We believe it is important to share the gospel with everyone in our life, because as Christians we desire to share this wonderful gift of salvation with others! Sometimes there are factors in our relationships that we need to take into account when we share the gospel with our friends, specifically our Muslim friends.

Age differences can impact how we share the gospel with a person, or even how you can grow close to them! We’ve talked about age differences in a previous blog, but today we are diving into an important relationship dynamic that needs to be addressed:

How can I share the Gospel with a Muslim child when I am an adult?

The answer to this question has a lot to do with the age of the Muslim child that you are friends with. Let’s look at the different age groups you might encounter and also look at general practical tools to share the Gospel with a young person.

Under the age of 12

You may know a Muslim child through your job as a teacher, nurse, day care, or it could be a friend’s kid that you babysit. There may come a time when this child approaches you with questions about God or what you believe, and it is important that you always answer these honestly!

However, there are some steps you need to take to make sure you respect this child’s parents so you don’t lose your relationship with their family.

First, always keep your answers age-appropriate. This may sound like a given, but if you want to talk about Jesus or God, explain it in terms that they will understand so a true seed can be planted in their heart.

While having this conversation, make sure you explain that your beliefs are different from their family’s beliefs and tell them they can always ask their parents the same things. When you see their parents again, be transparent and tell them what their child was asking about and tell them what your response was. This way, you are not hiding anything from the parents that might make them upset to find out later on.

The advice we are sharing is for general situations, but we also encourage you to listen to the Holy Spirit’s prompting! Try to keep the relationship with the parents as open and intact as possible so that you do not lose the chance to invest in their child, but some young Muslims might be willing to consider starting a relationship with Jesus. So listen to the Holy Spirit and be wise in your approach.

If a child is under twelve years old, you should not be focusing on converting them out of Islam. Instead, focus on planting a seed of the gospel in their heart and continue to pray for them and be available as they grow older and are able to decide their own faith for themselves.

12 years old and older

Once kids reach their teenage years, they begin to think much more independently about their beliefs and may no longer blindly follow what their parents have brought them up in. They also start questioning existence, life, afterlife, and much more. Be honest with them about what you believe if they ask, and don’t be afraid to discuss more mature topics.

At this point, it is not necessary for you to report your conversation to their parents. If a young teenager wants to talk to their parents about faith and religion, they will, but it is also the age they begin to explore these things for themselves.

You might be a close friend to an older Muslim teen, whether it be your child’s friend or a Muslim friend’s kid. Find resources for them to study on their own and try to safely give them access to their own Bible or help them download a Bible app and other biblical teaching apps. Try to pursue them intentionally and set up times for you to get coffee and continue talking. They will appreciate a safe place for them to search for the truth!

Tips for sharing the Gospel with a young Muslim

Think back to where you were on your faith journey when you were ten years old. What about fifteen years old? Do you remember the kinds of questions you had about God and life?

When we are young, we don’t want people to oversimplify topics for us, but are instead filled with curiosity about the world we live in. However, there are probably things that we have learned about God or the Bible that we could not have understood at that age. That is why it is important to always be honest about your beliefs, but also remain aware of what you share and if it is something that will help your friend grow closer to God or confuse them more.

Remember, your main focus is caring about the fate of the young Muslim’s soul rather than worry about upsetting their parents. Of course, you don’t want to lose all ability to talk to your young friend if their parents cut you off from them. This is a reason to pray over your relationship and ask that God can use you to share His love!

Prayer

Dear Lord, thank you for the opportunity to share Your Love with a young Muslim. Please open up their heart to hear the truth. Give them courage to begin to question the religion they were born into. Thank you for dying on the cross so we all can have a relationship with you. Amen.