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20 YEARS EXPLORE EQUIP ENGAGE SAHARA CHALLENGE MANUAL 2021 Muslims are searching. Go prepared. Written and compiled by Fouad Masri © 2021 Crescent Project. All rights reserved. No portion of this manual may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form or by any means without prior permission in writing from the publisher. Published in the United States of America. Quotations from the Qur'an are from The Quran Translation, 7th Edition, by Abdullah Yusef Ali (Elmhurst NY: Tahrike Tarsile Quran, Inc., 2001 ). All Scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®. NIV®. Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984 by International Bible Society. Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved. “The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.” – Jesus (John 10:10) Greetings in the name of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ! I welcome you to Sahara Challenge, an intensive, practical training program designed to prepare Christians for a biblical, effective ministry among Muslims. Crescent Project is an interdenominational Christian ministry focused on helping fulfill the Great Commission to the Muslim world. Our goal is to see every Muslim have an opportunity to respond to the Gospel and be connected to a true follower of Jesus. Millions of Muslims today have never heard the Gospel. Our Challenge is to take the gospel message to the hearts of spiritually thirsty Muslims. They are in need of the living water, our Lord Jesus Christ. Confidence is needed as we minister. This confidence comes from a steadfast belief in our Creator and redeemer Jesus the Messiah. Confidence comes as we prepare to be a growing and effective minister of the Gospel. All followers of Jesus are invited to minister to others. We are not asked to be perfect, but we are commanded to share (Matthew 28:18-20). Make the best use of your time. Equip yourself. Enjoy the teachers, the discussion time, and the fellowship with other believers. I pray God will use this training to refresh your soul as you refresh others. Reaching Muslims for Christ, Fouad Masri President/CEO, Crescent Project Contents NOTES Day One 11 Day Two 30 Day Three 50 ADDITIONAL RESOURCES God's Historic Heartbeat 65 Islam Rising & Falling 70 The Christian Shahada 75 A Guide to Prayer Walking 77 A Visit to the Mosque 80 Arabic Phrases to Use 81 Your Evening with the Lord 82 What Does the Bible Say about Jesus? 84 The Parables of Jesus 89 Jesus in the Bible and the Qur’an 91 Jihad: An Islamic Perspective 93 What do Muslims think of America? 102 Recommended Reading 107 Bibliography 108 Glossary of Terms 109 4 Sahara Challenge | © Crescent Project 2021 About Sahara Challenge "Water will gush forth in the wilderness and streams in the desert. The burning sand will become a pool, the thirsty ground a bubbling stream." More than 1.6 billion Muslims today Islam as a political and religious movement live in a spiritual desert and do not conquered many lands and gained converts, it has deprived its followers experience the power of the Living from spiritual satisfaction. Islam offered an Water, our Lord Jesus Christ. intricate religious system but failed to offer salvation or peace to its followers. Democracy and education might temporarily heal some Muslims' open Sahara - or "sahra" in Arabic - means wounds, but spiritual transformation desert, and it describes the spiritually dry will come only with the knowledge and state of the Muslim world today. Our vision lordship of Jesus Christ. He alone will bring through Sahara Challenge is to equip streams in the desert. Christians to become vessels in the hand of God to pour out fresh spiritual blessings The goal of Islam has always been on the Muslim world. Christ alone is the to create a community of the faithful true living water that can quench the thirst replacing the body of Christ. Although of many Muslims. Sahara Challenge | © Crescent Project 2021 5 The Purpose Behind the Challenge Ministry to Muslims has been described we set out to reach! We all aspire for our as challenging, fruitless, and even ministry efforts to be informed by love, unnecessary. Of course that does not discernment, and truth. dissuade us from trying to share the Gospel with Muslims, but it is a disheartening Crescent Project believes that for those report. Is the task really as impossible and ministering among Muslims, practical hopeless as it seems? training is a must. Sahara Challenge is an intensive, innovative course designed When Christians seek to minister to as a blueprint for anyone called to serve Muslims, whether in the United States among Muslims. With a practical approach or abroad, what preparation have they to training that focuses on challenging, received? Are they ready spiritually, informing and equipping Christians to mentally, and personally – or just witness to Muslims, Sahara Challenge has intellectually? Could it be that the "lack instilled hope in Christian workers from of fruit" in Muslim ministry is partly due to Bangladesh to Boston since 1999. Christians' lack of training? We are here to turn your burden into a joy. Sometimes we try to learn about Islam by We hope you leave this place knowing that osmosis, or by self-study with pamphlets reaching Muslims is possible, the Word of or books. Unfortunately, we often learn God is powerful, and Jesus Christ is worth it! the hard way and end up offending those "I have read several books and websites that dealt with reaching Muslims, but everything that I studied only left me feeling the burden of the task before me. Sahara Challenge removed the burden and turned the 'task' into a joy. It set my wife and I free to openly and intentionally engage Muslims in conversations about Christ. You will not only leave Sahara Challenge with a wealth of information on how to reach Muslims, but also with great faith that the job can be done." – Keith SAHARA CHALLENGE GRADUATE AND CHRISTIAN WORKER AMONG MUSLIMS 6 Sahara Challenge | © Crescent Project 2021 The Purpose Behind the Challenge WHAT WE'RE ABOUT • A CONCERTED PRAYER EFFORT We challenge Christians to unite in prayer for the Muslim world every Friday at noon. • PERSONAL OUTREACH We work to connect you with mobilization opportunities relevant to you and your location. • TRAINING We train committed Christians through training seminars and programs. • NETWORKING Networking with other ministries to send trained Christians to serve the Muslim world. • RESOURCES We provide sensitive and biblically-based materials that bridge the gospel to Muslims. WHAT WE VALUE 1. WE ARE COMMITTED TO A GROWING personal relationship with Jesus Christ. 2. WE HAVE FAITH that God can and will save millions of Muslims. 3. WE MODEL lifestyle evangelism to every Muslim we meet. 4. WE REFUSE to involve ourselves in denominational divisions that create bitterness. 5. WE MAKE USE of transferable tools that will spread the gospel among Muslims. 6. WE ARE COMMITTED TO BRIDGING Christian doctrines to the Muslim heart and mind. 7. WE ARE COMMITTED TO DISCIPLESHIP and leadership training. WHERE YOU CAN REACH US P.O. Box 681924, Franklin, TN 37068 (615) 622-7910 crescentproject.org Sahara Challenge | © Crescent Project 2021 7 The Empowerment Initiative A Vision to Reach Muslims and Address Unique Cultural Vulnerability FACT #1 The Muslim population is growing. IN THE The Muslim population ACROSS The number of Muslims UNITED THE STATES is projected to grow by GLOBE is projected by the year 77% 2070 in the next 10 years. to equal that of Christians. FACT #2 The opportunities to reach Muslims are growing too. The Empowerment Initiative represents a journey from “Life on Life” contact to full commitment to Jesus: “GROWING IN GRACE” “LIFE ON LIFE” “EVERY IMAM” MOVEMENT SAFE HOUSE NETWORK GLOBAL LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT Pursuing a vision to connect every Coordinating a church-based network Organizing clusters of Christian leaders Imam in America, face-to-face, with of Safe Houses that serve the acute on six continents to mobilize hundreds a local Christian leader needs of Muslims exiting Islam of local churches to reach Muslims DIGITAL MISSIONARIES DIGITAL FAITH EXPLORATION MUSLIM-BACKGROUND STAFF Training Christians to invest Building a secure online platform for Working to have 50% of our staff 1 - 5 hours per week to engage Muslims to explore the Christian faith comprised of Muslim-background Muslims online, all over the world and get connected to trained believers believers within the next five years VIRTUAL INTERNSHIPS CHRISTIAN-BASED ESL SPECIALIZED DISCIPLESHIP Offering 1,000 university students a Coaching partner churches in Developing unique discipleship tools way to serve with Crescent Project developing English as Second for new Muslim believers, who face from anywhere in the world Language classes that serve Muslims unique spiritual growth challenges 8 Sahara Challenge | © Crescent Project 2021 FACT #3 God wants to include people like you in this work. FUEL THE MISSION Your sacrificial investments into this ministry make the vision reality. Fund the vision at crescentproject.org/give. ENCOUNTER THE MISSION Give one hour per week to connect with a Muslim somewhere in the world – we will train you! Or consider becoming an advocate for Crescent Project, and even joining our team, either part-time or full-time. COVER THE MISSION There are safer things to do in ministry than to reach Muslims. We are subject to the darts of the enemy. We depend on a solid “prayer force” to cover our lives, our families, and our work in prayer. JOIN THE MISSION If you are a pastor or leader in your church, we want to come alongside your efforts to reach your region for Christ! Let us help you reach the Muslims and other hard-to-reach people around you! Learn more at crescentproject.org More Muslims have come to faith in Christ in the past 20 years than in the previous 1,400 years combined.