Reaching the Resistant (EMS 6)

The lands where Muslims and Christians have encountered each other are littered with the ruins of fortresses. Each faith community has built barriers to keep out the other faith, who were regarded as enemies. Each used gates or bridges to control access from inside.

The present studies look at the barriers erected by peoples considered resistant to the gospel and the bridges God is using to bring the gospel to them. The first part reflects on such issues related to these barriers. What do we mean by resistant? Why are some people groups resistant to the gospel? What is God's role? Should missionaries focus on the least reached or the most receptive? What degree of contextualization is legitimate? Above all, how should we understand resistance and receptivity biblically and theologically? The next part analyzes representative case studies that exhibit many of the barriers, such as those involved in Judaism, Islam, the Japanese, and post-Christendom Europe. Finally, parts three and four focus on finding and building bridges over these barriers and preparing bridges for the future.

Christians did overcome the barriers and cross the bridge into the Muslim Alhambra, yet the Catholic monarchs entering the palaces were greeted by the motto on the wall, “There is no conqueror but God.” We would do well to remember these words as we seek to cross bridges to the resistant, not by the force of arms, but by “love and prayers in the pouring out of tears and blood.”