I just bought a couple of books of Adesegun Olayiwola for our seminary’s library. I wrote the Foreword for one of these two (“Principles…”). Here is the Foreword:

“What is your business here in our country?” asks the immigration officer. The man who stands before him looks at the officer and confidently says, “I am a missionary and am here to share the good news of salvation through Christ Jesus to your people.” In many countries, such a statement would lead to the man automatically being refused entry. However, in perhaps all countries that statement would result in a cool response. This is because the answer given is describing why the man wants to enter the country, but fails to address the question the officer really has: “Why would I want you to enter my country?” Consider a different response:

“Oh, I have no business here at all. I just want to see your beautiful country. I want to talk with your wonderful people— swapping stories as I make new friends, and enjoy new experiences. I want to learn and celebrate with your culture, your history, and your aspirations.”

While perhaps a bit much, I think that most immigration officers would like this answer better. That is because the officer can easily come to the conclusion— “I want you to enter my country because you seek to do no harm but rather experience, love, and understand what is important to me.”

This little vignette is quite relevant to this book. Adesegun Olayiwola is looking to help Christians cross a border— a border of worldview and faith. He is seeking Christians who are willing to enter a beautiful, yet foreign, land with wonderful people. He is looking to prepare those Christians to talk with the adherents of Islam, swapping stories, making new friends, and perhaps enjoying new experiences. He is looking for Christians who are prepared to learn, not just preach, and wants those who are able to celebrate Muslims’ culture, history and aspirations. He wants to tear down the walls of suspicion, ignorance, stereotypes, and judgment that has for too long served as barriers to healthy dialogue and witness. And I think it is safe to say that the author believes that it is critical to love the adherents of Islam unconditionally, rather than love them IF they change.

I hope you will read this book and follow the path it recommends, understanding this path is not only one that the author uses to reach Muslims, but is also a path that he followed when he himself responded to the call of Jesus.

Robert H. Munson, Foreword to “Principles of Leading Muslims to Christ,” by Adesegun Hammed Olayiwola. https://www.amazon.com/PRINCIPLES-LEADING-MUSLIMS-CHRIST-Contextualization/dp/1671502949