The Cross and the Crescent is an eight-week teaching series designed to equip Christians with theological clarity, historical memory, and cultural discernment regarding Islam and its long conflict with Christendom.

This course argues that Islam is not merely a private faith but a comprehensive system that unites theology, law, and power. By contrasting Christian and Islamic doctrines, tracing fourteen centuries of history, and examining current events in the West, believers will be prepared to respond boldly and without fear.

  • Part 1 — Christ’s Kingdom and the True Gospel

    • Christ’s kingdom advances through repentance and belief, not coercion

    • The spiritual battle is against evil, not people

    • The Church’s weapon is truth, not force

    Part 2 — The Birth of Islam

    • Islam historically united religion, law, and political power

    • Expansion occurred through conquest across historic Christian lands

    • Theological conflict between competing kingdoms and loyalties

    Part 3 — Modern Implications

    • Christians must recover historical awareness

    • Believers are called to defend their faith and remain vigilant

    • Education and discernment are necessary for spiritual preparedness

  • Part 1 — Theology of Jihad

    • Jihad framed as obedience within early Islamic theology

    • Warfare historically connected to religious expansion

    • Distinction drawn between Christian and Islamic views of war

    Part 2 — Historical Expansion

    • Rapid territorial loss of historic Christian regions

    • Conquest reshaped political and religious demographics

    • Establishment of dhimmitude systems under conquest

    Part 3 — Scriptural Warnings

    • Believers must actively guard what God entrusts

    • Faithfulness requires vigilance and responsibility

    • Forgetting history leads to vulnerability

  • Part 1 — Christian Theology of Freedom

    • God revealed as liberator throughout Scripture

    • Human dignity rooted in the image of God

    • Freedom fulfilled in Christ’s redemptive work

    Part 2 — Dhimmitude and Subjugation

    • Historical systems of religious hierarchy under Islamic rule

    • Legal and social subordination of non-Muslims

    • Contrasts between biblical liberation themes and subjugation systems

    Part 3 — Modern Implications

    • Freedom defined spiritually as well as politically

    • Discernment required when evaluating belief systems by their fruit

    • Christians called to stand courageously in truth

  • Part 1 — The Battle of Tours (AD 732)

    • Islamic expansion moved into Western Europe

    • Charles Martel led defensive resistance that halted expansion

    • Faithful resistance preserved Christian lands and future generations

    Part 2 — The Battle of Lepanto

    • Christian unity across nations confronted naval expansion

    • Prayer, cooperation, and leadership were central to victory

    • Demonstrates the role of collective faithfulness in preservation

    Part 3 — The Siege of Vienna

    • Defense of Europe prevented further territorial expansion

    • Courage and sacrifice protected future generations

    • Historical reminder that obedience sometimes requires standing firm

  • Part 1 — Forgetting God Precedes Collapse

    • Cultural decline begins with spiritual decline

    • False confidence replaces repentance and dependence on God

    • Pride and self-reliance weaken societies

    Part 2 — Secular Humanism Rewrites History

    • Western civilization moved from revelation-based truth to relativism

    • Historical narratives increasingly detached from Christian foundations

    • Identity confusion follows the loss of shared truth

    Part 3 — Amnesia Enables Cultural Vulnerability

    • Forgetting history allows ideologies to be whitewashed

    • Memory functions as cultural protection

    • God commands remembrance as an act of faithfulness

  • Part 1 — Taqiyya: The Doctrine of Concealment

    • Defined as concealment or dissimulation under certain conditions

    • Historical theological discussions around strategic deception

    • Biblical contrast emphasizes truthfulness as moral foundation

    Part 2 — Historical Continuity

    • Twentieth and twenty-first century examples of religiously motivated violence

    • Continuity between doctrinal belief and modern events

    • Importance of evaluating beliefs by their outcomes

    Part 3 — Modern Application

    • Discernment required when evaluating ideological systems

    • Testing spiritual claims is presented as biblical responsibility

    • Christians called to pursue truth rather than fear

  • Part 1 — Demographic and Institutional Change

    • Civilizations may change through demographic shifts rather than conquest

    • Loss of shared identity weakens societal cohesion

    • Cultural confidence tied to spiritual foundations

    Part 2 — Case Studies of Institutional Failure

    • Examples cited of governmental and institutional inaction

    • Emphasis on protecting vulnerable populations

    • Moral responsibility of leaders and societies to confront injustice

    Part 3 — Lessons for Believers

    • Silence allows injustice to multiply

    • Truth-telling presented as moral obligation

    • Faith communities called to courage and discernment

  • Part 1 — Cultural and Spiritual Decline

    • Civilizations collapse when foundational truths are abandoned

    • Loss of moral courage leads to institutional weakness

    • Spiritual issues viewed as underlying political problems

    Part 2 — Modern Case Studies

    • Examination of societal examples intended to illustrate institutional breakdown

    • Focus on justice, protection of the vulnerable, and moral accountability

    • Analysis framed around long-term civilizational change

    Part 3 — Final Call to Faithfulness

    • Believers urged to maintain truth, courage, and conviction

    • Cultural preservation connected to spiritual obedience

    • Emphasis on vigilance, stewardship, and moral clarity