I would like to present a ‘template,’ if you will, as to how we can reach out to our Muslim neighbors, friends, and new acquaintances during this Christmas season.
I’ll be drawing on Paul’s approach when addressing the Athenians at the Areopagus in Acts 17.

Paul’s first step was to affirm what he could affirm so as to build a bridge between his message and the listeners:

Notice that Paul did his homework. He “walked around” and meticulously examined the culture he
sought to reach with the Gospel. In his search, he found a starting point, a place where he could
begin to build a bridge between something familiar to his audience and the Gospel: their religiosity
and their worship of an unknown god.

Paul’s method in Athens is instructive. He understood the culture and employed that knowledge to identify a starting point for building a bridge to the Gospel. In applying Paul’s evangelistic approach to the Athenians, we to can consider “our Athens”— the cultural and religious context of our Muslim friends and how we too can build a bridge to the Gospel during this Christmas season.

Alan Shlemon, author and speaker for Stand to Reason (str.org), offers a “bridge building” methodology in line with that of the Apostle Paul, as to how we can understand and begin with the Muslim (mis)-understanding of Jesus (Isa in the Qur’an). In his article, “What Muslims Miss About Christmas” he offers insights into how to build the bridge to who Jesus truly is—”the Word made flesh…the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth.” (John 1:14):

Finally, one of the most important things we can do for our Muslim friends is to invite them to a Christmas celebration at our home church, or a church in the area
that is offering a biblically-based presentation/celebration of Christmas. I often challenge my Muslim friends to attend church with me, letting them know that I
have visited a number of mosques, have had conversations with the Imam, etc., and now I am offering them the opportunity to return the favor by attending my church so they will come to a better understanding of what the Christian faith is about. When Claire and I brought a family from Iran with us to church, the reaction was tears of joy
and comments such as, “I have never felt such love.”

May our almighty Triune God empower us to be His intentional ambassadors this Christmas Season!

To a blessed & fruitful Christmas,
Lane

Resources

Backyard Missionaries: How These Christians Are Reaching Muslims at Christmas—Video/article—CBN, here

Connecting with Muslims at Christmas Time—Podcast—Crescent Project founder and CEO Fouad Masri shares
thoughts and ideas about connecting with Muslims during the Christmas season, here

What Muslims Miss About Christmas—by Alan Shlemon, here

Christmas is Christmas Because Jesus is God—by J. Warner Wallace, here

The Cost Muslims Pay for Missing Jesus—by Alan Shlemon, here

Sharing Truth with Your Muslim Friend—by Alan Shlemon, here

Tell Muslims Jesus in the Son of Man—by Alan Shlemon, here

Introduction: Before introducing J. Warner Wallace’s new book, I want to express my thankfulness and gratitude to him for his ministry. I consider J. Warner Wallace a mentor to me, as I have greatly benefited from his ministry personally as a teacher, as well as equipping me to be a more effective ambassador for Christ to the unbelievers I meet on a daily basis. His insight and methodology have been particularly helpful when presenting the Gospel to my Muslim friends regarding the reliability of the Gospels, etc. Each of James’ books; Cold-Case Christianity—A Homicide Detective Investigates the Claims of the Gospels; God’s Crime Scene—A Cold-Case Detective Examines the Evidence for a Divinely Created Universe, and Forensic Faith—A Homicide Detective Makes the Case for a More Reasonable, Evidential Christian Faith, are essential resources for enhancing our effectiveness as Christ’s ambassadors in the cultural milieu of today. For more on the ministry of J. Warner Wallace go to: coldcasechristianity.com and his Youtube channel, here. 

Now, onto James’ new and upcoming book…

In this day and age of skepticism, which is extreme at times, the Bible, and particularly the New Testament is often dismissed ‘out-of-hand.’ But what if a case could be made outside the Bible for Jesus as THE person of interest, THE person who is the most significant person in history, and whose impact upon the world changed everything? In his new milestone book, Person of Interest—Why Jesus Still Matters in a World That Rejects the Bible, J. Warner Wallace demonstrates how Jesus (and Christianity) changed every aspect of the world, from science to art, from music to education and literacy. As Wallace carefully sifts through the evidence from history alone, without relying on the New Testament, you’ll be taken on a journey like never before as to how Jesus, the most significant person in history, changed the world in ways that no other person has. How can this be, you may ask? Wallace’s conclusion is, “Maybe it’s because he is not a person at all. If God came into His creation, I would expect this kind of impact…He matters because He changed everything. And the only way someone with this kind of beginning can change everything is if He’s something more than human.”

Release Date of Person of Interest-Sept. 21, 2021
For more details on how to pre-order Person of Interest, go to the Person of Interest website at: personofinterestbook.com
If you pre-order before Sept. 21, 2021 you will receive:
• 8 Printable Bible inserts
• Exclusive ebook: “Is Jesus a Copy-Cat Savior?” (32 pages)
• Exclusive video: “How Jesus Changed Science Forever”
• 40% OFF Discount Code for Our Exclusive, Private Community

Features of Person of Interest:

 
In Person of Interest, Wallace describes his own personal investigative journey from atheism to Christianity as he carefully considers the evidence. Creative, compelling, and fully illustrated, Person of Interest will strengthen the faith of believers while engaging those who are skeptical and distrusting of the New Testament.

“The stunning conclusion of the master cold-case homicide detective’s meticulous research, analysis, and deliberation will leave Christians delighted and skeptics devastated.”—Greg Koukl, President of Stand to Reason (str.org) and author of Tactics

“Wallace has an uncanny ability to discover clues where no one else sees them. Now he tackles perhaps his toughest case ever: solving a deeply personal mystery involving his own religious faith.”—ROBERT DEAN, producer of NBC News Dateline

“A creative and eye-opening work. You’ll be captivated as Wallace takes you on a thrilling journey of discovery.”
—LEE STROBEL, bestselling author of The Case for Christ

“If you read this book, you will have to reckon with Jesus, not just as a historical person but as Lord and Savior. This is not your typical apologetics book!”
—ALISA CHILDERS, author of Another Gospel

“Bring your doubts, bring your skepticism–but if you bring them in open-minded honesty…be prepared to render a shocking verdict.”
—SCOTT HANSON, host of NFL RedZone

James Warner Wallace is an American homicide detective and Christian apologist. Wallace is a Senior Fellow at the Colson Center for Christian Worldview and an Adjunct Professor of Apologetics at Biola University in La Mirada. He holds a Masters Degree in Theological Studies and a Masters Degree in Architecture from UCLA.

Jesus: Person of Interest—Intro presentation to the book, Person of Interest—by J. Warner Wallace

If you are truly interested in taking full ownership of your ambassadorship for Christ (Rom. 5:20) by becoming equipped so you will “always be[ing] prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you; yet do it with gentleness and respect,” then the Solas Centre for Public Christianity is for you! The Solas site offers the following introduction:

Solas Centre for Public Christianity is a ministry organisation based in Scotland. We are persuasively communicating the transforming truth of who Jesus is and empowering Christians to do the same.

On our website, you can find more about what we do, including:

 
Also on our website you’ll find a wide range of video, audio and written resources which:

Introducing SolasCPC-The Solas CPC Youtube Channel, here

There are two sections on the Solas website that I would like to highlight-these are, Mind the Gap and Frontlines. But please don’t limit yourself to these two sections. Take time to peruse the entirety of the site and avail yourself of the abundance of equipping resources that this site provides. And while you are there, be sure to sign up for their newsletter, and if the Lord so leads, send a donation to support the Solas ministry.

Mind the Gap is a series of instructive articles dealing with the question: What is holds you back from evangelism? Each article addresses a particular challenge to the Christian that is impeding them from embracing an evangelistic lifestyle.

Frontlines-Christians Sharing Their Faith at Work, is a series of interviews with Christians who have stepped out of their ‘comfort zone’ and are sharing their faith with their colleagues in the work place. Real life, every day, evangelism testimonies of lives changed through ambassadors for Christ, “God making His appeal through them.” (Rom. 5:20)

Jesus said that we should “therefore pray earnestly to the Lord of the harvest…” (Matthew 9:38). The Greek word for earnestly is deomai, which means; desire, long for, ask, beg. So, when we pray to the Lord of the harvest, we should pray in earnest with strong desire, a longing for, and yes, even begging in faith for the lost and for laborers, placing our trust in the trustworthiness of the One in whom we believe.

The New Testament Model: Prayer that Leads to Evangelism

Armin Gesswein, known as “the apostle of prayer and revival,” explains the inseparability of prayer and evangelism in the New Testament:

“Prayer is the lifeline of New Testament evangelism, the oxygen for its holy fire. The New Testament was born in prayer.
It knows no evangelism without prayer, and no prayer which does not lead to evangelism.” (1)

 
Samuel Zwemer, known as the “apostle to Islam” understood the need for prayer and proclamation:

Praying evangelistically

If we truly care about our Muslim friends, neighbors, co-workers, and fellow students, our prayers for them will be two-fold:

 
First, we begin by praying for the lost

The apostle Paul wrote in 2 Thessalonians 3:1, “Finally, brothers, pray for us that the message of the Lord may spread rapidly and be honored, just as it was among you.” Paul specifically asked the church in Thessalonica to pray for another people group! He asked those who had previously received the gospel to pray for others to receive and honor the gospel. So, we see that this is not a novel idea. It has been around a long time and is the first prong of the New Testament model in bringing unbelievers to Christ.

A helpful acronym to use as a prayer model is H.E.A.R.T. (2):

H—Receptivity of Heart and opening of the mind—We must pray that the Holy Spirit will begin ‘tilling the ground’ of the Muslim heart and opening their mind to the truth (Proverbs 16:1), so that when they hear God’s Word, the seed will fall on ground that is prepared and receptive. This preparation may begin with a dream, or through the realization that Muhammad lacked the character and conduct of a godly man, or receiving a copy of the New Testament and experiencing Jesus for the first time, or that the Qur’an offers no assurance of salvation, etc. As one Muslim background believer stated, “Only when I read the Qur’an in my own language, did I realize how lost I was.” Another Muslim background believer said, “I received a Bible…days later, I started reading the New Testament and fell in love with the character of Jesus. As a Muslim, I knew of Jesus, but I was unfamiliar with the miracles he had performed and the claims he had made about his status as God’s Son. Within months, I had read the Bible in its entirety. Then I read it a few more times. The more I read, the more I saw God as my true and loving Father.”

E—That God would open the spiritual Eyes of our Muslim friends. As Paul presented his commission from the Lord to king Agrippa, “to open their eyes and turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan to God, so that they may receive forgiveness of sins and a place among those who are sanctified by faith in Me” (Acts 26:18). As Samuel Zwemer noted, “He (the Muslim) needs to be taught Christianity and brought into the light of Bible truth. He needs to recognise the dangerous errors of his religion and turn to Christianity as the true light from heaven.”

A—God’s Attitude towards sin. Muslims reject the doctrine of original sin, and as such believe that sin is not hereditary and no one is born a sinner. Islam’s view of sin explains why Muslims reject the Christian doctrine of Christ’s atoning sacrifice. We need to pray that the Holy Spirit will convict our Muslim friends of their sin (John 16:8–11), and reveal to them their lostness and hopelessness without the “one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus, who gave himself as a ransom for all” (1 Timothy 2:5–6).

R—Released to know and trust Christ. Jesus affirmed His messianic mission of releasing the spiritual captives and oppressed: “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me…to proclaim liberty (release/freedom) to the captives…to set at liberty (release) those who are oppressed” (Luke 4:18). We must pray that our Muslim friends will be released from seeing Isa/Jesus as only a prophet, and that their eyes will be opened to see Jesus for who He truly is, the Jesus of the New Testament who is “the Way, the Truth and the Life” (John 14:6). Then Jesus said, “If you abide in my word, you are truly my disciples, and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free…So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed.” (John 8:31–32; 36)

T—A life Transformed by the Gospel. 2 Corinthians 5:17 reminds us that “if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come.” And in Colossians 3 we are told, “and have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge after the image of its creator. Here there is not Greek and Jew, circumcised and uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave, free; but Christ is all, and in all (v. 10–11). Once our Muslim friends have come to faith in Christ, we need to pray that He will bestow upon them the courage and perseverance to follow Jesus, even when it potentially means loss of family, future, or even life.

Second, “…therefore pray earnestly to the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest.” (Matthew 9:38)

Pray for Workers—this is our most basic prayer.

Jesus could not have been clearer—it is never the harvest that is lacking, the lack is in the labor force, and this is where Jesus says to focus our prayers. We must strive to be imitators of Paul as he was of Christ (1 Corinthians 11:1; 4:16) by taking up our office of ambassadorship, “Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, God making his appeal through us” (2 Corinthians 5:20). Let us not say, “Here I am Lord, send my brother or sister,” but instead, let us boldly claim as Isaiah did, “And I heard the voice of the Lord saying, ‘Whom shall I send, and who will go for us?’ Then I said, ‘Here I am! Send me’” (Isaiah 6:8).

We must pray that the Lord will raise up more laborers in the Church, that more and more Christians will embrace the compassion for the lost that both Jesus and Paul manifested (Matthew 9:36; Romans 10:14-15), and that this compassion will translate into ambassadorship leading to an authentic and accurate presentation of the Gospel to our unbelieving friends and those we meet.

Pray for Boldness—”And when they had prayed, the place in which they were gathered together was shaken, and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and continued to speak the word of God with boldness” (Acts 4:31).

As Armin stated, “The New Testament was born in prayer. It knows no evangelism without prayer, and no prayer which does not lead to evangelism.”

The Greek word for boldness/boldly is parresia, the definition of which is: freedom in speaking, openly, frankly, without ambiguity, free and fearless confidence, cheerful courage, with assurance. It is used 10 times in the book of Acts and is related to a bold proclamation of the Gospel.

In regards to proclaiming the Gospel boldly and/or fearlessly, Paul, asked for prayer so that, “whenever I open my mouth, words may be given me so that I will fearlessly make known the mystery of the gospel, for which I am an ambassador in chains. Pray that I may declare it fearlessly, as I should” (Ephesians 6:18-20).

We’ve all been in potential witnessing situations where we ‘chickened out’ under pressure, or have quenched the prodding of the Holy Spirit and later regretted it. Our petition in prayer should be that we will walk in the calling of an ambassador for Christ, one that is empowered by the Holy Spirit to speak boldly and fearlessly, “God making His appeal through us.” (Acts 1:8)

Pray for Opportunities—Sometimes we need to pray that God will create an opportunity where none exists. In Colossians 4 Paul said, “And pray for us, too, that God may open a door for our message, so that we may proclaim the mystery of Christ, for which I am in chains” (v. 3). This also applies to our witness to Muslim co-workers, neighbors, fellow-students and friends. When no opportunity exists to share our faith, we must pray for God to “open a door” in our conversations that will give us an opportunity to speak for Christ. This means that we must take the first step in beginning the conversation and building a relationship with our Muslim neighbor that will lead to a trusting friendship in which the opportunity to share the Gospel will become a reality.

Pray for Clarity— Paul mentions this in Colossians 4:3-4 “At the same time, pray also for us, that God may open to us a door for the word, to declare the mystery of Christ, on account of which I am in prison— that I may make it clear, which is how I ought to speak.” Clarity means presenting the gospel in a manner that makes sense to those who hear it. Our prayer should be, “Lord, help me to speak your truth so that this lost person will know what I am talking about.” Paul presents a succinct model to follow in Colossians 4:6— “Conduct yourselves with wisdom toward outsiders, making the most of the opportunity. Your speech must always be with grace, as though seasoned with salt, so that you will know how you should respond to each person.”

Peter affirms Paul’s approach when he told the early Church to “always be prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you” (1 Peter 3:15). In order to give a reasoned and culturally relatable Gospel presentation, we should be dependent on the power and wisdom of the Holy Spirit, as well as doing our part in preparation through study, course work, etc., that we may better understand the culture and religion of those we are engaging. This will result in meaningful and spiritual conversations in which we can offer a clear and authentic presentation of the Gospel.

David Garrison’s challenge to each of us

The single most significant thing Christians have done to stimulate the current wave of Muslim movements to Christ is to prayerfully
and obediently engage them with the love and gospel of Christ. This remains the most significant step each of us can take today.

Discover for yourself what God is doing and how he is doing it.

Then ask yourself,

 
Conclusion

When considering David Garrison’s challenge, Paul’s address to the Athenians in Acts 17 came to mind:

 
As we pray that our Muslim friends would “seek God, and feel their way toward him,” we know that He is “not far from each one of them,” both in His creation and the revelation of Himself in the person of Christ and the Bible. However, and this is where we enter the picture, He is also “not far from each one of them,” because you and I are near to them as their neighbors, their colleagues in the workplace, their fellow-student at the university, the cashier at our favorite coffee shop, etc. We must see ourselves as an integral part of the answer to our prayers that Muslims will come to Christ, for we are Christ’s ambassadors, God making His appeal through us! As Paul stated clearly:

 
“Evangelism without intercession is like an explosive without a detonator and intercession without evangelism is like a detonator without an explosive.”-Reinhard Bonnke, renowned German evangelist and missionary to Africa, and founder of Christ For All Nations.

Why Are More Workers Needed to Reach Out to Muslims-Fouad Masri-Crescent Project

(This article can also be found at Fellowship of Faith for the Muslims (FFM), here)

References
1. Armin Gesswein, known as “the apostle of prayer and revival,” and founder of Revival, Prayer, Fellowship, Inc. RPF website, here
2. Dr. Ray Prichard, Praying for the Lost—I Timothy 2:1-6, complete article found here
3. David Garrison, A Wind in the House of Islam, WigTake Resources, 2014, pg. 255, 261

Resources
Fellowship of Faith for the Muslims-FFM Website, here
Prayercast website, here
SIM—Pray for Muslims—SIM website, here
Evangelism to Muslims-Resources, here
It’s time to get uncomfortable and move outside our ‘comfort zone-by Lane, here

Josh Rasmussen, Ph.D., is a professor in the Department of Philosophy who specializes in analytic metaphysics with a focus on basic categories of reality, such as objects, ideas, and necessary existence. Rasmussen describes himself as “a truth-seeker at heart who values collaboration across disciplines and perspectives.” His pursuit of truth and reality led him first to atheism, then, ultimately, back to God.

For full article and interview with Dr. Josh Rasmussen, here

Sahara Challenge LIVE ONLINE CONFERENCE-June 8-10, 2021

Sahara Challenge is graduate-level training focused on bridging the Gospel to the Muslim heart and mind.
• EXPLORE the history, beliefs, and culture of Islam
• EQUIP yourself or your team with practical tools
• ENGAGE your neighborhood and the nations

Included in the Online Event:

12 hours of class time lecture and instruction
3 hours of breakout and tracks (your choice)
429 pages of resources included in eBook format ($69 value)
LIVE interaction in our virtual lobby
Significant event discounts in our bookstore

Coursework Overview

Sahara Challenge coursework includes a mixture of instruction and practical application taught by former Muslims and experts in Islam and Muslim culture.
Participants are required to read a set of preparatory books, which are provided free with your registration.
Areas of study include:

Islam: History, Growth, and Influence | Beliefs and Rituals | Folk vs. Orthodox Islam | Position of Men vs. Women
Ministry Skills: Your Role in Bringing Muslims to Christ | Bridging the Gospel | Assimilating the Culture | Communicating Cross-Culturally

For complete information on the Sahara Challenge Conference and registration, here

The Jesus Trilogy documentary series, is an excellent resource to use with your non-believing friend whom you want to introduce to the Christian faith and the historical grounding upon which it stands. This documentary series was produced in the Middle East, giving it an authentic background as to the origins of the Christian faith.

Each of the documentaries is interwoven with thought-provoking questions such as: Who is God?; what is God like?; what does God do?; etc., which challenges the viewer to take an interactive journey that leads to the answers that only the Christian worldview can provide.

The DVD set includes three documentaries covering different aspects of Jesus’ life, death and resurrection:

The Jesus Accounts — This documentary explores the historical accuracy and reliability of the New Testament accounts of the life of Jesus by examining the ancient evidence available to experts today. It is an illuminating program for believers as well as those seeking to understand whether the Scriptures’ teaching about Jesus is reliable. (30 minutes)

Jesus: Dead and Buried? — Two thousand years ago Christians said Jesus had been crucified as the “Lamb of God” and that he had risen again “from the dead.” But how can we know if what they said is true? Luke Waldock travels to Jerusalem and sifts through the evidence to find answers. (47 minutes)

Jesus: Son of God? — For centuries Christians have been declaring that Jesus is the Son of God. When did all this begin? How could men and women, who believed in one God, think that God had a Son? Luke Waldock sets out on a journey to discover when, where, and how this vital Christian belief originated. (33 minutes)

The Jesus Trilogy DVD can be ordered at:

Vision Video—here Cost: $14.95USD
(The DVD version has a language option for: English, Arabic, Bengali, Farsi, Turkish, Urdu.)

The Jesus Trilogy can also be found on Youtube, here. The Youtube version is only in English at the time of this writing. If your friend is an Arabic, Farsi, etc., speaker, I would suggest that you order the DVD set that has the language options.

The following is the trailer for the segment,The Jesus Accounts:

Has anyone ever challenged you with the question, “can God make a rock to heavy for him to lift?”, and before you can answer, they say, “see, God isn’t all-powerful/omnipotent as you, as a Christian, contend.” A number of refutations have been posited in dealing with this question, several of which are given in the videos below, which will help to equip the Christian case-maker in addressing this challenge.

Along with the refutations found in the videos, I would like to highlight the refutation of C. S. Lewis, which can be found in his book, The Problem of Pain. In the second chapter of the book, Divine Omnipotence, Lewis defines omnipotence, and helps the reader to understand how omnipotence is applied to ‘all agents,’ including God. Following in the thought and understanding of Thomas Aquinas, “Nothing which implies contradiction falls under the omnipotence of God,” [1] Lewis explains how possible and impossible, as well as self-contradiction, are to be understood when addressing this challenge:

 
I will conclude with another insightful statement on the topic, by dear C. S. Lewis:

 
References
[1] Thomas Aquinas, Summ. Theol., IA Q XXV, Art 4
[2] C. S. Lewis, The Problem of Pain, Chapter 2, Divine Omnipotence, 1940-1996
[3] C.S. Lewis, A Grief Observed, 1961-1996

Can God Make a Rock so Big He Can’t Lift It?-Sean McDowell

Can God Make a Stone So Heavy He Can’t Lift It?-William Lane Craig

As I followed the live Covid-19 country-by-country update chart on a daily basis, and continued to see the rise in the number of cases and the deaths that followed, it was a stark reminder that each death was that of a family member or friend whose loved ones were now mourning. Although over 165,000 persons die each day, which comes to 60 million deaths a year, I had not experienced a live global cases/death chart before. The chart made the experiences of those who are suffering and the reality of ultimate destiny real and tangible in a way I hadn’t known before. I couldn’t help thinking of the ripple effect that was taking place in the lives of the loved ones who were still here. My prayer was for both those who passed and those who remained, that through the suffering, pain and loss they would be drawn to the saving knowledge of Jesus’ redemptive and comforting power, so they would not “grieve like people who have no hope,” but would rest in the “full assurance of understanding and the knowledge of God’s mystery, which is Christ.” (1 Thess. 4:13; Col. 2:2)

In praying and thinking more about this time in world history, I felt led to immerse myself in a study of what has been referred to as “the problem of evil and suffering.” Even though I was familiar with the Christian theodicy in answering the ‘problem’, I felt I needed a deeper understanding of the answers that the Christian worldview provides. The need was two fold: to be personally strengthened in trusting in God’s plan for the world; and being knowledgeable, confident and ready to “give an answer” with clarity and compassion to people who were either hurting or simply trying to process the why’s and wherefore’s of the situation. As I still correspond with and meet people during this time, I have found that people are asking ‘why’? and are searching for the answer. I’ve also found that even if the person doesn’t voice it, with a little prodding via a question or two, the ‘why’ question will surface quickly. (See my previous article, “God’s Megaphone to Rouse a Deaf World-C. S. Lewis”.)

Although my study led me to a number of excellent resources, my primary resource was the book by Dr. Clay Jones, Why Does God Allow Evil?—Compelling Answers for Life’s Toughest Questions. Professor and author Sean McDowell states, “If you are looking for one book to make sense of the problem of evil, this book is for you.” I wholeheartedly agree and highly recommend this book as a vital equipping resource. (Visit Dr. Clay Jones website, here)

In his book, Jones makes a persuasive case of the need for Christians to be equipped, both personally and evangelistically to “answer the hard questions” of evil, suffering and death:

I found the following excerpts from Dr. Jones book to be helpful and instructive, both personally and preparatory in “giving an answer during these times of pandemic to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you; yet do it with gentleness and respect. (1 Pet. 3:15) These quotations are focused on “natural evil” such as what we are now experiencing with COVID-19 and are only a glimpse into this rich and robust resource that is available in Kindle format on Amazon.com here.

Excerpts from the book, Why Does God Allow Evil?—Compelling Answers for Life’s Most Compelling Questions, by Dr. Clay Jones

As you peruse the table of contents from the book, the breadth and depth of this book will become evident. It’s a great time to “love the Lord our God with all our mind.” (Matt. 22:37)

Why Does God Allow Evil?—Compelling Answers for Life’s Toughest Questions—by Dr. Clay Jones
Table of Contents
Preface
Introduction: In Search of Answers About God and Evil
1. Why Do We Suffer for Adam’s Sin?
2. Why Do Bad Things Happen to Good People?
3. Are There No Good People?
4. What Is the Destiny of the Unevangelized?
5. How Can Eternal Punishment Be Fair?
6. Is Free Will Worth It?
7. Wasn’t There Another Way?
8. Will We Have Free Will in Heaven?
9. Will Eternity Be Boring?
10. How Does Eternity Relate to Our Suffering Now?
11. How Does Suffering Relate to Our Eternal Occupation?
Epilogue: The Short Answer on Why God Allows Evil
Appendix: Satan’s Rebellion and God’s Response
Notes

“I have read a number of books on the problem of evil, but this is one of the very best yet produced. Professor Clay Jones fearlessly and deftly addresses all the hard questions head-on with rational responses to them. There is no ducking of issues. Moreover, Jones skillfully weaves theology, biblical studies, and philosophy into a coherent, well-integrated book that is suited for both the scholar and the layperson. I highly recommend it.” J.P. Moreland, Distinguished Professor of Philosophy, Talbot School of Theology, Biola University; author of The Soul: How We Know It’s Real and Why It Matters

Why Does God Allow the Coronavirus? A Live Conversation with Dr. Clay Jones and Sean McDowell

Where is God in a Coronavirus World?-John Lennox and Michael Ramsden-rzim.org

Suffering and Evil: The Logical Problem-Pt. 1—Dr. William Lane Craig videos—here

Suffering and Evil: The Probability Version-Pt. 2—Dr. William Lane Craig videos—here

Equipping Resources

Why Would God Allow Diseases and Other Natural Evils-RZIM PODCAST-Vince & Jo Vitale, here
The Problemless Problem of Evil-PODCAST-Alan Shlemon-str.org, here
IF GOD, WHY SUFFERING? THOUGHTS ON THEODICY-by Jonathan McLatchie, here
We Can Find Peace During Pandemic-by Clay Jones, here
God’s Megaphone to Rouse a Deaf World-C. S. Lewis-by Lane, here

I have noticed a marked change in people since the COVID-19 virus has appeared on the world stage. People are scared, confused, disoriented, despairing, uncertain, which has resulted in a an unsettling and rearranging of their worldview—the world has changed in a drastic way and has touched each person in a personal way through the disruption of their daily routines, loss of their job resulting in financial uncertainty, etc. Many people are searching for answers and how to make sense of it all, which is where we as God’s ambassadors come in. The Christian worldview is the ONLY worldview that addresses life’s most pressing questions of what it means to be human, purpose and meaning of life, ultimate destiny, and the problem of evil and pain. Whether in times of prosperity or in times of “famines and pestilence”, the Gospel remains “the Way the Truth and the Life”, a light that shines even brighter in the midst of the darkness of troubling times (John 14:6; John 1:5; Matt. 5:15).

I have found that the unsettling of many people’s worldview has brought about an increased openness to entering into spiritual conversations. I will highlight two such examples that I have personally experienced:

I work part-time for a transport company in which I have opportunities to engage in spiritual conversations with my co-workers throughout the day. Some are open to such conversations, others are not. However, in light of the COVID-19 event, those who before said that they weren’t interested, have begun to ask deeper life-issue questions, which in turn has led to deeper worldview conversations.

One such conversation began with a formerly ‘don’t waste your time’ colleague who asked me, “What do you think is happening? Do you think God has something to do with this?” [This was in a group of 8 people.] I replied, “Oh I see, now you want to talk about God,” which brought a few nervous laughs from the others. I then asked, “Are you saying that God’s to blame for this situation?” He replied, “No, but doesn’t the Bible say something about God’s judgments falling on people who don’t follow Him?” I said, “Yes, that has been the case at times throughout history, but more often than not, God allows life-changing events to occur to wake people up so as to get their attention and realign their priorities. God is love, and as such, He is a relational God who wants people to enter into a personal relationship with Him as He knows that that is the only way people will experience true peace and happiness. As C. S. Lewis once said, “God cannot give us a peace and happiness apart from Himself; there is no such thing, it does not exist.” I went on to say that sadly most people are too distracted to even think about God or the deeper issues of life, such as the origin of life, life’s meaning and purpose, and ultimate destiny, etc. I ended by saying, “I can think of no better answer than that of C. S. Lewis, “We can ignore even pleasure. But pain insists upon being attended to. God whispers to us in our pleasures, speaks in our conscience, but shouts in our pains: it is his megaphone to rouse a deaf world.” [I have found that committing quotes to memory (such as the C. S. Lewis quotes) is very helpful when addressing peoples questions and inquiries.]

This was followed by a long, quiet, and reflective pause by all those present. The fellow sitting behind me tapped me on the shoulder and said, “Thank you for sharing that.” I have had a number of deeper conversations since that time which have been very rewarding. As a side note, I began to greet my colleagues when arriving for work in the morning with, “God is good all the time, all the time God is good.” (This is the theme of the movie series, “God is NOT Dead.” If you haven’t seen this series, I highly recommend it.) Now several of them greet me in the same way in the morning, which in itself is a major step of progress considering the atmosphere of the workplace.

Another exchange I had was with a cashier at No Frills. She was obviously stressed as her countenance was quite somber. Cashiers at super markets are very much on the “front lines” of the fight that we are now engaged in and I can’t help but admire them for being there so that the rest of us can still buy the essentials we need to carry on in our daily lives. They certainly need our encouragement and prayers. As she handed me the receipt, I said, “This is for you” and handed her a tract entitled, “Someone Cares For You.” This excellent tract from Crossway Publishers begins with:

 
She paused, opened the tract, and read for a few seconds. As she looked up she smiled and said, “Thank you so much!” This type of reaction mirrors that of almost every person I share a tract with. People are looking for a hope they can put their trust in and a peace that transcends circumstances. I have found tracts to be an essential evangelism tool that God uses to not only spread the truth of the Gospel message, but also act as an encouraging “lifter of spirits” to those who are stressed and downhearted. Tracts are also a great conversation starter. About half of those I offer a tract too will ask me, “oh, what is this about?”, a question that opens the door to share the truth and love of Christ with them. As Billy Graham so rightly said, “Nothing surpasses a tract for sowing the seed of the Good News.” Joey Hancock of the American Tract Society said, “Fifty-three percent of all who come to Christ worldwide come through the use of printed gospel literature. If we really care about the eternal salvation of those around us, how could we not carry tracts everywhere we go?” The ‘prince of preachers,’ Charles Spurgeon stated, “When preaching and private talk are not available, you need to have a tract ready…a touching gospel tract may be the seed of eternal life. Let each one of us, if we have done nothing for Christ, begin to do something now. The distribution of tracts is the first thing. Therefore, do not go out without your tracts.” [Tracts on various topics can be ordered from Crossway Publishers, here Let’s be prepared to sow the seeds of the Kingdom in the hearts and minds of those God brings across our path each day. As Paul exhorted Timothy, “preach the Word; be prepared in season and out of season.” (2 Tim. 4:2)]

The following are excellent resources for personal reflection/devotions as well as evangelism equipping tools for becoming effective ambassadors for Christ during these unsettling times. “Conduct yourselves in wisdom toward outsiders, making the most of the opportunity. Let your speech always be with grace, as though seasoned with salt, so that you will know how you should respond to each person.” (Col. 4:5-6)

Resources

I highly recommend John Lennox’ book, Where is God in a Coronavirus World?, which can be found, here

About the book:

How belief in a loving and sovereign God helps us to make sense of and cope with the coronavirus outbreak.
We are living through a unique, era-defining period. Many of our old certainties have gone, whatever our view of the world and whatever our beliefs. The coronavirus pandemic and its effects are perplexing and unsettling for all of us. How do we begin to think it through and cope with it?
In this short yet profound book, Oxford mathematics professor John Lennox examines the coronavirus in light of various belief systems and shows how the Christian worldview not only helps us to make sense of it, but also offers us a sure and certain hope to cling to.

Here’s why John Lennox wrote the book:

“This book consists of my reflections on what we are experiencing right now. I started writing it a week ago, and things have changed quickly since then and no doubt will do again…. I would invite you, the reader, to view the book like this: We are sitting in a coffee shop (if only we could!) and you have asked me the question on the book cover. I put down my coffee cup and attempt to give you an honest answer. What follows is what I would try to say in order to convey some comfort, support, and hope.”

5 Lessons from Spurgeon’s Ministry in a Cholera Outbreak-by Geoff Chang-article, here

Gospel Thoughts on Covid-19-Apologetics Canada-podcast here

Why Did God Send Covid-19-William Lane Craig

Where is God in a Corona Virus World-John Lennox

Where is God in a Coronavirus World-Andy Bannister

Why Does God Allow the Coronavirus?-A Live talk with Dr. Clay Jones & Sean McDowell