Fruitful practices: Language learning, reputation building
By a member of SEND’s Diaspora | North America
team —
More than a decade ago, a group of agencies working among Muslims identified 8 Fruitful Practices—elements of ministry that often are present when evangelical churches start in Muslim communities.
Of course, no one engaged in Muslim ministry would call these practices a recipe for successful church planting. Each community has its unique qualities, and the Holy Spirit’s work reflects that reality. That said, in places where churches have started, many of these fruitful practices have been used.
We will look at two practices each month for the next four months. As you read, take stock of how your life and ministry display these concepts, whether they are new to you or you’ve been using them since they first were identified. Some people might be better at some of them than others, but we all can improve somewhere. The goal is not to beat yourself up because of where you are not, but to know what things you need to ask the Holy Spirit to help you work on.
Of course, no one engaged in Muslim ministry would call these practices a recipe for successful church planting. Each community has its unique qualities, and the Holy Spirit’s work reflects that reality. That said, in places where churches have started, many of these fruitful practices have been used.
We will look at two practices each month for the next four months. As you read, take stock of how your life and ministry display these concepts, whether they are new to you or you’ve been using them since they first were identified. Some people might be better at some of them than others, but we all can improve somewhere. The goal is not to beat yourself up because of where you are not, but to know what things you need to ask the Holy Spirit to help you work on.
1. Learning language and culture
2. Building a valued reputation in the community
What does the community that you want to reach value? How do their own people get raised up in their neighbor’s eyes? Are teachers and education respected? Maybe there is something that you know how to do that you could take the time to teach them. What about clothes? What does it mean to dress respectably in their community?
Let’s avoid turning Muslims off before they get a chance to hear what we want to share with them. As one person said, “The testimony of words often can not be received until after the testimony of an honorable life has been seen.” Though a reputation takes a lifetime to build, it can be destroyed in a single moment. We need to pray and ask God to give us the courage and strength to daily live for him.
It is very important to seek to build a spiritual reputation early in your interactions with the people you seek to reach. If you wait five years to share the gospel, they will wonder, if it is so important, then why didn’t you share about it earlier? Let them know that you have a relationship with God and it is important to you. Find opportunities to talk about your faith in everyday conversation. It doesn’t need to be a long testimony, it might just be something God brought to your mind while having devotions that morning.
Take opportunities to pray for them and with them. If they understand that you are a person of prayer, then when they have a need, they will be more willing to share it with you. If they don’t know that you are a person of prayer, then they will probably never come to you and ask for prayer. Most Muslims have never prayed in any language other than Classical Arabic, and it has never occurred to them that it is possible to do so. Hearing you pray for them in English, or any other language, will open doors to interesting conversations, especially when you encourage them to call out to God and pour out their heart to him themselves!
Let’s avoid turning Muslims off before they get a chance to hear what we want to share with them. As one person said, “The testimony of words often can not be received until after the testimony of an honorable life has been seen.” Though a reputation takes a lifetime to build, it can be destroyed in a single moment. We need to pray and ask God to give us the courage and strength to daily live for him.
It is very important to seek to build a spiritual reputation early in your interactions with the people you seek to reach. If you wait five years to share the gospel, they will wonder, if it is so important, then why didn’t you share about it earlier? Let them know that you have a relationship with God and it is important to you. Find opportunities to talk about your faith in everyday conversation. It doesn’t need to be a long testimony, it might just be something God brought to your mind while having devotions that morning.
Take opportunities to pray for them and with them. If they understand that you are a person of prayer, then when they have a need, they will be more willing to share it with you. If they don’t know that you are a person of prayer, then they will probably never come to you and ask for prayer. Most Muslims have never prayed in any language other than Classical Arabic, and it has never occurred to them that it is possible to do so. Hearing you pray for them in English, or any other language, will open doors to interesting conversations, especially when you encourage them to call out to God and pour out their heart to him themselves!
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