Timothy Harris

Thank you so much, Brandon. It's just a pleasure to be here. It's a real honor. And I'm looking forward to digging into your questions tonight.

Thank you so much, Brandon. It's just a pleasure to be here. It's a real honor. And I'm looking forward to digging into your questions tonight.

Absolutely. I mean, here's what we see, Brandon. We see that most believers, they want to share their faith with those who don't yet follow Jesus. And we kind of see that it's like two pendulum, two ends of a pendulum swinging. It's all one way or another. It's either, it seems like what we see with people is it's all truth and very little or no grace.

Absolutely. I mean, here's what we see, Brandon. We see that most believers, they want to share their faith with those who don't yet follow Jesus. And we kind of see that it's like two pendulum, two ends of a pendulum swinging. It's all one way or another. It's either, it seems like what we see with people is it's all truth and very little or no grace.

So these are the Christians that kind of let their evangelism actually get in the way of their kindness and friendship and service to Muslims. They're just so forceful. And they really view Muslim people as projects or targets. Wow. Yeah, they unnaturally just force their evangelism, and they never build a real sincere relationship with them. But we also see people, Brandon, do the opposite.

So these are the Christians that kind of let their evangelism actually get in the way of their kindness and friendship and service to Muslims. They're just so forceful. And they really view Muslim people as projects or targets. Wow. Yeah, they unnaturally just force their evangelism, and they never build a real sincere relationship with them. But we also see people, Brandon, do the opposite.

So the first example kind of is all truth and little or no grace. But the other thing we see in some believers— as they evangelize, and now we're talking mostly as it relates to Muslims, is they're on the opposite end of the spectrum, or as the pendulum swings, they are all grace, but little or no truth.

So the first example kind of is all truth and little or no grace. But the other thing we see in some believers— as they evangelize, and now we're talking mostly as it relates to Muslims, is they're on the opposite end of the spectrum, or as the pendulum swings, they are all grace, but little or no truth.

And what I mean by that is that they let their kindness and friendship and service to Muslims get in the way of their evangelism. So they rightfully and humbly love and serve Muslim people, but they never get around them. to any kind of real or serious faith discussions for fear that they will lose the relationship.

And what I mean by that is that they let their kindness and friendship and service to Muslims get in the way of their evangelism. So they rightfully and humbly love and serve Muslim people, but they never get around them. to any kind of real or serious faith discussions for fear that they will lose the relationship.

So we see people on both kind of ends of that spectrum, or as I said, the pendulum swings too wide, too broadly either way. Instead of the balance of Jesus in John 1, 14, grace and truth, just the balance of grace and truth.

So we see people on both kind of ends of that spectrum, or as I said, the pendulum swings too wide, too broadly either way. Instead of the balance of Jesus in John 1, 14, grace and truth, just the balance of grace and truth.

Yeah, perfect. Well, could I could I just share briefly two short stories of what I've seen of Christians perhaps being too forceful in evangelism? Would that be OK?

Yeah, perfect. Well, could I could I just share briefly two short stories of what I've seen of Christians perhaps being too forceful in evangelism? Would that be OK?

OK, well, one example was. Where we live, like where most folks do these days in the US, we have an influx of refugees. And after 2021, when Afghanistan fell to the Taliban, it was a terrible tragedy what happened. So we know that just countless thousands of Afghans were trying to get out of that country. And quite a number came to our city where we live in the Midwest.

OK, well, one example was. Where we live, like where most folks do these days in the US, we have an influx of refugees. And after 2021, when Afghanistan fell to the Taliban, it was a terrible tragedy what happened. So we know that just countless thousands of Afghans were trying to get out of that country. And quite a number came to our city where we live in the Midwest.

And I was blessed to befriend, through an English class, three pilots, actually. They were in the Afghan Air Force and they came here. And so I was able to befriend them and show them kindness. And one night I set up a dinner with a friend of mine that grew up as a Muslim in Iran. but has become a believer, been a believer now for a few decades.

And I was blessed to befriend, through an English class, three pilots, actually. They were in the Afghan Air Force and they came here. And so I was able to befriend them and show them kindness. And one night I set up a dinner with a friend of mine that grew up as a Muslim in Iran. but has become a believer, been a believer now for a few decades.

And because he speaks Farsi and they speak Dari and these languages are similar, he could communicate with them. So we all five went out to eat and to get to the end of the story quickly, he was kind to them that night, but he was just too forceful. He, He really, I feel like he pushed too hard.

And because he speaks Farsi and they speak Dari and these languages are similar, he could communicate with them. So we all five went out to eat and to get to the end of the story quickly, he was kind to them that night, but he was just too forceful. He, He really, I feel like he pushed too hard.