The Spread of Islam: 5th Reason to Advance in Missions Today
March 5, 2010 – 2:58 pmIt is too small a thing that You should be My Servant To raise up the tribes of Jacob, And to restore the preserved ones of Israel; I will also give You as a light to the Gentiles, That You should be My salvation to the ends of the earth. (Isaiah 49:6)
The events of September 11, 2001, have radically changed most people’s outlook about Islam and the Muslim countries of the world and have brought both the religion and the people into even more prominence than before. Unfortunately, what it has produced mostly is fear and anger. However, as terrible as the disaster was, it has made Islam no better or worse a religion than it was before.
Islam as a religion is spreading rapidly in the world, perhaps as fast or faster than Christianity. However, our attitude toward Islam cannot be governed by a competitive spirit, or fear that they will become too numerous. We must be motivated by the genuine concern that because of Islam there are millions of people who are being terribly led astray and lost from the truth that is capable of changing their lives and destiny forever.
Islam has been responsible for a great deal of fear and ignorance in this world, so Christians must not make the same mistake. We must approach Islam with understanding and love.So let me ask you: What do you know about Islam? What is the Muslim holy day during the week? What are the five pillars of Islam? What is the Quran? Did you know that Muslims believe Jesus to have been sinless and that he was born of a virgin?
Every Christian should be informed and understand as much as she or he can about Islam, for the sake of the millions of people who are following a teaching that will lead them forever away from the God to whom they claim to submit.
One of the opinions held by many people is that Islam promotes terrorism and hostages. Without either denying that or condoning terrible acts of horrendous violence, we still must approach such an issue with love and understanding.
The whole concept of Sha’aria law, the idea that an entire country is only rightly governed by religious Islamic law, and the long history of Islam’s advance by the sword are all facets of what we must understand as Muslim evangelism, their attempt in the historic way of Islam to preserve the faith they have been given to defend.
Do you also realize that many of the things the Muslim rejects about the West, are rejected by obedient Christians also? The West in its films, music, and magazines has exported so many things that are the worst examples of our society, it is no wonder that Muslims fear the West. Christians have the chance to make a difference.
The advance and spread of Islam is a major reason to advance in missions today, because the only thing that can truly combat fear, anger, and ignorance is Christianity’s love, compassion, and understanding. In other words, we have the greatest answer in the world to the spread of Islam, and the world needs us, since they don’t know what to do.
Glenn Kerr, guest author for the MM Blog, provides 10 reasons why local churches should advance in their effort to start indigenous church planting movements in regions that do not have a gospel witness.
Glenn J. Kerr is chief translation consultant for Bibles International, the Bible Society of Baptist Mid-Missions. He has worked as a consultant for 15 years, being involved with translation projects on five continents and about 28 languages.
He has a master’s degree in Hebrew and Semitic Studies from the University of Wisconsin-Madison, has done graduate studies in linguistics at Michigan State University, and is currently in doctoral studies through the University of South Africa.
He teaches undergraduate and graduate courses in Bible translation and related linguistic subjects on an adjunct basis at three Bible colleges and universities in the US as well as his consulting work overseas.

Some would say our church is located in “Fordlandia,” and in some ways that would be correct. However, “Fordlandia” was the name of Henry Ford’s “Quixotic attempt to re-create small-town America in the heart of the Amazon,” and it is also the title of a book about this attempt by Greg Grandin called
Interesting article on the National Geographic’s Travel website about
