FAITH NEWS SERVICE – As Islam continues to expand its influence across the globe, many Christians find themselves facing difficult questions about faith, truth, and how to share the Gospel effectively with their Muslim neighbours, friends, and colleagues.
Multiple Dilemmas explores some of the most significant theological and cultural issues that separate Christianity and Islam, providing readers with practical insights, biblical answers, and real-world experience gained over more than five decades of ministry in Muslim societies.
A new book by veteran missionaries Dr. Jeff Hammond and Annette Hammond seeks to answer those questions head-on.
The book addresses questions that have challenged believers for generations:
- Is God triune or singular?
- Is Jesus God or merely a prophet?
- Are the Bible and the Qur’an both authentic revelations from God?
- Why is the Cross central to Christianity?
- Can anyone truly guarantee salvation?
- What do Christianity and Islam teach about women, heaven, hell, and eternal life?
According to the authors, these are not merely academic debates. They are life-changing questions that impact millions of people around the world.
Written in the Shadow of Terrorism—and the Hope of the Gospel
What sets Multiple Dilemmas apart is the remarkable story behind its authors. Jeff and Annette Hammond have spent more than 50 years ministering in Muslim-majority nations, including Indonesia, Jordan, Lebanon, and Yemen. Their ministry has placed them on the front lines of some of the world’s most challenging spiritual and political environments.
They have witnessed the devastating effects of radical jihadist violence firsthand. Friends, colleagues, students, and church members they knew were killed in terrorist attacks, kidnapped, forcibly converted, or targeted because of their Christian faith.
Yet amid the darkness, they also witnessed extraordinary stories of transformation.
Over the years, the Hammonds have seen thousands of Muslims embrace faith in Jesus Christ and have trained nearly 1,000 former Muslims to become evangelists within their own communities.
Their experiences convinced them that many Christians genuinely desire to reach Muslims but often feel ill-equipped to answer the difficult questions that arise in conversation.
“One of the greatest barriers we encountered was the lack of understanding many Christians had about Islam and the issues Muslims wrestle with,” the authors explain. “We wrote this book to help believers engage those conversations with confidence and grace.”
Extraordinary Experiences Few Missionaries Can Match
The Hammonds’ ministry journey reads like an adventure novel. Jeff Hammond’s first well-known Muslim convert was Adam Malik, the Vice-President of Indonesia and the only Indonesian ever elected President of the United Nations General Assembly.
The couple also spent time studying Arabic and Islam in Yemen at an institute that would later gain international attention after being attended by notorious terrorists, including Richard Reid, known as the “Shoe Bomber,” and Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab, the “Underwear Bomber.”
They were present in Yemen when Abdulmutallab’s failed airline bombing attempt sparked worldwide headlines and attracted international media to the institution where they had been studying.
Jeff has ministered among tribal communities in Borneo, participated in public debates with Muslim clerics across Indonesia, and witnessed dramatic demonstrations of forgiveness, reconciliation, and spiritual transformation in regions marked by deep religious and ethnic conflict.
These experiences provide a unique backdrop for a book that combines theology with practical ministry wisdom.
A Resource for Every Christian Witness
Unlike many books that simply compare Christianity and Islam, Multiple Dilemmas is designed as a practical evangelism tool.
Each chapter introduces a specific dilemma commonly encountered in conversations with Muslims. By examining Scripture, history, and Islamic teaching, the authors seek to provide readers with clear answers while helping them communicate the Gospel effectively.
The book also explores common misconceptions, including questions surrounding the crucifixion of Jesus, the identity of Christ, Islamic views of salvation, and whether all Muslims should be viewed through the lens of extremism.
The goal, the authors say, is not argument for argument’s sake, but helping people discover the truth of Jesus Christ.
Readers will also encounter testimonies of Muslims who found faith in Christ, including accounts of dreams, visions, and personal encounters that transformed their lives.
From Poverty to Global Ministry
Jeff Hammond’s own story adds another compelling dimension to the book.
Raised in extreme poverty in Melbourne, Australia, Jeff spent part of his childhood living in a dog’s kennel after his family fell into severe hardship. His life was transformed when an Anglican minister named Rev. Robert Collie introduced him to Jesus Christ.
Annette Hammond, meanwhile, grew up in a strong evangelical and charismatic Christian environment and sensed a call to missions from an early age. Her passion for teaching Scripture and sharing Christ would eventually complement Jeff’s evangelistic ministry across the Muslim world.
Together, they have authored several books, including The Miracle Working Power of Forgiveness, Explosions of God’s Almighty Power, and The Andrew Chan Story.
Why This Book Matters Now
With more than two billion Muslims worldwide and increasing interaction between Christians and Muslims in Western societies, the authors believe the need for understanding has never been greater.
Multiple Dilemmas challenges believers not to retreat from difficult conversations but to engage them with biblical conviction, historical understanding, and genuine love.
For Christians seeking to better understand Islam, strengthen their faith, and become more effective witnesses for Christ, Multiple Dilemmas, published by Ark House, offers a rare combination of scholarship, experience, and practical guidance from authors who have spent a lifetime living among the very people they seek to reach.
About the Authors
Dr. Jeff Hammond and Annette Hammond have served in ministry among Muslim communities for more than five decades. They have studied Islam, Arabic, Hebrew, and the Qur’an throughout the Middle East and have participated in public discussions and debates with Muslim scholars and clerics across Indonesia.
Today they continue to train Christians and former Muslims to share the Gospel effectively while pursuing their vision of seeing the Great Commission fulfilled through revival, reconciliation, and the transforming power of Jesus Christ.
