by Jason Joyner | Sep 10, 2007 | Biblical worldview, Blog, Islam, ministry, missions, prayer
This week marks the beginning of Ramadan, the month of fasting for Islam. It is one of their holiest times of the year. As such, they fast from sun-up to sunset, spending time seeking Allah during the day and breaking fast at dusk with feasting.
The last 15 years has seen a coordinated effort by Christians to pray strategically for Muslims around the world during this time. This is the 16th edition of the effort, which has a worldwide reach.
We know that the conflict between the world of Islam and the West is a huge issue with lots of complexity and challenges. I encourage everyone to look into this material and participate with the prayers of thousands of Christians during this time. It has always been an insightful time of learning and blessing for my wife and I as we treat the prayer booklet as a nightly devotion.
You can get involved in a couple of ways. World Christian Books publishes a handy prayer booklet that gives you information on Islam and daily topics to pray through. You can still get one in time to start if you order right away! They even have a kids version of the booklet to do as a family. I’ve ordered this for the first time to do with my boys.
If you don’t want a booklet or have time to order, then there is an online reference you can use as well. It looks to have deeper information than what was put in the booklet.
Finally, in the materials I received with our booklets (our church participates in it), it had an advertisement for The Crescent Project, a ministry that strives to educate the North American church about Islam and equips us to reach our Muslim neighbors. There is a $35 online seminar that can be done through this group. I haven’t done this yet, but I think I will. I will report back on this if I do. This looks like a good resource for anyone with a heart regarding this matter.
As the church, we all have an opportunity to do something for the gospel to shine in such dark times and regions. We may not be called to go (although be honest, when was the last time we asked?) but we can intercede for Jesus’ light to be revealed and freedom proclaimed to the captives. Please take a look at this material further over the next month.
by Jason Joyner | Aug 2, 2007 | Blog, missions, prayer
We simply must pray for the Korean Christians held hostage by the Taliban. As missionaries participating in humanitarian efforts, they are trying to bring some healing to such a war-torn land. I pray that no other martyrs are made out of this selfless group.
Like others, I wonder where the international outrage is over this event. (hat tip to The Point)
by Jason Joyner | Aug 2, 2007 | Blog, missions, prayer
We simply must pray for the Korean Christians held hostage by the Taliban. As missionaries participating in humanitarian efforts, they are trying to bring some healing to such a war-torn land. I pray that no other martyrs are made out of this selfless group.
Like others, I wonder where the international outrage is over this event. (hat tip to The Point)
by Jason Joyner | Jun 25, 2007 | Blog, CFBA, prayer, TL Hines
If anyone’s read any of this blog, you’ll see that I am a member of the Christian Fiction Blog Alliance. It is a group of bloggers who hope to highlight new books in Christian fiction. We are readers and writers. Some just like a good book, others want to review fiction, and yet more are studying the craft of fiction. It is a great little community, and I invite you to check it out if you are interested.
The thing is, it wouldn’t be here if it weren’t for TL Hines. Tony is the brainchild of this group as a way to spotlight Christian books on the web. He’s an author and marketing guru. He figured out how to use our blogs’ collective influence to get a book noticed on Technorati, a major internet player. We had the privilege of featuring his first book, Waking Lazarus, a year ago. Tony got too busy to be in charge of it, but a lot of what my blog is about is due to him and the CFBA.
I’d like to ask you to keep Tony in your prayers.
Today on Infuze they posted that he has been diagnosed with a serious form of lymphoma (cancer of the lymph glands). I don’t know Tony personally, but have interacted with him over the web, and he is tackling this in true TL humor and style.
Read the TL lymphoma blog for more!
It would be great for anyone you know who is dealing with such a chronic, potentially fatal illness. However, it is also just great writing and an insight into an intelligent, funny, and poignant man.
Keep an eye out for his next book, The Dead Whisper On, and the accompanying blog tour later this summer. And remember Tony in your prayers as he battles. I’m sure he will fight the good fight, but we can lift his arms and spirits as well!
Blessings, Tony.
by Jason Joyner | Jun 25, 2007 | Blog, CFBA, prayer, TL Hines
If anyone’s read any of this blog, you’ll see that I am a member of the Christian Fiction Blog Alliance. It is a group of bloggers who hope to highlight new books in Christian fiction. We are readers and writers. Some just like a good book, others want to review fiction, and yet more are studying the craft of fiction. It is a great little community, and I invite you to check it out if you are interested.
The thing is, it wouldn’t be here if it weren’t for TL Hines. Tony is the brainchild of this group as a way to spotlight Christian books on the web. He’s an author and marketing guru. He figured out how to use our blogs’ collective influence to get a book noticed on Technorati, a major internet player. We had the privilege of featuring his first book, Waking Lazarus, a year ago. Tony got too busy to be in charge of it, but a lot of what my blog is about is due to him and the CFBA.
I’d like to ask you to keep Tony in your prayers.
Today on Infuze they posted that he has been diagnosed with a serious form of lymphoma (cancer of the lymph glands). I don’t know Tony personally, but have interacted with him over the web, and he is tackling this in true TL humor and style.
Read the TL lymphoma blog for more!
It would be great for anyone you know who is dealing with such a chronic, potentially fatal illness. However, it is also just great writing and an insight into an intelligent, funny, and poignant man.
Keep an eye out for his next book, The Dead Whisper On, and the accompanying blog tour later this summer. And remember Tony in your prayers as he battles. I’m sure he will fight the good fight, but we can lift his arms and spirits as well!
Blessings, Tony.
by Jason Joyner | Apr 27, 2007 | Blog, prayer, social justice
Breakpoint had an article about a pressing problem in Brazil. I’ve blogged about human trafficking and slavery before, and plan to continue doing so as I hear of problems that people ought to know about.
According to the story, a lot of workers on Brazil’s sugar plantations are modern day slaves.
Anywhere between 25,000 and 200,000 Brazilians are what are known as “debt slaves.” Their employers keep them in perpetual bondage by charging them “exorbitant rates for the food, water, clothes and the tools they work with.” Because their wages are so low, the workers can never pay off the “debt” and, thus, can never leave.
This year is the 200th anniversary of the stop of the Atlantic slave trade by the British Parliment due to the work of William Wilberforce. That was a momentous change in the evil practice of slavery. Oh that in this day we can rise up with the courage and dedication of someone like Wilberforce to stand against the abuse of human life.
