A Different Challenge in Messianic Mosque Planting

For those who want to know about C1 through C6 contextualization of the Christian faith in other religious contexts, you can read up on it by CLICKING HERE.

I was talking to a friend of mine. Actually, it was the first time we had spoken face-to-face, although we had communicated online for years. While sipping some coffee I found out that he was involve indirectly (somewhat indirectly) in a C5 ministry. For those who don’t know, levels of religious contextualization in missions is often described in terms of C-levels. It was created for missions in the Muslim context and it tends to make the most sense in terms of that faith. It can be applied to other faiths as well. Of course, we are familiar with “Christian synagogues” tied to Messianic Judaism. Things are a little different there as I don’t think there is any real confusion— Messianic Judaism identifies with a clear model from Christian history, and as such it is not hard to imagine a Messianic synagogue, while a Messianic Mosque or Messianic Mandir most likely does not have that sort of historical model.

My friends involvement with C-5 Mosques I found quite interesting. He described the challenge of developing them. I think much of the challenges are pretty obvious. However, I found one challenge not as obvious but definitely challenging. C-5 church (mosque) planters when they come into a Muslim community, never really can “come out.” The individual identifies as a Muslim. Now Islam does allow for a certain amount of religious deception for protection, but Christianity doesn’t really (or at least certainly has not made such official allowance). Of course, calling oneself a Muslim can be done in terms of language since the term suggests being a “submitted one to God”. Additionally, since the person was raised up as a Muslim (now understood as a(n) MBB, or Muslim background believer) this person can call himself or herself Muslim culturally as well. However, there is a problem in the historical meaning of the term “Muslim.” Historically there is a tie between the term “Muslim” and a belief in Mohammed as the “final prophet of God,”— thus the more old-timey term used for Muslims— “Mohammedans.” A C5 church (mosque) planter then is being honest in self-describing as a Muslim in two aspects (linguistic and cultural) but not in the very key aspect of historical.

So where is the problem? Coming into the community and setting up a C5 mosque, it is not long until the planter is stuck in a a bit of a no man’s land. He does not (and perhaps even cannot) identify with Christians who may live in the same region. And frankly, Christians are likely to reject him due to the cultural differences. At the same time he really cannot go to his Muslim neighbors and admit that he is really a follower of “Isa al Masih” (Jesus) if he had implied otherwise when he joined them. There is a certain sort of betrayal in such an admission. Doing so early is not an issue— entering a community and identifying oneself as a Muslim Background Believer. I have a good friend who does just that. He was raised Muslim, became a Christian, and now pastors a church in a Muslim community. But if one comes in and identifies oneself as Muslim— with all of the levels of meaning that term implies— one is almost forced to maintain that identity for… well not forever… but a long and indeterminate time.

In some communities, ones that do not allow religious freedom, there would be the stress of being found out. But there is also a sociological stress. For all of us there is the stress due to the difference between our person (our “real self”) and our persona (our presentation of our-self to broader society). Pastors and missionaries can feel this acutely as our ministry encourages us to hide our complex and muddy true selves from those we minister to and minister around. In the C5 scenario this disconnect is ramped up considerably. I don’t know the answer. Most of the Christians I know who were raised Muslim are pretty happy to be reoriented in a non-Muslim culture. But I know that is not always the case. Many want to follow Jesus Christ but continue to feel interwoven to the fabric of their predominantly Muslim community. C5 or messianic mosques is one way.

The cultural stress goes away where one does not need to maintain such a complex relationship with broader community, but where there is more freedom or tolerance, is there a need for C5 mosques? I am not sure. My friend’s involvement with C5 mosques is in a region that is not as religiously intolerant as some. Maybe it will be able to serve as a test case for a transition from hidden to out in the open.

We shall see.