If you had asked me five years ago about my hopes for the future, I would have replied, 'To do well in my postgraduate studies and to have a successful career.' Working for a church? Never! Of course, I wasn't a Christian then. Soon, however, I met Christians who explained salvation through Christ. He graciously saved me. How privileged I am to be a recipient of God's saving love, when so many Muslims have never even heard the gospel.

Once saved, I longed to dig deeper into God's Word. I got in touch with a Bible school in England, hoping to spend one year focusing on the Bible before returning to my doctorate studies (PhD). During that year, the church I now attend offered me a placement for pastoral training. I can't truthfully say that the decision came easily...doctorate or pastoral training? I wanted to do both! But that wasn't possible. Through prayer, and with peace in my heart, I decided to stay in England to work with the church.

The placement would include helping a missionary who had already been working with the local Muslim population for two years. 25% of the population in our district is Muslim, which I'm sure reflects the situation in many areas of Britain. There is a great need for gospel work in these communities. So how do we seek to reach these Muslims?

Door-to-door

First we have to find a way to meet them. We can't wait for them to come to us! One approach is door-to-door work. Three afternoons a week we knock on Muslims' doors and offer them a video (in English, Urdu, Farsi or Arabic) which gives a clear, illustrated survey of the whole Bible. The idea is to lend them the video for two or three weeks, then go back and ask them what they thought of it, hoping to start up a conversation. Many who refuse Christian literature are willing to take a video or two! Here is an example of the initial conversation:

'Salam aleikoum (peace be with you, hello). We're from the church in X. We lend people videos. If you're interested, you can borrow one for a week or two, and then we'll come and collect it.'

 

'What is it about?'

 

'It talks about the life of the prophets; Adam, Nouh(Noah), Ibrahim(Abraham), Moussa(Moses), Daoud(David), and Hazrat Issa al massih (Jesus Christ).'

 

After few thoughtful seconds, the answer is usually, 'How much is it?

'It's mouft (free, in Urdu), no charge for it. You can watch it and we'll return in a week or two to collect it.'

 

The person then either accepts or refuses the video... On our return...

'Did you watch the video?'

 

If the answer is 'No,' we leave it with them a bit longer. But if they say 'Yes,' we try to engage them in discussion. Then we offer another video! If they refuse it, or we feel that we are unlikely to meet them again, we offer a gospel.

This method has been an encouraging starting point for many fruitful conversations and long-term contacts. I can't mention them all now but here's one that stands out: One day when we were collecting videos, a Pakistani Muslim in his sixties, who lives with his two sons, invited us in. Offering us coffee and biscuits, the man said how much he appreciated the video. He wanted to know more about the prophets in the Bible and was evidently searching for peace with God. We gave him a Bible as well as other Urdu literature, and started a series of Bible studies with him and his sons.

Market stall

Once a week, from 8.30am till 3.00pm, we have a stand at the local covered market. Many Muslims browse the stalls, so we offer literature in English, Urdu, Bengali, Farsi, Arabic, Kurdish, French and Spanish. When someone stops to look, I approach and ask where he is from. I then invite him to take something to read in his mother tongue, before asking if he has ever read the Bible. Whatever the answer, it provides an opportunity to share the gospel. There are some discouraging days when we don't meet anyone, but other days make up for it! Indeed, the majority of our Muslim contacts were met at the market.

A Pakistani lady once asked for an Urdu Bible. We were glad to give it to her. Several weeks later she came back, saying that her husband had found the Bible and taken it away. So she took another one. A few months later she returned for a third! We don't know what is happening because she is afraid to talk or to stay long at the stall.

Sharif (the name has been changed) is a Libyan refugee who stopped at the stall to look at Arabic literature. He was pleased, not only to find Arabic literature in England, but also to meet an Arab! He invited us to visit him at home, where we met his whole family.

All these people and many others have heard the gospel through the work in the market.

Are Muslims receptive to the gospel?

There is no categorical response to this question. Some Muslims are vigorously opposed to the gospel, while others are very open. One thing is certain: many Muslims have responded positively to the message of salvation and have given their lives to the Lord. A few months ago a young man from Afghanistan visited me. He was brought up as a Muslim, but one day someone gave him a Bible to read and later he has received Jesus as his Saviour and Lord.

I have seen the marvellous way that God can change the life of a Muslim. If there was a man who, humanly speaking, could never be saved, it was me. But God, in his love, brought me out of darkness into the light. I have great confidence that he can do the same for the Muslims we meet through door-to-door work or the market stall.

This article has been written by a brother working among Muslims in the UK. Please contact the editor if you would like more information.

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