Open Doors Founder Lays Down 'The Muslim Challenge' for Christians
Founder of Open Doors, Brother Andrew, will be launching a new book 'Secret Believers: what happens when Muslims believe in Christ', at 'UNITE' events on Saturday 29 September, in West Bromwich.
Posted: Wednesday, September 12, 2007, 8:49 (BST)
Founder of Open Doors, Brother Andrew, will be launching a new book 'Secret Believers: what happens when Muslims believe in Christ', at 'UNITE' events on Saturday 29 September, in West Bromwich.
Brother Andrew, originally from the Netherlands, will also be addressing delegates at the day and evening events, speaking on the Muslim challenge for Christians today.
Brother Andrew has said, "We have created an enemy image of Muslims. We fear fundamentalists. We fear the consequences when a Muslim state acquires nuclear weapons. We worry about Muslims emigrating to the West, taking over our neighbourhoods, imposing Sharia Law. Isn't that why we fear them?
"Or maybe the real reason we fear Muslims is that we won't tell them 'God loves you'. Do we see members of al-Qaeda or Hamas as potential temples of the Holy Spirit? They won't be if we don't pray for them and if someone in whom Christ dwells doesn't go to them."
The Open Doors founder explained that 'Secret Believers' is calling for believers to devote themselves to forgiveness, radical love, and unyielding prayer.
It hopes to challenge Christians to help their persecuted brothers and sisters on four levels: Firstly, rather than view Muslims as enemies, to seek to win them to Christ; Secondly, rather than seek revenge when attacked to offer forgiveness; Thirdly, to accept the challenge of Islam by striving as Christians to imitate Christ; and finally, to commit to participate in the spiritual war, beginning on the "battlefield of prayer".
Speaking about the reasons he wrote the book, Brother Andrew says, "I wanted to tell the stories of Christian communities in Pakistan such as Shantinagar, destroyed by Muslims and how we publicly said "We forgive you Muslims for what you've done to us".
He emphasises that the result of this move was that within a year a community centre, a literacy centre and a clinic were all successfully established there.
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The comments below are readers' personal opinions and are in no way intended to reflect the editorial opinion of Christian Today.
Added: Tuesday, September 25, 2007, 5:31 (BST)
Repentence by individuals, muslims or others, is the work of the Holy Spirit. We have to forgive whether we continue to be abused or not, that was what led Jesus to the cross, forgiving those who do not deserve to be forgiven. That is His amazing grace, our Father's manifold mercy. I am here at His calling in the land of the highest numbers of muslims and prebumis in the world to minister to them. Mighty miracles and signs and wonders will follow. Leave it to our Lord who promised and whose words will go forth and never return void. Maranatha!
kai ong, Jakarta, Indonesia
Added: Wednesday, September 19, 2007, 23:09 (BST)
Please don't look at ALL "Muslims" and think that they are in need of your forgiveness! To do so is to suggest that all Muslims support the acts of extremists: They don't! Similarly, George Bush claims to be a Christian but do all Christians need forgiving for wrongs he has done?
I am a Christian - but I am not a "George Bush" Christian. Similarly, how many Muslims would align themselves with al-Qaeda?
And btw, forgiveness CAN clearly be unconditional: We have the choice to forgive whoever we want - and they can't do a thing to stop us! - that's what Jesus did on the cross (forgive them for they know not what they do) -surely that's GRACE!
It occurs to me that Jesus often said "Your sins are forgiven" but he never asked beforehand to make sure "are you sorry?" Our response to Christ's call is to accept the forgiveness he has already given - is he waiting to pay the price of your sin dependent on your apology, or has that price already been paid?!
grace, Manchester UK
Added: Saturday, September 15, 2007, 15:36 (BST)
I stood near Brother Andrew once, about 16 yrs. ago, in Chicago, Ill.
He also spoke at Wheaton College Illinois chapel when I heard him.
He wants us to love Muslims to Christ. We must heed his call.
Will we heed this leader's call? Bob Durham, USA, 53 yrs. old
member of Nat. Assoc. of Evangelicals, Wash. DC. Sept. 15, 2007
Bob Durham, Abington PA USA
Added: Wednesday, September 12, 2007, 17:13 (BST)
I admire Brother Andrew greatly. But to forgive someone is connected to their
repentance. It is one thing to tell others about Christ, another to "forgive" them
for the wrongs they do to us outside of their repentance.
God has given us human-rights and one of these rights is right to life and liberty.
There is no such thing as unconditional love. There is morality within all
aspects of love, such as doing good to those who abuse you, but that is
not providing them forgiveness when they have not repented.
http://examiningideas.1hwy.com/index.html
JHamilton, USA
