Our translators have been hard at work again. Thanks to their efforts, we’ve been able to post several new sermons and articles on our site since the beginning of 2008.

Check out newly translated resources in these languages:

• German (Quest for Joy booklet)
• Romanian (5 new sermons)
• Russian (3 new sermons)
• Spanish (22 new sermons)
• Thai (Quest for Joy booklet)
• Finnish (Quest for Joy booklet)

We add translated resources regularly, so check back to find the newest materials.

Find out how you can help with the translation of Desiring God resources.

In March, I went to visit Kenya. I kissed my husband goodbye and left him at home. Or so I thought. But when I got to Kenya, I found him all over the place.

At Moffatt Bible College in Kijabe, for example, the librarian gave me a tour. One set of double doors opened to the textbook closet. Most students can’t afford to buy books for their classes, so here they can check out the required texts for the term. In the center of the center shelf was a stack of The Supremacy of God in Preaching.

Later that week, at a workshop in Old Kijabe Town, Peter heard that I was John Piper’s wife. He turned his smile on me and said, “Missions is not the ultimate goal of the church. Worship is. Missions exists because worship doesn’t. . . . Worship, therefore, is the fuel and goal in missions,” quoting from Let the Nations Be Glad.

Peter is a graduate of Moffatt Bible College and is now the Assistant Pastor at Kijabe Mission Church. I wouldn’t have been surprised by a former student telling me that he appreciated my husband’s book. But I was blown away that a couple of years after Peter completed his missions class, he still could quote word for word from the textbook—that’s impact.

There are things we can do to help our kids love the nations and the cause of Christ, even though a heart and calling for the Great Commission is ultimately something only God can grant. Here are a few ideas from Ryan and Anna, who are currently preparing to serve in Asia with their two young daughters.

1. Pray for missionaries as a family. We keep a stack of prayer cards on the dinner table and rotate through them during mealtime prayers.

2. Read missionary biographies to your children. The stories of Hudson Taylor, Adoniram Judson, William Carey, Gladys Aylward, and other missionary pioneers are captivating ways to orient a child’s heart on the most important things in life.

3. Draw the whole family into supporting missionaries financially. Teach your kids from a young age that being a good steward of their money involves channeling resources toward the the cause of Christ in missions. Older kids can donate some of their lawn mowing and babysitting money. Younger children can earn money doing chores around the house which can be set aside for missionaries.

4. Find your child a missionary kid pen pal. Many children of missionaries around the world would be delighted to get mail from a child their age in their parent’s culture. Your child (and the whole family) will learn valuable insights about living abroad through the eyes of a child. Additionally, when the missionaries visit your church, your child will already have a relationship with the MK and will be able to include them more easily.

5. Entertain missionaries in your home. Inviting missionaries over will be as much of a blessing to your family as to the missionaries. Host them for dinner or for a whole furlough. Build or buy your house with this in mind.

6. Take risks as a family. There are ways to live life which help children grasp the reality that discomfort and suffering are normal and rewarding parts of the Christian experience. Volunteer at a rescue mission; house a single mother; move to the inner-city.

7. Affirm and nurture qualities in your children which could serve them on the mission field. As your children grow in knowledge and skill, encourage them to think about how they could use their gifts in missions work. Then, if God says, “go,” release them to go!

8. Teach your children to be world Christians. Don't expose them to only the American perspective on news and realities around the world. Go out of your way to make them more aware than the average American Christian about geography, world history, and the plights and perspectives of people across the globe.

9. Read missionary prayer letters to your children. Ask them questions about the content and look up facts about the missionaries’ location on the Internet.

10. Use missions fact books and resources such as Operation World, the Global Prayer Digest, the Joshua Project, and Voice of the Martyrs (VOM). Kids of Courage is the youth-oriented arm of VOM and offers activity books, spotlights on the persecuted world, and more.

Most of all, pray every day that your kids will develop hearts that mirror God’s compassion for the nations and love for his glory in them!

You might be aware that in the last few months, significant political changes have been occurring in Pakistan. My friend Joe and his wife just got settled there for long term work in one of its major cities. I asked him to briefly describe his perception of how these political changes are impacting the people and affecting the spread of the Gospel.

He writes,

On March 24 the National Assembly of Pakistan appointed a new prime minister to lead the nation alongside President Pervez Musharraf. The appointment of Makhdoon Yusuf Raza Gilani is considered by many to be a major step toward a more democratic and just government. Whether or not this hope will be fulfilled remains to be seen, but we are thankful to God for the relatively smooth transition of power that has taken place in recent weeks.

Though there is a renewed sense of stability in the higher echelons of government and mild optimism among some Pakistanis, life remains hard for the overwhelming majority of people in this nation. The high cost of food, the constant threat of sickness, and the lack of access to basic services will not disappear quickly. These problems are vast and even a well-performing government will have a difficult time addressing the numerous issues.

Sadly, Pakistanis have been waiting all their lives for better days. Many politicians, leaders, and generals have come in their 60-year history, promising to bring about greater peace, stability, and prosperity. In reality, the people of Pakistan have been left with mostly unfulfilled promises and plans.

On March 23, we celebrated the resurrection. The Apostle Peter writes that the resurrection of Jesus Christ is all about hope: “he has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead” (1 Peter 1:3). Hope is what more than 100 million Pakistanis are desperate for. Many in this nation have given up on things changing for the better and have turned to drugs, religion, or escape to the West. Some have once again decided to put hope in the government to make things right.

Let’s pray, as Paul instructed in 2nd Timothy, for those who are now in high positions of power in Pakistan. Let’s pray that through them God would be pleased to bring greater peace, stability, and prosperity to this nation that has been labeled “The World’s Most Dangerous Place.”

But more than that, let’s pray for the people of Pakistan, and let’s be ready to go and share with them the “living hope” of Jesus Christ. This is a hope that is certain, grounded in both his death and resurrection. And it is a hope that has the power to bring about true joy even in the midst of the most difficult and seemingly hopeless circumstances (1 Pet 1:6).

Making plans for summer? If you’re interested in being completely stretched, battling discouragement, experiencing new kinds of joy, and significantly widening your perspective of God’s heart for the nations, check out some of these short-term opportunities.

• Pioneers
• Frontiers
• Christar
• AIM

These links represent only a few of the many opportunities available. For a longer directory of missions agencies, see Urbana’s list.

Third Culture Kids (TCKs) are children who grow up in a culture other than their parents’. Their “home” culture is the first culture; their “host” culture, the second. And they live in the middle, the “third” culture. TCKs include children of missionaries or other international workers. They face unique struggles in their lives of transition. It’s our privilege as the body of Christ to provide care for them as they join with their parents in God’s call on their lives to be overseas.

Here are 15 ideas from the TCK Advocate at Frontiers on how to love TCKs:

1. Begin a relationship with one—or with a whole family of TCKs. Commit to keeping in touch with them. Many people are in TCK’s lives for only a short time. The long-term people are few and greatly appreciated. Be one of those long-term people.
2. Seek them out when they are “home” visiting your country. Make it a priority to spend time with them when they come back.
3. Learn their names. This may seem small, but many people only know their parents’ names; it is significant to them when people remember their names as well.
4. Listen to them. Ask meaningful questions about their lives.
5. Introduce your kids to them. Encourage them to exchange pictures with each other and send cards and emails to each other when they are apart.
6. Go visit them in their country!
7. Invite a college-age TCK whose parents are overseas to live with you.
8. Invite TCKs who are in your area without their parents to come over for holidays and school breaks. They may need an adopted family. Communicate with their parents and encourage them in their relationship with their parents.
9. Learn about what it’s like to grow up as a TCK. Visit websites like TC Kid or MisLinks.
10. Pray for the TCKs when you pray for their parents. Pray Scripture for the children. Read some suggestions on how to pray for them.
11. Encourage families as they make decisions for educating their children overseas. Many families choose to use local schools so their child can be a part of the culture. Be encouraging and pray that their children will shine for Jesus in their schools. Some find that boarding school is the best option for their children. Other families desire to homeschool their children. Consider sharing your resources with them or visiting a homeschooling fair on their behalf.
12. Consider giving them your frequent flyer miles to help with transportation to and from their two countries.
13. Send quality paperback books to TCKs overseas. Books can be like best friends and will be re-read and shared with others.
14. Don’t be surprised if TCKs do not seem to appreciate your culture like you do. TCKs often feel overwhelmed by all the excesses in American culture. For example, they may feel surprised by the size of grocery stores, how often people eat out, the high cost of entertainment and how often people “splurge,” the lack of modest clothing even in the church, the sensuality in TV shows and movies, and how much people eat in one sitting.
15. Get advice right from the source—ask TCKs what makes them feel loved and supported.

Today in Johannesburg, South Africa, I had lunch with Pastor Tim Cantrell of Honeyridge Baptist Church. Tim and his wife Michelle are from California and have taken up residence here, committing themselves to the ministry of this church. Yesterday an associate here in the region gave me a copy of a short article that Michelle wrote last year. I was touched by the description of their calling to minister in this country.

I could faithfully serve Christ and the gospel in another country. But I wouldn’t expect to reap the same amount of fruit as in a desperate place like Africa: “God chose the poor of this world to be rich in faith and heirs of the kingdom which He promised to those who love Him.” (James 2:5). People here see their need for the Great Physician. People are suffering. We have the cure that they are asking for. The gospel (a biblical worldview) is the ultimate cure for AIDS and poverty and crime. In more western countries, people are deceptively self-sufficient and hardened to the gospel. Why not stay where the harvest is ripe and the workers are few?

Read the full article (PDF).

Dear John,

Thanks again for posting my first response to your thoughts about "A Common Word" on your website and for further engaging with me about these crucial issues! Here is my second response to your article, "How Shall We Love Our Muslim Neighbor?"

My goal (or “end game”) is the same as yours, John—to communicate the good news about the person and work of Jesus through word and deed to Muslims. Thus, I believe that both of us agree on apostolic doctrine—the faith once for all delivered to the saints.

I agree with you on apostolic doctrine, but I am also concerned (as I am sure you must be as well) for apostolic practice. I believe that it was Paul’s apostolic practice to find a point of contact and build bridges in order to share apostolic doctrine. As I said in my first response, I try to model my approach to Muslims after the Apostle Paul’s approach to the Athenians in Acts 17.

The idolatry of the Athenians incensed Paul’s monotheistic heart—“His spirit was being provoked within him as he was observing the city full of idols” (Acts 17:16). Nevertheless, his passion for apostolic doctrine, did not keep him from a gracious, bridge-building approach to the Athenian heart. After winning their attention, Paul noticed an altar (not an idol) “to an unknown God.” This altar was an admission on the part of the intellectual Athenians that their knowledge of the supernatural was incomplete. Paul had found his point of contact. With a note of apostolic authority, he exclaimed, “What therefore you worship in ignorance, this I proclaim to you” (v 23).

Paul then “starts with his hearers’ belief in an impersonal divine essence, pantheistically conceived, and leads them to the Living God revealed as Creator and Judge.” (F.F. Bruce. The Acts of the Apostles, p. 336). In other words, it is apostolic practice to meet people where they are—to find a starting point—to build a bridge.

Certainly Athenian worship was not “genuine” worship, nor was it worship of the “true” God. But Paul did not say “your worship is not genuine!” Paul does not try to set them straight on every point of theology. This is evangelistic discourse, not theological discourse, so Paul seeks to build a bridge and focuses on proclaiming the proper object of their worship.

(Please note: unlike the polytheistic Athenians, Muslims already worship God as the One Living God—Creator and Judge of the Universe.)

Paul not only uses an altar as a bridge, but also quotes from two Greek poets, Aratus and Epimenides, to support his belief in God’s immanence and our sonship:

He is not far from each one of us; for in him we live, move and exist, as even some of your own poets have said, ‘for we also are his offspring.’ (Acts 17:27-28)

In their original context, these quotes refer to Zeus. It is worth noting that the Greeks’ conception of Zeus was much more foreign to the biblical view of God than the Muslims’ conception of God.

I do not think that Paul believed these quotations carried all the truth content of the biblical doctrines of “God’s immanence,” “adoption,” or “sonship.” But Paul used it because it was a point of contact and a bridge. He was not engaging in theological discourse in this passage (as he does in Romans or Galatians), but rather initial evangelistic discourse. Initial evangelistic discourse (including what missiologists call “pre-evangelism”—the teaching of truths that ultimately lead to the full and clear proclamation of the gospel, often does not use a lot of nuance and in-depth clarification like theological discourse.)

Paul was amazingly positive to these polytheistic idolators. He did everything he could to meet them where they were and take them where they needed to be. He even built what some evangelicals might think were “dubious” or “risky” evangelistic bridges—using the altar as a starting point and quoting the poets to explain truth.

(Please note: bridges are built to walk over some gulf or body of water to get to a certain destination. The destination of an evangelistic bridge is to help people grasp the person and work of Jesus).

Thus, in light of Paul’s apostolic practice described in Acts 17, I made the following statements:

I do not hesitate to refer to the God of the Bible as Allah, since Arab Christians before and after the birth of Islam use the term Allah to describe the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Christian and Muslim views of God are similar in that we both worship the one true God, creator of the heavens and the earth. We both believe this God will judge all peoples at the end of history. We both believe this God has sent His prophets into the world to guide His people. Christians and Muslim views of God differ primarily regarding the Fatherhood of God, the Trinity, and especially regarding the life, teaching, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ.

I believe that Muslims worship the true God. But I also believe that their view of God falls short of His perfections and beauty as described in the Bible. Thus, I try to model my approach to Muslims after the apostle Paul who said to the Athenians: “What you worship in ignorance, this I proclaim to you (Acts 17:23).”

Muslim background believers all over the world testify that they were previously worshiping God in ignorance and now they have come to know him in Jesus Christ.

It seems you fastened onto one statement in this explanation, "I believe that Muslims worship the true God," without regard for the context which was clearly nuanced and which clearly stated the differences between Muslim and Christian beliefs. Secondly, you implied that my statement gives Muslims false hope.

Let me respond to both points.

1. When I write public statements I assume that Muslims will read what I say. I have every reason to believe they do and will. I seek to write with them in mind. I see this as apostolic practice in a globalized world.
   
   
2. Re: giving Muslims false hope. I have dedicated my life to sharing Jesus with Muslims. I do not believe that my statement, taken in context, would in any way give Muslims false hope, and I think I have a fair understanding of Muslims.
   
   
3. By contrast, strong statements about the gospel given without regard for Muslim worldview or sensitivities can give evangelists a false sense of assurance that they have carried out their task, when in fact they have prematurely turned off their Muslim neighbors because they did not take time to love them and build bridges. In this context, Muslims are not rejecting Christ, but a misunderstanding of Christ. This is an example of people affirming apostolic doctrine without following apostolic practice.
   
   
4. I believe that anyone who affirms monotheism—whether Muslim, Jew, Sikh or Tribal—are worshiping the true God. How can it be otherwise, since there is only one God? But I hasten to add that these monotheists are worshiping in ignorance and they are not saved. I like how the Masai Creed from Africa describes this: “We have known this High God in darkness, and now we know Him in the light.”
   
   So the issue is, how do you come to know this true God personally resulting in salvation and everlasting life? The answer, of course, is the gospel.
   
   
5. Suppose a monotheist sincerely seeks to love, honor, and serve God. I think the story of Cornelius (Acts 10) describes what will happen. Ultimately, God will bring a follower of Christ to the sincere monotheist so they can hear and respond to the good news about Jesus.

John, I affirm both apostolic doctrine and apostolic practice. Thank you again for challenging me and for giving me a chance to respond.

Yours for the sake of following apostolic practice and proclaiming apostolic doctrine among all peoples, including Muslims,

Rick

Rick Love is the former International Director for Frontiers and is presently on sabbatical as a Post Doctoral Fellow in the Yale Reconciliation Program.

During the last few days, I've been visiting with several Zambians who pastor churches in the urban ‘compounds’ of Lusaka. These pastors face many challenges in leading their congregations including poverty, strong cultural traditions, AIDS and other diseases.

I am staying with a mission team that is working to provide theological training for these men. In this particular case, we stopped in to see their small library where they try to have books available for pastors to use for Biblical training and study. In browsing the shelves I came upon a title you might recognize:

Recently I was challenged by this quote from the Lausanne Willowbank Report: Consultation on Gospel and Culture:

We believe that the principal key to persuasive Christian communication is to be found in the communicators themselves and what kind of people they are. It should go without saying that they need to be people of Christian faith, love, and holiness. That is, they must have a personal and growing experience of the transforming power of the Holy Spirit, so that the image of Jesus Christ is ever more clearly seen in their character and attitudes.

Above all else we desire to see in them, and especially in ourselves, "the meekness and gentleness of Christ" (2 Cor. 10:1), in other words, the humble sensitivity of Christ's love….

First, there is the humility to acknowledge the problem which culture presents, and not to avoid or over-simplify it. As we have seen, different cultures have strongly influenced the biblical revelation, ourselves, and the people to whom we go. As a result, we have several personal limitations in communicating the gospel. For we are prisoners (consciously or unconsciously) of our own culture, and our grasp of the cultures both of the Bible and of the country in which we serve is very imperfect. It is the interaction between all these cultures which constitutes the problem of communication; it humbles all who wrestle with it.

Secondly, there is the humility to take the trouble to understand and appreciate the culture of those to whom we go. It is this desire which leads naturally into that true dialogue "whose purpose is to listen sensitively in order to understand." We repent of the ignorance which assumes that we have all the answers and that our only role is to teach. We have very much to learn. We repent also of judgmental attitudes. We know we should never condemn or despise another culture, but rather respect it. We advocate neither the arrogance which imposes our culture on others, nor the syncretism which mixes the gospel with cultural elements incompatible with it, but rather a humble sharing of the good news—made possible by the mutual respect of a genuine friendship.

In the International Outreach breakout session this morning, Monroe Brewer, international director at the Center for Church Based Training, gave us a history lesson spanning about a thousand years. He told us the story of the Moravian church, beginning with the translation of the whole Bible into their language by Cyril and Methodius in the 800's and ending with the renewal of the church through the ministries of Count Zinzendorf and Christian David in the 1700's.

The perseverance of this church despite significant hardship can be linked to how they continued to successfully pass on their beliefs and values to their kids. So Brewer drew from this story several lessons regarding the education of children:

• A child's brain is meant to be used. Respecting children includes taking their minds seriously.
• Parents are the best teachers for their children. When others are involved in kids' education, it is still the parents responsibility.
• Moral discipline follows mental discipline.
• Children are special objects of Christ's concern. They have gifts like faith, humility, curiosity, and memory that adults have often largely grown out of.
• Music is a significant teaching tool. It is often better to sing than to lecture.
• Preparing a child to go on the mission field begins at birth or sooner through prayer.
• Though not everyone will be missionaries, everyone should be prepared to be.

He mentioned at the end that he has a list of missions activities for kids. When I get a hold of these, I will be sure to post them.

How does a group of Westerners develop curriculum relevant to non-Western cultures? A few of us on the International Outreach team have been grappling with this question. We’ve started to plan and dream about writing non-formal curriculum for training indigenous church leaders, based on Piper sermon manuscripts.

Part of our education has been to read Teaching Cross-Culturally: An Incarnational Model for Learning and Teaching, by Judith and Sherwood Lingenfelter. In this short and practical book, the authors present principles and field experiences useful to anyone doing international missions work. I highly recommend it.

Here are several cross-cultural teaching methods the book describes:

Observation and Imitation
Learners watch a skill in practice for an extended period before attempting it. Usually they don’t ask questions but simply watch. Teachers rehearse the steps over and over for the learners.

Experiential Learning
Learners engage in cycles of experiencing, reflecting, abstracting, and experimenting. They participate in “doing,” which involves trial and error. The power of experiential learning lies in its unpredictability, its simulation of experiences people are likely to encounter, and the creation of a controlled context for action, reflection, and learning.

Rote Learning
This learning style is typically used for learning proverbs, songs, and stories that come from a concrete body of knowledge. Many learners believe that oral stories are more accurate than written ones because they are repeated by a number of trustworthy sources rather than written down by only one. Teachers often discourage questions.

Incarnational Teaching
Good teaching in a traditional culture necessarily involves becoming a Christ-like servant who invests time in cultivating relationships with students.

Group Learning
Many traditional cultures accomplish tasks through the efforts of the whole family and the whole community. Traditional learners often prefer group learning because it tends to provide ‘cover’ for those who don’t know the answers, while Western learners are often more individualistic.

Context
Many traditional learners learn by observing and practicing a specific skill in a specific context. They may have difficulty applying these skills to a different situation.

Mentoring
In many traditional cultures, the most effective learning situation occurs when a skilled “master” works personally with an individual learner. This person connotes superiority and authority in the context of a caring, reciprocal personal relationship. The master must have a highly respected level of personal character.

Questions
Western learners are accustomed to working toward abstract questions. Traditional learners think more concretely and desire to find the “right” answer. Children in traditional cultures are often taught not to question older people in authority.

Story-telling
Using narratives is one of the most effective ways of reaching traditional learners.

There are as many answers to this question as there are ways to do good and not wrong. “Love does no wrong to a neighbor” (Romans 13:10). “Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things” (1 Corinthians 13:4). Here are some things that, it seems to me, need to be emphasized in our day.

1. Pray the fullest blessing of Christ on them whether they love you or not.
2. Do good to them in practical ways that meet physical needs.
3. Do not retaliate when personally wronged.
4. Live peaceably with them as much as it depends on you.
5. Pursue their joyful freedom from sin and from condemnation by telling them the truth of Christ.
6. Earnestly desire that they join you in heaven with the Father by showing them the way, Jesus Christ.
7. Seek to comprehend the meaning of what they say, so that your affirmations or criticisms are based on true understanding, not distortion or caricature.
8. Warn them with tears that those who do not receive Jesus Christ as the crucified and risen Savior who takes away the sins of the world will perish under the wrath of God.
9. Don’t mislead them or give them false hope by saying, “Muslims worship the true God.”

Read the whole article.

Sometimes I fall into thinking of abortion as an American issue, or worse, an American political issue. Most of the stats I read, after all, are about abortions in this country. And when I consider voting for a candidate, one of my first questions is "Are they pro-life?"

So I find it helpful to remind myself that abortion is not American and it is most certainly not primarily political. Those stats are kids, not numbers. And the kids are from many colors, cultures, and countries.

Life International is a ministry that actively remembers that abortion is a world-wide scourge. They note,

Abortions in the U.S. and Canada (1.4 million) amount to 3% of abortions worldwide. And while the U.S. and Canada have 2,500 pregnancy centers to counteract 3% of abortions, the rest of the world has 600 centers for 97% of abortions.

So their mission is to "help nationals establish LIFE ministries wherever abortion exists in the world." And they do this ultimately for Jesus, knowing that both physical and eternal life are important.

Like every mission, they need us, the church. With our time, our money, and our prayers, we can be a part of seeing "lives saved physically and transformed spiritually ... in the mission field created by abortion."

Last week, we posted a video of John Piper discussing "A Common Word," a letter to Christians from Muslim scholars, and expressing his disappointment with the response to it that over 300 Christian leaders signed.

In the video, John mentions that he has friends among those who signed. We contacted some of them to ask if they would be willing to provide their rationale.

Rick Love, former International Director for Frontiers, has responded. (Please note that this is his personal response, not representative of Frontiers.)

* * *

Why I Signed the Yale Response to “A Common Word”

By Rick Love

Thank you, John, for inviting me to respond to your recent comments on the Yale Response to the Common Word. I am honored. I pray for you often and continue to learn much from you (during a recent three-day spiritual retreat, I spent time reading and listening to your sermons).

After listening to your response, I realize that I too might have been disappointed by the Yale response if I had only read the two documents. However, I have just begun as a Post Doctoral Fellow at Yale (as a part of my sabbatical). In the providence of God, I have been led to work in the Yale Reconciliation Program to help facilitate their response to the Common Word.

I am writing a personal response using a Q&A format. I neither represent Frontiers, fellow signatories, nor Yale.

Q: Does a commitment to the Common Word dialogue mean that the signatories are renouncing evangelism?

A: The Yale response itself neither promotes nor renounces evangelism. It merely responds to an invitation to dialogue. The signatories of the Yale response represent a broad spectrum of Christian belief. Because of this, some signatories may perceive dialogue as a substitute for evangelism. I understand dialogue as the context for witness.

This is the beginning of a conversation (a number of dialogues are being planned). Lord willing, this conversation will lead to peacemaking and hopefully provide an opportunity to share the good news about Jesus cordially and graciously. The framers of the Yale response and I agree with the Lausanne Covenant: “Our Christian presence in the world is indispensable to evangelism, and so is that kind of dialogue whose purpose is to listen sensitively in order to understand. But evangelism itself is the proclamation of the historical, biblical Christ as Saviour and Lord” (#4 The Nature of Evangelism).

Q: Shouldn’t the basis of our dialogue with Muslims center on the person and work of Christ rather than the command to love God and neighbor?

A: The Common Word and Yale response merely articulate the starting point for dialogue. The command to love God and neighbor provides a strong theological bridge that both parties can affirm. This is only a first step, but it is a big step.

What I said above is worthy repeating: I expect to bear witness graciously and cordially about Jesus Christ. I expect Muslims to bear witness to their own distinctive beliefs as well.

Q: Does the Qur’an really emphasize love as the Bible does? Is the description of Islam in the Common Word accurate?

A: It is true that I would not interpret Islam as it is described in the Common Word. I do not see love as being the heart of the message of the Qur’an. But who am I to tell Muslim leaders how to interpret their faith? If the Muslim leaders of the world want to put love at the center—as the touchstone of true religion—then we should be delighted. If love is the touchstone, then Jesus becomes irresistibly attractive. Furthermore, if the Muslim leaders of the world want to say to their fellow Muslims, “Your chief duty toward Christians is to love them,” we should be delighted. If the Muslim leaders want to say (as they do twice in their letter) that freedom of religion is important, we should be overjoyed.

Q: The Common Word asserts that love for God and neighbor is the common ground between Muslims and Christians. But is the Muslim understanding of love and the Christian understanding of love really the same?

A: There seems to be significant differences between Muslims and Christians regarding the meaning of love. But the best way to clarify these differences is through dialogue. It appears to me that the Qur’anic concept of God’s love is conditional, whereas the biblical concept of love is unconditional. Thus, there needs to be serious theological and exegetical reflection together on that question for us to move forward in any substantive way.

Q: The Yale Response seems to imply that Allah is the same God that Christians worship. Is this true?

A: I do not hesitate to refer to the God of the Bible as Allah, since Arab Christians before and after the birth of Islam use the term Allah to describe the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Christian and Muslim views of God are similar in that we both worship the one true God, creator of the heavens and the earth. We both believe this God will judge all peoples at the end of history. We both believe this God has sent His prophets into the world to guide His people. Christian and Muslim views of God differ primarily regarding the Fatherhood of God, the Trinity, and especially regarding the life, teaching, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ.

I believe that Muslims worship the true God. But I also believe that their view of God falls short of His perfections and beauty as described in the Bible. Thus, I try to model my approach to Muslims after the apostle Paul who said to the Athenians: “What you worship in ignorance, this I proclaim to you" (Acts 17:23).

Muslim background believers all over the world testify that they were previously worshiping God in ignorance and now they have come to know him in Jesus Christ.

Q: What do you hope to gain from this dialogue?

A: As noted in our response, peaceful relations between Muslims and Christians stand as one of the central challenges of this century. The Yale response and upcoming dialogues take seriously God’s admonition to us through Paul: “If possible, so far as it depends on you, be at peace with all people” (Rom. 12:18).

Thus, in obedience to God, the pursuit of peace becomes a major focus of this dialogue. In addition, I pray that our Muslim neighbors will see the beauty of Jesus in us and learn more about Jesus from us.

One of my Muslim friends was offended recently. Two Jehovah’s Witnesses had visited his family a few times and had spent hours telling his family about their religious group and their views.

In return, my friend’s family offered to give the women information about Islam. The two women agreed to come back and learn more. My friend and his family put a great deal of time and effort into collecting useful information for them.

However, after some time, only one woman came back. And even though she showed up, she showed little interest in discussing Islam. Not surprisingly, my friend had zero interest in her religion either.

Granted, I wouldn’t be excited about him becoming a Jehovah’s Witness, so I’m not too disappointed he was turned off to them. But I want to make sure I don’t come across the same way.

Proverbs 18:19 says, “A brother offended is more unyielding than a strong city.”

Should we tiptoe around with sealed lips to avoid offense? Definitely not. But the cross should be the only stumbling block, not our refusal to listen well. By showing respect through our willingness to listen to Muslims’ thoughts, we may also earn their respect. If we listen to their message, they are far more likely to listen to ours.

I bet you’d be surprised just how willing a Muslim friend or co-worker would be to have a conversation with you about your faith in God when you ask him about his.

Most of us are not called to leave our home and move our families around the world to minister to unreached peoples. But that means we are called to support those who do.

Frontiers is currently raising money to send 50 new teams to unreached Muslims. Their U.S. director, Bob Blincoe, writes in his latest newsletter,

In partnership with churches across America, Frontiers' goal is to send, in the next five years, new church planting teams to 50 "unengaged" Muslim people groups of 100,000 or more. ... By unengaged, I mean they are not only unreached, but entirely without any effective church planting work.

The money they raise will cover the costs of "recruiting, training, deployment, on-field supervision and coaching, member care, technology and communications support, and other vital services."

Any gifts given by the end of the year will be doubled by a matching grant.

Were you unable to send a Christmas present or care package to some missionaries you love this season? It’s okay. You can still bless a missionary this Christmas.

[Update: It goes without saying, but I'll say it anyway—even though Christmas is past, these ideas can still encourage our friends overseas. Let's keep serving them all year long!]

Here are 13 post-office-free ideas to get you started, most of which you could do right now from your desk:

• Pray specific Scripture for them and their ministry, and then email it to them.
• Call or email their parents—Christmas might be just as lonely for the ones at home as the ones away.
• Purchase phone minutes for an international calling card through an online service like OneSuite and email them the account number.
• Donate frequent flier miles to them.
• Purchase an iTunes gift card for them. Have it sent to you and email them the account number.
• Commit to pray for them on a specific day of the week for a year.
• Write a song or poem or story for them. Email them the text and a recording of you reading or singing it.
• Get friends and family together to create a holiday video greeting for them using Google Video or YouTube. Include lots of people you know they miss.
• Make a year-end gift through their missions board or agency.
• Western Union—the fastest way to send money.
• Call their local florist (not everyone is in the jungle these days) and have flowers delivered, or their local Pizza Hut and have pizza delivered—with corn and shrimp as toppings!
• Donate to a charity that means a lot to them.
• Make a monthly commitment to support them financially.

If you have your own ideas, respond to this post and let us know what they are. Maybe next year we can offer 50 suggestions, or 100.

(Remember to use discernment in written or video communication if your missionaries work in security-sensitive locations.)

Open Source Mission, a new web-based translation effort, has become a wonderful partner for DG International Outreach during the past year.

One of our top objectives is to grow the number of Piper sermons available in as many languages as possible and post them online for free access. Andre Yee, the founder of OSM, has a great vision to engage in a massive translation effort incorporating the writings of a number of authors. International Outreach and OSM will be sharing our translated resources for the purpose of global spreading of God-centered content.

If you are engaged in a non-English field of ministry, hopefully over time you will begin to see more translations that you may be able to use. Or you can actually help us create resources by getting involved in the translation.

Here’s a brief summary from Andre of what OSM is working to accomplish:

Open Source Mission is a ministry focused on making gospel-centric, biblically sound materials accessible to as many languages as possible through developing a network of volunteer translators throughout the world. Together with partners like Sovereign Grace Ministries, Desiring God, and 9Marks, OSM has launched the Gospel Translations Project, an initiative translate and publish biblically sound materials on a wikipedia type website called gospeltranslations.org.

Since officially launching in September, OSM has gathered a database of over 100 translators, nearly 50 of whom are actively at work translating books and articles into several different languages, including Indonesian, Chinese, Arabic, Italian, Spanish, Korean and Russian.

If you’re a bilingual Christian, please consider lending your language skills as a translator or reviewer. Contact Andrew at Open Source Mission to find out how to get started.

I first traveled to Romania as a short-term missionary in 1987. The cruel Communist dictator Nicolae Ceauşescu was still exerting control over the public and private lives of the Romanian citizens. Christians who refused to deny their love for Christ, “choosing rather to be mistreated with the people of God,” suffered much. In those days, communication between Romanian believers and western missionaries was greatly hampered by the secret police.

However, on Christmas Day, 1989, all that changed when the regime was overthrown.

Before that, it might have taken months for me to successfully pass on information to a pastor. Now, with a simple click of a computer key, it is accomplished in seconds. The internet is one of the most powerful ways we are able to spread a passion for God’s supremacy in all things for the joy of all peoples (in this case, Romanian people) through Jesus Christ.

Nearly two years have passed since the last time we posted a Romanian translation of a Piper sermon. We are pleased to announce that we just received two new Romanian sermon translations, thanks to our translation team in Bucharest.

We give honor, praise and glory to God!

Join me for a few minutes of amazement in this article. It is the story of the birth of the department of International Outreach at Desiring God. Things have developed so fast and so amazingly that I can’t keep up. But let’s get some glimpses so you can rejoice and pray and—who knows—maybe go somewhere you never dreamed...

Read the rest of the article.

Seven years ago Augustine Bookroom launched in South Africa with a vision to put sound evangelical and reformed literature into the hands of as many people as possible. Since then, the Pretoria-based bookseller has distributed God-centered materials in South Africa, Namibia, Botswana, Zimbabwe, and other African countries. Augustine Bookroom provides a cost-effective way for individuals, seminaries, counseling institutions, and other groups in Africa to purchase Christian resources including many from Desiring God.

Do you live outside the United States and encounter difficulty in getting our resources shipped to you?  View our list of international booksellers to see whether one of these distributors might be a more convenient ordering option for you.

I want to draw your attention to some Portuguese resources we added to our site. Thanks to our great friends at FIEL in Brazil, we’ve posted a series of messages that John Piper did in Brazil back in the early 90’s. It includes video of live translation as well as some interesting hairstyles. :)

Here’s a note from my friend Rick Denham at FIEL:

In October of 1994 we had the joy of hosting John Piper at the FIEL ( Faithful) Conference for Training Pastors in Brazil. Its exciting to see how the seeds sown at this event have grown to impact all of the Portuguese-speaking world. We at FIEL publications and conferences are excited about what our brothers at Desiring God, International Outreach are doing to make the Gospel accessible via the Internet.... We hope that, whether you find yourself in Portugal, Africa, or Brazil, the Lord will use these messages to both challenge and equip you as you seek to spread a passion for His glory to all peoples!

Prosperity gospel teaching in Africa continues to concern many lovers of God-exalting, biblical theology. Pastor Vincent lived in Africa for several years, teaching and preaching the Scriptures. He often felt “alone in the camp” in the midst of the rising popularity of prosperity gospel preachers. However, deeply convicted by Edwards, Bunyan, and others, Pastor Vincent continued to persevere in teaching the whole counsel of the Gospel.

Recently, he returned to visit South Africa and nearby countries with copies of Desiring God and For Your Joy to distribute to pastors and lay people. He longs for the people of these areas to combat the glittery deception of prosperity gospel with solid and beautiful Truth.

Do you know anyone working in or traveling to prosperity gospel-influenced areas of Africa? Consider supplying them with copies of For Your Joy or other books to distribute there. May the joy found in Jesus Christ be shown to be far greater than any material wealth acquired on earth!