Beards and burqas?

Martin Goldsmith was born in 1934 in England to a German Jewish family.

He attended public school and, through a miraculous answer to prayer, became a Christian at age 15. He qualified as a Russian interpreter in the Navy then studied Modern Languages and Russian Political Thought at Oxford. There he felt called to mission and, after training in theology in Bristol, worked as a missionary with OMF in SE Asia for ten years. He lectured at All Nations Christian College for 24 years and now engages in a full-time international speaking ministry. He has authored many books, the latest being Beyond Beards and Burqas (IVP, £7.99), in which he introduces the reader to a wide variety of Muslims, relaying conversations about Islam and Christianity he has had with them during his many years of Christian service.

AP: How is Islam perceived by Christians in the West?

MG: I think there’s considerable uncertainty. Liberal Christians tend to see it as being very similar to Christianity. That is frankly a bit na•ve, as it plays down the differences and contradictions. They would see the militancy of Islam as a maverick minority that is not truly Muslim. Again, that’s a bit ignorant, because violence is part of the teachings of Muhammad.

Evangelicals or more conservative Christians are a bit torn. Many are influenced by the pluralistic age in which we live and, therefore, feel we should be rather positive about Islam, but then they hear about the persecution of Christians in Muslim countries. Also 35% of British Muslims said they were in support of 9/11 so we can’t just dismiss that aggression.

AP: How should Christians view Muslims?

MG: We should view them with love and wherever possible look for the positives. There are elements of Islam that we, as Christians, would totally agree with, such as all the 99 most beautiful names of Allah, though we might want to change the emphases and interpretation of some of them.

However, we shouldn’t be na•ve. Jesus is the truth and we’re called to truth. We need, therefore, to face the realities of their rejection of Jesus, lack of eternal life, lack of forgiveness of sin and of the Holy Spirit, and inadequate understanding of the nature of God. We need to be realistic, not hiding our differences, and look to the Lord for their conversion whatever it costs.

AP: What are some common perceptions Muslims have of Christianity?

MG: They tend to see us as non-religious, non-praying, immoral, and sexually rather free. To them every white person and everything in white society is Christian. For example, a North African taxi driver, who assumed all Western tourists were Christians, told me: ‘We have to work late because the Christians get so drunk they can’t get back to their hotels. Often we have to clean up their vomit from our taxis before we can go to bed’.

They’re rather negative about Christianity. They think we believe in three Gods and that we’ve deified Jesus. However, when they meet with Christians it can be a very pleasant surprise, and some Muslim governments prefer Christian employees because they like people who believe in God even if they don’t agree with how we believe in him!

AP: What in Western Christianity might prevent Muslims from coming to faith?

MG: The immorality of society and the tolerance of sin in our congregations can put them off, as can our forms of worship. In Islam, if there’s a space between men while they’re praying in the mosque, there’s a popular belief that there will be an evil spirit in that gap. There are usually lots of gaps in churches, so that’s not a good witness. The fact that worshipping Christians are often facing in different directions can also be a hindrance.

Another problem for Muslims is the casualness with which we treat our faith, such as the way we handle our Bibles, writing in them and even putting them on the floor. Muslims would never do that. Some of our worship songs are too militaristic, reinforcing their belief that Christianity is a religion of the crusades and imperialism.

AP: How should we convey the gospel to Muslims and what aspects of Christianity do they find attractive?

MG: It depends on what sort of Muslim we are with, but I would say it’s mainly through a long-term friendship with a Christian they respect, and reading at least part of the New Testament. God often supports this by giving some sort of miracle that they associate with the Christian faith.

For example, a Muslim soldier on guard duty at night suddenly saw the whole sky lit up by a brilliant cross. A Christian soldier explained to him that this vision was meant for him even though he was a Muslim. This caused the Muslim to come to faith in Jesus.

We need also to deal with evil spirits. A lot of Moslems are troubled by occult phenomena because popular Islam has a lot of demonic activity in it. Also if they’re sick it helps to offer to pray with them.

They’re attracted by having the power of God within through the Holy Spirit and by the assurance of sins forgiven. Also, they’re drawn to the fact that we can gain a totally new life through Jesus Christ, with all the beauty and assurance of everlasting resurrection life.

AP: How can we support converts from Islam?

MG: In Muslim countries converts will probably lose their job and their family, so the church needs to realise we are their new family. It’s much more than having a coffee together occasionally, but rather embracing them as brothers and sisters in Christ. It may well involve economic support and help with finding employment. They need considerable biblical teaching about the nature of God, salvation, the Holy Spirit, the church and the Christian life in general. They may need help in understanding the New Testament, so we should regularly read and explain the Scriptures to them.

AP: Have you ever felt threatened because of your involvement with Islam?

MG: I’ve been stoned twice, and I don’t mean on drugs! Once I got a letter from the local Sultan informing me I was disturbing the peace by preaching the gospel, and graciously inviting me to meet with the Minister for Religion, head of the religious police and head of the state police. It’s the sort of polite invitation you can’t refuse! They made it clear that if I continued to preach to Muslims I and every member of my mission would be given 24 hours’ notice to leave the country. I imagined myself going down in history as the one that got 70 missionaries sent home! Yet to not preach Christ is anti-biblical. So I started a public religious story-telling ministry, which enabled people to ask questions about the Christian faith.

AP: Can you describe a significant encounter you have had with a Muslim?

MG: I sometimes refer to a police sergeant whom I regularly played badminton with. Gradually he came to see the truth of Christianity and said, ‘Martin, I know now Jesus is the only hope for both me and my people’. I replied, ‘In that case you have to lead the way and become a Christian’. Looking at me very seriously he said, ‘Martin, you’re my friend, do you want me dead?’ I knew the reality of that because Elizabeth and I had befriended a Muslim girl and, through her, three sisters had begun to ask questions about Christianity.

When their mother discovered this, she put poison in their tea and killed them. After serious thought, I said to my policeman friend, ‘I am your friend and I would rather you were dead as a Christian than alive as a Muslim — but I’d rather you were alive as a Christian!’ I had to face the reality that if I led him to the Lord today he might well be killed tomorrow and I would attend his funeral the day after. So I asked myself, ‘Is Jesus more important even than life itself?’ The answer was, ‘Yes’.

Amanda Pilz interviews Martin Goldsmith

AP: How should Christians view Muslims?

Amanda Pilz

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