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CURRENTLY IN BOOKS
Building relationships with Muslims for Christ

Doug Trick

Peaceable Witness Among Muslims
Gordon D. Nickel. Waterloo, Ont.: Herald Press, 1999. 150 pp.

This book makes a significant contribution to the study of Muslim-Christian encounters in its two particular emphases: (a) the need for Christians to offer a credible (non-verbal and verbal) witness of their relationship with Christ; and (b) a reminder that Christians are to respond peacefully regardless of how they are treated by Muslims (or others).

Gordon Nickel served for five years in Pakistan and is working toward a Ph.D. in Quranic studies. He and his wife Gwen are currently serving in India with MBMS International. Peaceable Witness is biblically-based, and is also influenced by Nickel’s first-hand experience and by a historical perspective, especially as it relates to principles and practices of those from an Anabaptist tradition.

Nickel reflects on ways in which Christians can build relationships with Muslims and how these can result in them coming into a faith relationship with Christ. He notes that as these new believers are discipled, they may face considerable suffering, adding that those who make such disciples ought to be willing to suffer for their faith as well. He cautions Christians to work seriously in harmony with existing church structures to whatever extent is possible in a given context. In this, and many other issues he raises, he aims for a balanced approach in the many “grey areas”.

The book concludes with a good 14-page bibliography, of which 22 of the works are briefly annotated.

Doug Trick has lived with his family among a Muslim people group in Asia, where for the past 13 years his wife and he have been engaged in linguistic research and Bible translation.

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Last modified January 9, 2001.

© 2001 Mennonite Brethren Herald.
Published by the Canadian Conference of MB Churches.
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