NYT reports on the “Camel Method” of evangelizing Muslims
You don’t normally expect to open the front section of the New York Times in order to read about Christian missiology (the study of missions and evangelism). But that is what we find in today’s issue, as a recent conversation (some might say controversy) among Southern Baptists has now moved to a much-wider audience:
Here is a brief clip:
Instead of talking about the Jesus of the New Testament, missionaries using the Camel Method point Muslims to the Koran, where in the third chapter, or sura, an infant named Isa — Arabic for Jesus — is born. Missionaries have found that by starting with the Koran’s Jesus story, they can make inroads with Muslims who reject the Bible out of hand....
Again, Mike, I would agree with you, when witnessing to Muslims in this country, because they have been exposed to a culture that is more open than is usually in their homeland. Well, as I said a foot in the door, not the whole presentation from the Qur'an, which would be of course impossible.
Even the apostle Paul, who gave many excellent examples of only preaching the word, used this opening:
Acts 17 22 And Paul stood in the midst of the Areopagus and said, "Men of Athens, I observe that you are very religious in all respects. 23 "For while I was passing through and examining the objects of your worship, I also found an altar with this inscription, 'TO AN UNKNOWN GOD.' What therefore you worship in ignorance, this I proclaim to you.---NASB
But yes a little of bad thing like the Qur'an can go a long way in the wrong direction.
2 Corinthians 4 2 but we have renounced the things hidden because of shame, not walking in craftiness or adulterating the word of God, but by the manifestation of truth commending ourselves to every man's conscience in the sight of God.---NASB.
So, in other words, keep on doing what you have been doing.
Jim Lincoln wrote: but then we often don't get to have a missionary program to Muslims
Jim Lincoln I wasn't raised a Muslim. I was raised as a "brainwashed" Roman Catholic who was taught "Protestants" were of the devil to be avoided like they were infectious and open anitSematism (Jews were Christ Killers), the Catholic Church justified itself as serving God in burning John Huss at the stake and slaughter uncounted numbers of none Catholics. All this along with the lie common people cannot understand the Bible they must have a Priest explain it to them (similar to the attitude of some Calvinists but that is another story) and Catholics didn't need the Bible they had "the mass" etc.
I say all that to point to what I know opened the door in my life...PRAYER!!! There were people I didn't even know who labored in prayer for me a known enemy of God, His Commandments, who hated Christians!!!
No gimmicks No tricks No set ups
I really don't think gimicks, well thought out questions that set you up and play on your emotions, apologetic reasoning would have convicted me like God's answer to the prayers of His people. And ultimately I don't believe it will work with Muslims either.
IMHO the SBC along with the rest of us need prayer. OOS
Michael good points, but then we often don't get to have a missionary program to Muslims, we had one fellow many years ago at IHCC go to witness to Muslims in their home territory, but didn't have any good results from it, as far as anyone could tell. This Southern Baptist missionary has some ideas, not all good because I still think missionary work is one person at a time, but he has been out in the field, Use the Qur'an to share Christ with Muslim, veteran missionary suggests. As I pointed out, and even this article pointed out, the Qur'an is no Bible. The point I would suppose is getting your foot in the door, but that is all. But quite right, Mike, Muhammad was not sent by God! Jesus or Muhammad: Who is God's True Seal of Prophethood?
I don't know about the rest of you all but I feel betrayed and stabbed in the back by the Southern Baptists who are promoting this notion (in my words of a nonoffensive "gospel").
Didn't the Sprit move Paul to write: "But even if we, or an angel from heaven, PREACH ANY OTHER GOSPEL to you than what we have preached to you, let him be ACCURSED. As we have said before, so now I say again, if anyone preaches ANY OTHER GOSPEL to you than what you have received, let him be ACCURSED."
The Quran is NOT the Word of God IMHO it would be accurate to describe the Quran as the word of a devil disquised as an angel of light. And some SBC types imagine they can extract THE Gospel from it?
Did not Jesus tell us: “Whoever desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me.
For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake and the gospel’s will save it.
For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul? Or what will a man give in exchange for his soul?
For whoever is ashamed of Me and My words in this adulterous and sinful generation, of him the Son of Man also will be ashamed when He comes in the glory of His Father with the holy angels.”
Chalkstone, you have good points, and also, the more knowledgeable Muslims will know the arguments (of course false) against the Christian Jesus and those for a Muslim one, ‘Isa, the Muslim Jesus. It would be better to point out the inadequacies of the Qur'an, Comparing the Bible and the Qur'an. Just looking over the life of Muhammad one can see he was not a servant of God.
"Missionaries have found that by starting with the Koran’s Jesus story, they can make inroads with Muslims who reject the Bible out of hand."
The suggestion here is that the missionaries are rejecting the Bible, in that it is the Word of God which the Holy Spirit will use to teach the elect of God. We do not need to apologise for the Sword of the Spirit. - Unless you are doing belief by intellectual assent!!
Eph 6:14 Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with truth, and having on the breastplate of righteousness; 15 And your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace; 16 Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked. 17 And take the helmet of salvation, and the SWORD of the Spirit, which is THE WORD OF GOD. K.J.V.
Heb 4:12 For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart." K.J.V.
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Dr. Bill Jones | 6/18/2008
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The point I would suppose is getting your foot in the door, but that is all. But quite right, Mike, Muhammad was not sent by God! 
IMHO it would be accurate to describe the Quran as the word of a devil disquised as an angel of light. And some SBC types imagine they can extract THE Gospel from it?
For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake and the gospel’s will save it.
mr b: "you wanna laugh? the govt is probably monitoring our comments and already..."
