Jesus in the Quran

You’ve Registered For JIQ January 27-28!

stalls — Sun, 16 Oct 2011 17:00:06 +0000

Thanks for planning to attend!

Location: Grace Midtown (directions here). Parking is available at the church. Please be aware of parking restrictions along the street

Schedule: We will check-in at 6:30 on Friday evening and be in session until 9:30. Saturday we’ll be together from 8:15 to 5:30.

What to Bring: Your Bible (of course), a good pen, and something soft to sit on as the pews can be a little stern.

Food: As mentioned, we will have Chicken Biscuits Saturday morning, great Mediterranean food on Saturday afternoon, and snacks and coffee throughout.

If you have any other questions, please send us an email.

2012 Training Dates

stalls — Tue, 11 Oct 2011 15:58:02 +0000

Our weekend trainings focus on three main areas: (1) A Biblical understanding of the Kingdom of God, (2) Our identity in the Kingdom, and (3) The Kingdom and Islam

Unless otherwise noted, the time of the trainings will be on Friday evenings from 6.30-9.30 and then all day Saturday until 5.30. Depending on the location, the pricing is $25/students, $40-50/adults, and $60-75 for couples and includes a workbook, a Qur’an, coffee, and food throughout the training time.

We are doing our best to keep you updated with the freshest information related to the location and pricing of the training and will post that information as soon as we have it.

Thanks!

2012 Dates:

January 27th and 28th: Atlanta, GA (Midtown)

April 13th and 14th: Corvallis, Oregon

April 20th and 21st: Washington DC / Northern VA Area

April 27th and 28th: Atlanta, GA (Snellville)

FALL DATES COMING SOON!

Overview

stalls — Fri, 01 Apr 2011 16:53:46 +0000

What is JIQ?

Our team shares an intense desire to see peace blossom between Christians and Muslims, and we believe that true peace can only be found in the Kingdom of God. Our approach to these conversations about faith has its roots in the model of Jesus and his early followers. We build friendships, study the Bible and the Qur’an together, and ask God to help us answer the all-important question: “Who is Jesus and what does He have to do with entering the Kingdom of God?”

During a training weekend (usually spread across a Friday night and Saturday), we hope to equip Christians and Muslims alike to have these kinds of conversation in a fruitful, honoring way. We focus on three major topics: (1) The Kingdom of God in the Bible, (2) Our identity within the Kingdom, and (3) Islam and the Kingdom. Although historically the relationship between Christians and Muslims has often highlighted the differences between our faiths, we are confident that through prayer and patient study both can come to a robust, life-giving understanding of Jesus and the Kingdom.

Training Team

Our training team is comprised of Grace Fellowship Church staff and various partners with extensive experience living and working among Muslims.

About our logo

The circles represent the area of overlap between the Christian and Muslim world. In the center of both the logo and the conversation, of course, is Isa, the Arabic word found in the Qur’an to refer to Jesus.

History

stalls — Fri, 01 Apr 2011 16:51:28 +0000

The roots of Jesus in the Qur’an (JIQ) go back to September 11, 2001, when the collapse of the World Trade Center awakened us to the existence of the Muslim world and the importance of learning how to engage it well. Immediately after the attacks in New York, Grace Fellowship Church sent a team to Manhattan to serve and minister, and there, in the midst of the smoldering rubble, our Senior Pastor Buddy Hoffman knelt and prayed very simply, “God, if you can use a local church in Snellville, Georgia, in all of this, we’re in.”

One of our first trainings at Grace Fellowship, 2007.

Since that time, we have actively sought ways to engage the Muslim world in productive conversation about faith. As we learned both from the Scriptures and from those with far more experience, we recognized the need to begin sharing our discoveries with our own congregation, and so Jesus in the Qur’an was born. Soon, however, we began to receive requests to train in other communities around the country. Now, our primary goal is to help local churches engage their Muslim neighbors. With that said, though, people from all different backgrounds (including Muslim) regularly attend our training and generally receive it quite well.

Today, we remain closely connected to Grace Fellowship Church.

Beliefs

stalls — Fri, 01 Apr 2011 16:14:49 +0000

Our Doctrinal Foundation

While we are happy to discuss any aspect of our beliefs, we would like to make sure the following three core beliefs are clearly stated:

1. We believe that the Bible is the unique, inerrant, inspired Word of God (2 Ti. 3:16-17, Heb. 4:12-13). Everything the Bible says about itself we embrace wholeheartedly. Our approach to the Muslim world is formed completely upon our understanding of the message and methodology we read in the Scriptures.

2. We believe that man’s natural condition is sinful and, therefore, new birth is necessary (Jn. 3:5, Ro. 3:23-24, Eph. 2:1-7). The Bible clearly teaches that the disobedience and shame of every individual creates an eternal separation from the holy presence of God.

3. We believe Jesus is the only way to salvation (Jn. 10:9-17, 14:6, Ac. 4:12, 1 Co. 2:2). We strongly affirm (and have based our lives upon) all that the Bible says about Jesus’ origin, life, death, resurrection, and nature. He is the True King, and only through Him can lasting peace be made.

Our Approach

History has taught us that prejudice, fear, bombs, bullets and blood cannot achieve lasting peace. Instead, the Bible clearly indicates that Jesus is the message–he is our peace (Eph. 2:14). But he is also the method of making peace. We must learn to live and communicate according to his way (Jn. 20:21). Similarly, we look to the methods of Paul in the early church not just as a description but also as a prescription for us as we look to announce the Kingdom across cultures (1 Co. 9:19-23, 7:17). Finally, as we aim to walk in Jesus’ way and follow Paul’s method, we know that there is never a reason to be rude (1 Pt. 2:17). Of course, the message of the Gospel can be offensive to some. But as we talk about this pure Gospel of Jesus with our Muslim friends, we never want to add to its offense by mixing in any unbiblical traditions, culture-specific terminology, or pre-existing prejudice.

We believe that Jesus and His Kingdom truly are Good News when proclaimed clearly, and we believe that through him a generation marked by peace between Muslims and Christians will come.

Recent Feedback

stalls — Fri, 01 Apr 2011 12:00:05 +0000

“In Psalms, David said, ‘God, I know you will enlarge my heart.’ This presentation has done that to me. Thanks!”

“Best witness seminar I have ever been to. (I’m 89 years old).”

“This was so amazing. I came because I feel it’s my responsibility as a follower of Christ to be prepared to meet Muslims ‘where they are’ if the need arose. I am leaving with a WEALTH of info and a better idea on how to minister to everyone I come in contact with. Thank you, thank you, thank you.”

“Great job. I’ve been studying the Qur’an for a few months now and this really clarified so many internal struggles I was facing. God bless all of you!”

“God’s going to use this to change the world. I’m privileged to be a small part of it.”

“Next to being born again and being filled with the Holy Spirit, this is the most impactful thing I’ve ever experienced.”

“This weekend rocked my whole view. I came in with very little in the way of an idea on how I can share Christ with Muslims. Will highly recommend and want to stay active.”

“I was so challenged and encouraged by everything I heard. I wanted to thank you specifically because I have never heard a more incredibly clear or exciting gospel presentation. After you spoke on Friday night about the whole Bible overview and specifically the Kingdom of God, I was more excited to be a follower of Jesus than ever before. I have never heard the Kingdom talked about like that. I really feel like I finally understand the good news and how it really can be shared with everyone.”

JIQ Trailer

stalls — Tue, 11 Jan 2011 15:00:43 +0000

According to a 2009 study conducted by the Pew Research Center, about one in four people on the planet is Muslim. It’s time we learn to share the most important aspect of our lives–our faith–with one another in a way that is honoring, loving, and fruitful.

The soundtrack from this video is a recording of Sura Al-Fatiha 1:1-7 from the Qur’an, in which the single and central prayer request is “God, show us the straight way” (v. 6). These are some of the most well-known and oft-recited verses in the Qur’an, and we believe it’s time to come together in deep discussion of God’s Straight Way.

October 2012: EPIC Israel Trip

stalls — Wed, 10 Mar 2010 17:50:46 +0000

WHO CAN BRING TRUE PEACE?

For thousands of years, this great question has risen from the heart of the Holy Land. Countless soldiers, politicians, rabbis, imams, and priests have put forward their plans and solutions, yet the region remains as volatile as ever. The Bible teaches that only God’s true Messiah, Jesus, can change hearts and bring lasting peace. Then, amazingly, Scripture tells us that his people have the astounding privilege to announce Jesus as the world’s true hope. During EPIC, we aim not only to learn about the Holy Land’s history but how we could impact its present and future. Our group, led by the Jesus in the Qur’an teaching team, will tour, train, and – most importantly – talk with Christians, Jews, and Muslims in their own context about Jesus, His Kingdom, and lasting peace. Already we have seen this trip radically transform lives (not least our own), and we expectantly invite you to join us this summer.

Click HERE for a shareable PDF with more details.

Dates: October 12th-21st (tentative)

Cost: Approximately $2800-$3500, depending on airfare (price includes roundtrip airfare, in-country transportation, hotels, home-stay costs, meals, touring services, and materials–essentially everything except spending money, snacks/airport food, and tips.)

Locations: We will mainly be in the areas of Hebron, Qumran, Nablus, Sea of Galilee, Jerusalem, and an overnight stay with a Palestinian family in Bethlehem.

Leadership: JIQ Training team (including Grace 360 staff)

Vision–

1. Tour: Every believer should visit Israel at least once in his/her life. Once you know the sweet scent of the Sea of Galilee at dawn or the delight of worshipping at the empty Garden Tomb, you will never read the Bible in the same way again. Our primary identity in the country will be as tourists, and we will begin at the Holocaust Museum to remember the history of modern Israel’s formation. Then we will visit Bethlehem, Jerusalem, West Bank, Samaria, Hebron, the Dead Sea, and much more!

2. Train: When Jesus walked through this land, he was always teaching his disciples how to live in and announce the Kingdom. In the same way, we want Jesus’ words to train us on location. Why did he sit at Jacob’s Well in Samaria in John 4? What did he want them to learn on the other side of the Sea of Galilee? What is the Kingdom of God? We will stand in those same places and let Jesus’ words train us how to announce His Kingdom today.

3. Talk: EPIC is designed to provide continual opportunity for the team to build natural relationships with Christains, Jews, and Muslims as we are going. We will stay overnight with Arab host families in the West Bank, strike up conversation with shopowners in Jerusalem’s Old City, listen to Palestinian refugees in the shadow of the security wall, and talk about the Messiah at dusk in Bethlehem Square, just a few hundred yards from Jesus’ birthplace.

Application: Access the online application HERE

Deadline for applying: late July

If you are raising money to be able to participate, please wait until you are notified of your acceptance (there is limited space). At the time of your notification we will give you details for tax deductible fund raising.

A non-refundable deposit of $500 will be required. Details will be announced.

All Qur’anic Passages about Jesus

stalls — Sat, 10 Oct 2009 19:12:41 +0000

In Mark 8:29, Jesus asked his disciples, “Who do you say that I am?”

That question was, and still is, the most important question all men everywhere must consider. It is the question every Jew must ask of the Torah. It is the question every reader of the New Testament must ask of the Gospels. And it is the question every Muslim should ask of the Qur’an, where Jesus is mentioned nearly 100 times across 15 different Suras. Below, you’ll find a comprehensive list of those passages.

(Quotations taken from the Yusuf Ali Interpretation of the Qur’an)

2:87 We gave Jesus the son of Mary Clear (Signs) and strengthened him with the holy spirit.

2:136 We believe in Allah, and the revelation given to us, and to Abraham, Isma’il, Isaac,
Jacob, and the Tribes, and that given to Moses and Jesus, and that given to (all)
prophets from their Lord: We make no difference between one and another of them . . .

2:253 . . . To Jesus the son of Mary We gave clear (Signs), and strengthened him with the
holy spirit.

3:45 O Mary! Allah giveth thee glad tidings of a Word from Him: his name will be Christ
Jesus, the son of Mary, held in honour in this world and the Hereafter and of (the
company of) those nearest to Allah.

3:46 “He shall speak to the people in childhood and in maturity. And he shall be (of the
company) of the righteous.”

3:48 And Allah will teach him the Book and Wisdom, the Law and the Gospel.

3:49 And (appoint him) a messenger to the Children of Israel, (with this message): “I have
come to you, with a Sign from your Lord, in that I make for you out of clay, as it were,
the figure of a bird, and breathe into it, and it becomes a bird by Allah’s leave: And I
heal those born blind, and the lepers, and I quicken the dead, by Allah’s leave; and I
declare to you what ye eat, and what ye store in your houses. Surely therein is a Sign
for you if ye did believe.”

3:50 (I have come to you), to attest the Law which was before me. And to make lawful to you
part of what was (Before) forbidden to you; I have come to you with a Sign from your
Lord. So fear Allah, and obey me.

3:52 When Jesus found Unbelief on their part He said: “Who will be My helpers to (the work
of) Allah?” Said the disciples: “We are Allah’s helpers: We believe in Allah, and do thou bear witness that we are Muslims.”

3:55 Behold! Allah said: “O Jesus! I will take thee and raise thee to Myself and clear thee (of
the falsehoods) of those who blaspheme; I will make those who follow thee superior to
those who reject faith, to the Day of Resurrection: Then shall ye all return unto me, and
I will judge between you of the matters wherein ye dispute.”

3:59 The similitude of Jesus before Allah is as that of Adam . . .

3:84 . . . and in (the Books) given to Moses, Jesus, and the prophets, from their Lord.

4:157 That they said (in boast), “We killed Christ Jesus the son of Mary, the Messenger of
Allah”;—but they killed him not, nor crucified him, but so it was made to appear to them,
and those who differ therein are full of doubts, with no (certain) knowledge, but only
conjecture to follow, for of a surety they killed him not.

4:163 We have sent thee inspiration, as We sent it to Noah and the Messengers after him: we
sent inspiration to Abraham, Isma’il, Isaac, Jacob and the Tribes, to Jesus, Job, Jonah,
Aaron, and solomon, and to David We gave the Psalms.

4:171 O People of the Book! Commit no excesses in your religion: Nor say of Allah aught but
the truth. Christ Jesus the son of Mary was (no more than) a messenger of Allah, and
His Word, which He bestowed on Mary, and a spirit proceeding from Him: so believe in
Allah and His messengers. Say not “Trinity”: desist: it will be better for you: for Allah is
one Allah: Glory be to Him: (far exalted is He) above having a son. To Him belong all
things in the heavens and on earth.

4:172 Christ disdaineth nor to serve and worship Allah . . .

5:17 In blasphemy indeed are those that say that Allah is Christ the son of Mary.

5:46 And in their footsteps We sent Jesus the son of Mary, confirming the Law that had
come before him: We sent him the Gospel: therein was guidance and light, and
confirmation of the Law that had come before him: a guidance and an admonition to
those who fear Allah.

5:72 They do blaspheme who say: “Allah is Christ the son of Mary.” But said Christ: “O
Children of Israel! worship Allah, my Lord and your Lord.” Whoever joins other gods
with Allah,- Allah will forbid him the garden, and the Fire will be his abode.

5:75 Christ the son of Mary was no more than a messenger; many were the messengers
that passed away before him. His mother was a woman of truth. They had both to eat
their (daily) food.

5:78 Curses were pronounced on those among the Children of Israel who rejected Faith, by
the tongue of David and of Jesus the son of Mary: because they disobeyed and
persisted in excesses.

5:110 O Jesus the son of Mary! Recount My favour to thee and to thy mother. Behold! I
strengthened thee with the holy spirit, so that thou didst speak to the people in
childhood and in maturity. Behold! I taught thee the Book and Wisdom, the Law and the
Gospel and behold! thou makest out of clay, as it were, the figure of a bird, by My
leave, and thou breathest into it and it becometh a bird by My leave, and thou healest
those born blind, and the lepers, by My leave. And behold! thou bringest forth the dead
by My leave. And behold! I did restrain the Children of Israel from (violence to) thee
when thou didst show them the clear Signs, and the unbelievers among them said:
‘This is nothing but evident magic.’

5:112 Behold! the disciples, said: “O Jesus the son of Mary! can thy Lord send down to us a
table set (with viands) from heaven?” Said Jesus: “Fear Allah, if ye have faith.”

5:114 Said Jesus the son of Mary: “O Allah our Lord! Send us from heaven a table set (with
viands), that there may be for us—for the first and the last of us—a solemn festival and
a sign from thee; and provide for our sustenance, for thou art the best Sustainer (of our
needs).”

5:116 Allah will say: “O Jesus the son of Mary! Didst thou say unto men, worship me and my
mother as gods in derogation of Allah’?” He will say: “Glory to Thee! never could I say
what I had no right (to say). Had I said such a thing, thou wouldst indeed have known it.
Thou knowest what is in my heart . . .”

6:85 And Zakariya and John, and Jesus and Elias: all in the ranks of the righteous.

9:30 The Jews call ‘Uzair a son of Allah, and the Christians call Christ the son of Allah.

9:31 They take their priests and their anchorites to be their lords in derogation of Allah, and
(they take as their Lord) Christ the son of Mary; yet they were commanded to worship
but One Allah: there is no god but He. Praise and glory to Him: (Far is He) from having
the partners they associate (with Him).

19:19 He said: “Nay, I am only a messenger from thy Lord, (to announce) to thee the gift of a
holy son.”

19:20 She said: “How shall I have a son, seeing that no man has touched me, and I am not
unchaste?”

19:21 He said: “So (it will be): Thy Lord saith, ‘that is easy for Me: and (We wish) to appoint
him as a Sign unto men and a Mercy from Us’:It is a matter (so) decreed.”

19:22 So she conceived him, and she retired with him to a remote place.

19:27 At length she brought the (babe) to her people, carrying him (in her arms). They said:
“O Mary! truly an amazing thing hast thou brought!”

19:30 He said: “I am indeed a servant of Allah: He hath given me revelation and made me a
prophet.”

19:31 “And He hath made me blessed wheresoever I be, and hath enjoined on me Prayer and
Charity as long as I live.”

19:32 “(He) hath made me kind to my mother, and not overbearing or miserable.”

19:33 “So peace is on me the day I was born, the day that I die, and the day that I shall be
raised up to life (again)”!

19:34 Such (was) Jesus the son of Mary: (it is) a statement of truth, about which they (vainly)
dispute.

19:88 They say: “(Allah) Most Gracious has begotten a son!”

19:91 That they should invoke a son for (Allah) Most Gracious.

19:92 For it is not consonant with the majesty of (Allah) Most Gracious that He should beget a
son.

21:91 And (remember) her who guarded her chastity: We breathed into her of Our spirit, and
We made her and her son a sign for all peoples.

23:50 And We made the son of Mary and his mother as a Sign: We gave them both shelter
on high ground, affording rest and security and furnished with springs.

33:7 And remember We took from the prophets their covenant: As (We did) from thee: from
Noah, Abraham, Moses, and Jesus the son of Mary: We took from them a solemn
covenant.

42:13 The same religion has He established for you as that which He enjoined on Noah—the
which We have sent by inspiration to thee—and that which We enjoined on Abraham,
Moses, and Jesus: Namely, that ye should remain steadfast in religion, and make no
divisions therein: to those who worship other things than Allah, hard is the (way) to
which thou callest them. Allah chooses to Himself those whom He pleases, and guides
to Himself those who turn (to Him).

43:57 When (Jesus) the son of Mary is held up as an example, behold, thy people raise a
clamour thereat (in ridicule)!

43:61 And (Jesus) shall be a Sign (for the coming of) the Hour (of Judgment): therefore have
no doubt about the (Hour), but follow ye Me: this is a Straight Way.

43:63 When Jesus came with Clear Signs, he said: “Now have I come to you with Wisdom,
and in order to make clear to you some of the (points) on which ye dispute: therefore
fear Allah and obey me.”

57:27 We sent after them Jesus the son of Mary, and bestowed on him the Gospel; and We
ordained in the hearts of those who followed him Compassion and Mercy . . .

61:6 And remember, Jesus, the son of Mary, said: “O Children of Israel! I am the messenger
of Allah (sent) to you, confirming the Law (which came) before me, and giving Glad
Tidings of a Messenger to come after me, whose name shall be Ahmad.” But when he
came to them with Clear Signs, they said, “this is evident sorcery!”

61:14 O ye who believe! Be ye helpers of Allah: As said Jesus the son of Mary to the
Disciples, “Who will be my helpers to (the work of) Allah?” Said the disciples, “We are
Allah’s helpers!” then a portion of the Children of Israel believed, and a portion
disbelieved: But We gave power to those who believed, against their enemies, and they
became the ones that prevailed.

VIDEO: Muslim Followers of Christ

stalls — Sat, 12 Sep 2009 01:33:23 +0000

Following Jesus from The Global Conversation on Vimeo.

This video contains the fascinating testimony of two Muslims who follow Jesus. For more information, go to the Christianity Today global conversation article here.