Toward contextualizing the biblical worship practices into the muslim cultural context in Bangladesh for an SDA church plant

Abstract

Winning Muslims to the Adventist faith and keeping them in the Seventh-day Adventist church has long been the challenge of Bangladeshi Adventists. A major barrier in converting and helping them remain faithful Adventists in a predominantly Western-Hindu worship style is a problem. This project focuses on contextualizing the biblical worship practices into the Muslim cultural context to provide a friendly church for the former Islam faithful, without extracting them from their culture. The purpose and elements of worship in both the Bible and Islam have overlaps that make merging of the two possible. In the cpntextualization concept, this project makes some recommendations. The approach of teaching Muslim converts to change their culture and lifestyle in order to look "Adventist" has not worked. Practices such as calling God Allah, washing and removing one's shoes in the worship house, worshipping while sitting on the floor, fasting, singing/chanting, are a few things that are not contrary to Scriptures and may be worth trying. This study has produced a manual using different practices to help contextualize, and accommodate Muslims.