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For the most part, respondents did not say that political or economic circumstances influenced their decisions. But it's hard not to notice that Iranians, Pakistanis, Afghans, Bangladeshis, and Algerians became more responsive after enduring Muslim political turmoil or attempts to impose Islamic law. Christian relief and development agencies try hard to guard against spiritually misusing their position as providers of desperately needed goods and services. But natural disasters in South Asia, Southeast Asia, and the Sahel region inevitably put Muslims in contact with Christians trying to follow Jesus. It is no surprise that some of these Muslims also choose to follow Christ.

Yet while it is the "best of times" for Christian witness to Muslims, it remains also the "worst of times." In many places, apostasy is tantamount to rejecting family, religion, culture, ethnicity, and nationality. Thus, many Muslim converts face persecution from family, police, or militants. Two friends were unable to fill out the questionnaire—one because he was apparently poisoned by his own family, the other because the government imprisoned him and later his tongue was cut out by a warlord so that he could no longer say the name of Jesus.

But Muslim converts to Christ know that such persecution can, in a mysterious way, be part of the best of times. Jesus, in fact, said it was a blessing. That's because with or without persecution, Muslims are discovering an experiential truth unknown to them before. As a Zambian Muslim exclaimed, "God loves me just as I am."

J. Dudley Woodberry is professor of Islamic studies at the School of Intercultural Studies, Fuller Theological Seminary, Pasadena, California, and served in the Muslim world for many years. Russell G. Shubin is deputy director of national news and publications for Salem Communications in Camarillo, California. G. Marks has ministered in Malawi.

Copyright © 2007 Christianity Today. Click for reprint information.

Dudley Woodberry wrote "Can We Dialogue with Islam?" for Christianity Today.

Other Christianity Today articles on Islam and evangelism to Muslims include:

Love Your Muslim as Yourself | We remain woefully ignorant about the world's second-largest religion. A Christianity Today editorial. (March 16, 2007)

Waging Peace on Islam | A missionary veteran of Asia proposes one way to defuse Muslim anger about the Crusades. (June 1, 2005)

Letter from a Muslim Seeker | Christians aren't the only ones asking 'Why?' after September's tragedy. (Dec. 5, 2001)

Is the God of Muhammad the Father of Jesus? | The answer to this question reveals the heart of our faith. (Feb. 1, 2002)

Is Islam a Religion of Peace? | The controversy reveals a struggle for the soul of Islam. (Dec. 28, 2000)

A Many Splintered Thing | Though Muslims shared allegiance to Muhammad and to the Qur'an, Islam faced division as soon as the prophet died. (Dec. 28, 2000)

Answering Islam has a page of essays and articles on "The Christian Witness to the Muslim."

Other Christian sites discussing Muslim beliefs about Jesus and Christianity are available at The Muslim-Christian Debate and FarsiNet.

Al-Sunnah and Islam 101 are a couple of the sites that give Muslim perspectives on Jesus and Christianity.

Adherents.com has statistics related to the adherents of many religions.

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October 2007, Vol. 51, No. 10