Whoa. So my son, who has developed quite an affinity for the Arab world, texts me and says, “Dad; are you watching this?” I went to some of the online streaming video news sites he frequents and couldn’t believe my eyes. You saw it too. Winds of change among Muslim-dominated countries have been sweeping across North Africa and the Middle East. My biggest question is — what’s your take on the impact this might have, if any, on those who are seeking to live out a Christian witness there? In other words, at the end of the day, is it your theory that there will be *more* freedom for telling of the Good News? … or should we plan for *less*? That’s the question. If you have an opinion, just click “Comment” below. Please feel free to contribute anonymously if you prefer.
There is a common saying, “prepare for the worst, hope for the best.” In light of the nearness of penetrating most people groups with the gospel and most evangelical pictures of escatology, the words from Matthew 24 about how bad things will be getting near to Christ’s second coming, it would be wise in all our missions work to be as prepared as we can for a worsening situation. However, if God grants us a window of more freedom then cease the day. For we work as Christ did, John 9:4, “for the night cometh when no man can work.”
Islam set it’s North African roots in Kairouan, Tunisia. Will it be God’s pleasure to begin its end from the same place? Many believe so.
It’s amazing how many people through the years have been given a vision of Tunisia’s wedge shape being struck by God, sending shock waves through the Arab world… And now nobody can argue it’s begun.
For those who (like us) are in awe of the moment, who see this as a potential tipping point… join us in prayer! The website (www.Pray4Tunisia.com) makes it easy to sign up for super brief, strategic, daily updates. So far very few have unsubscribed (just takes a click)… God seems to be mobilizing the global church to pray for this thing.
Thanks for asking our opinion! :)
Pray4Tunisia
I am going out on a limb here, but I suspect that Islam will be totally gone in ten years, maybe in as little as three or four. What we are seeing now is just the beginning. More big shake-ups are coming soon as academics are preparing big challenges for the Muslim world, challenging their history and the authenticity of the Qur’an. Expect more violence before things collapse, but we need to be prepared to share the gospel with the many many Muslims who are now being shaken in their faith.
Some 20+ years ago, many people have been praying for the iron curtain to come down and for the Communist world to open. Then that started to happen, and there was a certain shift in prayer for the Muslim world. Humanly speaking, that seemed even harder to overcome, and yet… maybe the Lord is answering those prayers now.
Amazing!
Let’s pray that this results in better conditions for Christians in those countries, and for an even greater opening towards the Gospel.
There’s no doubt — nobody will argue — the unique *brotherhood* of Islam has, in effect, become a downside in this case, because in much the same way that they might have previously identified with each other in those lines of kneeling men in the mosque, now they’re identifying with one another in protesting that their societies have pervasively created a culture of government corruption, oppression, and force. In my opinion, however, it might be premature to predict the fall of Islam. For example, will these countries try to emulate a “Turkey-ish” secular Islamic democracy?