With over 1.8 billion Muslims in the world, the task of taking the gospel to Muslims is one of the greatest missionary challenges of the Church. Thousands of people groups have never been reached, many of which are Islamic ethnic groups. At the present rate of expansion, adherents to Islam will surpass the number Christians in the world by 2050. Some of the challenges in reaching these Muslim peoples are geographical isolation, Islamic governments restricting access, lack of workers and finances focusing on the never reached, and a decline in missions in the Western Church. We need to re-ignite our focus on reaching Muslim peoples in these days before the Lord’s return.
In the past 40 years, more Muslims have come to Christ than in the previous millennia. A sovereign move of the Holy Spirit is drawing many Muslims to Christ. However, this increase is only keeping pace with the growth rate of Islam globally. The Church must kindle its missionary passion for the lost.
A survey regarding the reasons Muslims come to faith in Jesus Christ identified 5 key influential factors. The number one reason Muslims accept
Christ is due to a friendship with a Christian who lives their life before them. However, 85 percent of Muslims have never had an encounter with a Christian. Second, Muslims come to faith in Jesus through receiving a copy of the Bible in their mother tongue. This allows them to discover the truth about Jesus for themselves. Third, Muslims come to Jesus through miraculous encounters with Christ, such as through a dream, a vision, or a healing. The power of the Holy Spirit in ministry to Muslims is a key ingredient for Muslims coming to Christ. Fourth, Muslims come to know Jesus as they experience the love of God as their Heavenly Father. Fifth, Muslims world-wide are experiencing a growing dissatisfaction and disillusionment with Islam, which opens the door for them to consider Christianity.
What all this exposes is that we need a resurgence of Pentecostal workers
to share the gospel of Jesus Christ with Muslim peoples, both domestically and in foreign lands. The Holy Spirit is at work in the hearts of Muslims and preparing them to receive the gospel, but laborers are few. With the signs of Christ’s return so evident, let us renew our passion for the harvest fields that are white unto harvest. Let’s pray. Let’s give. Let’s hear God’s call to go to lost Muslim peoples.