That is one in three people alive today. We are 32.3% of the world’s population of over 8 billion people.

But do you know the desire of God is that all people on earth worship Him alone?

Now, what I want to do in this article is introduce you to missions. I want you to see something.

When you hear the words “missions work” or “missionary,” what normally comes to your mind first? What do you think missionaries are doing?

Many Christians think missions is simply what missionaries do. Yes, that is true, but missions flows from the heart of God long before it ever reaches the hands of men.

From Genesis to Revelation, Scripture reveals a God who was relentlessly pursuing the nations, not with judgment first, but with mercy, truth, and redemption.

So missions is all about reaching the nations with the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ.

John Piper said in his book Let the Nations Be Glad: “Missions exists because worship doesn’t.”

That means the mission of the church is missions until all nations on earth worship God the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Missions is not merely about building a school in one village or doing community development. Those things are important, they are part of missions, but they are not the mission itself.

Missions is not merely a programme of the church. That is why one week of “missions week” is not enough.

The Bible presents a God who desires to make His glory known among all peoples, who sent His Son into the world to redeem sinners, and who now sends His people to proclaim that good news to the nations.

From God’s promise to Abraham that all the families of the earth would be blessed through him (Genesis 12:1–3), to JESUS’ command to make disciples of all nations (Matthew 28:18–20), and finally to the vision of people from every tribe, language, people, and nation worshipping before the throne (Revelation 7:9–10), the story of Scripture is moving toward a redeemed people from every corner of the earth.

Therefore, missions is ultimately about God’s glory: we go because God is worthy to be worshipped by every people, and because the gospel is the means by which He calls sinners from darkness into His marvelous light.

More than 3.4 billion people still live in unreached people groups, groups where there is no indigenous church strong enough to reach their own neighbors. Another 2.2 billion have little or no meaningful access to the gospel at all.

We have more Christians than at any point in history, and we also have all the technology we need. Yet we also have more people who have never heard the name of JESUS in a context where they could respond.

All this is after 2,000 years since JESUS asked His followers to make disciples of all nations.

I want to show you some statistics.

According to the Center for the Study of Global Christianity and Joshua Project data:

- Global Christian population (mid-2025): approximately 2.645 billion (32.3% of the world).

- Unreached people groups: roughly 7,200, containing about 3.4–3.6 billion people.

- Cross-cultural missionaries: only about 430,000–450,000.

Let us not even talk about the percentage of Christian workers serving among the unreached. More than 80% of Christian workers serve where the gospel already exists.

For example, last year a missions leader confirmed that only 10% of Nigerian Christian graduates are becoming missionaries. According to him, most graduates, even those who say they have a calling into ministry, normally go back to their churches (where there are already 17,000 pastors) and become pastors there or take up other roles in the church.

The point is that only a few Christian workers are engaging those who do not have the gospel or have little access to it. It actually looks as if some Christians in this generation love their pleasure more than God and His command to make sure all nations hear the gospel.

I am very sure many of you have heard me say things like this: Your church may have 700 people and 200 workers, for example, but the Kanuri tribe, which is 99% Muslim and numbers about 14 million people, has fewer than 20 missionaries working among them. Why is that?

That is why it has been said: the harvest is plentiful and ripe, and the labourers are few but our churches are full.

For every Christian who goes to the unreached, there are tens of thousands who do not. Most Christian resources, people and money, remain concentrated where the church already exists.

This is not a resources problem. Christians collectively earn tens of trillions of dollars annually and give well over a trillion to Christian causes. The problem is allocation and mobilization.

Now think of your church. How does your church spend its money? Is it not mostly on conferences, conventions, and the like? Please understand, I am not talking about evangelism here; I am talking about missions.

Many Christians are ignorant of missions and unreached people. Many churches never talk about these things. I have met pastors who told me they do not know about this, or that God did not call them. I always ask, “Do you normally read your Bible?” because the mission of God for the nations is found in every book of the Bible.

Africa: The New Heartland and the Remaining Frontier

Africa now has the largest Christian population of any continent, around 754 million. Growth has been dramatic. In many places the church is vibrant, young, and expanding.

Yet Africa is not finished. Hundreds of people groups remain unreached, especially across the Sahel, the North, and among certain Muslim and traditional-religion communities. Population growth means the absolute numbers of people with limited gospel access continue to rise even as percentages improve in some regions.

Do you know that if in Africa we could have just one person go into missions for every 1,000 believers, Africa would create the biggest missionary movement the world has ever seen? What I am saying is this: we do not even have one missionary for every 1,000 Christians in Africa. That is how low we are. We have the highest number of Christians, yet we send the fewest missionaries.

Nigeria sits at the center of this story. It is home to one of the largest Christian populations in Africa (estimates commonly place it between 100 and 110 million, roughly 46–51% of the country). It also contains approximately 49 unreached people groups totaling around 72 million people, about 30% of the national population. The Hausa-Fulani and related groups in the North represent some of the largest unreached concentrations on the continent.

Nigeria is both a sending force and a mission field. The Nigerian church has produced remarkable missionary energy through networks such as the Nigeria Evangelical Missions Association, Calvary Ministries (CAPRO), and others. At the same time, the unfinished work inside its own borders is massive. The same pattern appears across much of Africa: a growing, maturing church living church living next door to peoples who have never heard.

Now I know some of you will ask me: What is the meaning of “unreached people”?

Joshua Project defines an unreached people group using a threshold of fewer than 2% Evangelical Christians and fewer than 5% Christian adherents.

In other words, there are people who are lost, but there is also a gospel-access problem.

I have already explained that more than 43% of the world population are unreached people according to Joshua Project. But there is an even more sobering category.

Joshua Project identifies 2,197 Unengaged Unreached People Groups, representing approximately 774.5 million people across 108 countries. These are groups for which there is no reported sustained missionary effort focused on establishing self-sustaining churches.

Read that again.

774 million people.

Not merely people who have not responded.

People among whom there is no reported sustained effort.

We cannot say, “They rejected JESUS,” when nobody has gone.

And then there is the Frontier.

Inside the unreached world are what Joshua Project calls Frontier People Groups, people groups where fewer than 1 in 1,000 people follows Jesus.

These are people who have never heard the Gospel. They have never met a Christian, never seen a Bible, and have never encountered any Christian literature.

And if nobody goes, they will die like that, because these people are also growing old and dying just like every other human being.

Will you go?

Joshua Project currently identifies 3,218 Frontier People Groups, representing approximately 1.9 billion people.

These are the people at the outermost edge of gospel access.

The people who are easiest to forget.

The people who do not have a large Christian population advocating for them.

The people who do not have thousands of churches praying for them.

The people who do not have Christian bookstores, radio stations, conferences, Bible colleges, or churches within their communities.

And yet…

JESUS died for them.

You know, in my house I have more than 15 Bibles for myself in different languages and versions for my studies. Yet there are people groups that are Bibleless, meaning they do not have the Bible in their language. Have you ever thought of them?

I know that for many of you, the meaning of Christianity is to go to church and enjoy the presence of God while forgetting—or not knowing—His burden. The preacher will tell you the promises of God for your life, but Christianity is beyond that.

One of the ways to show you believe in something is by taking responsibility. You cannot say you believe in something and do nothing about it. That is not possible.

If you truly believe the gospel is good news and you believe it is true, then you must be part of how this gospel will get to all people on earth.

In Romans 1:14 Paul said he is a debtor to Greeks and barbarians. That debt is for all of us. Whatever benefits you are enjoying in Christ, you owe them to the nations.

According to research, most of the missionaries today are above 60 years of age. You know what that means.

Christians in this generation need to understand that Christ is worthy of everything, our lives and even the things we hold so dear.

I met a woman a few years ago who was prophesying over her small children that this one would be a lawyer, that one a doctor, another a politician, and so on. I looked at her and thought in my heart: this is how so many parents pray for their children. When are we going to start praying and prophesying, begging God to call us and our children into missions?

Even the missionaries who brought the gospel to your parents or grandparents also had ambitions and achievements. But they laid all of them down and took up God’s burden.

At the end, just know this: you cannot say there is nothing you can do. As a believer you must be part of missions, through prayers, through going, through giving, or through mobilization and awareness.

This is God’s burden, if you do not yet know it.

Start praying about this today. Many of you think God has not called you into missions simply because you have never prayed about it.

Start doing something today.

Many Christians genuinely want to share the gospel with Muslims, but many times we find ourselves afraid. The reason we skip them even in our evangelism outreaches is because we are afraid. I have received more than 50 messages on Substack here from people asking me to address the topic of fear, resistance, and rejection. But I think I’ll start by asking: What are we afraid of? And why are we afraid of those things?

We imagine, “What if they ask me questions that I don’t know the answers to?” We think, “I don’t know Islam enough. I cannot explain the Trinity or other Christian doctrines.” Sometimes we see them as very hard people, while some of us see them as terrorists. We think, “What if I start preaching to them now and they get angry and attack me physically?” In fact, just last week someone was telling me that whenever he wants to buy something from them, he just wants to do it fast-fast and leave because he is afraid of them. The fear of rejection is there also, arguments, closed doors, and worse. Some of us have already tasted it. The result is often silence, delay, or not being part of Muslim evangelism at all.

This article is not a pep talk. It is a look at why the fear is so strong, how JESUS and Paul faced the same realities, and what Scripture actually says to us in the middle of resistance. I will end with a few real moments from the field, how the fear showed up and how the Lord met it.

1. Why Are We Afraid?

As I started addressing this in the introduction, sometimes we are afraid of Muslims because of all the news we are reading...that they are killing this person and bombing here and there. Because of that, even the ones that the Lord is bringing our way, we avoid them. We think if we start preaching to them, they can kill us or fight us. But we don’t think that way if we want them to fix our shoes. We don’t think they can kill us when we want to buy tomatoes from them. I’m just saying that the fear you’re feeling when you want to engage Muslims with the gospel is not from the Holy Spirit. It is from the enemy, the devil. And we should remember that with all these things that are happening, our God still loves Muslims, with all the killings they are doing. So if God still loves them, then who are you to say you hate them or you are afraid of them? Because the terrorism has made a lot of Christians hate Muslims, and that’s what the enemy wants. I have met Christians who told me that Muslims don’t deserve the gospel. Omo!

B. We are also afraid of their questions. Not all of us know our faith enough. Some Christians don’t know the reason why they believe what they believe, and that’s why it looks like they don’t believe what they claim they believe. I think this should make us study more, not make us afraid of them. If we are afraid of Muslims and because of that we are avoiding them, then we are doing what the enemy wants. If you think you don’t know Islam enough to engage Muslims, then go for Muslim evangelism trainings. I remember four years ago in Sapele, after sharing the gospel with one Muslim guy, I had to go back and ask God for mercy, and I started reading like mad. I read sometimes because of Muslims. That guy was so intelligent; he studied the Bible very well that he made me start doubting what I was preaching to him. I also remember meeting a Muslim teenager in Ibadan. That boy was quoting Bible verses for me from different versions from his head after I finished preaching to him.

*C.* Sometimes we think if we preach to our Muslim friends, we might lose the friendship or something like that. But what is the purpose of the friendship if I will not preach to you? And sometimes it is the fear of rejection, or some think, “I’m not a missionary or an apologist, so I cannot engage them.” Recently somebody sent me a long message telling me why it’s only ex-Muslims that should be engaging Muslims, not all believers, and all that. And sometimes it’s the fear of looking foolish. And sometimes we just don’t want to offend them. We are afraid of what if they think I’m attacking Islam. But above all the types of fear I can mention here, they are all coming from the enemy. Satan doesn’t want the gospel to advance, and he is working day and night to stop it. One of his strategies is making believers afraid of Muslims. I know you will agree with me that fear is not the fruit of the Spirit, right? The Bible tells us that God did not give us the spirit of fear (2 Timothy 1:7).

2. What Does Jesus Say to Fearful Witnesses?

Jesus never promised an easy reception. He sent the Twelve with the warning that they would be like sheep among wolves (Matthew 10:16). He told them some towns would reject them and that they should shake the dust off their feet (Matthew 10:14). Yet He also said, “I am with you always, to the end of the age” (Matthew 28:20), the same promise that undergirds the Great Commission. The command to evangelize is connected to the presence of Christ.

JESUS Himself faced fierce resistance. Religious leaders plotted against Him. Crowds turned away. Even His own town rejected Him. He did not soften the message to avoid it. He kept preaching the kingdom of God in love, and He prepared His disciples for the same path.

3. Paul

“And I was with you in weakness and in fear and much trembling…” (1 Corinthians 2:3–5).

Paul was an apostle. He had theological knowledge. He had experience. Yet he could still experience fear and trembling.

In almost every city he met opposition—riots in Thessalonica and Ephesus, beatings, imprisonment, plots against his life. Yet he could write, “I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes” (Romans 1:16). He told Timothy that “God gave us a spirit not of fear but of power and love and self-control” (2 Timothy 1:7). Paul’s strategy was not to avoid hard soil but to keep sowing, trusting the results to God.

So if you’re a Christian struggling with fear in evangelism, you shouldn’t conclude, “Maybe I’m not called to evangelism because I’m afraid.” Instead, fear does not necessarily mean you are unqualified to witness. Sometimes it means you are human, and that you need to depend on God’s power.

Do you know Paul asked believers to pray for boldness for him? Like the mighty Paul? In Ephesians 6:19–20, he asks believers to pray for him for boldness to proclaim the gospel. That is fascinating: Paul asked other Christians to pray for his boldness. If Paul needed prayer for boldness, we shouldn’t be ashamed to admit that we do too.

4. Practical Ways Forward

The way we see Muslims needs to change.

We need to learn to see them the way God sees them not as enemies to fear, arguments to win, or people to avoid, but as people deeply loved by God and made in His image.

When we begin to see Muslims as friends rather than strangers, fear begins to lose its grip on us.

Because it is difficult to be afraid of someone you genuinely love.

It is difficult to avoid someone you have chosen to see as a friend.

Perhaps the first step toward reaching Muslims with the Gospel is not learning what to say to them, but learning how to see them.

I remember there was a time we went out one day with my Discipler then in 2022. I was to enter a mosque because I wanted to see the face of the Imam and the Ladan (don’t try this oo 🤣—I’ll write my stories of entering mosques for evangelism one day). At some point I was afraid in my mind. I had to start praying in my heart. And at the same time we were to start engaging Muslim cleric leaders then with the gospel. One fear will just catch me as I’m about to start talking with them. Thank God for my Discipler then...he will be encouraging me and telling me, “You can do it, Abdullahi.” You know, in Muslim evangelism, don’t go alone. Go with someone always, unless when you don’t have a choice. Even till today I don’t have enough confidence when I go out alone for evangelism than when I’m with someone. And even in the Bible we see how Jesus was sending them two by two. Try to always go with someone.

I also remember in Aduwawa tomatoes market in Benin City a few years ago. I saw one Muslim man. I was sharing Hausa tracts. I wanted to give him and engage him in gospel conversations, but I was just afraid in my heart. I started praying. I was actually telling JESUS that I want to speak with that man but I’m afraid. I said, “Lord, help me.” And after some time I engaged him. Guess what? The conversation went well. He collected my number, and at the end he requested for Hausa which I gave him. We are still talking about the gospel with him till today, even though he is yet to receive the gospel.

Sometimes when you feel afraid, send messages to ask fellow believers to pray for you.

Conclusion

Fear will probably never disappear completely this side of glory. But it does not have to master us. JESUS faced resistance and still went to the cross. Paul faced it and still finished the race. The same Spirit who was with them is with us.

The call remains: go, preach, love, and trust. The power is not in our eloquence or cultural skill. It is in the gospel itself and in the presence of the One who said, “I am with you always.”

I’ve come to agree with John Piper on the meaning of life. What is our purpose here on earth? Why did God decide to create us? Piper says God created us for His glory, to enjoy Him forever. That truth has settled deep in my heart: God created me for His pleasure. If you’ve been reading my birthday reflections over the years, you know I talk about life and its meaning every single time. This is the first year I’m sharing it here on Substack, but the heart behind it hasn’t changed.

Yesterday, God reminded me again that I was created for Him. My entire life belongs to Him, and only in Him can I find true and lasting satisfaction.

The Lord also brought me back to the scripture He gave me in 2022—Acts 20. Many of my friends know that Acts 20 is my favourite chapter, especially verses 22–24:

“However, I consider my life worth nothing to me; my only aim is to finish the race and complete the task the Lord Jesus has given me—the task of testifying to the good news of God’s grace.” (Acts 20:24)

Reading this yesterday reminded me why I’m still alive. My life means nothing to me until I fulfil the task JESUS has given me. I will never be satisfied in this life until the day I see the Lord use me to plant churches made up of Muslim-background believers. I want to see a church of former Muslims before the end of my life. I trust God will do it through me. I can achieve many things and do many impressive works, but if I never see that church planted, all of it will feel meaningless to me.

I was telling a friend recently that I don’t even know what I would do with my life if tomorrow I was told to stop engaging Muslims with the Gospel. I honestly wouldn’t know—unless it was God Himself asking me to stop. In that case, I will trust Him and follow His leading, just as someone once wrote here on Substack: we should always trust God, because He will never mismanage our lives.

As I reflected yesterday, one thought kept coming back to me: How did I even become a missionary? How? I was once a Muslim child who dreamed of going to university to study law, then becoming a jihadist. I wanted to fight for Islam and for Allah. I read books on jihad and the biographies of jihadists while growing up, people like Osama bin Laden were my role model then. I never knew God had a different plan for my life. I never knew He would show me mercy.

If someone had told my parents just 15 or 20 years ago that their child would become a Christian missionary, they would never have believed it. Yet God looked at my village, looked at that stubborn child, and decided to show him mercy. It still amazes me. I bow down and worship JESUS. I will forever worship JESUS, because He is the true God, and He saved me.

I just want to preach the Gospel, die, and be forgotten.

From the beginning of my birthday week, this song has been on repeat: “Only Jesus” by Casting Crowns.

“And I, I don’t want to leave a legacy

I don’t care if they remember me

Only Jesus

And I, I’ve only got one life to live

I’ll let every second point to Him

Only Jesus”

You should check it out on YouTube or Spotify.

Christian life is a life of service...to God and to humanity.

Whenever I think about the Muslim world, I often wish I had two lives. I would use both of them to serve among Muslims. The thought of more than two billion Muslims reminds me of just how short my one lifetime is to reach them all with the Gospel of Christ.

There is simply too much work for a few people to accomplish alone.

This is why I pray that many more believers will rise and give themselves to serving Christ among Muslims not just in their local church. A few people cannot finish this task. We need men and women who will give their lives to making JESUS known among those who have never heard His name.

As for me, I want every day of my life to count for the Gospel. I want to engage a Muslim with the message of JESUS every single day...to sow seeds of the gospel.

And when my assignment is over, I want to be forgotten. I only want Christ to be remembered.

I have even told God that the children He may give me someday are already dedicated to His service among Muslims. Before they are born, I pray that their lives will already belong to the mission of making Christ known among Muslims.

But I believe something greater is coming.

We are going to witness a move of God in our generation like never before among Muslims.

May God raise an army of believers who will carry the Gospel to the ends of the earth, especially to the places where Christ is least known.

You know ? I’ve said this before and some people feel like I don’t really know what I’m saying. We are living in a generation where everyone wants to build kingdoms and empires, where people chase dreams and trophies...just as Casting Crowns sings about.

Maybe that’s why what I’m saying sounds strange to some. But it’s nothing complicated. I actually want to be forgotten when I’m dead. I don’t want to build anything. I just want to preach Christ crucified to the Muslim world, die, and be forgotten as if I never existed.

William Carey, the father of modern missions, said to a friend near the end of his life: “I know you have talked about me so much. When I die, don’t talk about me again. Talk about my Saviour and my Lord Jesus Christ.”

Brethren, I want the Muslim world to hear the name and the gospel of JESUS Christ. I know that is the desire of God’s heart, and He wants to do it through you and me. Will you give yourself to that?

The Future?

I have mentioned to a few friends that the Lord has given me a vision to reach Arab Muslims with the gospel. When? I don’t know yet. I’m homesick for those Arab nations I’ve never visited. I miss the land. I can’t wait to see them worship JESUS one day—not far from now—through this ministry. Every Muslim deserves to hear the gospel, even if only once in his lifetime.

My friend and brother, Brother Peter, came to visit me and spent three days. Yesterday we planned to pray together about my birthday and a few other small issues we had shared with each other. But as we started praying, the Holy Spirit completely changed the direction of the prayer to North Africa. The Holy Spirit opened our eyes to some things. We spent the entire night praying for Libya and other parts of North Africa. We believe the Holy Spirit is doing something, and He is about to do something more. So the answer is this: I will move to the Arab world in the future and engage Arabs with the gospel.

This is 24! Omooooo

I am still learning to love JESUS, brethren. I have preached Christ, but I have not always loved Him as deeply as I should. I want to surrender to Jesus again. I need more of His grace and mercy.

There are only twenty-four years behind me, and I have no idea how many are ahead.

How many more years do I have to preach Christ?

How many more years to sit with Muslims and talk about God, sin, salvation, the cross, the resurrection, and eternity?

How many more years to disciple those who come to faith?

I don’t know.

I don’t want to ask myself, “What did I accomplish in my early 20s?”

I want to ask myself:

How many Muslims are disciples of Christ because I am alive?

How many Muslims have heard the gospel because I am alive?

Who will one day stand before Christ and say, “Thank Youuuuuu for sending someone to tell me”?

How many believers will be part of what Jesus is doing among the Muslim world because I talked with them?

I don’t know the answers yet.

But I want my life to make room for them.

I think I should just end this note here. Please pray for the Muslim world, that they would encounter Christ. Pray for the Muslims in your city. And please pray for me. It’s my 24th birthday, I'm close to my 50s according to my prayer partner 🤣

“If we can’t go to them, God brings them here to us… Let us find the hidden peoples whom God has sent to our doorstep—and thereby be a part of the fulfillment of God’s promise to Abraham, and of Christ’s command to make disciples of all nations.”__Nate Mirza

Migration is one of the defining realities of our time. Millions of Muslims have left their communities of origin, often fleeing war, insecurity, poverty, or instability...and settled in historically Christian communities across Europe, North America, southern Nigeria, and beyond. From a biblical perspective, this is no accident.

While many people see migration as merely a political or economic issue, the Church must ask a different question: Could God be bringing the nations to our doorstep so they can hear the Gospel?

Muslims also have an agenda. When you study Islam and its history, you discover that migration (hijra) has been one of the strategies used to spread Islam since the days of Muhammad. As Uncle John said, “People are migrating from everywhere to anywhere now.” And God has a purpose in Muslim migration, He is bringing them to the doorstep of the Church, so that they can hear the gospel in this end time.

Before, believers often had to travel far to engage Muslims. Now they are our neighbours.

God “made from one man every nation of mankind to live on all the face of the earth, having determined allotted periods and the boundaries of their dwelling place” (Acts 17:26). He is sovereign over the movements of peoples. Christians must see this as a divine opening: unreached peoples from closed communities are now living next door to churches, grocery stores, and schools where the gospel can be shared freely.

Take northern Nigeria as an example. You cannot simply go and start preaching publicly in many parts of the North. But now northerners are in the South of Nigeria. You can preach to them with everything in you, the way you could never try it in the North.

GOD BRINGING THE NATIONS TO Our DOORSTEP

Scripture repeatedly shows God using migration for His redemptive purposes. Think of Joseph in Egypt, the Jewish exiles in Babylon, Ruth the Moabite, Pentecost in Acts 2, or the scattering of early Christians after Stephen’s martyrdom, which spread the gospel.

That is how God is bringing Muslims into Christian communities around the world so they can hear the gospel. Without migration, many Muslims would die without ever hearing it.

Let me give you myself as an example. I was a Muslim, born and raised in northern Nigeria. After my WAEC I had an issue with my family, left home angrily, and went to Benin City and later Lagos. At the end I became a Christian. I became a Christian outside my region. It was easier for me to hear the gospel and believe it here.

Let me show you something. If you live in the South of Nigeria, have you visited Sabo in Ibadan? What of Aduwawa market in Benin City? Garke in Enugu? Trailer garage in Port Harcourt? Shasha in Akure and Ado-Ekiti? And etc. I have been to all the states in southern Nigeria. There is no city or town that does not have Muslim northerners. We were in one of their communities in Owerri, and I actually thought I was in the North because of their numbers.

Now think about it. Did God just bring them to fix your shoes? Or for you to just buy tomatoes from them? Think of me. If God had not used His people for my salvation, I would have stayed in a Christian community for some years, then returned to my village and continued practising Islam.

What are you doing as an individual about the Muslim migrants in your city? What is your church doing about them?

This is not only happening in Nigeria. What of the Somali immigrant refugees in Kenya and Uganda? Do you know how much the number of Muslims is growing in the UK, the US, Australia, Canada, and other developed countries? I will share the statistics in Part 2 of this article.

These shifts place millions of Muslims in environments where Bibles, churches, and Christian neighbours are accessible, often for the first time. I know how many times I have preached to a Muslim northerner in the South and he has told me, “This is my first time ever hearing the gospel.” Even last Saturday, after finishing a conversation with a Muslim couple, the husband said to me, “Abdullahi, this is our first time hearing this message.”

Many Muslims have little or no access to the Gospel in their communities and countries. As we observe the global migration of Muslims, one truth we must not miss is God's sovereign hand at work in the background. He is bringing many of them to places where they can freely encounter the Gospel, read the Bible, and meet Christians who can lovingly share Christ with them.

THE DANGER IF WE FAIL:

In April this year we were in Aba, Abia State. We went to a market that belongs to northerners to preach. After we started preaching they asked us to stop. We said no. Their leader said he had been in that market for more than 30 years and nobody had ever come to preach Christianity to them, why should we do that? At the end they asked the police to arrest us,for preaching the gospel. In the South-East of Nigeria. Not in the North oo.

I want you to learn something from this story. Why would they spend 30 years without somebody going to preach to them? What exactly are we doing in our churches? South East has a good Christian population.

As Muslims grow in a place, their authority also grows. If we fail to give them the gospel now, a time will come when some places will be closed to the gospel, just like Muslim-dominated communities. You may say “God forbid,” but it is not by merely saying “God forbid.” Muslim migrants are already converting some Christians in Christian communities. They do it strategically, through marriage, money, and intellectual debates. In the South of Nigeria I have met many Muslim missionaries who were sent from the North for missions. They are selling onions, but they have a mission.

Christians are often unwilling to engage them. I do not know what we are thinking. Maybe some Christians believe Muslims do not deserve salvation because of the things we read daily in the news. I remember talking with a pastor friend, urging him that his church should engage Muslims and offering to train them. He said God did not call them into that. According to him we were talking about expanding the kingdom of God, while I was talking about Muslims. I tried to help him see it from the Great Commission perspective. He replied that God only calls missionaries to fulfil the Great Commission; his work was to train his members how to fight well in the spirit. I did not know what else to say.

Last year in May, while I was in Lagos, one evening I went out to get water and saw a Muslim guy doing security work at a church near the house where I was staying. I decided to talk to him about the gospel. After the conversation he told me it was his first time hearing the gospel. In my mind I asked, “What happened to the church members? Nobody has ever preached to him?” That is how many church people behave, Christian are not ready to use any small opportunity to share the gospel with Muslims, Even when churches go out for evangelism, they often ignore those Muslim guys. We are only looking for people we can invite to fill our church buildings. It is well.

CONCLUSION

This is my last article as a 23-year-old missionary. By the time you read Part 2 I will be 24 (I’m just saying it 😂🤣).

Whenever the Church abandons evangelism, spiritual influence shifts elsewhere. The greatest tragedy is not that Muslims migrate into our neighbourhoods. It is that they may live among Christians for decades without ever hearing the Gospel clearly.

One day we may stand before Christ and discover that He brought the nations to our streets while we waited for missionaries to reach theirs.

What are you going to do today?

What about your church?

“Ask me, and I will make the nations your inheritance, the ends of the earth your pssession.”_Psalms 2:8

We live in an age of “small Christianity.”

Small prayers. Small ambitions. Small maps.

Do you know there are some Muslim cities that do not have a single church? Or some Muslim countries that do not even have a known Christian? A few years ago it was confirmed that there is no known Christian from Libya. In cities like Baghdad in Iraq, Damascus in Syria, or Constantine in Algeria, to see a believer or an indigenous church is really hard work. I read an old research recently that said there are only 7 Christians from Morocco. Whether the numbers have changed or not, the reality remains the same: millions of people still live and die without hearing the gospel.

I believe God is raising men and women whom He will use to change history…people who will break through the barriers of culture and religion to preach the gospel to Muslims.

For me, I think Christians in this generation don’t want to be missionaries, let alone work among Muslims. They just want to live a normal life. Normal life means being trained as professionals, making money, settling in their cities with their children, and dying after some years. Many times I believe Christians read Matthew 28:18-20 as “go and make disciples of all nations except Muslim nations.”

Christians in this generation spend hours praying for their destinies, especially in this part of the world that I’m from. Christians live with small ambitions, just marriage, speaking to large crowds in our field, and then dying. We pray the smallest prayers about visas, destinies, and things like that. Even when churches talk about taking the gospel, they mostly mean planting their denomination where it is not yet present. That is not an issue if we also think about those who still do not have the gospel at all.

Let me show you the statistics. Don’t just look at the numbers, think of them as people with addresses, lives, cultures, and without the gospel.

1. Jakarta, Indonesia — roughly 28.5 million Muslims (Indonesia is the world’s most populous Muslim-majority country; the city proper is about 83–87% Muslim.)

2. Karachi, Pakistan — about 20.5 million

3. Dhaka, Bangladesh — about 20.2 million

4. Cairo, Egypt — about 19.8 million

5. Istanbul, Turkey — about 14.8 million

6. Tehran, Iran — about 13.5 million

7. Lahore, Pakistan — about 13 million

8. Kano, Katsina and other cities in Nigeria — these are cities with around 5 million Muslims each

These are not remote villages hidden somewhere on the map. They are strategic and influential cities. Some of these cities alone, like Jakarta, have more Muslims than the entire Christian population of many Christian-majority nations. It may also surprise you to know that countries in Africa like Senegal are still about 98% Muslim. Or what do you say about Northern Nigeria?

This is not a call to fear. It is a call to scale our faith up to the size of the actual world God has placed us in. As someone once said, our God is a global God, and we must be global Christians.

What “small Christianity” looks like here

1. Praying ONLY for our own needs. We should be naming Muslim cities .... Jakarta, Kano, or Cairo ....in our prayer meetings.

2. Celebrating numerical growth in already-reached places while remaining silent about the cities where the Church is a tiny minority or almost invisible.

3. Treating missions as an optional program rather than the normal overflow of a heart that has seen the Lamb who was slain for every tribe, tongue, people, and nation, including the Hausa, the Javanese, the Bengali, the Egyptian, the Turkish, and the Arabs.

WE SHOULD KNOW

Our God created everything and everybody. He deserves worship from everyone on earth. Your work is to go and tell them.

Our understanding of missions has to change. Some of us still think missions is only about travelling to a village without electricity or network coverage as though we still live in the nineteenth century. Missions is also about the great cities of the world.

Start engaging Muslims in your own cities. There is hardly no city on earth now without Muslims. I’m going to write about Muslims in the diaspora soon.

If the Lord is calling you to the Muslim world, please go. If you have a burden, go. If you feel something while reading this, go. God might be calling you through this article. There is a need, go.

Build relationships with missionaries who work among Muslims. Get prayer points from them and see how you can be part of what they are doing.

The size of these cities is not an accident of demography. It is a divine appointment. The same Lord who looked on the crowds and had compassion, who wept over Jerusalem, now looks on Jakarta’s density, Kano’s markets, Cairo’s streets, and Sokoto’s neighborhoods. He is not impressed by our smallness of vision. He invites us to trade it for His ( Do you know the Lord’s vision?

Do you know where His heart is?

He longs to see every creature from every nation… including Muslims — worship Him..)

So the question is simple and uncomfortable:

Will we keep practicing a Christianity that fits comfortably inside our existing churches and social media feeds, or will we let the scale of the Muslim urban world force us to our knees, and then onto planes?

Remember, co-labourers with the Lord are in partnership with Him in changing history and establishing the church of Christ JESUS where it does not exist. Being a missionary for the Lord is a privilege that few Christians choose.

Remember also the stories of so many nations that once had no Christians or even a single church, like South Korea, where they brutally killed the pioneer missionaries, Albania, China, and Mauritania. But because someone went, they now have believers and churches.

Are you going?

"But while men slept, his enemy came and sowed tares among the wheat, and went his way." — JESUS Christ

Many Christians do not know why they should engage Muslims with the Gospel. In this article, I want to give you some reasons why you MUST intentionally engage Muslims with the Gospel.

After JESUS' resurrection, He commanded His followers to go and make disciples of all nations. Muslims are part of those nations. In fact, Islam is one of the greatest challenges facing the Church today, and it is also one of the world's largest mission fields in desperate need of the Gospel. Today, there are over two billion Muslims, and many of them still have little or no access to the Gospel. Why? Perhaps because many Christians are afraid, while others have become too busy to fulfil their Master's command.

History is not shaped only by the things people do; it is also shaped by the things they fail to do. Whenever God's people become passive, the kingdom of darkness is never passive. While the Church remains silent, the enemy continues to sow his seeds.

Looking at Matthew 13, it is very important to understand that it was the man's enemy who came and sowed the tares among the wheat. The enemy did not sow the seed while the servants were working, but while men slept. That should challenge every believer. The enemy is always at work, especially when God's people neglect their responsibility.

It is my prayer that by the end of this writing, I will have shown you why you MUST be part of what God is doing among Muslims. My desire is not merely to inform you, but to stir your heart to obey CHRIST's command and intentionally take the Gospel to those who have not yet heard it.

MY REASONS

Let me start by telling you a story.

After I became a Christian, I began asking myself some questions: Why, and how, is Islam growing if it is not the truth in the presence of Christianity? During that season, I read many books and articles while doing my research. One of the funniest things I came across was a story that, at one point in Church history, some Christian theologians were busy arguing about holy water. Yes, holy water! One group argued that if something entered inside the water that automatically made it holy, while another group insisted that the water itself was not holy again, if something felt inside. While those debates were going on, Islam was busy taking over Christian communities, in North Africa and some part of middle East.

Do you know that even today Muslims are busy taking over Christian communities?

Let me tell you something. Here in Nigeria, I have seen it with my own eyes. I was in Enugu and Ebonyi States in April this year, and I saw how Muslims are converting people in Christian communities around the Nsukka area. I also went to a village in Nassarawa State for an outreach. While we were there, some Muslims came for their own outreach. In fact, they had arrived before us. They had already converted many people to Islam.

I have so many stories I could tell you about how Islam is growing in Christian communities across Nigeria and West Africa. There are stories that would break your heart if you are a Christian who truly cares about world evangelisation. Imagine hearing that entire Christian villages are gradually embracing Islam. Some of these things are happening right here in northern Nigeria, just imagine if you're JESUS, how would you feel? Your followers are not obeying your commands and even those that are your followers the enemy is deceiving them because of careless of believers?

I hope to write another article soon about Muslim migration, but for now, my point is simple: you have to do something.

We have reached a point where, in some places, we are spending more time trying to rescue Christians who have converted to Islam than we are engaging Muslims with the Gospel in the first place. Do you really understand what I am saying? Omooooo

Islam is currently the fastest-growing religion in the world, and unless something supernatural happens, its growth will continue. Hello?

These are some of my reasons why you must be part of what JESUS is doing among Muslims.

1. JESUS commanded us.

In Matthew 28:18–20, JESUS told us to make disciples of all nations. He did not say we should only make disciples of people who are easy to reach. To deliberately avoid engaging Muslims is to disobey CHRIST. We have no excuse for refusing to be part of what JESUS is doing among Muslims in this generation.

Muslims are among the largest unreached and least-evangelised people groups in the world today. Because of migration, you will find them almost everywhere now. Some of them are your neighbours, your security guards, the people you buy tomatoes from, your classmates, your colleagues, or your business partners. Since it is CHRIST Himself who commanded us, we must be part of this mission.

2. JESUS is the only way to heaven, and God wants all people to be saved.

You must be very wicked to believe that JESUS is the only way to God and yet refuse to tell those who do not know Him.... including Muslims.

The greatest commandments are to love God with all our hearts and to love our neighbours as ourselves (Matthew 22:37–39). Genuine love does not hide the truth.

Christians believe that JESUS is "the way, the truth, and the life," and that "no one comes to the Father except through Him" (John 14:6). The apostles also declared that there is salvation in no one else (Acts 4:12).

Do not look at Muslims simply because many of them are morally good people and assume they will make it into heaven. If they die without CHRIST, they will perish.

To those who believe Christians and Muslims worship the same God, I totally disagree. I do not want to go deeply into that here. I hope one of my friends will write about that subject soon.

3. "While Men Slept"—Islam is growing.

I know many of you know that Christianity is currently the largest religion in the world. But according to research, about 25 years from now, Christianity and Islam will have almost the same global population.

Now think about Sub-Saharan Africa. Research shows that between 2015 and 2060, the Muslim population in the region is expected to grow from 16% to 27%. Should that percentage be increasing or decreasing?

That is not all. By then, Africa is projected to have more Muslims than the Middle East. I am not even talking about Asia, Europe, or America, where Islam is also growing rapidly. Do you need the data?

According to Abu Nasir in his book Engage, while the world's population is projected to grow by about 32% in the coming decades, the number of Muslims is expected to increase by about 70%, from 1.8 billion in 2015 to around 3 billion by 2060.

Do you know the most heartbreaking part?

Many of these Muslims have never heard the Gospel. Some have never even met a Christian in their entire lives and many of them will die without even meeting a Christian in person in their lives.

Is this information stirring your heart the way it is stirring mine?

See when we talk about 2 Billions Muslims, we are not just calling numbers, they actually do exists, they are people with family, address and culture and they are getting old without ever hearing the gospel.

4. Because we love JESUS.

Should I tell you this, guyyyyyy?

JESUS wants these people to be saved. If JESUS were physically walking the earth today, I am convinced He would be engaging Muslims with the Gospel or Apostle Paul.

Sometimes I honestly wonder what some churches are teaching if believers are not joining JESUS in His mission. We organise power conferences, revival meetings, and prophetic gatherings, but when are we going to organise prayer meetings specifically for the salvation of Muslims?

You know I believe in the supernatural. Many times I have challenged my friends by saying, "All the power you have been receiving, please come and demonstrate it among Muslims. We need it here."

Too often, after attending powerful meetings, we feel refreshed and excited because God has filled us again with His Spirit, but we stop there. We feel good about the experience without doing anything with what we have received.

5. God is already working among Muslims. Just join Him.

There are countless dramatic stories of how God is bringing Muslims to salvation. JESUS is already at work among them.

In April, I spoke with a young Muslim man in Owerri. Within just a few minutes, he accepted the Gospel. I was shocked, but then I realised God had been preparing his heart long before I met him.

Many Muslims are having dreams and supernatural encounters, but they do not understand what they mean.

Please, go and explain their dreams and Gospel to them.

6. The cost is worth it.

Do you remember the passage where JESUS said there is joy in heaven over one sinner who repents?

Many Muslims are willing to listen. They ask sincere questions. They genuinely want to understand.

No matter what it costs you, it is worth it for the sake of our Master. After all, we are only unworthy servants doing what He has commanded us to do.

7. You can do it.

For many Christians, the greatest obstacle is fear, fear because of what they have heard about terrorism, persecution, or difficult conversations. For others, it is simply hatred. They dislike Muslims so much that they have no desire to reach them.

But none of these are valid excuses for disobeying the command of JESUS.

Start by asking God to give you a heart that genuinely loves Muslims. Ask Him to remove fear and replace it with compassion. Then take the first step.

Remember, courage is built through obedience.

Many things the internet says about Islam are true, and many are not. But one thing I know is this: there are still many peaceful Muslims who are hungry for the Gospel.

8. Because God has always loved the nations.

Long before Islam existed, God had already revealed His desire to save people from every nation, tribe, language, and people group. Muslims are not outside His plan.God has always loved Muslims, even before Islam existed. They are people created in the image of God, and CHRIST died for them just as He died for us.

From the very beginning, God promised that through Abraham all the nations of the earth would be blessed. Throughout the Bible, we see God's heart reaching beyond one nation to every nation. The book of Revelation gives us a glimpse of the future, where people from every tribe, language, people, and nation stand before the throne worshipping the Lamb. I believe there will be former Muslims in that great multitude, just like me.

When we engage Muslims with the Gospel, we are not trying to convince God to love them. He already does. We are simply joining Him in His mission to gather worshippers from every nation for His glory.

9. Because eternity is too long to remain silent.

Every Muslim you meet will spend eternity somewhere. One day, their life on earth will come to an end, just as ours will. Wealth, education, culture, and religion will all pass away, but eternity will never end.

Many Muslims have never had the opportunity to hear the Gospel clearly. Some have never met a genuine Christian who could explain who JESUS truly is. Imagine standing before CHRIST knowing that someone lived, worked, or even lived next door to you, yet never heard the Good News because you remained silent.

That thought should move us, not with guilt, but with love and urgency. We do not preach because we hate Muslims. We preach because we love them. We preach because we know that salvation is found only in JESUS CHRIST. If we truly believe that, then we cannot keep such wonderful news to ourselves. The Gospel is too precious to hide, and eternity is too long to remain silent.

CONCLUSION

Maybe you have not been engaging Muslims with the Gospel because you didn’t know why you should. But I hope that through these few reasons, your heart has been stirred. As believers, we have no excuse. We must intentionally engage Muslims with the Gospel.

History is not shaped only by the things people do; it is also shaped by the things they fail to do. While men slept, the enemy has been busy sowing tares among the wheat. If we are not doing something, through prayers or evangelism, to reach them, the devil is definitely doing something. Muslims are seriously in need of Christ. Don’t just go online insulting Islam; instead, do something practical to give them the Gospel.

I normally tell my Christian friends that those Muslims God is bringing across your path , your neighbour, your security guard, the woman you buy oranges from, your classmate or colleague, He is expecting you to preach the Gospel to them. It is not a choice; it is your responsibility. If you fail to do so, God will ask you about it.

The harvest is plentiful, but the labourers are few. The Lord of the harvest is calling us in this generation. Will you answer? Will you arise from slumber and obey the command of our Master Jesus Christ?

May the God of all flesh and spirits give you grace, boldness, and compassion to reach Muslims with the love and truth of the Gospel. May He empower you to be part of what He is already doing among them. Amen.

Last week, we explored the heart behind reaching our Muslim neighbors with the gospel of Christ. This week, let's get practical.

Many Christians sincerely want to share the gospel with Muslims but have one problem, they simply don't know how to begin. They fear saying the wrong thing, offending their Muslim friend, or getting pulled into an argument they aren't prepared for. But Scripture calls us to be ready, relational, and reliant on the Holy Spirit, not on perfect arguments.

The good news is that SOME gospel conversations don't begin with apologetics. They begin with genuine friendship, curiosity, kindness, and listening.

In this article, I want to share practical lessons that have helped missionaries and gospel workers around the world engage Muslims in meaningful conversations.

JESUS modeled relational evangelism. He ate with sinners, asked questions, and met people where they were (think of the woman at the well in John 4 or Zacchaeus in Luke 19). The Apostle Paul adapted his approach without compromising the gospel: "I have become all things to all people so that by all possible means I might save some" (1 Corinthians 9:22).

PRACTICAL STEPS TO START THE CONVERSATION

1. Pray persistently: Before, during, and after conversations. Paul tells believers to pray for open doors and to let their speech be gracious and seasoned with salt (Col. 4:2–6).

2. Begin with genuine interest: Don't just jump into religious conversations, unless the Holy Spirit is leading you. Ask questions about their studies, family, or business. Also, ask them how long they have been Muslims, what their religion means to them, or simply ask them, "Why are you a Muslim?" Just start with open, curious questions. So many times, I even ask my Muslim friends things that I already know, just to start a conversation. I discovered that people love talking about themselves.

3. Build bridges before crossing them: For example, we all believe in one God, the prophets, hellfire, and heaven. Start from there. The Apostle Paul did that in Acts 17.

3B. Address common bridges and barriers: For example, invite them to read the Gospel with you. After maybe they answer your questions or say something, you can say, "Would you be willing to discover what JESUS actually taught together?" You can go through the Gospel according to Luke or John with them.

You can also explain assurance of salvation: contrast works-based uncertainty with grace through faith in Christ's finished work. Or maybe the love of God: Islam emphasizes submission; Christianity highlights a personal, pursuing Father (Romans 5:8).

4. Ask questions. Ask questions. I love this part. I ask my Muslim friends questions so much. Like this morning, I was asking my neighbour, "Have you ever wondered why JESUS never sinned?" Ask them intelligent questions. For example: What does forgiveness mean? What do you think God requires for salvation? Why does the Qur'an call Jesus the Word of Allah? What's the meaning? And from their answers, you will know how the conversation will continue.

5. Listen to them carefully. Most Muslims have never had someone listen to them, especially when it comes to questions. The Qur'an discouraged Muslims from asking questions. I have written an article about this.

6. Use stories and parables, like the Prodigal Son (Luke 15), which resonates with themes of mercy and return, especially if their level of understanding is low or something.

Sometimes, the people we want to share the gospel with may have a very different level of education, exposure, or understanding from ours. A sister recently sent me a message about her Muslim neighbour, who is actively involved in the Olodo Uprising. She wants to share the gospel with her but finds their conversations difficult because of the way her neighbour communicates.

I shared two thoughts with her.

First, as followers of Christ, we must be willing to come down to the level of the people we are trying to reach. This is not about looking down on them; it is about making ourselves accessible. Sometimes, the language we use, the illustrations we choose, or even the way we explain spiritual truths can sound too foreign or complicated for the person listening. Effective communication requires humility.

This is exactly what we see in the ministry of JESUS. He met people where they were. He spoke in ways they could understand, using familiar things from their everyday lives.

Second, once we have met people at their level, we should lead the conversation toward Christ. Start where they are, but don't leave them there. Let every conversation become a bridge to the gospel.

JESUS did this masterfully. When speaking with the Samaritan woman, He began with the subject of water before revealing Himself as the source of living water (John 4). When teaching the crowds, He used bread to point people to Himself as the Bread of Life (John 6). He took ordinary conversations and turned them into opportunities to reveal extraordinary truth.

The same principle applies today. If someone's attention is on the Olodo Uprising, don't dismiss the topic. Begin there. Listen, ask questions, and thoughtfully use that conversation as a bridge to introduce JESUS Christ.

Our goal is not merely to talk about current events but to use them wisely as pathways that lead people to the Savior.

8. Rely on the Word and the Spirit: Share Scripture naturally. The Holy Spirit convicts and opens hearts (John 16:8–13). Don't leave them changing the topic. Muslims know how to do that very well. You're trying to explain the Trinity, and they will just move to salvation. Bring them back to the first topic.

9. Pray together when appropriate. Offer: "Would you mind if I prayed for you and your family?" Many appreciate this. I do it sometimes, though not always, because not all of them accept it.

10. Discern when you should ask him to repent and accept the gospel at the end of the conversation. Please rely on the Holy Spirit very well, but please know that it takes time, so don't be discouraged. It's JESUS' doing, not ours. Let's do our part and trust Him for His part, and He will do it in His own way and time.

11. These are some of the questions I normally ask them. I want to share them with you, especially when I'm meeting someone new or I'm not sure of meeting him again, but I want to start a conversation with him.

"Can I ask you something about your religion?"

"What do Muslims believe about JESUS?"

"Have you ever read the Injil (Gospel)?"

"What do you think is the biggest difference between Christianity and Islam?"

"How can someone know they are forgiven?"

...and etc. I can share more with you. Please send me a DM.

CONCLUSION

The Great Commission isn't optional (Matthew 28:19–20). Our Muslim neighbors are not enemies, they are image-bearers loved by God, many hungry for the assurance and relationship found only in Christ JESUS.

We should know that every conversation with a Muslim is an opportunity to reflect the heart of JESUS. Our task is not to win arguments but to bear witness to the One who came "full of grace and truth" (John 1:14). As we pray, listen well, ask thoughtful questions, and lovingly point people to Christ, we trust the Holy Spirit to do what only He can do, open hearts to the gospel.

I'll be praying for you.... I Know you can do it with the help of the holy spirit.

Send me your questions If you have any.

Let's run this race together

Abdullahi Ismail Almasih

A life reaching the Muslims world

Introduction

In our increasingly diverse neighborhoods, workplaces, and schools, many Christians now live, work, or study alongside Muslims. This is both a strategic opportunity and a spiritual responsibility. Jesus commanded us to make disciples of all nations, and that includes the nearly two billion Muslims in the world today.

As someone who grew up Muslim and is now a follower of Christ serving as a missionary among Muslims, I have learned that effective evangelism requires more than zeal. It demands prayer, wisdom, genuine relationships, and dependence on the Holy Spirit. This article is written for everyday Christians, pastors, professionals, students, parents, and neighbors…who genuinely want to obey the Great Commission but aren’t sure where to begin with their Muslim friends and neighbors. No slick techniques or guaranteed formulas, just practical, biblical steps drawn from Scripture and real-life experience.

The Three Legs of Effective Evangelism Among Muslims

There are three essential things needed for fruitful evangelism among Muslims. I call them the three legs of evangelism:

1. Spirituality — Your personal relationship with God, prayer life, and dependence on the Holy Spirit. This is the foundation.

2. Knowledge — Solid understanding of the Bible and Christian doctrines, plus growing knowledge of Islamic beliefs and worldview so you can explain truth clearly and answer questions effectively.

3.Experience — This comes only by going out and engaging people in person. Books, articles, and videos are helpful, but real growth happens through victories and mistakes in actual relationships.

Know and Explain the Gospel Clearly

You must know the gospel well and be able to explain it simply. Preach Christ crucified, His virgin birth, sinless life, teachings, miracles, atoning death on the cross, bodily resurrection, and the hope and assurance of salvation for everyone who believes in Him. Keep the focus on JESUS, not your pastor, your church, or prosperity stories.

Practical Step-by-Step Approach

1. Begin with Prayer

I cannot overemphasize prayer. Through prayer we receive the leading of the Holy Spirit on who to engage. I have made it a tradition to pray for Muslims twice daily: in the morning for those I am personally engaging, and in the evening for the Muslim world at large. Before any conversation or outreach, pray for yourself and for the people you will meet.

2. Build Genuine Relationships and Friendship

The Qur’an strongly discourages close friendship between Muslims and Christians (see Surah 5:51 and Surah 3:28). You must therefore work intentionally and prayerfully to build trust. Be a consistent, kind, and reliable friend. If they are your neighbor or roommate, you already have a natural opportunity. Trust must come before you share the gospel.

That shouldn't stop you from engaging people you're not sure you'll ever see again. Share the gospel with them, and if the conversation goes well, ask for their contact so you can stay in touch.

Personally, when I want to build relationships with Muslims sometimes , I usually begin by sharing the gospel. That way, the friendship is built on honesty from the start, they know I'm a Christian, and they know why I'm engaging them. I've found this approach to be very effective, and it's something I practice regularly in my daily work.

3. Expect Resistance and Rejection

Resistance is normal in Muslim evangelism. I have been rejected many times. Some people will build a good relationship with you and then pull away or end the friendship once you clearly present the gospel. When I was new, I used to feel like I was just trying to help them. Now I understand …. I am simply obeying my Master. Expect it, and keep loving them anyway.

4. Be Ready to Answer Hard and Sometimes Dangerous Questions

Questions like “Is the Qur’an from God or Satan?” or “Was Muhammad a prophet or a deceiver?” are common. These do not need yes-or-no answers. Take time to explain graciously. If you don’t know, humbly say so and study more. Learn to answer with questions and stories.

I was once slapped in Agbor because of the way I answered one of these questions. Stay calm and Christ-like.

5. Learn to Lead and Steer Conversations

Many times when talking with Muslims about Nigerian politics, insecurity, or daily life, I intentionally guide the conversation toward Jesus and spiritual matters. We must learn to initiate and direct conversations with gospel purpose in mind.

6. Ask Intelligent Questions

Sometimes you don’t need to preach. A well-placed question can open the door.

Example: While traveling from Warri to Uyo, I sat beside a Fulani Muslim man. After talking about how things are getting worse in the North, I asked him, “We are really suffering. If you die today, do you know where you are going?” He said, “Only God knows.” I followed up: “If you stand at the gate of heaven today, do you have any reason why a holy God should let you in?” He answered “No.” From there I explained the gospel to him.

Just as Muslims may ask difficult or even dangerous questions, questions where answering "yes" could put someone in danger in certain contexts...we, too, should learn to ask thoughtful and intelligent questions. Not to trap or embarrass them, but to encourage sincere reflection. A well-placed question can linger in a person's mind long after the conversation has ended and may become the beginning of a deeper search for truth.

7. Explain the Gospel in a Simple, Clear Way

Use illustrations and examples your listener can relate to. Make sure they truly understand. Listen carefully when they speak or ask questions, and control your emotions even when they say things against the gospel or against you.

8. Use Helpful Resources

- Share relevant gospel videos or links and ask for their feedback.

- Give books, Christian literature, or specially written tracts. Follow up with discussion.

- Offer a Bible as a gift.

Receiving a Bible was one of the things that helped me come to Christ, and I have seen good responses when I give them out. Spend time showing them what the Bible actually says.

9. Share Your Personal Testimony

Many Muslims face struggles and theological questions you may have also faced. Share honestly how Christ met you in those places. Avoid prosperity-type testimonies (“I was poor, now I’m rich”). Focus on spiritual transformation.

10. Manifest the Power of God When Opportunities Arise

I believe in the miraculous. Pray for the sick when the need arises.

One of my friends prayed for the sick child of a village chief. The boy was healed. The chief was so excited that he told his family that anyone who wanted to become a Christian had his blessing.

11. Use Films or Reels, Conversations, and Even Debates

Invite them to watch the Jesus Film with you at your house.

I once spent 9 hours in conversation with an imam about Jesus. In Bauchi during an outreach, an elderly man asked me with a smile, “Abdullahi, do you want to make me a Christian?” after having a long conversation with him.

Don’t go looking for debates, but when Muslims engage you, don’t run from them. Some actually enjoy deep discussion.

Final Word

Engaging Muslims with the gospel is not easy, but it is worth it. Some relationships will blossom, others will face rejection. Keep praying, keep loving, keep speaking truth, and trust God with the results.

Start this week: choose one Muslim person you know, pray for them daily, and take one practical step to build the relationship or steer a conversation toward Christ.

I’d love to hear your own experiences in the comments. If you want a separate article on why we must engage Muslims with the gospel, let me know.

And the word of God increased; and the number of the disciples multiplied in Jerusalem greatly; and a great company of the priests were obedient to the faith. ___Acts 6:7

On Sunday yesterday, June 21, after returning from church, I took some time to rest and clean my house while waiting for a special guest, an Imam from one of the northern Muslim communities where I serve as a missionary.

I have known him since last year. In fact, I once visited his house, and we spent nearly nine hours discussing Jesus, the Gospel, and Islam. Over time, our relationship has grown so much that he sometimes calls me Mallam (teacher in Hausa), a title of respect.

This was the first time I invited him to my house.

As soon as he sat down in my room, he looked around at the books on my shelf and asked, "Abdullahi, are you a pastor or a missionary?"

I laughed and asked why he thought so.

He replied, "Because of all these books."

I told him, "Sir, that's not enough reason to think that way. Maybe they're my school books. You don't know if I'm a student."

He laughed and said, "I know you're not a student, Abdullahi."

I responded, "These books have nothing to do with me being a pastor. I simply love books. Whenever I have money, I buy books."

We both laughed and continued our conversation.

I made tea for us, and we spent some time talking about politics and the insecurity facing Nigeria. My plan, however, was eventually to steer the conversation toward Jesus.

At one point, I asked him about our last discussion. He smiled and said, "I know you invited me here because of that conversation, Abdullahi, and I like it. That's why I came."

That statement encouraged me greatly.

During our previous discussion, I had concluded by saying that JESUS Christ is the only way to heaven. He had disagreed strongly at the time. This time, however, he told me that he wanted to invite me to Islam.

I smiled and said, "Wonderful. Tell me why I should become a Muslim."

He began explaining that what Christians believe about the death of Jesus is not true, I listened to him, while he was explaining for long while.

Immediately, I saw an opportunity.

I opened my Bible to John 14:6 and asked him to read it aloud:

"Jesus said to him, 'I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.'"

After reading it, I asked him what he thought it meant.

He responded, "Yes, that was true during the time of Jesus, but now we are in the time of Muhammad, so Muhammad is the way."

I smiled and replied, "That is a very serious claim. Can you show me where that is written in the Qur'an, just as I have shown you my evidences from the Bible?"

He could not provide a text supporting that claim.

From there, I spent about forty minutes walking him through several passages in the New Testament where Jesus promises assurance of salvation to those who trust in Him. As we examined the Scriptures together, he became unusually quiet and listened attentively.

After a long silence, he finally said:

"I need to go back and think carefully about these things. I need to study them again."

I told him that was perfectly fine.

Then I said, "Before you leave, let me cook for you."

Surprised, he asked, "Do you know how to cook?"

I replied, "Of course!"

While I was preparing the food, I played the Hausa version of the Jesus Film for him. Since the film follows the Gospel of Luke and runs for more than two hours, I knew it would provide a wonderful opportunity for him to encounter the life and teachings of Christ.

From the kitchen, I could hear him reacting from time to time—"Hmmmm..."—as he watched.

When the food was ready, I joined him and we finished watching the film together.

After eating, he smiled and said the food was very good. To be honest, that was the first time someone had complimented my cooking, and it made me genuinely happy!

He stayed until the entire film ended.

I then asked if he had any questions.

Smiling, he replied, "Yes, I do. We need to discuss these things."

He said he would invite me to his house so we could continue the conversation.

Before he left, I gave him some literature about Jesus and the Gospel in both Hausa and Arabic. He thanked me warmly.

Then he asked whether I still had a Hausa Bible.

The last one I gave him had been forgotten in the North during one of his Sallah trips, so this time I gave him two Bibles—one in Hausa and one in Arabic.

As he left, my heart was filled with joy and gratitude to God.

This encounter reminded me of Peter's experience in Acts 10. God opened a door for Peter to bring the Gospel to Cornelius, a respected man of influence. Likewise, God still opens doors today for us to share Christ with people from every background, tribe, and religion.

"Then Peter opened his mouth and said: 'Truly I understand that God shows no partiality, but in every nation anyone who fears Him and does what is right is acceptable to Him.'" (Acts 10:34–35)»

Brothers and sisters, let us not only pray for ordinary Muslims but also for their Mallams, scholars, and Imams. Jesus commanded us to pray, love, and witness faithfully.

Our Lord regularly engaged the religious leaders of His day. We should not be intimidated by religious influence or titles. Imams, scholars, and clerics need the Gospel just as much as anyone else.

It is often strategic to share Christ with people of influence because the impact can extend far beyond one individual.

Please join me in praying for the salvation of this particular Imam (Imam H.). Pray that God will continue to reveal Jesus Christ to him, grant him understanding of the Scriptures, and draw him to saving faith in the Lord Jesus.

To God alone be all the glory.

"How, then, can they call on the one they have not believed in? And how can they believe in the one of whom they have not heard? And how can they hear without someone preaching to them?" — Romans 10:14

As Children's Day is celebrated around the world, scroll through social media and you'll see it: churches, schools, and parents posting colorful pictures, gifts, drama skits, and "Jesus Loves the Little Children" songs. And that's beautiful. We should celebrate, disciple, and delight in the children God has placed in our care.

Christian parents will pray for their children. Sunday school teachers will be appreciated. Ministries will invest resources into nurturing the next generation.

And rightly so.

Children matter to God.

The Lord JESUS welcomed children, blessed them, and used them as examples of faith. Throughout Scripture, God repeatedly commands His people to teach His truth diligently to the next generation.

But as Christians celebrate Children's Day, I am burdened by a question:

DOES THE CHURCH CARE ABOUT REACHING MUSLIM CHILDREN?

Not the children already attending church every Sunday.

Not the children already hearing Bible stories every week.

Not the children who already own a Bible.

I am talking about the millions of Muslim children who may live and die without ever hearing a clear presentation of the gospel.

These children are not waiting for us.

They are already being discipled.

Muslim Children Are Not Spiritually Neutral

Every day, Muslim children across Africa, Asia, the Middle East, and Muslim communities around the world are being shaped by Islamic teaching.

They begin memorizing portions of the Qur'an from an early age, just as it was in my family.

They spend hours every week in Qur'anic schools. Millions of Muslim children are being formed by a stories that does not know the Lamb of God.

They are taught Islamic prayers before they can read.

I was one of them. I prayed five times a day. I attended Islamiyya (Islamic school) three times a day. This was my life from the time I could remember, and yet I had never heard the gospel.

They are taught that Muhammad is God's final prophet.

They are taught that JESUS was not crucified, did not die for sins, and is not the Son of God.

They told me lies about the gospel. I remember how many times, as a child, my mother sat me down to tell me that Christianity and other religions were false.

Before these children become adults, a complete worldview has already been built inside them.

While many churches are investing heavily in Christian children, millions of Muslim children are being systematically discipled into Islam…. Think about how they are growing in false religion with so much zeal, thinking they are following true living God, it's pity.

The question is not whether they are being discipled.

The question is: who is discipling them?

The Numbers Should Concern Us

According to demographic studies, roughly one-quarter of the world's population is Muslim. More importantly, Muslim populations are generally younger than many Christian populations, with a significant percentage under the age of fifteen.

Just think about it.

In my hometown in Katsina, I know one of our neighbors who has four wives. Over the years, he has divorced many women and married up to thirty. All of those women gave birth to his children. How many children do you think he has?

Whatever your answer is, just know that all of them are growing up as Muslims.

And that's how it is in many Muslim communities you know.

In many Muslim-majority countries, children and youth make up a large part of the population. Every year, millions of Muslim children enter schools, Qur'anic classes, and religious training environments where Christian witness is limited or completely absent.

Christians are busy with other things, they are not available in most cases.

Think about that.

Every single day, another generation is being formed.

Every single day, another generation is learning Islamic beliefs.

Every single day, another generation moves further away from ever hearing the gospel.

And yet some of us are labouring daily to give their adults the Gospel .

The Muslim population is actually growing faster than many Christians realize, and much of that growth is happening through children being born and raised in Muslim homes.

Just think about the children.

And in many places, the Church is entirely absent from their childhood.

We Often Think of Missions Too Late

Many Christians think of missions in terms of reaching adults.

We pray for Muslim men.

We pray for Muslim women.

We pray for imams and community leaders.

These prayers are important.

But by the time many Muslims become adults, decades of religious formation have already taken place.

Their understanding of God, JESUS, salvation, Scripture, and Christianity has been shaped for years.

Why do we wait until adulthood to begin thinking about them?

The enemy does not wait.

Islam does not wait.

The world does not wait.

Children are being taught every day.

The Church must think strategically about the years when hearts are most open and minds are most teachable.

JESUS Loves Muslim Children Too

When JESUS looked at the crowds, He saw sheep without a shepherd.

When we look at Muslim communities, do we see future opponents of Christianity—or future disciples of Christ?

Behind every Muslim scholar is a child who once sat in a classroom.

Behind every imam is a child who once learned his first Islamic prayer.

Behind every defender of Islam is a child who was shaped by beliefs received at a young age.

But behind every future follower of JESUS is also a child.

A child who needs someone to pray.

A child who needs someone to tell them the story of JESUS.

We must never forget that Muslim children are not our enemies.

They are among the people Christ died to save.

The Great Neglect

One of the greatest neglected mission fields in the world may be Muslim children.

I was telling someone recently how the Muslim population is really growing, and I was thinking about ways we can give them the gospel within a short time. But now I am convinced that we must intentionally begin engaging children.

We have children's ministries.

We have Sunday schools.

We have Christian camps.

We have Bible clubs.

We have children's books.

We have children's discipleship materials.

But how much of our effort is intentionally directed toward Muslim children?

How many churches regularly pray for Muslim children?

How many Christian publishers produce resources designed for children from Muslim backgrounds?

How many of our conferences discuss strategies for evangelizing Muslim children?

The silence is troubling.

What Can We Do?

First, pray intentionally for Muslim children.

Pray for their salvation.

Pray for dreams and visions that point them to Christ.

Pray for Christian workers who can reach them.

Pray for open doors in schools, communities, and families.

Second, support ministries that are reaching Muslim communities.

Third, encourage missionaries to think beyond adults and develop ministries for children.

Fourth, create and distribute gospel resources that children can understand.

Finally, ask God to give you His heart for Muslim children.

A Children's Day Challenge

This Children's Day, celebrate the children in your church.

Love them.

Teach them.

Tell them to engage their Muslim friends with the gospel of JESUS.

But do not stop there.

Remember the Muslim child who has never held a Bible.

Remember the Muslim child who has never heard John 3:16.

Remember the Muslim child who has never been told that JESUS loves them.

Remember the Muslim child who is being discipled every day while the Church remains silent.

The next generation of the Muslim world is alive today.

They are learning today.

They are being shaped today.

Will the Church reach them today?

Or will we wait until they are grown and wonder why they are so difficult to reach?

The harvest among Muslim children is vast.

May God open our eyes to see it.

Do they deserve the gospel?

Then give it to them.

We do not have time to waste.

I read something a few days ago on X (Twitter) that made me decide to write this. I want to share my story of how my parents and Islamic teachers taught me to hate Christians and Jews, and how these teachings are found in their books. I will show some of them to you guys.

Growing up, anytime we traveled during holidays to stay with our grandmother in the city of Katsina, while we lived in one of the local governments in the state, it was always a joyful moment for me spending time with Hajiya. She was not too hard on us like my parents, and she always bought things for us. You know how much children love all these things.

In her house, I spent all day watching television and playing PS2 then.

Around 2012, we went to the mosque during Magrib prayers. After the prayers, it was already dark when an announcement was made that a Christian governor from Kaduna State had died in a plane crash. We thanked Allah and celebrated inside the mosque, with the mindset that Muslims were now going to take over the leadership of the state. But the major reason for the joy over his death was because he was a Christian, a “kafir” and all that.

As a child, I wanted to ask questions because deep inside me, I felt it was not right to celebrate someone’s death that way. But I could not ask those questions because I was afraid. Not everything you have the right to ask in Islam.

In the mind of many Muslims, if you are not a Muslim, you are seen as a candidate for hellfire. That is why a Muslim can be happy when non-Muslims die, while at the same time trying all he can to convert you if you are not a Muslim, because he genuinely thinks he is helping you.

But their prophet promised them that the last day (Day of Judgment) will not come until:

“The Hour will not come until the Muslims fight the Jews, and the Jew will hide behind stones and trees, and the stones and trees will say: O Muslim, O servant of Allah, there is a Jew behind me, come and kill him.” — Sahih Muslim 2922

So there is hatred built into the minds of many Muslims against Christians and Jews.

I was reading an Arabic book this afternoon written by a Muslim author. He said in his book that if a Muslim is walking through a narrow road and a non-Muslim is also coming, it is a sin for the Muslim to give way to the non-Muslim. He mentioned many things like that.

According to him, the prophet said if you see a snake, just kill it, and you will receive a reward like the one who kills a non-believer, because the Qur’an commands them to fight unbelievers:

“Fight those who do not believe in Allah... from among the People of the Book... until they pay the jizyah...” — Qur’an 9:29

So, according to that mindset, they are doing Allah’s work when they kill non-believers. He also said that if you see a snake and refuse to kill it, you are like someone who refuses to kill an unbeliever, and according to the prophet, you are not part of them.

I know I have shared this with some of you before. When I was in JSS1, I was in boarding school. Because of how close I was to a Christian boy, someone told my mum that I had converted to Christianity.

My mum became very angry. She traveled down to my school and picked me up. By the time we got home, she was saying, “Wallahi tallahi yau zan kashe ka.” I was crying and begging her not to kill me because I saw a knife in her hand. Eventually she left me, but she said many negative things about Christians. It was lies and hatred against them because she saw them as her enemies and Allah’s enemies, just as the Qur’an says:

“Do not take My enemies and your enemies as friends...” — Qur’an 60:1

So, from childhood, it was already seen as a sin for me to be friends with Christians. We learned all these things in Islamiyya, even though in my town there was not a single Christian or church building. Maybe that was why I could not fully practice all those hatred teachings, I only practiced them in school.

After my mum finished speaking to me, I went back to school with so much hatred against Christians.

In fact, one day while we were collecting Akara in the dining hall, you know how boarding school dining used to be, the person in front of me was a Christian. After he picked his Akara, I was next. The Akara I picked was touched by his hand. After eating it, I vomited because his hands had touched it.

I also began organizing debates and discussions with Christians in my school. One day, a Christian boy defeated me in a debate, but afterward I beat him physically. He was my classmate. In my mind then, I was like: “How dare you, with a false religion, defeat me in a debate?”

But then I encountered something completely different in the teachings of Jesus Christ Himself:

“But I say to you, love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you.” — Matthew 5:44

I do not even have enough time to show all the teachings from the Christian Scriptures, but the teaching of peace is in Christ.

After I started reading the teachings of JESUS, I kept asking myself: “Who is this Man?”

“If it is possible, as much as depends on you, live peaceably with all men.” — Romans 12:18

Now compare these two teachings.

I am truly grateful that JESUS delivered me from Islam.

Now my Christian brethren, I shared all these not for you to hate Muslims, but for you to love them, pray for them, have compassion toward them, and share the Gospel of Christ with them.

Share with them the Gospel of peace.

I pray JESUS will give you grace.

“One sows and another reaps… I sent you to reap what you have not worked for. Others have done the hard work, and you have reaped the benefits of their labor.” — John 4:37–38

“One sows and another reaps… I sent you to reap what you have not worked for. Others have done the hard work, and you have reaped the benefits of their labor.” — John 4:37–38

You know, reflecting on this passage in the Bible has really helped shape my thoughts recently.

First of all, guys, I’m currently outside my mission field for a holiday. I was supposed to be resting and having a personal retreat, but guess what? I’ve been very busy with traveling, writing, reading, and outreaches. Forget about this one fess.

Now, when I first started reaching Muslims, I had so many expectations and desires about how I would see 500 to 1000 new converts every day. As someone who goes out daily to preach to Muslims and build friendships with them, the results I’ve seen have not matched my expectations, even though it's possible, just looking forward to it.

I was sharing with my discipler yesterday that the number of Muslims is actually growing, and I began to wonder: what can we do to reach many more people than before?

Sometimes, questions arise in our minds. For example, if someone owns a farm and sows seeds, they naturally expect to reap what they have planted. Now think of this in terms of missions: the farm belongs to JESUS, and we are the workers. In my times of prayer, I’ve asked questions like, “Lord, don’t You desire a great harvest?” And then I’d say, “I know You do, Lord, please bring it!” In a way, it’s like how a couple expects to have children after getting married.

From Scripture, both you and I know that the harvest belongs to the Lord: “I planted, Apollos watered, but God gave the increase…” — 1 Corinthians 3:6–8

There was a time I thought that achieving a great harvest depended on how hard I worked, especially when I spent long hours, sometimes up to 40 hours in a week, reaching out to Muslims. But I’ve come to realize that this mindset wasn’t correct. The increase depends on God.

Sometimes, believers say to me Abdullahi, Muslims are hard. But the truth is, all people can be hard, not just Muslims. I remember preaching to one of my Jehovah’s Witness neighbors a few years ago...Omo, I saw how challenging it can be! I’ve also seen how difficult it is for those reaching Catholics and people of other beliefs. Ultimately, it is the Holy Spirit of God who works in the hearts of men.

I’ve come to understand that preaching to Muslims can be like dismantling a building, you keep working at it little by little until one day it’s finished. Sometimes we start the work, and someone else completes it. I know Muslims I’ve spent years speaking with, and we’re still on the journey. Yet, I’ve also seen some receive the gospel the very first day I spoke to them.

Some are ready because they’ve already encountered a Christian before, had an encounter with JESUS, or read Christian literature. Others may be more open than some. Just like buildings are not all the same, people are different in how they respond.

For me personally, from the first time I heard the gospel to the time I finally received it took about seven years...with many different encounters along the way.

Now, let’s look again at John 4. In verses 19–20, after Jesus spoke to the woman using a word of knowledge, it caught her attention deeply. You’ll agree with me....after that encounter, she went back to her village saying, “Come and see a man who told me everything I ever did!”

What was that? The word of knowledge.

My point here is that one of the things we urgently need in the evangelization of Muslims is a strong demonstration of the power of the Holy Spirit, now more than ever before.

That word of knowledge really opened the woman's heart towards JESUS's message.

Then there’s another point in John 4:25: “The woman said, ‘I know that Messiah’ (called Christ) ‘is coming. When He comes, He will explain everything to us.’”

How did she know about Christ? How did she know the Messiah was coming?

That means someone had already spoken to her or planted that seed. When Jesus came, He simply completed the work someone else had started.

Brethren, just keep preaching to Muslims. Don’t be discouraged if they don’t receive the message immediately, they might receive it tomorrow through someone else.

As one of my mentors said, when JESUS was preaching, He was breaking the ground for His disciples. Think about it... when Peter preached in Jerusalem and 3,000 people believed, many of them had already heard JESUS before.

Above all, brethren, let us pray for the salvation of over 2 billion Muslims. My heart longs for them to hear and receive the gospel and you also go out and speak and preach the gospel to them also.

God is doing it in our generation, be part of it.

Text:

Luke 15:11–32

Introduction

Understanding God’s priorities is very important in serving Him. Many times, we claim to be serving God, yet we do not truly understand what matters most to Him. Activity is not the same as alignment.

Key Reflections from the Passage

From the story of the prodigal son, let us consider this:

I believe that after the son left, the father still held on to hope that he would return one day.

I imagine the father constantly watching the road, expecting his son’s return, that is why he saw him first from afar and he went and hugged him.

Now, consider the elder brother:

He went to the farm daily, faithfully working.

But did he ever think about his missing brother?

Did he ever discuss it with his father?

Did it ever cross his mind to go out and search for him?

At that point, I don’t think the father cared about the farm as much as he cared about his lost son.

Question:

Wouldn’t it have pleased the father more if the elder brother had gone out to look for his lost brother rather than just working in the farm every day?

Core Message

1. The Elder Brother Syndrome

The elder brother was:

Faithful in duty

Consistent in work

Yet disconnected from the father’s heart

Today, many Christians are like this.

We think Christianity is:

Going to church

Enjoying worship

Listening to sermons

Taking pictures

Others think serving God is:

Joining the choir

Sweeping the church

Being active in programs

All these are good, but are they God’s priority?

If we only do these things, we are just like that elder brother that went to farm but never thought of going out to look for his brother.

2. God’s True Priority

God’s heart is for the lost.

Luke 19:10 – “For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost.”

The father in Luke 15 represents God’s heart, longing, watching, waiting for the lost to return.

3. A Reality Check (Missions)

I visited a church of about 500 members that have 200 workers in Lagos.

Yet, the Kanuri tribe, over 14 million Muslims..has only about 10 missionaries among them.... Why do we have more workes inside church not outside church???

Does that make sense?

I once met a Muslim northerner working as a security guard in a church in Lagos.

After preaching to him, he said it was his first time ever hearing the Gospel.... Why nobody has ever preaches to him from that the same church? It is because they don't understand his language? But how do you buy Suya and tomatoes from them? Use that language to preach to them.

Does that make sense?

Or have we missed God’s priorities?

4. The Danger of Partial Obedience

Just like Israel:

Joshua 13:1 .. "There remains yet very much land to be possessed."

Joshua 18:3 .... "How long will you delay to go and possess the land…?"

They:

Won some battles

Took some land

Then stopped and settled

Today, we are doing the same.

Muslims belong to Christ.

Yet we celebrate the few Christians we have

And forget the remaining “land” to be reached.

Scripture References

Luke 15:11–32 – The Prodigal Son

Luke 19:10 – Jesus came to seek and save the lost

Matthew 28:19–20 – The Great Commission

John 4:35 – The harvest is ready

2 Peter 3:9 – God desires none to perish

Joshua 13:1; 18:3 – Much land remains

Conclusion

This church organizes powerful and prophetic prayer meetings, and that is good.

But:

When will we begin to pray intentionally for the salvation of Muslims as a church?

When will we, as individuals, carry this burden?

I know you're praying and working so that your child can be a lawyer or Doctor... When would you start praying for your child to be a missionary among Muslims??

It is a command from God, we must go.

Muslims are hungry for the Gospel.

Remember....

The prodigal son was lost

No one went after him,not even his brother

But the father ran to him when he returned

This reveals God’s heart.

Final Charge

If worship alone was the goal, God would have taken us to heaven the moment we were saved.

But He left us here.

Why?

Because there are still people who have not heard

There are still nations that do not know Him

There are still souls separated from Him

Go and reach them.

I pray you will start pursuing God's priorities through your going, resources and prayers.

Jacob’s well was there; and Jesus, tired from the long walk, sat wearily beside the well about noontime. __John 4:6

Something happened to me that made me understand the story of JESUS and the woman at the well in John chapter 4 in a deeper way.

Two weeks ago, I went to one of the government offices in a city close to me to sort something out. I had been going there repeatedly for the same issue, but nothing was working. So on this particular day, I was heading back home frustrated. I felt like I had wasted my time and energy. I was hungry, tired, and already thinking about going home to cook, which, honestly, was the most annoying part after all that stress.

I stopped an Okada (bike) rider, a Muslim northerner, told him where I was going, and we set off. I spoke to him in Pidgin English. The way I was tired, I really didn’t feel like talking at all.

Then someone called me on the phone. I picked up and spoke Hausa during the call. After I ended it, the Okada rider asked, “You understand Hausa?” I told him, “Very well.” Then he asked, “Ya azumi?” (How is the fasting?), since it was the Ramadan period.

I told him I wasn’t fasting because I am a Christian.

He was surprised.... “Really?”

I said, “Yes.”

From there, the conversation started. Somehow, I just found strength to begin talking oo 🤣

He told me that a few years ago, someone had preached Christianity to him, and since then he had many questions. He had even been wanting to read the Bible.

Immediately, I said, “Let’s get to my house.”

When we got there, we spent almost two hours together. He asked many questions, deep questions about Christian theology and what Christians believe, and I did my best to answer them.

At the end of our conversation, I shared the gospel with him in a simple way. Even though he didn’t accept it at that moment, I believe something was planted in his heart, his eyes opened, even if just a little.

I gave him a copy of the Bible.

The way he was thanking me for that Bible… honestly, I have never seen someone so happy to receive a Bible in recent times. I have given out more than 30 Bibles to people like him, this year, but this one was different.

We exchanged contacts so we can continue the conversation, and then he left.

This whole experience reminded me of how JESUS was tired (John 4:6) and hungry (John 4:31), yet He still took time to minister to the woman at the well. Sometimes, God uses moments like this, when we are weak, tired, and not in the mood, to reach His people.

The reason I’m sharing this is for you to see the possibilities of reaching Muslims. Forget what the internet and TV stations may portray. Reach out to them.

Preach to that tomatoes and vegetables seller.

Talk to that Suya guy.

Many of them are in desperate need of the Saviour. Some of them have never truly heard the gospel. They are not as bad as they are often portrayed.

If I had not spoken to that Okada rider, I would never have known that he was searching, that he needed a Christian to answer his questions.

Some of them are even longing for someone to help them understand their dreams and visions.

Keep praying for the salvation of Muslims. We are going to see many of them turn to Christ like never before in this generation.

 “The worst Muslims are those who ask too many questions and disagree with their prophets.” — Jami` at-Tirmidhi 2679

From my last writing, “MY CASE AGAINST ISLAM ON HISTORY,” I received some feedback from Muslims. Because of that feedback, I decided to write this article to make my argument very clear: Islam discourages questioning. Both the Qur'an and the hadith contain warnings against asking too many questions.

Muslim readers, think about this carefully.

When a Muslim Mallam is teaching, what does he usually expect? He expects you to listen and believe, not to question. Many Muslims are taught from childhood that asking difficult questions about Islam is dangerous.

I once read the testimony of an ex-Muslim brother. When he began asking serious questions about Islam, his Imam warned him to stop asking those questions, telling him that if he continued, he would soon leave Islam. Interestingly, that is exactly what happened. Today he is a Christian missionary. That alone should make you think: why would asking questions lead someone away from Islam?

Most of what we were taught as children was carefully designed to make us love Muhammad and Islam. It was not the real Islam they are afraid you might start questioning.

Let us now look directly at the Islamic texts.

1. The Qur’an warns Muslims not to ask certain questions

“O you who believe! Do not ask about things which, if made plain to you, may cause you trouble… A people before you asked such questions and then became disbelievers because of them.” — Qur'an 5:101–102

Here, Allah himself is speaking.

According to this verse, believers are warned not to ask certain questions, because the answers might trouble them or even lead them to disbelief. In other words, questioning is portrayed as something dangerous that could cause faith to collapse.

This verse strongly suggests that Islam discourages critical inquiry. Instead of encouraging believers to investigate truth freely, the text warns that asking too many questions might lead to doubt or disbelief.

2. Muhammad blamed “too many questions” for the destruction of earlier nations

Narrated Abu Hurairah:

“What I have forbidden for you, avoid. What I have ordered you to do, do as much of it as you can. For verily, it was only the excessive questioning and their disagreeing with their Prophets that destroyed those who were before you.”

— Sahih al-Bukhari, Book 96, Hadith 19

Arabic:

> فَإِنَّمَا أَهْلَكَ الَّذِينَ مِنْ قَبْلِكُمْ كَثْرَةُ مَسَائِلِهِمْ وَاخْتِلَافُهُمْ عَلَى أَنْبِيَائِهِمْ

Notice the logic here.

Muhammad says that earlier nations were destroyed because of “excessive questioning” and disagreeing with their prophets.

So the warning is clear:

Do not question too much.

Do not challenge the prophet.

According to this teaching, asking difficult questions can lead to destruction or disbelief. This creates an atmosphere where silence and submission are safer than investigation.

3. Muhammad reportedly became angry when people asked too many questions

Another hadith states that Muhammad’s face turned red with anger when questions were repeatedly asked.

Narrated Al-Mughira bin Shu'ba:

“Allah has hated for you… (1) vain useless talk… and (2) asking too many questions (in disputed religious matters)…” — Sahih al-Bukhari, Vol. 2 Hadith 555; Vol. 3 Hadith 591 (older numbering)

Here the language is very strong: “Allah has hated for you… asking too many questions.”

According to this report, asking too many questions is something Allah himself hates.

When you combine this with Qur'an 5:101, the message becomes very clear: questioning religious matters can bring divine displeasure.

There are even more examples. In Sahih Muslim, Book of Hajj, Hadith 1337, when someone repeatedly asked Muhammad about Hajj, he initially refused to answer the question.

All of these texts together paint a consistent picture: Islam repeatedly warns believers about asking too many questions.

Now compare this with the Bible

When we turn to the Bible, we see the exact opposite attitude.

The Bible encourages sincere questions and the search for truth.

In the Book of Isaiah 1:18, God says:

“Come now, let us reason together.”

In the Book of Jeremiah 33:3, God invites people to call on Him and promises to answer them.

Jesus Christ also says in the Gospel of Matthew 7:7:

“Ask… seek… knock.”

The believers in Berea were even praised in the Acts of the Apostles 17:11 because they examined the Scriptures daily to verify what they were taught.

And Christians are commanded in the First Epistle to the Thessalonians 5:21 to:

“Test everything; hold fast to what is good.”

Think about that carefully.

The Bible does not fear questions.

It encourages investigation.

It welcomes examination.

It commands believers to test everything.

A challenge to my Muslim readers

If a religion is true, it should not be afraid of questions.

Truth can survive investigation.

Falsehood fears examination.

So ask yourself honestly:

Which faith invites you to test everything?

Which faith tells you to reason together?

Which faith encourages you to ask, seek, and knock?

Choose the faith that is not afraid of questions.

Choose the Christian faith.

 “The worst Muslims are those who ask too many questions and disagree with their prophets.” — Jami` at-Tirmidhi 2679

From my last writing, “MY CASE AGAINST ISLAM ON HISTORY,” I received some feedback from Muslims. Because of that feedback, I decided to write this article to make my argument very clear: Islam discourages questioning. Both the Qur'an and the hadith contain warnings against asking too many questions.

Muslim readers, think about this carefully.

When a Muslim Mallam is teaching, what does he usually expect? He expects you to listen and believe, not to question. Many Muslims are taught from childhood that asking difficult questions about Islam is dangerous.

I once read the testimony of an ex-Muslim brother. When he began asking serious questions about Islam, his Imam warned him to stop asking those questions, telling him that if he continued, he would soon leave Islam. Interestingly, that is exactly what happened. Today he is a Christian missionary. That alone should make you think: why would asking questions lead someone away from Islam?

Most of what we were taught as children was carefully designed to make us love Muhammad and Islam. It was not the real Islam they are afraid you might start questioning.

Let us now look directly at the Islamic texts.

1. The Qur’an warns Muslims not to ask certain questions

“O you who believe! Do not ask about things which, if made plain to you, may cause you trouble… A people before you asked such questions and then became disbelievers because of them.” — Qur'an 5:101–102

Here, Allah himself is speaking.

According to this verse, believers are warned not to ask certain questions, because the answers might trouble them or even lead them to disbelief. In other words, questioning is portrayed as something dangerous that could cause faith to collapse.

This verse strongly suggests that Islam discourages critical inquiry. Instead of encouraging believers to investigate truth freely, the text warns that asking too many questions might lead to doubt or disbelief.

2. Muhammad blamed “too many questions” for the destruction of earlier nations

Narrated Abu Hurairah:

“What I have forbidden for you, avoid. What I have ordered you to do, do as much of it as you can. For verily, it was only the excessive questioning and their disagreeing with their Prophets that destroyed those who were before you.”

— Sahih al-Bukhari, Book 96, Hadith 19

Arabic:

> فَإِنَّمَا أَهْلَكَ الَّذِينَ مِنْ قَبْلِكُمْ كَثْرَةُ مَسَائِلِهِمْ وَاخْتِلَافُهُمْ عَلَى أَنْبِيَائِهِمْ

Notice the logic here.

Muhammad says that earlier nations were destroyed because of “excessive questioning” and disagreeing with their prophets.

So the warning is clear:

Do not question too much.

Do not challenge the prophet.

According to this teaching, asking difficult questions can lead to destruction or disbelief. This creates an atmosphere where silence and submission are safer than investigation.

3. Muhammad reportedly became angry when people asked too many questions

Another hadith states that Muhammad’s face turned red with anger when questions were repeatedly asked.

Narrated Al-Mughira bin Shu'ba:

“Allah has hated for you… (1) vain useless talk… and (2) asking too many questions (in disputed religious matters)…” — Sahih al-Bukhari, Vol. 2 Hadith 555; Vol. 3 Hadith 591 (older numbering)

Here the language is very strong: “Allah has hated for you… asking too many questions.”

According to this report, asking too many questions is something Allah himself hates.

When you combine this with Qur'an 5:101, the message becomes very clear: questioning religious matters can bring divine displeasure.

There are even more examples. In Sahih Muslim, Book of Hajj, Hadith 1337, when someone repeatedly asked Muhammad about Hajj, he initially refused to answer the question.

All of these texts together paint a consistent picture: Islam repeatedly warns believers about asking too many questions.

Now compare this with the Bible

When we turn to the Bible, we see the exact opposite attitude.

The Bible encourages sincere questions and the search for truth.

In the Book of Isaiah 1:18, God says:

“Come now, let us reason together.”

In the Book of Jeremiah 33:3, God invites people to call on Him and promises to answer them.

Jesus Christ also says in the Gospel of Matthew 7:7:

“Ask… seek… knock.”

The believers in Berea were even praised in the Acts of the Apostles 17:11 because they examined the Scriptures daily to verify what they were taught.

And Christians are commanded in the First Epistle to the Thessalonians 5:21 to:

“Test everything; hold fast to what is good.”

Think about that carefully.

The Bible does not fear questions.

It encourages investigation.

It welcomes examination.

It commands believers to test everything.

A challenge to my Muslim readers

If a religion is true, it should not be afraid of questions.

Truth can survive investigation.

Falsehood fears examination.

So ask yourself honestly:

Which faith invites you to test everything?

Which faith tells you to reason together?

Which faith encourages you to ask, seek, and knock?

Choose the faith that is not afraid of questions.

Choose the Christian faith.

• One of the ways I came to question whether Islam is truly from God is by reading Islamic historical books themselves.

When I was around 9–10 years old, my mum discovered that I was reading romantic fiction novels. At that age, I already had a girl I was writing romantic letters to. My mum felt I was too young for that. She even told my dad, and he beat me badly that night, inside the rain.

But my mum knew I loved books. She couldn’t stop me from reading. So instead, she began buying me Islamic literature, books about Islamic history, biographies of prophets, and early heroes of Islam.

I enjoyed reading them. People like Bilal (presented as the first Black Muslim) and even figures like Osama bin Laden were portrayed in heroic tones in some materials. They became role models to me. I genuinely wanted to grow up and fight and die for the cause of spreading Islam. Those books shaped my mindset.

At that time, I believed everything I read. I did not doubt it.

But I had honest questions.

The problem was, I was afraid to ask. Verses like Qur’an 5:101–102 warn Muslims not to ask certain questions lest it cause trouble for them. So questioning felt dangerous. You were expected to believe, not probe too deeply. And sometimes, when you begin asking certain questions, the reactions themselves show that something is wrong.

Let me show you some examples of historical claims that are found in Islamic sources but have not occurred in recorded history.

1. The Conquest of Constantinople and Rome

A hadith in Sahih Muslim speaks of Muslims conquering Constantinople and then Rome before the end times.

Constantinople was indeed conquered in 1453 by Mehmed II.

However, Rome has never been conquered by a Muslim army in history.

If this prophecy is taken literally, then part of it remains unfulfilled. If it is symbolic, then that interpretation must be proven, not assumed.

2. The Stones and Trees Speaking

Another hadith says that before the end times, Muslims will fight Jews and even stones and trees will speak, revealing Jews hiding behind them.

No such event has ever occurred in recorded history.

Again, if it is said to be future, then it remains unverified. But it cannot be presented as historical fulfillment.

3. Pharaoh’s Preserved Body (Qur’an 10:92)

The Qur’an says Pharaoh’s body would be preserved as a sign.

As a child, this fascinated me deeply. I wanted to travel to Egypt one day just to see his body. I was told that the Pharaoh who chased Moses into the Red Sea was preserved by Allah so people could see what happened to someone who claimed to be God.

Later, I discovered something important:

Many ancient Egyptian pharaohs were mummified, not just one. Mummification was standard Egyptian practice long before Islam.

The preserved mummy often associated with this story is linked by some to Ramses II, whose body has been displayed in Egypt and studied internationally.

But preservation was normal in ancient Egypt. It was not a unique miracle specific to one Pharaoh.

4. The Wall of Dhul-Qarnayn (Gog and Magog)

The Qur’an describes Dhul-Qarnayn building a massive iron wall to block Gog and Magog.

Some early Muslim scholars linked this to regions near the Caucasus. Others speculated about the Great Wall of China.

However:

No known wall in history completely seals off a hidden civilization.

There is no archaeological evidence of a trapped apocalyptic nation behind an iron barrier.

Yet this is presented as a real historical construction.

There are many other stories in Islamic literature, like the people of ‘Ad and Thamud described as extremely tall and powerful civilizations, that cannot be verified outside Islamic sources.

When a claim appears only within one religious tradition and cannot be confirmed by independent historical records, it deserves careful scrutiny.

Why This Matters to Me

My journey out of Islam was not emotional rebellion. It began with reading, the same thing that once strengthened my faith.

When I began studying Christianity, I discovered something different:

The life of Jesus is not only recorded in Christian writings but also referenced by non-Christian historians such as Tacitus and Josephus.

That external corroboration matters historically.

For me, faith should not fear questions. Truth does not collapse under investigation.

This is my case, not from hatred, but from history.

• Sheikh Almasih

• One of the ways I came to question whether Islam is truly from God is by reading Islamic historical books themselves.

When I was around 9–10 years old, my mum discovered that I was reading romantic fiction novels. At that age, I already had a girl I was writing romantic letters to. My mum felt I was too young for that. She even told my dad, and he beat me badly that night, inside the rain.

But my mum knew I loved books. She couldn’t stop me from reading. So instead, she began buying me Islamic literature, books about Islamic history, biographies of prophets, and early heroes of Islam.

I enjoyed reading them. People like Bilal (presented as the first Black Muslim) and even figures like Osama bin Laden were portrayed in heroic tones in some materials. They became role models to me. I genuinely wanted to grow up and fight and die for the cause of spreading Islam. Those books shaped my mindset.

At that time, I believed everything I read. I did not doubt it.

But I had honest questions.

The problem was, I was afraid to ask. Verses like Qur’an 5:101–102 warn Muslims not to ask certain questions lest it cause trouble for them. So questioning felt dangerous. You were expected to believe, not probe too deeply. And sometimes, when you begin asking certain questions, the reactions themselves show that something is wrong.

Let me show you some examples of historical claims that are found in Islamic sources but have not occurred in recorded history.

1. The Conquest of Constantinople and Rome

A hadith in Sahih Muslim speaks of Muslims conquering Constantinople and then Rome before the end times.

Constantinople was indeed conquered in 1453 by Mehmed II.

However, Rome has never been conquered by a Muslim army in history.

If this prophecy is taken literally, then part of it remains unfulfilled. If it is symbolic, then that interpretation must be proven, not assumed.

2. The Stones and Trees Speaking

Another hadith says that before the end times, Muslims will fight Jews and even stones and trees will speak, revealing Jews hiding behind them.

No such event has ever occurred in recorded history.

Again, if it is said to be future, then it remains unverified. But it cannot be presented as historical fulfillment.

3. Pharaoh’s Preserved Body (Qur’an 10:92)

The Qur’an says Pharaoh’s body would be preserved as a sign.

As a child, this fascinated me deeply. I wanted to travel to Egypt one day just to see his body. I was told that the Pharaoh who chased Moses into the Red Sea was preserved by Allah so people could see what happened to someone who claimed to be God.

Later, I discovered something important:

Many ancient Egyptian pharaohs were mummified, not just one. Mummification was standard Egyptian practice long before Islam.

The preserved mummy often associated with this story is linked by some to Ramses II, whose body has been displayed in Egypt and studied internationally.

But preservation was normal in ancient Egypt. It was not a unique miracle specific to one Pharaoh.

4. The Wall of Dhul-Qarnayn (Gog and Magog)

The Qur’an describes Dhul-Qarnayn building a massive iron wall to block Gog and Magog.

Some early Muslim scholars linked this to regions near the Caucasus. Others speculated about the Great Wall of China.

However:

No known wall in history completely seals off a hidden civilization.

There is no archaeological evidence of a trapped apocalyptic nation behind an iron barrier.

Yet this is presented as a real historical construction.

There are many other stories in Islamic literature, like the people of ‘Ad and Thamud described as extremely tall and powerful civilizations, that cannot be verified outside Islamic sources.

When a claim appears only within one religious tradition and cannot be confirmed by independent historical records, it deserves careful scrutiny.

Why This Matters to Me

My journey out of Islam was not emotional rebellion. It began with reading, the same thing that once strengthened my faith.

When I began studying Christianity, I discovered something different:

The life of Jesus is not only recorded in Christian writings but also referenced by non-Christian historians such as Tacitus and Josephus.

That external corroboration matters historically.

For me, faith should not fear questions. Truth does not collapse under investigation.

This is my case, not from hatred, but from history.

• Sheikh Almasih

Judaism was ancient, ethnic, and largely inward-looking. The Jews worshipped one God, rejected idols, and refused emperor worship, yet Rome permitted this because Judaism was not aggressive in expansion. It did not actively seek converts among the nations. Jewish worship was seen as something for the Jews and their descendants. As long as they paid taxes and did not incite rebellion, Rome left them alone.

Christianity, however, was something entirely different.

Early Christianity emerged from Judaism, but it quickly broke the boundaries that made Judaism tolerable to Rome. Christians proclaimed that JESUS, not Caesar, was Lord, and this confession was not meant to remain private or tribal. More dangerously (from Rome’s perspective), Christians believed that everyone,Romans, Greeks, slaves, soldiers, philosophers, idol worshippers, must abandon false gods and worship Jesus Christ.

This is the key difference.

Christians did not merely refuse to worship the emperor; they invited others to refuse as well. They preached, persuaded, reasoned, and proclaimed. They went into marketplaces, homes, synagogues, and Gentile cities declaring that salvation was found in no one else but Jesus Christ. This missionary impulse made Christianity socially disruptive and politically suspicious.

Rome could tolerate a religion that stayed within its ethnic boundaries.

Rome could not tolerate a faith that challenged the spiritual allegiance of the entire empire.

This explains why persecution intensified as Christianity spread among the Gentiles. As the gospel moved beyond Jerusalem into Antioch, Ephesus, Corinth, Rome, and other Gentile cities, entire communities were transformed. Idol temples lost worshippers. Trade guilds lost customers. Social norms were challenged. Allegiance shifted, from Caesar to Christ.

The words of Paul in Romans 1:14 capture the heartbeat of early Christianity:

“I am debtor both to the Greeks, and to the Barbarians; both to the wise, and to the unwise.”

Christianity understood itself as a debt owed to all humanity. The gospel was not a possession to be guarded but a message to be delivered. When Jesus commanded His disciples to go to all nations, they understood it literally and obeyed it sacrificially. Church history confirms this: Gentiles embraced the gospel in large numbers, often more readily than the Jews, and many Gentile cities became strong centers of Christianity.

This missionary identity is not an optional aspect of Christianity, it is its very nature.

Bringing this to our time, the lesson is clear. The Christian faith was never meant to be a private inheritance passed quietly from parents to children. It is not a cultural comfort or a personal refuge alone. It is a public truth meant for all peoples.

No human being is meant to worship any god other than the only holy, true, and living God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Therefore, participation in God’s mission, especially among Muslims and unreached nations, is not extremism, pride, or cultural aggression. It is simply biblical Christianity in good health.

Jesus did not die for a tribe, a nation, or a family line.

Jesus died for all men.

And those who know this truth are debtors, to the Greeks and the barbarians,

to the wise and the unwise,

to the near and the far.

Go and tell them: He died for them.

Judaism was ancient, ethnic, and largely inward-looking. The Jews worshipped one God, rejected idols, and refused emperor worship, yet Rome permitted this because Judaism was not aggressive in expansion. It did not actively seek converts among the nations. Jewish worship was seen as something for the Jews and their descendants. As long as they paid taxes and did not incite rebellion, Rome left them alone.

Christianity, however, was something entirely different.

Early Christianity emerged from Judaism, but it quickly broke the boundaries that made Judaism tolerable to Rome. Christians proclaimed that JESUS, not Caesar, was Lord, and this confession was not meant to remain private or tribal. More dangerously (from Rome’s perspective), Christians believed that everyone,Romans, Greeks, slaves, soldiers, philosophers, idol worshippers, must abandon false gods and worship Jesus Christ.

This is the key difference.

Christians did not merely refuse to worship the emperor; they invited others to refuse as well. They preached, persuaded, reasoned, and proclaimed. They went into marketplaces, homes, synagogues, and Gentile cities declaring that salvation was found in no one else but Jesus Christ. This missionary impulse made Christianity socially disruptive and politically suspicious.

Rome could tolerate a religion that stayed within its ethnic boundaries.

Rome could not tolerate a faith that challenged the spiritual allegiance of the entire empire.

This explains why persecution intensified as Christianity spread among the Gentiles. As the gospel moved beyond Jerusalem into Antioch, Ephesus, Corinth, Rome, and other Gentile cities, entire communities were transformed. Idol temples lost worshippers. Trade guilds lost customers. Social norms were challenged. Allegiance shifted, from Caesar to Christ.

The words of Paul in Romans 1:14 capture the heartbeat of early Christianity:

“I am debtor both to the Greeks, and to the Barbarians; both to the wise, and to the unwise.”

Christianity understood itself as a debt owed to all humanity. The gospel was not a possession to be guarded but a message to be delivered. When Jesus commanded His disciples to go to all nations, they understood it literally and obeyed it sacrificially. Church history confirms this: Gentiles embraced the gospel in large numbers, often more readily than the Jews, and many Gentile cities became strong centers of Christianity.

This missionary identity is not an optional aspect of Christianity, it is its very nature.

Bringing this to our time, the lesson is clear. The Christian faith was never meant to be a private inheritance passed quietly from parents to children. It is not a cultural comfort or a personal refuge alone. It is a public truth meant for all peoples.

No human being is meant to worship any god other than the only holy, true, and living God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Therefore, participation in God’s mission, especially among Muslims and unreached nations, is not extremism, pride, or cultural aggression. It is simply biblical Christianity in good health.

Jesus did not die for a tribe, a nation, or a family line.

Jesus died for all men.

And those who know this truth are debtors, to the Greeks and the barbarians,

to the wise and the unwise,

to the near and the far.

Go and tell them: He died for them.