March 01, 1993 by Luis Bush

What is the “mother of all challenges” for the World Christian?

Few Christians, who are concerned with world evangelization by the year AD 2000, would disagree that the most crucial challenge we confront is the Arab Middle East. The 220 million Arab Muslims of the Middle East and North Africa represent "the core of the core" ~ the most challenging region within the 10/40 Window. It is within this hardened territory that the seeds of extreme Islamic fundamentalism have taken root and grown ruggedly strong. Militant factions in this part of the Muslim world have increasing dominance, and other nations have felt their fury. The recent bombing of the World Trade Center brought the reality of this hostility into the American living room.

Of course, the vast majority of Arab Muslims are not fanatical terrorists, but rather individuals whose minds have been blinded by Satan. As a group, they represent the largest and most unreached ethnic block in the Muslim world; and, while most governments in Arab countries remain hostile to any form of Christian mission, other things in the Middle East are rapidly changing. Deeply rooted myths are being destroyed, particularly the falsehoods that "the Arab world is unreachable" and that "God does not care about Muslims."

One worker in the Middle East has been quoted as saying, "Militant Islam is certainly the'strongman' that must be bound if the Muslim world is going to be plundered for the Kingdom! It is time for the Arab world to be recognized as reachable and for it to rise to the top of mission agendas." Presently, only less than 0.4% of global Christian mission budgets is going to evangelize the Middle East and North Africa.

However, there are evidences of spiritual revival among Christians in the Middle East. I recently attended a special gathering in the Middle East, which focused on the "mega-trends" and "priority ministry tasks" within the Arab Middle East, and I can assure you that much of the news is very encouraging. Now, on Saturday, June 5th at Village Seven Presbyterian Church in Colorado Springs, Colorado another significant meeting will be held, which is being called an, "International Briefing on the Middle East."

Some of the most knowledgeable and prominent Arab Christian leaders from the Middle East will be present at this strategically important gathering: Maher Fouad Rizk, General Secretary of the Evangelical Alliance of Egypt; Menes Abdul Noor, pastor of the largest evangelical church in Egypt; Victor Hashweh of Jordan and Lucien Accad of Lebanon, who are the International Secretary and Chairman, respectively, of the newly formed Arab World Evangelical Ministers' Association (AWEMA). Tom Craig, Middle East Area Director for Interdev, will provide an informed and up-to-date picture of what is happening in the Middle East. He recently conducted an extensive, nine-month survey of the Arab world.

AWEMA serves as the evangelical association for Arab pastors and ministers throughout the Arab world. This meeting will provide an excellent opportunity for American Christians to interact with some of the key evangelical Christian leaders of the Middle East. This gathering also presents a golden opportunity for Christians in the U. S. to become informed about the facts--to hear the testimonies of God's power at work in the Arab Muslim world--to understand the trends and the times in which we live--and to learn specifically how to be involved. My own recent exposure to these realities has dramatically affected my life and ministry.

Rev. Bernie Kuiper, senior pastor of Village Seven Presbyterian Church and the hosting pastor for the event, says, "I believe that the Muslim world is the most neglected mission field today. Yet, in a way, they are closer to receiving the truth of the Gospel than other major populations. This is a unique opportunity to become aware of fields that are ripe for harvest. Village Seven is delighted to host this briefing on the Middle East."

The following organizations and churches have already committed to co- sponsor this special event: New Life Church, Christian Information Network, AD 2000 & Beyond Movement, DAWN Ministries International, Every Home for Christ, God's Word and Literature Resource Network of AD 2000, Women's Network of AD 2000, Praying Through the Window, Village Seven Presbyterian Church, Interdev, Caleb Resources, Adopt-A- People Clearing House, Saturation Church Planting Resource Network of AD 2000.

It is the hope of each participating organization that this strategic meeting will lead to clearer steps to evangelizing the Arab world by the year AD 2000.

For more information contact:

AD2000 & Beyond Movement
2860 S. Circle Dr, Suite 2112
Colorado Springs, CO 80906