Girding Up For A New Year

In Jesus Through Middle Eastern Eyes: Cultural Studies in the Gospels, Kenneth Bailey writes about the importance of “girding up” for service.

"The robes of the Middle East (worn by both men and women) nearly touch the ground. They were and are worn without belts. The hot climate makes loose fitting clothing the nearly universal preference. Any strenuous activity requires the wearer to tie a belt or rope around the waist to keep the bottom edge of the robe off the ground and out of the way. The Hebrews were instructed to tie up their robes on the ever of Passover in order to be ready to travel (Ex. 12:11). Elijah belted himself in preparation for running before Ahab’s chariot (1Kings 18:46) and Jeremiah was told to do so as he took up his ministry to the nations (Jer. 1:17). Ibn al Tayyib observes this practice in daily life around him and writes, ‘The person who wears a long robe, without a belt, is not equipped to travel or prepared to work’” (2008:369).

The parable in this passage of Scripture has a two-fold meaning. One is to remind us to be ready for the Lord’s return. Yeah, I know, we say that every year, but one day Jesus will come again, because he said he would (Jn 14:3). May we not be complacent or caught unaware, may we be vigilant, belted up, as we anticipate His soon return. Secondly, this is a passage that reminds us we must dress for success, sort of. Dressing properly, in this context, is dressing for work, to be engaged in service. People not dressed for success are slothful, not about the business of life.

It’s a new year that bears down upon us. Christmas with family, breaks from teaching is over. In a few days we sprint into a new decade

As I look at my 2011 calendar, travelling to India three times, Ukraine twice, Kenya and perhaps Russia, I realize that it’s time to gird up service, for work. May those who read this blog have a Happy New Year as you cinch up your belt for the task that God has given you to do.

Follow The Star: The Christmas Story

Take-Away: Godly Conflict Resolution

Whenever I hear a speaker, read an article or read a book, I look for “take-aways;” a significant thought or statement that has meaning. Yesterday in church, our pastor, who is often dry as West Texas dust but who regularly comes up with incredible insights, offered up a take away that’s worth writing about.

He ended his sermon with a challenging question, “How can we, as Christians, subvert culture?” Of course the first issues I have to work through is his premise that Christians are to be about “subverting culture.” As a missionary anthropologist I advocate that Christians should NOT seek to subvert culture, at least not intentionally. Yes, I understand that when culture clashes with the Gospel it does bring about a subversive effect, but that subversion goes to the heart of man’s rebellion toward God. It is the sinful practices of humanity, manifested in everything from drunkenness, to divorce, polytheism and abortion that is the root of the problem, not the cultures in which we live. To be sure, the life of a follower of Christ will run counter-culture, as our Lord Himself was to the cultural practices of His day. But the issue is not subversion of culture but subversion to rebellion to a Holy God.

Godly conflict resolution is the answer to challenging worldview and cultural assumptions. As the pastor rightly pointed out, conflict resolution is a popular topic that can be found in the arena of business, marriage counseling as well as among the community of the church. Conflict is inevitable, but dealing with conflict is a mandate if a person or a community is to grow spiritually or even come to understand the Gospel. Many people refuse to address conflict assuming that by avoiding it they won’t have to deal with the messiness of sin; conflict is something they will just sweep under the rug. Conflict doesn’t exist if it can be ignored.

Perhaps one reason so few Christians share their faith with others is because of this reticence toward conflict. Let “sleeping dogs lie,” they contend. Why go to another culture and stir the pot? Why tell a friend or family member the answer to their problems is being a disciple of Christ? It’s easier to avoid conflict than try to resolve it godly or biblically.

There are many things that could be said about conflict resolution, certainly more than can be addressed in a blog. But last week I listened to a testimony of godly conflict resolution (click here to hear this amazing story). What struck me about this testimony was the courage it takes to resolve conflict. It’s a story of grace, a witness of what it means to be a disciple of the Master.

We are not called to subvert culture, but we are called to subvert that which keeps us, all of us, from knowing more about Him. Godly conflict resolution is important for all of us to understand and take away.

Cross Cultural Communication from “Outsourced.”

The movie is about a U.S. novelty company selling their products from a call center in India. If these clips are uncomfortable, seen in poor taste, offensive, crude, well, that’s the point. Learning cultural rules and how to communicate properly runs both ways.

My name is....

Anthropology and Missions

The work of a teacher does not begin and end at the doorsteps of the classroom. Even though I am back in the states I am grading final papers from my recent trip to India.

The subject I teach is cultural anthropology but a better title should be missionary anthropology as every aspect of my teaching is focused on reaching the most unreached in every community. There is a perception, unfortunately, that because my fieldwork was pioneer church planting between two semi-nomadic tribes in Kenya that the course subject can’t be much help to those involved in urban, social or ministry outside of tribal work. One only has to read the research papers of my students to know that is false perception. Here is a sampling of how students integrated anthropology and their ministry activities.

An Anthropological Exploration Of Bangalore’s Rock Music Youth Culture: Avenues of Engagement between Church and Culture. This student working with middle-class kids in Bangalore writes, “…the music of a sub-culture ought to be studied and understood within its own context,” and that the proliferation of rock bands is apart of young persons attempt for “achieved status.” He reminds us that music is both a medium and the message, and to reach this sub-culture their place of meeting should be in a neutral environment, not necessarily the church.

Another paper entitled, Anthropological Research Paper on the Garos of Meghalaya, was written by a young lady who from the south and belongs to a denomination not known for their missionary outreach stated, "When the daunting task of world evangelization dawned on me, the Holy Spirit inspired me to break down the shackles of tradition and reach the unreached. “ Going to this unreached people group in the north she states, “Being a woman I think I have a greater access to the women folk than men. Hence I would like to uplift their social condition, which is not satisfactory at present. As I am a Pharmacist by profession, I can bring awareness among the women about the medical facilities available to them and to follow a healthy lifestyle.”

One student, doing research on an unreached group called the Meiteis of the north, boldly suggests that missionaries working with this people should encourage Hindu Yeshu Bhakta’s (devotees of Jesus), which are Hindu followers of Jesus that stay in their Hindu community practicing their Hindustani culture and giving allegiance to Christ and Him alone.

Space does not allow me to share papers on how these students will use anthropology to reach people with HIV/AIDS, the Sha people deep inside Myanmar (Burma), Muslims in Pakistan and even pygmies in central Africa.

Almost every student has written me stating that this course changed the way they viewed ministry in the past. These MA students are not only future of the church in India, most of them are deeply involved in ministry today. As I tell my students, anthropology cannot and does not replace the work of the Holy Spirit. However, anthropology can and is an important tool in presenting the Good News of Christ and His salvation.

The Mind and Worship

For the past three weeks I have been teaching at the South Asia Institute for Advanced Christian Studies (SAIACS) in Bangalore, India. This morning in chapel one of the professors reminded us of our Lord’s answer to the religious person who asked how one gains eternal life.

(Jesus) answered, " 'Love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your strength, and with all your mind. And love your neighbor as you love yourself'" (Luke 10:27).

Though SAIACS is an academic institution where students are enrolled to enrich the heart as well as the intellect, when it comes to worship Christians generally enter devotion with the heart, not the mind. The speaker’s theme today was that learning, growing intellectually is also, or should be, a form of worship.

I grew up in a household that did not highly value education. Historically the denomination in which I have been a member for many years also had a dim view of scholarship, believing that mankind only needed the preaching of the Word so that Holy Spirit could convict the “heart” of man unto salvation. Scholarship, as I was conditioned to believe, was primarily the wasted energy of eggheads and people who spoke beyond their level of intelligence. God’s true work, as the argument goes, is measured in shoe leather, and blessed are the feet of those preach the gospel (Romans 10:15), not those who sit in the ivory towers of academia.

My thoughts wandered to those refrains of disdain as I sat in a weeklong consultation gathering of intellectuals who debated the topic - Indian and Christian: Changing Identities in Modern India. The participants were principally evangelical scholars, but there was also papers presented from Catholic and Hindu professors. For Christians in this country, not more than 4% of a population of 1.3 billion people, identity is an important issue to the minority. Are they Hindu, Christian, Christian/Hindu and however they define themselves, what should their role be in community and government? From morning to night papers were read, respondents challenged and some of us tried to keep up.

At the end of the week one wonders what was accomplished? Conversion was not of the lost without Christ, but rather to a point of view. A church was not established, but perhaps prestige was. And, though no shoe leather was lost in the process I was reminded of another saying from my youth, “A river will only rise as high as its source.” Or, as Forest Gump said, “Stupid is as stupid does.” Though the eggheads do sometimes talk above and past others, I’m sure the venue of dumb and dumber is not the answer in reaching this country for Christ.

Obviously, the balance between poiesis and praxis is needed in missions and ministry. Let us not slight one for the other. It’s also good to remember that to love the Lord our God with all our mind is truly an exercise in worship.

October Update

Many of you receive our monthly E-Updates. For those who don't here is the LINK for the October report.

Criteria for Ministry Partnership

One judges a program or organization by its leadership. I get a ton of requests to teach in India, Africa and other parts of the world, but I obviously can’t respond to every request. I determine my initial acceptance by the references of those who know the program. What determines my on-going working partnership is the quality of leadership. If a school or mission organization is poorly run, see my contribution as a means of financial gain, then I usually back away from such venues. If, however, there is a spirit of reciprocity, a clear vision of what the program is trying to accomplish in terms of discipling cross-cultural workers or leaders and, who make every effort to facilitate my participation in their work, I am more than willing to not only teach but be involved in other aspects of their ministry.

Such is the case with TENT India. I have been teaching missionary anthropology there for the past five years. Dr. Vijayam is one of the most gracious men I have met in India. He is unpretentious, mild tempered and most gracious. His staff, John Samuel, Sunil Daniel and many more that I could name, are every bit as gracious and unassuming as Uncle Vijayam. In a country that is consumed by status and achievement, the highlight of my fall discipleship schedule is to work with this organization in Hyderabad.

This past month I taught the Joshua Vision India (JVI) class; national missionaries preparing to go cross-culturally. Two of the men (pictured above) came from the most northeastern part of the country on the border of Myanmar (Burma). They told me it takes nine days to travel to Hyderabad, five of those days by foot over the mountains, the other four days by bus and train.

I was privileged also to teach a group of young women called the IWILL program (Indian Women in Lord’s Labor). Many of these women will work in their own districts using and teaching the skills they learned at TENT; small acreage farming, candle making and micro-finance programs, enhancing church outreach and helping the poor.

There are bigger programs, more high-profile ministries in India, but there not any ministries I prefer working with over TENT India.

Birth Celebration Rituals

On Monday our youngest daughter, Sara, gave birth to their third child, our fifth grandchild. I am almost never in the country for the birth of my grandchildren; I was even 1,000 miles away when Sara was born. So to miss the birth of the latest addition was not unusual.

We live in amazing times. After teaching my cultural anthropology class I went to my room and turned on my computer. I noticed that Sara’s Skype light was on and knowing it was 3:30 a.m. their time I suspected something was up. Sure enough, she was beginning labor and about five hours later little Sofia Rose Toombs was born: 3.94 kgs (8 lbs 11 oz) and 53.34 centimeters (21 inches) long. Three hours after they returned home, and the next morning for me, I was able to see the little pink bundle in real time.

The birth celebration custom in India is after the birth the parents and/or grandparents give badam burfi (almond candy), to friends and family. Being on the other side of the world and not near family I bought some badam and distributed the sweets to my students and staff members where I am teaching in Hyderabad.

Someone asked me what the custom is for celebrating birth in America. It use to be the father passed out cigars, but with the tax on tobacco being so high and it being a socially incorrect practice, I’m not sure what people do these days.

What birth celebration rituals are practiced in your country?

Nevertheless, welcome, Sofia, to this great thing called life. God has brought you into this world for His purpose and we look forward to seeing how He will use you for His glory.

Watch Your Symbols

On his visit next month to India, President Obama will not visit the Golden Temple in Amristar, the holy shrine of the Sikh in the north. The reason is because of a symbol -- a scarf, cap or handkerchief, to be worn on the head by both men and women who enter this holy site. Obama and his handlers are afraid of the perception that a head-covering might have from Americans back home, many which still believe he is a Muslim. Never mind most Americans don’t know the difference between Sikhs and Muslims; it’s the unfamiliar symbol that’s the issue.

Symbols are powerful tools of communication. Most people wear symbols everyday that identifies their religion (crucifix-Christians, turban-Sikhs, kufi (skull cap)-Muslims; their occupation (overall’s-farmers, suits-business leaders, scrubs-nurses and doctors; their social status (Wal-Mart-middle/low income, Dillards-middle upper, Neiman Marcus-upper income).

The first thing a Russian looks at when meeting someone is their shoes, women in India look at the fabric of another woman’s sari, kids around the world check out the kind of cell phone their friends have and of course the auto industry remains viable as people judge another’s status by the car they drive. By our symbols mankind are indeed walking/talking signboards.

A cross-cultural Christian worker must be aware of symbols and adopt or reject symbols based on knowledge of those symbols, not just having an emotional response. Though I would, out of respect, wear a covering into a temple, I might not receive tilak (red mark on forehead as a sign of blessing). I might touch the feet of a respected elder but not avoid touching a Dalit. Determining what symbols are culturally acceptable for believers to practice or accept is determined through observation and learning culture. It's a lame argument to reject a ritual or symbol based only on the fact that it is what Hindu’s, Muslims or Catholic’s do.

If President Obama had demonstrated an unequivocal faith in Christianity in the past perhaps he could wear a covering without worrying about what message it would send to his country back home. But politicians are very wary of symbols. Bill Clinton had to abandon the idea of riding an elephant when he was president visiting India because he didn’t want the Republicans to capitalize on the powerful symbol of a Democrat president rinding on the symbol of their party. And he certainly didn’t want to ride on the symbol of his own party, a donkey, for that image, too, would be used as a negative symbol around the world.

Missionary Family

I have been in the "business" of missions for 35 years. I have slept under mosquito nets, dined on monkey meat, been in war zones, nearly died of malaria, taught in over 40 countries, trekked some of the tallest mountains of China, forged swollen rivers in the bush of Kenya, fed hungry Africans in times of starvation and eaten in some of finest restaurants in Europe. From the coca chewing Quechua of Bolivia, to the flatbread bakers of Uzbekistan and the wine makers of Georgia I've seen a lot. I've been a pioneer church planter among the most unreached, established a non-formal Bible school and created one of the few missionary training programs in the U.S. I've conducted mission conferences before thousands and discipled missionary classes of five. I think missiologically but before those who know nothing about missions I must contextualize it to a level that anyone and everyone can understand.

Yet, with all that interesting background I have learned that what most people really care about is much more personal...FAMILY. While the click-in rate of a normal monthly E-letter hovers around 50%, the family update is read by 70% or more. So, with that, I send you the link to that which is most personal.

Click Here

Results of Mission Knowledge quiz

Here are the results of the Mission Knowledge quiz, correct answer indicated by “√." How well did you do compared to others?

What country in Africa that has the highest per capita population of missionaries is:

South Africa 18.2%

Kenya 74.2% √

Uganda 7.6%

The highest percentage of missionaries come from,

America 39.4%

Philippines 30.3%

Korea 30.3% √

Though there are still more N. American missionaries, the percentage of missionaries to the Christian and general population is Korea.

The number one reason career missionaries leave the field from Old Sending Countries (America, Europe) is due to:

Health problems 25.8%

Marriage/family conflict 59.1%

Retirement 15.2% √

From REMAP study – The western mission force is getting old and we are not sending as many young career missionaries. Health problems was #4 in the study, marriage/family conflict #9.

The number one reason missionaries from New Sending Countries (Brazil, Korea, Philippines) leave the country is:

Lack of home support 78.8% √

Spiritually immature 10.6%

Children 10.6%

Spiritually immature #10 reason, children #8

Definition of unreached people groups are those:

Who are not yet Christian 7.6%

People who not yet Christian but live in a country/region where there are 5% or more Christians 6.1%

People not yet Christian where the population of Christians is less than 5% 86.4% √

The people who are in the unreached people group category have a population of:

1.2 billion 6.1%

2.7 billion 39.4% √

3.6 billion 54.5%

The percentage of missionaries going to unreached people groups is:

5% 81.8% √

15% 18.2%

25% 0.%

The percentage of resources (money and people) given to the world which has a Christian population of 25% percent or more is:

40% 16.7%

70% 25.8%

90% 57.6% √

My question is if we understand question 7, why are still pouring more resources into the most regions of the world?

A non-resident missionary is a person who:

Has no missionary experience but goes on several short-trips each year. 0%

Has missionary experience and goes on several short-term trips each year. 13.6%

Resides outside the country but works within certain countries or people groups where he/she once resided. 86.4% √

The average attrition rate (those who leave the field) among missionaries (old sending countries) each year is,

3% 1.5%

7% 19.7% √

13% 7 8.8%

The average is 7%, but there are some organizations that have a turn-over rate of 25% or more. New sending countries are just as high. 70% of the reasons people leave the field are PREVENTABLE, which means we need to a better job in screening as well as training/equipping.

Mission Knowledge

So you think you know missions, really? Take this survey that is just above basic mission knowledge.

Check your score by going to the comment page AFTER you take the survey.

Click here to take survey

WORLD RELIGION SURVEY Results

Here are the results from World Religion survey. Correct answer indicated with “√.” How well did you do with others who took the survey? Tomorrow’s survey will be on Mission IQ.

1. Holiest site for Muslims:

Jerusalem 2.4%

Medina 7.3%

Mecca 90.2% √

2. Hindus are:

Polytheist 61.% √

Monotheist 0.%

Pantheist 39.%

3. Buddhist believe in:

Nirvana 97.6% √

Heaven 2.4%

Purgatory 0%

4. The country that has the second largest Muslim population:

India 32.6% √

Pakistan 27.9%

Indonesia 39.5%

5. Mohammed is considered by Muslims to be:

The last prophet 73.2% √

The only prophet 19.5%

Great teacher 7.3%

6. The holy book of Hindus is:

The Koran 0%

The Vedas 79.1% √

The book of Lord Krishna 20.9%

7. Buddhist believe Buddha was:

God 11.6%

Great teacher 86.0% √

Prophet 2.3%

8. The highest office in the Russian Orthodox Church

Cardinal 41.5%

Metropolitan 51.2% √

Pope 7.3%

9. Sikhs are:

Monotheist 34.9% √

Polytheist 30.2%

Pantheist 34.9%

10. Muslims are forbidden to:

Eat beef 12.2%

Smoke 4.9%

Drink alcohol 82.9% √

11. One of the seven signs of a Sikh man is:

A dagger 65.2% √

Sacred scarf 34.8%

Holy ring 0%

12. Buddhist pray to:

Buddha 8.7%

Their teacher 8.7%

Their ancestors 82.6% √

13. Ramadan is a holy month for:

Muslims 100%

14. Sikhs worship at the:

Mosque 4.5%

Temple 54.5%

Gurdwara 40.9% √

15. Of the worlds 6.7 billion population Evangelicals are approximately:

780 million 21.7%

320 million 43.5%

500 million 34.8% √

WORLD RELIGION SURVEY

In a recent Pew survey people were asked how much they know about Christianity. Most people who attend church do well on that survey. I made a survey on how well people know about other religions. Answers are on the comment page. I will post the full results Monday October 4th.

First 10 questions

Click here to take survey

Next 5 questions.

Click here to take survey

Renouncing Passive Christianity

Theology is a good thing, but when theology becomes a hindrance to one’s relationship with God, it is an obstacle, not a path to a relationship.

The classic case of theology being a bane rather than a bridge was of course Job. When hard times hit, an understatement to be sure, Job’s long held theology pointed to himself as the root of the problem. His sin, no doubt unknowing, was the cause of God’s wrath. The simple solution for Job was to acquiesce to theology and repent. But Job did a rare thing, he rejected his theology rather than God. Job, in some ways, went from a defensive to an offensive position; a dangerous and potentially life threatening stance. Not physical death, but a separation of association with fellow theologians, but more so, the fear of being banished from God for not going along with accepted belief. No greater risk can a man take than to turn against time-honored tradition in search of truth.

Some years ago I was asked to speak on “The Purpose of Prayer in Missions.” Prayer, as we all know, is a mystery. Accepted theology about God and how he interacts with mankind doesn’t help. Some established thoughts about God is that He has a wonderful plan for our lives; He has chosen those who will accept Him; He knows our need before we ask Him; not our will but His be done. If one follows these statements to their logical conclusion one could decide that people are mere spectators in a grand cosmic plan. No need to pray, really, as He has determined the outcome and our only real role is a willingness to be a background extra on the stage of a script written before the foundations of the world. Such thinking leads to passive faith and practice.

But there is another side of the God/man relationship. Jacob who wrestles with the angel all night until he receives a blessing; Abraham who takes the knife to sacrifice his son only to be stopped by Jehovah who said, “NOW I see that you believe (didn’t He know before?); the parable of the widow who wore down an unjust judge and Jesus using the analogy for His followers to never cease praying; the admonishment for us to “work out our own salvation.” This mindset is active, engaged in faith and practice.

What if Job is right and conventional theology is the easy road to passivity and resignation? What if God really does care what we think; that we can really change God’s mind on matters; that God really hasn’t chosen those who will be saved and it does make a difference that we take the Good News of Christ to those who have never heard? Is it possible (hang on to your theological hat, the storm is coming) that God, who is omnipotent has limited His omniscience so that man can be a full partner in relationship with the Creator? Having a pro-active faith makes a difference in how we pray and what we pray for.

In the end God will still be God and we must accept His decision (prayer is not getting our way, but pleading our case). Having a positive faith instead of a passive faith means we, His creation, can live each day in active negotiation, interaction, relationship with the One who loves us so much that He denied His own Son’s request, “If it be possible, let this cup (the agony of the cross) to pass over me.” The choice is ours. We can lay down with passive resignation of fatalism or rise up, take the cross that is before us (you didn’t think life would be without struggle did you?) and be engaged in the gift of life that God has given us.

Culture and the Elderly

Ten days ago I had to make one of the toughest decisions of my life.  My dad, who turned 90 years old in May, became ill and had to go to the hospital.  It was not a life threatening illness, but it could have been serious if not attended to.  My father was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s a few years back and slowly each day, physically and mentally, reveals his deteriorating condition; every minor infirmity takes an enormous toll. 

It became clear to me that my mom, 86 years old, small and frail, could no longer take care of dad.  After much prayer, consultation with my brothers and mom, we made arrangements to have dad transferred to the Veteran’s Home when the doctor released him from the hospital.  This past week has been one of personal human sadness.  My parents are separated each night for the first time in their nearly 65 years of marriage.  We go to bed wondering if dad feels lonely; there is a deep sense of guilt that perhaps we have abandoned him.

My Indian friends do not understand how we Americans can put their parents in a nursing home.  The extended family is strong in their culture and it’s unimaginable that they would not move their elderly parents into their home or at least make sure they were taken care of in their own home or that of another relative.  But, then again, Indians can’t understand how or why Americans cook their own food, wash their own dishes or clean their own homes.  That’s what the servants do. 

My landlord in Delhi was nearly the same age as my dad when we lived in India.  I watched my old friend slowly decline and though he was not put in a nursing home I can’t say that the family care for my landlord was any more compassionate or more caring than what many American elderly receive.  Mr. J’s extended family attended to him less, on a daily basis, than we do with my dad in a nursing home 40 kilometers away.  Instead of a qualified medical staff looking after the elderly, the task of bathing, cleaning and feeding in the Indian society is relegated to the same person who cleans the house each day.

The issue of the elderly in culture, as with most things, cannot be generalized.  Each family in every culture make decisions based on the relationships children have with their parents.  Some American families do indeed seem to cast off their parents into nursing homes, as do Indian families who seemingly cast off their parents into the hands of hired staff.  I believe those actions by both cultural families are the exception, not the rule.  Be they American, Chinese, Indian or European, most family members do the best they can for their parents when the tough choices of caring for their final days faces them.  It is the bond between children and parents over a lifetime that determines the last days, and one should not judge either the individual or the culture in such matters.

Mom asked dad yesterday if he was saying his prayers.  His answer from a voice that once was strong now barely a whisper, “I try to, but sometimes I fall asleep.”  That’s okay, pop, go ahead and close your eyes.  God’s marvelous grace continues to sustain you and those who love and pray for you each day.

Insider Movements and Secret Disciples

Question: Can one be a disciple and not believe? Can one believe and not be a disciple?

Answer: Yes.

How can that be?

A disciple is one who follows the teaching or philosophy of another. You can call them teacher’s, guru’s or swami’s. I may be a disciple of say, Rick Warren (pastor of Saddleback Church, author of the Purpose Driven Life) because of the worldwide work he does for social justice and world peace, but that doesn’t mean I believe everything that comes out of Warren’s mouth or every project he launches. As a pastor Warren knows God’s Word I will listen to his teaching with confidence, but his instructions will not be the final word on doctrinal or theological issues. Jesus had many disciples, but not many believers. So, yes one can be a disciple and not a believer.

Being a believer doesn’t automatically make a person a disciple. Belief is a trust in the claim but doesn’t always translate into a commitment of following. I would suggest that the vast majority of Christians in the U.S. (and using that term I am saying born-again believers) are, at best, marginal disciples. They may attend church, give a tithe, but again, most of believers in the West are short on even these two basic activities of discipleship. Being a witness for Christ, demonstrating the fruits of the spirit is a greater indicator of being a disciple of Christ; gossip, having an unforgiving and bitterness in your heart toward your brother, dishonesty in business, covetousness, pride won’t keep you from being a believer, but it will be hard to sell your faith if you are riddled with these undiscipleship qualities.

After Jesus was crucified there was a rich man by the name of Joseph of who asked the Romans to let him have the body of Jesus to be buried in his own grave. The Bible calls Joseph a “secret disciple.” How long was a he a secret disciple? One year? Two years? We don’t know, but he was no doubt a believer who had not yet declared openly his faith in Jesus.

In Muslim and Hindu communities, where the family and social structure is deeply constrained, I believe there are thousands of secret believers, who are not yet disciples. Whenever anyone writes me and quotes the scriptures about how God’s Word demands open confession I remind them of the guy from Aremethia, or his friend, Nicodemus who came to Jesus by night (we still don’t if he ever became a believer). Yes, Joseph did come out of the closet, but the day of his declaration of discipleship wasn’t his day of salvation, he was a secret disciple before he was a declared disciple.

When I get notes about how we should be willing to die for the name of Christ or be ostracized from our family for His sake, I automatically discount it from anyone who does not come from inside the social/family structures of Hinduism, Islam or Buddhism.

And, quite frankly, even if you come from a fundamentalist Hindu/Muslim family and declared your faith openly risking life, limb and fortune and believe everyone else should do the same, I would still take you back to Joseph, Naaman, Nicodemous and make the argument that there is no standard universal pattern for discipleship or for believers. Many have indeed have suffered for their faith and I do recognize throughout history of the church the martyrs who paid a high price for discipleship. However, first and foremost for all true believers is belief or trust that Jesus is the Christ of God who gave His life for man’s salvation. How that belief is played out in action is as varied as those who call on His name. It may be in front of a church or at baptism; it may be in a one’s room all alone for years.

It is my contention that if we can give tolerance for discipleship (you who believe but who are not yet perfect), then we surely can allow God to work in the heart of believers who are not yet known. To not allow this grace will surely be an obstacle for many who might truly be interested in the Good News of Christ and His salvation.