Amazing!

This spontaneous scribble on a cardboard flower by one of the girls clubbers speaks for itself. If we can leave positive memories like this of Christians and church with the boys and girls in our clubs, fantastic! God will use it for good in the years to come.

Encouraging!

Eighteen months ago, we mentioned our hope of forming a local Christian network to generate focused prayer for the Muslims who comprise 21.8% of Birmingham according to the 2011 census. Well, the network was born with 6 Christian leaders who met to pray as Mahabba East Birmingham (Mahabba is Arabic for “love”). That initial meeting became a monthly event, meeting in a different church or ministry facility each month. Then a second monthly meeting began. Today, seven area churches and five local parachurch ministries are part of Mahabba East Birmingham. Recently, the network sponsored a seminar mainly taught by believers from Muslim background on how churches can help new believers integrate into the church family. Soon it will offer a workshop on using Bible stories to explain the gospel.
This is all encouraging, because we believe that when God’s people begin to feel the need to pray, it is because God is about to do something new. And we want to be part of what He is doing.

Yours for Jesus’ sake,
George and Karen King

There are three kindhearted Muslim friends I’ve seen in the last 24 hours who could use your prayers. First is “Monty” (anyone remember, “Let’s Make a Deal”?). He came to visit me at home just because he heard I had hurt myself (nothing big). May God bless him for his compassion.

Then there is “Danny” who lives across the road from us with his wife and 2 daughters. Danny is thanking God for healing from a life-threatening illness that he had before we knew him. Our heart’s desire is that he and his whole family get to meet “The Great Physician”.

Finally, there is “Harry” who actually played guitar in our worship band on Sunday morning, staying through to listen to God’s Word being preached by yours truly. I know it may shock some readers that a Muslim played in our worship band, but Harry enjoyed it and hopes to do it again. (My personal stand is that the worship leader must be a church member in good standing, vocalists should believe what they are singing, whereas musicians need to be at least agreeable to the Christian lyrics and the ethos of church, even if they are not sure about what they believe.)

Who knows? MAYBE in answer to your prayers, God will grant repentance to each one of these men. So please pray for Monty, Danny and Harry.

And there you have it…Three Men and a Maybe.

Yours for Jesus’ sake,
George and Karen King

Christmas season abounds with opportunities to share the good news of Jesus Christ. The other day we took some Christmas baking and a Christian calendar to our newest neighbors across the road. They were so welcoming and it was very special to find out that they are Bangladeshi Muslims. Later that day, the husband came over with a Christmas gift and card for us.

On Sunday evening we celebrated a traditional “9 lessons and carols” service, tracing the history of what God did to bring salvation into the world in the birth of Jesus Christ. The day before that, we were part of an open-air Christmas outreach event at a busy local shopping area. On the previous Wednesday afternoon we sang Christmas carols with the residents of a nursing home just across the road from our church.

In Karen’s last ladies ESL class she talked about the symbols of Christmas (candy canes, wreaths, stars) and what they mean along with a gift of homemade Christmas cookies. Afterward the ladies said that in the new year they all want to bring food one day and have a new year’s party together. What fun!

We thank God for you at this special time of year as we realize just how much He has blessed us.

George and Karen

Back in England

We returned to Birmingham on October 8th after fulfilling 18 speaking engagements and a flurry of family activities packed into a 7 week home assignment. Honestly, we came back a little exhausted and not exactly full of vim and vigor for ministry. For the present, we are practicing perseverance and praying for refreshment.

Showing Hospitality

Last week we had the privilege of hosting a young couple from Alaska considering full-time Christian service in England. Days were filled with visits to local places of interest, ministries-in-action, and even a castle! Starting this Saturday, we will host a young man with similar intentions who has Yukon connections. He will stay with us for 2 weeks during which time we plan to give him a taste of life and ministry here in this great city. Pray for God’s leading in Neil’s future, as well as for John and Joanna.

Days Getting Shorter

As we write this update, it is noon, but quite dull and gray outside with a hint of drizzle—fairly typical weather since we’ve been back. Add to that the decreasing daylight as winter approaches and we are tempted to be downhearted even though we just recently returned! Instead, may we choose to take these conditions as a reminder of something Jesus once said,

“As long as it is day, we must do the works of him who sent me. Night is coming, when no one can work.” (John 9:4)

Thank you for keeping us in your prayers!

George and Karen King