What a Muslim Surfer in Bali Taught Me About the Great Commission
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Invest in IndonesiaWe were heading to a coffee shop for a quick break. It was packed. No open tables. We were standing awkwardly with our gear, unsure of where to go, when a young Indonesian woman sitting at a table with extra space waved us over.
She looked like a typical surfer girl. Long hair. Flip-flops. A longboard leaning on the wall behind her. A chill, hippie vibe. Nothing about her said “conservative” or “religious.” She could’ve just as easily been from California.
We sat down and made small talk. She asked what we were doing in Bali. I explained that we were Christians filming a documentary about religion in Indonesia.
Her face lit up. She leaned in and asked questions. Lots of them. She was curious and genuinely interested. Then I flipped the conversation. I asked her, “So what’s your religion?”
Without hesitating, she answered, “Oh, I’m Muslim.”
That was not the answer I was expecting.
Here we were, in a Hindu-majority part of Indonesia, talking openly about Christianity. But she was Muslim! In most Muslim contexts, she wouldn’t be allowed to dress that way, much less sit and have a conversation in public with us. And yet, she identified as Muslim without hesitation. So I couldn’t help but ask: “What does Islam mean to you?”
She told me she was originally from Java, a Muslim-majority island. Her father had passed away. After that, she moved to Bali to have more freedom as a woman. Her mother, she said, didn’t really care what she did anymore. She was free to make her own decisions.
So I asked the next obvious question: “Do you still consider yourself Muslim?”
She nodded. “Yes. Definitely.”
That caught me even more off guard.
“Do you read Arabic?” No.
“Do you read the Quran?” No.
“Do you observe Ramadan?” No.
“Do you go to mosque?” No.
She wasn’t offended. She answered openly and honestly. And then she said something that stuck with me: “I’m Muslim because that’s what I was born into. It’s on my ID card.”
It reminded me of conversations I’ve had in the U.S. or Latin America with people who say, “I’m a Christian” but haven’t opened a Bible in years. They don’t attend church. They don’t pray. Their lives bear no connection to Jesus. But still, they were born into a “Christian” family, so that’s who they are. At least on paper.
Religious nominalism isn’t just a Christian problem.
It’s human.
We all tend to hold on to identity markers we inherited, even when the substance is long gone. And for many people, faith isn’t about belief—it’s about belonging. It’s cultural, not spiritual. That’s important for Christians to understand as we engage the world with the gospel.
That moment showed me a few important things about faith and mission.
First, ask good questions. Most people aren’t used to talking about their beliefs. They’re even less used to being asked about them with genuine curiosity. Asking questions—kind, open-ended ones—can open doors that arguments never will.
Second, don’t assume people believe what their label says. She called herself Muslim, but didn’t follow Islamic practices. Just like many people say they’re Christians, but don’t follow Jesus. Labels don’t tell the whole story. And if I had immediately begun debating her on passages from the Quran, the conversation would have quickly fallen flat. Listen before you leap to conclusions.
Third, often, the Great Commission starts with compassion. Jesus didn’t say, “Go and win arguments.” He said, “Go and make disciples.” That starts with seeing people—really seeing them. Hearing their stories. Entering their world. That’s how trust is built.
And fourth, many people are spiritually hungry—even if they don’t know it yet. This young woman didn’t practice Islam, but she was hungry for spiritual conversation. She was searching. That’s more common than we think. The gospel is good news for people like her. But they won’t hear it unless someone takes the time to sit down and talk.
At the end of the conversation, we didn’t convert her. But we planted a seed.
She left knowing that Christians care, that Jesus matters, and that there’s more to faith than a label on an ID card. That’s how the Great Commission often begins.
Not with a sermon.
But at a crowded coffee shop.
With an open seat.
And a conversation that matters.
This article first appeared in The Commission—Radical’s biweekly newsletter with gospel stories from around the world and exclusive encouragement from David Platt to help you follow Jesus and make him known. Subscribe now.
