Life 89.1

Why would a Muslim accept Christ? Why would a Muslim even begin seeking, searching for a relationship with God outside of what they’ve been taught in the Koran?

Some of what Yousef had to say about his change of faith… “I’d say about more than 95 percent of Muslims don’t understand their own religion. It came with a much stronger language than the language that they speak so they don’t understand it … they rely only on religious people to get their knowledge about this religion.”

“Second, they don’t understand anything about other religions. Christian communities live between Muslims and they’re minority and they (would) rather not to go speak out and tell people about Jesus because it’s dangerous for them.”

Friends, there are a lot of Muslims out there, and what is God’s plan for reaching them? It’s you. It’s me. And there is no plan B.

So, as I read Yousef’s words, I realize two things:

1. Yousef says that 95% of Muslims don’t understand their own religion, and it makes me wonder how many Christians really understand our own faith. A recent study showed that over half of evangelical Christians in the U.S. believe that there are many roads to heaven. How can somebody have conflicting beliefs - that the Bible is inerrant (which evangelical Christians believe) but that somehow there are other roads to heaven (which the Bible clearly says there is only one road - Jesus) - How does this happen? Well, frankly, I think it’s because we’ve stopped understanding our own faith. We aren’t digging deep enough into WHY we believe what we believe. If we are going to be effective as God’s plan to reach the world, we need to start with our own faith.

2. Yousef is talking about Christians in the Middle East when he says that “Christian communities live between Muslims and they’re minority and they (would) rather not to go speak out and tell people about Jesus because it’s dangerous for them.” He’s right - it IS dangerous for them. But what about us? What about you and I right here in the cozy lap of civilization? Do we risk our lives just by telling our neighbor about Christ? For the most part, no. You’d think that in a nation such as ours, where all faiths are more or less tolerated, and to share our faith doesn’t usually put our lives in direct danger, that we’d all be a little more vocal, a little more sharing. And hey, I’m guilty as anyone else here - why don’t I step up a little more? If I did, could I make a difference?

We are God’s plan for reaching the world, and telling them that God loves them, and there is no plan B. If we are going to reach people, first we need to understand our own faith. Then, we need to step out of the boat and DO something.