In order to be effective in cross-cultural ministry, it is important to have a basic grounding in the predominant religion or religions of the people you hope to work amongst. It is essential to not only have a theoretical understanding but also a knowledge of how to apply this practically in the context of your ministry.

 

Pre-field requirements:

  • A developing understanding of:
    • The history of the religion
    • Beliefs & customs
    • Contemporary expressions
    • Comparisons to Christianity
    • Our response to the religion
  • Experience of ministry

 

How to fulfil requirements:

    Essential (requirements which must be completed)

    • Be able to articulate the basic beliefs and practices of your group of interest.
    • Gain first-hand experience of the community (e.g. visiting a mosque, gurdwara etc.).
     

    Suggested resources

    Islam

    Ongoing development:

    • Attend an Encountering Muslims course.
    • Attend All Nations Christian College Islamics short course.
    • Become familiar with apologetic approaches to Islam.
    • Gain experience with a UK Pioneers team.
    • Complete a Friendship First course.
    • Join with people who are actively engaged in evangelism among Muslims.
    • Take a short-term trip to the Muslim world.

    Start here

    • How Shall They Hear?: Sharing your Christian faith with Muslims – E.M. Hicham.
    • Essentials of Islam – Timothy Tennent, Biblicaltraining.org.

    (https://www.biblicaltraining.org/learn/foundations/wm244-essentials-of-islam)

     

    Introductions and overviews

    • Cross and Crescent: Responding to the Challenges of Islam – Colin Chapman.
    • The Call of the Minaret – Kenneth Cragg.
    • Ask your Muslim Friend – Andreas Maurer.
    • Kissing Cousins?: Christians and Muslims Face to Face – Bill A. Musk.
    • The Cross and the Crescent: Understanding the Muslim Heart andMind – Phil Parshall.
    • Islam in Context: Past, Present, and Future – Peter G. Riddell & Peter Cotterell.
    • Understand My Muslim People – Abraham Sarkar.
    •  Encountering The World of Islam – Keith E. Swartley, ed.
    • Seeking Allah, Finding Jesus: A Devout Muslim Encounters Christianity

    – Nabeel Qureshi.

    (Also see course: https://courses.biblemesh.com/za-seeking-allah-finding-jesus)

    • Islam – Timothy Tennent, Biblicaltraining.org.

    (https://www.biblicaltraining.org/learn/institute/wm647-islam)

    • Islam and the Cross, Selections from “The Apostle to Islam” – Samuel M. Zwemer.

     

    Testimonies

    • Dream and Visions: Is Jesus Awakening the Muslim World? – Tom Doyle.
    • A Wind in the House of Islam: How God Is Drawing Muslims Around the World to Faith in Jesus Christ – David Garrison.
    • I Dared to Call Him Father – Bilquis Sheikh & Richard H. Schneider.
    • The Fifth Pillar: A Spiritual Pilgrimage – David Zeidan.

     

     

     

     

    Approaches to Muslim ministry

    • Journey to Truth video series – Babalhayat

    (https://www.journeytotruth.tv/)

    • Gospel for Muslims: Learning to Read the Bible Through Eastern Eyes – Steve Bell.
    • The Practical Approach to Muslims – Jens Christensen.

    (Available online here: https://missiology.org.uk/book_practical-approach-to-muslims_christensen.php)

    • Fresh Vision for the Muslim World – Mike Kuhn.
    • New Paths in Muslim Evangelism: Evangelical Approaches to Contextualization

    – Phil Parshall.

    • Missiological Models in Ministry to Muslims – Sam Schlorff.
    • Christian and Islamic Theological Issues course– Sasan Tavassoli, The Wadi.

    (https://thewadi.org/videos/course_4)

    • From Seed to Fruit: Global Trends, Fruitful Practices, and Emerging Issues Among Muslims – Ed. J Dudley Woodberry.

     

    The Qur’an and Hadith

    • The Qur’an and the Bible in the Light of History and Science – Dr. William Campbell. (Available online here: https://answering-islam.org/Campbell/contents.html).
    • Qur’an Course – Jeremy Hinds (PDF available from office)
    • The Quran with Christian Commentary: A Guide to Understanding the Scripture of Islam – Gordon Nickel.
    • Inside the Community: Understanding Muslims through Their Traditions – Phil Parshall.

     

    Being a Muslim in today’s world

    • McDonalds, Minarets and Modernity: The Anatomy of the Emerging Secular Muslim World – Bob Hitching.
    • Woman to Woman, Sharing Jesus with a Muslim Friend – Joy Loewen.
    • Miniskirts, Mothers and Muslims: A Christian Woman in a Muslim Land

    – Christine Mallouhi.

    Engaging with Hindus – Robin Thomson
     

    Buddhism and East Asian Religions

    Note: East Asian religions are often intertwined and interconnected, with significant variation between countries and communities.

    Start here

    • Essentials of Buddhism – Timothy Tennent, Biblicaltraining.org.

    (https://www.biblicaltraining.org/learn/foundations/wm242-essentials-of-buddhism)

     

    Introductions and overviews

    •  An Introduction to Buddhism: Teachings, History and Practices – Peter Harvey
    • Buddhism – Timothy Tennent, Biblicaltraining.org.

    (https://www.biblicaltraining.org/learn/institute/wm646-buddhism)

    • What's the Traditional Way of Chinese People to Worship Ancestors? – China Documentary

    (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2jj9N3CvevU)

    • Understanding Thai Superstitions as Coping Mechanism for Turmoil and Loneliness – The Nation, Asia News Network

    (https://asianews.network/understanding-thai-superstitions-as-coping-mechanism-for-turmoil-and-loneliness/)

     

    Testimonies

    • From Folk Religion to Evangelical Christianity - Ann Gillian Chu, Asian American Theological Forum

    (https://tinyurl.com/bdhfme66)

     

    Approaches to East Asian ministry

    • Sharing Jesus Effectively in the Buddhist World – David Lim et al. eds.
    • Sharing Your Faith with a Buddhist – Madasamy Thirumalai 
    • This Is the Way: How the Dao Helps Chinese People Understand Christ – Easten law, Christianity Today

    (https://www.christianitytoday.com/2024/06/zhuangzi-butterfly-dao-tao-taoism-christianity-evangelism/)

    7 principles for sharing Gospel with East Asians – Jonathan Martyn, Baptist Press (https://www.baptistpress.com/resource-library/news/7-principles-for-sharing-gospel-with-east-asians/)

     

    Sikhism

    Start here

    • Sikhism: A Very Short Introduction – Eleanor Nesbitt 

    Introductions and overviews

    • Sikhism: Beliefs and Practices  - W Owen Cole and Piara Singh Sambhi
    • The Sikh Gurus – Harish Dhillon
    • A History of the Sikhs. 2nd ed. – Khushwant Singh
    • A History of the Sikhs: Volume 2: 1839-2004.2nd ed. – Khushwant Singh

     

    Testimonies

    • Brother Bakht Singh: Theologian and Father of the Indian Independent Christian Church Movement - B. E. Bharathi Nuthalapati 
    • Loving our Sikh neighbours: my experience as a Sikh-background believer –

    Rupinder Kanda

    (https://www.eauk.org/news-and-views/loving-our-sikh-neighbours-my-experience-as-a-sikh-background-believer) 

     

    Approaches to Sikh ministry

    • Light of the Satguru: Good News for Sikhs – Jasvir Singh Basi
    • Lions, Princesses, Gurus: Reaching Your Sikh Neighbour – Ram Gidoomal and Margaret Wardell

    Folk religions

     

    Start here

    • Essentials of African Traditional Religions – Timothy Tennent, Biblicaltraining.org.

    (https://www.biblicaltraining.org/learn/foundations/wm241-essentials-of-african-traditional-religions)

     

    Approaches to folk religion ministry

    Communicating Christ in Animistic Contexts – Gailyn Van Rheenen 

    ​​​​​​​

    Other

    Atheism

    • Humanists UK website

    (https://humanists.uk/humanism)

    • Essentials of Apologetics – Sean McDowell, Biblicaltraining.org

    (https://www.biblicaltraining.org/learn/foundations/essentials-apologetics-th202)

     

    Catholicism

    • Essentials of Catholic Theology – Gregg Allison

    (https://www.biblicaltraining.org/learn/foundations/st230-essentials-of-catholic-theology)

     

    The New Age

    • How to Share the Gospel with a New Ager

    (https://www.dare2share.org/worldviews/new-agers/)


    ​​​​​​​