Christian evangelists target Dearborn's large Islamic population

From the Detroit Free Press:

Standing amid a crowd of Muslims at June’s 2009 Arab International Festival in Dearborn, the Rev. George Saieg declared: “I’ve been commanded as a Christian to reach out to these people.”

The California man is part of an ongoing effort by at least eight Christian groups across the United States to spread the gospel in Dearborn — a city known for its sizeable Islamic population. The groups have visited Arab festivals, schools and mosques to talk about Christ. They’ve handed out thousands of pamphlets, books and DVDs. Others have held debates.

But the push has caused tensions at times, resulting in lawsuits, accusations of assault and a fierce debate about how Islam can coexist with Christianity in the West. Some of the activity, local residents said, has provoked and insulted instead of engaging people in a civil debate about religion. 

“They know nothing about Dearborn,” Mayor John O’Reilly Jr. said of one Christian group that drew criticism for its actions at the festival. “We have such a wonderful interfaith community.… Dearborn is a community of faith, but it’s a community of every faith.”

Pushing of Christianity causing tensions

The Christian missionaries came to Dearborn this summer from across the United States to win over souls for Jesus.

The evangelists handed out literature, held religious debates and met with residents in a city they sought out because of its large numbers of Muslims. It's part of an increasing effort by some Christians, mostly evangelicals, to convert the Muslims of metro Detroit -- in schools, at festivals and on street corners.

To Eric Haven, executive pastor at Woodside Bible Church in Troy, the growth of Islam in the United States gives churches a chance to convert closer to home.

"For years, Christians have sent missionaries around the world to proclaim the gospel of Christ," Haven said. "In this day and age, the world is coming to America. ... So, it's a great opportunity."

The efforts have stepped up in recent years as more Christians have become aware of the Islamic presence in Dearborn, where about one-third of the city's 98,000 residents are of Arab descent, many of them Muslim and some Christian.

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