A network member writes about a Christmas time when they invited a group of Muslims to their home.
What do you picture in your mind when you think of Muslims in the UK? Whatever the image in your mind, God tells us to love all Muslims! But what does that look like in practice?
Many churches with Muslim communities on their doorstep offer English language classes or English Conversation groups and find that these activities open the door to engaging with their neighbours. Find out how to use Halloween topics as a springboard to talking about Jesus.
The Islamic month of Ramadan runs from 10 March to 8 April this year (2024). Ramadan is a great time to start conversations with Muslim friends and colleagues and to focus on praying for Muslims in our local community and across the UK. These next few weeks are full of opportunities!
Muslims show the greatest respect to the Prophet Muhammad especially during the celebration of Mawlid al-Nabi. And that makes Mawlid a great time to talk about how important Jesus is to us, not just as a prophet, but as our Saviour. Starting a conversation can be tricky, but it’s as simple as asking ‘How will you be celebrating Mawlid?’
This month we’re sharing some ideas on how we can engage with, and pray for, our Muslim friends and colleagues.
Did you know that we have a Mahabba prayer group just for millennials? It was launched in January. It is for anyone aged between 18-40. This month we’ll learn a little more about the group and the volunteer who leads it as well as looking at the Support Circle and inviting you to be part of our face to face – virtually.
This month we want to share with you two events that tie in with our values of Encouraging Prayer and Enabling all Christians. Our vision is to grow regular, persistent prayer for our Muslim brothers and sisters. We also want to see Christians grow in confidence, equipped to share Jesus with their Muslim neighbours. Are these things that you could be involved in? Could you invite people in your church to join you in your vision?
For Mahabba, it’s all about the relationship – not strategies, not techniques just a real love for our Muslim friends and neighbours. And that’s why we love hearing stories from our groups. Stories are a genuine reflection of the work that our members are doing, and they spur us on and encourage us.
We spoke to Lucy Rycroft, founder of The Hope-Filled Family blog, who gave us some great Christian family resources to add to the stockings this year. They’re all about prayer and mission and will open up conversations about the world, and the nations we find on our doorstep here in the UK.
Check it out, and help the little ones in your life grow closer to Jesus this Christmas.
With the conflict in Afghanistan and the plight of refugees being reported on our televisions, it’s easy to feel overwhelmed. How should we pray?
This month we hear from a Mahabba Network member who is working in Colchester to help settle families recently arrived in the UK. As well as practical support, they share three key areas we can be praying for.
Christian Unions are getting ready to welcome the international freshers making their way to universities across Britain. Many CUs have events planned, reaching out to share the love of God and helping new students to feel welcome. We want to support them and so we asked them ‘how we can pray?’.
They gave us five prayer points, and we’ve added one of our own…
At Mahabba we love to share stories of God working in the lives of Muslim people – that’s what our heart and vision is all about! But the reality is that most of the time it’s really hard work. There aren’t always many stories of Muslims coming to faith. We don’t even always know if what we’re doing is making an impact.
So how do we keep going when we can’t always see ‘the fruit’?
This month we hear from some of our local Mahabba coordinators about how they persevere with loving Muslim people where they are.
How can Christians engage with the diverse and changing cultures we find on our doorstep?
What does fulfilling the great commission look like when reaching out to Muslim people?
How do we address some of the current challenges in our nation, our communities and our churches around racism and prejudice?
Earlier this month, Mahabba hosted an event with Canon Dr Andrew Smith who shared his insights - and some challenges! - on how we engage with our changing society and learn to love our Muslim neighbours.
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