Several years ago, I found myself listening to a noted Bible teacher give a lecture about current trends in the Muslim World. He loved Christ and had a passion to see Christian believers obey the Bible. He was also something of an expert on the subject of Islam. I was interested in his chosen topic.
But the more I listened, the more uncomfortable I felt. It wasn't that he was giving wrong information. As far as I could tell, everything he said was true. The problem was that his presentation focused on the evil foundation of the Islamic belief system and the violent bent of Muslims around the world. Period.
As I sat there, I was grieved in my spirit. I was afraid that people around me were coming to the conclusion that they should respond to this Islamic system and the evil of terrorism by further distancing themselves from Muslims.
But this isn't the way of Jesus. True, He spoke out against false religious systems. But He also loved the "sinners" of His day and tried to get close to them and call them to faith in Himself. I'm convinced that, if Jesus were on this earth today, He would be spending a lot of time with Muslims. And He would call us to love them, pray for them and actively evangelize them in His Name.
That's the biblical way to respond to Muslims. They desperately need the grace of God – just as we do.
And this is why we’ve chosen to reach out to Iranians in the Name of Jesus Christ.