WHILE numerous avenues of approach might have been used in our efforts to reach the Moslem with our message, the following plan is what proved effective for us. During the first portion of the campaign in Tehran, the following eight subjects were presented:
1. Life at Its Best. The idea was presented that a happy and successful life can well begin with good health, denned as "the state of being sound in body, mind, and soul." The series would, therefore, deal with the whole man. After a brief discussion of physical health, it was stated that mental disease is the greatest modern health problem. There followed facts and statistics concerning mental disease, along with the suggestion that the problems of a complex and modern life contribute greatly to mental disease. Putting life into focus and proper perspective was presented as a partial answer to life's problems. How to accomplish this was the springboard to the second meeting.
2. Get the Facts. In order to put life into perspective, a person must get the facts about life through: a. Observation; b. experimentation; c. reason; d. intuition; and e. revelation. The pros and cons of the first four were discussed with the promise that the fifth, "revelation," would be dealt with at a later meeting.
3. Be a Gambler. Successful people are often those willing to take a calculated risk after getting the facts. He is willing to be an individual, think for himself, and even be different from those in his social group if need be. Both Christ and Mo hammed were presented as individuals who were willing to step out and be different, taking calculated risks for what they believed.
4. Try Giving Yourself Away. Those who give themselves to others in acts of love and kindness will find that love's way brings greater happiness.
5. Let Your Body Live. This was a discussion of some of the causes and results of pathological and psychological fatigue. Practical suggestions were made on how to deal with fatigue. It was suggested that some problems that cause psychological fatigue can be solved, thus leading into the sixth topic.
6. Solving Life's Problems, a. Face the problem by (1) defining it; (2) being honest with yourself about who or what is the cause; (3) putting the problem in perspective as to what the long-range goals are, comparing immediate versus future rewards; (4) deciding on a basic moral principle that will solve current and future problems.
b. Attack the problem by (1) beginning where you are; (2) learning to accept the unchangeable and doing the best with what you have; (3) not fighting the problem but working for a solution; and, (4) realizing your own limitations, knowing that some problems can be solved only by a Power above and beyond us.
7. Follow in Faith, a presentation of the power of faith and prayer as shown in the lives of men such as Abraham, Joseph, and David, prophets who are admired and accepted by Moslems.
Until this point, religion was not an overt part of the meetings. Although religious Biblical principles were used in the discussions, they were not labeled as such. Taped classical music was played while the audience waited for the meeting to begin. There was no song service or opening prayer. To begin the meetings each evening we simply walked onto the platform and launched immediately into the topic. At the close of the presentation on faith and prayer, we asked the audience to bow their heads as Dr. Lamp prayed. After a few times the audience came to expect prayer at the designated moment and most bowed their heads while all were quiet.
8. Try God's Answers. Here the subject reverted back to the five ways of collecting facts, and the fifth point, "revelation," was put forth as a method God uses to give man vital facts. Until this point the Bible and Koran had not been directly quoted or alluded to. At this time we made our only use of the Koran, citing a passage that declares that among those who believe in the Scriptures (Christians), there is a group who believe in Allah and the last day, enjoin right conduct, forbid indecency, and do good works. These people are said to be of the righteous.
While we did not feel we could quote the Koran as an infallible authority when we cannot accept Mohammed as a true prophet, yet we wanted to show the Moslems who were present that their own book teaches that even among Christians there can be true believers. We now stated that we believe Adventists are true believers in Allah, followers of the Scriptures, and hold many beliefs in common with the followers of Islam. The audience was invited to learn what Seventh-day Adventists believe by investigating for themselves the basis of our belief---the Bible. There followed a discussion, citing historical evidences and the fulfillment of prophecy as proof of the divine origin and authenticity of the Bible. As proof, it was announced that the next sixteen meetings would feature "Bible investigation lectures as you hold the Word of God in your own hand and read each text for yourself." A free Bible in Farsi was promised all who would attend twelve of the sixteen meetings.
A Logical Sequence of Subjects
We now faced the problem of building a logical sequence of Biblical topics that would appeal to the Moslem mind. No where could we find a suggested series of topics based on the experience of others, so we prayerfully felt our way in preparation. The following is the sequence we developed and while others working with Moslems may prefer a different sequence or other topics, we felt this series, as far as it goes, was successful for us, and we would use it again.
1. God (There is one God who is our loving Creator and Judge.)
2. The Origin of Evil and the Fall of Man
3. The Law of God
4. Daniel 2
5. The Great Apostasy (Daniel 7 and the little horn.)
6. The Sabbath
7. The Longest Prophecy (The 2300 days.)
8. The Lamb of Sacrifice (How the sacrificial system and the 2300-day prophecy point to Jesus only.)
9. Who Was Jesus?
10. God's Plan for Man (Righteousness by faith.)
11. Cleansing of the Sanctuary (The judgment.)
12. Jesus Is Coming Again
13. When Will Jesus Come?
14. Death and Resurrection
15. The Millennium
16. Summary and Presentation of Gift Bibles
Moslems believe Islam to be superior to Christianity, for they have observed apostate Christianity through the ages and have based their ideas about Christians on their observation. As we presented the great apostasy in Daniel 7, the audience grew tense at the announcement that the apostate power came into being after A.D. 538, for they supposed Mohammed would be presented as an apostate. We never, in any meeting, defamed Mohammed or the Koran, and we avoided mentioning either of them except for the two incidences previously cited. When the apostasy was shown to be caused by a great portion of the Christian church, departing from the true faith as outlined in Scripture, audience tension was relieved. A friendly feeling was developed toward Adventists who were presented as those Christians who are true believers and reformers who seek to repair the breach made in the wall of salvation and God's law.
In developing the topics, it was necessary to use extreme care in choosing texts that would give the right shade of meaning and not offend Moslems. Texts that we might normally use with non-Moslems had to be avoided if they presented Christ as the Son of God before subjects seven and eight were presented. Christ is the crux of the problem in presenting our message to Moslems. They believe in His virgin birth, that He was a miracle-working prophet (they say He was the greatest of the prophets, but Mohammed was the last), that He ascended to heaven, and that He will return on the "last day" as Judge. They accept everything except that He is the Son of God who died with atoning power. Therefore, a way to convincingly present Christ must be found.
We chose to show how the prophecies of Daniel point to Christ only, and that only Christ fulfilled them. In the 2300-day prophecy Christ was presented as the One who "caused the oblation to cease" by being cut off in the midst of the seventieth week. We now moved toward the crucial point of presenting Christ as the Son of God.
Encouraging Response
During the first eight meetings we had an average attendance of 131 in a hall seating 150. Of course, after entering the second phase of the series on Bible investigation, we expected an attendance drop. There fore, we were heartened to have an aver age of 76 during the final 16 meetings. This group attended regularly and exhibited a friendly attitude toward Adventists.
In the Bible investigation series, the ninth subject "Who Was Jesus?" is the only topic in which we feel a change needs to be made. The topic seems proper in the sequence given, and the deity, incarnation, and atoning power of Christ must be presented. However, in our initial series we feel a mistake was made by endeavoring to explain the deity, incarnation, and Sonship of Christ. There were 141 present that night and when we attempted to prove or explain these things, 53 persons got up and walked out. We were thankful that our core of interests, about 70, stayed faithfully by.
Forty-eight were eligible for Bibles at the-end of the series, but more than sixty were given out to good interests. Most of the attendants were young men of university age, but there was also a good representation of women. In the Middle East it is common for men only to go to public meetings. Two families attended almost every night, and during the series one family began to attend church services on Sabbath. The members and workers in Tehran were organized for following up the interests that developed and after our departure, R. R. Nickell, newly arrived director of the Tehran Adventist Center, continued with a series of follow-up meetings. Thus far during his meetings, eighteen have come forward, indicating their decision for Christ. Of this group a good percentage had been present at the Bible investigation series. Two members (the mother and one daughter) of the family who had begun attending Sabbath services have been baptized, a major victory for Moslem lands, especially since both were women. The father is definitely planning to be baptized.
This Tehran campaign represents a breakthrough in our work for the more than 135 million Moslems of the Middle East, for since the beginning of Adventist work in Bible lands, only a handful of Moslems have been won to the truth. Probably never before at one time in these countries have so many Moslems held a Bible in their hands for a series of Bible-in-the-hand investigations while Adventist beliefs have been presented.
