What You Need To Know About Islam and Muslims

Muhammad:
(570-632)
- claimed to be the last of the prophets
- in one battle lead forces in slaughtering 800 male Jews and took their wives and children
- had 9-13 wives
- favourite wife was Aisha (whom he consummated the marriage with when she was 9 years old)
- mborn in Mecca, escaped to Medina in 622, buried in Medina

Quran has 114 suras (chapters) – collected from 610-622 AD, “visions from Gabriel”
* tradition holds that Muhammad was illiterate – his followers “remembered” his preachings and codified them into the Quran by 652

Islam = “submission to God”
Muslim = “one who submits”

- Muslims think Christians have 3 gods (God, Jesus, Mary)
- Mecca, Saudi Arabia = holiest city in Islam (then Medina and then Jerusalem)
- Muslims believe Ishmael not Isaac was to be sacrificed by Abraham on a mountain in Mecca
- Jews and Christians are called “People of the Book”

“Allah Akbar” = “God is Great” is sounded at worship time

Islam gives high titles to 6 prophets:
- Adam is the Chosen of God
- Noah is the Preacher of God
- Abraham is the Friend of God
- Moses is the Speaker of God
- Jesus is the Word of God
- Muhammad is the Apostle of God

- Jesus is named 96 times in the Quran – called Messiah, Word of God, Spirit of God, son of Mary etc
- they believe he was born of a virgin and performed miracles

FIVE PILLARS OF ISLAM
1) shadada – “there is no god but Allah, Muhammad is the prophet of God”
2) pray 5 times a day facing Mecca
3) month of fasting (Ramadan) – 9th month of the lunar calendar (sometimes in the winter, sometimes in the summer)
4) haj – pilgrimage to Mecca
5) zakat – tax in some nations

The Crusades (1095-1298)
- wars against Muslim people of Jerusalem and Palestine by the Pope and other European rulers
- 1187 is an important date when Muslims retake Jerusalem (held until 1948 when the nation of Israel is established)

Sunnis vs Shiites

Sunnis: - Muhammad’s successor should be elected by the Muslim community
- 90% of Muslims)

Shiites: - Muhammad’s successor should be a member of the prophet’s family (ie Ali is
the legitimate successor to Muhammad)
- Iran is primary Shiite Muslim state

Muslims deeply appreciate friendships with non Muslims
Muslims do not eat pork

Some passages in the Quran speak good of Christians and Jews (2:62) but then bash Jesus and the trinity (5:116, 4:171, 5:72). They say Jesus only “appeared” to die on the cross.

Christians who reached out:

Francis of Assisi: - Christian man promoting love rather than a crusading spirit
(1181-1226)

Henry Martyn: - entered India from England as a chaplain
(1781-1812)

When sharing with Muslims:

- PRAY
- argue less, share stories, testimony and parables of Jesus more
- discuss similarities first (ie titles of Jesus) the differences will obviously come up later in the conversation
- build relationships
- be hospitable

Too Busy Not To Pray (Bill Hybels)

from an email February 7, 2005

Well it’s that time again... after a weekend at home I was able to finish off this book by Bill Hybels “Too Busy Not To Pray”. Recently 3 words have been coming to my mind as I examined my personal life... “patience” and “slow down”! This book encouraged and challenged me to spend time with our loving, and powerful heavenly Father. To him be the glory!

When we work, we work; but when we pray, God works – pg 13

I also have a private line that rings right on my desk. I’ve given the number to a few colleagues to use in emergencies, and I’ve given it to my wife and children. I’ve told my kids they can call me anytime for any reason. Believe me, no one’s voice sounds sweeter to me than theirs. When I hear “Hi Dad,” I don’t care what I’m juggling. I can drop it. My children are an absolute priority to me. Now take a father’s feeling for his children and multiply it exponentially, and you’ll know how your heavenly Father feels about you. – pg 28

A “prayer warrior” is a person who is convinced that God is omnipotent – that God has the power to do anything, to change anyone and to intervene in any circumstance. A person who truly believes this refuses to doubt God. – pg 38

In my opinion it is absolutely essential to begin times of prayer with adoration, or worship. Adoration sets the tone for the entire prayer. It reminds us whom we are addressing, whose presence we have entered, whose attention we have gained. – pg 63

Before bringing a request to the Lord, it’s a good idea to ask: If God granted this request: Would it bring glory to Him? Would it advance His kingdom? Would it help people? Would it help me to grow spiritually? – pg 92

The most common cause of unanswered prayer is prayerlessness. – pg 101

(that quote might seem super obvious but its 100% true...)

In 1978 I traveled to Korea to visit the world’s largest church. At that time every Friday night from 8pm to 7am on Saturday morning, 10 000 people gathered in a auditorium and prayed that God would take the church’s ministry by storm. Every Saturday several thousand people went to a mountain they call Prayer Mountain, sat in its many caves and prayed that God would work in a supernatural way. In 1978 the church had 100 000 members. Some people might have thought it was large enough, but its members had a vision. Ten prayer-filled years later, the church membership was up to 450 000. Today there are over one million members! When we work, we work; when we pray, God works! – pg 103

Some years ago we had a baptism Sunday where many people publicly affirmed their decision to follow Christ. I thought my heart would explode for joy. Afterward, in the stairwell, I bumped into a woman who was crying. I couldn’t understand how anyone could weep after such a celebration, so I stopped and asked her if she was all right. “No,” she said, “I’m struggling. My mother was baptized today.” This is a problem? I thought. “I prayed for her every day for 20 years,” the woman said, and then she started crying again. “You’re going to have to help me understand this,” I said. “I’m crying,” the woman replied, “because I came so close – so close – to giving up on her. I mean, after 5 years I said ‘Who needs this? God isn’t listening’ After 10 years I said, ‘Why am I wasting my breath?’ After 15 years I said, ‘This is absurd.’ After 19 years I said, ‘I’m just a fool.’ But I guess I just kept praying, even though my faith was weak. I kept praying, and she gave her life to Christ, and she was baptized today.” The woman paused and looked me in the eye and said “I will never doubt the power of prayer again.” – pg 121

It makes no sense to believe that God lost his voice at the end of the first century. If the essence of Christianity is a personal relationship between the almighty God and individual human beings, it stands to reason that God still speaks to believers today. You can’t build a relationship on one-way speeches. You need frequent, sustained, intimate contact between two persons, both of whom speak and both of whom listen. – pg 136

(I don’t want you guys to get the impression that I think God will appear to me like he did to Paul on the Road to Damascus... but it’s a good point that a relationship always has 2 way communication... when’s the last time you stopped.. slowed down and listened for God’s still small voice?)

People who are really interested in hearing from God must pay a price: they must discipline themselves to be still before God. – pg 145

First, all leadings that come from God are consistent with his word, the Bible. – pg 160

(Mike Lewis: I threw that quote in there for you!!! Sola Scriptura!!!)

Life can’t throw anything at you that you can’t handle with God. – pg 177

Just Like Jesus (Max Lucado)

from an email July 14, 2005

Well after a 2+ month "leave of absence" ... Dave Heska is back ... and with it comes the "book reports". For everyone who didn't go to Tanzania... for your info... my friends there bugged me about typing these things up ... so Jordi, Melissa, Dawei, Cindy, Heather, Nathalie, Steve and Robyn this one is dedicated to you guys! :)

So ya.. there in Tanzania (on the plane rides and a bit before bed or on Sunday afternoons) I was able to read 4 solid books. A "Just Like Jesus Devotional" (that I'll summarize here by Max Lucado) and then "Don't Waste Your Life" (John Piper), "Courageous Leadership" (Bill Hybels) and "The Pursuit of God" (AW Tozer). Only the first one is included here and the other 3 are on my to do list and will be coming later... for now I hope you enjoy reading these quotes and stories and are challenged by them!

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Just Like Jesus Devotional (A 30 Day Walk with the Saviour) – by Max Lucado

God loves you just the way you are, but he refuses to leave you that way. He wants you to be just like Jesus. (pg 1)

The day Jesus left the carpentry shop of Nazareth he had one ultimate aim: the cross of Calvary. (pg 75)

If God’s goal is the salvation of the world, then my goal should be the same. (pg 79)

My family did something thoughtful for me last night. They had a party in my honor – a surprise birthday party. Early last week I told Denalyn not to plan anything except a nice family evening at a restaurant. She listened only to the restaurant part. I was unaware that half a dozen families were going to join us. In fact, I tried to talk her into staying at home. “Let’s have the dinner on another night,” I volunteered. Andrea had been sick. Jenna had homework, and I’d spent the afternoon watching football games and felt lazy – not really in a mood to get up and clean up and go out. I thought I’d have no problem convincing the girls to postpone the dinner. Boy was I surprised! They wouldn’t think of it. Each of my objections was met with a united front and a unanimous defense. My family made it clear – we were going out to eat. Not only that, we were leaving on time. I consented and set about getting ready. But to their dismay, I moved too slowly. We were a study in contrasts. My attitude was, “Why hurry?” My daughter’s attitude was “Hurry up!” I was ho-hum. They were gung-ho. I was content to stay. They were anxious to leave. To be honest, I was bewildered by their actions. They were being uncharacteristically prompt. Curiously enthused. Why the big deal? I mean, I enjoy a night out as much as the next guy, but Sara giggled all the way to the restaurant. Only when we arrived did their actions make sense. One step inside the door and I understood their enthusiasm. SURPRISE! No wonder they were acting differently. They knew what I didn’t. They had seen what I hadn’t. They’d already seen the table stacked and gifts and smelled the cake. Since they knew about the party, they did everything necessary to see that I didn’t miss it.

Jesus does the same for us. He knows about THE PARTY. In one of the greatest chapters in the Bible, Luke 15, he tells three stories. Each story speaks of something lost and of something found. A lost sheep. A lost coin. And a lost son. And at the end of each one, Jesus describes a party, a celebration. The shepherd throws the party for the lost-now-found sheep. The housewife throws a party because of the lost-now-found coin. And the father throws a party in honor of his lost-now-found son. (pg 126-127)

“There are Christmas days in heaven where Christ’s high mass is kept, and Christ is not glorified because he was born in a manger but because he is born in a broken heart. And these are days when the shepherd brings home the lost sheep upon his shoulders, when the church has swept her house and found the lost piece of money, for then are these friends and neighbors called together, and they rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory over one sinner who repents.” ~ Charles Spurgeon (pg 128)

Let a child call and the ear of the Father inclines. Let a saint die and the gate is opened. And, most importantly, let a sinner repent, and every other activity cease, and every heavenly being celebrates! (pg 129)

“Heaven is a perfect place for people made perfect.” ~ Charles Spurgeon (pg 134)

Let this book be but one of dozens you read about Jesus and this hour be but one of hundreds in which you seek him. Step away from the puny pursuits of possessions and positions, and seek your king. (pg 166)

Courageous Leadership (Bill Hybels)

from an email July 26, 2005

Let me encourage each and every person who is a leader in any respect in the church or Christian ministry to read this awesome book! I hope these quotes whet you’re appetite :)… here goes:

Vision is at the very core of leadership. Take vision away from a leader and you cut out his or her heart. Vision is the fuel that leaders run on. (pg 31)

Leaders are not the only ones who are energized by the passion of their vision. Followers thrive on it. (pg 35)

How does a leader best communicate vision? By embodying it. By personifying it. By living it out. (pg 38)

Even if no one else joined him, he was going to bring his vision to life. (pg 39)

I love the song, “I Have Decided to Follow Jesus”. The second verse says, “Though none go with me, still I will follow.” (pg 39)

The “when” also matters. In my experience, there are starting points, midway points, and ending points, in a ministry season that almost demand a vision talk. September, January and the end of June. (pg 43)

#1 VISION INCREASES ENERGY AND MOVES PEOPLE INTO ACTION (pg 45)
#2 VISION INCREASES OWNERSHIP (pg 47)
#3 VISION PROVIDES FOCUS (pg 47)

At a certain point people need more than vision. They need a plan, a step-by-step explanation of how to move from vision to reality. (pg 55)

I did not fully realize how deeply Dr. Billy Graham and his associates valued team until I enjoyed a visit with him at his home in Montreat, North Carolina. He led me down the hill from his home and pointed out the houses being built nearby by some of his team members. Apparently, forty-five years of togetherness was not enough for this tightly knit team. (pg 75)

Parenthetically, I believe that half of the fundraising strategies employed in these churches are unbiblical. I’m sorry, that’s the way I see it. The Bible doesn’t teach that a church ought to be financed by bake sales or bingo. (And I’m not really sorry.) (pg 108)

We want to see churches led by leaders, taught by teachers, and administrated by administrators. (pg 113)

Bless the socks off your key players. (pg 117)

Leaders learn best from other leaders. (pg 134)

(I read this next one on the plane ride from London, England to Tanzania… such “God timing” :)
As a leader it’s your job to keep your passion hot. Do whatever you have to do, read whatever you have to read, go wherever you have to go to stay fired up. And don’t apologize to anybody. (pg 188)

So I decided to make several life-management adjustments during my ministry year in an attempt to keep my heart from shrinking and my spirit from getting callused. I began taking regular days off, scheduled more solitude into my week, and incorporated into my reading diet more books that were challenging on a deeply spiritual level. (pg 196)

God, mold and shape me to my full leadership potential. (pg 199)
Make me like David, so I can be a leader who inspires hope. (pg 201)
God, give me Jonathan’s capacity to love. (pg 201)
God, give me Joseph’s personal holiness. (pg 202)
God, give me Joshua’s decisiveness. (pg 204)
Oh God, give me Esther’s courage (pg 205)
Oh God, if you would just grant me a portion of Solomon’s wisdom. (pg 207)
God, give me the emotional authenticity of Jeremiah. (pg 208)
God, may I never forget how important parties are. Like Nehemiah help me remember to celebrate. (pg 209)
How much better if we would all pray for the initiative-taking boldness of Peter. (pg 210)
God give me Paul’s intensity (pg 210)

Someday we are going to stand face to face with the Son of God who never gave up on His redemptive calling. (pg 252)

(read this last one… it had a big impact on me…)
A few months ago a cruel disease took the life of one of my closest friends. This book is dedicated to him. As I write these words I am fighting to hold back a river of tears. Jon Rasmussen was a brother, a mentor, a sailing partner, a fellow soldier, a servant, a confidante, and truly one of the most remarkable men I’ve ever known.
Two days before his death I knelt by his bedside and told him one last time that I loved him with all my heart and that I would see him on the other side. With labored motions he reached for a present that he had arranged for me. Opening the carefully wrapped box, I discovered a beautiful silver mariner’s compass. Before I could protest his thoughtfulness and generosity, Jon whispered, “Bill, your life gave my life direction. From the day we met, God used you to show me how my life could have purpose and meaning, and I can’t thank you enough.
“Read the backside”, he whispered. I read the three words engraved on the silver surface with tears in my eyes: “Stay the course.” After reading those words I climbed onto the bed and embraced Jon for several moments, then prayed for him.
Two days later Jon died. Doing his funeral was one of the hardest things I’ve ever done. But I will treasure his final gift to me like few other earthly possessions I own.
Stay the course. Stay the course. Stay the course.
If I do – if all of us leaders do – we will win the day for the glory of the One whose name we bear. (pg 253)

The Pursuit of God (A.W. Tozer)

from an email August 12, 2005

As I promised last week some time I did get time to summarize and type up some quotes from A.W. Tozer’s “The Pursuit of God” and I also while in Tanzania found some sweet quotes in the “Knowing Jesus Personally” evangelical magazine we handed out. Keep pursuing him!

The Pursuit of God ~ A.W. Tozer

Tozer entered the ministry without either high school or college training. A.W. Tozer came to Christ at the age of 17, after hearing a lay preacher speaking at a street meeting in Akron, Ohio. (pg 3)

Sound Bible exposition is an imperative must in the Church of the Living God. Without it no church can be a New Testament church in any strict meaning of that term. (pg 9)

We pursue God because, and only because, He has first put an urge within us that spurs us to the pursuit. (pg 11)

To have found God and still to pursue Him is the soul’s paradox of love. (pg 14)

Our gifts and talents should also be turned over to Him. They should be recognized for what they are, God’s loan to us, and should never be considered in any sense our own. (pg 28)

“Man’s chief end is to glorify God and enjoy Him forever.” ~ Westminster Shorter Catechism (pg 32)

Our pursuit of God is successful just because He is forever seeking to manifest Himself to us. (pg 61)

We have been trying to apply machine-age methods to our relations with God. We read our chapter, have our short devotions and rush away, hoping to make up for our deep inward bankruptcy by attending another gospel meeting or listening to another thrilling story told by a religious adventurer lately returned from afar. (pg 65)

The whole Bible supports this idea. God is speaking. Not God spoke, but God is speaking. He is, by His nature, continuously articulate. He fills the world with His speaking voice. (pg 69)

Even those persons who have never heard of the Bible have still been preached to with sufficient clarity to remove every excuse from their hearts forever. (pg 72)

It is important that we get still to wait on God. And it is best that we get alone, preferably with our Bible outspread before us. (pg 76)

We are right when, and only when, we stand in a right position relative to God, and we are wrong so far and so long as we stand in any other position. (pg 95)

We must of necessity be servant to someone, either to God or to sin. The sinner prides himself on his independence, completely overlooking the fact that he is the weak slave of the sins that rule his members. (pg 98)

His words are the essence of truth. He is not offering an opinion; Jesus never uttered opinions. He never guessed; He knew, and He knows. (pg 104)

Knowing Jesus Personally Magazine

“Jesus of Nazareth, without money and arms, conquered more millions than Alexander, Caesar, Mohammed, and Napolean; without science and learning, He shed more light on things human and divine than all the philosophers and scholars combined” ~ Philip Schaff

“I am an historian, I am not a believer, but I must confess as a historian that this penniless preacher from Nazareth is irrevocably the very center of history. Jesus Christ is easily the most dominant figure in all history.” ~ H.G. Wells

“No other ancient book has anything like such early and plentiful testimony to its text and no unbiased scholar would deny that the text that has come down to us is substantially sound.” ~ Sir Fredick Kenyon (keeper of ancient manuscripts and director of the British Museum, after a lifetime of study of ancient documents)

“As a child I received instruction both in the Bible and in the Talmud. I am a Jew, but I am enthralled by the luminous figure of the Nazarene... No one can read the Gospels without feeling the actual presence of Jesus. His personality pulsates in every word. No myth is filled with such life.” ~ Albert Einstein

Don't Waste Your Life (John Piper)

from an email August 24, 2005

I thought I should send this summary out to everyone around this time of year as we begin another school year or another year of work or ministry. Every person who went on a Campus Crusade missions trip this summer got this great book by John Piper called "Don't Waste Your Life". Its a great book... I hope this whets your appetites!
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You are in one of two groups: Either you are a Christian, or God is now calling you to be one. (pg 9)

You now belong doubly to God: He made you, and he bought you. (pg 9)

It is better to lose your life than to waste it. (pg 10)

The modern assault on reality had turned Bible study into a swamp of subjectivity. You could see it in the church as small groups shared their subjective impressions about what Bible texts meant “for me” without an anchor in any original meaning. And you could see it in academic books as creative scholars cut their own heads off by arguing that texts have no objective meaning. (pg 24)

The Bible seemed to me then, and it seems today, inexhaustible. (pg 27)

If you don’t point people to God for everlasting joy, you don’t love. You waste your life. (pg 35)

God calls us to pray and think and dream and plan and work not to be made much of, but to make much of him in every part of our lives. (pg 37)

God without Christ is no God. (pg 38)

~ this next part is a long paragraph but I included here because it especially spoke and reminded me as I'm talking to Jehovah's Witnesses, Christadelphians and Mormons to speak of the deity of Christ. Piper once again "preaches it!" ~

Jesus is the litmus test of reality for all persons and all religions. He said it clearly: “The one who rejects me rejects him who sent me” (Luke 10:16). People and religions who reject Christ, reject God. Do other religions know the true God? Here is the test: Do they reject Jesus as the only Saviour for sinners who was crucified and raise by God from the dead? If they do, they do not know God in a saving way. That is what Jesus meant when he said, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me” (John 14:6). Or when he said, “Whoever does not honor the Son does not honor the Father who sent me” (John 5:23). Or when he said to the Pharisees, “If God were your Father, you would love me” (John 8:42). It’s what the apostle John meant when he said, “No one who denies the Son has the Father. Whoever confesses the Son has the Father also” (1 John 2:23). Or when he said, “Everyone who… does not abide in the teaching of Christ, does not have God” (2 John 9). There is no point in romanticizing other religions that reject the deity and saving work of Christ. They do not know God. And those who follow them tragically waste their lives. (pg 39)

Daily Christian living is daily Christian dying. (pg 71)

Television is one of the greatest life-wasters of the modern age. And, of course, the Internet is running to catch up, and may have caught up. (pg 120)

~ the last 2 chapters of the book were the best! Piper focused on Magnifying Christ in your 9 -5 Job and then on Missions!!! ~

If you are human – your work is to take what God has made and shape it and use it to make Him look great. (pg 139)

The Bible puts a lot of emphasis on adorning the Gospel, not merely saying the Gospel. But now I want to say that speaking the good news of Christ is part of why God put you in your job. (pg 151)

No nice feelings about you as a good employee will save anyone. People must know the Gospel, which is the power of God unto eternal life (Romans 1:16). “Faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ” (Romans 10:17). The early church was a “gospelling” bad of people. They spoke the Gospel. When the believers were driven out of Jerusalem because of persecution after Stephen’s martyrdom, they “went about preaching the word” – literally, “evangelizing or gospelling the word” (Acts 8:4). (pg 152)

Perhaps one other thing should be mentioned in regard to the relationships created by where we live and work. For many of you the move toward missions and deeds of mercy will not be a move away from your work but with your work to another, more needy, less-reached part of the world. (pg 153)

It is crucial that millions of Christians fulfill their life calling in secular jobs, just as it is crucial that during wartime the entire fabric of life and culture not unravel. But during wartime, even the millions of civilians love to get news from the front lines. They love to hear of the triumphs of the troops. They dream about the day when war will be no more. So it is with Christians. All of us should dream about this. We should love to hear how the advance of King Jesus is faring. We should love to hear of gospel triumphs as Christ plants his church among peoples held for centuries by alien powers of darkness. (pg 162)

In 1916, Protestants were giving 2.9% of their incomes to their churches. In 1933, the depth of the Great Depression, it was 3.2%. In 1955, just after affluence began spreading through our culture, it was still 3.2%. By 2000, when Americans were over 450% richer, after taxes and inflation, than in the Great Depression, Protestants were giving 2.6% of their incomes to their churches. (pg 172)

One way to describe the situation is to say that about 1.2-1.4 billion people have never had a change to hear the Gospel. (pg 173)

Pray for harvesters, and you may become one. (pg 176)

Tell It Well, Tell It Often (Mark McCloskey)

from an email October 23, 2005

I hope you’re having a great weekend. Something that I really enjoy about weekends is the lack of school and the time to relax and sit down and read something other than my Structural Analysis textbook.

I apologize that this book summary has been a long time coming... people have been bugging me and asking “when’s the next one coming?” ... well here it is.

The book is called “Tell It Well, Tell It Often!” by Mark McCloskey. A book all about evangelism, its different forms, Biblical examples... its good! Really good!

Enough of me... here’s some quotes. :) I hope these encourage and challenge you to Tell It Well and Tell It Often!

(pg 171) This is why many groups practice initiative evangelism and employ strategies that encompass masses of people. It is not that they are against the relational element in evangelism, but they do not allow it to determine the scope of their outreach. Let’s reach our friends. Let’s do whatever it takes to communicate authentically to them. But let’s not forget that others also need to hear the gospel.

(pg 190) The evangelist is confident that he delivers the gospel, not as a mere competitor in the marketplace of ideas, but as an ambassador entrusted with the most powerful message ever unleashed on mankind.

AMEN!!!!!!!!

(pg 191) Christianity is a missionary religion. It asks not why men are not coming to us, but why we are not going to men.

(pg 191) The faithful execution of my role as an ambassador for Christ requires that I take the initiative to ensure that the good news is communicated to all who will listen, as soon as possible, so that they might comprehend the gospel as clearly as possible.

ALL WHO WILL LISTEN, AS SOON AS POSSIBLE, AS CLEARLY AS POSSIBLE!

(pg 192) The issue is never whether or not to go. The command to go has already been given. The only issue is whether I will obey.

Bam!! SO GOOD!

(pg 197) Let us pray as Jim Elliot prayed, “Lord, give me firmness without hardness; steadfastness without dogmatism; love without weakness.”

(pg 229) God is more concerned with our availability than our ability.

(pg 242) We are just one beggar telling another where the bread line begins.

(pg 251) As John Stott put it, “Evangelism is a responsibility laid by Christ upon His whole church and every member of it. So the people of God must be both mobilized and trained.”

(pg 252) After all is said and done, there is usually more said than done. Evangelism is much discussed, encouraged and “taught”, but seldom demonstrated. Evangelism is nothing if it is not done.

When was the last time you told someone about Christ?

(pg 253) Hudson Taylor reasoned, “I would never have thought of going out to China had I not believed that the Chinese were lost and needed Christ.”

(pg 255) The Spirit is not a guide and helper for those on a straight way perfectly able to manage on their own. He comes to assist men caught up in the thick of battle, and tried beyond their strength.

(pg 270) We must not forget our Jerusalem on the way to the uttermost parts of the world.

(pg 270) Ideally, every Christian would have both a circle of friends for whom he prays daily and to whom he seeks an opportunity to present the gospel, and a strategy that offers ongoing training and holds him accountable to share the gospel. Beware of any imbalance that finds you sharing with strangers but not with your friends and those in your natural sphere of influence. Beware also of an approach to evangelism that has you building relationships as a bridge to the few, resulting in a barrier between you and the rest of the nonbelieving world.

It’s not an EITHER/OR it’s a BOTH/AND! :) I pray that each and every friend we know would hear about Christ AND ALSO that the name of Christ may be preached around the entire world!