Coming Home: Welcome, MBB’s, into the Kingdom of God!
Five Ways Muslims Come to Faith in Christ
Most common is the love of a Christian friend. (“Her Hope For Heaven” Intercede November/December 2013, by Lynda Hausfeld)
Dreams and visions.
Reading the Bible.
Miracles, answers to prayer, and supernatural healings. “When Muslims experience for themselves the healing power of Jesus, then often their faith is ready to expand to accept Jesus as the healer of the heart—the Savior in whose name there is forgiveness of sins.” (“Jesus the Healer,” Intercede, March/April 2013, p. 6, by Harry Morin)
Disillusionment with Islam, which is perhaps one reason the refugees are not heading toward Saudi Arabia, the spiritual birthplace of Islam.
Refugees daily face myriad of difficulties on the journey from their homes into unfamiliar countries, with different languages, cultures, religions, roadblocks, closed borders, suspicion, and sometimes deportation or death. Afghan refugees today face all of these challenges. The journey of a Muslim from Islam to faith in Christ is also a difficult and dangerous journey. Fred Farrokh writes:
"The world of Islam has stood entrenched as a challenging mission field for the Church. There are several reasons for this. First, Islam originated after Christianity and, therefore, includes teachings against Christianity within its central doctrines. Second, Islamic law prescribes the death penalty for apostates who leave Islam. Third, for many centuries, the church conducted limited ministry among Muslims." (“Welcome, MBBs to the Kingdom of God,” Intercede Nov/Dec 2015, p. 4 by Fred Farrokh)
Islam indoctrinates Muslims against the heart of the gospel message by teaching that Jesus is only a prophet, denying His divinity, death, and resurrection. Converts are not only disowned by their families but can also be killed in honor killings by family members who believe they are doing a service to God.
Farrokh relates the challenge for Muslims to find a new spiritual home:
For Muslim apostates who have left all for Christ, there remains the
dilemma of finding a new spiritual home. The Islamic Mosque is no longer an option since the mosque exists to affirm the prophethood of Muhammad who denied that Jesus was Lord, God, or Savior. In some places there are no churches to attend. In other places established churches are concerned the new converts may be imposters or informers in disguise. Nevertheless, many established churches have opened their doors and arms to their new brothers and sisters who have left Islam. In other contexts, most of the MBBs are meeting in homes or cell groups.
Let’s pray for Muslim Background Believers who have decided to follow Jesus Christ:
Pray that God will give them supernatural courage;
Pray for comfort for those mourning the loss of their families;
Pray that they would find their new identity in Christ;
Pray that they would find a new spiritual home in the body of Christ;
Pray that churches would welcome their new brothers and sisters in Christ.
For an excellent website to listen to Muslims share their journey from Islam to Christ go to: A Muslim Journey to Hope .
For powerful testimonies, see Seeking Allah Finding Jesus by Nabeel Qureshi and I Dared to Call Him Father by Bilquis Shaikh.
Comments