Monday, December 17, 2007

Muslim Evangelism Summit

Last Summer the Discipleship Committee of First Baptist Church of Farmersville came to me and asked whether I thought our church might benefit from a short-term seminar regarding how to best to pray and work toward the spread of the gospel among Muslims. I contacted Dr. Emir Caner and asked him to lead the seminar. I grew to love Dr. Caner several years ago. For a few years First Baptist Church of Farmersville had seen God at work through our relationships with various exchange students in our area. You've never heard excitement until you've spoken with a Korean teenaged exchange student who has reported her conversion to her Christian mother in South Korea who has been praying for her for years. Anyway, our most recent exchange student relationship had developed with a Muslim student from an Islamic country. I contacted Dr. Caner seeking wisdom about how to proceed. Not long afterwards he was my guest at FBC Farmersville to preach. Within a month, our young student came forward during the altar call (I guess they do work, sometimes) and simply said, "I have come to accept the faith. I believe in Jesus." Dr. Caner wasn't even there that day, but he still corresponds with that convert. So, Dr. Caner was our natural choice for our seminar. We're inviting area churches to participate in our Muslim Evangelism Summit, and now I'm inviting you, too. We're offering the seminar in two formats. Our three-night track takes place Sunday, February 10, through Tuesday, February 12, at 6:00 PM nightly. If that won't work for you, Dr. Caner will present the entire contents of the seminar in an afternoon, Tuesday, February 12, 1:00 – 4:00 PM, at Lake Lavon Baptist Encampment. We plan to record to seminar and make it available online as well. I believe that the gospel is "the power of God unto salvation." The gospel of Jesus Christ is more powerful than any religion devised by man. The gospel will be the focus of our summit, and that alone ought to make it worth your time to attend.

6 comments:

Writer said...

What a wonderful idea. I look forward to watching or listening to it online.

Les

Anonymous said...

Bart,

Great idea for having a Muslim Evangelism Summit as the power of God unto salvation is true for all men. However, let's not forget the entire truth of Romans 1:16 and so I must ask ... when will you be holding the Jewish Evangelism Summit?

Acts 20:24,

Amy Downey -- Tzedakah Ministries
www.tzedakahministries.org
downey@tzedakahministries.org
www.mysterysolvedwithmessiahjesus.wordpress.com

Anonymous said...

Brother Bart,

Another excellent way to equip your congregation (and other congregations) to reach out to the strangers in your land is to look into "Encountering the World of Islam." This is put out by the same folks who do "Perspectives." It is a longer commitment. But if you have Muslim neighbors, no price is too high to see them come to faith in Jesus! Here is a link:

http://www.encounteringislam.org/

May His name be praised,
From the Middle East

Bart Barber said...

Les,

Wish you could come.

Bart Barber said...

Amy,

Carrying the gospel to all people is my goal, and my heart warms at the prospect of doing so "to the Jew first." Our opportunities to do so in Farmersville have not been numerous. But in some of our Acts 1:8 trips this year (I think we're up to six of those for 2008) we might see that opportunity open a bit wider. If so, I'll make sure that you are the first to know.

Bart Barber said...

FTME,

I'll check it out.