Samy Tanagho

Evangelism using the wrong god

By Sandy Simpson, 5/12/14

I need to provide some background to this article. I first heard Samy at our Calvary Chapel church in Pearl Harbor. I was shocked to hear how he is “evangelizing” Muslims. I subsequently found out that his book was endorsed twice by Chuck Smith and that he was stating, although played down at that time of 11/07, that he prayed to Allah. I then sent the following email exchange I had with Samy to Chuck Smith and later someone handed a physical copy of it to Bill Stonebraker of CC Komo Mai. Not only did I not receive a response from Chuck Smith or anyone in his office (too late now) I was also shocked to hear that Samy has now been invited to speak at Calvary Chapel Komo Mai while Stonebraker is in Israel conducting a tour. So all of this has fallen on deaf ears. After you read what Samy said I think you will understand the seriousness of this issue, especially since both Smith and Stonebraker have declared many times that Allah is not God. Why then do they continue to allow Samy access to their churches if they still believe that Allah is not God?

I am making this public now because of the lack of any response or concern from Calvary Chapel. Here is the flyer for his book and the endorsement from Chuck Smith on the CC Costa Mesa website.

A few days later, after Samy spoke at our church, I wrote him an email and this is the chain of emails that resulted. None of the emails have been changed from the originals, except that I have removed the email addresses and other personal contact info. I was not going to publish this exchange but since he has spoken at many churches publically, aided by the endorsement of Chuck Smith and Brian Broderson, I now believe it is time to expose his heretical teachings.

From: Sandy Simpson
Sent: Saturday, November 03, 2007 6:04 PM
To: Samy
Subject: Questions

Dear Samy,

In light of your visiting Calvary Chapel on Oahu again, I would like to ask you a few questions and would appreciate your answer:

(1) Do you pray to Allah or in the name of Allah?

(2) Do you believe Allah is the same "god" as YHWH?

(3) Do you teach that the Koran is a better witnessing tool to Muslims than the Bible?

Thanks for answering my questions.

In Christ,

Sandy Simpson

Date: Mon, 19 Nov 2007 22:47:16 -0800

From: "Samy Tanagho"

Subject: RE: Questions

Dear Sandy

The word Allah is in my Arabic Bible, I like to call God Allah. It is the Arabic word for God.

There are similarities between the descriptions of God in the Qur’an with the description of God in the Bible. There are also many major differences .

I do not teach that the Qur’an is better witnessing tool to Muslims than the Bible.

I believe that only is the Bible is the word of God that can change the Muslim heart.

However, sometimes it is helpful to use what Muslims believes as a stepping stone to the Gospel.

Please Sandy read my book.

Your brother

Samy Tanagho

Date: Mon, 19 Nov 2007 22:48:48 -1000

From: "Sandy Simpson"

To: "Samy Tanagho"

Subject: Re: Questions

Dear Samy,

Answers to your answers below:

(1) The word Allah is in my Arabic Bible, I like to call God Allah. It is the Arabic word for God.

The Bible you are using is incorrect.  Allah is NOT YHWH. 

http://www.deceptioninthechurch.com/allahyhwh.html

Allah is a false god. 

http://www.letusreason.org/Ecumen12.htm

A true believer cannot worship YHWH in the name of a false god.

1Co 6:11 And that is what some of you were. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God.

Ac 4:12 Salvation is found in no-one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to men by which we must be saved."

Ex 20:3 "You shall have no other gods before {Or besides} me.

De 8:19 If you ever forget the LORD your God and follow other gods and worship and bow down to them, I testify against you today that you will surely be destroyed.

Ex. 3: 14 God said to Moses, "I AM WHO I AM. {Or I WILL BE WHAT I WILL BE} This is what you are to say to the Israelites: ‘I AM has sent me to you.’"

The above is God's name, not Allah.

(2) There are similarities between the descriptions of God in the Qur’an with the description of God in the Bible. There are also many major differences.

The "major differences" are what show us they are not the same.  There are supreme beings in every culture but NONE of them are YHWH including and especially Allah.  That is why the Bible says over and over that the Gentiles "do not know God".

Ga 4:8 Formerly, when you did not know God, you were slaves to those who by nature are not gods.

1Jo 3:1 How great is the love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are! The reason the world does not know us is that it did not know him.

1Co 1:21 For since in the wisdom of God the world through its wisdom did not know him, God was pleased through the foolishness of what was preached to save those who believe.

Eph 2:12 remember that at that time you were separate from Christ, excluded from citizenship in Israel and foreigners to the covenants of the promise, without hope and without God in the world.

The Muslims are without God and without hope in the world. They worship a false god that leads them to violence and many other evils. They need to learn of Jesus Christ from the Bible and repent of their sins and stop following Allah.

(3) I do not teach that the Qur’an is better witnessing tool to Muslims than the Bible.

Good because it is no witnessing tool at all.  But then it seems most of your book is an attempt to do just that since you quote liberally from the Koran making favorable comparisons to the Bible. The Koran is a false scripture from a false prophet.  You cannot shmooze Muslims into the Kingdom using their unholy book.  They have to accept Jesus Christ as the ONLY way to salvation and abandon their false god.  That is a stark choice that many Muslims who have heard the true Gospel have made and many are under persecution because of that choice.

Frankly it doesn't sound like you have fully broken with that false religion either. I guess you did answer my question in a roundabout way about whether you pray to Allah, so I am assuming that you do. Thanks for your answer.

In Christ,
Sandy Simpson
Apologetics Coordination Team

Date: Mon, 20 Nov 2007 4:37 AM

From: "Samy Tanagho"

Subject: RE: Questions

Sandy

Would you dare to say to the Apostle Paul what you said to me?

Samy

Sent: Tuesday, November 20, 2007 1:12 PM

From: Sandy Simpson
To: Samy Tanagho
Subject: Re: Questions

Dear Samy,

The apostle Paul?  Of course I would tell him what I told you but then I
would not have to.  Did Paul advocate the worship of God in the name of
Zeus, Apollo, Baal, Diana etc.?  That is what you are doing.  Allah is
clearly not YHWH.  You are doing exactly what YWAM and the World Christian
Gathering on Indigenous People are doing and what the Bahai have been
advocating for centuries.  You need to read our book on this subject called
"Idolatry In Their Hearts".  Would you tell the Hindus to worship in the
name of Vishnu or Krishna?  What you are doing and telling others to do is
absurd and clearly unbiblical.

In Christ,
Sandy Simpson
Apologetics Coordination Team

Date: Thu, 22 Nov 2007 10:41:59 -0800

From: "Samy Tanagho"

Subject: RE: Color flyer update

Dear Sandy

If you studied Acts 17:22-34 you will discover that Paul:

(1) found common ground with the Athenians, He sought a point of contact
through which he could communicate his message. He found it in the
inscription "to the Unknown God" Paul related his message directly to this
inscription. Paul told the Athenians "What you worship as unknown this I
declare to you"
Paul very effectively set the Gospel against the background of their beliefs

(2) Paul quoted their points to validate his message ( Verses 27-28)

Twice in his message, Paul appealed to pagan writings to support his
argument that the unknown God whom the Athenians worshiped was the same God
he was now proclaiming to them.
These two statements which the Greek poets have said about Zeus, the supreme
god of the pagan Greeks, Paul unreservedly applied to the God who raised
Jesus from the dead (Verse 31)
Paul proclaimed that God who raised Jesus from the dead to be the one whom
they worshiped as unknown, of whom even some of their poets had written.

Paul obviously considered that to the extent they correctly described
something of man's relationship with God; they could be considered as
referring ultimately to the only Living God.

Paul found something true the Athenians believe in, he AGREED WITH THEM,
then he guided them to a higher truth which they did not know. And he stated
what wrong worship is and what the right worship is.

Paul did not reject the word they used for God "Theos" This is the common
Greek word for God.
Paul saw the City was wholly given to idolatry. Paul knew that Idolatry is
demonic "his spirit was provoked within him, as he saw the City full of
Idols" (Sandy, I think, because of your love to the God of the Bible, you
too, your spirit is provoked within you as you see all these false
religions, such as Islam.)
However Sandy, Paul deliberately acquainted himself with the beliefs and
background of the people he intended to reach with the Gospel.

He did not turn his eyes away from what he saw in the streets in a pious
disgust. Had Paul using your approach, he would have told them:

 "Men of Athens, in everything I perceive that you are grossly idolatrous,
because as I passed by I observed your detestable idols; you even worship an
unknown God.
You are foolish, etc..."

Paul called their Idol worship "Objects of Worship" Then he commended them.
He told them "I perceive that in all things you are very religious"

Sandy, was Paul making a mistake or maybe compromising?  Of course not. If
he were, God would have told us. God did tell us in verse 34, that he won
many people to Christ.

Paul was determined to accommodate them as far as possible without
compromising his own beliefs.

He was concerned about maintaining their dignity, he respected their
heritage.

Sandy please do not attack YWAM or any born again Christian, who believe in
the fundamental Evangelical teaching of the Bible, because he is using
different method than yours in trying to serve God. Or you will be fighting
against what God is trying to do. You will be shooting your own army ( your
own body).

Regarding the Issue Yahweh or Allah, there is more very important
information that you need to know.

Your brother in Christ
Samy Tanagho

From: Sandy Simpson
Sent: Thursday, November 22, 2007 12:54 PM
To: Samy Tanagho
Subject: Re: Questions

Samy,

(1) Wrong.  The unknown god is just that, unknown.  This is consistent with
what the Bible teaches and the verses I sent you.

(2) The whole point of Paul's message was that they did not know God.  When
he mentioned that God was raised from the dead they stopped him and only a
few believed in Jesus Christ.  Paul was talking to them about a God they did
not know, otherwise the Bible is lying when Paul states under the
inspiration of the Holy Spirit that the Gentiles "did not know God" and were
"without God and without hope in the world".  Paul did not add to their
understanding of God by taking them to a higher plane.  He used their
mythology to show them they really didn't know God at all.  They created that
altar to cover all bases after a plague to try to placate any god to save
them.  That proves it had nothing to do with YHWH and everything to do with
superstition.  You need to study your history.  And my previous point also
stands.  Paul NEVER got the Gentiles to worship the true God in the name of
false gods like you are doing with Allah.

You need to read our book on this subject.  You have been misled by YWAM,
the WCGIP or Don Richardson on this subject.

In Christ,
Sandy Simpson
Apologetics Coordination Team

Date: Fri, 23 Nov 2007 08:40:06 -0800

From: "Samy Tanagho"

Subject: Re: Questions

Sandy

I will pray for you.

Your brother
Samy

Date: Fri, 23 Nov 2007 10:29:45 -1000

From: "Sandy Simpson"

To: "Samy Tanagho"

Subject: Re: Questions

Dear Samy,

Well, if you pray for me please do not pray to Allah.

In Christ,
Sandy Simpson
Apologetics Coordination Team

Conclusion

To see what Samy is promoting you need to read the other articles in the WCGIP and YWAM sections of the ACT site. Also get our book “Idolatry In Their Hearts” by Mike Oppenheimer & Sandy Simpson. Samy has worked with YWAM, as has Daniel Kikawa so their ideologies are built on the false mythologies of Don Richardson. Read a review of “Eternity In Their Hearts” starting here.