FROMAFORMERMUSLIM: ADVICEONSHARING THEGOSPELINA HOSTILEWORLD BYHEDIEHMIRAHMADI ntoday’ssociety,wesee ofdefendingtheBibleinvirtuallyany agrowingintolerance setting—whetherit’sacollege I foropposingviewpoints. campusoroutsideanIslamiccenter.I Themainstreammedia genuinelyadmiretheirskilland andpredominantlywoke tenacityagainstaveryhostile culturewantstointimidateChristians audience,yettheyneverbackdownor intosilence.Defendingbiblicalvalues capitulatetotheopposition.However, canleadtosocialisolationor thatdynamicisnotforeveryone.Itcan ▲ PhotobyBoimonUnsplash difficultiesatwork,whichiswhyso beintimidating,andfrankly,Iam manydecidetosaynothing.Instead, drawntofindinganotherway. wesufferquietlyasourkidsare Irecentlymetaborn-againChristian inundatedwithdemonicinfluences, womanwhoismarriedtoaMuslim. Preaching in a fallen world andourcommunitiesaretornapartby Whentheywerefirstmarriedovera requires a delicate balance rampantsinanduncontrolledself- decadeago,shewasnotfollowingthe interest. Lord,soreligionwasneveranissue. of humility, brotherly love, Insuchaclimate,howdowepreach Nowthatsheregularlyattendschurch theGospelandprovidethemessageof andhasanewpassionfortheLord,she and discernment. We should hope,peace,andlovetoaworldthatso iseagertohaveherhusbandjoinher. be prayerful and wise to desperatelyneedsit?Ioftengrapple HeisadevoutMuslimandwellversed withthisquestionasIinteractwith intheMuslimcommentarieson distinguish when He fellowparents,threeteenagersat Christianity,whichprovidehimplenty home,andanentirefamilyofMuslims ofammunitionagainsthernewfound presents us with an open thatdoesnotacceptChristastheir faithinChrist.Shetookhimtomeet door or a door that only He LordandSavior. withapastorwhocouldanswerhis Inthefieldofapologetics,many objections,butherhusbanddidnot can shut. Ultimately the noteworthyscholarshavespent budgeaninch.Frustratedbythe decadesmasteringtheintellectualskill situation,shecametomeforadvice.I choice is His. 16 VOLIII AUG2022