Driving around Dearborn, Michigan, you can’t help but notice the influence of Middle Eastern culture. Shop signs in Arabic, former churches converted into mosques, hookah bars, and “Hajj Mubarak” displays on lawns and in house windows. Muslims in Dearborn are fiercely committed to their Arabic heritage. But this presents an amazing opportunity for the gospel. 

In this background, one hundred and twenty believers gathered together in early June to be equipped to step out boldly and share Christ with Muslims. Seasoned missionaries joined new students for Legacy ’25, a conference on missions, Muslims, and the heart of God.

Held in the shadow of the largest mosque in America, people coming to the conference had to drive right past it—and through the crowds of Muslims celebrating the festival of Eid al-Adha. Seeing the crowds, flags, and misguided celebration brought home to many the gravity of how Muslims desperately need Jesus, and how you don’t have to look very far to find them. In Dearborn, Muslims are on your doorstep!

As we left the crowds behind and walked through the church doors into the Legacy Conference, the atmosphere changed. As one participant noted, 

There was a contrast between the worship in the conference and the prayer in the mosque. The light shines in the darkness and the darkness has not overcome it.

Echoing the theme of Legacy ’25, this highlighted how the thousands of Muslims right outside (and the many more around the world) are the lost sheep, wandering aimlessly without their Shepherd. All of us were challenged and encouraged to respond to God’s call to spread the gospel around the world, particularly to Muslims. As Jesus says in John 10:16,

“I have many sheep that are not of this fold. I must bring them also, and they will listen to my voice. So there will be one flock, one shepherd.”

This is the Shepherd’s Mission—and he calls us to join him.

Solid Teaching Brings Fresh Perspective

This year’s keynote speakers at Legacy—Georges Houssney and Abdu Murray—spoke passionately about ministry to Muslims, sparking important discussions amongst the participants at the conference. 

Attorney Abdu Murray is a Christian apologist and author who has participated in debates and spoken passionately to audiences around the world, sharing how Muslims desperately need Christ. Abdu was a proud Muslim until a nine-year search for truth pointed him to Christ.

Through solid biblical teaching, including The Lost Middle Eastern Jesus and Islam’s Grand Central Question, Abdu challenged us to take a fresh perspective on how we view Islam—and how the gospel needs to be seen through its Eastern lens; put back into the context in which it was written. He also encouraged people to understand that Christ is the answer to the deep longings that Islam identifies, but never fulfills. 

Many people shared how inspired they were through Abdu Murray’s teaching, including how “Abdu was fantastic on the Trinity!” and how “I loved his talk about the Trinity and his emphasis on the relational aspect.”

Georges Houssney, an internationally-acclaimed teacher and author, is eager to awaken a new generation to boldly proclaim the gospel to the lost sheep everywhere. 

With a deep love for Muslims, Georges in his first talk Finding the Lost Sheep challenged us to be effective in restoring the lost sheep—and shared stories of how God is at work bringing Muslims into the Kingdom. Many people shared how impacted they were by Georges’ message, especially his calm delivery:

I found Georges to be especially interesting, and his delivery was extremely impactful. I could listen to him for hours.

Legacy ’25 closed with Georges’ final plenary, The Charge, a call to put their new knowledge into practice and be fruitful in ministry. The formal teaching of the weekend ended in prayer and encouragement, as participants were sent out strengthened for the work ahead.

Relevant Topics in a Smaller Setting

In the breakout sessions, fifteen speakers shared thoughtful presentations on topics incredibly important to Muslim ministry.

Talks included how God is moving in the persecuted Church today, and how believers can best serve refugees and immigrants through ministry—an important conversation for many attendees at Legacy. A particularly moving discussion centered around how Christian women can love their Muslim sisters, and what this looks like in real life. 

Another session that received much attention was Depression and Anxiety in Muslim Converts—and how believers must walk alongside their fellow brothers and sisters, encouraging them to remain in their new faith. 

The intimate nature of the breakout sessions spurred conversation and helpful discussion, creating an atmosphere where people could ask questions and receive answers in a much smaller setting than the plenary talks. Many of these sessions were also led by missionaries with decades of experience in Muslim ministry, both in the immediate area of Dearborn and from around the world. 

Encouraged in Ministry to Muslims

Believers were impacted positively through all aspects of the conference—from networking with believers passionate in Muslim ministry to hearing how to confidently share the gospel. Here’s a short selection of the impact of this year’s conference: 

Much of it encouraged and reinforced [that] this is what I am called to do. I learned some helpful ways to answer Muslims’ challenges on Christianity, as well as some effective ways to defend my faith.

This is my 2nd time at Legacy, and both times have helped me get clarity, vision, and encouragement in biblically founded ways to minister to Muslims.

I am more encouraged and excited to go home, read and study scripture with other Christians, and engage in fruitful conversation with Muslims.

Legacy has had a profound impact on how I engage with Muslims, and I’m excited to love them with the love of Jesus and share the Good News with them.

This conference is great for those who are just starting out in ministry or for those who have done it for many years. The sessions spoke to the “why” and not just the “how.”

From the Sanctuary to the Street

One of Legacy’s strengths is that it is highly relational, bringing together like-minded believers with a passion to reach Muslims. Even more importantly, the conference gave a unique opportunity to turn this passion into practical action!

After the final plenary session, we headed to nearby Ford Field to join a partner church that had organized a park outreach event. There was worship, thoughtful discussion, and reflections on what we had just learned at the conference—and encouragingly, there were gospel conversations, too. 

Stirred with a newfound enthusiasm, we boldly approached Muslim families and shared the gospel. One Muslim woman, drawn by what she was witnessing, even came and sat at a picnic table, where believers chatted with her, shared Bible verses, and prayed for her. This park outreach gave many people the boldness to go and witness to Muslims!

Even during the conference, believers—inspired by what they had just learned—headed out to tell people about Christ. They boldly walked onto the streets of Dearborn to talk to Muslims about Jesus. One young man entered a Yemeni coffee shop, and boldly shared the gospel with Muslims over steaming cups of coffee, exchanging phone numbers with men to continue the discussion. 

It was also exciting to see the number of younger people who came to Legacy—several of whom expressed their desire to either move to Dearborn and serve with the local church or to intern with Horizons in Lebanon!

Moving Forward—to Dallas!

Hosting the conference in Dearborn was a great way to kickstart Legacy after the pandemic years. This area is, after all, a strategic hotspot for ministry to Muslims—where many believers and ministries are actively seeking these lost sheep, sharing Christ with the vast number of immigrants and refugees in the area. 

With the increasing number of Muslims immigrating to the United States, we are looking to hold Legacy in these strategic locations—to equip churches to reach Muslims in their own neighborhoods. The next event is already slated for Dallas in June 2026. We hope that you will join us there!