There is something of a blog debate right now about contextualization and sharing the Gospel in a Muslim context. It began with this post on SBC Impact which is a sample of a contextualized personal testimony offered by anonymous missionary. SBC Today posted a response that raised several issues with this approach to contextualization. Among other things, that response concluded:
It is certainly worthwhile to “contextualize the gospel.” The task is difficult, surely. The author of the SBCImpact.net article may well have sought to do something similar to what Paul did in these examples, but in fact he preached “another gospel” and we know what Paul says about that!
This is very much the right issue to address. When does contextualization go too far and confuse the very Gospel we are called to proclaim? What principles should inform our missionaries in their efforts to faithfully present Christ? I would encourage you to go and join the conversation.
Update: Originally this post stated the missionary was with the IMB. That is incorrect, although some believe this is a concern within the IMB as well.
