Sunday, May 5, began the most important 4 weeks of the entire year for Muslims, here and around the world. It’s called Ramadan and it impacts you and me. Read below to hear from Tim Hutchinson about what he has to say about Ramadan.
International missions in the States may sound like a strange concept, however there is a need for missional engagement amongst international peoples here. Our family moved to Orange County two years ago with the intent of diving into the cross cultural ministry at hand in this community. The apartment complex that we live in has over 35 different nationalities—the majority of these being Muslim countries where Christianity is either illegal or highly persecuted. Our goal is to love and serve our international neighbors, identify and raise up leaders amongst them, and empower them to reach their own people and countries with the love and hope Jesus offers.
Imagine not having a bite to eat or even a sip to drink from sunrise to sunset for an entire month. That is exactly what 1.8 billion Muslims around the world are doing right now during their holy month of Ramadan, thousands of which live right here in Orange County. Why should Christians care? During Ramadan Muslims seek to earn God’s favor by fasting, and in turn have a heightened spiritual focus. This is a very strategic time for followers of Jesus to seek God on behalf of the millions of Muslims who’ve yet to find Jesus; it is a time to desperately pray that He would reveal Himself and save them for eternity. If you want to learn more about Ramadan and our role in it, please check out this article: https://www.imb.org/2017/05/22/ramadan-christians-care/
How can YOU be involved?
Pray that Jesus would reveal Himself to Muslims in visions and dreams, and that they would be delivered from the crushing burden of trying to earn God’s favor.
Engage conversationally with a Muslim, wish them a “Happy Ramadan”, and find out what it means to them and how their fast is going.
Have an iftar meal with a Muslim family (the meal they eat to break their fast in the evening), or invite them to break their fast in your home with your family.
“We are living in the midst of the greatest turning of Muslims to Christ in history”, missionary David Garrison states. The time to minister to Muslims in our communities, our nation, and across the world is now. Let me echo the words of Paul written in Romans 10:14-15,
“How, then, can they call on the one they have not believed in? And how can they believe in the one of whom they have not heard? And how can they hear without someone preaching to them? And how can anyone preach unless they are sent? As it is written: ‘How beautiful are the feet of those who bring the good news!’”
My prayer is to see the world changed through faithful followers of Jesus in Orange County reaching the nations in our backyard with the good news of Jesus!
Tim Hutchinson
Missionary to Muslims