Creating Safe Spaces for Conversations
September 5, 2025
“Oh, a bonfire is a much bigger fire for many people to gather around, and a campfire is a small fire for just a few people,” I explained to the guest asking about the difference between the two.
A local church had creatively found a neat way to reach out to a group of Muslims who lived nearby by hosting a bonfire and other outdoor activities at their local church. Many of the Muslims who came lived in apartments or in neighborhoods with small yards where large fires are not permitted. You could just imagine how fun this was for them! The church members also introduced roasting marshmallows over the fire, and making s’mores was a big hit for everyone. We had a nice picnic together and the adults visited, while the children ran around and played in the open spaces around the church.
It was a low-key event organized to generate goodwill and create opportunities for conversation between church members and the Muslims who attended. Some of those who attended the picnic were also attending the weekly English classes held at the church. Others heard by word of mouth that there was going to be a bonfire/picnic and just showed up.
Low-Key but High Value
Did you know that many Muslims are afraid to go into a Christian church? They are warned by their religious leaders to stay away from Christians and to never go into a church or something bad will happen to them. Sponsoring a low-key event like a bonfire with other outdoor activities is a great way to breakdown walls of opposition and build bridges into the local Muslim community.
Since many church members have busy schedules, it is good for us to intentionally set aside time for connecting with people who don’t know Jesus. Sometimes life gets so busy that before we know it, time just slips by, and the people we meant to meet with, well, we never meet. Being intentional allows us to be purposeful with our time—specifically for creating Christ-centered conversations. Besides bonfires, others have hosted Muslim friends for apple picking, picnicking at local parks, boat rides, splashpads for kids in summer, and attending local high school or college sports events, etc.
Have you or a church that you know come up with good, low-key ways to connect with local Muslims in your area? Please write and let me know what has worked for you. If you haven’t set aside specific times to connect with Muslims who don’t know Jesus, may I encourage you to do so? Many have come from isolated countries that are quite difficult for Western Christians to get to, and now they are here in our own backyards. God has brought them near for such a time as this!
“Oh, a bonfire is a much bigger fire for many people to gather around, and a campfire is a small fire for just a few people,” I explained to the guest asking about the difference between the two.
A local church had creatively found a neat way to reach out to a group of Muslims who lived nearby by hosting a bonfire and other outdoor activities at their local church. Many of the Muslims who came lived in apartments or in neighborhoods with small yards where large fires are not permitted. You could just imagine how fun this was for them! The church members also introduced roasting marshmallows over the fire, and making s’mores was a big hit for everyone. We had a nice picnic together and the adults visited, while the children ran around and played in the open spaces around the church.
It was a low-key event organized to generate goodwill and create opportunities for conversation between church members and the Muslims who attended. Some of those who attended the picnic were also attending the weekly English classes held at the church. Others heard by word of mouth that there was going to be a bonfire/picnic and just showed up.
Low-Key but High Value
Did you know that many Muslims are afraid to go into a Christian church? They are warned by their religious leaders to stay away from Christians and to never go into a church or something bad will happen to them. Sponsoring a low-key event like a bonfire with other outdoor activities is a great way to breakdown walls of opposition and build bridges into the local Muslim community.
Since many church members have busy schedules, it is good for us to intentionally set aside time for connecting with people who don’t know Jesus. Sometimes life gets so busy that before we know it, time just slips by, and the people we meant to meet with, well, we never meet. Being intentional allows us to be purposeful with our time—specifically for creating Christ-centered conversations. Besides bonfires, others have hosted Muslim friends for apple picking, picnicking at local parks, boat rides, splashpads for kids in summer, and attending local high school or college sports events, etc.
Have you or a church that you know come up with good, low-key ways to connect with local Muslims in your area? Please write and let me know what has worked for you. If you haven’t set aside specific times to connect with Muslims who don’t know Jesus, may I encourage you to do so? Many have come from isolated countries that are quite difficult for Western Christians to get to, and now they are here in our own backyards. God has brought them near for such a time as this!
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Choosing a Missions Organization: Why SEND International Stands Out “Why should I be a missionary through SEND International?” Jenna, a new missionary in Eastern Europe, shared with us what she appreciates about working with SEND. The highlights for her are: - Devotion to prayer - Diligence in communication - Commitment to development - Intentionality in accountability Prayer “Back in September of 2022, the Lord reconnected me with SEND after I had met them a year prior at the Moody Bible Institute. However, before he would sign me up for anything, my Missions Coach encouraged me to pray. He said something to the effect of, "I know that you've been praying on your own for a long time. But as the Church, we are not called to walk alone. So, you and I won't talk for about a month unless you have questions. I want you to go pray with 5 or 6 others from your church about where God is calling you." That October, more than 10 friends prayed with me and we saw God answer as He directed me to Romania. From February 2024 to November 2025, I had the pleasure of being a part of team meetings in Romania with my SEND colleagues. Our meetings were four hours long, two for prayer and two for business. This has been the minimum for our team. There are also prayer meetings with the local churches we partner with, among smaller groups within our team, of course prayer with many of you across the pond, including those at our US office. The organization was built, has been sustained, and continues to run on prayer. This is my favorite thing about SEND. Communication As I mentioned above, we have a two hour block for business / ministry details in each of our meetings. This provides consistency across our team which works alongside three different churches and in a variety of ministries. It also helps us to communicate about the need for change or growth, alongside what is working well. In addition, my team director also meets with each of us, allowing us to communicate needs, considerations, and prayer requests. I've also enjoyed getting to work with SEND workers outside of my immediate region . We receive emails with the minutes from the Europe leadership team, Friday communications from our international director, and information regarding projects that affect our work among the unreached. In December of 2024, our international director at the time wrote a note to my parents for the first Christmas that I was gone. If nothing else had convinced my mom yet, this did. He took the time to care for me, but also to care well for the parents that were sending me (What it meant to my dad and mom for him to do this well has been one of the greatest ways I've been supported.). I also have some pretty wonderful regional directors. These people have prayed alongside us (while also serving in their own countries of service), they have taken time to come visit and encourage our team, and they have also taken the time to encourage the people in our churches. Development SEND has provided much in the area of development and care (spiritually, physically, mentally, and emotionally). At our regional conference (every three years), there have been medical check ups available, counseling options, and time for connecting with others on the field with similar experience. At our conference last October, I connected with a missionary who served overseas for many years, and is now serving on the administrative side of SEND. She has met with me since then for mentorship and has also invested much of her time recently in preparing a retreat for the singles across Europe. Accountability Over the years I have read and heard amazing stories of how God has worked through missionaries. God has done great things and great things He is still doing! However, people who have committed their lives to the Lord in this way are not “super Christians”. We are still humans with the same struggle against flesh that others have . A major challenge is in being isolated -- living in areas with little to no presence of other believers to sharpen them can cause many difficulties. SEND has been a great resource in this area too. Through my team, I have an accountability partner that I meet with monthly. When my regional director came to visit, he and his wife spent a day with me and asked intentional questions about how I lead, handle conflict, and how I am growing in general as a Christian. In addition, my teammates share their wisdom with me on a regular basis. These things and more have assured me that SEND International is a highly valuable organization and I'm excited to partner with them in service to, for, and with our great God! Interested in being sent by SEND?
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