Sadly, most of us know about the Islam religion from the tragic terrorist attack on the Twin Towers on 9/11… a day that has become infamous in U.S. history. Prior to that fateful day in September, I had not paid much attention to Islam. That religion did not seem to be a concern for me personally, so I was oblivious to what this belief system taught and practiced.
That all changed twenty years ago when the unthinkable happened. Why would anyone fly airplanes into buildings full of working-class citizens? What the heck was that all about?
Those questions screamed at us, the unsuspecting citizens of America who cried “Foul!” at such atrocities. What drives a person to do such things? Unbeknownst to us, apparently Islam drives some Muslims to commit such horrors because of what it ultimately teaches.
What?! Then this is a terrible religion! No wonder this act of terrorism sparked the onslaught of the “New Atheists” (Richard Dawkins, Sam Harris, Christopher Hitchens, Daniel Dennett) who all wrote best-selling books, denouncing religion in general, without understanding the major differences in the world’s religious belief systems.
#1 Reason: Not all religions are the same!
And this is why we need to understand what those difference are because, as the saying goes, we should not “throw the baby out with the bathwater.” Not all religions are the same.
What does Islam believe, primarily? According to Women in Apologetics’ (WIA) Islam Specialist, Laura Powell, there are five primary aspects to the Islam faith:
- One God – an absolute singularity (not the triune God of the Christian faith)
- Mohammed – believed to be the last and final prophet
- Koran – believed to be God’s own words
- Salvation – by works
- Non-muslims – only those who profess Allah as God are created in the image of God; nonbelievers (or infidels) are to be killed
Point number five is the one that should greatly concern all non-Muslims, and one of the major reasons everyone should understand more about what Islam requires. Yet, Powell knows that many Muslims themselves are disgusted by violence. She points out that there are a variety of Islam sects believing different ways of interpreting the Koran, and said that most Muslims don’t even read it, instead relying on community leaders to teach them what is in their holy book.
#2 Reason: Islam is fastest growing religion in the world!
Currently, there are 1.9 billion followers or 24.9% of the world’s population, known as Muslims. Muslims make up a majority of the population in 51 countries. According to the Pew Research Center, Muslims will surpass Christians due to higher birth rates.
“In our lifetime, Islam could overtake Christianity.”
Laura Powell
Powell came to understand the Islam faith through a circuitous route. After attending Denver seminary, where she earned a Masters in Biblical studies and counseling in 2004, Powell was offered to oversee the training and counseling of missionaries all over the world through her husband’s connection at EMI (Engineering Ministries International). What started out as Bible studies to build up these missionaries in their faith while living in other cultures, turned into training those who would go into Muslim-dominated middle-eastern areas. Powell began to study Islam with a fierce determination to help these missionaries by studying the Koran and taking courses in this worldview. Eventually, Powell spent time training missionaries in Afghanistan. That is when she began seeing how Muslim women were treated and developed a care and concern for them.
But one event that really developed her heart for the Muslim people was during the 2015 refugee crisis. Powell’s husband, a civil engineer, was asked by Samaritan’s Purse to help during this crisis when thousands of Muslims fled to Greece.
While her husband was there, he knew his wife was desperately needed there to assist with the Muslim women who made it to Greece. And so she joined him to assist the women, who, because of their culture, were hesitant to talk to men who were not their husbands.
Mostly, she was at a refugee camp where Powell spent time talking and counseling those women. However, during a one-hour moment at the shore, Powell saw four rafts arrive: two with people alive and two with people who had perished. This traumatized her.
“Thousands of people were crossing the oceans on rafts,” she said. “Human traffickers were putting up to 60 people on rafts designed to hold 15, and people were drowning!” Those who made it across would often die from exposure, starved to death or died by other medically-related problems, Powell explained. Yet, it was this experience that God used to move her to a deep compassion for the Muslim people. And ever since, she’s been trying to help by becoming an expert in this religion.
#3 Christians are called to share truth – Muslims often are not told the full truth
Sadly, many American Christians don’t know what the “Great Commission” is in Matthew 28:19. We are all called to “make disciples” by sharing the truth of who Jesus is and what we must do in response to that knowledge. So knowing that most Muslims don’t read the Koran themselves (because they are told they are not to read it in any other language than the original classical Arabic, which 80% of Muslims don’t speak today), they might not be aware of the apparent inconsistencies or violent calls to action. Powell said that there is diverse beliefs within Islam, and most Muslims are not violent terrorists.
So, Powell has developed a course being offered through WIA called “Islam Foundations” where you can learn more about this fastest growing religion in order to share the truth with Muslims. In this course, Powell will teach you lines of argumentation to help Muslims recognize things like the “Islamic Dilemma.” This is where the Koran itself states that God inspired the Gospels and that they are perfectly preserved. Yet, Muslims are told that the New Testament is corrupted and believe Jesus never resurrected!
Here are some of the things you will learn in this course:
- Sources of truth
- Cultures – worldview issues
- Difference between religions
- Lines of reasoning
- Defending the Resurrection
This online course, which starts June 7, 2021 and runs though August 15, 2021, is only $25! In it, you will receive 20-video lessons (2 per week for 10-weeks), with a live weekly Zoom interactions with Powell. (Elsewhere this course could cost between $200-300!) You will be able to ask questions and interact with others in the class, too. Powell promised there is very little homework!
“Many Muslims are desperately seeking freedom,” Powell said. Maybe the Lord will use you to help them find freedom in Christ. Consider signing up today! Islam Foundations.
Thank you for sharing this insightful post. I learned some things I did not know. In my mission work, I have encountered many Muslims. In parts of Africa, they are building hospitals and offering free education to the poorest children which encourages people to join the faith. They work hard to get converts. We need to share the Gospel more.
I know you do a lot of missionary work, Yvonne! Thanks for your service in the kingdom. I am planning to take this course to learn more! God Bless You!
Thank you for sharing this valuable information, Lisa! God bless this effort!
You’ve done a great write-up on Laura and her concern for Muslims. The experience she faced with the rafts that came ashore with babies washing up onto the beach propelled me to prepare our county for the arrival of refugees. We had our first Muslim friends back in the early 1980s, and I desperately wanted to help those fleeing from the terrorists. Sadly, our new president closed our borders and blocked admission to all refugees. I didn’t get to finish my training, and our county didn’t get to help Muslims who were fleeing to safety.
There is an incredible event occurring among Muslims in some of the countries where they are the predominate group. Many are turning to Jesus. Christian apologists like Nabeel Qureshi made great inroads with his written work before he passed away, and then, during Ramadan, when they ask for God to make himself real to them, Jesus is appearing to many in their dreams. Thank you for addressing these dear, dear people, who have been some of the warmest and kindest people I’ve known. When I travel back to Michigan, I love to sit in the airport surrounded by Muslim women. I miss their laughter.
Thanks, Melinda, for your caring heart towards the Muslim women. I know about the Muslims having dreams of Jesus and getting saved. We had a visiting Pastor/Author come speak to our church back in 2017 who wrote a book about it! Here’s the blog link that I wrote on that, too, in care you’re interested: https://thinkdivinely.com/jesus-is-lord-even-over-the-middle-east/
Nicely done! We do need to look into Islam. I think their numbers are inflated in places like Iran, however, since government 98% estimates don’t match private surveys even remotely.
Thanks, SJ! Yeah, you are probably right in that those governments may inflate the numbers of Muslims, or that people just claim to be Muslim out of fear and not conviction.
Thank you for sharing this information. Very interesting. I learned some new information in your message.
Thanks, Melissa!
Thank you for that link you shared, Lisa! Praise God for reality: “more Muslims have come to the Lord in the last decade than in the previous 1,400 years! There are as many as two-million believers in Iran now—the fastest growing Christian group per capita in the world! He said that at least one-third of these converted Muslims had dreams of Jesus before becoming Christians.” Since your post even more have come to Christ! Last I knew, Iran had the fastest growing church in the world!
Thanks, Melinda. I have been taking this course and WOW – learning a lot!
Thank you, Lisa. I thought I was fairly well educated on Muslim beliefs, but I learned several new things through this article!
Glad to help! Thanks, Ava.
What a great blog! I remember in high school and middle school learning about Islam and other world religions and always remember my teacher saying most Muslims are God-centered, peaceful, holy people. I still think that’s true today! Whatever we need to do as Christians to help others know the truth and freedom in Jesus our savior, whether that’s developing a heart for certain groups of people or learning a culture intimately, it’s a good thing. As Jesus said, therefore go and spread the Gospel to ALL NATIONS.
Thanks, Jessica!