This article builds on the generic article on diasporas, with a specific focus on the current Islamic movements around the world.
Everything in that first article is relevant, but this people group represents a special opportunity at the moment. Particularly for Europe and Australia.
Many contemporary historians and mission leaders have stated that more Muslims accepted Christ in the last 20 years than have converted since Islam's founding in approximately 610 AD (CE for Muslims, Jews, and Atheists).
That is not an accident! The Holy Spirit has picked this time for action. I don't know why; all I know is that God has given us a once-in-a-lifetime chance to accomplish something extraordinary, and we will be heartbroken if we pass up this chance to participate. First of all, God is doing the heavy lifting. He is bringing about a lot of change in the lives of many Muslims. He is placing Jesus in the hearts of many Muslims. These take the form of wars or disruptions, causing migrations of people groups out of their native areas and into the West. The Holy Spirit has been working in their hearts in the form of everything from dissatisfaction with Islam's promises to actual dreams and visions of Christ. Once the Holy Spirit has done the heavy lifting, it is only up to us to be obedient and offer the hope that resides within us.
It is hard because westerners, particularly Australians, have not had much contact with Islam before, and the media have whipped up a storm of bigotry and fear against Muslims. Most Muslims are just the same as you and me; very few are terrorists and mass bombers. Regardless, there appears to be a divide between us.
For those of us who are not professional cross-cultural missionaries in a foreign land, these diasporas are perfect to gain access to these people. For the first time in history, they are coming to us in droves! It is not an attack but asking for help. Whether it is for physical protection from oppression or just a move to a better fiscal opportunity for their family, they are seeking us out.
But here is the rub. Muslims do form very tight communities amongst their ex-patriots. Enclaves and ghettos form quickly and tightly. Professional cross-cultural missionaries have told me that the settlements within Australia, for example, are actually more formal (with a tighter sect following) than their original parent cultures. They appear to fear "contamination" from interacting with the locals, vehemently defending their ways and beliefs. In their home countries, they would be “insulated” from the west (and all the west are decadent sinners).
That is why this latest wave of immigrants and refugees is so important. If we can find that “sweet spot” we talked about in the first article, then we can get these people across the line, but more importantly, they can be the vehicle for getting insider movements going within these cloistered communities and perhaps even their parent countries!
My second experience with this diaspora was with Persians (Iranians). They identified themselves as Persians because they were so disillusioned with Iran's religion and politics. The first large group I encountered expressed their desire to travel to Australia to "meet the people of the Book," a reference to the Quran's depiction of Christ's followers. They had been here for 3 years, and every attempt to connect with a “Christian” had been met with distrust or even hate. They were now disillusioned with their hope of coming here. Wow! What an indictment on us! We are the ones that have hope within us and the command to share it with the ends of the world. Obviously, we failed miserably. When I introduced myself as a "person of the book," there was open joy in their eyes, and it was the beginning of a great adventure. They began sharing with me many stories of people in their immediate families having dreams about Jesus and coming here.
My first encounter with the Diaspora was with a Lebanese couple in Hobart about 20 years ago. They had just arrived and knew no other Muslims from anywhere else. They did not know of any mosques in the area. They felt completely alone. Their arrival coincided with an unfortunate international terrorist attack overseas, and the media meticulously covered every detail. The Australians around them chose to attack them since they could not get at the real offenders. They faced name-calling, assaults on the children at school, and rocks thrown at the house. They later spray painted the house with nasty labels, scratched their car, and smashed a window. Welcome to Australia! This was my first contact with a Muslim couple, and I tried to befriend them and share the Good News. They seemed eager to have a friend and reconnect with God, but I was too slow and cautious. An imam finally reached out to them on Facebook and helped them move interstate into their "safe fold of sheep" amongst the wolves. I missed a golden opportunity! This is yet another instance of a failed attempt at evangelism.
The Persians are a relatively soft group of people. What opportunities are we missing out on with the Arab and Indonesian groups? These sweet spots will not last long. Join me and many others to actively hunt for these sweet spots and start insider movements that were never possible before!
May God the Father protect you and grant you great boldness! Amen.
Macka