Annabaptists Meeting Muslims

Recently I had the absolute pleasure of sitting in a lecture by David Shenk who is an Annabaptist from Pennsylvania working for the Mennonite Central Committee in the muslim nations of the world. David has been a pioneer for the greater part of his life of the Christian faith into closed muslim countries. The only reason that he has been able to do this is because he is truly living out the love of Jesus Christ, even for Muslim people. In a day and age where 'Christians' are doing an excellent job of earning the hatred of Muslims the world over, David Shenk has been approaching any and every Muslim to dialogue about their faith and his. Here is one scenario from Shane Claiborne that will hopefully illustrate the how we're earning this hatred. Shane had flown to Baghdad from America to be there when the Americans bombed the city. He said that as he walked down the halls of an over-crowded hospital in the ensuing chaos he heard one little girl repeating over and over again as she lay on a hospital bed, "What did I do to America?" Unfortunately, in times like these, America still bears the title of a 'Christian' nation and now terrorists in the Middle East have been given excellent material for propaganda against, not only Americans but Christians.

The amount of misinformation in the Muslim world regarding what Christians stand for and believe is incredible says David. And I think that this misinformation goes the other way as well. When terrorists bombed the Twin Towers muslims became demonized and misunderstood in our society. We sit back and make assumptions about what Muslims do and don't believe never for a moment thinking to ask a muslim.

So David's ministry is talking theology with muslims in closed countries over tea. One of the major reasons that he is able to do this is because he comes from the Anabaptist tradition. David said that he loves to remind his Muslim counterparts that Anabaptists did not fight in the Crusades, and in fact they were burned at the stake for refusing. It seems that the non-violent, apolitical anabaptists are seen as weak and utterly unthreatening to Muslim people. In conjunction with this they are also very attractive solely because of Jesus' love manifest in their good deeds. David is using this reputation in the Muslim community to share the good news of the gospel even with the most militant of Muslim leaders, and they are listening! He told the story of how after a cease-fire had been reached in the Caucus region he asked a few of the church leaders from the church up on the hill where he might find the muslim leaders of the people that they had just been fighting with. They told him where the Muslims gathered to pray and worship and he invited them to come with him to talk with them. They laughed at him and refused so he started off alone across 'no-man's-land' and seeing his boldness they scurried after him. They went and talked with the Muslim teachers at the building for three hours over a lot of tea and a lot of cookies. By the end of a conversation that revolved around Jesus, they called each other friends and parted ways. He is a fearless, non-violent, lover of muslims and he is changing the face of Christianity in the muslim world.
David Shenk is proof that the MCC's activity in the world has opened doors in Muslim nations because of Love manifested in good deeds! One extraordinarily practical thing that David really challenged me with was to go out and make muslim friends. Learn from them, love them, talk to them and rest assured Jesus will end up being the topic of conversation.


PS. I also bought his book called 'Annabapitsts Meeting Muslims' which any of you can borrow from me if you're interested in what God is doing amongst Muslim peoples these days.

Extremists for Love

Well, I just finished a book that was quite challenging. It's a book that is written for those of us who are covered by the blood of Jesus Christ, who stand forgiven and are called to walk in the light but instead have comfortably fallen asleep in the coziness of a salvation that we will cash in when we die. It's written for people who are frustrated and bored with the Christianity that they've been a part of for their entire lives. Shane Claiborne reminded me that this Christian life we live is the most challenging and exciting and rewarding thing that we could possibly be a part of on earth. He challenges us to be extremists for love, like Jesus. He challenges us to exercise our faith with actions that are based in love, mercy, and grace. He challenges us to seek first the Kingdom of God, not any other kingdom.
I will save you the time reading the book and tell you instead to read the bible (especially if you haven't already) and obey what it says. If you have read the bible and really want to read some other inspiring stories about people who are doing just that then by all means read 'The Irresistible Revolution'. Don't read it if you want a lesson in theology... cause it is not that. It is not Shane Claiborne's theology, if it was it would be vastly incomplete, however it is a reminder and a challenge.
So after a vibrant discussion with Rebecca, and James at Christmas time I will say that I may have liked this book because I'm a peace-loving, Anabaptist. I think though that Shane makes a very strong case for loving our enemies and Jesus teachings about things like turning the other cheek and being persecuted because of righteousness.
This is an observation that I doubt is new but I will lend it anyways. In a world where nobody in world politics (or even world history) has ever led their country in loving their enemies and turning the other cheek, I think that it is time that we follow after our Kingdom's leader and follow his example in this very thing. I think that it is because of this very reason that the Kingdom of God has exploded since Jesus made a mockery of violent, inhumane treatment of people by dying on the cross out of love for all the sinners of the world, including the very people who killed him. His immediate followers were willing to do the same because they saw the power and transformation that occured when a righteous man died at the hands of unrighteous men. The apostle James is a beautiful testimony to this. "James, (along with his brother, John) was one of Jesus' cousins, a bit of a zealot. As they were walking through Samaria one day, some Samaritans were giving them a hard time, so James offered to help Jesus take care of them by calling down "fire from heaven" on the Samaritans. I'm not sure exactly what that meant back then, but Jesus was not happy and rebuked him. The story of Jesus' life continued, and James watched Jesus love of people and then die. So eventually James faced his own execution for having followed the one who loved his enemies to death. He was imprisoned and was set to be executed. Before his execution, he spoke to his executioner about God's love and grace. The executioner was so deeply moved that he asked for forgiveness and surrendered his life to Christ. James forgave him and they embraced. Then he and the executioner were killed together" (that's the way Shane tells the story). He also tells the story about Dirk Willems, a famous Anabaptist martyr of the 1500's who escaped prison before his execution but was pursued on foot across the frozen fields of Holland. One of the guards hot on his heels fell through the ice and Dirk stopped turned around, dove in and rescued the man. He was burned at the stake regardless of the pleas of the guard.
These stories go on and on, each one as powerful as the last. Some from the early church, some from the Christian church in Iraq. They are beautiful testaments to the fact that violence begetts more violence and that LOVE is the greatest power in the world today. That is how I want to live.

S-Doggy