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Experiencing the God’s kingdom at work in the Muslim world: A story fromone of our members working in Asia:(names and places have been edited)

I was asked by a 29 year old father of a 2 year old to share with him about Jesus

and the teachings of the Gospels since he had no friends who knew about thesethings – he speaks very clear English, so I was reluctant (I know it will be hard for you to believe that I would be since he asked), but I have a personal rule not tospeak in English to locals. However, this was one of those moments I didn’t wantto miss and as I prayed I sensed I should respond to him, but not how he askedme to.

We sat down and had chai at my house, and he began to tell me again why hewanted to learn about Jesus who he said he loves so much as all Muslims do.We talked more and then it moved into a Q&A about why I wasn’t a Muslim. I toldhim I wouldn’t argue point for point these things because he needed to hear 

about Jesus in a deep and clear way in his own language not in English. I thentold him after he asked me to share with him, I prayed because I always seek tohear the voice of God in every situation and I have found that the Spirit of Godspeaks to me if I will only listen. I told him that, “ As I prayed I sensed the Spiritof God tell me not to just sit and talk about the gospel of Jesus, but to goexperience it. We were not to just read about the kingdom of God, we weresupposed to go out and see it.” Then I said, “Lets read Matt 10:1-16” (which isJesus sending out the 72 ahead of him – please read now.) So we read it and Isaid, “Ok, let’s go to the train station and pray for the sick, raise the dead, andcast out demons and proclaim that the kingdom of God is near.” He asked meagain why we didn’t just sit there and talk about it – in fact this was the first timehe had ever touched a New Testament – although it was only an English one. Ipromised to find a version for him in his language, but today wasn’t for reading,but for prayerfully obeying the spirit of God. I told him I needed to obey what Iknow God told me to do, even if he didn’t feel comfortable. On the contrary, hesaid ok, if God spoke to you, let’s go. So I emptied my pockets, I told him tosince that was Jesus’ direction, but he kept some money. I kept out 10$ for thetaxi and we headed out. We talked the whole way to the train station and I wasable to share not only about the distinctives of Jesus, but also the atonementwhich I believe is at the core of a kingdom centric theology.

We made it to the station and prayed with our hands lifted palms up, Islamic styleand then started walking through the station. I picked the train station because

 just like in my home country, this is a place where the desperate, downtrodden,and lots of beggars hang out. We found a middle aged man named Sandeepwhose hands and feet were shriveled up like a dried up piece of wood. I askedhim where he had pain, and how we could pray for him, and my friend said this inUrdu. We talked a bit more, and then I prayed in the power and name of Jesus.My friend then urged Sandeep to consider that God was one (note that this is justas important to us as monotheists as it is to the Islamic monotheists). We moved

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on and met another man, a Muslim from where all the flooding recentlyhappened, but he wanted nothing to do with God. So my friend chastised him for not praying in the mosque and abandoning God – or at least that is what he toldme he said. Anyways, this is why I need to learn the language, but we stillbenefited so much from doing this activity of the kingdom together. He had never 

prayed that someone would be healed of a palsy, and he had never heardsomeone pray in Jesus’ name. So even though at this point he is still trying toencourage people to come o Islam, I heard a few words in this direction that Ionly partially understand, we still did the same things Jesus sent out the 72 to dobefore his death, burial, and resurrection, which allowed for the atoning sacrificefor sins. I think these kingdom activities (following Jesus as he saves, heals, anddelivers) are a precursor to understanding atonement, not just amazing miraclesJesus did and we shouldn’t attempt by his power. To separate the atonement assomething solely the “gospel” or only proclaiming it is missing the kingdom in mymind, so I am trying to practice both.

I know it will be confusing for you why I didn’t correct him when my friend begantrying to convert the man to Islam, but honestly I didn’t want to argue in English,and I prayed for healing in Jesus’ name – so when my language is better we cancover this. Until then, monotheism is a big step, who knows what is going on inhis heart. So I figured since I could not speak directly to this man, his healingwould be a better witness to the grace of God than the call to Islam.

On our way home we talked about what happened, we stopped at a mosque andprayed, we went to his brass shop and saw his factory. I found out he wants totake on another wife as a polygamist which is lawful in Islam if you have no morethan 3 or 4 I forget.

 All in all this was quite a journey, and I felt in the end that I was able to show himthe activities of the Kingdom and share the gospel in action. I don’t know howoften I want to get together with this guy until my language is further along, and Imay have lost him as an local language speaking friend (it’s harder to switch tothe local language after you have started in English), but that remains to be seen.

What is your response to this?

What were the key elements of this workers thought process?