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Possibilities emerging and initiatives being taken across the network
These regular updates are continuing to unpack the refreshed Mahabba vision and how it’s being worked out in practice across the Network. In case you missed it, last time we reflected on the Mahabba ethos of Engaging with Muslims. That’s the picture of the future we’re looking to, believing and working for.
Update #11 for May from the Mahabba Network
My Imam friend explained how different Ramadan was for him this year. I felt his hurt in desperately missing praying and eating in community, but he was encouraging prayers at home and virtual iftar meals.
How different is this Ramadan from our perspective - what are we sensing as we pray and believe for God to be revealed in hearts and households? We’re facing the realities and uncertainties of the current situation but we look to him with eyes of faith. Even when we don’t see it he’s working - may we be ready to join him in the new thing he’s doing (Is 43:19).
Continuing the theme of last month’s update, here from across the network are more possibilities emerging and initiatives being taken:
Friendship First
A Mahabba group has taken the Friendship First course on-line using Zoom. They opened it up to the wider network and are running successfully with participants from five groups! The local coordinator is already sensing this is more than a stop-gap solution but something to consider long term. See www.friendshipfirst.org if this course for everyday Christians is new to you.
Come Follow Me
Come Follow Me is for discipling new believers. On-line Advisor Training consisting of four 90 minute video-based sessions can be run with groups of four to six people. The Come Follow Me discipleship course itself also runs online. The participants read in advance from their own copy of the Study Guide (soon to be available as an App), then come together with their Advisor and other participants for discussion. See www.come-follow-me.org for more details.
Joining the Family
Running the Joining the Family training on-line should work fine. Do let others in the network know if you are planning to run that for your church or local churches. www.joiningthefamily.org
Prophets’ Stories
For those wanting to host a Prophets’ Stories group, webinar trainings are now available. Contact info@prophetstories.org.uk for more details.
Al Massira
Trainings are running online for those wanting to use Al Massira with Muslim friends. Last month’s had 27 attending and more are being scheduled to meet demand. Doing this through Zoom helps trainees see how they can run Al Massira with their friends in the same way without waiting for lockdown to end. To register contact www.almassira.org
Night of Power
One group’s Night of Power prayer event will this year be hosted on Zoom with up to 100 households connecting from across the town’s churches. It will include a live testimony from a young Muslim-background student, break-out groups giving everyone the opportunity to pray, with prayer points and other contributions shared on the ‘Chat’ facility.
MomentumYes
MomentumYes invites everyday Christians on-line to rethink God’s mission, his big picture, the call of the church and our part in reaching the nations near and far. It’s free and, like the Perspectives course, has great mobilising potential. It runs as six 90 minute video-based sessions with discussion and using an e-study book. See www.momentumyes.com for how to run this with a small group.
Mahabba regional events
On-line Mahabba ‘regional’ events to envision and equip are being planned with the first one for London (but open to all) running on Saturday morning 13th June. More details following shortly.
Equipping webinars
Also coming soon - equipping Webinars. What topics would you like to see included?
New resource area
The new resource section of the Mahabba website is ‘live’! Do take a look. www.mahabbanetwork.com/resources-new So far it has resources for Encouraging Prayer (eg Virtual prayer walking), with much more to come. Let us know your thoughts, resources you would recommend and areas you would love to see covered.
Wow - enormous possibilities and potential being unleashed! We long for life and ministry to be face-to-face again but some things may never return to being the same! Do keep sharing from your experiments and experiences in these days here:
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From Phil Goodchild for the national Team