I highly recommend that you read Russell Moore’s post, “Is There A Jihadist In Your Church Nursery?”
Moore comments on a New York Times article called “The Jihadist Next Door”, which tells the story of Omar Hamammi, a former Southern Baptist who now fights for an Al Qaeda-linked terrorist group. Hamammi grew up with a Muslim father and a Baptist mother in Alabama. He went to VBS, competed in Bible drill, participated in his church youth group, and was saved and baptized at age 6. In other words, Hamammi was a typical Southern Baptist just like me.
The NY Times mentions how Hamammi was steered towards radical Islam when he visited his father’s family in Damascus. I’m guessing it was one of the first times his own faith was challenged, and he obviously did not have the grounding to contend. His downfall was doubt in the deity of Christ. He thought that if Jesus prayed to God, and Jesus is God, then God is just a narcissist. (For a biblical refute of this trail of thought, please see John Piper’s “How Is God’s Passion For His Own Glory Not Selfish?”)
One reason I commend Dr. Moore’s post to you is because he has an absolutely amazing way of taking difficult situations, applying much biblical wisdom, and always pointing his readers back to the gospel of Jesus Christ. His written word reveals his pastoral heart, and it’s beautiful. For example, he says,
“I wrote above that I felt like I know Omar, even though we’ve never met. In some ways, I feel like I am Omar. I’m internally conflicted too . . . I love my country. I hate terrorism. And I’m hawkish on the war against radical Islam. But I sometimes act like a jihadist too. Every time I believe that God’s vengeance ought to be administered by me, rather than by the Cross or the Judgment Seat, well, that’s something other than the gospel (Matt. 26:52). I don’t want to bring in the reign of God with bombs or box cutters, but I sometimes want to do it with my words, with a well-crafted rebuke, or even with my keyboard. Every time I do such, I act as though my God is a capricious, blood-thirsty idol who is sending me into the world to condemn instead of save it — instead of a loving Father who sent his Son into the world to save it instead of condemn it (Jn. 3:17).”
This speaks to the need to preach the gospel of Jesus from our pulpits and not simple “do this, don’t do that” morality that leads just as many people to Hell as false religions. Many that grow up in our churches have no foundation to their faith for refuting any challenges that come their way. We can hear over and over again how we should spend our money and save sex for marriage, but if we’re never taught that Jesus is God and that his death and resurrection was his way of reconciling himself to a sinful people, then our good works (or morals) are worthless! Let us use the story of Omar’s life to remind us of the necessity and centrality of the good news of Jesus Christ.
Lastly, let us also make sure that we remain prayerful for Omar Hamammi and ask the Lord to reveal himself to him in a mighty way for both the salvation of souls and the saving of lives. Moore concludes,
“You and I heard the gospel because of another jihadist’s trip to Damascus. Saul of Tarsus was filled with indignant zeal and, armed to the teeth, he thought he could terrorize the name of Christ off the face of the earth. What stopped him wasn’t a set of arguments. What stopped him was Christ. And the gospel he found on that sandy road was later propelled, through him, across the world right down to wherever you, and Omar, first heard it.”
~ t
