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This article illustrates well the conflict of cultures experienced by second-generation immigrants from Muslim lands to the western world. So many elements of the climate described still prevail among Muslim women in diaspora that we consider it worth printing.

This article discusses the challenges faced by women in Morocco, highlighting issues such as gender inequality, divorce, and limited access to education and opportunities.

Talking to young Muslim women in my remote corner of North Africa has some things in common with talking to certain secular Western girls. Interest in spiritual things is more or less limited to fortune-telling. Conversation revolves around fashion, money and men. To them, my spurning the advances of a wealthy admirer is a far more serious problem than my refusing to accept Mohammad as a prophet.

Factors To Consider When Trying To Reach Young Tunisian Women With The Gospel

All of us who work in the Middle East have seen Muslim women wearing veils. Some may wear them only on occasion, others frequently or regularly. Perhaps some of us wear veils on occasion. The veil is also becoming more common in he West as Muslims emigrate to Europe, North America, Australia and New Zealand and bring their customs with them. Do you remember the recent incident about Muslim girls in France being expelled from school for wearing veils?

Editorial article for the 1996 - 3 issue of Seedbed.

The following guidelines as to how we should pray for Christians under persecution because of their faith is believed to have come from Richard Wurmbrandt.

A collection of information snippets related to current events happening during the time of this issue's publication.

An expatriate church 'welcome' leaflet can be an effective means of explaining what Chris­tians believe and do. This article explains how we produced and circulated an informative, non-threatening leaflet, despite all the limitations of Christian work in this country.

A selection of new information relevant to the 1996 - 2 issue.

Paul's methodology in permeating the known world with the Gospel was not primarily by (a) doing the work himself, nor by (b) training workers, e.g. Timothy, to do the work in his place. It could better be described as training faithful workers to train faithful workers to train faithful workers to train faithful workers to train faithful workers.

The first three chapters of Genesis are the seedbed of all biblical truth. Effective use of these chapters will play a vital role in the relative effectiveness of the chronological method as a whole. A colleague in the Maghreb writes the following concerning development of a series of studies on Genesis 1-3, to be used as an inductive Bible study and as an introduction to further chronological studies.

We present below two "toolkit" projects, one coming from the Maghreb, the other from the Mashraq. They are significantly different, yet have multiple common features. We hope that the sharing of this concept will stimulate similar action in other countries and contexts.

Moroccan Arabic Pronunciation Workshop is designed to help foreigners learn to properly pronounce Moroccan Arabic. It was written specifically for Christian workers and uses some religious words they would use although the word ''missionary" never occurs.

Editorial for the second issue of 1996.

We have mentioned several limes in Seedbed the importance of Genesis 1-3 as the starting point for communication of the story of redemption. A narrative study prepared in Tunisia primarily for illiterates is avail­able upon request from Seedbed. The following is a study on the same passage, developed on a different level for intensive study with literates.

A case study of twenty-four year old Aisha (not her real name), who was born in North Africa to devout Muslim parents.

Our dependence in discipleship must be on God the Holy Spirit, not on methods. Methods will vary according to circumstances and individuals, both the discipler and the disciple.

The initial goal of discipleship must be the survival of the new believer. A lifetime of ministry among Muslims leaves a pathway strewn with spiritual wreckage, individuals who made a clear profession of faith, but get side­tracked short of spiritual maturity and fruitful integration into a believing community. In my ministry the number of those who have fallen away exceeds the number of those remain­ing steadfast.

Even when we do our best to please someone else, a spouse, teacher, parent, or boss, we fail more frequently than we would like to admit Our own assumptions about life, rooted in our mental software, can blind us to the expectations of others.

Our understanding of sin is extremely important. It affects, and is affected by, many other areas of doctrine. Our view of the nature of God, for instance, influences our understanding of sin.

Comments from the editor for issue 1998:3

Editorial article for 1998 Vol XIII No. 1

I have been trying to turn conversa­tions with Muslims to spiritual matters by telling various Bible stories. I pick a Bible story and read over it ahead of time to ensure I know how to tell the story in Arabic. l also think of two or three points I'd like to make with the story, so that I can continue the discussion and we can deal with various spiritual topics.

The desire of all of us working among Muslims is that our friends become saved. A desire is something we pray for and is a long term objective. This article is a discussion of a tool which enables clear, achievable intermediate goals be set and steps planned and implemented which move Muslims we know towards our ultimate desire.

The bi-monthly bulletin of the "Institute for the Study of Islam and Christianity" (ISIC) is one of the best publications I know for keeping abreast of, and reporting on, activities of present-day Islamic movements.

The Spring 1977 Issue of SIMNOW contains a sobering report entitled "Chil­dren of the World". Although ministries oriented specifically to children are extremely vulnerable in Muslim lands, should not the following statistics from that report have some effect on our evangelism strategies,

This article challenges us concen­trate on a simple presentation on Jesus, the only true bridge to God, depending on the convicting power of the Bible as applied by the Holy Spirit, rather than dependence on use of supposed theolo­gical or cultural bridges between Islam and Christianity.

We walked into our Moroccan neigh­bor's house and greeted each of the family members. After taking off our shoes, we sat down on the couches that lined the walls, I with the father, Miloud, and my wife, Pat, with the oldest daughter, Drissia.

One of the beautiful aspects of evange­lism is that it involves a number of encounters. No one person's witness or no single exposure to the truth is solely responsible for you coming to faith. Rather you and I can point to many different experiences, which are like links in a chain. Under the orchestration of the Holy Spirit, God uses each link to draw us to Christ.

Stories, parables and proverbs are an essential part of the tapestry of Arab culture. So, they should and can be a fundamental component of our evange­listic strategy in communicating the Gospel to Muslims.

Pre-evangelism is that process by which people's hearts are prepared to receive and respond positively to the Gospel. .It is the precursor, therefore, to evange­lism, or the presenting of the Good News of salvation. There is obviously no clear demarcation line between the two. Some may consider the former to be an integral part of the latter, in which case it's merely a question of semantics.

When the idea of a dynamic equiva­lence church was first propounded l was intrigued. Although concerned by ambiguities that I saw, I was open to having my reservations proven un­founded.

Two misconceptions shape the Islamic concept of Adam's sin. First, the belief that prophets do not sin. This subject could be addressed in another article. But it will be partially answered here in discussing the sin of Adam, since he is a prophet of Islam. We will see from the Qur'anic and Hadith evidence that Adam did sin. Second, the belief that Adam's sin was small, only for­getfulness. But the words and expres­sions that are used of sin in the Qur'an and Hadith show the contrary. How then can we communicate the issue of Adam's sin in a way that Muslims can understand?

The following article was contributed by one of our Seedbed readers. I can only recall one instance during my ministry in North Africa when we were faced with the potential of this type of crisis. And in that instance, the professed believer who had two wives died before we had to consider the matter of his integration into the emerging church.

All people are born as true Muslims, innocent, pure, and free as shown in Sura 30:30. There is no single act which has warped the human will. Any concept of original sin is very much contrary to the teachings of Islam.

Editorial for 1998 - 2 Issue

At 5:20 pm Sue and our son Billy walked out of our apartment building to go to the evening church service. As Sue crossed the street to where our car was parked, she noticed a crowd of kids. Suddenly they all stepped back, and she saw a girl with a knife and someone struggling to get it away from her. Then she spotted a man also who seemed to be choking another man.

It seems that one of God's main objectives with believers is to prepare them to reign with Him here and in the hereafter.

Although the title may not sound very creative, l am convinced these princi­ples form the backbone of our mandate.

The main purpose of this article is to show that any attempt to induce Arabic ­speaking Christians not to use the word "Allah," but rather to exchange it for another word is unjustifiable, confusing, and very harmful.

Our life and ministry involves us in many different types of relationships. Building relationships is a key part of our ministry. Unfortunately, these rela­tionships are not always easy to under­stand due to cultural, spiritual, and personal differences that we face. This lack of understanding can lead to conflict and ineffectiveness in our ability to carry out the ministry we are called to.

The book, Al Injil, Eastern Reading, is an Arabic language commentary on the Gospel According to Luke, published in 1998 by Dar al-Jeel, Beirut. Three esteemed brothers and colleagues, all native Arabic speakers, all of Muslim background, have examined the book and share their conclusions below.

Several years ago, I attended a confer­ence on evangelism of Muslim women. As a part of the program, we considered the discipleship of MBB women and found that the materials currently in use didn't meet their needs.

A response to the article What one must believe about Jesus ... (Seedbed 2/99). It seems that some of his main concerns involve Christians making the gospel too intellectually and theologically complex. He says that a person is not "saved by doctrine per se" and that " ... the Gospel is very simple and does not require one to have a great depth of theological understanding."

Forty-five missionary women met in Mesa, Arizona from 13 to 16 May 1999 for the first inter mission consultation on ministry to Muslim women. Fran Love challenged the participants by her opening address, "God's Passion Released Through Us."

This study aims to raise awareness of the pastoral needs of persecuted Christians, recognizing that torture and other traumas may have long lasting effects on the victim.

"The blood of the martyrs is the seed of the church." Tertullian's statement of defiance towards the persecuting Roman authorities has perhaps become the most common Christian statement on persecution. This study aims to show that Tertullian's defiance may not be the only way a church should react to persecution.

Frontier church planters live at the crux of contradicting forces. A creative—and at times heart-wrenching—tension exists between the “pull” of Christ’s love and calling on our lives, and the “push” of resistance we encounter in least-reached communities. While many of us get our foot “in the door,” it is often challenging to earn a seat “at the table” where long-term presence, relational trust, and lasting kingdom impact can flower and flourish.

God is using global professionals as witnesses in many restricted countries, but to be effective, they must navigate a very different environment from their traditional mission peers. Is it possible to unify our work and ministry identity so as to have an authentic presence as a witness for Christ in a “secular” work environment? A veteran worker shares stories, principles, and lessons learned over decades of witness as a global professional in a Muslim country.

Some cross-cultural workers have full-time jobs in addition to their many other missional responsibilities. There is constant pressure from countless possible tasks vying for our time and attention. An experienced missionary and global professional (GP), who runs an equipping course for other GPs, shares his experiential knowledge regarding how leaders can help those they lead navigate the impossible and avoid burnout as they seek to be faithful amidst multiple vocations.

Community development can be a time-consuming labor of love that can challenge workers as they struggle with committing the time necessary to do it well. A worker with significant experience in Muslim contexts argues that community development can also pay great gospel dividends when workers work strategically, take a long-term view, and shift their perspective in a few key areas.

A response to an article titled “What One Must Believe About Jesus in Order to Be Saved by Faith in Him” in Seedbed 1999 - 3.

In “closed” countries, cross-cultural workers often establish a legitimate, reasonable identity other than “missionary.” However, should cross-cultural workers in more “open” countries self-identify as “missionaries,” or can they continue to utilize a non-missionary identity there as well? A female church planter who has relocated from a creative-access to an open nation explores the questions surrounding her shifting contexts and the various perspectives that workers have on identity, truth-telling, and the “m” word.

Organizational research suggests that the feeling of “fit” in work has less to do with role and more to do with our capacity to make psychological adjustments to available opportunities. This article presents two case studies where field workers in different contexts experienced significant disruption in their fields. These illustrate that making successful adjustments in role and identity can lead to flourishing in ministry amidst volatility and change.

Who are you, and who do the people around you think you are? Your social identity in the eyes of your host government may be one thing, but in the eyes of your neighbors it might be another. What are the implications of leaning into one of those identities more than the other? A former NGO worker who has both lived in and been expelled from creative-access contexts shares hard-won lessons and tips for those beginning the journey.

Faith in Christ is adequate for sal­vation. But what does saving faith entail? It is clear from the Scriptures that a person is saved, not by doctrine per se, but by personal faith in Jesus as Christ his Lord.

Editorial article for issue 1999 - 2

God is changing the Church, and that, in turn, will change the world. Millions of Christians around the world are aware of an imminent reformation of global proportions. They say, in effect: Church as we know it is preventing Church as God wants it.

When we were asked to write an article on discipling MBBs I had two re­sponses. The first, what do I know about the subject compared to some who will read the article? The second, what is the real difference between discipling MBBs and any other new believer?

It seems to me that of all the typical obstacles Muslims have to the Gospel, there is only one that really matters. Which one would you say it is? The Cross? Or the divinity of Christ?

Editorial for issue 1999 - 1

What might it look like to combine a robust theology of the church with the best practical wisdom for fruitful church formation?

In dialogue with the previous piece, a fruitful catalyst and coach of multiple networks of reproducing churches shares his unique journey and perspective regarding church health and identity. He shares principles, trends, and practices of church formation which he has found fruitful across the church networks and movements which he serves.

What does church formation look like in Muslim communities? What lessons can be learned from contemporary case studies? S.T. Antonio interviewed several practitioners recently involved in the formation of churches in the Middle East. After clarifying the meaning of “church,” he outlines key themes which emerged from these real-life breakthroughs of “ekklēsia” in challenging contexts.

How do you baptize in water-scarce, desert communities? Does Scripture allow for flexibility regarding different modes of baptism? A practitioner and leader with experience in Africa takes a deep dive into the meaning and expression of baptism in the Old and New Testaments. He makes the case for the viability of sprinkling as a biblically-permissible, and more accessible, mode of baptism in challenging contexts.

Are church-planting movements and historic churches threats to one another? A practitioner and leader with experience in Europe and in majority-Muslim communities offers a fresh proposal for rethinking the way we imagine different manifestations of the church and how they complement each other in the larger eco-system of God’s kingdom and mission.

How does church multiplication relate to church health? Are they inherently at odds with one another, or should they have equal priority? An experienced leader with decades of experience summarizes his journey and doctoral research on this topic. He offers a proposal for helping networks of churches pursue church multiplication and health simultaneously through leadership development.

How do we help groups of believers transition into churches, and what role does “church identity” play? A fruitful practitioner and church-planting coach has seen a number of churches form and grow toward church health. He shares the two questions he has found most helpful to this process along with a proposal for relating “church identity” to “church practice.”

The purpose of this brief article is to discuss realistic schedules for reading through the Arabic Bible in one, two, three, or four years.

It is very interesting to note how close the relationship is between man and the Jinn. Although not part of our present discussion, this also has ram­ifications on the issue of original sin and the sinfulness of mankind.

I am writing this paper to supplement the strategies of church planters whose vision may be clouded by gender-blind missiology. Muslims are hard enough, even more so Muslim women who constitute the hidden half of the unreached Muslim world. We need a comprehensive strategy to reach Mus­lims that includes Muslim women.

In the Arab world there are varying degrees of emphasis on Jinn and demonic activities. The greatest empha­sis seems to be in Morocco, the Gulf and Yemen. But the subject is very much alive, even in the most western and cultured Arab countries such as Tunisia

Over the last two decades as a missionary to Muslims, as well as in conversations with missionaries working with Muslims, I have come to the conclusion that Muslim women are too often left out of strategic church planting due to what I call "gender-blind missiology."

In this article we will focus first on how relevant dreams are to the Arab culture and the significance of this to ministering to Muslims. Secondly we will notice how the prophet of Islam and Islamic literature address the subject of dreams.

The surprise conclusion that came bursting out of a panel discussion Monday on what people in the Arab world are looking for when they go to the Internet was that "it's all about sex."

A few years ago, I looked around at the group of North African Christians (Muslim Background Believers or MBBs) in our French city, and sud­denly realized that there had been some changes.

Over the past year and following my last two trips into North Africa, I have become convinced that there are many opportunities where one can do serious evangelism with little danger to secur­ity or to jeopardize one's platform by using storytelling as the main tool.

Radiance! Isn't that what we long to see when we look in the faces of our daughters? We want to see the celebra­tion of heart that happens when a girl knows to the core of her being that she is "image of God." We want her to know that when God created her, He cupped her tenderly in His hands and laughed over her in delight.

This paper is a careful description and assessment of the Dallas Willard's The Divine Conspiracy and its message. This examination will be done with primary reference to the ministry context3 that I have been a part of for several decades-ministering in restricted access Islamic countries4 with the goal of establishing churches of Muslim Background Believers that can resist the enormous pressures of oppressive Islamic societies.5

Both Jesus and Paul provide us with models of fruitful ministry among whatever people God calls us to work. I could tap their examples from many sides, but will do so only from the angle of preparation.

I think we are at a unique moment in the history of the growth of the King­dom of God in the Middle East. The recent wars and political shifts are producing change that is reverberating throughout the area.

Post-World-War-II immigration in Northern Europe and North America initially came mostly from Europe. Later it came from the Americas, then in the 70s, from the Pacific Rim. During the 80s and 90s, immigration began to include South Asia, the Middle East and Africa.

Is democracy compatible with Islam? Can the Qu'ranic principle of 'consul­tation' somehow find a legitimate expression within Shari'ah Law? The subject at hand has become particularly pertinent in light of Amer­ican objectives in post-war Iraq, namely, seeing a democratic regime in place as soon as possible.

Iraq is called the 'Cradle of Civi­lization', as evidence has been found there for the earliest writing system, urban centres, literature, metallurgy, science, medicine and business, as reflected in the Bible.

Editorial for the second issue of 2003.

After eighteen months in Amman, Robert enlisted me to help with the summer team. We drove to Queen Alia Airport and I heard some of Robert's pilgrimage while we waited for the jahiliin (the innocent ones) to de-plane.

Missiologist Andrew Walls points out that as Christianity was disappearing in one place in history (Palestine, North Africa, Europe, etc.) it was crossing cultural boundaries and appearing in other cultures and places. This is the reason that Christianity survived being wiped out.

Many of our readers will recognize that this article is in some ways a critique of David Lundy's book, entitled We are the . World. But Howard Jones gives us more than a book review here. Beginning with Lundy's thesis he adds his own insight and observa­tions.

At a recent gathering of mission leaders I made the statement, "Missions, as we know it, needs to change in order to meet present reality."

"When God moves we can expect to see almost overnight, not just a second home group started, but many started, maybe within a few months." This is what has happened in Tunisia. These words were written in 1995.

For eighteen years I have worked among the Palestinians endeavoring to share the Gospel with them in a way that is both reasonable and per­suasive. This is not an easy task, but I believe it has become a bit easier since I dealt with a theological problem that was hindering my efforts.

Imagine my shock when, at my first set of Global Forum and International Council meetings as ID last November, I was informed by one of the leaders: "Oh, by the way, David, I hope you realize that you are responsible to edit our in-house journal, Seedbed, or find someone else to do it for you."

Editorial article for the first issue of 2003.

The question I want to pose at this point is a vital one. How does this 'one­-anothering' work itself out in a cross-­cultural context? Particularly, what do we, as westerners, need to keep in mind as we encourage Muslim-back­ground believers? What do they have to keep in mind as they, in turn, encourage us?

The story of Ahmed Abaza's coming to faith and the treacherous torture he endured.

What is behind the September 11 attacks? What drives clear-minded Muslims to such extreme, calculated acts? The answer derives from two all­-important values in Muslim culture: honour and shame.

We all know that Muslims deny that Christ actually died. I usually try to avoid answering this point directly, preferring first to take people through the Old Testament. After they have seen the need for a sacrifice in the Exodus, Isaiah 53, etc, they are more ready to accept that Christ died, because they see the necessity.

In the war against terrorism, Al Qaeda and associated groups should be able to be swept away by military might, vigilant police forces and all sorts of under-cover operations. This seems to be the view of many in the West. They are going to be disillusioned! The reason is that Al Qaeda and similar organisations are deeply rooted in theological/ideological ideas. Unless these theological/ ideological issues are addressed and challenged, the West will never win a war on terrorism!

Editorial article for the second issue of 2004, with letters to the editor included.

Fatima Mernissi recounts her childhood in a Fez harem, questioning gender roles and restrictions imposed by traditional Muslim society, while highlighting the transition brought by the introduction of girls' schools by French colonists and her eventual journey towards independence, illustrating both the constraints and camaraderie within the enclosed community of women.

A number of years ago I read this small book distributed by the Karmelmission in Arabic. I was favorably impressed with both the style of the book and the cogency of the answers given to many of the stock objections to Christianity which I had encountered in the Muslim world. I began using the book as a stock tool for giving to any who were open-minded enough to consider rational propositions.

Both of these books give invaluable insight into Muslim sources documenting the posi­tion Islam has adopted from the days of Muhammad down to the present. From the Qur'an, the Hadith, positions of the four Islamic schools of jurisprudence, and contemporary inter­pretation and application of those positions both books demonstrate that the position of Islam has been consistent throughout all its history.

In this collection of thirteen faith-biographies of literary and religious individuals from Jewish, Muslim, Christian, and Indian beliefs, Kenneth Cragg, widely acknowledged as the premier Western Islamicist in the world, tells these stories in ways that emphasize the importance of religious tolerance and respect for others. All these figures stand "in the presence of mystery" and their stories illuminate that sacred experience.

As suggested by the title, the book is presented in two main divisions, the first dealing with the man Muhammad, the second with the Koran. There is a relatively shore closing section containing the testimony of a converted Muslim and a call for decision on the part of the readers.

Explores anthropology's contributions to the better cross-cultural understanding of epistemology, globalism, urbanization, church planting, spiritual warfare, and more.

When you open this book, you’ll find that you aren’t just reading. No, you are being remade, reoriented, restored from the frustration of what you may have known as stale religion. Captured not by a concept but by your Creator, reborn in relationship.

This student notebook is used in conjunction with the Firm Foundations:Creation to Christ Bible study. For more than 18 years, teachers have used these effective Bible studies in evangelistic outreach among people from diverse educational and cultural backgrounds. In 50 skillfully written, yet easy to understand Bible studies, students receive a solid foundation for the Gospel from the Old Testament. The Gospel is then presented in all its logic and beauty.

Those who practice the Muslim faith have resisted examinations of their religion. They are extremely guarded about their religion, and what they consider blasphemous acts by skeptical Muslims and non-Muslims alike has only served to pique the world's curiosity. This critical examination reveals an unflattering picture of the faith and its practitioners. Nevertheless, it is the truth, something that has either been deliberately concealed by modern scholars or buried in obscure journals accessible only to a select few.

Christ in Islam and Christianity is an analysis of the different Christian approaches to Jesus in the Qur'an and in the classical Muslim commentaries. The author presents controversial suggestions about the relevance of the Qur'anic representation of Jesus and Mary to Muhammad and his menage. Included are extensive translations of extracts from classical Muslim commentaries including Sunni, Mu'tazilite, Shia, and Sufi.

Behind Closed Doors presents forty-seven tales told by three Beldi women, members of a historic and highly civilized community, the city's traditional elite. Tale-telling is important to all Beldi women, and the book examines its role in their shared world and its significance in the lives of the three tellers.

For nearly three decades, diplomats, students, business people and governments have relied on Dr. Margaret Nydell's seminal work as the essential guide to comprehending an immensely varied culture. Covering all aspects of Arab life, from religion and society to social norms and communication styles, this all-encompassing guide reveals what the often misunderstood Arab culture is really like.

This is an autobiography of a remark­able woman who was deemed as too frail and sickly to go to the mission field. She went on to spend forty five years as a missionary in Morocco, most of that time in Rabat, and much of it working alone.

This substantial work of theology studies theological issues beginning with revelation and the nature of God and man, going on to a rather full discussion of Christ in his two natures and the Holy Spirit. Its theological stand is evangelical. It does not enter into controversy in defense of the truth, and its thought is not greatly influenced by theories and opinions whether old or new.

Over the past decade, there have been few forums in which the controversial subject of this book could be openly discussed. During the 1994 and 1996 annual conferences of the Evangelical Missiological Society this subject was a central topic of discourse. These ten chapters represent an attempt to reflect the concerns and present understanding of evangelical missiologists on the Holy Spirit and mission dynamics.

Called from Islam to Christ is a collection of testimonies from various countries and backgrounds who have been called to Christ over the last hundred years, some of whom are still alive and living among us.

Trudie Crawford has given us a gold mine of suggestions for ministry to Muslim women.

This book looks at attitudes as well as methods in reaching out to Muslim women. The author encourages us to invest our lives in genuine, compassio­nate relationships with Muslim women. Her suggestions come from her own experiences of 7 years among an unreached Muslim people group in Southeast Asia.

Al-Kitab al-Muqaddas (Holy Bible) brings together the World English Bible and Smith & Van Dyke Arabic translations into a Bilingual Edition of the New Testament (Al-'Ahad al-Jadeed). With translations in a side-by-side format and short vowel markings (harakat) in the Arabic text, Al-Kitab al-Muqaddas is the perfect Bible for native English speakers studying Arabic or native Arabic speakers learning English. Published by the LogosLight imprint of Teller Books and available in e-book format, Al-Kitab al-Muqaddas is ideal for both English and Arabic-speaking homes.

Critics of the church growth movement have often emphasized the need for quality congregations. We should not focus on numerical growth, but rather, we should concentrate on qualitative growth. Christian Schwarz has done extensive research world-wide and found that healthy, growing churches seem to share eight quality characteristics.

Art critic John Ruskin enthusiastically proclaimed her potential as one of the best artists of the nineteenth century, but Lilias Trotter's devotion to Christ compelled her to surrender her life of art, privilege, and leisure. Leaving the home of her wealthy parents for a humble dwelling in Algeria, Lilias defied sterotypes and taboos that should have deterred any European woman from ministering in a Muslim country. Yet she stayed for nearly forty years, befriending Algerian Muslims with her appreciation for literature and art and winning them to Christ through her life of love.

God and Woman is a selection of 95 biblical stories chosen for introducing women in Central and South Asia to the God of the Bible. The introduction describes the typical worldview of women in these parts of the world. God and Woman retells each of the stories and offers extensive helps, including how to set up each story, key truths to emphasize, and discussion questions.

Modern leadership is about defying the status quo, embracing risk, and inspiring tribes of followers to pursue a shared vision, argues Seth Godin. A frontier practitioner considers a provocative theme from the book and its potential implications for cross-cultural workers, BAM practitioners, and church planters seeking to be kingdom change agents in pioneer contexts.

How do we put the “creative” back in “creative access”? A frontier practitioner engages with a book by a well-known Christian artist and musician. While not written for church planters, our reviewer draws out implications for cross-cultural workers who seek to bring God’s kingdom to earth through various creative endeavors.

Some of us may feel like our work is just for a visa. This reviewer discusses ways that Timothy Keller and Katherine Leary Alsdorf skillfully blend theology and practical insights to illuminate the profound connection between our work and God's divine purpose.

A practitioner in North Africa reflects on the transformative power of understanding and adapting to diverse learning styles and cultural dimensions. She highlights ways that this recent book by experienced missiologist Craig Ott might offer an enlightening roadmap for educators to bridge the gap between teaching and learning.

A practitioner in North Africa presents a concise review with practical reflections on a short book on how the Trinity stimulates and empowers our missional praxis.

A thoughtful practitioner summarizes, analyzes, and reflects practically on this edited volume with diverse contributors from theologians and missiologists. The book discusses the impact of context, culture, and globalization on theology in the global church.

A practitioner with frontline experience and a doctoral degree reviews a cutting-edge compendium of reflections, case studies, and analyses of church-planting movements from the Motus Dei Network.

A current practitioner reviews a seminal work by the late Roland Allen, whose writings on mission methods challenged the consensus of his day and foreshadowed some of the missiological trends which would emerge many decades later.

A veteran Middle East practitioner with experience in a variety of churches and church-planting situations reviews a practitioner’s dissertation which proposes moving from a church-planting team model to a “church planting as church” model.

In the second of two reviews, former Seedbed editor Don Little discusses the book of current Seedbed editor S.T. Antonio on biblical ekklesia and the insider paradigm, which he compares to the previous book reviewed.

Missiologist and former Seedbed editor Don Little contributes a pair of book reviews on ecclesiology and insider movements. In the first, he critiques a book which reimagines the theology of the church in light of Muslim, Buddhist, and Hindu insider movements.

An educated, young Arab Muslim, Nabil, performed the Haj, the fifth pillar of Islam, the pilgrimage to the Ka’abah at Mecca. But his spiritual journey was to result in a radically different discovery. It was revealed to him that the ultimate divine truth was not in formal religion but a dying Redeemer. Not in practices but in a Person.

Chuck Lowe has written a book calling us to truly spiritual warfare. Whether or not you are concerned about the SLSW movement, you will find much in the book for spiritual instruction and guidance in your work for the gospel. I commend it heartily.

Donald Wagner speaks for a segment of American evangelical Christianity too often not heard in the complex debate over Israel, the Palestinian refugees, "the land" and biblical escha­tology. Although at times taking pains to express that he is not against the Jews, he is quite dearly at odds with those who treat Arabs, including Chris­tians, as second-class while uncritically acceµting the state of Israel, and what it does, as being of and blessed by God.

Outline of a book that summarizes the life and way of Jesus.

Just as every craftsman has his toolbox, evangelists should also have a box of tools ready for use when trying to explain the gospel to Muslims. Roland Muller introduces us to some of the tools and techniques used by successful evangelists in the Middle East.

In just 76 pages, Bob Hitching takes a provocative and challenging look at the way the world, including the Muslim world, is changing.

This book is a compilation of real-life experiences by women actively involved in reaching Muslim women for Christ. These articles approach the question of the gospel and Islam from a female perspective.

Secluded from the eyes of anyone but family members, Muslim women live under a system of tradition, rites and rituals that favor men above women. "A man loves first his son, then his camel and then his wife," says an Arab proverb. Phil and Julie Parshall understand the issues, heartaches and dangers facing Muslim women today, having lived among them for more than four decades. They bring a sensitive perspective to this thoughtful, yet sobering book that examines the controversy of female circumcision and proof of virginity, the heartache of arranged marriages, divorce, polygamy and the status of women living in a male dominated world. This book will not provide you with easy answers but will prompt you to begin praying for these "daughters of Ishmael," and give you sensitive awareness to life behind the veil.

Examines the treatment of non-Arab people under the rule of the Muslims and collects historical documents related to this subject

For many centuries, the world of Islam was in the forefront of human achievement--the foremost military and economic power in the world, the leader in the arts and sciences of civilization. Christian Europe, a remote land beyond its northwestern frontier, was seen as an outer darkness of barbarism and unbelief from which there was nothing to learn or to fear. And then everything changed, as the previously despised West won victory after victory, first in the battlefield and the marketplace, then in almost every aspect of public and even private life.

The stated aim of the author of this book is to educate her reader about important parts of Muslim women's lives, to elucidate some mission strategies, to offer examples and to encourage. In my opinion Miriam Adeney has done just that. Daughter of Islam is a book well worth reading.

In this 300-page book, Serge Trifkovic writes an uncompromising description of the core motivations and goals of Islam that should make anyone shudder.

Richardson has written a readable, but at the same time, somewhat appalling book. I was shocked as I read it. The first half of the book gives a new meaning to 'inflammatory'. It begins with the title.

The book is easy to read. One of the greatest lacks, however, is that there is no index of any kind. Its main theme is the comparison and contrast of certain elements in the history of Israel found in the Old Testament and in the Qur'an. The authors state there is a renewed interest in the study of the Old Testament history because of the 'growing amount of information retrieved by archaeological excava­tions'; yet, at the same time, they claim that scholars have totally neglected another ancient independ­ent source from the seventh century, viz., the Qur'an.

According to this co-authored review, this book’s overall strength is the presentation of a holistic model for both personal and relational formation in Christ as applied to spheres of life not typically associated with spiritual formation, such as racial reconciliation, healthy sexuality, and service. It is through transformation in these spheres of life that readers can become better equipped for functioning in multi-cultural church planting teams.

A 2017 conference gathered together nearly 1000 practitioners from all over the world with an average of 20 years of experience, including 25% Muslim background believers (MBBs), 25% women, and 50% from the Global South. From this conference, a group of authors were chosen to write on fruitful ministry to Muslims from a variety of angles. A practitioner in the Middle East reviews this important book and its implications for his church-planting team, his family, and his ministry among Muslims.

Presentations from the Korean Global Mission Leaders Forum in November 2021 were published in this book, the second edited by Jonathan Bonk on money and missions. A practitioner in South Asia who has previously written on this topic for Seedbed evaluates the strengths and weaknesses of this compendium for frontier workers.

Most cross-cultural workers and virtually all of those working in Eastern contexts will encounter patronage–the reciprocal relationship between social “unequals,” or patrons and clients. A practitioner in South Asia provides a robust engagement with this book introducing patronage to readers as central not only to many majority-world cultures but also to the world of the Bible.

While many believe church-planting movements are the best thing happening in mission, Rhodes believes they bypass the hard work necessary to accomplish biblical mission. A PCA practitioner of church-planting movements in the Middle East evaluates the strengths and weaknesses of Rhodes’ proposal in a careful, irenic review.

Muslim women comprise 12% of the world population, yet most mission strategies and trainings highlight the voices and perspectives of men reaching heads of households. A female scholar-practitioner commends and evaluates a recent book by another female scholar seeking to address this gap, highlighting the multi-layered experience of Muslim women for those seeking to serve and reach them.

Last year, Christian mission statesman and scholar Andrew Walls finished his race. One of the first to draw attention to the shift in the center of gravity of world Christianity to the Global South, Walls identified seminal themes and principles which continue to reverberate in our understanding and practice of mission. A practitioner in North Africa reflects on the relevance of one of Walls’s classical works for navigating cross-cultural ministry in Africa and beyond.

McKnight is a world-renowned New Testament scholar and seminary professor in the United States with a passion for local churches being comprised of different peoples and viewpoints. A practitioner in South Asia reflects on the value he found in this book along with the cultural challenges of applying its proposals in his context.

The authors bring over 25 years of experience with multicultural teams, initially as team members of such teams, and more recently as coaches for multicultural teams that serve globally. An experienced professor and practitioner among Muslims reviews and recommends the book heartily for new and recently formed multicultural teams.

Can one man make a difference? Convinced that the instrument for peace in the Middle East is Christ's light shining out through His church, Brother Andrew has made regular visits to that war-torn region -- first Lebanon, then Israel/Palestine. What has he discovered in these lands? The book Light Force tells the story.

As indicated by the subtitle of this book, A Comparative Study in Christian-Islamic Eschatology, Shadid focuses on end-time events—from both the Christian and the Islamic standpoint.

The Camel Training Manual is, in fact, an integration of multiple approaches woven together rather than a single method.

The terms transformational development and holistic ministry have come to the forefront in mission discussions in recent years. I felt the time had come for me to better understand this topic that has been of passionate concern to some of my colleagues. In reply to my request about where to begin, one friend suggested that I read Walking with the Poor, where Bryant Myers comprehensively treats the subject.

Searching for the Indigenous Church is the story of a Christian worker's pilgrimage in church planting ministry in an unnamed part of Muslim Central Asia. As an American with previous ministry experience in the USA, he comes to recognize through hard experiences that in his unawareness he brought to the field a great deal of cultural baggage.

Another book on Islam? one might say. How can we wade our way through to find material that is specific to our individual needs?

The book is based on the dissertation that Moucarry wrote for his doctorate from the Sorbonne in 1994. I think this book exhibits the difficulties that come when one tries to turn an academic work into a practical tool for Christians. The reader needs to bear in mind that the author's in-depth study on forgiveness in Islam is not matched by an equal one on biblical forgiveness.

This book gives a very personal glimpse of one missionary’s life. Yet it goes far beyond that. In it we have ministry highlights as well as personal experiences and reflections on them. One such example is Abe’s involvement through the long and difficult period of dealing with possible mergers of Arab World Ministries with other missions.

It has been argued by some western authorities that the West does not have a problem with Islam. It is all a matter of certain Islamist extremists. However, an examination of fourteen centuries of history would prove them wrong. Bernard Lewis states that ever since the Muslim invasion of Spain, Europe has been under threat from Islam. Twice in the past, 1529 and 1683, Islam placed the survival of the West in doubt. Today the confrontation between Islam and the West has evolved into becoming a Clash of Civilizations that could rapidly develop into global war.

In Borderless Church, David Lundy expounds his strong conviction that if the church in the West is to become significant and effective, it needs to reshape itself to interface with the modern world and fall into line with biblical principles.

Marti Smith has compiled a useful book that covers the different aspects of missionary life encountered by women when serving in the Muslim world. She not only draws from her own life as missionary wife and mother, but also includes a variety of experiences from other women.

This is a great book for those who like their history in story form. Malcolm Lyon has carefully researched the life of the inhabitants of early third century Roman North Africa, particularly for Thuburbo Minus, Hadrumetum and Carthage, towns located in Pro-consular Africa, now known as Tunisia.

‘Couldn’t you write a book about the revival in Algeria?’ Jean L. Blanc, a pastor in Geneva, recounts that this question, put to him by one of the Algerian church leaders, came as a big shock!

I recommend this book as a biblically based tool to improve our understanding of missiology.

This is a clearly written, stimulating and thoughtful book. Schlorff has condensed a great deal of research and learning into relatively few pages, but without oversimplification. Several other topics are also helpfully covered, such as Qur’anic language and Bible translation and the true objective of mission. A detailed example of a contemporary biblical approach used in the West is described in the appendix. Highly recommended!

In this slim, yet helpful book, Vivienne Stacey leaves us a legacy of insight into how to communicate with Muslims.

Longitudes and Attitudes is really a compilation of columns and diary entries relevant to the topic at hand: the world in an age of terrorism as seen through the prisms of both the Arab and the American.

This compendium on Islam is an ambitious undertaking. It reminds me of the one compiled by Donald McCurry almost three decades ago on mission to Muslims and the wider missions’ training tool, Perspectives on the World Christian Movement.

The book analyses in detail two periods of Christian dialogue and debate with Muslims: the ninth and twentieth centuries. After introducing each period, Beaumont chooses three outstanding representative figures: for the ninth cen-tury, Abu Qurra, Abu Raita and Ammar al-Basri; for the twentieth, Kenneth Cragg, John Hick and Hans Kung. He also includes a careful analysis of the anonymous Sira al-Masih, a Qur’anic style harmony of the gospels in Arabic, which appeared in 1987.

Spiritural warfare is an important reality for frontier practitioners to grapple with. A young female practitioner reviews and discusses missional implications of a book by an Old Testament scholar which focuses on a biblical theology of the supernatural and implications for Christian life and ministry.

The history of missions has included several significant shifts which have shaped the way cross-cultural workers understand their roles, goals, and practice. A practitioner explores the implications of a book which surveys some of the most significant “turning points” in mission history which shape the way we engage in our work today.

The writings of Roland Allen were seminal in shifting the mission community’s understanding of the role of cross-cultural church planters in relation to local indigeneous believers. An experienced practitioner reviews and discusses implications of a compendium of essays on the legacy and implications of Allen’s thought written by biblical and mission scholars at the 100-year anniversary of Allen’s book, Missionary Methods: St. Paul’s or Ours?

Many are rethinking the role of the expatriate worker in pioneer church planting. A frontier practitioner reviews and assesses a book which takes a fresh look at Scripture and makes the abiding presence of the biblical role of “apostle” in the form of cross-cultural, pioneer church planters.

Local-expat partnership is undeniably multi-cultural. How are we to engage in such partnerships fruitfully and navigate its challenges wisely? An experienced leader of a multi-cultural organization in the Middle East reviews a book on Christ-like leadership in multi-cultural teams and partnerships, offering several practical reflections and illustrations from his own experience.

A practitioner with forty years of experience in Africa reviews a book by another veteran practitioner which gives a series of vignettes and tips for those serving African Muslims. The reviewer offers a concise description and commentary on significant nuggets of insight and relevance for new and experienced workers alike.

A practitioner among Muslims in North Africa provides in-depth analysis of a seminal research work on fruitful church planting among Muslims. The reviewer leaves no stone unturned in his evaluation and application of the findings and recommendations of this significant, multi-agency study.

A veteran practitioner among Muslims reviews David Shenk’s award-winning book distilling decades of experience in Christ-centered engagement with Muslims in Africa and around the globe. The reviewer analyzes Shenk’s central recommendations and reflects on their relevance for contemporary tentmaking practitioners.

Movements are all the rage. But what are they, and what causes their rise and decline? A practitioner in South Asia reviews a book which draws lessons from diverse movements throughout history in order to understand the key components and phases of movements, and how leaders can better foster and nurture (and avoid suffocating) such movements in their own contexts.

What do community development, vibrant discipleship, and the least reached have in common? An experienced female practitioner in Muslim ministry and community development reviews a book on the “unexplored space” at the intersection of these three areas, providing helpful insights on best practices for integrating community development with fruitful church planting efforts in least-reached contexts.

In this autobiography, Greg tracks his frenetic life from his inauspicious birth to the present day with a relentless frankness which is refreshing, challenging and often very humorous.

In just over 270 pages, Perry Shaw’s Transforming Theological Education (Langham Global Library) is a ‘must read’ for anyone committed to training and equipping Christians for the church’s mission in the world today.

This book is a review of the changing nature of the missionary enterprise. It captures the current missiological environment as understood and taught by missiology departments in most North American seminaries.

This is a book about the spirituality of a disciple with a specific view toward those focused on the Great Commission. Shaw is attempting to answer the question, ‘What are the essential spiritual keys necessary for fruitful life as a disciple?’

Rick Love, founder and president of Peace Catalyst International, shares the principles that have guided his peacemaking efforts around the world. He provides a biblical framework for how the God of peace seeks the common good of any who have been at odds with others. As ambassadors of reconciliation, we can practice peacemaking at every level - in our homes and workplaces, from domestic disagreements to international disputes.

In his forward to this book, Josh McDowell points out that the track record for Christians relating to Muslims has not been stellar. He notes, however, that there are Christians who are involved in effectively sharing God’s love.

At the heart of any ministry is the desire to communicate the gospel message in as clear and understandable a manner as possible. But charting that course is rarely simple or direct, no matter what the context. Whether your ministry is in a cross-cultural setting or right at home, urban or rural, you are likely to encounter questions of worship style. The so-called ‘worship wars’ in churches in the US over the last couple of decades only highlights the tortuous complexities involved. Decisions about musical style, visual elements and other expressive arts are complicated by generational differences, previous church experiences and other socio-economic demographic variations.

This is a beautiful seamless narrative biography of how a young, devout, brilliant Muslim young man, raised in a Pakistani, God-fearing Ahmadiyya family in America, is befriended by a Christian classmate, and through years of struggle and much researching, and finally through dreams that were answers to prayers, comes to genuine faith in the Lord Jesus Christ.

Richards and O’Brien see worldview as an iceberg. Worldviews can blind us to what is really being said, resulting in what they call ‘cultural blinders.’ The authors organize nine of these cultural blinders into three categories based on the iceberg idea.

This book is the result of the Second Coming to Faith Consultation (CTFC2), a meeting held near London in 2010 with some sixty missionaries and missiologists involved in the Muslim world.