Intriguing BBC Radio Documentary on Missionaries
June 25, 2010 – 5:19 pmFrom the BBC:
They face arrest, deportation, and death threats. Their work is so sensitive that few are prepared to talk about it.
But for this programme - our religious affairs correspondent, Christopher Landau - has persuaded some of them to speak: the missionaries who carry the gospel to countries which are hostile to Christian mission. Countries where evangelising may put them, and those they lead to Christ, in mortal danger.
In this audio documentary, missionaries ministering in various regions across the globe - including Muslim and “creative access” nations - are asked questions regarding why they risk their lives to tell others about Jesus.
They tell of carrying Bibles into dangerous places, leading a man to Christ only for him to be murdered a few days later, and the implications of a person converting to the Christian faith in a country hostile to the gospel.
The author also interviews some Christian aid workers who aren’t too happy with the outright, zealous evangelism of some that has caused them to undergo resistance in their humanitarian aid, and in some cases resulted in their expulsion from the country.
Still, the committed evangelists say that they have no choice but to obey God and tell others about the good news, even if it means being martyred for it.
Muslim scholars and leaders are also asked about the presence of evangelical missionaries in Muslim-dominated countries and share their thoughts on this sensitive issue.
The BBC summary concludes:
Hear their stories, and find out about the huge ethical dilemmas they face. And discover how their work looks from a Muslim perspective.
This is a helpful piece in understanding how the world perceives Christian missions. It also illustrates the fact that many will never understand why followers of Jesus would give their lives for the name of Jesus Christ.
Indeed, “the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God,” to quote 1 Corinthians 1:18.
