One of the biggest steps your Muslim friend can take on their journey to discovering Jesus is attending church! And they’re most likely not going to take this step on their own.

This is where you come in, but how do you know when to invite your Muslim friend to church? This step can be challenging, because you don’t want to scare them off or rush them into it. However, when you think of church as a way for a community to come together to fellowship and worship, this helps take the weight off your shoulders. You aren’t asking them to convert, you simply want to show them where you experience love and belonging!

Remember, an invitation to church doesn’t necessarily mean a typical Sunday service. Your Muslim friend can join your Bible study for an evening or for a special activity; they can come and observe a worship night or holiday service.

Cues that it could be the right time

• The Holy Spirit is prompting you. First and foremost, the best cue that you should be listening to is the Holy Spirit’s voice. He will place the right words on your heart and open up your Muslim friend’s heart to be receptive!
• Your Muslim friend is asking questions! They start asking more questions about your faith or what happens during church.
• You’ve shared a lot of quality time together. As your friendship has grown to be more personal, your Muslim friend has come to realize that your faith is important to you. If they’ve continued to spend time with you, you can invite them to attend church with you as a way of including them in the most important part of your life!

“Jesus said, "I have other sheep, too, that are not in this sheepfold. I must bring them also. They will listen to my voice, and there will be one flock with one shepherd." John 10:16

How to invite a Muslim to church

Finding the right words can be hard, so here are some great starting points! There is no perfect textbook time to invite a Muslim to church, but opening the topic after a conversation about faith or Jesus is always a good idea! Here are some ways to transition into an invitation:

• If you would like to know more about this, my church is doing a series about it!
• I have some friends who would love to answer your questions, especially since I’m no expert. You should join me for bible study and meet them!
• I’d love to have you join me for Christmas service/Easter service! Lots of people bring guests so you won’t be the only new person there.

Prepare your friend to put them at ease

Don’t assume that your Muslim friend knows what to expect as they visit the church with you. In fact, it is best to assume that your Muslim friend has incorrect preconceived ideas about what will take place.Most Muslims are taught that Christians behave in immoral and ungodly ways in Church. They are told that Christians worship idols and statues or drink wine and get drunk. They are told how men and women sit beside each other even if they are not from the same family, which is considered wrong in Islam. Some Muslims are also taught that Christians drink blood during communion. For the Muslim this makes church a scary place where many sinful practices take place.

Before taking your friend to church, help them relax by explaining to them each segment of the service or the event. Sit with them and if your Muslim friend is very conservative, have them sit on the end of the aisle so they are not caught sitting next to a person of the opposite gender. If food will be served, explain the ingredients and let them choose whether they will eat or not. 

Afterwards, introduce your Muslim friend to the pastor and your friends so that they can see a positive example of the love that occurs within a church! 

Prayer

Dear Lord, thank you for giving me community and support through your body. Thank you for the ways your church has blessed me. Please give me the eyes to see the right time to invite my Muslim friend to experience your love through new ways. Please open their heart to hear about your love and grace. Amen.