“Start where your Muslim friend is. Where are they spiritually? Where are they in their questions? Where are they in their religion?”
Crescent Project founder Fouad Masri shares the importance of building bridges to our Muslim neighbors and connect them with love of Christ.
Fouad says that the month of Ramadan provides a good opportunity to ask our Muslim friends questions about their faith.
“You might meet somebody this Ramadan who maybe is not fasting; they’re working with you, they’re your classmates or a neighbor, etc. This is a time to say, ‘Hey, maybe you want to read what Jesus says about fasting,’ or ask them, ‘Why are you not fasting?’ He might say, ‘Well I believe Islam needs to be modernized,’ or something.”
Finding common ground in conversations is important, but Fouad reminds us that we need to go beyond common ground, and cross over the bridge to the heart of the Gospel.
“Everybody says, ‘You got to stay on common ground.’ I agree with that, but you need to move beyond common ground, build a bridge and help them with the bridge to understand the uniqueness of Jesus.”
Fouad and his team have taught more than 24,000 people on how to build relationships with their Muslims neighbors through The Bridges Seminar. What they have discovered is that talking about Jesus is always the best focal point.
“I am inviting Muslims to Jesus; I want them to hear Him, to know Him. Do I want them to come to my church? I’d love that, but my conversation is going to be focused on my Savior.”
We have a much bigger story to tell. Fouad points out an example of the blind man in John 9,
“When the blind man was healed, the Pharisees and the religious leader told them, ‘Don’t you know this man is not good?’ Then he goes, ‘I don’t know if he is good or bad, I know that I was blind but now I see.’
“This is my job. My joy is to help my Muslim friend see the beauty of Christ, see who He is. He is the Word of God become flesh, the risen Lord; He conquered death, conquered sin.”
Fouad challenges the body of Christ to pray for Muslims, respectfully meet them where they are at, and always remember to speak the truth in love.
“You see that in Jesus’ life he said, ‘Tell the truth, but in love.’ Some people want to use the Koran; some people want to use terms and ideas that really are not helping. What are we saying to Muslims today? What does Jesus want to say to Muslims?”