Reaching Muslims: A one-stop guide for Christians

By Nick Chatrath

A fascinating introduction covering demography, theology, culture, politics, justice, and other aspects of Islamic identity. It is well illustrated with stories and examples. Nick considers what reasons a Muslim might have for thinking that Jesus is good news. What does the Qur'an say about Jesus? Why do we know that God loves Muslims? He then suggests thirteen 'No Regret Moves' to help build open-hearted friendships and to equip Christians to connect with Muslims, including: Pray in faith for open hearts; Foster curiosity; Show love in action; Invite others into The Story and your story. He deals with three theological hot potatoes - should Christians call God 'Allah'; should a convert from Islam be baptised; and should Christians eat halal meat? Detailed appendices provide sample talks for Muslim audiences, and offer seven specific ways to foster contact with the Muslim community.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Monarch Books
• Release date: Aug 10, 2011
• ISBN: 9780857210463

Nick Chatrath

Part of the leadership team at Emmanuel Church, Oxford, Nick is a Cambridge graduate, a McKinsey alumnus and a gifted evangelist. Having recently completed a MA at Wadham College Oxford, he began a DPhil in September 2009. He is an Associate of Ravi Zacharias International Ministries.

Book preview

In a pithy and accessible style, Nick Chatrath seeks to stimulate Western Christians and churches to view Muslims positively and represent Jesus winningly before them. His book will help reduce the ‘fear factor’ and the ‘ignorance factor’ in relating to Muslims and Islam. It offers helpful models for developing positive conversations about Jesus with Muslims.

– Rt Revd Dr Bill Musk,

Rector of St George’s, Tunis & Assistant Anglican Bishop for North Africa

"This is quite outstanding and a wonderful introduction to ministry amongst Muslims.

It contains a quite unique accuracy, something that is not achieved by most books dealing with this subject. I recommend it without hesitation.

– Canon Andrew White,

the Vicar of Baghdad

"This book is particularly unique in the way it helps Christians share their faith with Muslims as well as understand Islam. It will be a great asset for anyone wanting to take a step forward to reach their Muslim neighbours.

As a former Muslim and an Imam I was particularly impressed by the deep understanding of Islamic culture demonstrated by the writer. It certainly produces a much-needed approach in Christian evangelism to Muslims.

– Abu Bakr Al-Muhsin Mulumba,

AWM Advisor on Christian-Muslim Relations, Oxford

This book is a treasure trove of information. It is superbly written, bringing light to issues that we have felt in the dark about for so long.

– Mark Ritchie,

international evangelist

Where do we start in attempting to de-mystify Muslims and Islam in the confused and sensitive situations in which we find ourselves today? Here is an excellent short, readable and down-to-earth guide, which starts where most Christians are at and shows us how to go further in developing genuine relationships with our Muslim neighbours.

– Colin Chapman,

author of Whose Land is it Anyway?

Nick Chatrath’s outstanding book needs to be read by all those seeking to understand and communicate with Muslims. It is full of essential information, wisdom and the grace that needs to inspire us if we are to reach Muslims effectively with Christian truth.

– David Devenish,

Newfrontiers

Here’s something different. The alarming rise of militant Islam, yet the friendly face of many of our Muslim neighbours, has left many of us puzzled about how we could befriend and relate together in ways that generate more light than heat. Nick Chatrath has written a clear and succinct aid that includes the essentials all Christians need. He introduces Muslim beliefs, distinctives, hot potatoes, and misconceptions, in an irenic spirit that challenges our fears. Here is timely advice on awakening Muslim curiosity through genuine friendship, provocative Bible studies, special services, striking sermons, and honest dialogue about Jesus himself. Thank God for such winsome wisdom!

– Greg Haslam,

Westminster Chapel, London

A committed Christian, Nick is passionate about explaining complex topics in a simple way, yet without dumbing down. Nick has three Masters degrees and is currently reading for a doctorate in Islamic Studies at the University of Oxford. He has a business background, including at McKinsey. This is his first book. For more information see www.onestopguide.org.

REACHING MUSLIMS

A One-Stop Guide for Christians

Nick Chatrath

Oxford, UK & Grand Rapids, Michigan, USA

Copyright © 2011 by Nick Chatrath.

The right of Nick Chatrath to be identified as author of this work has been asserted by him in accordance with the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988.

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopy, recording or any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the publisher.

First published in the UK in 2011 by Monarch Books

(a publishing imprint of Lion Hudson plc)

Wilkinson House, Jordan Hill Road, Oxford OX2 8DR, England

Tel: [phone] Fax: [phone]

Email: [e-mail]

www.lionhudson.com

First electronic version 2011.

ISBN 978 0 85721 014 2 (print)

ISBN 978 0 85721 046 3 (e-pub)

ISBN 978 0 85721 063 0 (Kindle)

ISBN 978 0 85721 064 7 (pdf)

Distributed by:

UK: Marston Book Services, PO Box 269, Abingdon, Oxon, OX14 4YN

USA: Kregel Publications, PO Box 2607, Grand Rapids, Michigan 49501

Unless otherwise stated, Scripture quotations taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version, copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984 by the International Bible Society. Used by permission of Zondervan and Hodder & Stoughton Limited. All rights reserved. The ‘NIV’ and ‘New International Version’ trademarks are registered in the United States Patent and Trademark Office by International Bible Society. Use of either trademark requires the permission of International Bible Society. UK trademark number 1448790.

British Library Cataloguing Data

A catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library.

Cover images:Corbis (woman) and Getty (man).

The journey of this book

Contents

Cover

Praise

About the Author

Title Page

Copyright

Foreword by Dr R. T. Kendall

Introduction

Part 1 Map-reading: What is Islam, and who are Muslims?

1. Stories and histories

2. Identity

3. Beliefs

4. Cultures and practices

5. Politics and justice

6. Demographics

7. Before folding the maps away…

Part 2 Developing open-hearted friendships: Tips for connecting with Muslims

8. Why focus on open-hearted friendships?

9. Addressing the fear factor

10. Cultivate a posture of welcome and acceptance

11. Show by your actions that you welcome and accept Muslims

12. Level with your Muslim friends

13. Keep welcoming Muslims as they come to follow Jesus

Part 3 Seeing Jesus afresh: Outlines to help Muslims

14. Starting from echoes of truth in Islam:

Outline A – Arabia is important

15. Starting from echoes of truth in Islam:

Outline B – Jesus is good news

16. Starting from echoes of truth in Islam:

Outline C – Is Jesus just a prophet?

17. Tips for Bible study with a Muslim

18. Starting from the Bible:

Outline D – Adam and Eve

19. Starting from the Bible:

Outline E – Abraham

20. Starting from the Bible:

Outline F – Moses

21. Starting from the Bible:

Outline G – the Samaritans

22. Starting from the Bible:

Outline H – the parable of the tenants

23. Starting from the Bible:

Outline I – Resurrection appearances

24. Starting from festivals:

Outline J – Why Christmas?

Part 4 Hot potatoes: Some questions arising for Christians on aspects of Islam

25. Should Christians call God Allah?

26. When should baptism happen?

27. Is it OK for Christians to eat halal meat?

Conclusion

Glossary of terms

Appendices

1. Study guides

2. Useful resources

3. Further guidance for preachers: Use stories and be mindful of non-Western perspectives

4. Further guidance for church leaders: Decide the level of priority that Muslim outreach has and will have in your church

Notes

Foreword

It is a privilege and a pleasure to commend Nick Chatrath’s book. I was not prepared for how much I would enjoy it, not to mention how much information and wisdom it contains. I know of no book like this. It is long overdue. It is a handbook for Christians who need direction on how to approach Muslims. Nick’s book will help you grasp the essentials of Islam and the intricacies of the Muslim mind and will show you how to converse with people like this in a very short period of time.

My own interest in this subject was whetted by my surprising relationship with the late President Yasser Arafat. I began praying daily for him in 1982, never expecting to meet him, but in 2002 Canon Andrew White took me into Ramallah when Arafat was very discouraged after the Israelis had bulldozed his compound. What might have been a fifteen-minute perfunctory visit lasted one hour and forty-five minutes. To say we bonded would be an overstatement, but something did happen between us that persevered through five extraordinary visits right up to his death.

Our conversations were almost entirely theological. I stressed one thing: that Jesus died on the cross for our sins. He said to me, We believe that Jesus ascended into heaven. I replied: "But he died first, Rais, was raised from the dead and then ascended into heaven. He reached for his Quran, showing me (as if I could read Arabic) where the only woman mentioned in it was the Virgin Mary. I said, So the Quran says Jesus was the Son of God – since he had no earthly father! Dr Saeb Erekat, the chief negotiator for the Palestinians, was present and stressed that Jesus was a prophet. I replied: That’s not good enough: he was the Son of God."

Had not Arafat been holed up in Ramallah – and feeling very low – it is unlikely I would have had so much time with him or that I would have got away with such candid discussions. I only know that I loved him – he felt it – and I did my best to present the gospel to him. It also sparked a deep interest in me to reach Muslims.

This is why I was so thrilled with Nick Chatrath’s book. If only I had had the knowledge it provides when I visited Arafat. But we can all have it now, and I guarantee that you too will thank God for this book. It is absolutely brilliant. If your desire is to reach a Muslim for Jesus Christ, this is your book. I cannot imagine a better book on this subject: utterly compelling, it is as good as it gets. It shows essential knowledge for a Christian that they understand Islam. Yet it is written with moving compassion for Muslims. Churches should use this book to teach Christians about Islam and how to reach a Muslim. I pray for its wide distribution.

Dr R. T. Kendall

Senior Minister of Westminster Chapel, London, 1977–2002

Introduction

Tens of millions of Muslims live in the West. As a group they are ethnically diverse, culturally rich, and often wonderfully passionate about life and faith.

The problem is that as Christians we often segregate our lives from them. Many fear getting to know Muslims or – worse – are inherently suspicious. What a shame, since we live in a day of unprecedented opportunities to interact with Muslims from around the world!

This book will help you bridge the divide. If you are a Christian, what you have to share with Muslims is magnificent and potentially life-changing – Jesus really is great news for everyone! If you have zero knowledge about Islam and zero relationships with Muslims, don’t worry: this book is for you. Think of it as a one-stop-shop introductory guide that will help you get to grips with the basics quickly. I am convinced that reaching Muslims is something we can all do, because fundamentally it involves friendship.

Various excellent books have been written in recent years about Islam and Muslims, including some from non-Muslim perspectives. Some of these books are also short. For example, Patrick Sookhdeo’s brilliant A Christian’s Pocket Guide to Islam focuses on beliefs and practices. And Islam and Islamic History (in the Oxford University Press Very Short Introductions series) deal in depth with historical and political