The Vision of Islam and Christian Response

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The Vision of Islam andChristian Response
Daniel Shayesteh
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What do we need to Understand

• The vision of Islam
• The urgency of evangelism
• Political response to the strategy of Islam
• Christian response to the strategy of Islam
• Channels to take the message
• Making the best use of our time
• Thought provoking questions

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The Vision of Islam

• Nationally
• Formation of Islamic State (Shari 'a)
• Moderate Muslim governments avoid offending
  extremist Muslims
• Moderate Muslims everywhere are terrified of
  making missteps that might upset the extremists
• The views and life choices of moderate Muslims
  are not respected

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The Vision of Islam

• Nationally cont
• Discrimination
• Erosion of religious freedom
• Brutal attacks and slaying
• Slavery, etc.
• Terrorism
• The purpose of terrorism is to strike fear into
  the hearts of opponents in order to win political
  concession (Q.859).

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The Vision of Islam

• Internationally
• Seeking to Win the World With Military Means
• There is the 1350-year war of Islam against its
  own various religious groups and against
  non-Muslims
• Islam makes war and calls it "peace" and
  "justice
• Islam is at war with Buddhists in Thailand and in
  Burma, with Confucians and atheists in China

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The Vision of Islam Cont

• Islam is at war with Hindus in Bangladesh,
  Pakistan, Kashmir, and India itself
• Islam is at war with Christians in Sudan, in the
  Philippines, in Indonesia, in Malaysia, in
  Bangladesh, in Pakistan, in Iran, in Saudi
  Arabia, in Iraq, in Lebanon, in Egypt, and in
  Algeria
• Islam is at war with animists in Sudan, with
  Ibgos in Nigeria, with nationalists in Islamic
  countries

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The Vision of Islam Cont

• Islam is at war with whatever Jews can be found,
  in and out of Israel, since so very few remain,
  after years of persecution and murder, within the
  lands ruled by Muslim
• Islam is at war with everyone, for Islam divides
  the world between believer and Infidel
• Islam will always find a way to blame Infidels
  and fight against them

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The Vision of Islam Cont

• Without Military Means
• Money, the best contemporary instrument for the
  spread of Islam
• Petro-dollar funding evangelism in non-Islamic
  countries
• But infidels have to supply aid to Egypt,
  Pakistan, the "Palestinians" and all other Muslim
  groups or countries that do not have oil revenues

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The Middle-East and Freedom

• Authoritarian leadership style
• No religious freedom in Islamic countries
• Islam encourages Muslims to demand freedom in
  non-Islamic countries but deny or ignore it to
  the followers of other religions in their own
  lands
• Islam does not tolerate others but demand
  tolerance form others

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The Middle-East and Freedom cont

• Authoritarian leadership style cont
• Building mosques and Islamic organizations in
  non-Islamic countries
• Prohibition of building churches or demolishing
  churches in the Islamic countries

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The Middle-East and Freedomcont..

• Non-Muslims are not permitted to set foot in
  Islams holiest city, Mecca
• Christians and Jews were, are and will be seen
  enemies

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The Urgency of Evangelism to Muslims

• Spiritual reasons (need for Christ)
• Jesus died for the sin of the world, including
  Muslims
• Forgiveness and salvation only through Jesus
• Peace only through Jesus
• He is the Way, the Truth and the Life

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The Urgency of Evangelism to Muslims cont

• Worldly reasons
• A militant religion that aims to rule the world
• Islam has dominated every aspect of the life of
  the people who live within its boundaries.
• The more power Islam accumulates, the more
  control it exerts over every aspect of peoples
  lives.
• Islam is concerned with imposing Sharia (Islamic
  Law) on society.

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The Urgency of Evangelism to Muslims cont

• Universal Islamic claim
• Since many Muslims argue that Islam is the
  religion of peace and that it has perfected the
  earlier religions of Judaism and Christianity, we
  must freely analyze Islam and help Muslims to
  compare it with the way Jesus demonstrated while
  He was among people.

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Political Response

• Educating people about the tenets of Islam, the
  attitudes and atmospherics of Islam, and the
  history of both Jihad-conquest, and of the
  imposition of dhimmi status on subjugated
  non-Muslims, over 1350 years

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Political Response cont

• Islam is aiming to win every country and run it
  by Islamic law (Sharia) which is anti-democracy.
  Therefore, it is necessary to teach all citizens
  from the danger of Islam

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Political Response Cont

• Supporting those who are keenly aware of what is
  going on, and able to articulate the problem
• Prevent the use of foreign money to promote Islam
  by funding mosques and madrasas (religious
  schools) until the funding countrys legal system
  allows Christians and other religions followers
  be given right to promote their religions in that
  country
• Limit the ability of Islamic states or groups to
  acquire major weaponry

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The Christian Response

• Every warriors boot used in battle and every
  garment rolled in blood will be destined for
  burning, will be fuel for fire. For to us a
  child is born(Isa.91, 5-7)
• Reconciliation of the nations with God (John316
  2Cor.518)
• Reconciliation of the nations with each other
  (Col.120)

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• Christian response cont
• We are chosen to put our confidence in Christ who
  already won the victory
• Do not fear those who kill the body but cannot
  kill the soul rather fear Him who can destroy
  both body and soul in hell (Matt.1028)
• We are not allowed to threat Muslims like Islam
  threats us
• Love is the only and powerful weapon for us to
  win Muslims

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• Christian response cont
• Prayer for knowledge and peace (1Tim.21-4)
• Knowledge and peace are highly interrelated
  issues
• Christians need to encourage Muslims to open
  themselves to any idea that can bring peace and
  happiness to people
• This minimizes the misery, and also makes the
  church fruitful both nationally and
  internationally

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Channels to Take the Message to others

• Local evangelism
• Every possible way that takes the message of
  Christ to people
• Individual or group visitation
• Distribution of books and leaflets
• Borderless media and internet

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• Overseas evangelism
• When Evangelism reaches into the multicultural
  and international arena, it takes on added
  dimensions
• Host country culture
• Collectivism vs Individualism
• Masculinity vs Femininity
• Low Power Distance vs High Power Distance
• Low Uncertainty vs High Uncertainty
• Misunderstanding and communication problems
• Different religious values

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• The nature of leadership
• Authoritarian
• Attitudes towards mission
• Democratic
• Participative leadership
• Multiculturalism or integration?
• Sharing the spirit of unity

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How do we relate toin day to day living?

• Temporary visits
• Start with prayer (1Jn.514-15 38 Eph.610-18)
• Evangelism starts with God
• If time does not allow
• Give them conscience awakening questions in
  written form
• Give them small Christian literatures, such as
  Four Spiritual Laws and the address of your
  Christian community so that they can come and see
  God in your midst

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Temporary visits cont..

• Raise conscience awakening questions in your
  conversation with them
• Ask them questions such as Do you have a
  personal relationship with God? What has God
  done for you in order to meet your spiritual
  needs? Are you sure of your salvation? What
  will happen to you after you die?
• Share your personal experience in Christ
• Avoid argument friendship is so important
• Invite them to your community

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How do we relate toin day to day living? Cont

• Long term visits
• Prayer
• Learn about beliefs and cultures
• Discover the differences and similarities
• Discover the witnesses God has left in their
  beliefs or cultures (Acts 1417a)
• Jesus went cross-cultural and reconciled enemies
  to one another (today Muslims and Jews)

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• Long term visits cont
• Create a genuine relationship based on the nature
  of contact you have with them (shopping, gifts,
  hospitality, picnics, camps, sport, teaching,
  music, social events, etc.)
• Friendship starts with a social relationship and
  results in salvation
• Personal God became flesh and related Himself to
  man
• Jesus and the Samaritan lady Jesus and His
  healings

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• Long term visits cont
• Be a good listener first do not rush in
  evangelism
• Evangelism is fruitful if it is based on one to
  one conversation

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• Evangelism must be accompanied with certainty and
  intellectual ability
• Prove yourself as a qualified person, like Jesus
  and His Apostles
• Ambassador stand always with the winning Spirit
• Also, know what in the world is happening

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• Share testimonies and ask questions about
  spiritual issues relevant to eternal life

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Engaging people in discovery

• Questions about God and Satan
• Should God reveal His full and absolute justice
  and release man for Satan?
• Why wouldnt God be interested in abolishing the
  work of Satan on earth?
• Is God holy and absolutely moral and righteous?

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Engaging people in discovery

• Questions about Creation
• Where has Satan come from?
• Where did sin come from?
• Where did death and suffering come from?
• Can a Holy and Perfect God create a suffering
  imperfect world?
• Should God reveal His full and absolute justice
  and release man from Satan?
• Why wouldnt God be interested in abolishing the
  work of Satan on earth?

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• Questions about the solution for sin
• Are you able to abolish the work of lawless Satan
  in your life on earth?
• Do you see sin, immorality, unrighteousness as a
  problem in everybodys life on earth?
• Do you need a higher power in order to overcome
  sin and Satan?
• For how many sins were Adam and Eve taken from
  the Garden?
• Have you sinned more than once?

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• Questions about salvation
• Is it good to be with God here on earth?
• What does it mean, to be with God?
• Does God desire man to be saved here in this
  life?
• Do you worry whether or not you will lose in the
  future life?
• Are you sure of going to heaven?
• Is salvation practical for you on earth or is it
  left for the life after death?
• Cant man be delivered from sin on earth?
• Is your salvation based on human deeds or the
  grace of God? Which one is more trustable?

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• Questions about Mans relationship with God
• Does your life please God?
• Have you ever cooperated with Satan?
• Was the lasting righteousness inspired in you?
• Who is able to implant holiness and righteousness
  in mans heart?
• Has your relationship with Satan been cancelled?
• Do you worship God in spirit, truth and freedom?
• Have you been reconciled to God? Do you have
  intimate relationship with God?
• Does God desire people to be holy, moral and
  righteous?

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Questions must be about Salvation and addressed
to the Conscience

• Conscience can be awakened
• Rom.214-16
• 2Cor.42
• Gal.324
• Rom.1116b
• Gods salvation is better than mans
• Jn.11-4, 14 Lk.230-32
• Eph.25, 8-9 2Tim.19

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Controlled and Patient Process

• Be patient and avoid arguments which lack
  humility
• Avoid public debates in which many might
  interfere unnecessarily
• Offer much loving support and encouragement for
  new converts to make the Word of God their guide
  and strength in the midst of opposition
• Make disciples to make disciples

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How can you support this ministry

• Prayer
• Literature
• Financial Support (Donation or Pledge)
• Thank you
• Daniel Shayesteh