Page 131 - LD215 History of the Church in Africa A4 final

The Middle Ages

Islam, and prepared to adapt to the North African culture. Overcome
with reluctance, he failed to board the ship to Tunisia, North Africa.
The conflict of soul with which he was confronted, was only relieved
when he finally set sail. After initial discussions and attempts to witness
to Muslims, opposition arose and he was captured, imprisoned, and
eventually deported.

For the next fifteen years he labored as a Franciscan layman trying
to persuade Christians in Europe to evangelize Muslims. However, he
met with little success. When he was over 70 years of age, he returned
to North Africa, and this time he arrived in Bugia, Algeria. Having
determined that he would use a direct approach to evangelism, he
met Muslim leaders with an open challenge stating: “The law of the
Christians is holy and true, and the sect of the Moors (Muslims) is false
and wrong, and this am I prepared to prove” (Groves, 1:117). After a few
months he was thrown in prison again. Even while a prisoner, thanks
to the intervention of some Christian merchants, he was able to meet
with visitors whom he tried to persuade to become followers of Christ.
Eventually, he was deported and returned to Europe. Again he tried
to awaken the church to its obligation to win Muslims to Jesus Christ.
He maintained that contrary to the military methods of the Crusades,
Christ did not come to destroy but to save. Unfortunately, the church
was too preoccupied with other matters and would not listen to his
message. Brokenhearted, but undaunted, with courage this elderly man
returned to North Africa.

He visited both Algeria and Tunisia and is said to have had his
greatest success on this journey “gaining several influential converts.
The end came in Bugia to which he had returned. Like Stephen, he
was stoned to death and received the martyr’s crown” (Peers, quoted
in Groves, 1:118).

We conclude this section by noting that both Francis of Assisi and
Lull left a legacy for the church today. To reach Muslims with the love
of Christ will take total commitment. As one who has witnessed a lack
of vision for Muslim evangelism among segments of the Pentecostal/
Evangelical church, I feel it would profit the church today to emulate the
example of these men.

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