Christians are being urged to operate from a place of compassion when speaking publicly about Islam and Christianity.
The admonition comes from Beth Peltola, a lecturer and consultant on Biblically understanding Islam. Speaking at a recent session hosted by Christian non-profit organization, Issachar Foundation, she discouraged an attitude of exhibiting pride amongst Christians because they know that what they say about the topic of Islam and Christianity is correct. This behaviour, she says, is common in Muslim missionaries or atheists, and not at all Christlike.
“There’s a lot of young men, especially, and some women coming up on social media. They are speaking about Islam. They are supposedly or are Christians, and some of the way they speak is a really “gotcha”, a real, you know, one-upmanship, and we’re better than you, this kind of cocky attitude, which Muslim missionaries always have. And I would say atheists do it, but Christians? So, we can speak truth with power, with confidence, with utter conviction, and we can debate it in the public place, whether it’s in politics or down in mission situations. The fact is we bear the winsomeness of Christ.”
She also recommended some practical ways to deal with the Muslim community. She stated that the church in the Caribbean should begin by being more compassionate to each other, expressing the love of God to each other and employing habits of the foster community. This, she says, lays the foundation for Muslims who become believers to find a safe home.
“I’d start with the church first,’ she said, “let’s really work hard at making sure our churches, our communities, our fellowships really are a family; that people feel safe in the churches, that it’s filled with men and women, singles and marrieds, childless with children; as in we are families together and we are setting that foundation so that other people can come in and join our family and be a part of it.”
“And certainly when Muslims come to Christ, they need a family because they’re often ostracized and can even be threatened with death when a Muslim leaves Islam. And so we need to be the kind of churches that anyone can come into.” she added.
She also urged boldness and openness when engaging with and evangelizing to members of the Muslim community.
She said that churches should be confident and grounded, going out to the streets and preaching Christ. She also encouraged continued engagement in policy making, voicing our concerns to the governments and standing for Christlike legislation, which will ultimately benefit the entire nation.
“Let’s be open and be the Nehemiahs in the courts of the emperors and be Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego and Esther even, of course, and Deborah the judge and be these men and women in the courts, either influencing, advising overtly as Christians, not hiding, not allowing secularists to push us aside because we self muzzle. We hide our voice. Let’s not hide our voice.”
In addition, Peltola stressed the importance of praying for the nations, reminding attendees that the Word instructs Christians to do just that, and of going into Muslims populated areas, bringing with them the Gospel.
“Pray, pray, pray. And we all know this, don’t we? But let’s pray and fast for our land. I think that is so important.The Bible says pray for our leaders, pray and fast for our land. So it’s a spiritual aspect…and then it’s overtly going out there and speaking and going to where Muslims are and speaking and being a witness and having a clear, clear message of Christ’s good ways for the land,” she said.
