At present (2026) the majority of those attending Thrive groups are Muslim, and faith is a core part of life for many of them, as well as an important element of their personal identity. All Thrive volunteers are Christians, and faith is a core part of our life and identity too. This difference does not mean we stay away from conversations about faith, but it is an opportunity for all of us to learn and share what’s meaningful to us, and grow through the interactions.
Many of the women who attend our groups are curious and keen to chat about faith, and share about what their faith means to them. All volunteers should feel able to ask them questions about their faith (remaining respectful at all times), and always be open to learning. As volunteers you may also be asked questions about what you believe, how you practice your faith and what it means to you.
There is an expectation that all Thrive volunteers are willing to engage in such conversations. This is not a requirement to bring up faith topics all the time, but simply to be willing to share what your faith means to you if asked about it, and to answer people’s questions as best you can. You can refer to our Statement of Faith if this is helpful, but it’s best to be able to have conversations informally and articulate your experience of faith and your relationship with God in your own words.
It might be helpful for you to think through how you might put into words:
- What difference has God made in your life?
- What do you believe God is like?
- What does it mean to you that God is your Father?
- Why do you believe Jesus died – what was the purpose of it?
- What / who is the Holy Spirit?
- How / when / where do you pray? (People often also ask me ‘how many times a day?’)
- What has been your experience of prayer?
- What do you believe about judgment and forgiveness?
- What is Christmas? What is Easter?
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Guidelines for faith conversations
Language
Be conscious of the language you are using. It isn’t likely to be the other person’s first language. If they are not fluent in English, perhaps try to use simpler words and shorter sentences to make it easier for them to understand.
Even if the person is fluent in English, they may not be fluent in Christian lingo. Try to be aware of (and avoid!) Christian jargon where possible. Words like ‘grace’, for example, might have little meaning to the person, and you might need to explain it.
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Respect
Always treat the person with respect. This includes respecting their belief system. For example, it’s important never to speak disrespectfully about the Quran or about Mohammad or any of the Prophets. We don’t have to agree with all of their beliefs to speak respectfully. Similarly, it’s never helpful to simply tell people that they’re wrong, or say hurtful things (e.g. anything relating to ‘hell’!). In some conversations, people might speak disrespectfully to you about your faith or beliefs. You must still engage with love, grace and generosity towards them, whatever they may say. And, if they don’t want to talk about faith, that’s fine too!
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Offering prayer
One of the lovely things about the Christian faith is that we can talk to God any time, anywhere, under any circumstances! If during your volunteering at Thrive someone has shared something painful with you, or told you about a situation they’re stressed or anxious about, it’s always good to offer to pray for them.
When you say you’ll pray for someone or for their situation, the assumption is that you’ll do so later, on your own at home. If you make such an offer:
- Remember to pray for them! Perhaps make a note of it so you don’t forget.
- Try to check in with the person about the situation next time you see them. Let them know that you prayed for them (and will continue to pray for them if appropriate).
- If the situation is a practical need, perhaps there are other ways we can support as well. Speak with the team if you think this may be possible.
You can also offer to pray “right now”, if it seems like an appropriate setting. (I almost always try to make such an offer when I’m visiting someone at home or 1-1.) When you offer this:
- They are entitled to say no. That’s ok! Don’t be offended. Try to also be aware of your surroundings. If you’re in a group setting (e.g. the Wednesday Ladies’ Group) with other people around, it might make them uncomfortable.
- Don’t ramble on for ages. This may be out of their comfort zone; don’t make it weird. Similarly, don’t leave long silences waiting for God to speak (even if you are used to doing this in other contexts). Don’t put pressure on the person to respond in any way.
- Try to speak clearly so they can hear what you’re saying; don’t talk too fast.
- Try to avoid Christian jargon if possible. Never use phrases that can freak people out, such as ‘covered by the blood of the Lamb’ or similar!
- Don’t make promises on behalf of God. Their experience may be that God really hasn’t protected them from suffering or provided for their every need, and we don’t know what God will do or how God might answer.
- Enjoy praying with them! It may be the first time they have experienced this.
Bottom line – always be gracious, gentle, respectful, kind, and try to interact in a way that represents something of God’s love and delight for each individual, in whatever way you can.
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