They are bringing people together. They are blessing others. They are tearing down walls. They are making peace. I love it.

“I saw the joy and the love and it’s very unique to see all the people together giving gifts to Palestinian children and I was amazed to see their smiles,”Alex, an Israeli. Alex had never been to the West Bank before. He had never been on the other side of the wall. Understandably he was a bit afraid. I had tears in my eyes as I listened to him. Not only did he bring joy to the children he met, but he returned to Israel a changed man.

You can also read an article from a couple of years ago in Christianity Today. Here are some key quotes from it:

“When you come to Christ, you have to understand that he died for me to reconcile me to God,” Elhajj said. “How am I as a Christian, as a citizen of the kingdom, supposed to act? As a peacemaker.”

Elhajj told CT he believes that stereotypical perceptions of evangelicals being close-minded is just as unfounded as some evangelical stereotypes of Muslims. “If you’ll just engage people, you’ll find a wide range of beliefs and motivations. You try to find folks who are open, are ready to learn, and want to do the will of God.”

I read about a men’s retreat for Muslims and Christians that looked at the life of Abraham in the Bible and Qur’an and explored the issues of dealing with conflict and being male. It was put on by the Christian Muslim Forum.

One of the Christian participants (there were 6 Christians and 7 Muslims) wrote:

We spent some time thinking about Abraham the Absurd, defining ‘absurd’ as not normal or ordinary. As people of faith we are called to be an extraordinary people. By being together as Christians and Muslims for this retreat we were being absurd. We were challenged as to whether we had become to cosy in our faith and not therefore taking risks. Are we going through the motions of faith without it really affecting the way we live our lives?

You can read all of his thoughts at Unity. Notice that they don’t pretend there aren’t differences.

I suspect that some of us would feel uncomfortable having a spiritual retreat with people of a different religion. Admittedly, there would be potential difficulties. But has not God made all of us so that we “should seek God, in the hope that [we] might feel [our] way toward him and find him” (Acts 17:27)? What if instead of pointing at each other saying, “You’re wrong and I’m right,” we gathered together and sought the truth arm in arm?

To refer to peregrinating Celtic monks and fundamentalist lobbyists, Origen and Oral Roberts, the Desert Fathers and Tim LaHaye, Dante and Tammy Faye, St. Francis and the TV “Prosperity Gospel” hucksters, Lady Julian of Norwich and Jimmy Swaggart, John of the Cross and George W. Bush, all as “Christian” stretches the word so thin its meaning vanishes. The term “carbon-based life-form” is as informative.

David James Duncan, God Laughs & Plays, 49

1. We bear witness to, and proclaim our faith not only through words but through our attitudes, actions and lifestyles.

2. We cannot convert people, only God can do that. In our language and methods we should recognise that people’s choice of faith is primarily a matter between themselves and God.

3. Sharing our faith should never be coercive; this is especially important when working with children, young people and vulnerable adults. Everyone should have the choice to accept or reject the message we proclaim and we will accept people’s choices without resentment.

4. Whilst we might care for people in need or who are facing personal crises, we should never manipulate these situations in order to gain a convert.

5. An invitation to convert should never be linked with financial, material or other inducements. It should be a decision of the heart and mind alone.

6. We will speak of our faith without demeaning or ridiculing the faiths of others.

7. We will speak clearly and honestly about our faith, even when that is uncomfortable or controversial.

8. We will be honest about our motivations for activities and we will inform people when events will include the sharing of faith.

9. Whilst recognising that either community will naturally rejoice with and support those who have chosen to join them, we will be sensitive to the loss that others may feel.

10. Whilst we may feel hurt when someone we know and love chooses to leave our faith, we will respect their decision and will not force them to stay or harass them afterwards.

Can you agree to these guidelines? Are you okay with someone from another religion sharing his faith if he does it in accordance with these guidelines?

First, they appeal to our fears by making gross misstatements about Muslims. They say, “How do Moslems seek to take control of a nation? Moslems seek to influence a nation by immigration, reproduction, education, the government, illegal drugs, and by supporting the gay agenda.” What are they talking about? Illegal drugs? Muslims don’t even drink alcohol. Perhaps they are talking about the Taliban in Afghanistan who are funded by opium. But what does that have to do with the average American Muslim? Nothing. The gay agenda? Homosexuality is a sin within Islam. Besides, I imagine a lot more supporters of the “gay agenda” would call themselves Christians than Muslims.

Second, the ad seems to imply that the mission of the church is to protect America. Yes, I am an American citizen, but I care much more about the Kingdom of God than I do about the Kingdom of America. Too many Christians in America think that the health and future of the church is tied to the health and future of America. It isn’t. God’s kingdom prevailed before America existed and it will certainly prevail regardless of what happens to America. I love my country and I want it to prosper, but I care much more about the church (the people of God) and most of the church is not American.

This is not the kind of ad that will encourage the people of St Cloud to go and meet their Muslim neighbors.

I read about this on Talk Islam and was encouraged by Abu Noor Al-Irlandee’s comment, “I agree it’s a good reminder about our need to engage with others and get rid of ignorance (including our own ignorance of others.)”

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The picture below, however, is a great picture for Holy Week. It reminds us of when the Lord Jesus washed the feet of his disciples (see John 13) and highlights the amazing truth that he came not to be served, but to serve and give his life as a ransom for many (Mark 10:45).

See them all.

Ed Stetzer interviewed Roberts on his blog (you can also read the Dallas Morning News report). Here are a couple of key quotes:

I work with people of different religions all over the world– I don’t think we in the West know how to speak of faith and treat people with respect at the same time.

How can we build relationships if we don’t speak honestly to each other. I’m tired of having to be religiously politically correct. I’m also tired of the arrogance of some evangelicals who don’t know how to disagree and treat others with respect.

When asked about worshiping at the mosque he said:

It was an educational event. I don’t view it as “satanic” or “demonic” these are people that are sincere and seeking God. Going into bars, movie theatres, and banks are probably a lot more “satanic” than anything else! I want to know how they think, etc., Paul did it in the synagogue and at Mars Hill. Those people who are seeking God the most, are the ones I want to relate to. I want to be like Paul in this regard.

Worshipping with Muslims? At first I would have said no – but worship isn’t about the space it is “the hearts affection and the mind’s attention” as Jordan Fowler says – so I can worship anywhere, anytime, anyplace – as long as I am right with God and my focus is directed toward God the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. In my car, in my study, in a mosque, in a catholic church, in a synagogue, on the side of a mountain, in an airplane – the Holy Spirit doesn’t leave me when I walk in places he goes before me and guides me into those places as long as the primary focus is to glorify God.

When describing how he is received by Muslims, he answers:

I’m being introduced as “This is my evangelical friend,” and after a moment of someone looking at me in horror the following, “but he is a good guy – he isn’t mean to us.” I was in Gaza last week – and I was taken around like a “trophy” by some, everytime being introduced, “he is an evangelical pastor – but he is ok.” It has always left me with this question, “what have we done that they don’t mind our view of Jesus – but they do mind us?”

In the comments section he responds to a Muslim friend (who had also left a comment) by saying, in part:

Multi-faith says the basis of our relationship is respect – not agreement. In the service you heard me say I want the whole world to be Christian – the Imam said he wants the whole world to Muslim. It is because we both believe we believe the truth. The question is not do I want someone to be a Christian, in my religion with the Great Commision and yours with the Dauwa that is part of our Holy Books. The question is can I love you without an agenda. Jesus healed, related, and went places to people he considered sick, evil, demonic, etc., and he loved them all – Paul did the same.

Many in the comments section of Stetzer’s blog disagree strongly, but I like this comment from a woman who attended the events:

I attended all three events this past weekend and I was excited, nervous and deeply moved. The Jewish and Muslim people were more kind and generous than some of the people in my own congregation. I wept openly as I watched fathers worshiping alongside of their young sons in the Mosque on Saturday. I kept thinking of my own son and how I want those Muslim boys to know my son now and in heaven. I saw more dedication and focus during 7 minutes of prayer from these young boys than I would even expect from my own children. It was moving and eye opening that these people love their family and their god just like I love mine. I pray we raise our children to know and love people from all walks of life so that just maybe, one day, I can sing and dance with those people before the throne of the one true God. It can only happen relationally and with the love of Jesus Christ.

HT: Vitamin Z

As a freshman clarinetist in the marching band (I was an aspiring jazz saxophonist and wanted to improve my clarinet chops) I saw everyone of Kurt Warner’s games his senior year at the University of Northern Iowa. It was fun watching him over his NFL career and hearing his story retold and retold (he was a former grocery bagger turned NFL MVP/Super Bowl winner).

He retired yesterday from what is probably a Hall of Fame career. Everyone that knew anything about him also knew that he is a Christian. He is not shy about his faith at all. It is part of who he is. The following paragraph from Seth Wickersham at espn.com struck me when I read it:

Thanks for the religion. Some athletes give their life to Jesus Christ as a PR move; some are ripe with hypocrisy; some just say offensive things. Warner always expressed his faith without trivializing it or us.

Kurt Warner lived his life as a follower of Jesus Christ in a way that garnered respect from others. He didn’t trivialize Jesus or people. We can communicate the things we believe most deeply in a way that others thank us. I don’t know Wickersham’s religious views, but this tells me that Kurt Warner is a man of peace. May I be one too.

“A clash of civilizations.” That’s how many in the media and in politics describe the relationship between Muslims and Christians. This popular narrative, however, does not capture the full story. Yes, there is a faction of Islam that is hostile and even aggressively violent toward the West. And there are some Christians who ignorantly scrawl Bible versus on the gun barrels of their tanks. But there are also people like Pervaiz Masih.

Pervaiz was part of the poor, Christian minority in Pakistan. He was illiterate. He worked as a janitor at the women’s campus of Islamabad’s International Islamic University. When a suicide bomber disguised as a women tried to enter the crowded cafeteria, Pervaiz confronted him at the doorway to prevent him from entering. In the struggle the bomb detonated killing Pervaiz and three students, but many more would have died had Pervaiz not sacrificed himself and stopped the killer from entering.

Professor Fateh Muhammad Malik, the rector of the university said, “[Pervaiz Masih] rose above the barriers of caste, creed and sectarian terrorism. Despite being a Christian, he sacrificed his life to save the Muslim girls.” Some in Pakistan are calling him a national hero.

Pervaiz Masih represents an alternative to the “clash of civilizations” rhetoric that is being propagated. He represents what happens when Christians take seriously their calling to love their neighbors–even when those neighbors are Muslim. Our call to love, give, serve, help, and sacrifice is not dependant on the identity or doctrine of our neighbor. We do not love because of who they are, but because of who we are.

Watch this report by CNN about Pervaiz Masih and be hopeful. Be inspired:

HT: Vitamin Z

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