Marilyn Hickey's 'Dinner With Muhammad' aims to 'open the hearts of Christians'

Longtime televangelist and charismatic Bible teacher Marilyn Hickey has written a new book that aims to help Christians bridge the cultural divide with Muslims, while overcoming fear and stereotypes in a post-9/11 world.

Released last month by Franklin Green Publishing, Dinner With Muhammad reflects on Marilyn Hickey's experience of building bridges with the Muslim community for more than 30 years and how God calls Christians to “love our neighbor as ourselves”—even if the neighbor is Muslim.

“You may agree or not agree with Marilyn’s theological position, but this book isn’t about doctrine,” said Lee Gessner, publisher of Franklin Green Publishing. “This book is about reaching people for Christ. This is a critical message for our time. Statistically, there are more American Muslims than ever before, making up one-fifth of the world’s population.”

Subtitled “A Surprising Look at a Beautiful Friendship,” the book features a foreword by Imam Elahi, founder of the Islamic House of Wisdom in Dearborn Heights, Mich.

“I can’t think of a better way to spend a Friday night than having a potluck with a Muslim family along with some of my close friends,” said Hickey, whose evangelistic meeting in Karachi, Pakistan in January 2012 drew more than 200,000 Muslims to hear the gospel. “Chicken casserole alongside Tandoori chicken makes the miles in our hearts come together faster than any other platform I know. The discussions are always lively, and the burdens of life along with the celebrations are very much the same.”

Gessner told Christian Retailing that there are no other Christian books similar to Dinner With Muhammad.

“This is the story of a woman who would not let fear deter her from what she felt God had called her to do,” he said. “Simply, she extended her hand in friendship and allowed God’s love to be displayed through her words and deeds. … I do not expect it to be controversial due to its topic. On the contrary, I believe most Western Christians yearn to minister to the Islamic world, and will be encouraged by the example of the author.”

Hickey believes Dinner With Muhammad will “open the hearts of Christians all over the world to pray for Muslims rather than hating them.”

“I have Bible studies with them, and several of them now come to my church,” said Hickey, who co-pastors Orchard Road Christian Center in Greenwood Village, Colo., with husband Wallace. “It is really a blessing to reach out to a people who I think are sometimes shocked by us.”

Hickey is friends with Jehan Sadat, widow of former Egyptian President Anwar Sadat, who was assassinated in 1981 by Islamic radicals. Other books by Hickey, 81, include The Names of God (Whitaker House), Breaking Free From Fear (Harrison House) and Blessing the Next Generation (FaithWords).

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