How to Invite my Muslim friend to Christmas

How can we share Christ with Muslims during Christmas? What is, or isn’t, appropriate for us to invite them to?

Obeying the Great Commission is key for all Christ-followers. We all know evangelism is core to sharing the love of Christ with everyone we can. As the Muslim population grows, our opportunity to share the gospel with them also grows!

But sometimes we don’t know what approach is appropriate or even effective. Can I invite my Muslim friend to join me at church for Christmas? Will this offend them, or will they appreciate the gesture?

Can I invite a Muslim to church for Christmas?

The answer is: yes, generally it is acceptable to invite Muslims to celebrate Christmas, because Muslims are told to honor and respect Jesus (whom they call Prophet Isa).

Of course, every Muslim is different — some may not be comfortable entering a Christian building, but wouldn’t mind a Christmas party at your house with a brief Bible reading or Christian carols. Other Muslims may have no issue joining you for a Christmas Eve service to celebrate Christ’s birth. It’s all about being willing to ask them!

The Christmas season is a great time to talk about Jesus Christ with your Muslim friend because they already have some beliefs about Him. You can ask them what they have heard about His birth and share the biblical version with them!

How can I invite my Muslim friend to celebrate Christmas with me?

There’s more than just Christmas Eve services! Use every opportunity to introduce your Muslim friend to Christ this Christmas.

Inviting Muslims to join you for the Christmas Eve service or for a Christmas musical is a great opportunity to let them experience a Christ-centered Christmas. Oftentimes, Muslims believe that commercialized Christmas is an accurate reflection of how Christians treat Jesus’ birth, and bringing them to a church event or service is a great way to show a Muslim friend that Christmas is first about celebrating and worshiping Jesus, not Santa or buying gifts. 

You can also invite your Muslim friends over for Christmas gatherings. This helps your families connect, and your kids could watch animated Christmas retellings of Christ’s birth. If you’re sharing a meal, make sure to begin the time with prayer. Muslims don’t usually see Christians praying publicly, so they do not know that prayer is an important part of our relationship with God. Take this opportunity to share that through your actions!

You can also show love to your Muslim friends this season by getting them gifts. Buy them a small plant, a notebook or a scented candle. You can also get gifts for the children, like a Christmas storybook or some candy. For men, a great gift is a t-shirt, sweater, or something to do with their favorite hobby, so find out what they like! Do not buy expensive gifts, so your Muslim friends would not feel obligated to reciprocate with similar valuable ones. 

Be bold this season in inviting your Muslim friend to celebrate Jesus’ birth with you! This opens the door to introduce them to the gospel of our living Savior!

“But the angel said to them, ‘Do not be afraid. I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord. This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.’” Luke 2:10-12