(AgapePress) - A leading Southern Baptist pastor is encouraging churches in the denomination to provide Bibles to Muslims.
Johnny Hunt is pastor of First Baptist Church of Woodstock, Georgia, near Atlanta. Several years ago Hunt became involved in a project, through the SBC's International Mission Board, to provide God's Word to those in the Islamic faith. Now, as the fifth anniversary of the September 11 terrorist attacks draw near, Hunt says churches can provide Bibles to those trapped by Islam.
"What needs to be changed is not their philosophy but their hearts -- and I know of nothing that can change them like the gospel," says Hunt. "And we know for an absolute fact that there's a minimum of two million Iranians right now, asking for a copy of God's Word."
According to the Georgia pastor, virtually all churches can participate in the outreach effort to Muslims. "I challenge churches to give their Vacation Bible School offering, their Sunday school offering, take a church love offering [toward the purchase of Bibles to be given to Muslims]," he says, explaining why the best time do it is close to September 11.
"During that time of remembrance, do something positive in the context of our grief -- and I believe that will rebound to God's glory," he says. "So I trust that hundreds and hundreds of thousands of dollars will come in this year for that cause."
Pastor Hunt believes the recent increase in violence in the Middle East will result in a greater hunger for God's Word throughout the region.
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