The Religion of Islam

Studying the religion of Islam is something I earnestly put off over the years. Knowing my unpreparedness on the subject, I quieted my conscience with the untruth that Islam is not something I encounter on a regular basis.

Not a few things in my life served as a constant reminder of my inability to be a faithful witness to Muslims. Standing at the forefront was that Elder James has made Islam a top priority of Alpha and Omega Ministries. In fact, Dr. White has three debates set up with the most well-known English-speaking Muslim apologist, Shabir Ali.

Next, my every day reading of the news has forced me to confront the fact that at least some Muslims are willing to kill Muslims of a different flavor as well as non-Muslims in the name of Islam.

Unsure about which book to begin with, I picked up Ron Rhodes’ Reasoning from the Scriptures with Muslims. It served as a simple introduction to the Muslim religion, but I do not believe it is enough to fully prepare one for evangelism with Muslims. Elder James recommended Answering Islam: The Crescent in Light of the Cross by Geisler and Saleeb, and having looked at the chapter contents, I cannot wait to begin reading it.

Ron Rhodes includes a call to evangelism in the introduction of his book that encouraged me: “The current estimates are that a mere two percent of the Protestant missionary force is actively involved in evangelizing among 1.3 billion Muslims. William Miller says that ‘with some glorious exceptions, the Christians of the world have signally failed to obey Christ by sending laborers to sow and reap a harvest in Muslim lands.’ Not only are there too few Christian missionaries evangelizing Muslims in other countries, there are far too few Christians seeking to reach Muslims in our own country. This is not as it should be.” (Rhodes 19).

He is absolutely correct that Christians, including myself, need to be more faithful in witnessing to Muslims. Might we take to heart Christ’s words in Matthew 9:37-38, “37 Then He said to His disciples, "The harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few. 38 "Therefore beseech the Lord of the harvest to send out workers into His harvest."” (NASB).

I want to be found faithful in asking the Lord to send out workers into the field, particularly to reach Muslims. It is also my desire to be a faithful worker proclaiming the gospel of Jesus Christ to our sinful world.

Because of Christ,
Rusty