Introduction

What does it mean to “convert” from one thing to another? I myself have “converted” many times in my life: from an old computer with a Windows XP operating system to a new computer using Windows Vista; from the Adidas brand of running shoes to New Balance; from Coke Classic to Coke Zero; from a dial-up internet connection to broadband and so on. Oh, and I also once converted to Jesus Christ.

But what, indeed, does it mean to convert to Jesus? Those of us who are in the business of religion (and I say this in the good sense)?whether as scholars or as pastors or as missionaries?are in the religious business precisely because we were converted. And now we are attempting?directly or indirectly?to convert others, to help them come to a decision to have a relationship with Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord. We who are of the evangelical persuasion usually refer to this decision as one’s “conversion experience” and we oftentimes link this experience to a specific time in one’s life. Questions like this?“When did you accept Jesus into your heart?” or “When were you saved?”?refer to this conversion as a point of time concept. For example, because of God’s grace, I am able to say that I received Jesus into my heart on April 17, 1966 at 9:45 in the morning. I happen to be able to remember my conversion experience as a precise point in time. But I have other Christian friends who cannot remember a specific time; in their words they have “loved Jesus ever since I was a little child.” For them there was no one point where they went from unbelief to belief. Can a person really have a relationship with Jesus without a specific point of time that they can look back to and with all assurance say that they became a Christian on such-and-such a date? Still other evangelical Christian friends of mine describe their conversion experience more in terms of a process. For some it was a process over a long period of time when they were searching for meaning in their lives and eventually Jesus was the one who met their need for ultimate meaning. Still others see their conversion as a process of many small steps of faith in God prior to their ultimate belief in Jesus. So is conversion a point in time, a process, or a combination of both? This question of what conversion is has great implications both for our evangelistic efforts as well as for how we disciple those who convert, especially in the Asian context.

Now please don’t misunderstand me. There is nothing wrong with the point of conversion method in and of itself. I myself have used point of conversion strategies (Four Spiritual Laws, Evangelism Explosion, crusade evangelism participation, and so on) to lead people to the Lord. I also firmly believe that all people in all cultures need to come to the realization at some point in their lives of their need for Jesus as their Savior and Lord. We must all realize, furthermore, that conversion, no matter the method, is not up to us, it is the action of the Holy Spirit in the life of the unbeliever. We are merely God’s instruments blessed with the opportunity to help unbelievers discover who Jesus Christ really is.

Nevertheless, I do believe that we must re-examine the popular dominant understanding of conversion as a point in time, especially in the Asian context.[1] I say this for two reasons.

First, the conversion as point in time method tends to treat all potential believers as individuals who are concerned with some of the same religious issues as Westerners: concern, for example, with the gap between their sin and God (Four Spiritual Laws), or concern over whether or not they will be in heaven if they were to die tonight (Evangelism Explosion). Most Asians just aren’t concerned about such matters, or at least not very concerned (and it may well be argued that many Westerners today aren’t much concerned about such issues either). Rather, Asians from a Muslim, Hindu or Buddhist background have other religious issues that concern them.

Second, the conversion as point method almost totally disregards God’s previous workings in the potential believer’s life, culture or even religion. For the point in time evangelizer, time is of the essence and it is paramount that the targeted individual come to a point of decision for Jesus now. Such disregard of God’s previous workings oftentimes causes a disconnect between the decision that may be made and the new believer’s present culture and religious orientation. Shallow converts[2] often result. Why? Because new believers with such a disconnect often don’t know how to keep those neutral cultural and religious parts of who they are and incorporate those parts into their new-found faith. These new believers fail to understand that they don’t have to give up all of their culture or previous religious practices in order to become a follower of Jesus Christ. Unfortunately, many national pastors and foreign missionaries ministering in Asia oftentimes don’t consider these matters either. They?like the Judaizers in the book of Acts?fail to understand that a new believer doesn’t have to give up his or her culture or previous religious beliefs if they are not in conflict with the Truth of Christianity.

I believe that there is another way. In this paper I will argue that elements of God’s truth may be found in religions outside of Christianity and that new believers do not need to abandon those truth elements in order to become Christians; in other words new believers do not have to give up elements of their own culture that do not go against the truth of Jesus. This more positive view of the new Christian’s previous religion and current culture has enormous implications for Christian evangelistic efforts. Many of these evangelistic efforts, while emphasizing correct Bible content, primarily seek after a point of conversion usually without reference to the truth found in the religion of the potential believers. And then if these evangelistic efforts follow up with a discipleship process it is oftentimes one that emphasizes correct Christian conduct and forces new believers to turn away from their culture. I also will argue that an emphasis upon relationship with the non-Christian?a relationship that values his or her religion and culture and seeks to build upon the work that the Holy Spirit has already done in that religion and culture and in that non-Christian’s life?is perhaps a better method of conversion than the dominant conversion as point method. Furthermore, I will argue that the discipleship process, in like manner, needs to be one that values the new believer’s previous religion and current culture?rather than one that only emphasizes correct Bible content and correct Christian conduct?is the key to Christian conversion and discipleship: relationship with followers of Jesus; relationship with Jesus himself; and relationship with Jesus in fellowship with other Jesus followers. A brief critique of the Insider Movement within Islam, in light of the above, will conclude this paper.

God’s Truth, Christianity and Other Religions

Let’s turn first to our understanding of Christianity in relationship to other religions and religious views, since such an understanding directly impacts subsequent evangelistic efforts in those contexts. Why turn here first when examining conversion and discipleship? Because many of us who call ourselves Christians have the notion that somehow we have a corner on God’s truth. Somewhere we have gotten the idea into our Christian heads that God has revealed His truth in a special way to us only and uniquely, and not to those who we call non-Christians. Now, of course, God did reveal Himself to us Christians specially through Jesus and through the Holy Spirit and through the Bible. So to a certain extent this notion of ours is true. But my contention is that God does not reveal Himself to us only. Rather, He is at work in all cultures and all religions, attempting to draw every individual to a fuller understanding of Himself. Our Christian concept of general revelation proves that indeed God is not stingy in revealing Himself, that He is revealing Himself even to those of other religions who hold views contrary to Christianity.

The following Venn diagram, in Figure 1, shows the relationship between God’s Truth, Christianity, and Other Religions.[3] The three areas found in this diagram?God’s Truth, Christianity, and Other Religions?show that there are both sections of common overlap and sections of uniqueness.

Section 1 shows those elements of God’s Truth that are found in Christianity but not in the Other Religions, such as a belief that Jesus Christ is the only way to heaven, or the belief that Jesus is God’s only begotten son. Section 2 shows those elements of Christianity that are found within Christianity but that are nevertheless outside of God’s Truth, such as the overtly syncretistic components of modern Christmas and Easter celebrations, or, for example, the belief of many American Christians that the United States is God’s chosen nation. Section 3 shows those elements of God’s Truth found both in the Other Religions and Christianity, such as the common animistic view of atonement through blood sacrifice, or Zen Buddhism’s emphasis on seeking after religious enlightenment and truth through meditation, or the Hindu belief that all life is sacred. Note that these areas of commonality are not ones dealing with salvation issues; only Jesus Christ is truth unto salvation. Section 4 shows those common elements found in both God’s Truth and the Other Religions?and correspondingly not found in many segments of Christianity?such as great respect for ancestors or the importance of holy space. Section 5 shows those elements of the Other Religions that are totally outside of God’s Truth, such as polytheism or spirit worship. Section 6 shows those elements common to both the Other Religions and Christianity but that lie outside of God’s truth, such as materialism, worship of self, or any other of a host of shared sins. Finally, Section 7 shows those elements of God’s Truth found outside of both the Other Religions and Christianity, such as true agape love. In summary, this Venn diagram shows that God’s Truth is not unique only to Christianity, but that parts of His Truth can be found in other religious belief systems as well.

Let’s now look at the Venn diagram in light of a specific Other Religion, namely Islam. For the sake of space considerations I will focus our attention only on Sections 3 and 4 of the diagram, found in Figure 2. Let’s look first at Section 3: those common elements of God’s Truth found in both Islam and Christianity. There are many such common elements: a belief in one God; a belief in a holy book with corresponding common Scripture portions; an understanding of Jesus as a special person, to name but a few. Of course Muslims and Christians will disagree on some of the specifics of what I have just mentioned. However, even with these disagreements there remain elements of common truth. Let’s look, for example, at the Muslim and Christian common understanding of Jesus as a special person. Of course, Muslims will see the special-ness of Jesus only in terms of prophet, not in Christian terms as God in human form. But even in this there is a commonality with the Christian view, since Christian theology often refers to Jesus as “prophet, priest and king.” Section 4?common elements found in God’s Truth and the Other Religions?shows that Islam also has many cultural/religious considerations that are at once outside of most of Christianity but still allowed by God’s Truth, such as an abhorrence of any visual religious symbols or representations of God, praying five times a day, giving alms to the poor, or the prohibition against the wearing of immodest clothing within a worship setting. These cultural elements of Islam do not have to be rejected when a Muslim becomes a true follower of Jesus Christ since these elements do not go against the truth of Jesus Christ.

What Is Conversion?

So how does all of that found above in the Venn diagram relate to the topic of conversion and discipleship? Precisely at the level of how we as Christians view those who hold to religious views different from Christianity. By not seeing such preliminary common ground in other religious views it is then oftentimes very easy to view conversion as a point?here and now with little regard for God’s previous workings in the particular religion or culture. But should we really limit ourselves to the conversion as point concept? Perhaps we would do well to review our choices when answering the question, “What is Conversion?”:

Figure 3 shows that there are at least five choices available to us. The first choice is what the typical understanding of conversion as a point in time is all about. The emphasis is primarily on the point, with little concern for anything either leading up or following that point. Choices two and three are variations on choice one, with choice two allowing for some process in the life of the potential convert prior to the particular point of time that they now find themselves in, but with no real need for post-conversion follow-up. Choice three still puts the emphasis solely on the point of conversion but sees that there is a necessary continuing follow-up process. Choice four?only process?is what many evangelical Christians believe has been their case and I am not about to persuade them otherwise here. However, oftentimes even with process conversions there was some crucial point of time that kept them going in the process. From a human perspective, I believe that we are better off in our evangelism efforts when we do bring non-Christians to a definite point of relationship with Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord rather than to leave it only at the level of process.

Movement Towards Jesus

That leaves the fifth choice. I want to argue that we should seriously consider the advantages of this fifth choice, process + point + process, viewing conversion as a point in a process that both precedes and follows that point. What this really means is that we would do well to see conversion and discipleship as a “movement towards Jesus,” where the act of conversion is a point in time in a continuing movement towards an individual’s greater understanding of, and commitment to, Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord. This “movement towards Jesus” alternative is reflected in Figure 4.

Yes, every individual should come to a point of decision for Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord. But we neglect God’s prior working in the potential believer’s life if we totally disregard the process that has already occurred. The conversion as point model oftentimes treats the potential believer as merely a target for evangelism efforts. To the contrary, conversion as process means that the bringer of the Gospel takes the time to build a relationship with the potential convert as a fellow human being?including getting to know his or her religious and cultural beliefs. It means taking the time to get to know the person: hurts and needs, points of commonality, religious views, cultural practices; in short, trying to figure out what indeed is Good News?Gospel?for him or her. Relationships like this take time but can have great rewards. For, if by God’s grace, the potential convert knowingly accepts Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord then we subsequently have an open door to continuing the relationship and a very natural discipleship process occurs.

Two Levels of Evangelism and Discipleship

Conversion as point model?usually devoid of such relationship building?does not allow for such a natural discipleship process to develop. For with the conversion as point model it is primarily in the “follow-up” stage after conversion that attempts begin to be made to build relationship. Sadly such follow-up attempts oftentimes fall far short, if they are ever allowed to occur at all. As a result, such conversion as point converts are oftentimes shallow Christians at best, syncretistic ones at worst, whether in North America or Asia. As Figure 5 describes, conversion as point evangelistic efforts often result in surface-level converts when what we really desire is to nurture deep-level disciples who have a strong relationship with both Christ and His Church.

The Evangelism and Discipleship Process[4]

How do we obtain such deep-level converts? I propose that we look at the evangelism and discipleship process as encompassing three stages: pre-evangelism, evangelism, and discipleship, as shown in Figure 6.[5]

Looked at this way, conversion then becomes a part of an overall evangelism and discipleship process, rather than the end goal of all evangelistic efforts. After all, Jesus commanded his followers to make disciples, not merely converts. I believe that the entire evangelism and discipleship process, as outlined below, begins to get closer to the command of Jesus to “make disciples of all people groups” (Matt. 28:19).

Stage 1 is purposefully termed “pre-evangelism” since evangelism - in the sense of bringing someone to a conversion decision - is not the point of this stage. Rather, in stage one the evangelist is doing all he/she can to enter into a relationship with the potential convert. Everything that was said in the previous paragraph on relationship building applies to this first stage. Such relationship building may take a few weeks, or it may take a few years. Time is not the enemy here. Sometimes Western evangelists tend to be motivated in their evangelistic efforts by what I call the “Jesus is coming back soon” compulsion. Such compulsion requires the evangelist to press for a decision as soon as possible in the belief that Jesus may return soon and thus all opportunity for conversion is lost. The “you might die tonight” school of evangelism is also ruled out in this pre-evangelism stage. To the contrary, in this pre-evangelism stage the evangelist wants to take all the time that is necessary to build a trust relationship with the potential convert.

Such Stage 1 pre-evangelism involves two distinct steps. The first step helps the potential convert to become acquainted with Christians. Why is this necessary? It is necessary because many potential converts oftentimes have a faulty understanding of who Christians are, either through a previous negative experience with Christians or because they have only a vague notion of what a Christian is. Thus, this step helps them get to know the evangelist as a Christian: to overcome their previous negative experience and/or to allow them to experience Christians first-hand for the first time. Over the course of time this preliminary acquaintance step will lead naturally into the second step of relationship with the evangelist as a friend who is concerned about their lives in many different respects; a relationship that is not limited simply to the spiritual realm.

It is in Stage 2 where evangelism as conversion takes place. By now the evangelist has built a relationship with the potential convert to the point where he/she clearly knows his/her spiritual needs and can, when appropriate opportunity arises, speak the Good News in ways that are fully understandable and applicable. This will likewise involve two steps: first, helping the potential convert to clearly know who Jesus is, acquainting him/her with the truth of Jesus; and second, allowing the potential convert the freedom to decide to enter into a relationship with Jesus as Savior and Lord. Once again, there may be a significant time lag between these two steps. The Holy Spirit has His own time table! In Stage 2 there may be a clear “point” where conversion happens or it may involve a longer process in moving towards a life-changing relationship with Jesus.

Stage 3 - discipleship - is but the continuing process of acquaintance and relationship that has thus far determined the previous two stages. Now the new convert is given the opportunity to expand his/her current relationship with the evangelist to acquaintance and relationship with the Body of Christ: a church or fellowship group of some kind. Though discipleship can occur one-on-one with the evangelist, it is in the total context of a church or fellowship group that the new convert can truly be brought to full maturity in the use of his/her spiritual gifts. Here the two steps may be speeded up considerably so that once the new convert becomes acquainted with a church or fellowship group, and feels a level of comfort with them, he/she usually can then move towards more purposeful relational involvement rather quickly.

The three stages and six steps in the evangelism and discipleship process are delineated in Figure 7, above.

A Brief Critique of the Insider Movements within Islam

In light of all of the above how do we evaluate the growing Insider Movements especially among Muslims and Hindus?[6] Space considerations will limit this evaluation to the Insider Movements in relationship to Islam. This evaluation will be done in light of the five topic areas covered in this article: 1) the relationship between the insider movements and God’s truth; 2) the various options for insiders regarding the question, What is Conversion?; 3) insiders and their movement towards Jesus; 4) insiders and the two levels of evangelism and discipleship; and 5) insiders and the three stages in the evangelism and discipleship process.[7]

The Insider Movements and God’s Truth

As we have already seen in the discussion concerning the Venn diagram in Figure 2, there is a substantial amount of God’s truth already found within both Islam and the Koran. Thus, especially concerning Muslim insiders, this common ground of God’s truth should be some assurance to those observing the Insider Movements that there is a solid foundation for insiders to more easily discover the truth of Jesus as God’s son within the confines of Islam.[8] Missionaries working with Muslim insiders do well to use the truth found in both Islam and the Koran for both evangelistic and discipleship purposes since this good foundation of God’s truth is fertile soil for both evangelism and discipleship. Those critiquing the Insider Movements within Islam should welcome such extensive common ground. At the same time, missionaries working with insiders need to make sure that those insiders who wish to follow Jesus indeed reach some salvific understanding of Jesus, enough to make a conscious decision to follow Jesus within the confines of Islam and their Islamic culture. Furthermore, missionaries must insure that these insiders receive information about the gospel that goes beyond the confines of Islam but is clearly a part of God’s truth; information like the reality of the Holy Spirit (not necessary the theological concept of the Trinity), the assurance of salvation through Jesus only, and so on.

The Insider Movements and the Question: What Is Conversion?

So how do the Insider Movements among Muslims answer the question, What is conversion? (see Figure 3). Significantly, many of the “conversions” of Muslims?both within and outside of the Insider Movements?are happening through dreams and other supernatural encounters with the risen Christ. Such encounters are clear evidence to the Muslim that Jesus is indeed more than just a prophet and, for many, is truly the son of God. Thus through these point-in-time encounters they have gone through some “conversion” in regards to their understanding of Jesus. “Point in time” evangelicals should be greatly encouraged by such encounters! However, I would argue that such an encounter is simply a point in time in the ongoing process that has already been happening in the life of the particular Muslim insider through his/her understanding and practice of Islam. They only know who Jesus is in their dream or supernatural encounter because of their prior knowledge of Jesus (though incomplete) through Islam (choice 5 in Figure 3). All missionaries working with Muslims must consider (and praise God for) the good process foundation that has already been laid down through the common ground of Islam.

What about those insiders who have decided to follow Jesus without such a dream or supernatural encounter? I would argue that such insiders have, by their own volition, made a conscious decision to follow Jesus for some reason (oftentimes because of a clearer understanding of Jesus as offered by a missionary or another insider). As a result, his/her “conversion” experience should be understood for exactly what it is and no judgment should be made as to the efficacy of that decision. Here is where outsiders need to trust the Spirit more in regards to his work in the lives of both individuals and religions.

Insiders and Their Movements Towards Jesus

Like any follower of Jesus?within Christianity or within Islam?the question needs to be asked: Are they continuing in their movements towards Jesus? (cf. Figure 4). This, I believe, is the crux of the matter concerning Muslim insiders: are these insiders being discipled in their faith and how is this discipling being done within the confines of both their Islamic religion as well as their Islamic culture? Of course this is an issue for all Christians who have decided to follow Jesus, to keep them in movement towards Jesus. But given the oftentimes restrictive Muslim environment how is it really possible is it for these new Muslim followers of Jesus to continue to grow in their faith? Can they grow through reading the Koran alone, or through following their previous Muslim religious rituals only?

How does one evaluate whether or not insiders are in movements towards Jesus? Of course they (or others) can say that they are. However, there is a way that does give evidence of such movements. The New Testament says that you will know Christians by the fruit in their lives; in other words, that their lives will exhibit traits and qualities that will identify themselves as followers of Jesus in forward movement towards Him (cf. Mt. 7:16-20; Gal. 5:22). Are Muslim insiders displaying the fruit of the Spirit in their lives? If that is indeed happening then we can only conclude that these insiders are continuing in their movements towards Jesus within the confines of their Islamic context.

The Insider Movements and the Two Levels of Evangelism and Discipleship

Do Muslim insiders have an authentic relationship with Jesus? Building on the previous section, if they are indeed displaying the fruit of the Spirit in their lives then we can only conclude that they are in continuing movements towards Jesus and thus are not simply surface-level converts (cf. Figure 5). How deep or mature their discipleship becomes, however, remains one of the key issues of outsiders who are evaluating the Insider Movements. In regards to this deeper maturing discipling both missionaries and their fellow insiders must work to ensure that new followers of Jesus continue to deepen their relationship with Jesus in the midst of their Islamic religious and cultural context. How this will happen is a crucial question that needs to be adequately addressed within every Islamic context where insiders are found.

What about an authentic relationship with Jesus’ church; is this relationship really necessary? Can such fellowship with other followers of Jesus be limited, or eliminated altogether, given security concerns of the particular insider? Central to the answer to this later question is the fact that Insider Movements are not C-6 contextualization efforts. Security concerns should not take precedence. Instead, Insider Movements, by their very nature, will fully choose to stay within their Muslim contexts for reasons of faith and culture, not for reasons of security. For if their primary motivation is one of security then they should be considered C-6 Christians and not insiders.

Fellowship with other believers is important for all followers of Jesus (cf. Heb. 10:25). For those within the Insider Movements this means that an insider should be fellowshipping with at least one other insider on a regular or semi-regular basis. Of course the size of this fellowship group should ideally grow as more insiders follow Jesus, and the nature of what this fellowship will entail will be determined themselves in the midst of their own unique Islamic context as they are guided by the Spirit. But some regular or semi-regular fellowship with other followers of Jesus is crucial for any deep-level discipleship to occur.[9]

The Insider Movements and the Three Stages in the Evangelism and Discipleship Process

Insiders - and the proponents of Insider Movements - do well to seek the truth as found in the Koran and use it for gospel purposes - in both Steps 1 and 2 of Stage 1 of the evangelism and discipleship process (cf. Figure 6) in both their acquaintance with insiders and their relationship with insiders. Insiders will initially need to become acquainted with missionaries if no insiders are found in the particular Muslim people group, and then later on become acquainted with insiders who are following Jesus. But in many cases there will be no pre-evangelism stage for acquaintance with either Christians or Christ. Is this permissible? Interestingly enough, biblically it is a sound procedure since for pagans in the book of Acts there was not a lot of pre-evangelism. However, for some Muslim cultures the pre-evangelism stage does work and should be followed.

Little needs to be said concerning Stage 2 of the evangelism and discipleship process. Insider Muslims do have an acquaintance with Jesus and they do have a relationship with Jesus to the point where they are in active movement towards Jesus. What really needs to be more clearly defined at this Stage is the “minimum salvation quotient” necessary for an insider to be truly saved. Much more work will need to be done in this are both by those within and without the Insider Movements.

We have already talked about some of the issues regarding Stage 3 of the evangelism and discipleship process above in the section on the two levels of evangelism and discipleship. To reiterate briefly, the issues relate directly to this: Are these insider followers of Jesus truly being discipled within the religious and cultural confines of Islam? Of course we could and should ask this same question with North American or European followers of Jesus who are found within the cultural confines of secularism, hedonism, and so on. Clearly the issue of Stage 3 discipleship is not just for those within the Insider Movements! At the same time, questions like the following are very germane to the Insider Movements: Are these insider Muslims meeting regularly with disciplers who are teaching them the truth of the Bible (along with the truth found in the Koran)? Are they fellowshipping “regularly” with a fellowship group (2 to 3, or more) to truly grow in their new and subsequently maturing faith in Jesus? Obviously we are not talking about the Western understanding of church here, but rather “church” in the sense of gathered believers in fellowship together who are purposefully prodding one another on into an ever deeper relationship with Jesus.

Conclusion

We have covered much ground in this paper: from Venn diagrams to a critique of the Insider Movements among Muslims. There is indeed much to ponder. But I remain convinced that as we re-examine God’s role in the lives, religions and cultures of non-Christians prior to their conversion we will go a long way towards planting churches and fellowship groups that are made up of solid Christian disciples who have an authentic relationship with Jesus Christ and His Church.(AFMI)

Endnotes

[1] The context for this paper comes from my ministry in Asia and its vast religious diversity. However, the views expressed here are also applicable to the North American context with its increasing ministry opportunities among Hindu, Muslim and Buddhist immigrants.
[2] For the purposes of conciseness, and in recognition of the majority viewpoint, in this paper I will use the term “convert” to describe an individual who makes a profession of faith in Jesus and attempts to live his/her life in obedience to Jesus. However, the word “convert” is not the preferred word since it carries much negative baggage with it. I would prefer to use phrases like “fellow traveler on the road towards Jesus” or “one who is seeking to live in obedience to Jesus.” These phrases, I believe, better capture the process of converting from the old sinful nature to the new redeemed nature offered by Jesus that all Christians should experience throughout their Christian lives.
[3] Please note that the three different areas and the seven different sections found within this Venn diagram are not drawn to scale.
[4] I am expanding here ideas that were first proposed by my missionary colleague, Steve Cable, who has been ministering successfully among Buddhists in Thailand for two decades.
[5] Note that I am here purposefully dividing up the evangelism and conversion process into three stages in a linear fashion. In actuality these three stages can also occur is a more circular process without such clear-cut time divisions.
[6] When I use the phrase, Insider Movement, I am referring to those individuals within Islam who choose to fully follow Jesus and remain fully within their Islamic religious and cultural systems.
[7] From the outset of this evaluation I want to emphasize that the following critique is the result of extensive conversations with missionaries working with Muslim insiders and some conversations with insiders themselves, as well as my own extensive reading on the subject. Though I do not have personal front-line experience in working with insiders, nor am I an expert on Islam, I am confident that some of the points raised here will be helpful in the ongoing discussion concerning the insider movement within Islam.
[8] The lack of such extensive common ground in both Hinduism (especially) and Buddhism, leads me to more questions concerning the Insider Movements within these two major religions. Thus, in terms of formal religious and cultural knowledge, in theory a Muslim is much more prepared for a salvific understanding of Jesus than is a Hindu or a Buddhist.
[9] Future issues along this line will involve the insider’s relationship to other non-insider local Christians and churches, as well as to the national and international body of Christ.