It is said that a high percentage of Muslims who become Christians slide back into Islam. This is called recidivism. Dr. Cynthia’s experience does not necessarily confirm this, but it does show the danger flags for new believers, and the kind of things that tend to draw them back into their former life.
First, we must understand if the former Muslim is a true believer. We might misunderstand them, or perhaps they are simply appearing to be one for some reason. For example, many Christians have been fooled into believing that a Muslim has become a Christian because they say they believe in or love Jesus. It is actually part of Islam to claim this, and so it alone does not reflect a heart change toward the Christian faith. One Muslim Dr. C knows says he is Christian when in America and Muslim when he is in the Middle East. Such ambivalence is not a true conversion. (We are not saying that a Muslim can not be a silent believer in the Middle East, or fit in with the culture to some degree, but they would know in their heart that they were NOT a Muslim.)
Next, we should try to understand what a Muslim’s life is like, and what drove a Muslim to convert to Christianity, for then we can foresee the risks. For example, with droves of Muslims moving to the West now, many desire the freedom and license they see in what they consider to be Christians – not the heart change that Jesus brings. Notably, an Arab missionary who works with us in America was called to perform an emergency conversion from Muslim to Christian for two young women in a Houka bar. Upon questioning he found what they wanted was to live a wild life. When he explained to them what a true Christian was, they decided they did not want to convert.
Freedom from Islamic laws attracts Muslims to Christ, and that can be good; however they might be reluctant to follow the discipline of following Christ, and may drift away into secularism.
On the other hand, if they are from a strict Islamic background and are trapped in that setting, they might weaken and be tempted to revert to Islam. They may face daily pressure to go back to Islam, there may be threats to take their family away, beatings, and even threats against their lives. In short their way of life could be easier and more assured if they revert to Islam.
But even so, do not give up hope! Even some who return to Islam after consideration and comparison return to Christ, more firm in their faith.
When someone repents and becomes a Christian, the angels rejoice (Luke 15:7). In this clip a variety of believers from many backgrounds congratulate Huda and welcome her into God’s family. Some give advice for her first steps as a new believer from a Muslim background, or share their experience as new believers.
Although Huda grew up as a Muslim, in reading the Qur’an she felt there was something wrong. The Qur’an was filled with violence and rules. But Huda says are God’s children, shouldn’t act that way. She knows God is with her everywhere, not only when she is ritually pure. Huda feels reborn. She is learning more about Jesus day by day, and is so much happier now that she is free from the violence and rules in the Qur’an.
In this clip Dr. Cynthia explains “What is Discipleship?” She explains that as Jesus’ disciples had to take time to learn and grow into the strong leaders that they eventually became, so all of us must go through a process to grow.
In this clip, derived from the television series, “Becoming Christian from Muslim,” Dr. C explains that the series was based around discipling a new believer from a Muslim background, in this case Huda. Since Huda’s questions, like all Muslim’s questions in coming to Christ, are different than those of a nominal Christian, it is a special thing to be able to capture this first year of her faith on film. This way we are able to share this discipleship process with other Muslims coming out of Islam, and the Christians assisting them in doing so.
Because Islam originated in the Arab world, it is most often associated with Arabs. However, Arabs now represent a minority of Muslims worldwide. Indonesia has the largest number, followed by India. Turkey and Iran are other non-Arab countries which are largely Islamic. In this clip you can tour Turkey in 6 minutes from the Christian perspective. Dr. Cynthia narrates significant sights and events from the past few thousand years around Istanbul and Asia Minor.
The video clip includes a reality shot of the call to prayer in Turkey. Being loudly broadcast from mosques across Muslim countries five times a day – from before dawn until bedtime, you can see a sense in which the Qur’an does have a hypnotic and controlling effect among those it touches. Besides this, it impacts a Muslim country’s productivity by interrupting the work day for prayers, and by making it difficult to impossible to get a full night’s sleep.
Huda it is like a spell that controls the lives of those living under it. As a child, she was afraid to even touch the Bible. When she started reading the Bible, she found God very clearly speaking. Huda says she feels like she came out of a cage when she left Islam and its spell. (This somewhat echoes what former Muslim Ayan Hirsi Ali wrote in her book Infidel.)
Huda believes the Bible is clear and easy to understand, but not the Qur’an; however, she needed to read it and live under its influence while she lived in the Middle East. She felt she was always attached to the Qur’an. It controlled her from her birth onward until she left the Middle East. The Qur’an’s spell kept her and others from even touching the Bible, so they were not able to learn about the Bible. But when she moved to Europe, she started to come out from under the spell of it.
In Arabic, Huda’s first language, she tells us that believes the Bible is clear and easy to understand, but not the Qur’an; however, she needed to read it and live under its influence while growing up. She felt she was always attached to the Qur’an. It controlled her from her birth onward until she left the Middle East. The Qur’an’s spell kept her and others from even touching the Bible, and they were not able to learn more about the Bible. But when she moved to Europe, she started to come out from under the spell of it.
Rev. Georges Houssney here gives his opinion on Dr. Cynthia’s situation with three Muslim friends demanding a dream or miracle to convert (See also the video clip with Nabeel Qureshi called “Do I Need a Miracle to Convert?”).
Rev. Houssney, who preaches to Muslims all over the world, tells us that he has seen tremendous miracles and dreams with people leaving Islam. There can also be false miracles and dreams. Dreams and visions do not save people. He has found a danger, he explains, when people start to seek miracles and experiences, rather than the truth of God.
Life as a new believer is not easy. Miracles can some times make us think everything will go our way if we are following God, but that is not the case. Although God may confirm his truth and power to us through a miracle, we must keep our faith in God himself and his Word – the truth, not supernatural manifestations.
How can a new believer from a background radically different than that taught by the Bible become a strong, mature Christian? By a process we call discipleship.
The followers of Jesus went through three years of discipleship with him before they were ready to begin their own ministries. Three years even though they were Jewish background, meaning they already had a good deal of knowledge about the one true God and the prophecies of Jesus Christ.
Imagine the challenges facing a new believer from a Muslim background who wants to live as a Christian! Everything is so different (II Corinthians 5:17). From the true character of God to his plan for salvation, from the lives of Bible characters to how we live the Christian life – all of these differ dramatically in Christianity from what they have learned in Islam. Add to that ingrained old life patterns and reflexes and you start to see the challenge.
New believers need to learn the importance of Bible study and devotions, prayer, fellowship with other believers, and living in the image of Christ. In “The Importance of Discipleship” Bob Siegel explains to new believers, for example Huda, that in addition to Bible study and prayer, living alongside mature believers is the best way for a new believer to progress in discipleship.
This reality and travel clip introduces the topic of healing and miracles, with a visit to a famous healing spot from history: the hot springs of Hot Springs, South Dakota. Hot Springs, South Dakota is noted for exactly what the name claims: natural hot springs. In fact, the hot mineral water not only bubbles out of the earth, it creates a beautiful mossy hot waterfall and an actual stream of hot water. The stream passes through a gully between the sandstone buildings of the small town of Hot Springs, and the red sandstone cliff opposite. The video clip shows you all of these natural and developed features.
In the past Native Americans, and subsequently American settlers, believed in the healing powers of the hot mineral springs of this region. There were not always valid medical treatments for many diseases, and the soothing effect of the hot springs often seemed to bring relief. Before the region was settled by outsiders, there was a major battle between the Sioux and Cheyenne on nearby Battle Mountain for control of the hot springs. Eventually, the Native Americans agreed to share the spot.
As the popularity of mineral springs for medical treatment has declined in the face of more specific and effective medications, so has the popularity of Hot Springs, South Dakota. However, its waters are now free to all who visit this somewhat remote spot, regardless of ethnic background.
Human beings of all races have suffered illness since the beginning of time, and have sought a variety of means for healing. Whether from natural hot springs, prescribed medication, or miraculous intervention, all healing comes from God.
In his testimony, Jewish background believer Bob Siegel shares his experience of leaving his old faith and way of life to become a Christian. As for Muslims, becoming a Christian from a Jewish background was a huge change of not only faith, but culture and family for Bob.
Bob shares that a big influence on him was the Holy Spirit. He sensed the Holy Spirit through the lives of Christians he knew, and he knew that they had something special. Later, as he opened his heart to the message of Christ, he was flooded with a sense of peace and truth by the Holy Spirit in what might be called a “natural miracle.”
Guest Rev. Georges Houssney and Dr. Cynthia discuss especially common occultic practices with Muslims and former Muslim Christians. Since the Bible renounces such practices, they comment on ways to recognize and combat them.
Although pure Islam is against occultic practices, superstitions, amulets, spells, reading of coffee grounds, and astrology are a common in most Islamic cultures. Sometimes this is called, “Folk Islam,” but it is more than just the common folk that follow these. Thus, sooner or later a Christian working with Muslims or a Muslim background believer will need to confront these practices.
Even verses of the Qur’an can be used as a talisman by Muslims. For example, they can be worn in a necklace or inscribed on a surface for protection. Most schools of Islamic thought reject using the Qur’an as an amulet. However, since the words of the Koran in Arabic are felt to have power and gain credit for the speaker at the Day of Judgment, we can see how Muslims could fall into this trap.
Dr. Nabeel Qureshi shares with us his spiritual journey, and decision to follow Jesus from a Muslim background. Nabeel came from a very loving and spiritual family. His parents came to America as missionaries to bring what they believed was the truth of Islam to Americans. Nabeel was 100% sure Islam was correct. But during his university years a good friend began to challenge him about the truth of Jesus’ crucifixion and resurrection, as well as unpleasant details about Islamic history and laws.
As Nabeel grew closer to the truth, the cost of believing it began to dawn on him. If he crossed over to Christianity from Islam, he would deeply hurt and risk loosing his precious family. God confirmed the truth to him with dreams, but also challenged him through his word. He read in Matthew 10:37-39 that whoever loves his family more than Jesus is not worthy of him, and that to truly follow Jesus we loose our life for his sake – but will end up actually finding it. This is what Nabeel did. (You can read more of Nabeel’s story in his book “Seeking Allah, Finding Jesus” available at Amazon.
A Christian co-worker shared an opinion with Dr. Cynthia in the case of a Muslim student. Since this student came to America partly to learn about Christianity and met Dr. C 10 days later, he said, “You are that person’s miracle!”
Acts 17:26,27 tells us that God moves people around so that they can have experiences which will lead them closer to him. We see this happening now with the obvious migration of people groups from restricted nations into the West, where they have greater opportunities to hear the gospel. Both this sort of “natural” intervention of God, as well as more glamorous supernatural manifestations, are all “miracles” through which God draws us to himself.
As a young girl Huda received a Bible from a friend. She hid it because she was afraid for her parents to see it, because she was not even allowed to touch the Bible. If she had been allowed to learn about the Bible she would have become a Christian long before. After studying religions as an adult in the free world, she says is very clear that Jesus is the one Son of God. However, she was not given the ability to choose what religion she wanted to follow until she moved out of the Middle East.
Each letter of the Qur’an is believed to have power. Reciting the Qur’an in Arabic is like an incantation. Whether a literal spell or not, the power of the Qur’an keeps people’s minds in a box so that they can not think about other faiths or even question their own.
In Matthew 16:4 Jesus told the religious leaders who demanded a miracle from him that “a wicked and adulterous generation looks for a miraculous sign.” When does this passage come into play, and is it wrong to ask for a miracle? Bob Siegel tells us it has a lot to do with the attitude of those asking for the miracle.
Dr. Cynthia explains that growth takes time. As with a child, it takes time for a new believer to become strong: knowing the Word of God, being able to withstand temptation, and reflecting Christ in their every day life. So, the episodes of the TV series these videos are based on were filmed over years of the life of new believer Huda.
Huda explains to us in this clip her reasons for joining this project.
Huda had only been a believer for six weeks when we began filming this show, and she agreed to put the reality of her life on camera. It is amazing that a former Muslim would make himself or herself available to face the world openly with their new identity, let alone appear humbly as a learner of the new ways of following Jesus.
Huda says that she looks forward to learning things about Jesus and the Bible that were kept from her during her youth and early adulthood in the Middle East. She is also happy to share them with Muslims who might be going through the same process she did of questioning Islam and coming into the light of Christ.
