The Cross and the Crescent, video review

                                                                                                                                  
by Steve Rutledge                                                                                                                                  Vol. XVI, No. 8, Sep/Oct 2003

Director, North Greenville, SC, Baptist Association

I want to recommend an excellent video, The Cross or the Crescent: Understanding Islam. It is about the religion of the Muslims. I want to encourage you to borrow or purchase this video and study the materials for yourself, and to show it to groups that you teach. People are interested in learning about Islam. Since 9/11, the war in Afghanistan, and the war in Iraq, people want to know about this religion.

There are some good reasons why all Christians need to learn about Islam. Islam is the fastest growing religion in the world. It already has a significant presence in the U. S. There are more Muslims in America than Presbyterians or Episcopalians or Mormons. Muslims in America are winning converts. In Toledo, Ohio, 20% of the Muslims are converts from non-Islamic backgrounds. Muslims say that every mosque is a propagation center for Islam. Muslims who come to the U. S. to attend our universities are winning Americans to faith in Allah.

I can think of three ways that understanding Islam will help Christians:

(1) It will help us appreciate and understand better our Christian faith.

(2) It will help us protect our people from converting to Islam.

(3) It will help us know better how to reach out to Muslims to tell them about Christ.

This video is 75 minutes long. Here is an outline of the contents:

- The History of Islam

- Islam in North America

- Practices of Islam

- The Major Doctrines of Islam

- Sharing the Faith

This video is produced by the North American Mission Board of the Southern Baptist Convention. It may be purchased from NAMB for $19.99 at 1-866-407-6262 or www.namb.net. You may also buy the accompanying manual for $5.99.

If you live in South Carolina, you may borrow a copy from the South Carolina Baptist Convention, Columbia, SC. Call 1-800-723-7242 and ask to speak to the Media Department. They will ship it to you for two weeks. Your only cost is for the return postage.

Other state conventions may have similar resources. It doesn’t hurt to ask.