other Christian worker, is just as valuable to the church. In her article, Siemens points out that this modeling set the stage for Pauls strategy for evangelizing all of Asia.

had been in Ephesus for about three years, Demetrius says: And you see and hear that not only in Ephesus but in almost all of Asia this Paul has persuaded and turned away a great many people, saying that gods made with hands are not gods (Acts 19:26). Pauls gifts, passion, and foundational role in the building of the Church were unique but not inimitable. Just as Peter served God faithfully, receiving enough support to minister with a wife, we can take comfort in knowing that God is pleased to use many different models of ministry, and we do not all have to measure ourselves by Pauls personal standard. Our Direction, for Now

Pauls Strategy A cursory glance at the New Testament shows that Paul was exceedingly strategic in approaching Christs purpose for his life. He apparently thought that dedicating hours of diligent effort to physical paid labor was as important as not building on the foundations of others, going where Christ had not been preached, or establishing churches and appointing elders. He modeled a type of ministry that begins with layled, self-propagating, and selfreproducing churches. Thus, a newly formed congregation would not think, We must get enough money to hire a full-time pastor and buy a building. Then we will set aside enough money fully to support career missionaries, funding them sufficiently so that they can jump-start a church of their own. Instead, they would set about evangelizing all those within their spheres of influence. Pauls Results One clear measure of the effectiveness of Pauls strategy comes from the accusing mouth of Demetrius the silversmith. After Paul

When we determined that God was still calling us to minister to our target country, we knew that we would need some creative way of establishing residence there. As we looked at the challenges of starting a business, the instability of being perpetual tourists, and the integrity issues involved with taking a job that does not involve real work, we decided that, for the time being, I would take a position as a teacher. This profession makes use of my gifts, makes a real contribution to the community, gives me a stable identity and presence in the country, and allows me to minister to students and coworkers. It is not the style of ministry we had envisioned and it limits the amount of time I can spend in directly training church leaders. However, we are encouraged by Peters admonitions and Pauls example not to despise the day of small things because those small things may really not be that small after all. Jim
1

Siemens, Ruth E., International Journal of Frontier Missions, V 14:3 July-Sept 1997.

Indonesia: A New Culture and a New Perspective

nation in the world. The quality of education was impressive and the structure and supplies in each school were equally stunning. As we toured six different schools, I felt intense disappointment in our American Christian schools. It should humble us that in America, where we enjoy religious freedom, our Christian schools lack quality and testimony; but in Indonesia, which is comprised mainly of Muslims, Buddhists, and Hindus, their schools are truly a testament to Christianitynot merely to religion, but to the very core of the Christian Gospel. Their students learn that they are broken and sinful and that they are not who God originally intended them to be. But they are also affirmed as children who are made in Gods image and who have been blessed with curiosity, creativity, and inquisitive minds. Moreover, they are expected to utilize their talents to the best of their abilities. they do receive some English instruction. The second tier is the Sekolah Dion Harapan schools. They serve the middle or working class. These children are wealthy and the schools are nice, but not extravagant. These students receive instruction in both Bahasa and English and are expected to become the middle-class workers when they are older. Some attend college in the United States, although the majority do not.

Indonesia was never on my travel destination list. In fact, when the opportunity was presented to me, I was not even completely sure where it was on a map! So when I was given the chance to spend a month in Indonesia, I was excited, but very unsure of what I would find. I could never have imagined the impact these four weeks would have on my life. Since it was my first time out of the country, I spent the first few days adjusting to the challenge of the heat, the culture, eating with a spoon, and being surrounded by a language which I did not speak or understand. For example, one evening a few of us went to the store to buy fruit, but we did not realize that all fruit must be bagged and weighed before checking out at the front. We held up the checkout line for a really long time because we could not communicate with the cashier. All of the employees enjoyed a good laugh at our expense! One of the main purposes of my trip was to explore Christian education in Indonesia. The schools we visited were all part of a chain known as the Pelita Harapan schools. In Bahasa Indonesian, pelita means light and harapan means hope. Thus these schools exist to bring light and hope to the largest Muslim

Another amazing thing about these schools is that they minister to all kind of children on very different levels. Within the Pelita Harapan chain, there are three tiers of schools. The Sekolah Lentera Harapan schools minister to the poor. These kids live mostly in slums or poor villages and cannot afford to pay their tuition. It is not unusual for a family to give a chicken or food as payment for a months tuition. Yet the belief of the organization is that all kids, even these kids, deserve a highquality Christian education. The students in these schools are mostly taught in Bahasa Indonesian, but

The highest tier is the Sekolah Pelita Harapan schools. These educate the upper classthe children of diplomats, successful business owners, and the like. They are the schools in which I taught, and they definitely cater to the elite; some might even argue that they are a bit extravagant! Most of the students I taught had nannies, maids, and drivers. Their instruction was exclusively in English, preparing them to attend college overseas. Some have even attended Ivy League schools such as Harvard University. The hope is that someday these students will become the politicians and diplomats of Indonesia and may eventually play a part in changing the face of Indonesia. The Dion and Pelita schools subsidize the Lentera schools in order to allow them to be affordable. I was deeply impressed as I visited each tier of schools. Each plays an important role, but the heart of the issue lies in their names. Lentera, Dion, and Pelita all mean light in Bahasa but each refer to a different kind of light. Those who established these schools, as well as those who work in the administration, hope that in the

next 20-30 years there will be significant changes in Indonesia because of these children. Seeing these schools renewed my passion for Christian education in America and inspired me to think about what changes it could bring if it were done correctly. I grieve that many Christian schools in America dont seem to understand that the point of the educational experience is not rules or regulations, but the heart of the students. Children need to be nurtured and cared for as they are taught to hear and respond to the call of the Savior.

believe in God or serve Him, but I do not think I have ever watched such a blatant expression of devotion to an idol. I watched women, bound by the legalism that enshrouds them, lay flat on their faces and pray to Allah. I was shocked. Later that night, I looked up the translation of the call to prayer. It was like a knife through my heart. Allah is great. I testify that there is no god but Allah.

ism. But the terrorists are such a tiny percentage of the Muslim population. In fact, the Muslims in Indonesia were some of the kindest and sweetest people I have ever met; but they are utterly lost. Maybe one day, God will call me to minister to Muslims. Or maybe He will call you! As I thought about it, I was convicted by how fervently and diligently these Muslims worship Allahevery single day, five times a day. And here I am, one who serves the one true God and there are days when I completely forget to pray. It is then that I am thankful to serve a merciful and forgiving God and not a vengeful one! I challenge you to take these things to heart and to not allow these words to simply wash over you. It is difficult truly to understand something that you have not experienced. But God has placed a burden on my heart for the Muslim people, and I would ask you to consider what He has placed upon your heart. What is He calling you to do?

By far, the thing that impacted me the most was the Muslim culture. From the first day I was there, I was awakened each morning by the call to prayer. One Saturday, we visited a mosque and I was overwhelmed by sadness for these precious people who have devoted their life to a false God. I thought about how much Gods heart grieves to see His beloved creation worshipping a false deity. There are certainly many people in the United States who do not

After that day, I couldnt ignore the call to prayer. When I heard it, I thought about what they were saying and I prayed for their hearts to be opened and for their salvation. I prayed that God might send laborers to join the mission to Muslims. Many Christians in America fear Muslims, probably because of terror-

Katie Glass Editors Note: Katie is a senior Elementary Education major at Covenant College, Lookout Mountain, Georgia.

The Birthday Corner

September 2nd Diane Pandolfini September 5th Silvia Albrecht September 21st Debbie Bristoll September 23rd Harold Cosgrove

The Anniversary Corner

September 12th Felix & Florence Acerra September 18th Bob & Debbie Bristoll

September Bible Quiz Questions

1) When Paul and Barnabas were preaching the Gospel and healing the lame, the people shouted that their gods had come down as men and the people of Lystra called Paul and Barnabas by what other names? 2) Which church was the most loyal to Paul and the Gospel? 3) During the Tribulation, many Gentiles will be saved through the evangelistic ministry of the Jews that were called (sealed). How many were called (sealed)? 4) Which two consecutive verses are usually identified as our Lords Great Commission? 5) Who wanted the power of the Holy Spirit for his own gain after seeing and hearing the preaching of Philip? 6) He was the son of Amittai who was called to missionary work in the ancient city of the Assyrian empire, but his first reaction was to flee to Tarshish. 7) When all the nations of the world hear the gospel of the kingdom, then what will happen? 8) During Pauls first missions trip, there was a sorcerer who opposed Paul and was made blind for a time. 9) Missionary work is not easy. How did Paul describe to the church at Corinth his condition while preaching to them as part of his second missionary trip? 10) What inspired Paul to go to Thessalonica and preach the Gospel and establish a church?

July/August Bible Quiz Answers

1) Job 19:25. 2) Revelation 3:20. 3) Psalms 22:1; Matthew 27:46; Mark 15:34. 4) Proverbs 22:6. 5) Proverbs 15:1. Bonus: Psalms 33:12; 144:15.

Congratulations to Mike Pandolfini and Dennis Tyska for submitting all five correct answers plus the bonus to the July/August Bible Quiz written by Virginia Sylvester!

Dennis Tyska

September 2013
The Lords Day Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday

1 9:45 AM Sunday School (V. Bellard)

11:00 AM Worship

7:00 PM Prayer Meeting and Exposition of Psalms

9:45 AM Sunday School (V. Bellard) 11:00 AM Worship (J. Lloyd in pulpit)

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11

7:00 PM Prayer Meeting

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8:30 AM Ladies Prayer Joan Tyska (727-5998) 8:30 AM Ladies Prayer

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9:45 AM Sunday School (V. Bellard) 11:00 AM Worship (J. Lloyd in pulpit)

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17

18 7:00 PM Prayer Meeting 25

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22

9:45 AM Sunday School (V. Bellard)

23

24

7:00 PM Prayer Meeting

26 8:30 AM Ladies Prayer

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28

11:00 AM Worship (J. Lloyd in pulpit)

29 9:45 AM Sunday School (V. Bellard)

11:00 AM Worship

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PO Box 438 Wading River, NY 11792

Wading River Baptist Church

Our Purpose
1. To glorify God through sharing the good news of salvation by Gods sovereign grace through faith in His Son, the Lord Jesus Christ. 2. To nurture believers through a strong program of Christian education, youth ministries, and expository Biblical preaching. 3. To provide an opportunity for Biblical worship, service, and fellowship. 4. To extend our ministry throughout America and around the world through participation in home and foreign missions. WRBC is affiliated with the Conservative Baptist Association of America and the Conservative Baptist Mission to the Northeast.

For the Exaltation of God in All Things For the Proclamation of Faith in Christ For the Transformation of Gods People