The Hedging of the Bets

We are getting ready to start a 5 week series on The Gospel and Islam. Here are all of my caveats and disclaimers…

1. I am not an Islamic scholar. I am a pastor and a Christian leader. I do not for a second propose that I fully understand or can even grasp all the geo-political consequences of the profound tension between the Abrahamic faiths. My focus is not geo-political. My focus is how Muslims and Christians answer this question: How can I be close to God?
2. Christianity is personal but not private. This truth is absolutely fundamental to understanding Jesus, the mission of the church, and the existence of Restoration. We believe that Christianity has a mandated place in the marketplace of ideas. We must lovingly, faithfully, reasonably, passionately engage our neighbors, co-workers, friends, and family with the fundamental questions of life. This series is one more shot at doing just that.
3. There are profound differences in religions, world-views, and faith traditions. This might seem obvious, but I want to be clear that although Islam and Christianity often talk about similar ideas and practice, they always end at different conclusions about who God is. I am very comfortable with that difference. I am not seeking to reconcile those differences. In fact, my goal is to lovingly and graciously highlight those differences so that people can make an informed choice about to whom they will give their life and allegiance.
4. Talking monolithically about a world religion is fraught with opportunities for misunderstanding. Yep, that’s right.