Stepping up from necessity and into invention

Steve Bell from the Mahabba Network team talks about our latest activities and initiatives during the COVID-19 lockdown, aiming to be God’s digital people!

Each month a 3min vlog-clip will be released to unpack issues raised in the Network Update; as well as respond to any questions you have. We know the whole Network will benefit from these. But we feel the vlogs will be ideal for use in local group meetings too. Please increase the impact by forwarding vlogs to anyone in your circle of friends who may be drawn to the Mahabba vision through them.

Steve’s vlog #6 for May 2020

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Transcription

0:04  

Hello, everyone, Steve, again for the Network Team and speaking to you on the warmest day, since August last year, which is Wednesday 20th May (2020).

0:22  

And it seems the whole world is learning a new way of being. And it's interesting that some Muslim leaders are encouraging virtual iftars to gain back something of that community and connection. Will we ever see virtual Hajj?

0:49  

These are fascinating times and churches are also learning new ways of being and there's a story doing the rounds that the Devil said to God, 'I've now closed your churches down'. And God replies, 'On the contrary, I've now opened a church in every home'. And that's the sort of dynamic we're seeing.

1:18  

Prayer has become the top Googled word since the COVID pandemic, and so on. Churches are taking to the internet. But for Mahabba this is just a step up into what we are already and that is a virtual and remote network spread across the nation.

1:45  

So, Phil, reported in the last update that like Friendship First, is now being done online. We're thinking about things like a virtual mosque visits with the imam who can is happy - a millennial imam - who is happy to show you around via an iPhone or a device and so on.

2:16  

Come Follow Me, also Joining the Family, Prophets' Stories, Al Massira, MomentumYes, which I think was the former Perspectives course: all engaging online and offering online training.

2:32  

So necessity is the mother of invention, as they say, and it's happening for us. We're looking at regional events done through Zoom. The first one will be on 13th June. And we want to build on that and make that approach available.

2:57  

Another thing that we're looking at is topic-based webinars with points of interest in which we want to unpack practitioner activities or relationships and issues that are cropping up that are felt needs. We want to start putting together short webinars so that the Network can interact from across the country on these things.

3:32  

So, we're keeping you updated as best we can. We'll keep doing that. And our message to you is to stay strong. Keep safe, and be blessed.

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