St Francis Magazine Nr. 2 Vol.
III (September 2007)
Initial Reflections on Holistic Ministry in an Islamic Context
Dr. Paul Bendor Samuel
Director, Interserve
1 INTRODUCTION
In the past 10-15 years a common paradigm for
mission has been emerging, a paradigm based
on transformational or holistic ministry.1 Much
of what is written assumes that this ministry
is practiced in an environment in which the
church has relative freedom of action. There
appears to be very little written on the nature
of holistic ministry when practiced in an
environment that is hostile to the gospel and
specifically, an Islamic environment. I was
fascinated to note that at the recent Micah
Network conference2 dealing with the theme of
integral mission in a context of violence, there
was not a single representative from the Arab
ci
World.
Many of the issues related to holistic ministry
n
are common to any setting. Further, there
a
are commonalities shaping the practice of
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holistic ministry in any hostile or dictatorial
F
environment. Challenges arise not simply
t
because it may be difficult for the church to
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have a visible presence, but fundamentally
because holistic ministry empowers individuals
and communities and this runs counter to
authoritarian power structures.
This paper seeks to do two things. First, it
aims to identify some of the critical issues
shaping holistic ministry in an Islamic context.
Secondly, it attempts to suggest a framework for
encouraging further reflection by individuals
in their particular contexts. The practice of
mission in the Muslim world is shaped by many
factors other than engagement with Islam.
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Nationalism, authoritarian government and folk
religion are often part of the context. Because of
this mix, much of what follows can be applied
to contexts that are not Islamic but share the
characteristics cited above.
The need to understand the nature of holistic
e
ministry in an Islamic context is urgent not only
in
because of its specific challenges but because we
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recognise the vital necessity for Muslim people
a
not only to hear the gospel but see the reality of
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Christ incarnated in every sphere of life.
a
The Micah Declaration and Interserve
statements on holistic ministry give helpful
M
summaries as to what is involved in these
s
terms.3 We suggest a simple definition of
holistic ministry here:
Ministry from the fullness of God, through the whole
person and Christian community bearing witness to
the whole gospel for the transformation of individuals,
communities and nations.
This definition recognises that ministry flows
from the triune God who exists in community.
It recognises that the individual ‘minister’ and
Christian community must see their lives as
a whole if they are to bear witness to a whole
gospel. The definition focuses on the intended
outcome of ministry - transformed lives,
communities and nations.4
Every aspect of human activity and being
becomes a potential channel for God’s
transforming grace. Whether working in the
marketplace, caring for the family or engaging
in development, we do all for His glory.
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 St Francis Magazine Nr. 2 Vol. III (September 2007)
It could be argued that many of the issues
raised in this paper relate most acutely to those
engaged in development work. We believe that
a truly incarnational approach in the Muslim
world, whatever the sphere of ministry, will lead
to the challenges identified here.
2 CRITICAL ISSUES SHAPING
HOLISTIC MINISTRY IN AN
ISLAMIC CONTEXT
2.1 Islamic worldview and understanding of
holism
How does an Islamic worldview shape an
understanding of holistic ministry, either
positively or negatively and can we build a
shared understanding of what we are seeking to
do in holistic ministry?
Firstly, can we speak of an Islamic worldview?
The Muslim world has incredible ethnic,
geographic, linguistic and cultural diversity.
i
The influences of folk Islam and Sufism are
c
very broad. None the less, Phil Parshall notes
n
an amazing uniformity of values and beliefs
a
across the Muslim world.5
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Secondly, we might ask if there is any shared
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understanding of the nature of holism between
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Christianity and Islam and whether we can find
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bridges in the Islamic worldview from which to
share our understanding of ministry? Bishop
Michael Nazir-Ali puts it this way, “Every
society has its informing principles, its values,
its beliefs, its world-view and it is right that
the Church, in the proclamation of the gospel,
should affirm whatever it can of these values,
beliefs and world-views.”6
This paper concentrates on five aspects of the
general Islamic worldview that are particularly
prevalent and that impact our work in holistic
ministry.
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2.1.1 Islam as a religion that expects all to
become Muslims
Islam holds that all people are born Muslim.
They are simply waiting to receive the
knowledge that will allow them to accept Islam.
Therefore the world can be divided into the
territories of Islam and those that are still to
become Muslim. In Islam, knowledge is the
key human distinctive, in contradistinction to
Christianity, where being made in God’s image
and in relation to Him are foundational.
Holistic ministry recognises that true
e
transformation is dependant on encounter and
in
surrender to Jesus Christ as Lord and saviour.
z
This is completely at odds with an Islamic
a
position which expects all to acknowledge Allah
g
as the only God and Mohammed as his prophet.
a
Sooner or later this reality will be encountered
in our holistic ministry and we had better be
M
prepared for it. Muslims are not right that we
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seek to meet the needs of others in order to
convert them (see the discussion below about
motives) but they are right that every Christian
has a passion to see all come into a living, saving
relationship with Jesus Christ.
This presents a massive dilemma for the holistic
ministry worker. The commitment to social
change will inevitably at some point come into
conflict with the desire to see men and women
become disciples of Jesus. The only way
forward in this dilemma is to resist all pressures
to compartmentalise our lives and pursue our
calling in a holistic way. We will not be able to
survive on prearranged strategies but require
constant dependency on the Holy Spirit.
2.1.2 Tawhid, unity and community
Tawhid is a core Muslim principle reflecting the
unity of every aspect of life. Love for oneness
is expressed in and derived from the creed
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 St Francis Magazine Nr. 2 Vol. III (September 2007)
“There is only one God but God.” This love of
unity permeates everything. Parshall gives the
example of architecture where inside a mosque
there are uniform patterns and shapes.7
Jeremiah D. McAuliffe,8 states that ‘Islam
is profoundly and intelligently holistic.’
He derives this from his understanding of
Tawhid and the unity of God. This oneness
is much more than a mathematical concept,
a mystery that cannot be fully understood.
He states, “Tawheed points to a harmonious
and integrated relation among the various
components of human experience: physical,
social, subjective and spiritual.”9 For McAuliffe,
a holistic view of life springs from the character
of God. We can compare this position with
our definition of holistic ministry given above,
where ministry ‘flows from the fullness of
God’. An Islamic view of holism will tend
towards unity and conformity whilst a Christian
view will tend towards diversity-in-relationship,
i
flowing out of the character of God as Trinity-
c
in-community.
r a
A second factor influencing the Islamic concept
of holism stems from the understanding of
n the fact is that the sense of shame currently being felt by
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how God mediates his kingly rule. For the
Muslim, God’s rule is mediated through sharia
S t
law. External law shapes personal behavior. For
the Christian, God’s rule is expressed within
the life of the believer, flowing out to affect
relationships and behavior in the community.
Islamic unity is expressed in the importance of
community over the individual. Conformity
has a higher social value than non-conformity.
Solidarity makes individual decision making
completely out of place. Any deviance or
individuality is to be viewed with suspicion
at best and usually with opposition. This
obviously has a major impact on evangelism and
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discipling as well as on the initiating of any kind
of community based development work.
Concern for the poor in the community is
institutionalised in the ritual giving of a 40th
of income. Freewill giving (Zakat) is also
recognised. Traditional Muslim homes will
make a point of feeding the poor in their
neighbourhood and sharing food at times of
celebration such as the Id sacrifice.
Again, this institutionalised concern for the
poor provides a potential bridge for holistic
e
ministries. It also provides a potential starting
in
point for raising awareness of the needs of
those in the community who are suffering or
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a
marginalised.
g
2.1.3 Issues of honour and shame
a
In recent years there has been a growing
awareness of the importance of honour and
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shame in Muslim communities. Malaysian
s
Prime ministry Dutuk Seri Abdullah Ahmed
Badawi, in his September 2006 message to the
UK stated with extraordinary honesty:
the Muslim world is the root cause of the loss of trust
and confidence between Muslims on the one side and
the Judeo-Christian civilisation on the other.10
Honour is everything for a Muslim individual,
family, community or nation. Status is more
assigned than earned. Wealth, family, age,
reputation: these are all things that bring status
and honour. Honour is closely tied to standing
in the community and shame is to be avoided
at all cost. An Arab proverb says, “Nothing
cleanses the shame except blood.” The current
violence in the Arab/Muslim world can be
understood at least in part through this. The
killing of hostages in Iraq has, at times, been
conducted to demonstrate a ritual ‘purifying’.
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 St Francis Magazine Nr. 2 Vol. III (September 2007)
The way in which we live and work in an
Islamic context must take these concerns deeply
into account. It is not simply the approaches we
use that matter, people are quick to discern our
attitudes as well.
2.1.4 Time, efficiency and practicality
For most Islamic communities, time is valued
for what is past more than what is to come.
History is important, something that helps
explain why the Crusades remain singularly
important in the Muslim mind.
In terms of the present, generally the Muslim
community is more interested in, and puts
a higher importance on, relationship than
efficiency and time keeping. Time is not
seen as a limited commodity. This impacts
greatly the way in which we will engage in
transformational ministries. Once accepted,
time becomes a shared resource rather than
a scarce commodity. When we are able to
i
accept that efficiency is not the most important
c
element, we can relax and enjoy relationships.
n
These relationships will be the most significant
a
and enduring fruit of ministry.
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Although relationship is considered more
F
important than efficiency, Islam is seen as
t
practical. In contrast, Christianity is perceived
S
as un-workable. To love your enemies is seen as
ideal but unrealistic! Islam therefore sanctions
vengeance as a legitimate response to offence.
2.1.5 Family
Family ties are very deep and relate closely to
what is written above about tawhid and honour.
The family is the main source of honour.
Muslims will defend their social practices
towards women as protective and caring rather
than demeaning. Given divorce rates in the
West, Parshall points out that we may not have
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as much to teach the Muslim world about
family life as perhaps we think.11
As with so many aspects of life, there is a real
debate in the Muslim world as to how to live
out Islam in the 21st century. Some consider
that Islam today is dominated by the jurists of
the past who interpreted the Koran for their
time. The solution proposed is to return to
the Qur’an12. For example, it is argued that it
was only the jurists and not the Qur’an that
proposed death for apostasy.
e
Hammudah Abdalati, Islamic theologian, says:
in
Eve was not the weaker party of the first couple the
z
Qur’an makes it very clear that both man and woman
a
are equally capable of virtue, equally sensitive and
equally meritorious.13
g
a
Men and women are God’s vice-regents to
care for the world. Interestingly, the fact that
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Islam recognises both men and women in this
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provides a theological basis for countering
gender inequalities in Islamic communities.
A senior female judge in Malaysia recently
went on record as arguing for legal equality for
women based exactly on the principle of men
and women being co-regents.
Those of us involved in holistic ministry must
keep ourselves aware of the debates within
Islam today that deeply impact the way society
is ordered. If we do we may be surprised at
how many bridges we find to sharing Biblical
values.
2.2 Contextual Issues in an Islamic context
2.2.1 Perceptions of Christianity as morally
corrupt against a background of Islam as
the religion of moral purity
Practice today cannot be divorced from
perceptions shaped by the past and present.
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 St Francis Magazine Nr. 2 Vol. III (September 2007)
History and current events make it very difficult
for us to be speaking the same language. What
are some of the perceptions we face doing
holistic ministry in the Islamic world today?
In 1979, the Ayatollah Khomeini in a speech on
Christmas day told Christians that they needed
to take Jesus more seriously. Despite our
protests, for many Muslims, ‘Christendom’ still
exists in North America and Western Europe
and is therefore seen as allowing immorality and
decadence. Holistic ministry is then seen to be
based on, and attempts to mode,l a set of values
that the Muslim world has already judged and
found wanting. The values of holistic ministry
will be seen as synonymous with ‘Western’
values and these have led to a huge spectrum
of practice in the Muslim world, from active
adoption, accommodation to total rejection.
2.2.2 Alignment of Christianity with
imperialism, colonialism and injustice.
We may look with some irritation at the Muslim
i
focus on the Crusades, but the reality is that
c
they remain the model for Christian-Muslim
n
relationships in the Muslim mindset. Most
a
r
of what has happened in recent years by so-
called Christian nations has only reinforced
F
the perceptions. In the book, Waging Peace on
t
Islam14, Christine Mallouhi looks at the counter-
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cultural figure of St Francis of Assisi (died 1230)
who waged a crusade of love when the popes of
his day were advocating and prosecuting holy
war. Here is a model for holistic ministry that
we do well to reflect on.
The western missionary movement overlaps
the colonial era. Some would argue that it
continues to do so! In the 1750s the British
began to expand their hold in India and within
40 years William Carey was beginning his work
there (1792). Likewise, similar parallels can be
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drawn to Napoleon (1798 in Egypt) and the
French colonisation of North Africa. In 1917
General Allenby entered Jerusalem, signalling
the end of the Turkish Ottoman Empire, shortly
followed by the abolition of the caliphate
(1922 by Kamel Ataturk). In the 1950’s 90%
of the Muslim world was under colonial rule.
This remains a terrible stain on the honour of
Muslims.
In 1948 The State of Israel was established on
the back of British colonial double-talk.
The unresolved tension and violence between
e
Israel and Palestine remains the symbolic, and
in
perhaps actual, greatest obstacle in Muslim
z
minds when relating to the West. This remains
a
a major obstacle when many of the practitioners
g
of holistic ministry come from the West.
a
2.2.3 Authoritarianism and dictatorship.
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This is not the place to debate the merits
and appropriateness of different forms of
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government in the Muslim world. Democracy’
as understood in the West, may not be the best
solution at all times and in all places. This was
illustrated in post-independence in Tunisia
which was ruled by one man for 30 years,
Habib Bourguiba. His abiding legacy was a
vast improvement in health, education, general
living standards and women’s rights. However,
most Muslim societies today live with restricted
freedom of speech and often, a limited right to
assembly. Whilst some pay lip service to the
right to practice your religion, it does not extend
to the right to change religion. This is a massive
challenge to the holistic ministry worker.
Authoritarianism confronts the holistic worker
not only in areas of spirituality but in every
area of life: family dynamics, business practice,
community decision-making and so on. The
holistic worker must learn how power works in
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 St Francis Magazine Nr. 2 Vol. III (September 2007)
the Muslim community and learn how to both
work with it and how to model more Biblical
values. Over time our lives can model an
alternative Kingdom, especially as we develop
relationships and make ourselves vulnerable and
open.
3 DEVELOPING A FRAMEWORK FOR
REFLECTION AND ENGAGEMENT
3.1 Identifying the “Web of Lies”
Bryant Myers, in his foundational book, Walking
with the Poor15 considers a range of views to
explain the nature and causes of poverty. He
quotes the work of Indian writer Jayakumar
Christian whose thesis is that the roots of
poverty are spiritual in that both the poor and
non-poor are captive to a web of lies. These
lies affect all relationships: social, economic,
political and religious. They relate to what
Kumar terms the god-complexes of the non-
poor, a marred self-identity, inadequate world-
i
views, deception by the principalities and
c
powers and weakness of mind, body and spirit.
n
Only the gospel of the Kingdom can bring
a
true freedom and restoration of relationships
r
and holistic ministry must, therefore, grapple
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with the web of lies. Kumar’s work has been
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done primarily in a rural Hindu Indian context.
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Similar reflection is needed in the Muslim
world.
3.2 Essential knowledge
Those engaged in holistic ministry in an Islamic
context need a good grasp of development
principles. We must be committed to
professional excellence, cultural and linguistic
understanding and a firm understanding of the
development process.16
In addition to the above, we must engage in a
continual process of sharpening our skills in
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areas such as organisational planning, training
and mentoring, communication, relationship
and team building. Pure motives alone are
insufficient!
3.3 Motives
In Philippians 1:18 the Apostle Paul doesn’t
seem too worried about motives in mission.
His concern is simply that the gospel is
proclaimed! But Paul is talking about how
motives are interpreted within the Christian
community, not how they are perceived by
e
those outside. Paul spoke from a position of
powerlessness. In the early church the gospel
in
flowed from the powerless margin to the
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powerful centre. In our world today, especially
a
when we engage in holistic ministry, the exact
g
reverse appears to be the case.
a
Motives are considered important in Islam.
Before prayers, the Muslim asks for purity of
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motives. How are the motives of those engaged
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in holistic ministry viewed in the Muslim
world? We have had our motives explained to
us in many ways, including:
• Money making: All development workers
are paid UN style wages.
• Merit gaining: God is going to give you great
blessings in heaven for what you are doing.
• Superiority: Your ways are better than ours.
It is normal for you to come to us.
• Gain power: You want to impose your
culture and values on us and exploit us
• Making converts: Development is a pretext
for making converts
Many Islamic NGOs have been formed in
recent years in order to engage in development.
Groups like Hezbollah are using community
relief and development as a clear tactic for
gaining political acceptance and power with the
population. In Ethiopia, Muslims have been
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 St Francis Magazine Nr. 2 Vol. III (September 2007)
active among Christians offering jobs in Saudi
if they will convert. It seems Christians may
not be alone in having mixed motives in holistic
ministry!
The view that we only engage in holistic
ministry in order to make converts is damaging
and widespread. Phil Parshall discusses this in
his book, Muslim Evangelism. He quotes Robert
Pickett and Rufino Macagba:
Nothing has been more misunderstood by Muslims
than the biblical concept of the gospel meaning God’s
concern for the whole man. How many times we
have had to face the charges that we “use” any physical,
medical, and educational inducements to try to “make”
Christians out of unfortunate Muslims.... No matter
what Muslims, Christians or anyone may say, we believe
that God’s good news in Jesus Christ is meant to be for
the whole man-his physical, psychological and spiritual
needs. We do believe that the old polarization between
the evangelistic concerns versus the social concerns
hurts people.17
3.4 Approaches
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Dave Andrews18 identifies 5 ways in which Jesus
c
engaged in holistic community development:
n
relief, training, confrontation, formation and
a
transformation. Most Christians engaged in
r
holistic ministry do not get beyond the first
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two. We need to work out how to engage
t
beyond this.
S
In a context of authoritarianism, honour and
shame, direct confrontation may be of little
value. In an Islamic context the best form
of advocacy open to those involved in direct
ministry may well be simply the choice to work
with the poor and marginalised. The attention
this draws to their plight is frequently the
catalyst to prompting action by the powerful.
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3.5 Integration of spirituality with daily life and
transparency
Given the context in which we live and our
heritage, some have suggested that holistic
ministry in an Islamic context should only
focus on relief, development, advocacy and
training whilst avoiding any form of verbal
proclamation. One group in Afghanistan took
this position temporarily while the Taliban
were in power, believing that their long term
ministry could be irreparably damaged if they
did otherwise.
e
Another approach, proposed by Phil Parshall,
in
is that development and evangelistic teams
z
should function completely independently but
a
in liaison, the one supporting the other so that
g
together they meet the whole needs of people.
a
Thus the development people would do their
work in the community and would make no
M
attempt at verbal proclamation. Interested
s
people would be fed to the evangelist/disciplers.
The disciplers in their turn would not respond
to any requests for material assistance, thus
preserving the integrity of the church planters
from the charge of ‘bribing’ converts into the
kingdom. Is this either practical or theologically
sound?
The greater challenge is to integrate our own
public/private divide over spirituality. As
one experienced worker wrote to me, “I hear
doctors asking if it is OK to pray with patients.
They expect it for goodness sake!”
The question of openness, what you can say,
how much you can reveal, are always issues.
We do well to remember that the authorities
tend to know pretty well what is going on but
not all the details. The basic principle that
should guide us is: be as open as conditions
allow and keep gently looking for ways to test
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 St Francis Magazine Nr. 2 Vol. III (September 2007)
the boundaries. Not infrequently it is us who
impose them.
Complete
freedom
Absolute
secrecy
Figure 1: The widening circles of transparency
3.6 Attitudes
Vinoth Ramachandra puts it neatly when he
says that “the manner in which we witness
to the gospel must be consistent with its
content”19. Ramachandra lists respect, humility
and an incarnational spirit expressed in love and
“dying” to oneself as the hallmarks of mission,
embodying the message.20
3.6.1 Respect
Key to respect is recognition of the identity of
c iGregory of Nazianzus points out that the
n
the other as being made in the image of God.
a
‘Human beings have inherent worth, dignity
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and value which has been given them because
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they have been created in the image of God’21
says Nazir Ali. Are we willing to learn from
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those we go to serve? Such respect is totally at
odds with a colonialist attitude that is hard to
shed when we come from the powerful centre
and go to the powerless margins.
3.6.2 Humility
Humility recognises the provisionality of
our understanding of faith which is always
in process of formation. It is the opposite of
all arrogance in our own cultural, moral or
religious superiority. Philippians 2:5-8 stands as
the classic exposition of a Christ-like attitude of
humble service.
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Richard Sudworth worked in North Africa for
some years. He experienced the painful clash
of pursuing both excellent human development
and witness to Christ, resulting in a loss of all
ministry. He writes:
Perhaps the most fundamental assumption behind the
practice of theological reflection is that we do not have
all the answers at our disposal. Much of our mission
endeavour is often presaged on the assumption that
we have all the answers and they don’t. The healthier
posture as I continue my work in Birmingham attempts
to display demonstrable recognition that I don’t have all
the answers but my actions will somehow model the life
of one (who) called himself “the Truth”.22
e
in
Bosch sums this up by pointing to a “humble
boldness”:
z
a
We know only in part, but we do know. And we believe
that the faith we profess is both true and just, and
g
should be proclaimed. We do this, however, not as
a
judges or lawyers, but as witnesses; not as soldiers, but
as envoys of peace; not as high-pressure sales-persons,
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but as ambassadors of the Servant Lord.23
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3.6.3 Love
difference between a Christian’s commitment
to the poor and pagan generosity was that the
Christians loved the poor.24 One day while
working in a rural clinic in Tunisia the senior
nurse stopped the Christian doctor. “Why is it,”
he asked, “that you a foreigner should love our
people more than our own doctors?”
Richard Sudworth quotes John Douglas
Hall25, saying, “a resolute determination to
be motivated by self-giving love. This would
seem to lie at the apex of the Christian message,
symbolized, modelled and enabled by Christ’s
death on the cross. The scandalous embrace of
the death of one unclean is at once an invitation
and a visual aid of the proclamation of Jesus that
“the kingdom of God has come”. Sudworth
concludes,
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 St Francis Magazine Nr. 2 Vol. III (September 2007)
When mission is put in that light, one can only concur
with Hall that “the point is not that Christianity has
sinned in its failure to love those whom it sought
to evangelize but that its evangelism was so rarely
motivated by love in the first place.26
3.6.4 Service and Suffering
Perhaps nothing separates Christianity from
Islam more than the attitude to suffering. A
comparison of two events in the life of Jesus
and Mohamed will illustrate the different
understanding of suffering in Islam and
Christianity. When first in Mecca Mohamed
met opposition so he fled to Medina, an event
known and celebrated as the Hijira, the date
from which the Islamic calendar starts. In
Medina he was welcomed, set up a power-
base and returned to conquer Mecca. For the
Muslim, suffering is not part of God’s will but a
sign of weakness.
Jesus demonstrated the exact reverse
movement. Knowing his going to Jerusalem
ci
would result in humiliation and death, he
set his face as a flint and walked into the city.
n
“Islam denies the cross, not from historical
a
certainty but out of theological necessity”27
Fr
The shame that Jesus embraced was unjustified and
the church must also be characterised by the risk of
t
vilification and persecution. That is not to say that
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it is, of itself, a hallmark of authenticity but rather to
highlight the risk and vulnerability key to the mission
enterprise.28
Incarnation is at the heart of holistic ministry
in an Islamic context. The Word became flesh,
with all the risk and vulnerability that entailed.
3.6.5 Passion for God’s honour
If we are primarily motivated by compassion
then compassion becomes our message. If we
are motivated by honour then bringing glory
to God will become our message. The glory
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of God must be our overarching goal and
underpinning motive.29
Honour is understood in the Muslim world. It
may be that our motives may make more sense
when we explain ourselves in terms of a desire
to bring our Lord honour.
4 CONCLUSION
Authentic holistic ministry is desperately
needed in the Muslim world today. This
is not an easy option. There are aspects of
e
Islamic worldview, beliefs and practices that
in
we can build on in our efforts but we will
z
be misunderstood, especially as the church
a
grows. Ministry in the Muslim world tests our
g
motives and methods, stripping us bare. The
a
only ‘platform’ for ministry is the platform of
Christ-like attitudes of respect, humility and
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self-sacrificing love.
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Questions For further reflection:
1. What ‘web of lies’ hold captive the
community in which God has placed me?
2. What ‘web of lies’ do I bring with me into
ministry?
3. What factors in the community most strongly
shape the way my ministry is perceived by those
I am called to? (history, culture, religion etc)
4. What are my motives for ministry?
5. How does my incarnational ministry
empower others to transform their world?
6. What core attitudes shape the way I treat
others?
7. In what areas of my life and ministry have I
allowed fear to have an influence?
9
 St Francis Magazine Nr. 2 Vol. III (September 2007)

ENDNOTES
1
Three terms: transformational, integral and holistic,
seem to be broadly used to describe the same thing
although goals, means and motives appear to differ
quite widely. Two excellent introductory papers on the
Micah Network website are: C.Rene Padilla, ‘Integral
Mission: Past and Present’, on www.micahnetwork.org
(September 2001) and Tom and Christine Sine, ‘The
State of God’s World: Globalization and the Future of
Integral Mission’, on www.micahnetwork.org (September
2001)
2
http://www.micahnetwork.org
3
The Micah Declaration states, “It is not simply that
evangelism and social involvement are to be done
13
Hammudah Abdalati, Encountering the World of Islam.
Basic concepts in Islam, part II, ed Keith Swartly (Authentic,
2005), p. 9.
14
Christine A Mallouhi, Waging Peace on Islam (IVP,
2000)
15
Bryant Myers, Walking with the Poor (Orbis, New York,
1999)
16
One of the best resources I have read on the
development process is a small booklet: Allan Kaplan,
‘The Development of Capacity: UN Non-Government
Liaison service’, available on-line at CDRA websitewww.
cdra.org.za
Other useful websites include:
MARC publications: www.worldvisionresources.com;
Tear Fund resources: www.tearfund.org.uk;

e
alongside each other. Rather, in integral mission our International Health Exchange: www.ihe.org.uk;

in
proclamation has social consequences as we call people Global network of internet communities promoting
to love and repentance in all areas of life. And our social human rights & sustainable development: www.

z
involvement has evangelistic consequences as we bear oneworld.org.uk;

a
witness to the transforming grace of Jesus Christ. If Community Development Resource association, an
we ignore the world we betray the word of God which

g
organization specializing in capacity building: www.cdra.
sends us out to serve the world. If we ignore the word

a
org.za;
of God we have nothing to bring to the world. Justice DIFD resources: www.developments.org.uk;
and justification by faith, worship and political action, the UNDP reports and resources: www.undp.org;

M
spiritual and the material, personal change and structural UNICEF: reports and resources: www.unicef.org;
change belong together. As in the life of Jesus, being,

s
Integral Missions Network: www.micahnetwork.org

i
doing and saying are at the heart of our integral task.” ID21: www.id21.org;

c
4
Salvation is a more frequently used Biblical term than The Resources Centre for Participatory Learning and
transformation but the reduction of salvation to ‘soul

n
Action: www.rcpla.org;
saving’ means that the term is easily misunderstood today. International Development Network: www.idn.org/

a
Transformation however, may be a better current term to

r
devlinks.htm;
explain Jesus’ use of salvation in the gospels. Directory of Development Organisations: www.devdir.

F
5
Phil Parshall, ‘Encountering the world of Islam; org
Additional materials’ Lesson 5. p. 1. For a fuller 17

t
Robert Pickett & Rufino Macagba, ‘Food and Health as
understanding of Islamic worldview see also Bill Musk, Partners in Muslim Evangelism, in The Gospel and Islam:

S
Touching the Soul of Islam (MARC, 1995). A Compendium ed. Don McCurry (MARC, 1979)
6
Bishop Nazir-Ali, in CMS newsletter (July/August, 18
Dave Andrews, Compassionate Community Work
1993), p. 2. (Piquant, 2006), p. 40. See also www.daveandrews.org for
7
Ibid., p. 2. more details
8
Jeremiah D. McAuliffe ‘Holism and Islam: The 19
Vinoth Ramachandra, The Recovery of Mission (IVP), p.
Tawheedian World-View’ on www.city-net.com/ 270.
~alimhaq/text/tawheed (1995), p. 1 20
Ibid., pp. 270-279.
9
Ibid., p. 4. 21
Ibid., p. 6.
10
The Sun Newspaper (Malaysia, 21 September 2006). 22
Richard Sudworth, Unpublished essay. Personal
For a fuller treatment of this issue see Roland Muller, reflection on ministry in North Africa (2004), p. 8.
Honour and Shame (Xlibris, 2000). 23
David J. Bosch, Transforming Mission (New York, 1991),
11
Ibid., p. 3. p. 489.
12
‘From fiqh to Qur’an’ in The Sun Newspaper, (Malaysia, 24
Ibid., p. 4.
8 January 2007), p. 14. 25
Douglas John Hall, The Cross in Our Context

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 St Francis Magazine Nr. 2 Vol. III (September 2007)

(Minneapolis, 2003), p. 198. p. 140.

26 28
Sudworth, p. 5. Sudworth, p. 8.
27 29
David W. Shenk, Candid Confrontation. Encountering See John Piper for an excellent exposition of this theme
the World of Islam, ed Keith Swartly (Authentic, 2006), in Let the nations be glad (IVP, 2003),

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