Muslims Tell “Why I Chose Jesus?”
“Muslims Tell ‘Why I Chose Jesus’” by J. Dudley Woodberry and Russell G. Shubin. Mission Frontiers (March 2001). Pp. 28-33.
Woodberry and Shubin have compiled a number of testimonies of Muslims coming to faith in Jesus as Messiah, thereby reminding all of us of the life-changing power of the gospel. It is no secret that people living in Muslim dominated nations pay a heavy price for coming to trust in Jesus—so why do they? What do they find in Messiah that makes them accept the surrender of their livelihoods and the ostracism of their families?
It is good to note that according to Mission Frontiers, Islam adherence is growing faster than Christianity—but only by increase by birth. If only conversions are measured, the ratio is nearly 3 to 1 conversions to Christianity versus conversions to Islam.
This article explains that most Muslims believe that: Jesus was not crucified (though His enemies planned to kill Him and He had a willingness to die); He was a prophet; the Torah, the Psalms, and the Gospels (understood to be the New Testament) are thought to be holy books by Muslims; and—though not often mentioned—the Qur’an teaches that Jesus was sinless (even though Mohammed was not).
From this starting point, Muslims are coming to Jesus by encountering Him in the Bible and finding truth more plausible than Islam; by having a powerful dream or vision of Jesus revealing Himself; the example of other Christian’s love; and the revelation of God’s love (something rather foreign to Islam) and His invitation to a personal relationship. You may be amazed how God is using dreams and visions to draw people to Himself. Woodberry and Shubin say that one in four of those surveyed stated emphatically that a dream or vision were key in bringing them to Jesus and sustaining them through oppressive circumstances.
I encourage you to read the many testimonies in this article to be encouraged at what God is doing among Muslims worldwide. I hope this will bring you to prayer, for there is much to be done to reach Muslims for Jesus. Perhaps He is dramatically revealing Himself through dreams and visions because we have not gone to share His love in person.
Find the full article on-line here: www.missionfrontiers.org/issue/article/muslims-tell…-why-i-chose-jesus (URL revised Jan 16, 2014).
Reviewed by Raul Mock
Category: Fall 2001, Living the Faith, Pneuma Review
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