On July 9th,2011, twenty-two World Racers and over ninety Muslims gathered in a church building in Morogoro, Tanzania. The reason, to debate two topics: The Authenticity of Scripture & The Religion of Jesus Christ.
A few days earlier during door-to-door ministry, Team WOW had met a man who was very passionate about his Islam religion. Ironically, his name was Jesus. As the team conversed with the man several other students from the nearby Muslim university gathered to participate in the discussion. There were many questions and not enough time so the group arranged an organized debate to be held at a church down the road a few days later…
That, my friend, is where we begin the story. 8:30am on our free day, four teams joined at the church, passionately engaged in dialogue with friends, brothers, and family from around the globe.
Those who had experience with formal debates took charge of the positions of Chairman and time keeper and led us into the first forty minute segment where each side took twenty minutes to explain the foundation for their beliefs on the topics.
Five hours and sixteen minutes of pure debating wrapped up around 3:30pm. Both parties made very good arguments, but I must say that the crowd noticed one difference between the groups, and it was a difference that broke my heart. The most difficult thing to witness was the haughty intent of the Muslim man, Jesus, to prove himself right and prove the followers of Christ wrong. I could not have been more proud of those who chose to represent our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. Each person stated that they weren’t standing up there to prove the Muslims they were wrong; they stood there because we LOVED them, because we want them to know beyond a shadow of a doubt that what they believe is TRUTH.
One of the bold men in our group went as far as to say that many people in the world, Americans specifically, may associate all Muslims with the events of the 9/11 terrorist attacks, but that we see them through the eyes of Christ. We understand that not all people within their religion are out to seek destruction and that a few have taken a radical approach to their faith. We understand they are not grouped with those events and we love them and care about their eternal salvation.
At two o’clock we showed them respect by honoring their prayer time and let out for a fifteen minute break. We came together a couple of times during the debate to shake hands with each other and mingle through the crowds. The peace and presence of the Lord could be felt throughout the room and it was AMAZING!
In conclusion of the debate we stressed that Christianity is the ONLY faith in which God ALWAYS takes the first step towards us.
“For God so loved the world that He gave His ONLY and begotten Son, that whosoever believes in Him, shall not perish but have everlasting LIFE.” – John 3:16
Every other faith requires that man take the first step up the mountain to get to God- they they have to “DO” something (animal sacrifices, tasks, etc.) to try to cleanse themselves so that God will accept them. You have to be willing to test your faith, to step out and ask God to show you the TRUTH, and whatever He reveals to you, pursue it with your whole heart.
Jesus, the Muslim representative, alluded to the fact that every one of the 90+ Muslims in that room had thoroughly tested his faith against others. Shaun, sensing that perhaps the statement was not entirely truth, got up and publicly asked, “How many of you in this room have picked up a Bible and read through the Gospel of Jesus Christ?” When only three men raised their hands Shaun passionately, with his heart broken, presented them a challenge, “I challenge you to do whatever it takes to find a Bible and even just read through the four Gospels. THE MESSAGE OF THE BIBLE WILL SHATTER THE HEART OF ANYONE WHO READS IT!!!”
After the debate, we once again mingled with the crowd, many of them asking for our contact information and blog addresses to continue communication and read into Christianity further. But the BEST part of it all, the part that made the ENTIRE six hours worth it, was the handful of Muslims that came forth ASKING, BEGGING FOR A BIBLE!!!
And thus I began to label July 9th, 2011, as HISTORY IN THE MAKING!
