“Should Christians Convert Muslims?” was the headline of a Time Magazine cover story a few years ago. In some sense the article implied that Christians going to Muslim countries are doing something wrong because their activities are causing tensions. But is that true?

Among the politically correct only the religion of tolerance is accepted. Christians settling in other countries in order to lead people to Jesus are under attack. Even among Christians, tentmakers working in sensitive areas may be met with criticism. The conception is that a tentmaker often comes with a hidden agenda and that he 
or she are entering the nations through the backdoor. 

In this picture it is important to sort out what is right and what is wrong. First of all we should underline that Global Opportunities and Tent are training people to respect the laws of the countries they are going to. When it comes to sharing faith, the laws in most nations are not causing too much trouble. With maybe one or two exceptions, no countries in the world have laws against people talking about their faith in a private setting. In most non-Western cultures religion is an integral part of daily life. So it is common to talk about faith and share thoughts about the big questions of life in day-to day talks. In fact, it is socially expected to talk about your faith when asked. It is inappropriate not to. Getting people to ask questions is key to sharing Christ. This creates many opportunities for sharing about Jesus also in nations that 
are regarded as “closed” for the Gospel. 

A Christian who had lived in Pakistan for several years, testified that he did not have the gift of evangelism. “But in Pakistan I didn’t need that gift. There people talk about faith all the time,” he concluded.

Many nations have laws that makes it illegal for the citizens to change their religion. So the people the tentmakers are living among, break the law if they accept Jesus as their saviour. Many of those who receive the gift of salvation and eternal life through Jesus, realize that 
the suffering they may have to face here on earth is nothing compared to the glory they will receive (Rom 8:18). The tentmaker may of course be considered as a partner in crime to those who break the law by changing their faith. But in this case the authorities who prohibit their citizens from having the freedom of belief are the ones to blame. It should also be mentioned that many of the countries prohibiting religious conversions have signed the declaration on human rights giving everyone the right to “change his religion or belief.” 
(UN Declaration on Human Rights, Article 18).

No missionary, nor any tentmaker, will force anyone to follow their faith. What these ambassadors of God’s kingdom are doing, is to point towards a man who said he had come to restore our relationship with God. In nations where exchange of ideas and beliefs is prohibited, even the politically correct should aim their criticism at the authorities who are denying their people basic human rights. Those who share their faith with others should not be the target. 

Note: Dave English, Executive Director of Global Opportunities was interviewed for the 
above mentioned TIME article.