Muslim Hugs

This past week I was riding the never-ending train to WTC. As I stood examining all the miserable people on the train (train has that effect), I noticed a young guy reading the Koran. This is not the first time I noticed such a thing, however, this time it was different. The man seemed more intent on checking off the number of pages being read, rather than comprehending his reading. I found this odd, and a great waste of time, so I waited for him to catch his breath so I could interrupt him with the Gospel.

Twenty minutes later, the young brother finally wrapped up his reading. I immediately sprang into action to ask him if he was reading for Ramadan. Sure enough, he was. When asked about "what" he had just read, he was shocked that I knew it was the Koran and knew that what he was doing was merely trying to fulfill religious obligation. In fact, he was offended.

I quickly put out my hand and told him I was a Christian. Rather than infuriate him further, this simple and honest gesture put a big smile on his face. As the train come to a stop deep in Manhattan, what happened next is still beyond my comprehension. While still holding on to my hand from the initial greeting, he brought me close for a hug! Next thing I knew he was off the train, and I was alone with a smile...

Now, it stinks that I did not get to share the Gospel truth about Jesus. But, I cannot simply mark the occasion as a "failure." To have a young Arab immigrant not only engage me in conversation about the Koran, but extend an embrace to an American Christian is very unique. Something greater was at work at that moment, and I'm smart enough to know it was God's grace.

May God save my friend, and may He use me and His church to read all of the House of Ishmael with His Gospel. He's more than a Prophet...

August Prayer Requests

Many have been asking "how" they can pray for the ministry in Forest Hills. So, without further adu, here are some simple prayer points for the month of August (which is almost over).

1 - Pray for the Jewish High Holidays.
During the months of Sept and Oct. the Jewish people celebrate the New Year (Rosh HaShanah), Day of Atonement (Yom Kippur), and Feast of Tabernacles (Sukkot). All three act as the spiritual pinnacle of their year, and it is great time to communicate the Gospel to them. Please pray for open eyes, and a valid Christian witness.

2 - Pray for our current Sunday Ministry Venue.
Every Sunday our church rents out the local movie theater to hold services. It is a prime location, however, the conditions inside are a little less than ideal. The major issue we are facing is the fact that the movie theater is not "closed" on Sunday, but shows movies during the time of the service. This creates a "rushed" feeling for everyone and kills the move of the Spirit. Plus, people coming to the church for the first time get confused when the see a fully functional movie theater when there is supposed to be a religious service taking place...

Currently, we are raising funds for our "own" venue. The cost for such a project is estimated at being slightly over $1-million (and that is even if we rent.) Ah...life in the city...

3 - Pray for our Family.
Our oldest starts school this fall, and here in the city they go for a full-day. This will be a hard adjustment for his little brothers, as well as for his parents. Also, he will involved in the Public School system...enough said.

God is doing amazing things in NYC, and we can never thank you all enough for your prayers and financial support. People are being saved as a result!

Family & Jesus

I would love to expand more on this topic and need; however, given the length and context of a blog, I will stick to the bullet points.

Since coming to NYC and opening the doors of FHCC, we have been amazed at how little people care about "family" in general. Selfish ambition and desire rule the moment, while current and future generations are marginalized and criticized as infringements on personal freedom and ability. There is very little (if any) respect for the family unit, and it is killing the society.

Please, please, please pray for us as we seek the Lord's guidance on how to tackle this subject with Godly wisdom and counseling. A mere bible study or sermon series will not suffice, as the conditions are that bad.

Women need husbands, men need wives, and children need parents. This is not cultural or merely preferential; it's biblical.