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Currently, I am reading your book More Ready Than You Realize and I recently had an experience that opened my eyes in new ways to the need for a new approach to evangelism ... so I thought I’d drop you an e-mail with a few of my reflections! I was told by fellow missionaries who are predominantly serving among Muslims that it would be beneficial for me to attend a mosque if invited to do so – not only would it allow me to learn more about Islam, but they said it would also gain the respect of the Muslims who invited me, thereby strengthening those relationships and allowing for further “spiritual” dialogue. Attending the local mosque for evening prayers was an experience unlike any I have ever had before. My eyes were opened to how unnerving it must be for “un-churched” people to cross the threshold of a church for the first time. My stomach was in knots throughout the day as I contemplated what might await me at the mosque. How would I be approached?! What would the mosque-goers say to me?! How would they look at me?! Would I be treated in the same way as newcomers are at many of our churches?! Ironically, I found myself dreading being treated in the same way that we, as evangelical Christians, often treat those we approach with the “Good News.” I feared being cornered following the prayers by a young Muslim eager to add a new convert to the fold. I feared that in discussing my faith-perspective with some of the mosque-goers that it would be treated as greatly inferior to their faith perspective. In short, I was uncomfortable at the idea of being placed on the opposite end of the style of evangelism I myself have often engaged in. I met [my two Muslim acquaintances] at the “rendezvous point” near their apartment and proceeded to the local Muslim community centre. As we removed our shoes and entered into the place of prayer, my anxiety seemed to melt away. The room was nearly empty. However, as the time of prayer drew nearer (approximately 8:50 PM), the room filled with nearly 50 men and boys. As instructed, I sat on the floor near the back of the prayer room while the Muslim faithful prayed, kneeling in the direction of Mecca. Following the time of prayer … I was approached by a young Muslim (approximately 26 years old) who began to inquire who I was and why I had come. Not only was I approached by one young man … several others came and sat around me as well and listened in as the boldest one “evangelized” me. He shared with me various “reasons to believe” in Islam and various “reasons not to believe” in Christianity. He told me that the main difference between all of the other religions and Islam is that Islam is not just “religion” - it’s “lifestyle.” (Where have I heard that before?!) He told me that if he could find something “better” than Islam that he would “switch over,” but in studying the claims of Christians and Mormons and Jehovah’s Witnesses and an assortment of other religions he said that he failed to find anything even close to that of Islam. We dialogued further – throughout our discussion I got the feeling that he was desperately trying to “sell” Islam to me and that he was not interested in anything less than my conversion. … He had to leave early, however before he left me he gave me his phone number and e-mail address and asked me to contact him so we could get together for further “discussion” (one-sided though it may be).