Courses and Resources to Equip You About Islam

Sharing Lives is developed to help Christians look at their view of Muslims and encourage them to begin to share their lives with Muslims. The course consists of five lessons, to be taken over five or ten weeks. The participants will look at their own hearts, reflect on their attitude towards Muslims in the light of the Bible, learn about basic elements of the Islamic faith, and how to befriend Muslims.

  • Lesson 1: Our View of Islam

  • Lesson 2: Developing a Grace Response to Muslims

  • Lesson 3: Understanding Muslims

  • Lesson 4: Meeting with Muslims

  • Lesson 5: Building relationships that last

Supported by PowerPoints, videos and DVDs

The course books are printed in twelve languages. Once or twice a year Bert de Ruiter will be teaching potential trainers in the use of this course material. With a sufficient number of trainers you can organize your own trainer’s conference.

Other courses developed and taught by Bert include:

Approaches to Islam

This course is developed to familiarize Christians with various ministry models that are being used in reaching Muslims with the Gospel. The course requires about 30 hours of class room lectures and an equal amount of time for reading and other assignments. The course book (180 pages) is available in English only. The course assumes a basic knowledge of Islam and some prior contact with Muslims. It is course that is particularly helpful for mission candidates and could made fit into a curriculum of a Bible or theological seminary.

Engaging with Muslims in Europe

This course gives insight into the various expressions of being Muslim in Europe and how to best reach out to them with the love of Christ. This course explores the history and development of Islam in Europe and the implications of this for European society and church. The course requires about 30 hours of classroom time and additional time for reading and doing other assignments.

Besides these existing courses, Bert is available to conduct training seminars and workshops on a variety of topics related to Christian-Muslim relations in Europe.

For more information contact Dr Bert de Ruiter, bert.deruiter@om.org

Friendship First   friendshipfirst.org

This six session course in English is aimed at Christians who want to be able to befriend their Muslim neighbours and colleagues and ‘be an effective witness to Jesus Christ’, Developed by Interserve UK, it has a DVD and leaders study guide so groups of between 6 and 12 people can study it in their own home,, but it is also possible to contact the team with questions that arise from your discussions.

Course content:

  • Week 1: Islam and Muslim people

  • Week 2: Muslim values and cultures

  • Week 3: Our Muslim friends

  • Week 4: Good news for our Muslim friends

  • Week 5: Ways to witness

  • Week 6: Next steps

Encountering the World of Islam encounteringislam.org

For those looking for a more intermediate level course to give a greater depth of knowledge about Islam and ways of connecting with Muslims, the EWI course will help. The course itself takes up to 9 sessions and is organised by a local EWI team. It is interactive and can include hearing from local Muslim leaders to better understand their views.

Courses are available in France, several Russian speaking countries, Portugal, Spain and the UK and Ireland. https://encounteringislam.org/aroundtheworld

The text book of the same name gives different perspectives on many aspects of Islam, including the life of Muhammad, the history of Islamic civilisation, Islamic beliefs, Muslims today and the everyday lives of Muslims, and how Christians are responding to Islam.

More than Dreams DVD http://morethandreams.org/

This inspiring subtitled video features 5 dramatized testimonies from Muslim background believers around the world who have had their lives transformed though experiencing dreams and visions of Christ. Suitable to give to Muslim friends who are interested in faith, each story includes an explanation of what it means to follow Christ, and a prayer for salvation. A list of available languages is on the website.

Life and work in Muslim contexts

Redcliffe College, Gloucester, UK

For those working in Muslim contexts, this week-long course will enable you to wrestle with the complexities of mission in these areas, alongside others facing similar issues.

The course includes:

  • Socio-cultural dynamics 

  • Contextualisation 

  • Use of Scripture 

  • Taking a Jesus-centred approach 

  • Review of current missiological and evangelistic approaches 

  • Gender issues 

  • New believers 

  • Identity, persecution and social positioning 

  • Developing local theologies

You can study this module as part of Redcliffe’s MA programme, or audit it as a stand-alone course.

www.redcliffe.ac.uk/mimc

Islam – Getting to the heart

All Nations Christian College, Ware, UK

This course is designed for those who have a particular interest in Muslim people, whether they are involved in or preparing to work with Muslims, or interested in finding out more about Islam. Content includes:

  •    Historical perspective on Islam

  •    Islam as a diverse religion

  •    Apologetics

  •    Political ideologies & Extremism

  •    God and Christ in Islam

  •    Islamic Theology

  •    Islam in different parts of the world

  •    Discipleship

  •    Qur'an and Hadith

  •    Women and family in Islam

  •    Extremism

www.allnations.ac.uk/courses/short-courses/islam-getting-heart

Find out more:

The Additional Information page of the ‘Sharing Lives’ website gives links to many other books and resources http://sharinglives.eu/additional-information/

Jo Appleton