Islam Comes to Christ

In the last year or so I reached the conclusion that the so-called "Was on Terror" will never be won by military force. The more Muslims we kill, the more they will hate us and fight us. We can't kill them all. Even if we could kill them all, is that how we want to win?

The only long-term answer is to bring Muslims to Christianity. This seems like a tall order, but nothing is impossible. Various groups are trying to evangelize in the Islamic world, often at enormous personal risk. In the last month I've seem two articles, both via Mark Shea, that suggest a glimmer of hope.

For decades, a well-documented phenomenon has been occurring in the Muslim world—men and women who, without knowledge of the gospel, or contact among Christians in their community, have experienced dreams and visions of Jesus Christ. The reports of these supernatural occurrences often come from “closed countries” where there is no preaching of the good news and where converting to Christianity can invoke the death sentence. But these are more than just dreams. Setting them apart is the intense reality of the experience and the surrender of one’s heart and mind to Christ in the wake of the dream. A common denominator appears to be that the dreams come to those who are seeking—as best they can—to know and please God. MORE

The Lord works in mysterious ways indeed. This story is even more optimistic:

"I see many, many Arabic-speaking people turning to Christ, accepting Him as Lord and Savior,” said Nizar Shaheen, host of Light for the Nations, a Christian program seen throughout the Muslim world. "It's happening all over the Arab world. It's happening in North Africa. It's happening in the Middle East. It's happening in the Gulf countries. It's happening in Europe and Canada and the United States-in the Arabic-speaking world. Everywhere, people are accepting Jesus."

"What's happening nowadays in the Muslim world has never happened before," said Father Zakaria Henein, an Egyptian Coptic priest who is one of the foremost evangelists to the Muslim world. He says a cross-section of Muslims are accepting Jesus Christ. "Young and old, educated and not educated, males and females, even those who are fanatic."

... Some believe the Church's response to jihad must be a fearless proclamation of the Gospel to Muslims. Through prayer and evangelism, many see an unparalleled opportunity for the Gospel.

"I anticipate that very soon – perhaps within two or three years-we are going to see the greatest harvest in history," Shaheen said. MORE

This is truly exciting news. Can it really happen so fast? Again, nothing is impossible for God. Remember that Communism went from our greatest fear to a defeated enemy within about five years. When a dam breaks, the water floods everywhere. So it was at Pentecost. So, God willing, it may be again.

UPDATE 1/13/07 - Here is a short interview with the author of a book on this topic. He tells the story of a Bosnian Muslim soldier who converted.