There are also cases of deliberate efforts to exaggerate the numbers of converts. Muslim leaders have sometimes offered false numbers of Muslims becoming Christians in hope of alarming Muslims to persuade them to give more generously to Islamic missionary efforts.
There is also a "very strong anti-evangelism move" within Islam recently, aimed at blocking Christian mission work among Muslims. By saying that there are a large number of converts to Christianity, Muslims fuel the Muslim-majority public opinion against Christian evangelism.
Also, since the invasions of Afghanistan in 2001 and Iraq in 2003 and the "war on terror", Muslims have increasingly argued that President Bush's policy is to transform the Middle East into a "Christian entity" using Christian mission combined with American military might. Motivation to prove this theory has caused some Muslim leaders to claim higher numbers of converts to Christianity.
"This totally erroneous linkage has created more danger for Western forces based in Muslim countries as well as for Christian missionaries, whether expatriate or national," Dr Sookhdeo said.
In addition to Muslims, some Christians are also at fault for intentionally enlarging the number of converts. To gain greater financial support, some Christian groups have inflated the number of converts to Christianity, he said.
But Sookhdeo does acknowledge that at this current time in history, there are more Muslims coming to Christ than at any other time. However, he still expressed serious concerns about the misrepresentation of the number of those coming to Christ.
"Converts are increasingly concerned at the way in which publicity in the West is creating extra danger for them," Dr Sookhdeo said. "The present 'numbers game' is proving deadly.
"While it is good to highlight in public discussions the issue of Islamic law's death sentence for apostasy, the quoting of provocative numbers in the Western media is not welcomed by converts," he added. "In any case there are many secret believers known only to God."
Besides heading Barnabas Fund, Dr Sookhdeo is also the director of the Institute for the Study of Islam and Christianity.
