A Faith-Based Initiative

By Johanna McGeary

Steve Weaver is a Christian aid worker. The Pennsylvania Mennonite is an emergency-management consultant for the Church World Service, with which he will shortly cross the border between Jordan and Iraq. But unlike some of his fellow believers in that great aid caravan, Weaver, 33, will not preach as he goes. "Mixing proselytizing with humanitarian work is not appropriate at any time," he says. And now "it will confirm people's suspicions that this [war] was about Christians vs. Muslims--and the Christians won."

At least two organizations, however, seemed ready to risk that impression. Among those at the border last week were the International Missions Board of the Southern Baptist Convention (SBC) and Samaritan's Purse, which is run by evangelist Franklin Graham. Both operations are associated with sharp criticism of Islam, the faith of 97% of Iraqis. Graham, who gave the invocation at George W. Bush's Inaugural, has called it a "very evil and wicked religion," and a former SBC president dubbed Muhammad a "demon-possessed pedophile."

Both groups, to some degree, will engage in what might be called "aid evangelism." The Baptists will deliver thousands of 70-lb. food packages labeled--in Arabic--with the biblical verse John 1: 17: "For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth were realized through Jesus Christ." Eight hundred volunteers have reportedly joined the effort. Samaritan's Purse, known as a highly efficient charity, will provide water systems, shelters, medical kits for 100,000 people and probably, though its leaders decline to be specific, a Gospel message. "We do not deny the name of Christ," a spokesman said. "We'll be who we are."

Many conservative Christians would encourage Graham to speak boldly. A recent poll by the Ethics and Public Policy Center and the Beliefnet website found that 89% of evangelical leaders thought it "very important" to "insist on the truth of the Gospel" to Muslims. These leaders sincerely want to emulate Jesus' love by acts of feeding and healing, says Southern Baptist official R. Albert Mohler Jr., but "aid alone is not sufficient to bring a person to a saving knowledge of Christ." They have grown increasingly eager to expose Islam's "unreached" millions to Jesus. Missionary numbers in Muslim lands are reported to have quadrupled over the past decade. Thus, while Evangelicals supported the Iraq war for the same reasons as other Americans (patriotism, fear of terrorism), some hope that in victory, God is opening a door for more missionaries.

Not everyone thinks the overt approach is the way to win friends or converts. Ibrahim Hooper of the Council on American Islamic Relations says the two groups are "seeking to exploit people in their moment of vulnerability." Nonevangelical Christian outfits like the Mennonite Central Committee and Catholic Relief Services forbid preaching. And at least one major evangelical player expects his fieldworkers to show restraint. Says Clive Calver of World Relief, an agency owned by 43,000 American churches: "We're obviously not against spreading the Christian Gospel. But I don't want to be involved in anything where you give out food as a price tag for getting your message across."

There were signs last week that Graham might be recalibrating his strategy. The Samaritan's Purse website, which used to talk of preparing to help "thousands of suffering families in the name of Jesus Christ," has dropped the last six words. --With reporting by Amanda Bower/New York and Aparisim Ghosh/Amman

With reporting by Amanda Bower/New York and Bobby Ghosh/Amman