A way to understand MBBs: combine two analogies
Christians ministering to MBBs often ask me how MBBs feel when they become Christians. I think one way is to consider and combine two analogies.
The first analogy is someone who suffered a devastating back injury, had surgery yesterday, and must now relearn how to do almost everything. Please think through the pain, much of which cannot be understood by casual observation because the debilitating wounds are mainly internal and the scars are hidden. The injuries force the injured to have to focus intensely on relearning even the simplest tasks, all while dealing with constant, terrible pain.
The second analogy is a person who has moved to a new continent with little or no preparation, doesn’t speak the language and has few or no friends nearby to offer advice or help.
An MBB has to relearn much of what they know about life because they have entered a new kingdom. They must do so while experiencing the terrible pain of rejection and loss, and perhaps even abuse and torture. The people around them may not know how to help, and the MBB may be isolated by their community. The MBB does not know the culture of the new kingdom, and will make many mistakes – often painful ones. MBBs will have umpteen questions, many of which won’t get answered, leaving them frustrated. They might even feel hopeless, thinking that things will always be this way, leading them to leave Christianity.
The above offers a small taste of the life of an MBB.
Keywords: MBB discipleship, two analogies
Why choose the uncommon path of discipling Muslim background believers?
Ministering to Muslims is becoming more popular, while reaching out to MBBs is not. It is an uncommon ministry path. Even given the low success rate of ministering to Muslims, Christians are willing to reach out to Muslims in evangelism, but have not yet been able to help indigenous MBBs become fruitful in a consistent and widespread manner. The desire is certainly there, but the materials have not been to this point.
There is also a sense that outreach will not be successful, so why try. The Muslim community will simply isolate and ostracize the MBB, so there is really no point unless there was a way to reach them and help them grow while they are isolated and ostracized. If that way was available, people would more easily be able to reach out to MBBs, and ministry to Muslims and MBBs would be more fruitful.
My materials provide a way to give isolated MBBs the ability to grow strong in the Lord and to reach out to Muslims and others in their community. MBBs in isolation can, especially using the e-book format, quickly learn practical, biblical truth from the handbook. They can then grow in the Lord, and live Christian lives in a Muslim context. MBBs can also use the Bible studies and overviews to effectively minister to their affinity groups as well as start and grow small groups and churches. That potential makes the uncommon path of ministering to MBBs much more attractive.
The materials are available for sale on my home page, accessible from the menu above.
Keywords: MBB, isolation, discipleship materials , uncommon path