9/11 Sparks a New CRC Ministry

For the 10th anniversary of the Sept. 11, 2001 terrorist attacks, CRC News has prepared a series of stories about how the Christian Reformed Church and its members have responded – and what we have learned – in the last 10 years.

When terrorists attacked the United States by piloting planes into buildings on the morning ofSept. 11, 2001, Joel Hogan was undergoing orientation for his new job as director of international ministries for Christian Reformed World Missions (CRWM).

Hogan had just returned from serving for 17 years as a missionary with CRWM in the Philippines. Primarily, he had worked among animists and not members of the Islamic faith.

But as he gathered with others to watch the events of 9/11 unfold on a television set, Hogan sensed that the attacks signaled something that he had not until then really considered.

“The day of 9/11 got me to take Islam more seriously than I ever had before. When those planes hit the twin towers of the World Trade Center, it brought the world of Islam into my world in a new way,” says Hogan.

It motivated him to learn more.

Hogan read books, attended conferences and spoke to experts in the field of Christian/Muslim relations, including CRC missionaries. The more he began to learn about Islam, the more he felt led to find a way for the CRC to become more involved in working with Muslims.

“It’s been a journey for me,” says Hogan. “I learned as much as I could learn about Islam, its history, its current make up.”

Especially when he realized that there are nearly two billion Muslims in the world, and many have never met or spoken to a Christian, he concluded that this is a large group of people who need to learn about Jesus Christ.

Hogan says he knew that the Christian Reformed World Relief Committee (CRWRC) had worked for many years with Muslims, mostly in disaster aid and development work. His own agency had missionaries stationed on fields where there were many Muslims. Back to God Ministries International, as well as Christian Reformed Home Missions, also worked in various ways among Muslims.

“I started to wonder, though, if we needed a more coordinated approach, and if the ministry the CRC is doing is commensurate with the need,” says Hogan.

After praying and talking to colleagues, Hogan decided to gather others to discuss developing a denomination-wide ministry to Muslims. The effort began a few years ago and moved forward. A new ministry was envisioned and created.

Called Advancing Ministry Among Muslims (AMAM), the program will likely begin soon with the hiring of a coordinator. Initially, AMAM will focus on training people who can in turn train congregations and other groups about the Muslim faith and how to reach out to Muslims in love, says Hogan.

"We want to do training in churches so that, rather than default to the stereotypes (of all Muslims being fundamentalists and terrorists) that the media and others build up, they will learn to better understand Islam and learn to love Muslims in Jesus' name," he says.

"In understanding Islam from a biblical and historical perspective, we would like people to respond to their Muslim brothers and sisters out of compassion and love and not fear and hatred. Out of that Christian love can come actions."

AMAM is a response in large part to CRC congregations that over the years have asked CRWM if there was a way to learn more about Islam and outreach to Muslims.

"All sorts of people in our churches are eager to learn about Islam and how Christians can respond," Hogan says. "In fact, I see a groundswell of Spirit-initiated interest in our churches of people who want to know Islam better."

At the same time, he says, “this is a very difficult area of ministry. The toughest part is the time and effort it takes . . . You need to develop relationships and let Muslims see Jesus at work in your life.

"We need to meet Muslims where they are and where they live," says Hogan. "Right now we are on the cusp of a new approach. Given the need to keep a handle on our resources, we have to determine what the best way to be involved is."