Discussion at a previous festival, photo via assistnews.net

Outreach to Muslims continues in Michigan, faces obstacles

Not far from the birthplace of the American automobile industry, the Muslim call to prayer can be heard amid the late-afternoon street noise. Outside the mosque is one pastor distributing Christian literature, ready to give an answer for the hope that lies within, reports Mark Ellis, senior correspondent, ASSIST News Service.

“There are thousands of Muslims in Michigan and we want to reach out to them,” says Pastor George Saieg, founder of the Ministry to Muslims Network (www.ministrytomuslims.com). “I want Muslims to have the freedom to choose if they want to follow Jesus.”

For the last few years, he and his team have attended the Arab International Festival, held in Dearborn, Michigan. The event attracts several hundred thousand Arab Americans, and Pastor Saieg finds it an ideal venue for Christian outreach.

But last year Pastor Saieg ran into an obstacle. Instead of being able to distribute thousands of Christian books and DVDs on the public sidewalks surrounding the event, the city erected barricades throughout a two-block area surrounding the festival where they prohibited literature distribution. Anyone caught violating the new rules was subject to arrest.

“They forced us to be inside the festival at a booth under the mercy of Muslim security guards,” Saieg says. “One of the security guards has ‘Hezbollah’ tattooed on his arm.”

Pastor Saieg believes the change in rules -- along with the intimidating presence of the private security guards -- diminished his effectiveness. Instead of distributing 20,000 pieces of Christian literature as in previous years, they only handed out 500 pieces at their booth.

“People are afraid to come to my booth because they are being watched,” Pastor Saieg says. “They know the penalty for a Muslim to come to Christ is death.”

“You can’t create a First Amendment-free zone,” says Robert Muise, an attorney with the Thomas More Law Center. Muise is pursuing an injunction against the city to overturn the prohibition. “This was well beyond a private festival. The city’s fingerprints are all over this thing,” Muise notes. “In 2009, the city provided $40,000 free police service to the Arab Chamber of Commerce for the event.”

Undaunted, Pastor Saieg plans another outreach June 15th to 21st, coinciding with the festival. “We'll have more than 20 hours of workshops and lectures regarding answering Muslim objections along with methods of reaching Muslims,” he says. Participants will also engage in door-to-door evangelism, with mosque and park outreaches throughout the week.

One of the lecturers will include Dr. Tom White, U.S. director of Voice of the Martyrs. Several Muslim imams will be present in a debate format during the festival. “I want people to pray for this event,” says Pastor Saieg. “There is no assurance of salvation in Islam, but there is in Christianity,” he says. “That is what our Muslim neighbors need to know.”

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TAGS: USA outreach to Muslims Christian literature Ministry to Muslims Network Christian outreach evangelism

[05/18/2010]

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