A Vision-Strategy for a team of expatriates pioneering among Muslims in Malaysia

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A Vision-Strategy for a team of expatriates pioneering among Muslims in Malaysia

By Greg Livingstone ⋅ August 7, 2008 ⋅

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THE SITUATION:

1. 23 Million Malay Muslims live in Thailand, Malaysia, Sumatra, Singapore, and Brunei. 99.9% have never met a follower of the Lord Jesus who has made the message of the Cross make sense or necessary to them.

2. Until recently, extremely few of the Chinese, Indian, or even Malay speaking tribal-background churches have sensed a call to plant sister churches among the Malay Muslims. Fear and/or apathy reign.

3. Malay Muslims assume Islam is the religion of God; therefore they either have no interest in exploring the claims of the Lord Jesus, or fear to do so.

4. Government officials, because of their loyalty to Islam and desire for harmony in Malaysia, oppose any overt presentation of the claims of Christ to the Muslim population. Therefore, there are no residence visas granted to missionaries to Muslims. In fact, ‘on the books’ it is illegal to try to persuade a Muslim to leave Islam, including giving him Christian literature. The fine is about $1000, and two years in prison. It should be quickly noted however, that since 1987, no one knows of this law being applied.

5. There are only about 15-30 known MBBs confessing the Lord Jesus as their Saviour in Malaysia gathering with other believers.

THE VISION

Presuppositions:

“A church for every people” obviously means that there must be vital, culturally relevant congregations of Malay Muslim Background believers loving the Lord, His Word, and each other through out the cities of West Malaysia…whatever the cost.
Until there are a sufficient number of Malaysian citizens focused on establishing such churches, there is a great need for ex-patriot disciple-makers. We must pool our different ministry gifts and integrate our time and skills in church planting efforts with any available citizens also called to the task.
Church planting normally only occurs when a team(s) of workers submit to one another staying closely accountable for our use of time, upgrading of language and ministry skills, prayer life, family life and walk with God.
The Lord of the Harvest WILL use those available to Him to see vital culturally relevant house churches of MBBs [Muslim background believers] with their own elders become a reality in Malaysia before He returns.

THE STRATEGY

To continually recruit both expatriate and Malaysian citizens to serve on church planting teams among the Malay Muslims
To keep dividing the team into more Church planting teams as we grow in number adding Malaysian citizens as God commissions them also.
To helpfully assist each team member to increasingly understand and utilize his/her gifts and role(s) in the church planting efforts.
To provide coaching/mentoring for each team member as individuals, and as a team, so that each year we are better equipped in team dynamics and to do church planting including discipling of elders and reproducing church planters.
To provide shepherding to both the church planters and the MBBs, so that each one is truly growing in godliness, fruitfulness, and their enjoyment and fellowship of the Father and our Lord Jesus Christ. John 15; I John 1:3
To nurture our families, both workers and MBBs, until we are exemplary. Phil.4:9
To practice biblical discipline by confronting one another and the MBBs when any of us are not keeping the standards of God’s Word.
To pray constantly and earnestly to get all the help we can find, from God and man, until each church plant effort sees Malay elders serving the flock. At that point the team members can exit from regular involvement with that fellowship committing them to the care of their national elders.
To work with or utilize pastors, church planters and coaches from churches and other agencies to the extent that it will amplify and accelerate the accomplishing of our mandate from the Lord.
To live in a location, and in a manner which is conducive to our ministry goals as discerned by the Team.
To keep learning Malay the entire time we are in Malaysia. Our goal is to eventually be able to read and teach the Bible in Malay, read the newspapers and books with facility, use local proverbs, and even be able to tell and understand Malay stories and jokes in a manner which causes the Malays to feel we are part of their community
To endeavor by God’s grace and strength to spend at least 30 hours in the presence of Malay Muslims [converted or not] every week.
We will keep trusting our faithful God and Father to draw Malay Muslims to Himself, and into the fellowship of His church for His glory despite discouragements and setbacks.

Greg Livingstone was the founder of Frontiers.