From the archives
One of our great privileges is seeing how God is at work across the Arab world, drawing people to Himself. But as people come to faith, a new question arises: how can we play a part in nurturing new believers and supporting the growth of indigenous churches? This was also a challenge facing those workers of the past.
For pioneers like Lilias Trotter, the problem was especially significant – whilst today there are places in North Africa with established indigenous churches, this was much less the case then. The situation required an insightful approach to both discipleship and evangelism.
Lilias travelled to Algeria with a couple of other ladies in 1888, beginning what would become the Algiers Mission Band (which later merged with the North Africa Mission). She was a gifted artist, tutored by John Ruskin, but pursued a call to mission, rather than the very real possibility of becoming a famous artist across Europe.
In her ministry, Lilias was keen to use methods which would appeal to local people and their cultural context. This was seen both in the literature she produced and the meetings she organised. Tracts and books were designed to look and feel like local works, with covers, illustrations and language that would appeal to her audience. Meetings were organised in cafés and could involve the reading of the Bible to the beat of a drum.
One aspect that especially struck me as I read her letters was how new believers were incorporated into the ministry. Young boys who had professed faith volunteered to go and distribute tracts; new believers helped to run the meetings; women meeting together in houses shared what they had learnt with their friends.
Above all, Lilias longed to model a godliness that drew people to a deep devotion to Christ. On language learning, she wrote:
…with every little increased facility, one longs more to be able to live right amongst the people. If only one had twenty lives! But I suppose, to have the power of God concentrated in the one that we have, would be better still!
One of the ways workers disciple isolated believers today is through online efforts, but media had a role to play long before the internet! In our 1964 magazine, we share the exciting development of an experimental new initiative: the Radio School of the Bible (in French it’s École Radio Biblique). In many ways, this was the spiritual forerunner of ministries like Arab World Media and PALM (Preparing Arab-world Leaders for Ministry), and was built on the Bible correspondence courses that came before it.
These courses took participants through the gospel message and were very popular: over 50,000 students were enrolled between 1961 and 1966, with over 3500 professions of faith! But the widespread adoption of transistor radios provided an even greater opportunity:
Radio knows no barriers and has a potential audience of millions. One fifteen minute programme on one good station could reach as many listeners as the activity of a missionary in an entire year. The Lord has led us to plan the development of our radio ministry to a degree comparable to the opportunities. Missionaries to Muslims are few. Modern political movements increasingly restrict their activities. A person can listen to the radio in private – without stigma or public intimidation.
North Africa magazine, 1964
Each week, initially through the masts of ELWA Radio in Liberia (a ministry of SIM), the Radio School of the Bible transmitted hundreds of lessons, broadcast across North Africa in Arabic, French and English.
Over the following decades, this ministry made a big impact across the Maghreb, challenging presumptions, attracting new believers and helping them to grow.
As people come to faith today, efforts from the local church, media responders and on-the-ground mission workers continue to be vital in the task of nurturing new believers. Whether tried-and-tested methods are used, or innovative new approaches are launched, we pray that God’s work will come to completion in them.
Hesitation upon hesitation! I cannot answer these important questions you ask and which I did not anticipate. I was only following your courses in order to know a world different from mine.
It was while studying... that I became definite, and believed in the Lord Jesus Christ, that He is the only true God and the supreme Saviour of my life.
Yes, there came a moment in my life when I realized I was a guilty sinner… I did not believe before (that Christ died for me) but it is you who have given me this precious teaching ... I did not receive (the Lord Jesus Christ) at first but now I have received Him with all my heart.
You can go back in time to read about the start of the Radio School of the Bible. Read the digital version of our magazine edition from our archives.
Disclaimer: although we share the same passion for mission, the language in the publications is reflective of the era and may not reflect how we would present these topics today.
