A D E D I C AT E D FA I T H

PRAY FOR THE PERSECUTED CHURCH

A Christian Response To Ramadan

Leader’s Guidebook

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T his is what A Dedicated Faith is all about. When Muslims meet Jesus, many take the religious discipline they have spent their life practising and

point it towards Jesus. Many still choose to fast during Ramadan, but now as a response to what Jesus has done for them.

Experience what it’s like to be a Christian in the Muslim world and live A Dedicated Faith. In Muslim-majority countries, Ramadan is a time of increased persecution for the church. Choose one day during the month of Ramadan and, with your church or small group; fast, pray, gather and give to support Christians living in the most dangerous places to follow Jesus.

Your A Dedicated Faith Pack has everything you need to run this event in your church or small group. If you want extra ideas, check out more online:

opendoors.org.au/adfpack opendoors.org.nz/adfpack

* Name changed for security purposes.

Contents

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Meet Ibrahim

Fast, Pray, Gather, Give

Pull-Out Poster

Tips For Leading A Dedicated Faith

Frequently Asked Questions

Your Digital Pack

Cut-Out Invitation

“ As a Muslim I used to pray five times a day to a god who terrified me. Then when I met Jesus, a God of grace who reached down to us, I prayed 10 times a day.”

– Sara*, former Muslim, Middle East.

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Ibrahim* was a Muslim man who lived in Algeria. One day he met a man who told him about Jesus. And after meeting with a local pastor, Ibrahim decided to become a Christian.

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Afraid of the consequences, Ibrahim didn’t tell his wife and children about his new faith. He knew they would be taken away from him if anyone found out he had become a Christian.

“After being a believer for some time, I felt I had to be open about my faith,” Ibrahim said.

He decided to tell his father first.

“My father just stared at me and kept silent for about 15 minutes... Then he rose from his chair and gathered all my brothers and sisters. They came to the house and my brothers started beating me. They shouted: ‘You will renounce your faith.’”

Ibrahim’s children begged him to deny Jesus.

“Daddy, daddy, please renounce your Christian faith, return to Islam, so you can always be our father,” they said.

Ibrahim turned to his children, bleeding and bruised.

“It was so hard to hear them saying that… But I couldn’t renounce Jesus, I couldn’t renounce my faith. I said to my children: ‘I love you, I love you, but I love Jesus more.’”

Ibrahim’s family threw him out of the house.

For three months, Ibrahim lived with his pastor, studied the Bible and learnt what it looked like to live as a Christian.

To his surprise, Ibrahim’s father told him to return to his wife and children.

“I was able to rent a house somewhere else, and I found work,” Ibrahim said. “I am so happy that they live with me again.”

Ibrahim’s pastor explained to us what normally happens when Muslims discover Jesus.

“As soon as they have a Bible, they study the Bible,” he said. “…There is a lot of suffering, especially for those who lose their family. I sometimes don’t find the words to comfort and encourage them. That is the burden we bear here in Algeria.”

Providing the Algerian church with the Word of God allows pastors to encourage those suffering for their faith. A Bible also has the ability to transform lives and strengthen Muslim background believers who have lost everything for following Jesus.

“ I Love Jesus More”

The streets of Algiers, the capital of Algeria.

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Go without food from sunrise to sunset and use the day to focus on prayer.

“So we fasted and petitioned our God about this, and He answered our prayer.”

– Ezra 8:23

Fasting is helpful for us to focus on prayer and seek God’s will. Muslims see fasting as a command from Allah, and they fast during the daylight hours of Ramadan.

Many Christians from a Muslim background continue to fast and pray during Ramadan, but now they fast and pray in response to what Jesus has done for them.

Come together to break the fast, pray and share about your day over a Middle Eastern feast.

“Not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near.”

– Hebrews 10:25

As followers of Jesus, we’re called to meet together and spur one another on. Gather with your group in the evening for your A Dedicated Faith meal, to break your fast and share any encouragements or challenges from your day.

We have recipe suggestions for a Middle Eastern feast in your Digital Pack, but you can choose any theme or region, because Muslims observe Ramadan all over the world!

You can find recipes in your digital pack online: opendoors.org.au/adfpack opendoors.org.nz/adfpack

Raise funds to give Bibles to Algerian Christians and strengthen the church. Each Bible costs $17.

“Each one must give as he has decided in his heart, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.”

– 2 Corinthians 9:7

All donations to A Dedicated Faith will give Bibles to Christians in Algeria, a nation where most Christians have left Islam to follow Jesus.

Each Bible costs $17 – challenge your group to give a Bible each.

Put the Giving Card in a prominent place at your event to make it easy for people to give.

Give online: opendoors.org.au/adfgive opendoors.org.nz/adfgive

Pray for Muslims to know Christ, and for Christians in Islamic nations to be strengthened in their faith.

“Devote yourselves to prayer, being watchful and thankful.”

– Colossians 4:2

The night before Jesus went to the cross, He devoted Himself to prayer. What are you thankful to God for? And what burdens do you have to bring to God?

During A Dedicated Faith, devote yourself to prayer. Use the Prayer Guide to help you pray for the persecuted church, and for Muslims to know Jesus.

G I V EF A S T P R A Y G A T H E R

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Experience a day in the life of a Christian from

a Muslim

background.

Event Details

Contact

Learn more online. opendoors.org.au/adf | opendoors.org.nz/adf

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Invite your friends Choose a date during Ramadan (5 May – 4 June 2019) to host your event and invite your church, small group and friends to come along. Set up a Facebook event, send an email, use the pull-out poster and invitation from this booklet (and go online to print out more).

Tips For Leading A Dedicated Faith

Plan your event Make sure to hand out a Prayer Guide to everyone ahead of time, so they can pray and fast during the day. Plan what food to make as you come together to break the fast. Find suggestions in your Digital Pack.

Enjoy your day Encourage your group to fast and pray throughout the day. Send a text message to your group in the morning to remind them why you’re praying. In the evening, break your fast with the Sunset Prayer and a Middle Eastern feast. Your Digital Pack has extra ideas and resources to help you plan your evening.

Put your funds to work The funds you raise will remind persecuted Christians that they are not alone. Put the Giving Card in a prominent place at your event. Ask your group to donate $17 each to give a Bible to a Christian in Algeria. Donate at:

opendoors.org.au/adfgive opendoors.org.nz/adfgive

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4We are here to help! If you have any questions, please call us:

Australia: 02 9451 2999 New Zealand: 04 232 7055

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What is Ramadan?

Ramadan is the ninth month in the Islamic calendar during which Muslims fast and pray to be closer to Allah. Muslims believe that the first revelations of the Quran were made to Muhammad during Ramadan.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Want To Help Christians Who Risk Everything To Follow Jesus? 

Why are we praying for Muslims?

There are more than 1.8 billion people around the world that identify as being Muslim. During Ramadan, Muslims are earnestly seeking to get closer to god.

In Romans 10:9 we read, ‘If you declare with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.’

During Ramadan, we are inviting Christians to not only pray for the persecuted church, but to pray that the 1.8 billion Muslims in the world will find the one true God.

How does giving money help Christians from a Muslim background?

At Open Doors, we hear stories of Muslims discovering Jesus all the time. The question for us is: what happens next? How do these new believers develop the foundations in their faith to not fall away when persecution comes?

As the Church grows, so does the need for Bibles and discipleship. That’s why all funds given through A Dedicated Faith will go towards giving Bibles to Christians in Algeria, through our local partners. Your gift will encourage them to continue following Jesus, even in the face of persecution.

“I said to my children: ‘I love you, I love you, but I love Jesus more.’” – Ibrahim*, former Muslim, Algeria.

Many believers in Algeria have left Islam to follow Jesus. They face violent persecution from their family and community. 

Ibrahim* wouldn’t give up Christ even when he was beaten in front of his children. Despite the persecution, Christians in Algeria are becoming bolder in their faith and many more Muslims are meeting Jesus.

We work with local partners in Algeria to support persecuted believers.

You can give a Christian in Algeria a Bible for $17, to strengthen the Algerian church as they risk everything for Jesus.

Give online: opendoors.org.au/adfgive opendoors.org.nz/adfgive

Local people outside mosque in Bukhara, Uzbekistan.

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You’re Invited!Come along to our A Dedicated Faith gathering as we eat, pray and give.

When

Where

RSVP

Your Event Leader is

For Christians living in the Muslim world, persecution is more intense during Ramadan. Through A Dedicated Faith, you can experience a day in the life of a Christian from a Muslim background.

name contact

Powerpoint Slide

Poster Recipe Card Invitation Prayer Story Card

Guidebook Prayer Guide Place Cards

Your Digital PackThere are more resources waiting for you online. You can download and/or print these to help you promote and plan your A Dedicated Faith event.

We would love to help you! If you have any questions or requests, please contact us:

Australia: 02 9451 2999 | odaustralia@od.org.au New Zealand: 04 232 7055 | newzealand@od.org

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Open Doors Australia (02) 9451 2999 (03) 8609 1918 (07) 3077 7460 opendoors.org.auOpen Doors New Zealand (04) 232 7055 opendoors.org.nz

S E R V I N G P E R S E C U T E D C H R I S T I A N S W O R L D W I D E

Serving The Persecuted Church

Open Doors works in over 70 countries supporting Christians who are persecuted for following Jesus. During Ramadan, persecution intensifies for the church, especially for Christians who have left Islam to follow Jesus. Join us in supporting the global body of Christ.

Learn more at opendoors.org.au or opendoors.org.nz