Evangelism takes a lot of different forms: street evangelism, overseas missions, digital evangelism, and peer-to-peer relationships. All of these forms of evangelism have the same goal of introducing people to the love of Christ!
But, for some Christians, the thought of inviting their Muslim friends into a relationship with Christ is daunting or even scary! Doubts can fill your mind like, “Is it too soon?” or “What if they get offended?” You may also reason with yourself and say, “Well, I don’t really need to ask “the question”, it is enough to tell them about Jesus.”
Don’t let these questions and fears stop you! There are certain signs that you can look for and tips to use, so that when the Holy Spirit prompts you, you will have confidence to move ahead. Remember that you may be the only person that they trust to have these conversations about God with.
So, let’s jump right in and figure out what you should be looking for before you ask your Muslim friend, “Are you ready to accept Jesus as your Lord and Savior?”
Knowledge about who Jesus is
Your Muslim friend certainly isn’t going to accept Christ as their Lord if they don’t know that He died and rose again to save them from their sins and give them eternal life! So make sure they have heard the full story of the Gospel, which will naturally draw them to the person of Jesus.
It is important to recognize that your Muslim friend already has an incorrect image of who Jesus is in their mind. Islam teaches that Jesus was the last prophet of Allah to come before Muhammad. There are certain similarities between Isa (Jesus in the Quran) and the Jesus of the Bible, but there are important differences– for example, they don’t believe/know the fact that He is the Son of God. To understand what your Muslim friend believes about Jesus, read this blog post: Introducing your Muslim friends to the True Jesus.
There are different ways that you can tell your Muslim friend the truth about Jesus:
Tell them a story of how Jesus has changed your life personally. This will reveal Jesus’ loving character and make your friend curious to have a similar relationship.
Share a Bible story with your Muslim friend. You can do this in a few ways, either by inviting them to watch a movie or TV show that accurately depicts the Bible, sharing social media posts with them, or by inviting them to read the story with you from the Bible.
Start a conversation by asking them what their beliefs about Jesus are. Try to find one of the things that you both believe, like the fact that He was sinless, and then go from there!
Curiosity about your relationship with God
Your Muslim friend will begin to notice that how you approach God and talk about Him is not the same as how they feel towards Allah. The concept of a loving relationship with God is foreign to them, so you should not be shy about this! Feel free to pray with them, and allow them to hear how freely you are able to speak to God the Father through Jesus.
Be vocal about your relationship with God. Ask them questions about their relationship with Allah to get a conversation started. When you approach them with genuine curiosity, don’t be surprised when they open up with questions about God’s love in return! Conversations like this can be a good sign that your Muslim friend is considering beginning their own personal relationship with Christ.
A Desire to Learn
As your friend begins to move towards possibly opening up their heart to God, they will be interested in learning more about everything in Christianity. They have been taught that leaving Islam is unforgivable, so they won’t do it without a large amount of evidence and motivation. Be available to help them, whether it is by answering their questions, pointing them to theologically correct resources to read themselves, or by praying with them and for them!
At any point on this journey, you can invite them to church. We have a guide for how to start this conversation with your Muslim friend and what to do once they get to church, because their first experience in God’s house of worship is a big deal!
The Big Question
We can’t give you a formula for when to ask your Muslim friend if they are ready to accept Christ as their Savior, because it is entirely unique to every person. That is one of the beautiful things about God– His relationship with us is personal.
The Holy Spirit will give you the nudge when it is time to invite your Muslim friend to know Him. It may catch you off-guard or it may come naturally. Do not resist this push! Trust that God is ultimately in control, and that He knows what your Muslim friend needs to hear.
When the Lord prompts you, ask: “Do you believe the time has come for you to take the step and declare your faith in Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior?”, or, “Is there anything that’s keeping you from putting your trust in Jesus today, repenting of your sins, and accepting Him as Lord and Savior?”
If your Muslim friend says yes, then pray with them and celebrate! Explain to them what happens now that they have become a follower of Christ, and continue to invest in them and connect them with other Christians. If they say no, they are not ready, or they need to think about it, accept that graciously and pray for them privately.
Ultimately, it is the Holy Spirit who works in your friend’s heart, so take a deep breath. The burden to save your Muslim friend is not on your shoulders! All you need to do is be available for your Muslim friend and humbly obey the guidance of the Holy Spirit.
Prayer
Dear Lord, thank you for this friendship you have given me. Allow me to be a light in my Muslim friend’s life that points them to you. Give me the right words to speak, and if it is time to ask them about entering a relationship with you, let me be attuned to your Holy Spirit’s prompting. Amen.
