Importance of Family & Holiness in Arab Missions

“Confrontational approaches aimed at exposing the sins, failures and/or flaws in Arab character which are common American evangelistic strategies (e.g., the Four Spiritual Laws, Evangelism Explosion and the Sinner’s Prayer at the end of the Jesus film) must be deemed unwise and in some cases disastrous. This is because Arabs, who are compelled to conceal vulnerability will automatically try to defend their dignity “even in the face of facts to the contrary” They will be forced to hide shortcomings and failures in order to preserve appearances and save their self-respect. Another strategy must be sought…………. On a practical level this means that if the Christian faith is to become winsome to Arabs, American missionaries must excel in those areas which Arabs value and admire. Specifically, they must outshine their Arab friends in such things as marriage, raising and loving children, producing respectable males and modest females, honouring parents, respecting the elderly, showing hospitality, being generous, caring for the stranger and poor, working for justice, resolving conflict through mediation—in sum, being more honourable than Arabs themselves.”

(“A new Agenda: De-Americanization. Christopher Little. EMQ. October 2006 Vol. 42, No. Page 502-503)