United Kingdom (MNN) — At least eight people have been
arrested over a suspected al Qaeda plot to detonate three car bombs in London
and Scotland in the last few days. This heightens the tensions between Muslims
and the rest of the world. It's something Jack Shiflett of the Association of
Baptist for World Evangelism is concerned about.
Shiflett is concerned that Christians will get caught up in
the tensions. "The believer has to develop a Great Commission mindset and
ask the question, 'what is God doing in the world?' because after all we are a
part of a Kingdom that is much greater than our own country. The church has to
address, what is God doing [and] how can we contribute to that."
According to Shiflett, while radical Islam is making the
news every day, God is doing an incredible work. "Today with all of the
radical Islam going on around the world, there are more Muslims coming to
Christ than in any time in the history of Christian missions, especially in
Europe. Afghans are coming to Christ in great numbers [and] so are
Iranians."
He believes it's because these nations were ruled by radical
Muslim regimes. "Those people in the exterior are asking the question, 'If
this is Islam, I don't want anything to do with it.' Consequently, churches are
being formed. I think Christians have to take hope and pray for their
missionaries and send missionaries, rather than saying, 'let's try to shut them
out — let's make policy, let's hate them.'"
While many today are talking about curtailing Immigration,
Shiflett believes God uses it. "You can't stop that. That's a God thing.
Where He moves people about it's always been that God has something in mind for
the Gospel. He is sovereign in these things. And, rather than being concerned that
some of our culture may change, we need to engage these people as an
opportunity to love them and share Christ with them."
ABWE is planting churches among Muslim background believers
in Europe. Shiflett's prayer is simple.
"It may be that in the grace of God that a former Muslim who would know no
fear, who comes to know Christ, might be able to provoke some of secular Europe
to turn to Christ as they see someone who's not of their culture, but who is
totally in love with Christ, because Europeans today don't know who Jesus
is."
You can help ABWE support pastors and churches in Europe.
Click here to help.
