Planting Adventist Communities of Faith Among Muslims in Unentered Areas of the Balkans

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Planting Adventist Communities of Faith Among Muslims in Unentered Areas of the Balkans Andrews University Digital Commons @ Andrews University Dissertation Projects DMin Graduate Research 2005 Planting Adventist Communities of Faith Among Muslims in Unentered Areas of the Balkans Milan Bajic Follow this and additional works at: https://digitalcommons.andrews.edu/dmin Part of the Practical Theology Commons Recommended Citation Bajic, Milan, "Planting Adventist Communities of Faith Among Muslims in Unentered Areas of the Balkans" (2005). Dissertation Projects DMin. 660. https://digitalcommons.andrews.edu/dmin/660 This Project Report is brought to you for free and open access by the Graduate Research at Digital Commons @ Andrews University. It has been accepted for inclusion in Dissertation Projects DMin by an authorized administrator of Digital Commons @ Andrews University. For more information, please contact [email protected]. ABSTRACT PLANTING ADVENTIST COMMUNITIES OF FAITH AMONG MUSLIMS IN UNENTERED AREAS OF THE BALKANS by Milan Bajic Advisers: Bruce L. Bauer, Rudi Maier ABSTRACT OF GRADUATE STUDENT RESEARCH Dissertation Andrews University Seventh-day Adventist Theological Seminary Title: PLANTING ADVENTIST COMMUNITIES OF FAITH AMONG MUSLIMS IN UNENTERED AREAS OF THE BALKANS Name of researcher: Milan Bajic Name and degree of faculty advisers: Bruce L. Bauer, D.Miss.; Rudi Maier, Ph.D. Date competed: June 2005 Problem The purpose of this research was to develop and equip the church for the implementation of a workable strategy for reaching a large population of about eight million secular Muslims in the Balkans who have never been systematically confronted with the gospel. Method This study describes the history, culture, and religion of the Balkans, analyzes socio­ economic and political developments of its Muslim population, examines methods of evangelism and suggests a strategy based on sound biblical and missiological principles for work among the Balkan Muslims. Results The outcome of this project will be the development of a contextualized method for evangelizing secular Muslims in the Balkans, and the establishment of an Adventist Muslim Relations Initiatives. Contextualized Bible studies for secular Muslims will be produced. Change agents will be trained and prepared to form Bible study groups and establish contextualized Adventist communities of faith. Sensitivity among Adventists towards people of other faiths will be enhanced through awareness seminars. The initial project will continue for at least five years. Conclusions The proposed strategy has been designed for work in unentered areas of the Balkans. It uses cultural elements to communicate the gospel especially among Muslim populations. Andrews University Seventh-day Adventist Theological Seminary PLANTING ADVENTIST COMMUNITIES OF FAITH AMONG MUSLIMS IN UNENTERED AREAS OF THE BALKANS A Dissertation Presented in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree Doctor o f Ministry by Milan Bajic June 2005 PLANTING ADVENTIST COMMUNITIES OF FAITH AMONG MUSLIMS IN UNENTERED AREAS OF THE BALKANS A dissertation presented in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree Doctor of Ministry by Milan Bajic APROVAL BY THE COMMITTEE: Rudi Maier TABLE OF CONTENTS LIST OF MAPS ......................................................................................................... vi LIST OF TABLES ................................................. vi LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS ........................... vii A CK N O W LED G M EN TS............................................................................................. viii Chapter I. INTRODUCTION................................................................................................... 1 Statement of the Problem ........................................................................... 1 Statement o f the T a s k ................................................................................. 1 Justification of the Project ............ .............................................................. 2 Definition o f the T e r m s ........................................................................... 2 Limitation of the Project .......................................................... 3 Description o f the P ro je c t........................................................................... 4 M e th o d o lo g y ................................................................................................ 4 II. PERSONAL, SPIRITUAL, AND THEOLOGICAL BASIS FOR MINISTRY IN UNENTERED AREAS .................................. 5 In tro d u ctio n ................................................................................................... 5 Personal and Spiritual Basis for M in istry ............................................... 5 Biographical Background and Ministry ............................................ 5 Spirituality and M inistry................................................................. ... 7 Theological Understanding o f M in istry .................................................. 9 Biblical Mandate .................................................................................... 9 Theology o f Unentered A reas............................ 11 Communicating God’s M essage . ..................................................... 14 Cross-cultural Communication . ............................................ 15 Theological Formation ................................................................. 18 C ontextualization........................................................................... 21 Theological Understanding of Church and M ission ............................ 33 Biblical Foundation o f the C h u rc h ..................................................... 33 Challenges in M is s io n ........................................................................... 39 People G ro u p s.................................................................................... 39 iii Reaching M uslim s........................................................................... ... 41 Seventh-day Adventists and M ission.................................................. 48 Closing R e m a rk s.......................................................................................... 52 III. HISTORICAL, RELIGIOUS, POLITICAL, AND NATIONAL DEVELOPMENTS OF INDIGENOUS MUSLIMS IN THE BA LK A N S..................................... 53 Introduction................................................................. 53 Geo-political Developments .................................................................... 54 G eography..................................... 54 People and L an g u a g es........................................................................ 57 History and P olitics................................................................................. 58 Early H is to ry .................................................................................... 58 Medieval States and South Slavs.................................................. 59 Ottoman Conquest and R u le ........................................................ 60 Formation o f Nation-states........................................................... 61 Two W orld W ars.............................................................................. 63 Communism and its Collapse ........................................................ 65 Socio-religious D ev elo p m en ts........................................................... ... 67 Christianity................................................................................................. 67 M u s lim s .................................................................................................... 69 A lb an ian s............................................................................................. 71 B osniaks ................................................. 75 Bosniaks in Sandzak........................................................................ 80 Bosnian National Id e n tity ........................................................................ 84 Ottoman Em pire.................................................................................... 84 Austro Hungarian Em pire ................................................................. 86 Y ugoslavia............................................................................................. 89 First Y u g o slav ia.............................................................................. 89 Second Yugoslavia........................................................................... 90 Independent Bosnia. 91 Closing R e m a rk s.......................................................................................... 93 TV. STRATEGIES FOR REACHING SECULAR MUSLIMS IN THE B A L K A N S .......................................................................................... 95 Introduction .......................................................... 95 Overview o f P r o je c t................................................................................. 101 Development and Implementation of Strategy .................................. 102 Adventist M uslim Relations In itiativ e............................................... 102 Human R esources.................................................................................... 106 Adventist Muslim Relations Coordinator ............................... 106 Global Mission Pioneers.............................................. 107 W ritten M aterial......................................................................................
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