Conversation with Missionaries
Our guest speakers for this event, Drs. Paul and Lindsey Wilkerson, have been married for 18 years and have three wonderful boys, Jayden, Kanyn, and Kye. Paul and Lindsey are both graduates of The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, having earned their PhDs in Christian Missions and Educational Leadership.
The Wilkerson family recently moved back to the USA after serving with the International Mission Board in the Middle East, developing discipleship curriculum for churches.
Paul currently serves as the Senior Pastor of First Baptist Church in Mayfield, KY, while teaching adjunctly and supervising doctoral students at The Malaysia Baptist Theological Seminary. Lindsey serves as the Head of School at a classical Christian institution called New Covenant Christian Academy in Hardin, KY.
This was a terrific event with delicious food and great conversations about how we can serve Muslims with the gospel of Jesus Christ!
Ladies’ Brunch
What should every woman know about serving Jesus in an Islamic context? How can you effectively bring the gospel to Muslim women around you?
These questions were answered by Dr. Lindsey Wilkerson. We enjoyed a lovely brunch and an opportunity to hear from Lindsey about her testimony and experience among Muslims and to ask questions.
This event was for ladies only.
Worship & Prayer Night
“The history of missions is the history of answered prayers” – Samuel M. Zwemer
As Christ’s followers, we believe that only God can change people and bring back Muslims. Please join us as we gather to intercede for peace in the Middle East and for the salvation of 1.8 billion Muslims around the world.
We met on Thursday, October 24 from 6:00pm to 8:00pm at the Jenkins Center.
Evangelism Ministry
“We are living in a marvelous time for the church to engage Muslims with the gospel.” – Dr. Ibrahim, from Reaching Your Muslim Neighbor with the Gospel.
In fall 2024, we went out three times for evangelism on September 21, October 19, and November 16.
We are grateful for the Southern and Boyce students who came out to join us in our evangelism efforts to reach our local Muslim friends with the gospel.
Questioning Islam’s Foundations
In this lecture, we explored the major foundations of Islam from a scientific critical lens. We will answer questions related to Muhammad’s historicity and the Quran’s reliability and preservation.
Did Muhammad really exist? What do we know for certain about Islam’s prophet? Can we be sure as to where he really lived? Can we trust that he really authored the Quran?
These questions were discussed in our lecture, and we also discussed how we can use these facts in conversations with our Muslim neighbors. This event took place on Friday, August 30, from 5:00 to 8:30pm, in Heritage Hall.
Real Life Muslim Evangelism: Testimonies from Ordinary Christians
“There are many misconceptions about the followers of Islam, but one important truth remains: they, like people from every background, are loved and sought after by Jesus. To share this urgent gospel truth, Christians must befriend Muslims and learn about their culture and beliefs to effectively discuss matters of faith.” – A. S. Ibrahim, Reaching Your Muslim Neighbor with the Gospel.
At this evangelism training, the participants got to hear real-life testimonies of Christians who have been evangelizing Muslims locally and globally, and had an opportunity to ask questions.
This evangelism Training took place on Saturday, Sept 21, 10:00am-12:30pm, in Legacy 303. After the training, we went out for evangelism together from 12:30pm to 4:00pm.
Evangelism Ministry
“Sincere conversations in a steadily growing friendship naturally lead to the effective sharing of the good news” – Dr. Ayman Ibrahim
Every month, the Jenkins Center team and students from Southern Seminary and Boyce College went out to various locations in Louisville to meet our Muslim neighbors and share the good news of Jesus Christ with them.
In spring 2024, we went out on February 3, March 9, and April 13.
Prayer for Muslims During
Ramadan
Ramadan is the holiest month for billions of Muslims, as they fast from sunrise to sunset to please their deity, hoping to receive his favor.
At the Jenkins Center, as Christ’s followers, we held a daily intercessory prayer meeting during the month of Ramadan, to pray for the salvation of 1.8 billion Muslims around the world.
This daily prayer meeting was held during weekdays from 9:00 to 9:30 am, from March 11th to 29th, 2024.
Conversation with Missionaries
Our guest speakers for this event, Jeff and Jenn, have been focused on local church ministry in Central Asia for the past 10 years. They have largely focused on helping a local church grow in health as they discipled and counseled believers. They have also worked to train leaders and make healthy resources available in the local language.
It was a terrific event with delicious food and great conversations about how we can serve Muslims with the gospel of Jesus Christ.
Ladies Brunch
What should every woman know about serving Jesus in an Islamic context? How can you effectively bring the gospel to Muslim women around you?
These questions were answered by Jenn, who has been a missionary serving among Muslims for the past 10 years.
We had a lovely brunch and an opportunity to hear from Jenn about her testimony and experience among Muslims and to ask questions.
Mentoring Group for Ladies
We offered an opportunity for ladies from Boyce College and Southern Seminary to meet once a month and receive mentoring on how to evangelize Muslims and plan their next steps as they pursue a career in serving Muslims. In fall ’23, eight women joined the mentoring group, and in spring ’24, we had nine women join!
Tea Time at the Jenkins Center
Every semester, we have bi-weekly tea time where we serve free tea and coffee with Middle Eastern desserts, while having conversations about Islam. Students can learn about witnessing to Muslims, our upcoming events and trips, and more!
Q&A on Contemporary Issues of Islam
This was our last event of the fall semester 2023. We concluded the semester with outstanding food and fellowship over insightful conversation on bringing the gospel to our Muslim neighbors.
Worship & Prayer Night
“Unless we recognize that God is the one who draws souls to him and saves them, our work is in vain.” – Dr. Ayman Ibrahim
As Christ’s followers, we gathered to intercede for peace in the Middle East and for the salvation of 1.8 billion Muslims around the world.
A Concise Guide to Islam
This was our Bookstore event where Dr. Ayman Ibrahim discussed his new book, “A Concise Guide to Islam.”
Reaching Your Muslim Neighbor with the Gospel
This was an event, specifically planned for Boyce College students. We had amazing food, Q&A with Dr. Ayman Ibrahim, testimonies from current Boyce students, and trivia with prizes. It was a great time of fellowship and learning about sharing the gospel with our Muslim friends.
Conversation with Missionaries in Turkey
This was our first event for fall 2023.
George and Donna Bristow have been missionaries to Turkey for over three decades. They helped establish a Turkish church and experienced the joy and pain of cross-cultural church life while serving alongside first-generation Muslim-background believers.
We were able to hear about Turkey and their experience as missionaries. We also got to ask questions and pray for their ministries.
Ladies Brunch with A Missionary Among Turkish Muslims
We hosted a Ladies Brunch with Donna Bristow. 35 ladies gathered to hear Donna’s testimony of her missionary work in Turkey. It was an encouraging time of fellowship and prayer.
International Potluck and Muslim Evangelism Training
The Lord has blessed the Jenkins Center with an array of volunteers and Staff from all over the world. Because of this, the Jenkins Center held an international feast with a variety of food from many countries. In Addition to this, Dr. Ibrahim taught a 50-minute training on Muslim evangelism.
- Our potluck had food from Algeria, America, Egypt, India, Korea, Lebanon, Nigeria, Pakistan, Peru, Turkey, and Vietnam.
- The Muslim evangelism training was centered on Dr. Ibrahim’s latest book Reaching Your Muslim Neighbor with the Gospel. The Jenkins Center, in collaboration with the bookstore, offered this book at a great discount for the SBTS and Boyce community
Ramadan Prayer Month
Ramadan is the holiest month for billions of Muslims, as they fast from sunrise to sunset to please their deity, hoping to receive his favor.
At the Jenkins Center, as Christ’s followers, we held a daily intercessory prayer meeting during the month of Ramadan, to pray for the salvation of 1.8 billion Muslims around the world.
This daily prayer meeting was held during weekdays from 9:00 to 9:30 am, from March 20th to April 20th.
Conversation with Missionaries in the Middle East
The Jenkins Center’s second event for the 2023 spring semester was a “Conversation with Missionaries in the Middle East”.
Our guests were John and Clara, an outstanding couple who have been serving God among Muslims in the Middle East for years. They shared with us how Muslims receive the Gospel message and some of the challenges faced when serving in a Muslim-majority country.
In this gathering, we not only heard from them and asked them questions, but also prayed for them and their ministry in the Middle East.
The Quran and its Manuscripts
The Jenkins Center hosted an event lead by Dr. Brubaker who presented two lectures:
1. What is the Quran?
After discussing basics of the Quran’s structure, content and history, Brubaker offered some reflections on why its core themes and content are as they are, with particular attention to spiritual and theological dimensions and purposes.
2. Why You Should Care About Quran Manuscripts
A review of the history and current state of study of Quran manuscripts, and discussion of why nearly everyone has a good reason to care about it on some level.
Event blog post and summery can be found here.