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Bless your Muslim Neighbours at your local event

How can you put on an event for your Muslim neighbours as a church or Mahabba group? First of all, you need a pool of ‘warm’ contacts.

Bless your Muslim Neighbours at your local event
Refugees, asylum seekers
                                                                                   Antonia Brixey
How do we care for traumatised asylum seekers ...

A Mahabba member shares advice on how Christians can help traumatised refugees and asylum seekers in the UK.

How do we care for traumatised asylum seekers and refugees
asylum seekers, From the Network, Refugees, Stories
Anisa Ismail Wright
Jesus dined with sinners

A Mahabba member describes some of her experiences as a Muslim Background Believer in a UK church and writes about the attitude of Jesus all Christians should display.

Jesus dined with sinners
Dave
Cultural Launch Pads

It is important to identify a cultural launch pad that will help the listener start their journey with context. This member articles explains the idea with two examples of reaching out into Muslim communities within the UK.

Cultural Launch Pads
Mahabba Network
The Good Shepherd

A reflection on five lessons from Jesus in John 10, helping us to not just talk about the Good Shepherd to Muslims - but to come to look like Him.

The Good Shepherd

Borrow a pastor

Borrow a pastor - a blog from Mahabba Network; helping Christians engage positively with Muslims

Borrow a pastor

This is a blog from a friend of Mahabba Network. Names and details have been deliberately removed to protect the identity of those involved, but praise God - he is working in the lives of Muslims to reveal Jesus!

 

Can we borrow another pastor?

“What will we do now that the pastor has moved on?”

…they asked.

This was not a worried congregation but rather some church members who had boarded the roller coaster of befriending Iranian asylum seekers.

The pastor had pitched in by leading a private Bible study for them, but he was moving away.

“Can we borrow another pastor?”

…was one question that was asked.

We found another solution.

With a little coaching, the ladies started using Come Follow Me.

The participants work through the lesson on their own in English, Farsi or Arabic and then once a week they all come together to discuss, share and pray for each other.

The material does not take them off into theological puzzles or doctrinal disputes but focusses on living as followers of Christ.

If we go back to the Great Commission we find that Jesus himself put the emphasis on teaching people to obey all that he had commanded – most of which was the stuff of living.

So they started.

A retired office worker and a lady who irons clothes for a living were engaged in cross cultural discipleship.

We are all familiar with the cry that the labourers are few (Matthew 9:36-38).

“When he saw the crowds, he had compassion on them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd. Then he said to his disciples, “The harvest is plentiful but the workers are few. Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field.””
— Matthew 9:36-38 New International Version (NIV)

Oh, how we would love to see an army of multi-lingual, highly trained, specialist workers of proven experience turning up on our doorsteps asking what we have for them to do.

The people Jesus called that day to pray for labourers became the labourers.

The truth is that for the most part we do not need more bodies, but we need the bodies we already have to be equipped and to discover that they can do the work.

Come Follow Me is a wonderful piece of kit which enables non-experts to engage with confidence in helping new believers grow in Christ.

The next training day is in Wakefield, Yorkshire, 27 October. Maybe request one near you?

Upcoming events

Come Follow Me training day

Saturday 27 October
Wakefield
For full details, contact Flora

Regional gathering

Monday 1 December

For full details, contact Gillie

 
 

Joining the dots

Joining the dots - a blog from Mahabba Network

Joining the dots

This is a blog from a friend of Mahabba Network. Names and details have been deliberately removed to protect the identity of those involved, but praise God - he is working in the lives of Muslims to reveal Jesus!

 

Reflecting on the dots

A Sunday on La Grande Jatte

A Sunday on La Grande Jatte

In the 1880s French artist Georges Seurat introduced an art form known as pointillism. As the name suggests, Seurat used small dots, or points, of colour to create an artistic image.

Up close, his work looks like groupings of individual dots. Yet as the observer steps back, the human eye blends the dots into brightly coloured portraits or landscapes.

We can think of September as a month when we start filling the picture of our year with dots. Each day fills with greys, reds, ambers and greens, that may fill us with trepidation or excitement, and leave us feeling anywhere between exhausted or invigorated at the end of the day.

It’s only when we step back and reflect that we start to see patterns and shapes.

The picture that emerges may square up to the one we had in mind at the start. But more often, it has unexpected shades of light and dark that present us with a different image to the one we planned.

In the same way, the two on the road to Emmaus (Luke 24:13) were reflecting on the ‘dots’ of events that had happened over the Passover weekend in Jerusalem.

They saw only dark and sombre tones of violence and death. The picture of Jesus, as they left Jerusalem, did not square up to the picture they had planned for Jesus, the prophet, powerful in word and deed before God and the people (v. 19).

Then Jesus joins up the dots for them, bringing the light and shade of Moses and the prophets, and all the things the scriptures had been saying about the Messiah (v. 27).

As Jesus breaks the bread at home in Emmaus, they are given a moment to stand back and see the full, beautiful picture.

In the same way, our ministries may push us right up against the canvas with busy schedules, scarce resources and a lack of workers for the harvest.

We might have only our own dot and a couple surrounding in sight (and their colours might even be on the opposite side of the colour spectrum to ours). But are we perhaps forming a beautiful image together?

On 13 October, Birmingham wants to have such a day of standing back and joining the dots of those working to engage with Muslims in our city.

Learn more
 

Note from the Network: Lift up your eyes

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Note from the Network: 

This is part of a series of regular updates from the leadership team within the Mahabba Network. They will be published here on the blog, but the best way to stay up to date is to sign up for our newsletter; you will receive a prompt when the latest one is available. Previous updates can be found here.

Download as a PDF
 

Lift up your eyes

A Mahabba update from the leadership team – August 2018

A Mahabba update for everyone involved with Mahabba. 

1. Introduction

‘Lift up your eyes’, was the title and theme of Mahabba regional gatherings this year – to be inspired by what we’re seeing God doing among Muslims and encouraged and equipped in hearing from Mahabba groups in the regions.

These were great events with very positive feedback from attendees and we would love to see more gatherings of this kind.

Total numbers were well up on attendance at the national gathering in 2017 and learning from one another in ways like this is so much part of why the network exists.

Here are some reports and quotes.

2. South and West event in Gloucester with Georgina and Phil S

Despite a few practical hitches the day worked well in drawing together new and existing friends and other networks.

There was a great buzz of conversation going on throughout.

A highlight and standout impression was of people getting to know about things happening closer to home and hearing from people who are not specialists or ‘professionals'.

This is what Mahabba is about.

Stories of what people are doing as part of their everyday lives are encouraging and need to be heard.

So often Christians have contact with Muslims but don’t do anything with them because they are lacking confidence or don’t know where to start.

Days like this can be so helpful to take inspiration from others in taking steps towards Muslims.

Some commented that they wish they'd invited others – there’s always next time!

3. London event with Chas

More than 60 attended, mostly from London but also from a bit further afield.

We heard encouraging stories from eight different London Mahabba prayer groups.

Some are still small and struggling with lack of interest from churches.

Yet they also told amazing stories of running successful 'Meetings for Understanding', of church leaders getting involved, evangelistic events being hosted and engagement with Muslims in their communities and local Mosques.

We shared on the different resources available to help the groups engage in reaching out, sharing good news and making disciples (such as Friendship First, Come Follow Me, Joining the Family, Al Massira, Discovery Bible Studies…).

A successful day.

4. North event in Oldham with Ted

About 60 people came from across the North, from Liverpool in the west and Hull in the East.

Steve, John, Deborah and Phil R were among the contributors and the event was greatly enhanced by the presence of the Resonance Band leading multilingual worship.

As always, for many participants it was hearing from other Mahabba groups that was the main encouragement.

So three quite different events but with the same outcomes – people inspired, encouraged and equipped for renewed commitment to prayer and reaching out locally.

We would love to hear from you how something from the event you attended spoke to your situation – please see below to submit feedback.

There are more gatherings to follow; first for Birmingham and the Midlands on 13th October - ‘Joining the Dots’, connecting and equipping the church to reach out to Muslims.

See below to find out more.

5. Vision Update

We are making really good progress with the Mahabba vision process.

We’ll come back with more next month and look forward to hearing more of your thoughts.

Thank you so much for your prayers and have a good summer.

Bryan Knell on behalf of Mahabba Board and Executive Team

 

Your turn

  • Pass this update on to those you know and encourage them to

  • We value your prayers for this and welcome your feedback here.

  • Feel free to leave any comments below or send them via the Contact Us page

  • Subscribe to the maillist so that you get further news as soon as it is published

Sign up

Note from the Network: clarity and focus

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Note from the Network: clarity and focus

This is the first of a series of regular updates from the leadership team within the Mahabba Network. They will be published here on the blog, but the best way to stay up to date is to sign up for our newsletter; you will receive a prompt when the latest one is available.

Download as a PDF
 

Clarity and focus

A Mahabba update from the leadership team – July 2018

Welcome to the first of a new series of Mahabba Updates for everyone involved with Mahabba. 

1. Vision day

The trustees called a Vision Day with the aim of bringing clarity and focus to Mahabba’s vision, structure and operation. Understandably, this ‘day’ has developed into a process, which involved a very significant and well-led discussion on 12th June, but which is still ongoing.

All involved believe that the Mahabba initiative, emphasising a relational engagement with Muslims, is crucially important for our country at this time, for the UK church, for the long-standing Muslim community here and for Muslims arriving as refugees.   

We now have a better understanding of what we are about and over the summer we aim to identify the right words to express that clearly in both a comprehensive and memorable statements.  This is crucial to achieving clarity and focus and we ask for your prayers.

2. Leadership

Since Gordon Hickson focused on the growth of Mahabba International, Mahabba UK has sought to function with leadership teams, but there have been misunderstandings and different expectations. We have decided to strengthen leadership in these ways:

  1. The Board will start the process of exploring leadership options and looking for the personnel needed to give long-term leadership

  2. The Executive Team (made up of the Board chair and treasurer, two facilitators and the Hub Manager) will provide day to day decisions about the organisation and provide leadership for Mahabba UK. Bryan Knell will lead the Executive Team, as a way of providing leadership in the short-term. (The Board recognises that it is not good practice for the chair of the trustees to lead the Executive Team in the long-term.)

  3. The Network Team of facilitators will engage with Mahabba’s network of groups in the UK and continue to connect with local coordinators in cities. This team will be led by Phil G

3. Finance

Mahabba is rapidly running out of money. Despite numerous applications, we have not had any significant grant income for several months. The trustees decided that recent experience suggests we cannot rely on, assume or plan for any grant income but need to reduce our expenditure to match the £1,000 that comes in regularly from individual donors.

The trustees have decided that from the end of June:

  • Facilitators will function on a self-supporting basis, although expenses will be claimable

  • The Hub Manager, Simon, will be reduced to one day a week

  • We cannot at this stage afford to hire a fundraiser

These decisions are inevitable if the trustees are to act responsibly, but it will bring financial difficulty and uncertainty to several people and some may feel they have to look for paid employment elsewhere.

Thanks for your interest and support. God is doing amazing things and it is a great time to be alive.

Pass it on to those you know and encourage them to join the distribution list here.

We value your prayers for this and welcome your input to bryanjknell@gmail.com.

Bryan Knell on behalf of Mahabba Board and Executive Team

 

Your turn

  • Please do leave any comments below, or send them privately to Bryan via his address above

  • Subscribe to the maillist so that you get further news as soon as it is published

Sign up

A place of peas

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A place of peas

This is a real-life story of recent events from friends of Mahabba Network. Names and details have been deliberately removed to protect the identity of those involved, but praise God - he is working in the lives of Muslims to reveal Jesus!

 

Vandalism to Vegetables

About 5 years ago one of our regulars got involved in a sort of city farm project.

It is in an area of stark terraces almost entirely occupied by Bangladeshis.

The project was secular but with several white Christians heavily involved.

When we met to pray, we heard tales of plastic tunnels being vandalised and project personnel being threatened.

All we could do was pray.

The other evening, I  went to the site for a prayer meeting.

The gate was open. There were no high fences, no barbed wire, no security measures of any kind.

Some Asian teenagers sitting on the benches greeted us politely.

The project is highly valued by the community. Members of many families use the project. They grow vegetables. Children come to learn about nature.

It is a place of peace and harmony. God has answered prayer.

 

Your turn

Have you been touched by this story? If so, you can play your part.

  • Share the amazing news of God moving among Muslim with your friends via e-mail or social media, using the links below

  • Support Mahabba in its work to equip everyday Christians to build relationships and share Jesus with Muslims

Give a gift

It's a wrap - Ramadan 2018!

We've just finished our fifth annual Lovefast campaign, which complements the 30 Days of Prayer booklet.

Lovefast is designed to help Christians not only pray but engage with Muslims practically during the month of Ramandan.

We've had some great feedback, which we wanted to share.

Here are some of the comments:

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From Louise on Day 29

I have really appreciated these daily additions to the 30 Days booklet. It has been great to have a UK twist and to have specific action steps to consider too.

 
“Thank you so much for these days of Lovefast which have been so inspiring and refreshing daily. It has been a joy to pray along daily for our dear Muslim friends and we must continue to pray for and reach out to them in the days ahead. Thank you and God bless the ministry of Mahabba.”
— Margaret on Day 29
 
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From Anne on Day 26

Shared iftar with a Syrian family yesterday. Said to them we have eaten together and played together but not prayed together. So we discussed that we could pray more than four times a day.

 
“Thank you so much for the information and encouragements. I have been reaching out to refugees since 2015 in Germany. I have learned a lot and pray my new friends will get to know Jesus Christ as they would not have this chance in their home country. Now I will try to find out the name of our local mosque leader. Thank you and God bless you and protect you!”
— Martina on Day 16
 

If you've been involved with Lovefast this year or been touched by what you have heard, please consider giving to the ministry of Mahahha. We need your help to continue and develop as we connect with and equip Christians to engage with Muslims.

Give today

Lovefast 30: Peace

Lovefast prayer and action campaign from the Mahabba Network

Day 30 of 30

By Phil S from Mahabba's Network Team

Inspired by today's entry in 30 Days of Prayer, but with a UK twist!

Feedback and suggestions on the content and layout of Lovefast - see our Trello board →

Daily verse

“If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone.”
— Romans 12:18 New International Version - UK (NIVUK)

Thought for the day

Peace

We have been looking at symbols all through these 30 days of prayer during Ramadan.

When visiting the Armenian quarter in Jerusalem a saw a tile of a church, a synagogue and a mosque next to each other.

It became a symbol of hope for me.

I also came across the word ‘coexist’, replacing the C, X and T with a crescent, a star of David and a cross.

At the time I had a deep concern about how the Abrahamic faiths could stop attacking and killing each other.

So many wars seemed to have religious dimensions to them.  

One way to ‘coexist’ is to create mutual understanding by reading and reflecting on our sacred texts together.

This has taken many forms:

  • Scriptural reasoning

  • Meetings for better understanding

  • Prophet Stories

  • Holy book clubs

Various ways of reading our Scriptures together and building relationship through the stories of the Bible and Qur’an.

Prayer for the day

Prayer of St Francis

Lord, make me an instrument of Your peace. Where there is hatred, let me sow love; where there is injury, pardon; where there is doubt, faith; where there is despair, hope; where there is darkness, light; where there is sadness, joy.

O, Divine Master, grant that I may not so much seek to be consoled as to console; to be understood as to understand; to be loved as to love; For it is in giving that we receive; it is in pardoning that we are pardoned; it is in dying that we are born again to eternal life.

Daily action

Get hold of a copy of the new Grove booklet on storying Christian and Muslim faith together. Check out if there are any groups mentioned above near you.

Buy now
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Your turn

Let us know how it went! Leave a comment below, or tag us on social media with the #lovefast hashtag on social media. You can find us on Facebook and Twitter!

Partners of 30 Days of Prayer

Lovefast 26: Welcome - Moroccans in the UK

Lovefast prayer and action campaign from the Mahabba Network

Day 26 of 30

By Simon from The Hub in Mahabba

Inspired by today's entry in 30 Days of Prayer, but with a UK twist!

Click to open

Click to open

Feedback and suggestions on the content and layout of Lovefast - see our Trello board →

Daily verse

“Jesus answered, ‘I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.”
— John 14:6 New International Version - UK (NIVUK)

Thought for the day

Welcome

There’s something special about a Moroccan welcome, especially a Berber one.

It’s a traveller’s welcome - often after a long, tiring journey, when the hope and excitement of the day is waning into the evening.

Lots of tea, honey, pancake-like treats, and lashings of sugar in every direction!

I remember the same warmth being true when I stumbled across a Moroccan shop in the UK - in Oxford, an academic capital and a world away in terms of culture!

Sometimes we feel we are only worthy to put on a welcome or have people into our home unless everything is pristine and just-so.

That pressure can sometimes prevent our hospitality.

Moroccans feel the same pressure, but after a quick spruce up, even the poorest of the poor would be as proud as punch to usher you through their door.

We honour them by our presence as guests in their home, no matter how lowly it is, and they go to great lengths to provide sustenance.

There’s definitely something of Christ in this welcome, and we see it in Muslim communities in the UK, whether Moroccan or not.

We know too that the invitation from Christ and to come to know Father God is beyond all else.

We may be British and struggle with this one, but how can we be a little be more hospitable and welcoming that Muslims we meet might encounter something of Jesus through us?

Prayer for the day

Father God, thank you that I am part of your family and for the loving embrace that I received through Jesus Christ. Today I pray that Muslim men, women and children in the UK might have the opportunity to experience something of that. Use me to be a channel of your love. Help me to break out of my Britishness and embrace Muslims around me.

Daily action

During Ramadan, it is common practice for Muslims to share food with neighbours after the fast finishes in the evening. Try to find a shop locally that sells Asian sweets. Buy some and take them as a gift to your neighbour. Make sure you go around 9:30 or 10:00pm - it’s not too late or rude, as they will eat after dark and be very awake! Offer them as a blessing and that as a Christian you are praying for them in their fasting.

Your turn

Let us know how it went! Leave a comment below, or tag us on social media with the #lovefast hashtag on social media. You can find us on Facebook and Twitter!

Partners of 30 Days of Prayer

Lovefast 25: Hot - Eritreans in the UK

Lovefast prayer and action campaign from the Mahabba Network

Day 24 of 30

By Simon from The Hub in Mahabba

Inspired by today's entry in 30 Days of Prayer, but with a UK twist!

Click to open

Click to open

Feedback and suggestions on the content and layout of Lovefast - see our Trello board →

Daily verse

“By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.’”
— John 13:35 New International Version - UK (NIVUK)

Thought for the day

Hot

Abraham is Eritrean; a friend of mine and I see him almost every day.

We give each other a big hug in the morning and sometimes at the end of the day - very un-British, but very Eritrean.

I love it - warm, welcoming friendly - what’s sometimes known as ‘hot climate culture’ - and it took me a little while to cotton on!

I saw him the other day at a Christian festival, sporting shiny aviator sunglasses and advocating for a new charity, helping the church to welcome refugees.

He was happy and smiling.

He has found Jesus and a fresh purpose in life - imagine if all the Muslims on your street or in your area had the same encounter.

Let’s be a bit hotter with our faith and warmer with our welcome - start with a Muslim you encounter; today!

Prayer for the day

 

Father God, thank you for the world that is coming to our doorstep. Help us to be warmer in our welcome and embrace of those we do not know. Stir in us more of your love for Muslims around us that we can better demonstrate your love for those from Islam who do not yet know you.

Daily action

Lovefast prayer and action campaign from the Mahabba Network

I once worked with a young Muslim lady who remarked that I was different because I genuinely asked how she was and looked out for her. This one is a longer-burning action. Be intentional in really getting to know a Muslim near you, whether a shopkeeper or colleague. Make a conscious effort to ask consistently about his or her health, family, hopes, dreams etc. When you’ve done that, find out more about Welcome Churches which is helping churches welcome refugees in the UK.

Learn more

Your turn

Let us know how it went! Leave a comment below, or tag us on social media with the #lovefast hashtag on social media. You can find us on Facebook and Twitter!

Partners of 30 Days of Prayer

Lovefast 21: Close - Visiting a Mosque

Lovefast prayer and action campaign from the Mahabba Network

Day 21 of 30

By Ted from Mahabba's Network Team

Inspired by today's entry in 30 Days of Prayer, but with a UK twist!

Click to open

Click to open

Feedback and suggestions on the content and layout of Lovefast - see our Trello board →

Daily verse

“even there your hand will guide me,
your right hand will hold me fast.”
— Psalm 139:10 New International Version - UK (NIVUK)

Thought for the day

Close

Once we were prayer-walking in Ramadan.

As we passed the central mosque, my companion said “Do you think we could go in?”

As approached a side-door a car drew up. A man got out. We greeted him and asked if anything was going on. “Come and see,” he said.

He led us upstairs where we found a group of men were chanting, seeking closeness to God.

We prayed silently for them.

We were expected elsewhere so after a while we left but not without being invited to comeback and eat with them.

Long story short, we learnt that one of them had a brother dying of cancer.

We asked if we could pray for him in the name of Jesus. “Of course” he replied.

So we prayed for him in the mosque in the name of Jesus. Men build walls: Jesus passes through them.

Prayer for the day

Here am I. Send me.

 

Daily action

Discover your local mosque and look out for invitations.

Learn More

Your turn

Let us know how it went! Leave a comment below, or tag us on social media with the #lovefast hashtag on social media. You can find us on Facebook and Twitter!

Partners of 30 Days of Prayer

Lovefast 17: Spring - Refugees in Germany

Lovefast prayer and action campaign from the Mahabba Network

Day 17 of 30

By Gordon from Mahabba Network International

Inspired by today's entry in 30 Days of Prayer, but with a UK twist!

Daily verse

“This will be the sign for you, Hezekiah:
‘This year you will eat what grows by itself,
and the second year what springs from that.
But in the third year sow and reap,
plant vineyards and eat their fruit.”
— Isaiah 37:30 New International Version - UK (NIVUK)

Thought for the day

Spring

As well as UK, Mahabba has been growing in Europe: France, Belgium, Norway & Austria already going; then working closely with Germany, Switzerland & Sweden; more recently interested established in Denmark & Belgium.

If God is with us, this will spread, so I am in waiting and praying mode until we get clear guidance on the future.

Just as an encouragement from a monastery in Germany: they are working in about 15 cities, mainly with Syrian & Iraqi refugees.

They just started the next discipleship training with about 70 MBBs.

What they are doing is unique in Germany, and last year they gathered over 1000 people to pray for 3 days.

They are sending Arabic speaking missionaries across Germany, and many German churches and Ministries are asking for support with their know-how and man-power.

They have already reached out to more than 20 camps, and 75 churches with Muslim groups…. hundreds of Muslims have become followers and are attending the discipleship schools.

New house cells have also been established.

Also churches with just MBBs have been established.

The head of the Refugee movement in German has asked me to send him material, and he will be encouraging Mahabba prayer.

Prayer for the day

Pray for the Mahabba Network as the message of ‘loving all Muslims’ spreads - with groups springing up themselves and connecting to other groups and ministries (like Al Massira). The desire is that more and more will discover and seek to follow Jesus.

Daily action

Try organising a Prayer Walk  or just go with a friend

Learn More

Your turn

Let us know how it went! Leave a comment below, or tag us on social media with the #lovefast hashtag on social media. You can find us on Facebook and Twitter!

Partners of 30 Days of Prayer

Lovefast 16: Respect - Libyans in the UK

Lovefast prayer and action campaign from the Mahabba Network

Day 16 of 30

By Mark Handley, serving with Operation Mobilisation in London among the Muslim community for over 20 years

Inspired by today's entry in 30 Days of Prayer, but with a UK twist!

Daily verse

“As for zeal, persecuting the church; as for righteousness based on the law, faultless.”
— Philippians 3:6 New International Version (NIV)

Thought for the day

Respect

I met a Libyan in London at Speakers Corner, he was on a ladder telling the world about how great Islam was.

He was older than me and I knew nothing about Islam but he said the Bible had been corrupted or some other polemic against Christianity and I tried to correct him.

This started a relationship that lasted over 10 years as I bumped into him at Speakers Corner and on the Edgeware Road where he came for coffee and in the local park where I was running.

We learnt to respect one another.

As time went on we would talk about mosque/church life, he lamented that there was nothing worse than a convert, young British converts were trying to teach him about Islam!

He was a political refugee, a Muslim evangelist, but also a man with concerns for his children and mother, and concerns for his community.

We have prayed for him for many years, and although I have not seen him recently, I know that the Lord sees him.

Prayer for the day

Please pray for mosque leaders and evangelists that they will have Christian friends that they can respect and who will befriend them.

Daily action

Identify by name who is your local Mosque leader(s) and pray for them by name.

Your turn

Let us know how it went! Leave a comment below, or tag us on social media with the #lovefast hashtag on social media. You can find us on Facebook and Twitter!

Partners of 30 Days of Prayer

Lovefast 15: Secret Believers

Lovefast prayer and action campaign from the Mahabba Network

Day 15 of 30

By Phil S, a member of Mahabba's Network Team

Inspired by today's entry in 30 Days of Prayer, but with a UK twist!

Daily verse

“So he replied to the messengers, “Go back and report to John what you have seen and heard: The blind receive sight, the lame walk, those who have leprosy are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, and the good news is proclaimed to the poor.”
— Luke 7:22 New International Version (NIV)

Thought for the day

Secret

There are Muslim followers of Jesus around the Islamic world. I received this e-mail from somewhere in Asia:

This is the true story of our Lord Jesus, the source of peace recently discovered by Muslim people in our community.

In the last recent week, there has been a very, very intense spiritual battle in my Islamic community where I live.

A blind Muslim woman made tawassul [seeking to draw close to God] to ask Nabi Isa [the prophet Isa = Jesus Christ], son of Mary, to give her vision back.

We called the name of Jesus again and again.

To our great surprise, Jesus answered our tawassul and she was able to see again with her right eye.

She and her whole Muslim community are now very thankful to Nabi Isa, ibn Miriam [son of Mary].

They glorify Nabi Isa excessively. They attribute the healing to Isa.

My house and their house is full of people who are curious to know what happened.

We explain the power of Nabi Isa. We disciple them to be the disciple of Isa.

Physically we have been very tired in discipling people to be the disciple of Nabi Isa, son of Mary.

Prayer for the day

 

Pray for Muslims who have encountered Jesus, for secret believers, Messianic Muslims, Believers from a Muslim Background (BMBs), whatever they are called, and pray that this will happen more in the UK so that more and more people will ‘glorify Isa excessively’.

Daily action

Watch this video of an interview with David Garrison author of ‘Wind in the house of Islam’, or read the book - it’s worth it!

Your turn

Let us know how it went! Leave a comment below, or tag us on social media with the #lovefast hashtag on social media. You can find us on Facebook and Twitter!

Partners of 30 Days of Prayer

Lovefast 14: Movement - Cities

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Day 14 of 30: Movement

By Thomas, a friend of Mahabba working in Germany

Inspired by today's entry in 30 Days of Prayer, but with a UK twist!

Daily verse

“My prayer is not for them alone. I pray also for those who will believe in me through their message, that all of them may be one, Father, just as you are in me and I am in you. May they also be in us so that the world may believe that you have sent me.”
— John 17:20-21 New International Version - UK (NIVUK)

Thought for the day

Movement

Over the last few years some leaders of unity movements around the world have been connecting together.

They have been sharing what God has been doing, learning from each other and being inspired for further collaborations.

One network ‘Together for Berlin’ hosted an opportunity for leaders from different countries to come together.

I was encouraged to listen to the stories of the 8 city network leaders from the UK who shared many encouraging experiences of what God is doing there.

We were able to pray for one another and for our cities that God's Kingdom would come.

Already more than 54% of the world’s population lives in cities and it’ll continue to rise.

City reaching is a strategic way of reaching the nations at our door steps as more and more immigrants – many from unreached people groups and religions- are moving into our neighbourhoods - yet the church is still not aware of the immense opportunities this presents.

We have people from more than 100 different nations living in all major cities in Europe already.

It’ll bring many challenges to all of us but it’ll also be a strategic way of building God’s Kingdom.

I believe that God is orchestrating these global moves for his purposes.

Prayer for the day

 

Pray for real unity among movements in Europe serving refugees in various cities, that refugees will be attracted by the love they see in Christians who are serving them.

Daily action

Try using the Resource ‘Praying as small group’ or ‘Want to pray for M World in Small group’ (2/2).

Learn More

Your turn

Let us know how it went! Leave a comment below, or tag us on social media with the #lovefast hashtag on social media. You can find us on Facebook and Twitter!

Partners of 30 Days of Prayer

Lovefast 13: Retrieve - Call to Pray

Lovefast prayer and action campaign from the Mahabba Network

Lovefast 13: Retrieve

By Phil S from Mahabba's Network Team

Inspired by today's entry in 30 Days of Prayer, but with a UK twist!

Daily verse

“But in your hearts revere Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect”
— 1 Peter 3:15 New International Version (NIV)

Thought for the day

Retrieve

Bishop Kenneth Cragg led the way for many on how to approach Muslims and share faith with them.

He was respectful, relational  and invitational. He wrote classics like ‘Sandals at the Mosque’ and the ‘Call of the Minaret’.

When you hear the azhan recited by a muezzin what do you hear?

Cragg suggest that the call of the minaret is a call to prayer for Muslims, but also a call for Christians as well - a call to retrieval - to present the Christ that Muslims have missed.  

The call of the minaret must always seem to the Christian a call to retrieval. He yearns to undo the alienation and to make amends for the past by as full a restitution as he can achieve of the Christ to Whom Islam is a stranger. The objective is not as the Crusaders believed the repossession of what Christendom had lost, but the restoration to Muslims of the Christ Who they have missed. All that the minaret both says and fails to say is included in this call to retrieval as the listening Christian hears it.

Prayer for the day

Watch this call to prayer produced by Channel 4 and pray for opportunities for Muslims to meet Christ not as stranger but as friend

Daily action

Watch this clip from The Message (the story of Prophet of Islam) of Bilal and the first call to prayer. When you hear a call to pray then why not take the opportunity to do so - and pray for Muslims (or even to go and visit the mosque and reach out to a Muslim)

Your turn

Let us know how it went! Leave a comment below, or tag us on social media with the #lovefast hashtag on social media. You can find us on Facebook and Twitter!

Partners of 30 Days of Prayer

Lovefast 12: Essence - Muslim Women

Lovefast prayer and action campaign from the Mahabba Network

Lovefast 12: Essence

By Georgina from Mahabba's Network Team

Inspired by today's entry in 30 Days of Prayer, but with a UK twist!

Daily verse

“May my prayer be set before you like incense;
may the lifting up of my hands be like the evening sacrifice.”
— Psalm 141:2 New International Version (NIV)

Thought for the day

Essence

At a meeting where a Turkish woman was talking about namaaz, someone asked whether it’s unfair to exclude women from prayer at the mosque.

Other Muslim women attending the meeting responded with smiles that they enjoy the opportunity to have time to themselves with a break from family obligations. They also appreciate collective namaaz prayers as a time for friends to catch up with each other.

For them the bigger problem was to stay focused on God while they recite their prayers. They were much more worried by the fact that their minds tend to wander to mundane matters while they are at prayer, and that even prayer beads (tasbih) don’t always help.

Prayer is the essence of a life of faith; 1 Thessalonians 5:17 asks us to ‘pray without ceasing.’

What does that look like in your walk with God?

Prayer for the day

Father, may I yearn to be in your presence.

Daily action

Set a timer to remind you to pray 5 times today.

Your turn

Let us know how it went! Leave a comment below, or tag us on social media with the #lovefast hashtag on social media. You can find us on Facebook and Twitter!

Partners of 30 Days of Prayer

Lovefast 9: Satellites - Gospel Broadcasting

Lovefast prayer and action campaign from the Mahabba Network

Lovefast 9: Satellites

By Chas from Mahabba's Network Team
Inspired by today's entry in 30 Days of Prayer, but with a UK twist!

 

Daily verse

“And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come.”
— Matthew 24:14 New International Version - UK (NIVUK)
 

Thought for the day

Satellites

You may have heard about Christian programmes being broadcast into closed countries.

Now that many from these countries have sought refuge in the UK you can guide them to hear the gospel in their own language through various media.

SAT-7 has collected a series of programmes in Arabic & Farsi which answer some fundamental questions of the Christian faith, such as, “Who is Jesus’ and ‘what is the incarnation?’ ‘Why did God choose to die?’ ‘Why do we need salvation?”

These programmes are presented by Arabic and Iranian theologians and are available as a series of online Youtube links.

You can find more resources on the Mahabba website: www.mahabbanetwork.com/weblinks-index

 

Prayer for the day

Pray that people whose first language is not English in the UK will connect with the available Christian media resources.

 

Daily action

You could get some handy business cards to give away and share these resources with your friends.

 

Your turn

Let us know how it went! Leave a comment below, or tag us on social media with the #lovefast hashtag on social media. You can find us on Facebook and Twitter!

 

Partners of 30 Days of Prayer

Lovefast 6: Fish - Neighbours

Lovefast prayer and action campaign from the Mahabba Network

Lovefast 6: Fish

By Phil G from Mahabba's Network Team
Inspired by today's entry in 30 Days of Prayer, but with a UK twist!

 

Daily verse

“Then Jesus said to Simon, ‘Don’t be afraid; from now on you will fish for people.’”
— Luke 5:10 New International Version - UK (NIVUK)
 

Thought for the day

Fish

We’re praying today for the Pattani people of South Thailand.

Many are making their living from fishing - we’re praying that many follow Jesus and become fishers of Pattani men and women, and beyond.  

When Jesus calls us to follow it’s also a call to fish (Mark 1:17). We can’t separate the two. ‘Let down the nets for a catch’ Jesus says (Luke 5:1-11).

Experienced fisherman Simon wants to question the carpenter teacher. We’ve worked hard, it won’t work here – wrong waters, wrong time of day, wrong nets…

Does it feel that way for us as we seek to connect and share with Muslim neighbours? Be encouraged today – it isn’t all down to us! We can be sure God is already at work in our local Muslim communities, in homes and hearts, speaking, revealing and drawing precious Muslims to himself.

Muslim people are often open to talk about spiritual things. Some will be ready to hear good news. ‘Because you say so I will let down the nets’.

 

Prayer for the day

Lord, thank you that you are already at work among Muslim people here. Thank you for calling us to partner with you in that work. Thank you that many will see you for who you are and follow. Who have you prepared for me to meet today? Help me not to be afraid or slow to share, but to be seen as someone who loves and is following you.

 

Daily action

Even if it’s just a passing opportunity, let’s be ready today to fish to find those who are open and responsive. How might you cast a net to start or turn a conversation to spiritual things? Think ahead of time what you could say – perhaps something like ‘I saw something amazing about God this morning’ that will catch the interest of someone open and lead to a deeper conversation.

 

Your turn

Let us know how it went! Leave a comment below, or tag us on social media with the #lovefast hashtag on social media. You can find us on Facebook and Twitter!

 

Partners of 30 Days of Prayer

Lovefast 4: Change - Saudis in the UK

Lovefast prayer and action campaign from the Mahabba Network

Lovefast 4: Change

By Bryan from Mahabba's Board of Trustees
Inspired by today's entry in 30 Days of Prayer, but with a UK twist!

 

Daily verse

“But when he, the Spirit of truth, comes, he will guide you into all the truth. He will not speak on his own; he will speak only what he hears, and he will tell you what is yet to come. He will glorify me because it is from me that he will receive what he will make known to you. All that belongs to the Father is mine. That is why I said the Spirit will receive from me what he will make known to you.’”
— John 16:13-15 New International Version - UK (NIVUK)
 

Thought for the day

Change

I have never ‘quite’ been to Saudi Arabia.

Recently I visited Bahrain and while there we drove out along the 16 mile causeway.

Before crossing the border on a small island, we parked and prayed for the nation of Saudi that we saw in the distance.

What an emotional experience!

Saudi Arabia has been the only country in the Arab World not to allow any churches. Other countries allow churches for expatriates, even if nationals could not attend. Taking an Arabic Bible into Saudi Arabia was very dangerous.

Today, everything is changing.

Television, social media, the causeway to Bahrain are all amazingly effective ways of getting biblical truth into Saudi.

But also, Saudis in the UK are showing a greater openness to the gospel than previously.

Saudi students are doing Bible Studies in many university cities and a Saudi businessman I know about wants to talk about Jesus.

 

Prayer for the day

Almighty God, we pray for the thousands of people in Saudi Arabic who know you as Father and love Jesus, but are not free to tell anyone about their faith.  May your Holy Spirit be very near to them, protect them, guide them in the truth and help them to understand and enjoy the glorious mystery and love of the Trinity.

Amen

 

Daily action

Saudis are no harder for the Holy Spirit to reach than anyone else.  If you know of a Saudi, demonstrate God’s love and don’t hesitate to share your faith.

 

Your turn

Let us know how it went! Leave a comment below, or tag us on social media with the #lovefast hashtag on social media. You can find us on Facebook and Twitter!

 

Partners of 30 Days of Prayer

Lovefast 2: Cloth - British Muslims

Lovefast prayer and action campaign from the Mahabba Network

Lovefast 2: Cloth

By Ted from Mahabba's Network Team
Inspired by today's entry in 30 Days of Prayer, but with a UK twist!

 

Daily verse

“But he wanted to justify himself, so he asked Jesus, ‘And who is my neighbour?’”
— Luke 10:29 New International Version - UK (NIVUK)
 

Thought for the day

Cloth

Many years ago I lived in Brussels. Among other nationalities, there were Turks, North Africans and Iranians.

While there was usually nothing remarkable about the clothing the men wore, the women almost wore distinctive clothing that marked them as Turk, North African or Iranian.

The same was true in the UK. However, things are changing.

Many young Muslim women are adopting styles of head covering their mothers and grandmothers never wore.

New fashions are emerging which are distinctly Muslim but not associated with any particular national heritage.

This is all part of the rise of a truly British Muslim population.

For many the land of their parents is not in any sense home. Clothing that says “I am from Pakistan” no longer meets their need.

They grow up acquainted with secular culture, agnostics and atheists but very few have meaningful friendships with real Christians.

 

Prayer for the day

Lord give me (more) British Muslim friends!

 

Daily action

Watch this clip from the BBC - 7 questions British Muslims are tired of hearing.

Watch now
 

Your turn

Let us know how it went! Leave a comment below, or tag us on social media with the #lovefast hashtag on social media. You can find us on Facebook and Twitter!

 

Partners of 30 Days of Prayer

Fellowship of Faith for the Muslims

Global Connections

Simply Mobilising

Hope for Muslims

Operation Mobilisation

Interserve

Open Doors

WEC

Interserve

Frontiers

London City Mission

Arab World Ministry

Elam

Frontiers Ireland

Mahabba Network

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