Gender roles, and the taboos associated with them, are potent issues in the Muslim world. While maintaining a biblical perspective on these issues, fruitful workers strive to understand gender roles in their local context and demonstrate respect for these social norms.
Often workers coming from western societies have a difficult time appreciating the power and complexity of gender issues in the Muslim world. The homogenizing of public gender roles has long been a goal in the West, whereas Muslim society is often marked by stark differences between male and female norms in society. When workers ignore this and are not sensitive to local norms, they send confusing messages:
In [North Africa], there is no connection between men and women … [therefore] the large amount of women doing evangelism has created confusion is this culture (GTFP, Small group 12, 2007).
According to another worker, part of the reason for the confusion on this point had to do with the fact that we have often misunderstood the meaning of discipleship:
Discipling isn’t just “cracking the Bible.” [For example] people are watching my wife to see how she cares for her kids … [then] come and ask about her kids and how it is being done (GTFP, Small group 13, 2007).
This indicates an important point that shapes the gender issue: fruitful ministry springs from workers who are simply living out their faith while deeply connected to their target people. Another worker commented on how his wife simply “lives her life among them [new Muslim background believers] and so that’s in some ways how discipleship occurs” (GTFP, Interview 53, 2007).
It is also critical that workers do not succumb to the dictates of Muslim stereotypes. For example, in one of the most restrictive environments we studied, one female worker noted that she had freedom of ministry in certain spheres of her host culture:
In [Southeast Asia] there are lots of restrictions. But as a woman, I’m allowed to go to house and do Bible studies. This is non-formal training. We share with the children and men. We pray for them. If we have a group among the family then they can join—even men… One-to-one must be according to gender, but in Bible study you can do groups (ibid).
In this example, we see a female worker teaching men, which would have been unthinkable in public or one-on-one, yet the same practice is fruitful within a family setting. This example reminds us that applying fruitful practices can be counter-intuitive, and workers must carefully learn from their context as they attempt to implement them in their ministries.
The quantitative analysis of surveys from this same consultation unexpectedly showed that the importance of the gender issue in discipleship (for example, men should disciple men, women should disciple women) tapers off markedly with age (GTFP, Database, 2007). This suggests that the respect that comes with age in Muslim societies is so powerful that it trumps some of the taboos related to gender relations.
Clearly, understanding and respecting gender roles in society is important. Ministry requires intimacy, and one of the ways that outsiders gain intimate connections is by respecting the norms of social life, including gender relations.
All the Fruitful Practices related to Society:
Society 1: Fruitful workers communicate respect by behaving in culturally appropriate ways.
A worker’s attitude toward the host culture sends powerful messages. Fruitful workers behave in culturally appropriate ways in major cultural domains such as clothing and food, and especially in regards to hospitality. The key is sensitivity to the local setting, not necessarily whole-hearted adoption of local practice.
Good deeds often help workers gain a good reputation in the host community. Fruitful workers make clear that their good deeds are an expression of the gospel; otherwise, local people may assume that the worker is simply a good person or is trying to earn religious merit.
Society 3: Fruitful workers relate to people in ways that respect gender roles in the local culture.
Gender roles, and the taboos associated with them, are potent issues in the Muslim world. While maintaining a biblical perspective on these issues, fruitful workers strive to understand gender roles in their local context and demonstrate respect for these social norms.
Society 4: Fruitful workers mobilize extensive, intentional, and focused prayer.
Fruitful workers invite others to join them through committed intercession for themselves and the people they are engaging. They recognize that this can be as important as inviting people to join the team that lives in the host culture.
Society 5: Fruitful workers pursue language proficiency
Workers who are able to freely and clearly communicate in their host language(s) are much more likely to be fruitful. Fruitful workers carefully consider questions concerning language choice, such as whether to use heart or trade language, sacred or secular language. By learning language, they also gain a deeper understanding of culture, making language proficiency fruitful across a number of different dimensions.
Fruitful ministry is shaped by many different streams of information, including ethnography, linguistics, and history. Workers who conduct research or actively reflect on the research of others are more fruitful than those who base their ministries on preconceived ideas or the patterns of ministry in their sending countries.
Society 7: Fruitful workers build positive relationships with local leaders
By sensitively and carefully relating to local authorities, including non-Christian religious figures, workers gain respect and good standing in their host community. Those who are intentional about choosing their relationships with local leaders are more likely to be fruitful.