Using Storytelling, Proverb and Idiom with Muslim People

By JM Bell Using stories, proverbs and idiom to communicate truth is as ancient as culture itself and has a firm Biblical basis. It is of particular importance when sharing the truth of Jesus and discipling amongst cultures that use these forms more than we do, but even in the postmodern West, where we are steeped in propositional truth, we ignore the Biblical pattern to our loss. We in the West tend to be propositional. We like to have a logical, argued and clear case for the gospel. Paul desired to proclaim Christ clearly (Col. 4:4) and the apostles, including Paul, preached very clearly in Acts (e.g. chap 2 and 3). However, Jesus rarely used this method in his public ministry. There is perhaps only one example: John 3:16. Mark (4:11, 12, 33, 34) points out that Jesus used parables with the crowds, but when he was alone he explained everything to his disciples. Parables were for those outside the Kingdom of God. Did Jesus want to hide the truth? Was His aim to keep the truth from those who were spiritually blind and antagonistic to the gospel? Or, did Christ not want to force them into a decision for Himself before the Holy Spirit had prepared them? (Mark 4:33 may indicate this.) Those with hard hearts will often take a story at face value and will therefore not be offended by it. Consequently a parable would not cause them to harden their heart to the gospel further. However, for those who are open they are able to look deeper into the meaning of the parable. Parables can be explained (eg Luke 18:1-8) or left unexplained. The storyteller can ask the listeners what the story means. They may get the meaning wrong; if there is an openness this can be corrected, but if there is a hardness then no damage is done and a relationship may have been strengthened by telling a story.

Advantages In the Muslim context Martin Goldsmith suggests "parabolic preaching" has three advantages: It does not cause anger and can be used in lands where clear preaching is illegal. It suits traditional Muslim cultures where story telling is popular. People will travel considerable distances to hear a storyteller and repeat the stories far and wide. The storyteller can gain respect that will further the gospel. Some workers have earned a considerable reputation as storytellers! It is ideal for teaching key religious truth.

Analogy Muslims often argue by analogy. Stories and picture language can be used to encourage Muslims to question their own worldview and to point them towards the gospel. Often a Muslim will argue that as there are more Muslims and because Muslims have great oil reserves, Islam must therefore be right. The story of the prophet Gideon (Judges 6-8) was much appreciated by a Moroccan to whom I told the story in great detail. I suggested that this story showed that numbers are not the decider as far as God and His truth is concerned! Might was not right. He understood, and I expect far more easily than if Id given a philosophy lesson!

Apologetics Stories can be used in a more apologetic way. For example, Muslims believe in four holy books - but only the Qur'an is considered uncorrupted. To suggest that the Taurat (Books of Moses), Zabur (Psalms) and Ingil (Gospel) are NOT corrupted a story such as the one below can be employed in discussion. There was a man who had four children. He lavished all his love on the youngest son and left the other three sons to grow up without discipline and they became a dishonour to the father. There was another man who had four rooms in his house. One he left for best and decorated with beautiful mosaics, gold and a fountain. The other three he filled with rubbish. What would you say to this man? We would want to discuss the usefulness of the Quran, but perhaps at a later stage in our friends path towards coming to know Jesus. The aim of the story is not to dot every theological i and cross every theological t but to put a spanner in the Muslims conceptual framework so that the Holy Spirit may use it to draw our friend to Christ.

Ambush The Son of God: The issue of Jesus title will often be raised in discussions. The Muslim understanding of Son of God is that God had physical relations with Mary. In many Muslim countries nationals are called "Sons of the Country". One could ask our friends if such an expression exists in the culture (making sure it does beforehand). Then one could wryly suggest, "Oh! That means the land had sex with the man's mother!" The aim of using a cultural idiom is to help transform perception, allowing appreciation that the title Son of God may have a different meaning. Semitic idiom from Scripture can often be used equally well in Arab cultures. The disciples, James and John were called Sons of Thunder (Mk 3:17); this described their nature, not their ancestry. Martin Goldsmith has noted that in the Malay and Indonesian languages there is another expression that can be of use. The word for key is "son of the lock". Often Muslims will ask Christians questions such as "Do you eat pork?". A story can be used to challenge a Muslim worldview and can be used to change the conversation to more fundamental questions. You could respond with Jesus comments that "What goes into a man's mouth does not make him unclean, but ... (Matthew 15:10-20), reciting the whole conversation.

Appendix Here are a few more thoughts: Invent your own stories or beg and borrow from others. Try stories from the Iranian (or Turkish) Sufi Muslim called Mulla Nasrudin. Bill Musk cites several stories and gives references. How about adapting Rudyard Kiplings "Just so..." stories? Don't try to make your points complex. Context, context, context - some stories will work well in one context and be culturally irrelevant in another. The Story or The Good Chinese Businessman (see below) is an example of making a Biblical story relevant to a different culture. Add embellishments to the stories people like them.

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The Parable of the Good Chinese Businessman A story for use amongst the Maguidaons - a group of Muslim poor farmers in the Philippines. Maguidaon robbers often hold Chinese businessmen for ransom, so a rich Chinese man was chosen for the role of the Good Samaritan. At first the story was told in its original form. Unfortunately, because the Samaritan was from the Middle East, Maguidaons immediately assumed he was a Muslim! When telling a story like this embellishments and side comments are the order of the day. A Maguidaon man was going from one town to another when he fell in to the hands of some robbers. They stripped him of his clothes, beat him and went away, leaving him half dead. A Maguidaon Ustadj happened to be traveling down the same road and, when he saw the man, passed by on the other side. So too, an Imam, when he came to the place and saw him, passed by on the other side. But a rich Chinese man, as he traveled, came to the place and when he saw the man, had pity on him. He went to him, got the first aid kit out from the boot of his airconditioned limousine and tried to bandage his wounds. With the man still half covered in blood, he put the Maguidaon in his Limousine and drove to a private hospital. He made sure the hospital staff looked after the man well and the next day paid the medical bill, giving the hospital more than they charged. "Look after him." he said "Keep me informed of his progress and when I return I shall entirely settle the bill for any extra expenses". Dynamic Equivalents: Ustadj Imam Chinese man the priest the Levite the Good Samaritan. (The Chinese are seen as the rich community and they fear Maguidaons because of robbery. The original Good Samaritan was from a despised hated community. The Good Samaritan character is not portrayed as a Christian because the Maguidaon understanding of Christians is warped.) the donkey, the transport of a rich man. the inn (Maguidaons normally could not afford private medicine and the government hospitals would not give the same quality of treatment.)
Adapted from Luke 10 by a worker outside the Frontiers movement; used by permission.

Limousine Private hospital -

BIBLIOGRAPHY Kenneth Bailey The Cross and the Prodigal. Pub.: IVP Poet and Peasant and Through Peasant Eyes. A Literary-Cultural Approach to the Parables in Luke. Combined Edition Pub.: Eerdmans Jacob and the Prodigal: How Jesus Re-told Israel's Story Downers Grove: InterVarsity early chapters are particularly useful Colin Chapman Muslims and Christians on the Emmaus Road. J Dudley Woodberry (Ed.) Pub.: Marc 1989. Chap. 7 The God who reveals is useful Martin Goldsmith Islam and Christian Witness esp. a section entitled Parabolic Preaching Pub.: Authentic Bill Musk Touching the Soul of Islam. Chap. 7 Language and Silence. Pub.: Monarch