Author Archives: Tom English

Like a dummy, I told my church last Sunday that I’d preach on “End Times” in two weeks! (If you have a ready-made sermon that leans a little post-mill and don’t share it with me, I’m not sure we can still be friends!) With that talk hanging over my head, of course I dove headfirst down an Islamic eschatology rabbit hole! 

Here are three things I’ve found fascinating and one reason why this may matter:

Muslims believe Jesus is coming back. 
While this idea is only ever so vaguely in the Quran, the Hadith supports it. When he descends by a white minaret on the east side of Damascus, his presence will be a sign of the impending end, the Hour, as the Quran calls it. 

When he returns, he’ll kill the Antichrist.
Islamic tradition says that Jesus (Isa al Masih) will confront the Antichrist, or al-Dajjāl, near the “Gate of Lod,” outside of what’s now Tel Aviv, Israel. Isa’s presence will cause al-Dajjāl to begin to dissolve like salt. Jesus will then kill him with a spear! 

He’ll get married, have kids, die and be buried next to Muhammad. 
After killing the al-Dajjāl, it is believed that Jesus will do several things: break crosses, disavow being the Son of God and kill all the pigs! He’ll also bring a time of peace among all nations. After marrying and having children, it is believed he’ll die a natural death. 

I imagine that conversations about “End Times,” particularly Jesus’s role in them, might spark meaningful dialogue with Muslim friends, especially in days like these. Is it possible that believing Jesus is returning someday might be a good reason to consider his teachings now? I sure think so. 

Two weeks ago I shaved my head! I’ve always wanted to do so. Nope, good guess, but I didn’t have lice. My mother-in-law reached the point in her chemo therapy in which her hair began to fall out. She opted for a buzz and my younger son and I joined her in solidarity. 

If I were Muslim, I’m pretty sure this would be frowned upon. Muslims shave their heads when they’re seven days old and when they go on Hajj. Otherwise, they pretty much don’t.

According to a Hadith, “the 117th major sin [is] shaving the head at times of calamity. . . .Because that is showing discontent and a lack of acceptance of the divine decree.” 

While I shaved my head to help Deborah not feel so alone in it, I am discontent with her situation and not inclined to to consider her cancer decreed by God. So, if I were a Muslim, my shaved noggin would be out of bounds. 

On the other hand, if the hair you don’t shave tends toward a “whiter shade of pale,” a friend of mine is looking for you! 

Aaron, the Director of Digital Outreach at Crescent Project, pilots a program called Embassy. He says, “We run Facebook ads in Muslim majority countries that ask, ‘Do you want to practice English by reading and discussing the Bible?’ We connect [vetted respondents] with a volunteer. They meet once a week on an instant messaging app where they work through a creation to Christ Bible curriculum we’ve created.”

The Embassy guys are finding older, retired people to be exceptional “ambassadors.” In fact, Rick, a volunteer from Florida, said, “I’m excited to work with Embassy to reach Muslims online! I find this perfect for me, at almost 80, since I can easily share my faith with Muslim men in Iran and Iraq using my iPhone.”

Do you have the gray hair Aaron is looking for? Check out Embassy. 

In case you missed it last week, here’s a brand new weekly prayer guide for Ramadan. I’d love for you to join me in putting it in our church bulletins this weekend. (Ramadan begins next Friday!)