Few subjects in the world are as controversial as Muslim evangelism. So I figure, I’ll give it a shot. After all, that’s the name and purpose of this blog.
Let me preface everything by stating that I am not against differing methods or strategies. I simply believe that the most important aspects of evangelism are often overlooked (especially when working with Muslims). After years of studying the subject, reading dozens of books by various authors, and personally working with Muslims myself, I want to share a few things that I have learned.
It’s no secret that the Muslim world has been one of the most challenging areas in spreading the gospel over the past 1,400 years. Very little evangelism has taken place among them and there are thousands of theories as to why that might be. The temptation has been to overreact to this challenge and move away from Biblical methods and embrace ideas that have no Scriptural foundation. I believe that it usually happens through a genuine desire to reach people, but in spite of good intentions it is doomed to failure.
Before we discuss how to reach the Muslim world, let’s address a few pitfalls that I have come across in the past few years.
1. Do not get involved in politics. I cannot emphasize this enough. It does not matter what your political position or idealism is, we were never commissioned to change or even challenge the government. Democracy is not the hope of the nations… Jesus Christ is. If you want to see real spiritual results, stay out of political affairs!
2. Do not argue about nor attack Islam. A debate usually consists of two excessively proud individuals, full of godless ego, decide to prove to each other that they are in some way superior to the other. I will refrain from going off on a tangent here, but suffice it to say that there are no positive results in slandering Islam or Mohammad. Our commission is NOT to go into all the world and preach against Islam, Judaism, Hinduism, Buddhism, polytheism, or even atheism. We were called to preach the truth.
If they ask you if you believe that Mohammad was a prophet of God, be honest and simply tell them “no.” Nine times out of ten that two-letter answer has been the end of the issue for me when talking to Muslims around the world, and it saves hours of fruitless debates and/or crafty ways to skirt around the issue. Be honest, focus on the truth (Jesus Christ and the Bible), and stay on track.
3. Do not be a coward. This is kind of the antithesis of the previous point. Cowardice breeds cowardice. One of the biggest challenges in Muslim missions (if not the greatest) around the world is the issue of fear. It’s usually called “being wise,” by those who have embraced it, but the result is the same: years of torturous anxiety with no results. When a friend of mine, who was a Muslim before becoming a believer, was asked what was one of the greatest lessons that he had learned from the missionaries in his country, his response was “how to be afraid.” What a sad epitaph.
There is an unbiblical method of Muslim missions growing in popularity today known as the “insider movement.” In essence the adherents to this doctrine teach that a person can become a “secret” follower of Jesus by believing that He was the Messiah in their hearts, but never profess Him. They are encouraged to live exactly like a Muslim, dress like a Muslim, talk like a Muslim, go to the mosque like a Muslim, pray like a Muslim, worship like a Muslim, and in every conceivable way be a Muslim who privately thinks about Jesus while he practices Islam. Good luck finding a verse on that.
There is a need for bold Christian leaders who preach Jesus Christ without shame and make no pretext for their belief in Him. Persecution is inevitable and it should not be feared. I will attempt to address this issue more in depth in another post, but for now this issue needs to be settled in our hearts when talking to anyone anywhere about Jesus Christ. We should not seek persecution, but neither should not fear it. If you let your disciples know that you are afraid to tell people about Jesus, they will inevitably be twice as afraid to witness themselves, and the Word is never planted anywhere else. Fear is natural; boldness is from God. Pray for courage and live out your faith.
(for more on world evangelism, check out bcwe.org)
January 20th, 2011 at 4:06 pm
just read the article on how not to witness to Muslims. good. thanks