Summer 2016 Messenger

Sum mer 2016

understanding the Challenge of Islam

by Dr. Pat Delaney

Missionaries are increasingly encountering Muslims in Europe and other traditionally non-Muslim areas.

American churches also face the challenge of reaching ever-greater Muslim populations within their own communities. For this reason, we are devoting this issue of The Messenger to the challenge of Islam.

Dr. Pat Delaney, BWM Field Administrator for Asia, spent years ministering under the shadow of Islam.

He recently developed a two-part primer on Islam, which has been extremely well received in churches.

This feature article is an edited condensation of his presentation.

I

gnorance regarding the basics of Islam is not bliss.

While driving to work one day, I asked my “carpool brother,” Dr. Kevin Brosnan, “Do you believe all Muslims are terrorists?” That provided much lively discussion for the next 30 minutes! Why should the subject of Islam demand our attention?

A USA Today online article dated April 2, 2015, stated, “Muslims will outnumber Christians by 2070, ending two millenniums of Christian dominance going back to the birth of Jesus Christ, according to the Pew Research Foundation.” In light of the spread of Islam, it behooves Christians to move beyond ignorance.

The Five Pillars are the essential, non-negotiable and obligatory tenets for every Muslim. First is the creed or Shahadah—“There is no god but Allah, and Muhammad is Allah’s Prophet.” This is the defining statement of Islam, distinguishing believer from infidel. It is the first word spoken to an infant and the final word whispered in the ear of the dying. One can convert to Islam simply by believing and reciting the Shahadah in front of witnesses. The other four pillars are daily prayers, alms giving (Zakat), fasting (Saum) and the pilgrimage to Mecca (Haji). Muslim prayers are ritualistic recitations from the Qur’an in the Arabic language. The fast during the 28 days of Ramadan requires abstinence during the daylight hours from eating, drinking, smoking and sex.

“The LORD our God is one LORD” (Deuteronomy 6:4-6).

This is an exclusive claim to Yahweh’s uniqueness as the

one true God. This matter of exclusivity extends to Jesus Christ (John 14:6). But Muhammad was a sinner (Suras 40:55) who cut off people’s limbs, burned out their eyes and made them die of thirst. He was the tyrant of Medina. In his book From Jihad to Jesus, Jerry Rassamni asks, “If Islam’s prophet, who is purported to be the model of purity for Muslims, was not in a perfect state of perfection, then what hope do other Muslims have in achieving the stage of perfection?” In stark contrast stands the sinless substitutionary life of Jesus Christ (1 John 3:5; 1 Peter 2:21-24).

Other comparisons include the marked difference between Islam’s ritualistic prayers and the personal communion between God and the Christian believer in prayer. In contrast to Muslim alms, New Testament giving is a matter of grace.

Jesus commanded us to hide our fasting, which facilitates intimacy with God, revival, victory and prayer. Life itself is the true Christian’s pilgrimage, for he seeks a heavenly city (Hebrews 11:10, 16).

Islam means surrender, and a Muslim is one who surrenders himself to Allah. Muhammad claimed the angel Gabriel dictated revelations to him that became the Qur’an, Islam’s most holy book. When Mecca rejected Muhammad’s revelations, he fled to Medina in A.D. 622. This is called the Hijrah, and it is the beginning of the Muslim calendar.

Muslims believe in four holy books—the Torat (Pentateuch), Jabur (Psalms), Injil (Jesus’ good news) and Muhammad’s Qur’an, which supersedes all other revelations. The Qur’an contradicts the Bible. Notable examples include: 1) Noah had a fourth son, 2) Abraham offered Ishmael rather than Isaac and 3) Mary, the mother of Jesus, was the sister of Moses and gave birth to Jesus under a palm tree. The Qur’an contains no gospel of love and grace, but teaches that Allah only loves the “doers of good” (Sura 2:195; 5:13; 5:93). Allah commands his people not to show love to their enemies (Sura 60:1).

The enemy is not Muslim people, but a deceptive false religion. Reaching Muslims with the Gospel is extremely Continued on page 3

In This Issue

2 Highlights from the Highways & Hedges New Appointees

3 Mission Matters: The Empty SelfSufficiency of Religion Understanding the Challenge of Islam (cont.)

Ready to Go/Gone

4 Itineraries Israel Trip

Highlights from theHighways & Hedges Ivory Coast Undisclosed Location This couple serves in a terrorist stronghold under the shadow of ISIS, having twice narrowly escaped terrorist attacks.

They report that every family in their neighborhood has either lost a family member or suffered injury resulting from acts of terror. The wife was traumatized when they witnessed a suicide bombing last year as they walked home from church, and again recently when she and her husband were unable to contact each other following a bombing near their home that captured international attention.

Despite these threats, this dear couple is winning lost souls, training national pastors and fostering several church plants. They have served with BWM since 2010.

Italy Larry and Maria Pieri report that the Lord has opened a door of ministry with five Muslim refugees from Gambia and Mali, whom they temporarily housed in their home. Larry presented the Gospel to each of them in their own language; two of them attended a prayer meeting, a church Bible study and a Sunday worship service in Roccastrada. One of the men shared that his mother and sister are Christians, but that his father is Muslim. Another man stated that he had never heard of the resurrection of Jesus Christ. Larry also mentioned that several African refugees reported fleeing to Italy to escape persecution from Muslims. Some claimed that their parents had been murdered

by Boko Haram. The Pieris have served with BWM since 1998.

Bob and Marjorie Engelhart report on a growing deaf ministry that is showing the love of God to Muslims. Bob reports, “The church also has a primary school for the deaf with some thirty students, most from Muslim families.” Bob also shared the exciting news that two faithful deaf believers from that ministry in the Anyama church were married last year and now teach a deaf Sunday school class. Bob and Marjorie have served together with BWM since 1987.

Ireland Daniel Pero accepted an invitation from two friends, Mohammed and Ali, to attend the largest mosque in Ireland with them. “Once at the mosque, I was asked to wash, remove my shoes and sit at the very back of the room on the floor. At the call to prayer, there were approximately 100 men present. By the last call, there were over 400 men! All the women were upstairs behind a glass barrier and not allowed on the main floor.

Afterward, the imam exhorted everyone to keep the Five Pillars.” Daniel was able to present the Gospel to Mohammed and Ali during the drive home and continues to pray that the Holy Spirit will draw them to saving faith in Jesus Christ.

Daniel and Sharon Pero have served with BWM since 1997.

France Bernard Dodeler recently commented on the growing Muslim communities in France. “I too maintain excellent contacts with a group of elderly Muslims. Keep on praying for our protection!

Our ministry leads us to bring the Gospel in highly sensitive neighborhoods, where much restlessness has been observed among young radical Muslims. Believers are taught to always show a Christ-like spirit. We observe that the neighborhood in which the church building of Mantes is located seems now much quieter and safer, thanks to your prayers! I am bringing a series of studies to help believers present the Gospel soteriologically and defend Christianity apologetically.” A young businesswoman, whose father is a Muslim, visited their church this past Sunday and promised to return.

Bernard and Bernice Dodeler have served with BWM since 1996.

France Gene and Peggy Mumford work in team ministry with Dave and Cyndie Mumford. Gene recently wrote of several Muslim connections in their ministry. Mrs. “P” recently made a profession of faith in Christ. Mrs. “Z” had feared being deported back to Eritrea, where Muslims are severely persecuting Christians. She was baptized on June 19. Gene also mentioned a converted Muslim who became a Baptist pastor. “A Baptist pastor born in a north African Muslim country was saved while reading the Bible many years ago. He was recently in our church to give his testimony. Several visitors were present, including a Muslim lady and another former Muslim, who became a believer in Christ two years ago.” Gene and Peggy Mumford have served with BWM since 1967.

New Appointees Seth and Paige Cuthbertson are BWM’s newest missionaries to the Ivory Coast. Seth and Paige were married on June 3, 2016, and are nearly finished with their schooling at Ambassador Baptist College. They plan to begin deputation in the fall. Seth grew up “not as an MK, but as a missionary to the Ivory Coast with my parents, who are also BWM missionaries.” He is zealous to get back to Africa, where Paige and he will begin a church-planting ministry, along with an outreach to prisoners (in a local prison) and their families. The BWM board members are excited about this young couple, who will be sent out by Paige’s home church, Independent Baptist Church in Bolingbrook, Illinois, pastored by Reverend David Shoaf. Please pray for them as they begin their lives and ministry together.

Mission Matters: The empty Self-Sufficiency of religion by Dr. Bud Steadman

P

earl S. Buck was the author of the Pulitzer Prize-winning book The Good Earth, published in 1932, and the winner of the Nobel Prize for literature in 1938. From 1914 to 1933, she served as a Presbyterian missionary alongside her husband John, making their home in Nanking. By the standards of many modern Christians, she found success in receiving the applause of the world as both an intellectual and a Christian. A closer look at her life, however, reveals that spiritual success is never to be gauged by worldly accomplishment, but by the Word of God. In 1930 at the request of John D. Rockefeller Jr., a group of Baptist laymen concluded that it was time for a serious reevaluation of the effectiveness of foreign missions. With Rockefeller’s financial backing, they convinced seven major denominations to participate in their “Laymen’s Foreign Missions Inquiry.” They commissioned a study of missionaries in India, Burma, China and Japan and launched a separate inquiry under the chairmanship of the philosopher and Harvard professor William Ernest Hocking.

These two inquiries led to the 1932 publication of a one-volume summary of the findings entitled Re-Thinking Missions: A Laymen’s Inquiry after One Hundred Years.

Re-Thinking Missions argued that the old view of the missionary as an evangelist seeking to save the world for Christ should be replaced by a new, more syncretistic

view, uniting all religions. Christianity, according to the publication, was participating in an emerging world religion, and the truth of Christianity lay not in any particular doctrines, but in the unique simplicity of its central teachings.

In a review published in The Christian Century, Pearl Buck praised the report, saying it should be read by every Christian in America and ironically mimicking the biblical literalism of the Fundamentalists when she stated, “I think Re-Thinking Missions is the only book I have ever read that seems to me literally true in its every observation and right in its every conclusion.”

J. Gresham Machen, a leader in our heritage as Fundamentalists, stood against Buck and the report, seeking to stem the tide of the growing departure from the Word of God. Eventually, separation from mainline denominations became the hallmark of Fundamentalists as apostasy carried the day in the religious bodies.

In 1935 the Bucks were divorced.

Richard Walsh, president of the John Day Company and her publisher, became Pearl Buck’s second husband. She died in 1973, having maintained her posture as an advocate for syncretism, ecumenism and liberalism in American Christianity.

Religion without a biblical view of Jesus Christ and His redemptive work always ends up as empty, humanistic self-sufficiency. Islam, modern Judaism,

Buddhism, Mormonism, liberal Christianity and every other man-centered religious system, though differing in their tenets, ultimately glorify man’s works rather than the finished work of Jesus Christ. Our mission is not about us—it is about Him! Let us ever be on guard against man-centered religion that seeks to rob the Son of God of all His glory!

Ready to Go! These missionaries have almost reached 100% support. They are READY TO GO! Perhaps the Lord of the Harvest will enable you or your church to help get them to their fields of service.

Contact them today!

Ben & Andrea Hamilton (USA) 82% bhamilton@baptistworldmission.org

Aaron & Jenny Peterson (Germany) 80% apeterson@baptistworldmission.org

Don & Jill Vanderhoof (Germany) 100% dvanderhoof@baptistworldmission.org

Gone!

David & Jennifer Willis (Spain) dwillis@baptistworldmission.org

understanding the Challenge of Islam (continued) challenging. They have no freedom of religion. The “Law of Apostasy” threatens death to anyone who leaves Islam. Efforts to evangelize Muslims will raise the wrath of Islam and invite persecution wherever civil liberties are not protected. Why does the Muslim world hate America? In their eyes, anything Western is Christian. They decry the depravity of Western culture as promoted through Hollywood. Another key reason is America’s support for Israel’s right to exist as a nation.

Around the world, thousands of Muslims are being saved.

In fact, the number of Muslims converting to Christianity is unprecedented. David Garrison says he believes between two and seven million former Muslims have converted to Christianity in the past two decades, and he has impressive research to back

up his claim. He documents his findings in his book A Wind in the House of Islam. Garrison has a Ph.D. from the University of Chicago and spent more than 25 years as a missionary with the Southern Baptist Convention’s International Missions Board.

How do we reach Muslims? In his book Islam and Terrorism, Mark Gabriel, a converted Muslim, suggests following these ten commandments for reaching muslims: 1) use the Word of God, 2) be constantly in prayer, 3) be a genuine friend, 4) ask thought-provoking questions, 5) listen attentively, 6) present your beliefs openly, 7) reason; don’t argue, 8) never denigrate Muhammad or the Qur’an, 9) respect their customs and sensitivities and 10) persevere.

Itineraries

Steve Anderson

Bud Steadman

June 13–July 11

July 24

Administrator Trip UK & Ireland

Grace Baptist Church Farmington, NM

September 3–December 9

August 7

Furlough Replacement New Zealand

Biblical Baptist Church Meshoppen, PA

Kevin Brosnan

August 8–11

September 11–14 Greendale Baptist Church Greendale, WI

Dave Canedy July 8–21 Administrator Trip Canada

August 21 Catawba Springs Christian Church Apex, NC

September 9–19 Administrator Trip Arizona

September 18

Fellowship of Fundamental Bible Churches Montague, NJ

August 14 Stanfordville Baptist Church Hallstead, PA

August 15 Pastors’ Fellowship Wilkes-Barre, PA

August 17–September 7 Director Trip UK & Ireland

September 10 Calvary Baptist Church Huntsville, AL

September 13

Bethel Baptist Church Tucson, AZ

FBFI Regional Meeting Heritage Baptist Church New York, NY

Pat Delaney

September 14–18

June 25–July 14 Administrator Trip Papua New Guinea & Australia

Jesse Garza July 7–20 Administrator Trip International

Heritage Baptist Church New York, NY

Israel Tour— January 8-20, 2017 Don’t miss out on a life-changing tour to Israel! Join Dr. Craig Hartman (Shalom Ministries, Inc.) and Dr. Bud Steadman (Baptist World Mission) to enjoy the fellowship of like-minded servants of Christ from around the world while making memories that last a lifetime! There is an important registration deadline on July 15, so please don’t hesitate to make your plans and send in your deposit! For more information and to secure your reservation, please contact Tammy Aurand (256.353.2221).

Schedule an Administrator or Director at Your Church!

BWM administrators and directors offer a wonderful blend of passionate preaching and current field experiences.

Please contact the mission if you would like to schedule any of these men for your next conference.

September 21–22 Faith Baptist Bible College & Seminary Ankeny, IA

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