The Western Sahara Desert is a desolate wasteland, dotted with Bedouins and camels. Near the borders of western Algeria, Morocco, and Mauritania an astonishing dialog is happening between Christians and Muslims.
 In September I spent a week participating in this dialog - between an American delegation and 16 imams (Muslim clerics) from Algeria. It was inspiring, humbling, hopeful, and complex. It was also physically exhausting as we stayed in a refugee camp.
Here is what I came away with from my time in the desert:
* There are some mind-blowing, incredible signs of Jesus' Kingdom coming in the Muslim world and among its leaders. Suffice it to say, the Holy Spirit is at work;
* There is also a deep mistrust of western culture and religion and a few people on the radical fringe of Islam wish hardm to non-Muslims;
* The Muslim world is rapidly secularizing, just as the West has been secularizing for many year. This offers opportunities for the gospel in ways that it could not in previous times.
There is great concern among leaders in Algeria that so many people from their country have emigrated to wetern Europe over the past generation. There is "brain drain" from the country. As I listened to the imams talk about this, I thought of our work in Europe and found it so ironic that this reality (people moving to Europe) is an open door for the Gospel to people who have previously lived in closed countries.
We are planning several key events for 2012 for the Isaac-Ishmael Initiative. First up is a Summit on Islam we will hold in Grasse, France in February. We will update you on this in the next month or two.
Thank you for your support and encouragement, and for a vision for the Kingdom of God coming to people and places who are otherwise far from Jesus.
With Grace, in Christ,
Brian and Susy |
|
|
No comments:
Post a Comment