Jan
4
A few days ago I finished a study on the Gospel of Mark and realized just how many times Mark notes that Jesus was surrounded by a crowd of people (18 different times from what I saw). Although many rejected Jesus during his three-year ministry, he always attracted crowds because of his teachings, miracles, and lifestyle. I think we can learn from this as we seek to communicate the Gospel to those of other faiths.
One of the most important things we can do is to point others, especially those in other religious traditions, to the life of Jesus. This would include not only encouraging them to read the Gospels, but also for us to fill our thoughts and words with Christ. As we live out a Christ-like life and point others to see the beauty of Christ in the Gospels, others will be drawn to Him.
This past summer I heard the testimony of a sister in Christ who left Hinduism after seeing Jesus’ moral superiority over the Hindu gods she had been worshiping. In a similar way, many Buddhists have been drawn to Christ because of his compassion and selflessness. Many Muslims have been drawn to Christ as they see his love and experience his forgiveness. Also, many animists have been drawn to Christ because of his power to cast out evil spirits and heal the sick. As during his three-year ministry, Jesus continues to draw people to himself.
For example, in China there are now between 50-89 million Christians and some estimate that by 2010 there will be 119.5 million Christians. Moreover, in 1900 there were only 8.7 million Christians in Africa (8% of the pop.); however, in 2000 there were 346.5 million Christians in Africa (44% of the pop.).
May Christ continue to build up his Church by drawing all the nations to himself!
*Stats come from Disciples of all Nations by Lamin Sanneh.
Mar
20
Most Christians would benefit from taking the time to learn about different religions. This does not mean that they need to become experts in other faiths nor that they should make it their greatest priority. God has given each of his children different passions, talents, and spiritual gifts, which enable them to further his kingdom within their own spheres of influence. Nevertheless, all Christians would benefit from studying other faiths. Here are three reasons: (This list is by no means exhaustive. I will include 3 more in Part II of this post)
1. Helps us love others: Christ commands us to love our neighbors as ourselves. This is especially difficult to do with those who are different from us. We have a tendency to feel threatened by those we do not understand. We either fear them or look down on them. This often leads us to dehumanize those of other faiths and make a strong distinction between “us” and “them.” As you study other faiths and gain a better understanding of their beliefs and practices you will be less likely to feel threatened by them and thus, more likely to love them as those who have also been created in the image of God.
2. Helps us understand God’s world better: Religious beliefs have shaped human history and continue to do so to this day. This is evident in that three of the most influential individuals in world history have been religious figures: Buddha, Jesus Christ, and Muhammad. If we believe that world history has a purpose, that is, that it is unfolding according to God’s plan to a determined end, then we should place value in understanding the world we live in. Studying the major world religions that have shaped the world will surely deepen our understanding of the world that God is working in.
3. Helps us evaluate our own commitment to Christ: As you study people of other faiths, you will be challenged to look at yourself and evaluate your own commitment to Christ. The high level of devotion that many people of other faiths demonstrate should inspire us to pursue Christ with even far greater fervor. Although we might disagree with their theology and many of their practices, we can still learn from other people of faith, be it their discipline, simplicity, devotion, etc.
To be continued…
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