Notes on Islam - Class 3 - Muhammad

Muhammad was born in 570, in the Arabian city of Mecca. In this lesson we are going to examine the life of the man considered the “Seal of the Prophets” by Muslims.

Praying for Christians Facing Persecution

Iran's Supreme Court has refused to overturn a death sentence pronounced on a former Muslim who now preaches Christianity. Only the mercy of the lower courts can save Youcef Nadarkhani from execution.


Many Muslim countries allow professing Christians to profess their faith.

Notes on Islam - Class Two - Basic Beliefs

Islam means “submission” in Arabic, and the essence of Islam is submission of the will of God. In this lesson we will do an overview of the basic beliefs of Islam that define what the Muslim understanding of submission to the will of God entails.

The core conviction of Islam is expressed in the Shahada, the “testimony” that every Muslim must confess. Transliterated from Arabic it looks like this: la ilaha illa Allah Mohammed rasul Allah.  Translated, it means, “There is no god but God, and Muhammad is the messenger of God.”  Let’s break this statement down to explore what it means to Muslims.

Who Is the Brother You Like the Least?

Last night after speaking to the New Salisbury church I had a wonderful conversation with my friend Gary Fisher. He told me that he had recently preached a sermon elsewhere about love from First Corinthians 13, with special emphasis on how to love the brother you liked the least in the congregation. After the sermon, a man came forward,

Notes from Class on Islam - Lesson 1 Right Attitudes

The reason for this study can be summed up by something a Christian said on my Facebook page: “I learned all I needed to know about Islam on 9/11/2001.” That combination of ignorance, prejudice, and indifference is unbecoming of Christians. We are called to make disciples of all nations – including Muslims – and the only way we can do this is if we understand those we are trying to reach.

"No King But Caesar"

Pilate was trapped. He knew that the prisoner was innocent, that whatever claims he had been making to kingship were far different than the usual routine of Messianic fervor in Palestine. But he also knew that the hostile crowd of Jews (stirred up by the religious leadership) were determined to have this man executed, and the last thing he needed was a report to reach Caesar’s ears that the Governor of Syria tolerated self-appointed kings. So justice gave way to self-preservation.

Job Satisfaction Survey: Preachers Rank First!

A recent study published by Christian Science Monitor ranked the ten happiest jobs, and "clergy" ranked first. This study certainly reflects the way I feel about preaching. I enjoy what I do, and I feel grateful that the members of the Woodland Hills congregation