According to a Charisma Magazine article a few years ago, more Muslims have turned to Jesus Christ through the Gospel in the last two decades than in all of History. Every year, 6 Million Muslims in Africa, 250,000 in Turkey and another two million in Russia are converting to the Christian faith.
In April this year a survey of former Muslims conducted by Georges Houssney, founder and president of Horizons International, sought to understand the factors that led to such large conversions of Muslims to the Christian Faith.
More than 8 in 10 respondents cited “the love of Christians as one major factor” in their conversion, and 6 in 10 cited it as the only factor.
When asked what they thought distinguished God from Allah, around 75% emphasised love as the most meaningful characteristic of the Christian God. The other 25% cited God’s forgiveness.
The Message of the Bible stands unique in all of History in both it’s explanation of society’s turmoil and the only way out. It offers mercy where there is judgement, and it offers forgiveness where there would only otherwise be bitterness and hate.
“Greater love has no man than this, that He lay down His life for His friends.” John 15:13
In the Death and Resurrection of Jesus Christ, mercy and pardon are freely offered to all who would come to God in humble prayer and ask. One former Muslim, by the name of Ibrahim Abdallah, relates his personal Story.
“I was born in 1963 and was raised as a Muslim. In 1981 at the age 18 I became a member of a Fatah, the main radical group associated with the PLO. I committed many heinous crimes against Israel and The Jewish people. I did not care. We had a mission to wreak havoc and destruction. It was our goal to cause fatality so we could go to heaven.
In 1989 I started studying the Quran to become a more devout Muslim. As a result many questions arose in my mind based on inconsistencies in the teachings versus of the Quran and I began to study the Bible. Now I believe that the Bible is the only true book. I became a Christian.
I want to confess and ask forgiveness from Israel and the Jewish People. Today, I care about all of Gods children. Now I have another mission. It is to reach the Muslims and to prevent such incidents against mankind.”
This is the transformation that only love can do.
Sources: The Muslim Issue. Christianity Today. Biblical Missiology. Muslim Statistics.
This is a really good reminder of our greatest commission, our greatest fruit, and our greatest attitude. This highlights some real examples of how our love for each other – both those inside and outside our faith – makes the most profoundest and eternal difference. Thanks David.