2022-2023 Grant in Aid of Research

Towards A Missiological Model for Reaching East Indian Muslims for Christ in Kwatta of Surinam.

Kenneth Rigobert (Andrew Tompkins, World Mission). 

The essence of this research is to provide the Seventh-day Adventist Church in Suriname with a cross-cultural mission model designed for making disciples for Christ among Suriname East Indian from the indentureship era. To accomplish this goal, the research project emphasizes the fact Christian missions have their foundation in the sacred text – the Bible. The Bible is therefore the manual or the map for Christian missions. For an appreciation of Christian missions in Suriname for the purpose of learning lessons, there is some focus on the Seventh-day Adventist, Moravian, and Catholic missions during the period of indentureship coupled with a brief history of Surname East Indians. Because the research is about a model for cross-cultural mission a detailed description of the model is provided covering the following topics: incarnation, building relationships, Methodology, indigenous leadership, ethnic leadership, contextualized discipleship, and contextualized beliefs. An appendix is provided in this research presenting Islam’s traditional view along with orientalists view on its prophet, Muhammad, its holy book, the Qur’an, and its holy city, Mecca.