Posted on 05/16/2005 6:33:28 PM PDT by CHARLITE
W.L. Cati, a former Muslim and founder of an evangelical Christian ministry, wants to train fellow followers of Christ how to go boldly into mosques and witness to Muslims.
W.L. Cati heads a Florida-based organization called Zennah Ministries, which she founded to reach out to people whose lives have been affected by Islam, especially women under Muslim influence; to educate the public about the differences between the Christian faith and the Muslim religion; and to proclaim the name of Jesus Christ, even taking the good news into "the mouth of hell" if necessary.
Not long ago, Cati led a group of Christians through the front door of the Islamic Center of Sarasota, Florida, to share the gospel. "A year ago February," she recalls, "we went into the Sarasota mosque, and we have seen so much fruit come out of that visit. One of the key guys in that mosque accepted Christ as his Savior."
Now, the former Muslim turned Christian evangelist has put together a weekend seminar that she wants to present to churches in order to equip Christians to go into an area mosque and bear witness to the Way, the Truth, and the Life. "If we could go in on a Thursday evening, I'll share my testimony," Cati explains, "and then that Friday morning, we'll go in and teach [the seminar participants] about mosque etiquette -- how to go into the mosque. And then we will go visit the mosque nearest them that Friday afternoon."
The head of Zennah Ministries says the newly trained and equipped Christians would go into the local mosque boldly and not by the back door, by any means. "We're going in the front door," she asserts, "and we'll also have invitations where we're going to invite them to go to a special service just for them on Saturday evening."
Cati says there will be no debating during these mosque visits, just earnest Christian witnessing. "I'll share a little bit," she notes, "and then I want the local pastor of that church or one of those churches [involved in the outreach] to get up and share just a very simple evangelical salvation message." She plans to begin the seminars next year.
Zennah Ministries: http://www.zennahministries.org/
The only hope for real peace in the Middle East.
This guy might be on to something - take all the women away from Islam, and in a generation or two it won't be a problem any more.
I think the going into the mosque part is a terrible idea. I am 100% for preaching the Gospel to Muslims, but if representatives of another religion came into my church to witness and tell everybody our faith was wrong, I would want them booted out. Would any Christian allow Muslims to preach about Islam in church? I don't think so, and they would be crazy if they did.
"One of the key guys in that mosque accepted Christ as his Savior."
These people need to be very careful, the "key guy" in the mosque is probably practicing "taqiyya".
Oh dear. I hope he's providing bullet proof vests and bodyguards for his trainees.
I guess you missed this story.
American Muslim News Briefs Thursday, November 11, 2004 CO: Imam Joins Church Staff for Bridge-Building Effort Source: Associated Press
DENVER - A Muslim imam will join the staff of a Christian church in Denver this weekend in what may be a national first.
Ibrahim Kazerooni, a Shiite cleric, will direct St. John's Cathedral's fledgling Abrahamic Initiative, a bridge-building effort between Christians, Jews and Muslims.
"I really don't feel out of place here," said Kazerooni, an Iraq native who will continue to head the Islamic Center of Ahl Al-Beit in Denver. "Whether it is a church, a synagogue or a mosque, it's just the medium. The message is the work we do."
The initiative seeks to find common ground of the three monotheistic faiths through lectures and dialogues in private homes where people from each faith share stories.
"Our society is polarized," said Greg Movesian, the cathedral's canon and chairman of the initiative's steering committee. "We hope this appeals to people who don't look upon people of other religions as a target for conversion but rather potential partners in maintaining a civil society."
Hiring Kazerooni is "a breakthrough," Movesian told The Denver Post. "I don't know if there is any other church in the country that has an imam on its staff."
Kazerooni, 46, won't be paid for serving as interim director of the initiative, which is named for the Biblical figure linking the three faiths. Instead, the church will cover a year's tuition at Iliff School of Theology, where he is pursuing a master's degree.
What is that?
"We hope this appeals to people who don't look upon people of other religions as a target for conversion but rather potential partners in maintaining a civil society."
Jesus Christ and the apostles looked upon people of other religions as "targets" for conversion to belief in Jesus Christ. Why isn't this cathedral's canon doing the same? What would Jesus Christ and the apostle Paul have to say to him?
I did miss it. Thanks so much for posting it. Interesting, to say the least.
Char :)
Taqiyyaaaah! Is what a muslim assasin screams before delivering the death blow.
Damn, thanks.
In many parts of the world that can't happen at all because the Moslems do not allow churches to exist. And in the mostly Moslem countries that do "allow" other religions the Moslems are not the "sweetest" folks to live with.
In the US the law allows a Mosque to boot anyone out of their property they want to. In Moslem countries the "other religions" usually have to deal with Moslem law. Which isn't such a nice thing. Unless you are a Moslem.
Ever read the Koran? It uses the word "fire" almost 200 times. Usually in the context that is less than friendly to non-believers. That Christ fellow said some stuff that ended up in a book. But from what that book said he didn't seem so focused on burning others or killing them. He had a lot of ideas that used the word "love" and things like that. Seems like he also had the odd idea of giving up his own life for others. So I bet if some of His followers start talking to some Moslems that's all they will do. Talk. The Moslems, on the other hand, according to their "book" ought to be less than friendly.
Anyone want to open a book on how long she lives? I'll say three months; that's my bet.
God bless her. She'll need it.
The guy is a she.
I hope the training includes martial arts.
""taqiyya". What is that?"
An Arabic word that stands for deception. Do what you have to do in order to carry out a case. Do a google.com search on the word. You will get a good idea within minutes what the deal is.
Terrific. Hope she lives.
"What is that?"
Post #18 got it right.
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