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08597
August 19, 2008
Steps in the right direction
Ghanaian church leader urges greater outreach to Muslims
LONG BEACH, CA — Muslims have “a right to gospel of Jesus Christ,” but for several reasons the Christian church “has neglected the Muslim world, Ghanaian Presbyterian leader John Azumah, told a crowd of 1,000 Presbyterians here Aug. 16 during the third annual gathering of the Presbyterian Global Fellowship.
Dr. John Azumah of the Presbyterian Church in Ghana challenges conference attendees to be the living scriptures in the Muslim world. Photo courtesy of Erin Dunigan “Muslims have the right to accept or reject [the gospel],” Azumah — a former Muslim — said, “but they must have the opportunity to hear it.” The inadequacy of Christian outreach to the Muslim world “is the greatest omission of the Great Commission,” he added.
Azumah, who holds advanced degrees in Islamics and Christian-Muslim Relations is a senior research fellow with the Akrofi-Christaller Institute and church planter for the Presbyterian Church of Ghana, sought to dispel myths about Muslims being averse to Christianity.
Many believe that evangelizing Muslims is a waste of time and resources,” Azumah said, “but if Saul could become Paul then there is nothing and no one the Holy Spirit cannot reach.”
Another myth is that Muslims hate Christians and Christianity, he said. “When I go home to my Muslim family, we talk and pray together and for each other. “Muslims may have questions and difficulties with Christians and our faith, but they don’t hate us.”
Christian outreach to Muslims must be done with humility, Azumah said. “We are sent as witnesses and not as advocates or judges. The Holy Spirit is the one and only advocate and God is the one and only judge,” he said, alluding to courtroom proceedings. “It is not our duty to judge, but to witness, to tell truthfully what we have seen. If only we can just mind our own business, then the Holy Spirit will do the rest of it.”
Azumah said effective Christian witness to Muslims involves four activities:
- Encouraging Christians to “get to know Muslims as people, as individuals, as neighbors. Jesus says, ‘I know my sheep’ — the relationship must be deep, profound, intimate”;
- Engaging with Muslims out of respect and love, not fear and suspicion;
- Being “Barnabases” by sharing personal testimonies of faith — the Samaritans came to believe through the woman who met Jesus at the well “because of the power of her testimony”;
- “Waiting upon the Lord” — “this is the hardest thing for North Americans, but is easier for Africans,” Azumah said. “This is spiritual business, praying for ourselves, praying for Muslims, praying that God will open up their hearts for the gospel. I prayed for my uncle for 15 years and three years ago I baptized him.”
“To be missional in the Muslim world is to step up to the challenge with humility and not fear,” Azumah said. “It is to step out of our comfort zones, even our churches and denominations to go wherever the Spirit leads. It is to step into Muslim neighborhoods, Muslim countries and the Muslim world — to move into people’s cultures and learn to speak their language, not force them to speak yours.”
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