We are reading an old version of The Messenger, The Message & the Community (R Muller) published under a different name. This is a goldmine of understanding honour/shame cultures, especially in the middle eastern setting, and helps to understand how the good news of Jesus might be reflected and expressed without resorting to the paradigms and terminology usually used in America & Europe. It is a must read.
Another key topic is how a western follower of Jesus should seek to relate to Muslim (primarily Arabic) people when living in their context and wanting them to see the beauty of Jesus. We often pursue either an approach of apologetics or of friendship evangelism. In surveying the few in the middle east who are truly having success, Muller notes that most of them use neither approach. Each instead carries himself as a spiritual teacher. This person lives as one who has been with God and who knows and loves him well. When others are with this person, they recognise these qualities and this relationship. God is so much at the centre of this person's life, that whenever they open their mouth, they bring attention to Jesus and highlight how honourable and glorious he is. So when people are with this person, they tend to think of them as a spiritual teacher about God, and they want to be taught by this person, whether they are Christian or Muslim or other.
May this become true of all followers of Jesus!
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