In 1900 34% of the world population called themselves Christian. In 2000 33% of the world population called themselves Christian. The figures demonstrate that Christianity simply kept steady with the population growth of the world. In 1900 12% of the world population called themselves Muslim. In 2000 20% of the world population called themselves Muslim. The Muslim faith grew 8% over the rate of population growth. This makes Islam the fastest growing religion in the world. In the 18th and 19th century, Judaism was the second largest religious group outside of Christianity in the United States. Currently Islam is on the same level as Judaism and is expected to surpass Judaism in the United States for the title of second largest religion within a decade. Islam is a highly misunderstood and feared religion by many of us in the West. Yet we are moving into an era where we will have neighbors that are of the Muslim faith. Our children will sit beside children of the Islamic faith in school. We visit restaurants where the owners are Muslim. It is becoming more common everyday to come across and interact with a person of the Muslim faith. We can choose to ignore the fact. We can refuse the Scripture’s mandate to love and just turn our backs on our neighbors or we can begin to have a conversation.
As a church I would like to see us committed to reaching out to Muslims. I see no greater opportunity than right now witnessing to the people of Islam. The God of Abraham hears the crying of Ishmael in the wilderness and he is challenging his people to also hear that cry. We must commit ourselves to reaching the Muslim world.
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