Beyond debate: Pointing Muslims to the gospel

When we share our Christian faith with Muslims, we don’t do it out of obligation, so that one more box is ticked on our to-do list. Your Muslim friend may ask you for information in order to test or even attack your faith. Fine, that’s his business. But what is your aim?

I’m hoping that you would like to introduce him to Christ. So keep this goal in mind. Questions and objections must be answered, but you don’t have to let your friend lead the whole discussion. You also have the right to steer the conversation in the direction that you would like it to go.

Muslims have been trained to engage in these kinds of discussion with Christians. Controversy and denial are the hallmarks of Muslim thinking. We may find ourselves so busy responding to the different objections and questions of Muslims that we forget to actually present them with the good news. (Review the 'Columbo' approach – see my article here.)

Don’t spend your time debating eating pork or drinking wine. If you devote all your time to these kinds of subjects, you will not have any time left for more important issues, such as the human condition and forgiveness. Instead, answer such questions briefly and then return to the subject at hand, the gospel. Your friend won’t mind if you set such topics to one side as long as you continue to stimulate their interest, but make sure you always bring the person back to the gospel. The problem is that very often we don’t tell Muslims what they need to hear, but what we think they need to hear. This is one of the main obstacles to proclaiming the gospel. (And, because of our ignorance, we even fail to persuade regarding such secondary matters.) Remember that we should not witness simply out of duty, but because we want to have an impact on lives.

Finally, avoid political discussions. When you present the gospel, some Muslims will think you are taking a pro-Israel stance or that you intend a political insult. The problem is complex, and the many Christian books circulating today on the subject have not helped. They argue that Israel still has a prominent place in God’s plan and relegate the Arabs to the status of an inferior people with virtually no rights. This is the kind of teaching that sees Muslims as ‘“wood for the fire of Armageddon”. If we insult Muslims with our interpretation of the Bible, how can we expect them to respond positively to our message?

I urge you not to engage in debates about Palestine. If you ever enter into such a discussion, listen with compassion. Don’t be overly pro-Israel and be prepared to admit that the Israeli government’s treatment of Arabs in the West Bank is inexcusable. No Christian can condone it. The American magazine Christianity Today recently interviewed a dedicated evangelical Palestinian pastor. How sad that he had to say: “I hope that my brothers and sisters in the West […] have enough room in their hearts not only for Israel but also for the Palestinians.”

Whatever your views are on Israel and what is happening in the Middle East, don’t be distracted by political issues. Focus on what is fundamental: Jesus Christ the Saviour. Let God handle the politics and be sure to proclaim the gospel to Muslims with love and without bias.