How Your Church Can Reach Muslims
By Pastor Dan Turney
I love Muslims and have some significant relationships with devout Muslims, some of which are leaders of their faith communities right here in Pittsburgh and have had their ear concerning matters of life, faith and truth. Ten years ago, if you had told me that I would regularly visit a mosque, be friends with an Imam and hold forth the Word of God in a gathering of Muslims, I would not have believed you.
Churches have so much in common - the teaching of the Word, worship through music, an attention to children’s ministry, participation in outreach and evangelistic programs; however, it is also true that God has uniquely equipped and called local churches to specific and specialized ministries. Several years ago, our church found one of her unique callings when a Muslim mosque and community center moved in next door.
Love them. Engage them. Challenge them. These three steps have built the bridge that has grown and sustained a tremendous Gospel ministry between our congregation and our Muslim neighbors.
Our first decision was to love them, a decision that was consciously informed by our understanding of the Gospel. You see, an American Muslim is too often the target of hate, and to combat this hate our culture preaches and promotes a message of tolerance; but we know the Gospel doesn’t preach tolerance but love. In fact, tolerance never changed anyone’s life. We know that we stand in deep disagreement with our Muslim neighbors over the most important matters of faith, but the Gospel of Jesus Christ boldly centers on the death of God’s sinless Son for those in much worse shape than mere disagreement. In the Gospel, God loves those whom He cannot tolerate. The world demands tolerance of one another, but as followers of Christ, we believe in the something greater of the Gospel - the love of God. In obedience to the Gospel, we have chosen not to merely tolerate our Muslim neighbors but to love them. This love for our neighbor was announced when collectively our church leadership drafted a letter declaring our affection for Muslims, signed our names to this letter and assured them that every time they were found to be the target of hate we would stand up for them.
Love is but an appearance of intention if not backed up by action, so our second decision was to engage them. Engagement for us meant arranging formal visits to the mosque to observe their faith traditions and practices as well as informal gatherings to connect relationally. We’ve been to Ramadan on many occasions to witness the celebration of their most holy days. I’ve removed my shoes in respect for my Muslim friends as they’ve allowed me access to their most sacred moments. I have listened in to many khutbas (sermons) given by an Imam, heard the chanting of their scriptures, eaten generously of their favorite traditional foods. Our interest in their way of life and practice of faith has opened the door for us to invite them to Christmas and Easter where they have been witness to our congregation’s celebration of the miracle of Jesus’ brith, death and resurrection. I have willingly received a Koran from my friends in exchange for them receiving the living Word of God. I have asked my friends to tell me ‘what’s so beautiful about Mohammad’ so that I can lay hold of the opportunity to tell them ‘what is so beautiful about Jesus.’ We do not fear engagement but actively seek these opportunities to show them Jesus is so much more than a prophet - that He is the Holy Son of God and the only Savior of the world.
Love and engagement have led to our most significant step in ministry to date. Our third decision has been to challenge them. We have learned that a hesitant Gospel does not translate into much value in the eyes of someone who is serious about matters of faith. Our Muslim friends respect a faith this is worthy of giving one’s entire life. We learned this lesson when we offered our church lot as overflow parking for their celebration of Ramadan only to see that offer turn into a request for the use of our worship center in the observance of Ramadan. I looked the Imam in the eye and asked him if he believed that Jesus was God and worthy of our worship. Of course he replied that he did not, and when I told him that he could not use our worship center for anything other than the worship of Jesus as Lord, I thought our relationship was over. However, this sincerity about our faith earned me his respect and trust and deepened our relationship rather than end it. Since that landmark moment, we have witnessed a much fuller and open dialogue and have not backed down from declaring the truth that Jesus Christ is the only name that saves. Now we boldly engage in conversations that wrestle with the many extraordinary distinctions in what Muslims and Christians believe. We are adamant with our Muslim neighbors that the Bible is God’s Word and is not compromised. We boldly carry on these respectful conversations to what often becomes a genuine inquiry on the behalf of our Muslim friends as to what the Bible says about matters of life and faith. I’ll write it again. Muslims take their faith seriously and only respect those who also come at matters of
faith with devotion and sincerity even if different from their own. Understanding this mentality has opened some of the most important and significant moments of ministry for us including an open debate with a Muslim scholar from the University of Georgetown and the refutation of several pillars of Islam including the giving of alms and fasting by opening the Bible and showing them what God’s Word teaches. We have had to remind ourselves that we are not winning debates but souls. 1 Peter 3:15 guides our approach. “...but sanctify Christ as Lord in your hearts, always being ready to make a defense to everyone who asks you to give an account for the hope that is in you, yet with gentleness and reverence.”
So, yes, I love Muslims and so does a church full of faithful followers of Christ who have believed the Gospel calls us to love our neighbor, engage our neighbor and challenge our neighbor in hope that one day some of our Muslim friends will become brothers and sisters in Christ.
Please pray for Christian Community Church and their ongoing ministry to their Muslim neighbors. COVID and a recent change in leadership at the mosque has slowed some of the ministry efforts. Pray that God may expand existing opportunities as well as establish new and that ultimately, many would be saved.
Dan Turney is the pastor of Christian Community Church in Gibsonia, PA. He can be reached at pastordan@cccrichland.org