Project Prayer: Ramadan 2019
30 Days of Prayer for the Muslim World
By Jordan Rowley, spiritual coordinator, Climbing For Christ
C4C member Budi Yuwono (right) gathering information about local tribes from a church leader in the Sojol mountain area of Central Sulawesi, Indonesia. (Photo by Jordan Rowley)
We spoke with a pastor whose church had been burned twice. It was an attempt to silence the Christian witness and stunt its growth in the remote part of the mountains we were visiting on one of Indonesia’s main islands, Sulawesi.
We heard talk of areas nearby where the last Westerners known to visit were never seen again.
We met with a brother who quietly coordinates ministry to Muslims in a particular region of the island. He shared numerous accounts of the risks and challenges that those serving Muslim communities face in his corner of the world’s largest Muslim nation. He began our meeting with the greeting he half-jokingly offers to all who serve in this area – “you’re still alive!”
These (and other) conversations during Mission: Indonesia 2019 were sobering to be sure. A reminder of the danger that is present for Christians in many areas here in Indonesia, which is currently ranked 30th on the Open Doors’ World Watch List (an organization that monitors and ranks the countries in which it is most difficult to be a Christian) .
Yet, in spite of those who offer hostility, there are countless others who offer hospitality.
As we trekked into one of the areas we’d been warned about, we were pleasantly surprised by the kindness and warm welcome we received as we passed by on the trail. It served as a reminder of the balance that typically exists. All too often, the bad news outweighs the good – at least in our in-boxes. However, the truth is that although there are serious dangers for our brothers and sisters in many areas here in Indonesia, there are many other kind and peaceful communities.
The same is true in most places around the globe. Climbing For Christ has witnessed this balance of hostile and hospitable in Muslim communities from North Africa to Tanzania to Turkey to Indonesia and beyond.
Regardless of the attitudes that we as Christians may experience in various places and among various peoples toward us – wishing us well or wishing us harm – our attitude is to remain the same: with unchanging, unrelenting, unwavering, non-negotiable LOVE.
It’s not easy to do outreach to Muslim peoples. But the Lord rarely calls us to easy things. He tells us to love our neighbors. That may be easy or hard depending on the neighbor. He also tells us to love our enemies. That is always hard. Actually, it’s beyond hard. It’s impossible. But with God all things are possible. With God’s Spirit filling us, He can love them through us.
Not everyone can go to the hard places. Not everyone should go. Yet everyone can pray – and what could be more loving than that? Because prayer is both the least and the most we can do. It’s the least we can do because it’s so simple. Yet it’s the most we can do because it has an eternal impact, summoning the power of the Lord Almighty.
For the ninth straight year, Climbing For Christ has put together a prayer guide to help inform and inspire your prayers during the 30-day Muslim observance of Ramadan (May 6 to June 5). This time, we've compiled some of our favorite articles from recent years, written by C4C founding president, Gary Fallesen, and myself, and put them all together in one place for you.
Open the PDF booklet at the bottom of this page to download, print, share, and most importantly, PRAY!
Our main prayer through Ramadan is always that many would come to know Jesus. During this time of fasting and heightened spiritual awareness among Muslims around the world, we pray that hearts and minds would be opened to JESUS – the Way, the Truth and the Life. We also want to lift up those committed to working with Muslims around the world, including Climbing For Christ and the ministry work God has blessed us to undertake in places like Indonesia, North Africa, Pakistan, Tanzania, Turkey, and beyond.
Please join us for Project Prayer: Ramadan 2019. And if this resource has informed and inspired your prayers for our Muslim neighbors around the world, please let us know. May we grow in knowledge and love together, in JESUS’ name.
God richly bless you! 
The Word
“Dear friends, let us continue to love one another, for love comes from God. Anyone who loves is a child of God and knows God. But anyone who does not love does not know God, for God is love. God showed how much he loved us by sending his one and only Son into the world so that we might have eternal life through him. This is real love—not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as a sacrifice to take away our sins. Dear friends, since God loved us that much, we surely ought to love each other.” – 1 John 4:7-11 (NLT)
2115