Studying
Islam and Engaging Muslims:
Some
Things to Know and Where to Learn It
George Robinson, Assistant Editor of Global Missiology & Global Leadership Development
Published under “Contemporary
Practice” at www.globalmissiology.org,
October 2007
Since 9/11,
the subject if Islam has been thrust into the spotlight before a bewildered
Western world. Just a few years prior to
that tragic event I had struggled to get my friends at church to understand why
I would want to pack up with my pregnant wife and our 10 month old son and move
to a country that describes itself as an Islamic nation. Few people that I knew
here in what is called the Bible-belt had any real understanding of what Islam
teaches, and even less desire to learn.
Nevertheless, we moved into that context for just over a year,
interacting with people whose beliefs I had only previous read about in
books. I quickly learned that Islam is
no neatly defined theological system that can be adequately summarized with
Five Pillars. As I worked and ministered
among the people I came to understand that not even the categories of Sunni and
Shia could tell me what was going through their minds. I remember trying to write home and share
with folks here in
Upon our
return “home” we felt the effects of reverse culture shock. We had become accustomed to living in that “other
world” because it freed us from the trappings that sometimes trivialize
the Gospel here in the West. We tried to
explain this awkwardness with the same family and friends that we had written
to while living overseas, getting a little more response because of the novelty
of our firsthand stories. And then it happened.
Fortunately many today are considering thoughtful engagement of Muslims as individuals. If you have questions about understanding Islam or engaging Muslims, then the following collection of resources should be a help to you.
A CD Library:
The World of Islam: Resources
for Understanding
Available for purchase at: http://www.gmi.org/products/islamcd.htm
“The World of Islam CD-ROM contains some of the best
in educational resources about Islam and Christian witness to Islam. Designed
in partnership with Fuller
Seminary and the Lausanne
Committee for World Evangelization, this high-quality research and training
resource is for Christians seriously interested in learning about Islam or
those ministering in the Muslim context. It benefits field workers, professors,
students, local churches, and concerned Christians.”
Conferences and Seminars:
Summer Institute on Islam by Arab World
Ministries
The Summer Institute on Islam in Philadelphia (SIIP) is a
training program of Arab World Ministries in partnership with the Eastern
Mennonite Mission Board and Westminster Theological Seminary. The course is
based upon understanding what the Muslim believes at the theological level and
comparing that to Christianity. This enables us to better understand their
views and beliefs and subsequently to speak our point of view into their frame
of reference. Experience has shown that this is a most effective model for
training people to witness to Muslims, laying an excellent foundation for
effective witness and ministry.
Encountering
the World of Islam
Encountering
the World of Islam is a
twelve-lesson course which combines typical learning assignments with
experiential activities and on-line interactions for an integrated
multi-disciplinary learning environment. Each course lesson is taught by a
different Muslim or Christian expert. This course is engaging and life-changing
as a result of the rich combination of methods of instruction. The course
textbook itself has more than 80 authors providing a broad range of
perspectives on Islam. (see below)
Horizons
International Summer Institute of Muslim Studies
Institute training
is composed of three elements:
Academic: Morning
lectures provide a wide spectrum of subjects including history, theology, and
apologetics.
Practical:
Afternoon workshops explore different evangelism approaches. Case studies by
missionaries feature Muslims in areas such as
Spiritual:
Evenings are dedicated to worship, sharing and a spiritual challenge
emphasizing the roles of faith, prayer, boldness, and the Holy Spirit.
Comprehensive Training:
The 
The
strategic kingdom impact of the
Fuller Theological Seminary Islamic Studies Concentration 
http://www.fuller.edu/sis/conc/islam.asp
The Islamic Studies concentration equips cross-cultural
workers and national leaders to serve effectively among Muslim peoples. Courses
offered address both traditional approaches to Islamic thought and the areas
that pose special challenges to Christian witness today such as folk Islam, the
fundamentalist resurgence, and the contextualization of the gospel for
particular Muslim people groups.
Organizations Specializing in Outreach to Muslims:
Frontiers
FRONTIERS' passion is to glorify God by planting the Gospel of Love among unreached Muslim peoples. Founded in 1982 by Dr. Greg Livingstone, FRONTIERS now has members serving to love, respect and bring peace with Muslims in over 40 countries. This organization was born out of Dr. Livingstone's conviction that God had not forgotten one-fifth of the world's population. Under God's blessing, teams with clear goals and strong mutual commitments can plant the Gospel in the Muslim world. They believe that communities of Jesus-followers living the Apostle Paul's model is the key to serving Muslims today. Their singular focus enables us to pour resources, experience, and growing expertise into this one objective.
Pioneers
www.pioneers.org
Pioneers mobilizes teams to glorify
God among unreached peoples by initiating church planting movements in
partnership with local churches. For
many years, PIONEERS has been one of the fastest growing mission organizations
in
Books:
Encountering the World of Islam guides you on a journey into the lives of
Muslims around the world, and in your neighborhood. Through this comprehensive
collection, you will learn about Muhammad and the history of Islam. Gain
insight into today’s conflicts and dispel western
fears and myths. Discover the frustrations and desires of Muslims and learn how
to pray for and befriend them. Encountering the World of Islam provides
a positive, balanced, and biblical perspective on God’s heart for Muslims and
equips you to reach out to them in Christ’s love.
Available for purchase at: www.encounteringislam.org
The
Camel: How Muslims are Coming to Faith in Christ
A popular Muslim proverb teaches that God has one hundred names, and 99 of these have been revealed to men. One the camel knows the one hundredth name. Today, Muslims are learning the camel's secret and discovering in Jesus Christ the Name above all names.
Two Online Bookstores Focusing on resources
for understanding and engaging Muslims:
William Carey Library Bookstore: http://missionbooks.org/wcl/customer/home.php?cat=9
Frontiers: http://www.frontiers.org/resources/bookstore/index.htm
Helpful Web Resources:
There are several excellent sites listing links pertinent to
those who wish to understand and engage Muslims with the gospel:
http://www.answering-islam.org/L_c-on-i.html
http://www.evangelicalresources.org/islam.shtml
I pray that
the resources that I have referenced herein would serve to educate, equip and
encourage you in understanding and engaging Muslims with the good news of the
Gospel. May the LORD Jesus Christ guide
you in this endeavor for His glory.