Loving Our Neighbors: How to Share the Gospel with a Muslim
Christian Muslim dialogue is needed in our world today. Many Christians in the West may be motivated by fear more than love, but if we are to TRULY follow the way of Jesus and compassionately share God’s love with the whole world, we need to grow in our capacity to relate cross-culturally. Here are some resources to help you grow in your witness toward the Muslim community.
How God messed with me in an apartment full of Syrian refugees.
Online Resources
Article: Islamophobia is a Sin.
Let’s start here. Let me be clear about what I mean when I use the term “Islamophobia”. First, I am not talking about a principled disagreement with the tenets of Islam themselves. We believe that Islam is fatally flawed in its understanding of who God is and who we are before Him. We believe that Islam preaches a false gospel and we pray that every Muslim in the world would have their eyes opened to the beautiful Gospel of Jesus Christ.
Islamophobia is different.
https://youtu.be/EpRbyNPAjmc
(Above) Alan Shlemon, from Stand to Reason (str.org) talks about the difference between Islam and Christianity and methods to help reach your Muslim neighbors in a way that builds common ground, respects their faith, and uses their own scriptures to point them to the truth.
Jesus-Islam.org
A website dedicated to objectively presenting to our Muslim friends what true followers of Jesus believe and practice. To give clear and precise answers to the questions and accusations they bring against the Bible, which is the Word of God. To clear up misunderstandings and to clarify the foundations of the Christian faith.
Crescent Project
Bridges is a curriculum developed by Crescent Project that is meant to introduce Christians to Islam and pave the way for building relationships with the Muslims in your community. Christians have responded to Muslims in many ways, but all too often, without the compassion that characterized Jesus. Bridges seeks to replace fear and intimidation with love and gentle boldness, reshaping the way Christians view and respond to their Muslim neighbors.
Answering Islam
The “Answering Islam” site is mainly designed for a dialog with Muslims, but many Christians read it as well and learn about some important approaches, topics and arguments. If you are a Christian you might read in this site not because you stumbled upon it by chance but since Islam has for some reason become a challenge in your own life whether in your immediate family or through becoming friends with a Muslim in your workplace or neighborhood. In any case, you can find some dialog-tested answers to many claims, challenges and questions in articles that are placed here for you to learn about the Muslim arguments as well as about informed answers that Christians can give to them.
Al Massira
Video based course to share the gospel with Arabs/Muslims. Why use Al Massira? It is self explanatory rather than comparative with any other philosophy. Anticipates and addresses the common issues about the Messiah that many people struggle with. Relevant for all ages and suitable for both men and women. Can be used with or without the written resources. Presents a clear overview of the Biblical message before encouraging each person to make up their own mind.
Books
A Wind In The House Of Islam: How God Is Drawing Muslims Around The World To Faith In Jesus Christ There are nine geo–cultural “rooms” in the “House of Islam,” and the Wind of God’s Spirit is blowing through every one of them. David Garrison spent three years travelling a quarter–million miles through every corner of the Muslim world to investigate reports far and wide of Muslims turning to faith in Jesus Christ. In this amazing odyssey, Garrison gathered the stories of more than a thousand Muslim–background believers, asking them the question: “What did God use to bring you to faith in Jesus Christ? Tell me your story.”
Why God Calls Us to Dangerous Places Why God Calls Us to Dangerous Places is about what is lost and what is gained when we follow God at any cost. Soon after 9/11, Kate McCord left the corporate world and followed God to Afghanistan—sometimes into the reach of death. Alive but not unscathed, she has suffered the loss of many things: comfort, safety, even dear friends and fellow sojourners.
Jesus Through Middle Eastern Eyes: Cultural Studies in the Gospels Beginning with Jesus’ birth, Ken Bailey leads you on a kaleidoscopic study of Jesus throughout the four Gospels. Bailey examines the life and ministry of Jesus with attention to the Lord’s Prayer, the Beatitudes, Jesus’ relationship to women, and especially Jesus’ parables. Through it all, Bailey employs his trademark expertise as a master of Middle Eastern culture to lead you into a deeper understanding of the person and significance of Jesus within his own cultural context. With a sure but gentle hand, Bailey lifts away the obscuring layers of modern Western interpretation to reveal Jesus in the light of his actual historical and cultural setting.
Adventures in Saying Yes: A Journey from Fear to Faith This exciting, entertaining account of a Christian family’s life in the Middle East offers an inspiring dare to live boldly wherever you are.
Seeking Allah, Finding Jesus: A Devout Muslim Encounters Christianity Providing an intimate window into a loving Muslim home, Qureshi shares how he developed a passion for Islam before discovering, almost against his will, evidence that Jesus rose from the dead and claimed to be God. Unable to deny the arguments but not wanting to deny his family, Qureshi’s inner turmoil will challenge Christians and Muslims alike.
The Crescent through the Eyes of the Cross: Insights from an Arab Christian (The Navigators Reference Library) Go beyond mere tolerance to a passion for Muslims. This book explains how that can be done in ways that are sensitive to Islamic culture and provides suggestions on how to build vital relationships with Muslims.
Learning From Islam: How to Live as a Christian Trust is debating the Israel-Palestine conflict with a conservative Sunni barber holding a straight-razor to your throat (Kamal al-Kanady). An immigrant white Christian businessman from Canada writes about his experiences in a majority Islamic country.
Engaging Islam Engaging Islam alerts Christians to the challenges and opportunities of reaching Muslims worldwide. Learn how to engage Muslims, understand them on a personal level, and gain an understanding of the role we have as Christians to boldly preach the gospel with conviction. Inspirational stories of transformation and personal testimonies will touch your heart and encourage you to engage Muslims like never before.
Connecting with Muslims: A Guide to Communicating Effectively 12th Annual Outreach Resource of the Year (Cross-Cultural) How can we build bridges with Muslims? Muslims are our coworkers, neighbors and friends. But Christians don’t always know how to build relationships with Muslims. Fouad Masri provides practical ways for Christians to initiate conversations and develop relationships with Muslims. He offers insights into Muslim culture and helps Christians understand and relate their Muslim friends. Masri addresses seven common questions that Muslims ask about Jesus and the Christian faith, providing sensitive answers that winsomely guide Muslims to Jesus without arguing or awkward debating. With real-life stories of fruitful conversations and genuine relationships, Masri helps readers see Muslims as Jesus sees them, without fear, with love, hope and expectation. You don’t need a Ph.D. in Islam to share your faith with a Muslim. You just need the heart of an ambassador. Discover how.