To fast reading means to give up extra books, magazines, blogs, printed news, and inspirational material in order to read more Scripture. (It’s probably best to keep up with necessary work, school and ministry-related reading as well.) Fasting the reading of good things allows us to feast on more reading and memorizing of Scripture. As […]
By Dick Brogden In October 2016, the Chicago Cubs finally won the World Series again after 108 years of blood, sweat, and toil. As a lifelong Cubbies fan, I couldn’t help but notice the parallels between a 108-year championship drought and the joy of longed-for victory, and the work of church planting among resistant unreached […]
A words fast avoids unnecessary speech while retaining encouragement and exhortation of our children and a minimum amount of communication in work and ministry environments. Some ways to fast: EXTROVERTS: If you are an extrovert, have a proclivity towards gossip or aimless chatter, refer to yourself too often in conversation, you may want to take […]
A testimony from a team in North Africa: ***** This past month a young lady came into our English club. I didn’t know much about her, but I heard the Spirit inside me say, “She is ready for me. She is ready for the truth.” So that week my friend and I met her for lunch. The […]
Sugar is not sinful in itself, but odds are the average person eats too much of it. This month we give up all manufactured sugars and artificial sweeteners, while retaining natural sugars like those found in fruits. When we fast manufactured sugar, we feast on natural sweetness. It helps us appreciate how much sweetness there […]
University students join our teams for internships, study abroad opportunities, and other educational initiatives. One such student (we’ll call him Jack) recently joined the training team in Egypt as part of our four-month semester abroad program. Jack is a bright young man with a huge desire to show the love of Jesus to Muslims. The […]
By Dick Brogden There is no long-term, incarnational, healthy, vibrant, wise, balanced, deep, heart-level mission without language and culture proficiency. It is possible to minister in a trade language; it is permissible to speak through a translator; and there is even limited good when we bumble along with a few phrases, big smiles, lots of […]
During a screen fast we give up movies, TV, videos, sports, social media, and entertainment viewed on or through an electronic device. We keep only what is necessary for work and ministry. Fasting TV and entertainment is a great opportunity to feast on reading. Perhaps you continue to use a Kindle or e-reader for Bible or book reading. […]
An Arab pastor serving in a difficult context (and who has suffered much for his faith) recently spoke to our team. His passionate words gripped our hearts and challenged us to once again lay down our lives in surrender. He spoke a truth that we know in our heads but that is so often very hard […]
An image fast gives up obsessing over our looks in order to feast on what God looks like. An image fast relegates making oneself look good and concentrates on making Jesus look good. This could mean that you alternate two sets of clothing all month long or wear the same pair of shoes. It could […]
