Muslim evangelism is one of the toughest fields of Christian witness. During the last two centuries Christians have sought to win Muslims to Christ, only to find that it is extremely difficult to persuade the sons of Islam that Jesus Christ should be their Lord and Saviour. In recent times mission agencies and Christian evangelists have proposed numerous methods guaranteed to make Muslim evangelism work, namely, to bring about the desired results. Friendship evangelism, relational evangelism, contextualization, felt-needs approaches - they’re all part of a catalogue of methodologies presented as the best way of effectively reaching Muslims for Christ. Planting churches among Muslims has become a subject of study, discussion and practical expression in many areas before any form of evangelism has even started. Results are the desired goal and, if possible, in sufficient numbers to establish Muslim convert churches.

When we endeavor to share Christ with a Muslim, we are stepping into a true spiritual battle. The average Muslim has great cultural and religious biases against many of the foundational truths of Christianity. For him, the cross is a stumbling block. No other religion hates the cross like Islam, and it is for this reason that you must be prepared not only intellectually, but also in spirit and in attitude before taking up this challenge.

ISLAM AT A GLANCE

Islam is generally viewed as the youngest world religion and the world’s second largest, next to Christianity. It was founded by Muhammad (also spelled Mohammed), 70 A.D. Arabian merchant of Mecca.

Islam in Arabic means “submission (to God).” An adherent to Islam is called a Muslim (or Moslem), meaning “one who submits.” It is incorrect to refer to Muslims as “Mohammedans,” as Muslims feel this term gives the incorrect impression that they worship Muhammad.

Islam’s creed (called the shahadah) states: “There is no God but Allah, and Muhammad is God’s messenger.” It is whispered into the ear of a newborn child, continually repeated throughout life, and is traditionally the last utterance of the dying.

Islam’s sacred book is the Koran (or Qur’an), comprised of messages said to have been given to Muhammad from God by the angel Jibril (Gabriel). In length it is about the size of the Christian New Testament. It consists of 114 chapters (suras).

Islam makes five demands on its adherents, called the “five pillars of Islam.” They are recitation of the creed (shahadah); prayer (salat) five times a day in the direction of Mecca, and especially on Friday, the special day of congregational prayer in the mosque; almsgiving (zakat); fasting (sawm) from sunrise to sunset during the month of Ramadan; and pilgrimage (hajj) to Mecca, which should be undertaken by every Muslim at least once.

Islam is divided into two main branches—the Sunnites (90 percent of all Muslims) and the Shiites (who are especially strong in Iran and Iraq). Like other religions, Islam has become fragmented by theological feuds and disagreements, resulting in a wide variety of sects and offshoots. Islam has as many denominations, sects and cults as Christianity does.
FASCINATED BY JESUS
In the Koran, Islam’s holy book, Jesus is often referred to as Isa ibn Maryam—Jesus, the son of Mary. Few Christians realize that Muslims revere Jesus as a genuine prophet and messenger of God, and many expect his return at the Last Day. Muslims even accept his virgin birth and his miracles.

Jesus is spoken of nearly 100 times in the Koran under numerous names and titles, including Al-Masih (the Messiah), Kalimatu’llah (the Word of God), Rasulu’llah (the Messenger of God) and Nabiyu’llah (the Prophet of God). These titles sound very Christian when translated. A brief glance at these surface-level similarities might suggest that Muslims and Christians are not far separated in belief —until we notice that “Son of God” is not among the titles.

CENTRAL DOGMA

Muslims are fiercely monotheistic. The central dogma of Islam is the absolute unity of God (Allah). To Muslims, the biblical teaching of the deity of Jesus Christ is thus polytheistic and blasphemous. It is the major problem confronting Christians who endeavor to reach Muslims with the gospel of Jesus Christ.

“Allah is One and indivisible,” Muslims assert. Allah has no “son” nor any other “partner,” as implied by the Christian doctrine of the Trinity. “One plus one plus one cannot equal one,” they argue. The Koran declares: “They surely disbelieve who say: ‘Lo! Allah is the Messiah, son of Mary’… [and] ‘Lo! Allah is the third of three’; when there is no God save the One God…. The Messiah, son of Mary, was no other than a messenger” (Sura 5:72-75).

For Christians, Christ’s deity is nonnegotiable. In response to the Muslim charge of polytheism, Christians assert that they, too, believe that God is one. Here’s the question at issue: what kind of oneness?

The Christian understands a more complex kind of oneness than a strictly mathematical kind of unity. God the Father and God the Son are one in essence or nature, but they are not identical persons. Muslims—and many Christians, for that matter—find this biblical teaching difficult to comprehend. That God is One, in three Persons, is a mystery that Christians accept on faith, realizing that God is not limited by our human inability to fathom the mysteries of divine existence beyond time and space. But to Muslims, it is sacrilegious nonsense.

CHRISTIANITY & ISLAM: A COMPARISON

Islamic beliefs and practices differ from Christianity in several significant ways. Here are just a few of the differences:

God

Islam: God (Allah) is One. He is all-powerful and all-knowing, merciful and compassionate. He has no sons or partners.

Christianity: God is one divine Being in three eternal, co-essential, yet distinct Persons—Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.

Jesus Christ

Islam: Jesus had no preexistence from eternity. He was created and not begotten. He was completely and totally human. He was not divine, but simply a prophet of God and a great moral teacher. He was neither crucified nor resurrected. He was the “Messiah” only in the sense that he was anointed to preach salvation to the people of Israel.

Christianity: Jesus is the second Person of the Godhead, who became human through the Incarnation. He was God manifest in the flesh for our salvation. He was and is the Son of God and God the Son. He was fully God and fully human. On the cross he took the punishment we deserved, so we could be reconciled with God. He is worthy of worship, honor and reverence. He lives within Christians today through the Holy Spirit.

The Bible
Islam: The Bible was originally an authentic revelation from Allah, but has become altered and corrupted in the process of transmission from one generation to another. Its greatest “distortion” is to picture the man Jesus as God in the flesh. The Bible must be interpreted by the Koran, the infallible Word of Allah. The Koran was divinely ordained to correct errors of the Christian faith.
Christianity: The Bible is the inspired Word of God, the foundation of truth, and the accurate record of God’s revelation to humanity. It is the ultimate authority in all matters of doctrine and Christian living. Its accuracy is attested by hundreds of manuscripts.

Forgiveness

Islam: There is no need of a Savior or an atoning death. Forgiveness is attained by right belief and good works. One who hopes to escape the wrath of Allah must diligently strive to adhere to the Koran and the five pillars of Islam. A Muslim performs his religious obligations as a means of obtaining merit. Sura 35:7 says, “Those who believe and do good works, theirs will be forgiveness and a great reward.”  When people repent, God forgives. It is simple amnesty, by a word.

Christianity: Salvation is the gift of God, by grace through faith in Jesus Christ, not earned by personal merit or good works. We are forgiven by accepting the blood of Jesus Christ and his atoning work on the cross.

The Counselor (Paraclete)

Islam: Muhammad is the Counselor or Comforter promised by Jesus in John 16:7. According to the Koran, Jesus brought good tidings of “a messenger who cometh after me, whose name is the Praised One [Ahmad or Muhammad]” (Sura 61:6).

Christianity: The Holy Spirit, the third Person of the Godhead, is the Comforter (or Counselor) promised by Jesus Christ. The Holy Spirit lives within Christians and transforms their lives, making them more Christlike.

Life After Death

Islam: Allah will judge people according to their deeds. A paradise of physical delights and sensuous experiences awaits the righteous who surrender to Allah in this life. Hellfire awaits those whose works are unacceptable.

Christianity: The inheritance of the believer is salvation and eternal life as an immortal child of God. Unrepentant sinners who deliberately reject the saving grace of God will be sent to the lake of fire.

The Messiah

Islam: A mahdi (”rightly guided one”), born of Muhammad’s lineage, will arise in the end time as a messianic deliverer. Aided by Jesus, the mahdi will defeat a false messiah or antichrist named Dajjal and usher in a brief Golden Age, followed by the Day of Judgment.

Christianity: Jesus Christ will return to earth to judge and reign over all nations in the kingdom of God. This event inaugurates the resurrection of the dead and the reward of the saints.

FIVE AREAS YOU NEED TO EXPLAIN TO A MUSLIM

There are five major issues which must first be explained and worked through with a Muslim before you will be able to go back and say, “Here is how you can become a Christian”:

1. The Authenticity of the Bible
2. The consistency of God’s revelation
3. Why Christians believe Jesus is the Son of God
4. Did Jesus really die on the cross?
5. The Trinity

FRUITLESS ARGUMENT

Depending on the individual Christian’s theological expertise, he or she can debate the doctrine of the Trinity with varying degrees of sophistication. But this line of argumentation is generally fruitless when it comes to evangelizing Muslims. Muslims believe that Christians worship three gods, and no amount of protestation to the contrary—however inventive or articulate—can convince them otherwise.

Why?  Because the Koran itself declares that Christians worship three gods. And since Muslims regard the Koran as infallible, Christians must indeed worship three gods—the clever arguments of Christians notwithstanding! The same goes for any discussion of Jesus’ crucifixion and resurrection. Muslims flatly reject those events. Why? Because anything contradicting the Koran is automatically false, and the Koran declares, “They slew him not nor crucified…” (Sura 4:157). Muslims regard it as inconceivable that a prophet of God could have suffered such an ignominious death.

For Christians, to deny the crucifixion and resurrection is to deny the very means of atonement for which Christ came into the world. Humans are forgiven by accepting, believing in, the shed blood of Jesus Christ and his atoning work on the cross. Muslims, by contrast, see no need for a Savior. They believe that a right relationship with God can be achieved by their own striving for righteousness. Right belief and good works bring God’s forgiveness, they maintain.

Clearly, an immense doctrinal gulf separates the two religions. The differences between Islam and Christianity are fundamental and profound, and they center around the person of Jesus Christ.

TOUCHED BY LOVE

Nevertheless, it is on Jesus that our efforts to win Muslims must focus. Jesus Christ lies inevitably at the heart of the Christian-Muslim encounter. He is the bridge between the two faiths. But it is not by argumentation that Muslims will be won to Christ. Conversions through sheer reasoning are rare.

The God of the Bible is love personified. Only by touching the hearts of Muslims with that love can the seemingly insurmountable barriers to conversion begin to be overcome. Understand this: Muslim converts to Christianity report that many Muslims have a deep spiritual hunger that has not been satisfied. Many desire to know God more intimately—to be assured of his love, forgiveness and acceptance.

Islam is built heavily on legalistic observances intended to prepare a person for future judgment. Muslims have no definite assurance of salvation until they reach that final day. They can never rest in the certainty of eternal salvation. To many, it is a painfully unsatisfying, unfulfilling and precarious state of existence. It is therefore not surprising that when Muslims learn of Jesus’ life of love and forgiveness, and come to know him as a living, personal Savior, he is irresistible.

The Christian enjoys a certainty of salvation that a Muslim can never have. “There is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus” (Romans 8:1). Faith in the finished work of Jesus Christ is our assurance of salvation. Christians serve God willingly, without compulsion or fear. To Muslims, these are revolutionary concepts—and eminently reassuring ones.

But first…A CAUTION

 Evangelism inside the Islamic world is a task too complex—and potentially dangerous—to imply that one article would be adequate instruction. In many Muslim countries, the penalty for apostasy from Islam is severe. In extreme cases, the death penalty may even be imposed on a Muslim who renounces his Islamic faith.  This should be constantly borne in mind.

In the Islamic world, separation of church and state is unknown. Islam is tied closely to the national, cultural and family life of its adherents. Conversion to Christianity may thus be taken as a rejection of family, culture and country—with potentially dire consequences.

TIPS FOR PERSONAL WITNESS

Effectively communicating our Christian faith to Muslims requires knowledge, wisdom and a living commitment to Jesus Christ. Here are a few guidelines:

• Be informed. The ignorance we have concerning the Islamic faith is appalling. It is a near-fatal obstacle to effective Christian witness. Libraries and bookstores can provide helpful introductory volumes. Reading a translation of the Koran in modern English will also be informative.
• Avoid arguments. A Muslim is not an enemy to be conquered, but a friend with whom to share the love of Jesus Christ. Arrogant attempts to refute Muslim doctrine are inflammatory and counterproductive. Move beyond the combative rhetoric that has long characterized Christian-Muslim encounters. Ask and respond to questions in a nonthreatening way. Avoid being judgmental. Also realize that you may encounter some Muslims who simply have no interest in genuine dialogue with anyone who has a non-Islamic viewpoint. If they feel there is nothing they can learn from Christians, it is pointless to press them. Wish them well in their spiritual journey and move on.
• Be ready to answer. Islam is a missionary faith. Do not be surprised if you find yourself being evangelized rather than evangelizing. A firm grasp of the essentials of Christianity is therefore crucial (1 Peter 3:15). Be especially prepared to discuss the question of Jesus’ divinity and the Trinity. Explain that Christians do not believe that Jesus is a separate being from the Father. Acknowledge that the nature of God is beyond the grasp of limited, human understanding. But remember—prolonged debate over this point is usually a fruitless exercise.
• Be respectful. Respect Muslims as sincere seekers after God. Many Muslims take their religion more seriously than some Christians do theirs. Do not attack Islam. Criticism of Muhammad and the Koran is insensitive and counterproductive. Remember that Islam has been instrumental in advancing the progress of civilization. Treat it with the respect it deserves.
• Be an example. To Muslims, religion is much more than mere acceptance of doctrine; it involves a pattern of behavior—a way of life. This is why Muslims puzzle over how to reconcile Christianity with the loose lifestyles and materialistic values of Western society. Explain that Christianity is not responsible for the immorality of the West. Help them to distinguish between “Western” and “Christian.” But more than that, remember that the message cannot be divorced from the messenger. Effective witness comes from a Christian who lives a life centered in Christ. By demonstrating the reality of Christ’s presence and power in your own life, you can show others what Christianity is really all about.
• Be a friend. In most cases, sharing one’s faith effectively with a Muslim is best accomplished within the context of personal friendships. Be a good friend, a good co-worker, a good neighbor. Let God’s love flow through you, and offer help when needs arise.
• Proclaim Jesus Christ. Be open about what Jesus Christ has done in your life. Explain your reasons for belief in him as your personal Savior. Talk openly, honestly and personally about the love God has shown for you. Share insights, answered prayers and your own experiences of God’s mercy and forgiveness. Encourage Muslims to read and reflect on the gospel accounts of Jesus’ life.
• Invite to church. Prayer, songs of praise, Bible-based preaching and Christian fellowship may help your Muslim friend discover the joy of God’s love and the riches of his grace in Jesus Christ. Should he or she move toward a genuine commitment to Christ, the support of concerned Christians will be especially needed in coping with inevitable family and social pressures.
• Pray. Remember that it is God who draws people to Jesus (John 6:44). Pray faithfully that the Holy Spirit will touch your Muslim friends and move them to worship and serve Jesus as Lord and Savior. And pray for the Holy Spirit to speak through you to their personal spiritual needs.

CONCLUSION
Different methods of evangelism are one thing, promoting these in turn as the only ways Muslims can be reached is another.
It is my own conviction that only missionaries with the strongest theology and doctrine of Christ can win the Muslim world. Not that I advocate the theological approach as a method of evangelism for Muslims. I do feel, however, that the evangelist who would work among Muslims needs absolutely solid ground for his system of Christian doctrine. No weak theology or lack of theology will do for the Muslim world. If a person does not know what he believes about God and Christ and the Bible a little contact with Muslims will make it abundantly clear that he had better find out.

 The faithful labors of those who have preceded us have laid the foundations of that Church in Muslim lands. If, through the power of God, the Church be established and strengthened in these lands, then I feel sure that Christ will conquer everywhere and that the Cross will be indeed the victory that overcomes the world.

The objectives we seek to attain in evangelism for Muslims, which we should always keep definitely before us are

1. The conversion of the individual.
2. The establishment and nurture of the church.
3. The bringing to bear on all human relationships the spirit and mind of Christ.

 I recently read in an article where the writer says, “You cannot build the kingdom of god. Only God can. You can only reflect it through your witness and life.” that, to me, puts it in a nutshell. As the psalmist put it so straightforwardly: Unless the Lord builds the house, those who build it labour in vain. Psalm 127:1

The Apostle Paul was very conscious of the fact that only God, through his Spirit, can draw anyone to himself and so he said to the believers in Corinth:I planted, Apollos watered, but God gave the growth. 1 Corinthians 3:6.God alone can give the growth. God alone can build the house. The man who plants, waters and reaps knows not how the seed sprouts and grows. God alone knows. Muslim evangelism needs a return to the simple witness of the Gospel, a one-on-one sharing of the great truths of the good news of salvation in Jesus Christ.
BIBLIOGRAPHY
Abraham, William J. 1989. The Logic of Evangelism. Grand Rapids: Eerdmans.

Brueggemann, Walter. 1993. Biblical Perspectives on Evangelism. Nashville: Abingdon Press.

Green, Michael.  1970.  Evangelism in the Early Church.  Grand Rapids:  Eerdmans.

Gumbel, Nicky. 1996.  Searching Questions:  Tackling Seven Common Objections to the Christian Faith.  Colorado Springs, CO:  Cook Ministry Resources.

Hybels, Bill and Mark Mittelberg. 1994. Becoming a Contagious Christian. Grand Rapids: Zondervan.

J. Christy Wilson. The Christian Message to Islam: Princeton, New Jersey, 1950.

Kallenberg, Brad J.  2002.  Live to Tell:  Evangelism for a Postmodern Age.  Grand Rapids:  Brazos Press.

Klaiber, Walter.  1997.  Call and Response:  Biblical Foundations of a Theology of Evangelism.  Nashville:  Abingdon Press.

McLaren, Brian D.  1999.  Finding Faith:  A Self-Discovery Guide for Your Spiritual Quest.  Grand Rapids:  Zondervan. 

Miller, Donald.  2003.  Blue Like Jazz:  Nonreligious Thoughts on Christian Spirituality.  Nashville:  Thomas Nelson.

Petersen, Jim. 1989. Living Proof: Sharing the Gospel Naturally. Colorado Springs: NavPress.

Posterski, Donald. 1989. Reinventing Evangelism: New Strategies for Presenting Christ in Today’s World. Downer’s Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press.

Richardson, Rick.  2000.  Evangelism Outside the Box;  New Ways to Help People Experience the Good News.  Downers Grove, IL:  InterVarsity Press.  

W. R. W. Stephens . Christianity and Islam :Chichester, England

Greetings in the matchless name of our Lord and savior Jesus Christ.

I count it as a great privilege for me to share my testimony and also about the New Life Christian Missions.

I was born and brought up in a Hindu family as the 4th child to my parents. We are 5 brothers and 2 sisters to my parents. Few years back my father went be with the LORD. My mother is still alive.

Let me tell you very briefly how we came to the Lord.

As I said to you we were Hindus. Though we were Hindus my parents were not very interested in the ritual practices of Hindu religion. Especially my mother. Because, in her young age she had attended the Sunday schools where she studied God’s Word. During the evenings when she lits the lamp for prayer (This is a practice in our country among the Hindus- They sit behind the lighted lamp and sing the Bhajan-Spiritual Hymns to god and goddesses) she used to sing songs both to Jesus and Hindu gods. Probably at that time she might have thought that Jesus is also one of the gods like the gods in Hinduism. … She liked Jesus very much.

In short we were all very religious. From my childhood days I used to go to temples and bow down before the idols. Even though I used to do like this there was always a question in my heart rising up. Why should I bow down before an Idol that cannot see me, hear me, even cannot understand any of my problems? My little heart started to search for the truth. I asked my mother, would we go to heaven after doing all these things? She said we cannot go to heaven, because we are all sinners but those priest in the temples and churches, they will go to heaven. We will take thousands of cycle of births and rebirths to get into heaven. When I heard all these things I felt angry and bitter to God. At this time I was 12 years old.

But Thank God He knew my heart. He decided to reveal Himself to us. He decided to visit our family. Because in the eternity past He had chosen us in His Son Jesus Christ.

Now let me tell you How God drew us unto Him.

My eldest brother was affected by a serious heart problem. My parents took him to different hospitals. But there was no improvement in his health. Many people advised our parents to do some temple rituals so that my brother may get healing. Our parents spent lot of money for the same, but there was no improvement in his health. Almost we lost our hope in him. People used to visit him in hospital to console him and our family.

One day a Pastor whom we know came to the hospital to see him and pray for him. Before he leaves, he prayed for my brother. My brother decided that if Jesus would heal him he will live for the Lord. God started to work in him. Slowly he started to show some improvement in his health. Finally he was completely healed. Praise the Lord.

This made him to have faith in Jesus. Without the knowledge of my father he used to go to the Pastor’s house and started to attend in the Bible classes and meetings. The Lord’s favors were upon him and he accepted Jesus as his personal savior and Lord and he witnessed the Lord in the waters of baptism. This made my father to take a hard decision upon him. He cast him out of our house. My brother went and joined in a Bible college in Poona. As he was continuing his studies he wrote many letters to our home but one day we received a special letter from him saying that he cannot imagine a heaven where his parents and brothers won’t be. During this period I also used to go for Christians’ meetings. In one of those meetings I heard about the forgiveness of sins and how we can go to heaven. The Holy Spirit convicted me of my sins and I realized that I am a sinner and I need a savior to save me from my sins. I asked the Lord to forgive my sins and come to my life and be my savior and the Lord. Thus I gave my life to Jesus the one who gave himself for me. I decided to live the rest of my life for Jesus no matter what might be the cost I have to pay.

I also started to go to the church for worship and my father began to make problem. As a whole church began to pray for our parents and other members to be saved. Then my mother started to come with me in Church and again my father made many troubles in home. But the Lord saved them also within a year. And the Lord helped me and our parents to take baptism together. This brought great opposition from our other relatives. They tried to persecute us, isolated us. I remember, my father once was beaten up by one of our neighbors. In the beginning days of our Christian life we faced lot of oppositions and struggles from our community .They even tried to kill us

After my salvation and studies, for some time I worked with an organization in Northern part of Kerala and North India sharing the gospel and distributing the Christian literatures to every one. Then I decided to study God’s Word. The Lord opened a way for me to study His word in Hindustan Bible Institute in Chennai (Madras) .I studied there for four years. During these years the rest of other brethren came to the knowledge of Jesus and became the members of the family of God.

After my studies I came to Kerala and joined with New Life Christian Mission. The Lord has taken us through different experiences. We faced lots of ups and downs as a mission organization. We thought we would sink into the deep of the waters. There were times we faced financial difficulties to run the mission. But the Lord has taken in His hand. When there came the famine the Lord sent His “Raven” Tom Franklin and his dear wife Charlotte to feed us in a land where famine has stricken. And this raven is faithful to the Lord till today in bringing the gifts of God to us I praise the Lord for him and his dear wife Charlotte . He has brought along with him the like-minded men and women of God who became the faithful supporters of this ministry in India. I am sure that many of you have contributed to this ministry , may be out of your abundance or nothingness. I take this time to thank you all for your great contribution to the Lord’s ministry in India. I pray that may the LORD richly reward you and bless you both spiritually and materially.

Now my youngest brother K. Thampi is pastoring in Light House, H.O. Of NLCM and I am overseeing the work of NLCM. Please pray and support.

Dear friends and family,

Can you envision a land where cows are holy, animal sacrifices are a weekly occurrence and human cremations take place daily? I want to share with you a challenging ministry opportunity God has presented to me

I know that talking about needs and asking for support is a difficult thing.

But as the Lord moves your heart I am sure that you would respond to Him wisely.

Now I would like to present before you the present ministries and future projects of New Life Christian mission.

• At Present we have 19 Churches in Kerala and 4 Churches in Orissa (North India). So totally we have 23 gatherings (local churches). Among these, 9 churches have own buildings and in one place we have only the land. The rest of the churches are gathering in rented houses.

• We have a tailoring school in Light House, Kayamkulam (NLCM Head quarters). Most of the ladies who are being trained are from Hindu background. The Lord has enabled us to share the gospel with them. This is one of the mediums that we can use to share the gospel to the people.

• We have a Team of ladies working among the women both in the church and outside the church with the motives of strengthening, equipping, counseling, witnessing, etc. This team of ladies is known as “women Discipleship Ministries”.

• We also have Hospital ministries, visiting the patients and comforting and sharing the love of Jesus and helping them financially as we can.

• We conduct youth camps with the purpose of equipping the youngsters in our churches

• Our Gospel team goes to different places and witness the Lord through preaching the gospel and teaching them to obey what the Lord has commanded.

• We are also running a children home in Orissa with 12 children. It is in a rented house.

WHAT WE WANT TO DO IN THE FUTURE

• Pastoral Training Institute in Cochin or Light House
• Expansion of ministry to North India.
• A Public School in North India
• Music Team