This at once is helpful and confronting
– and it becomes clear that to see
cultures transformed from within,
we need to be working somewhere
between C4 and C5.
But this does not come without some
degree of controversy and personal cost.
Sadly, my experience shows that both
the cross-cultural worker and the
potential new believer can be labelled
as ‘selling out’ Christianity, being at
risk of syncretism (a fusion of differing
beliefs) or lacking a willingness to
suffer for their faith.
For the cross-cultural worker, it means
moving to a marginalised place,
separate from ‘mainstream’ Christianity
so that others might encounter Jesus in
a way that makes sense to them.
The C6 believer is also in a marginalised
place, attracting persecution for their
conviction that Jesus dies on the cross
and that salvation is by grace, not by
works. Today there are many believers
who still participate in Muslim cultural
and religious practices (except for
those contrary to Scripture) who have
genuinely encountered Jesus and
follow Him. However, because of their
upbringing and life experience, they see
themselves as Muslims who have found
salvation in Jesus. It’s a lot like the first
believers who operated within Judaism.
C1
In taking a step back from the Muslim
world, we could also reflect on how
we in a nation like Australia could
be accused of syncretism. Could it
be that our materialism and largely
secular approach to life shames us
like few other times in history?
C2
C3
So as we continue in our own
movements of faith – in whatever,
culture we are called to – may we
go with a spirit of risk-taking so that
others might have an opportunity to
encounter Jesus.
C4
C5
C6
Description Foreign church
transplant,
foreign in
culture and
language C1 using local,
non-Islamic
language C2 using
non-Islamic
cultural
elements (e.g.
dress, music,
diet, artwork) C3 with
some biblically
acceptable
Islamic
practices C4 with a
“Muslim for
Jesus”
self-identity Secret believer,
may or may not
be an active
member in the
religious like
of the Muslim
community
Believer’s Self
Definition Christians Christians Christians Followers of Isa
(Jesus) Lover of Isa;
Muslims for
Jesus Followers of Isa,
Muslims
for Jesus
Muslim
Perception Christians Christians Christians A kind of
Christian A strange kind
of Muslim Muslim
1. Waleed Aly, the Age, June 24, 2006
2. Evangelical Missions Quarterly (Parshall 1998, Gilliand 1998 and Travis 1998)
resonate · issue 30 · page 8