Photo via themuslimwoman.org

Missionary shows a new way to reach out Muslims for Christ

As radical Islam continues to lash out at the western world, Christians are having success sharing Jesus with them, reports MNN.

Vice President of Human Resources at The Mission Society Frank Decker says using the word "Christian" to begin a conversation isn't the wisest way to go. According to Decker, Muslims believe "Christians are people who eat pork, watch R-rated movies, go to the beach and wear almost nothing in public, and things like that. So 'why would I want to change religions and lead a life like that?' they ask."

Decker says the problem today is that "Muslims are listening to popular Islamic teach that's anti-Christian, and Christians are listening to popular teaching that is anti-Muslim."

Decker says the key to reaching a Muslim isn't initially through the Bible -- it's through the Koran. "You can show a Muslim in the Koran that Jesus is born of a virgin, that he is Jesus the Messiah, that He was sinless, and that He is a word from Allah. And during the course of a faithful Muslim's five prayers that Muslim cries out to God, he says, 'Please show me the straight path to God.' That path is Jesus."

Decker warns, "If you begin talking to Muslim by telling him or her to put their 'book' down, you've automatically offended them, and they turn away."

He calls this the "attack and extract method" of evangelism, which isn't very effective.

Decker says you don't have to tell a Muslim the Bible is the Word of God. "When a Muslim becomes a believer in Jesus, they will learn what the Koran says about Jesus, and then they'll want to know more."

That's when you give them a Bible in their own language where they become even more acquainted with Christ.

The problem with this kind of evangelism is mixing the two belief systems. "Syncretism is always a concern. We are learning that if you give them the Word of God in their language and you teach them how to do inductive study, most heresies become self-corrected."

The idea is to become part of the culture to reach the culture. Decker says one believer even became an Imam in order to share the Gospel. "He was credentialed to speak in the Mosques. And so he went into the mosques, and many, many people came to faith in that way."

The bottom line, says Decker, is that "Jesus comes to us where we are, in our own cultural and religious context, and takes us from that point into a saving knowledge of who He is."

According to Decker, this strategy in evangelism has been going on for three decades, and it's seen many Muslims turn to Christ.

New iPad POLL! VOTE NOW! Will you buy new iPad?

TAGS: USA The Mission Society term 'Christian' Koran Bible evangelism

[02/07/2009]

Print Version