The Blue Cord, by iHOPE Ministries

In this message preached at a recent church gathering, Renod Bejjani, founder of iHOPE Ministries and author of several books, addresses one of the most important ministry realities facing the Church today: the rise of Islam in North America. With pastoral clarity and biblical conviction, Renod challenges believers to see this moment not simply as a cultural shift but as a profound Gospel opportun...

In this special-edition Blue Cord episode, host Karen Bejjani talks with gifted producer and scriptwriter Nancy Sawyer Schraeder about how her behind-the-scenes work on iHOPE's new ETHNOS Course reshaped her view of cross-faith outreach. Hear Nancy’s personal journey from hesitation to boldness—and how God is using iHOPE's ETHNOS and Blue Cord Programs to mobilize everyday believers to share the h...

Join Us for a Summer Online Blue Cord Study -  Begins June 11th through July 23rd. For more details and to register go HERE :      About the Guest: Renod Bejjani: Renod Bejjani is a former Christian who experienced intense persecution in several Islamic world nations. After years of anger and hatred towards Muslims, he had a transformational encounter with God and now serves as an instrument of Go...

About the Guest(s): Cathy is an experienced Christian missionary and disciple-maker. She has led gospel sharing teams in multiple countries and currently disciples a group of new believers in Pakistan. Cathy is actively involved in helping everyday believers live out their calling to make Jesus known through her work with iHOPE Ministries. Episode Summary: In this episode, Karen and Cathy discuss...

About the Guest(s): Lisa Pack is a second-generation Korean-Canadian from Toronto, Canada. She has 14 years of global and pastoral ministry and church experience. Lisa is a global mission strategist and serves on the core team with Rick Warren's "Finishing the Task" initiative. She is passionate about reaching the world's least reached and mobilizing younger generations for the gospel. Episode Sum...

About the Host: Karen is an everyday Christian woman who, along with her husband Renod, embarked on a life-changing adventure to inspire and empower believers to share the gospel. Renod is Karen's husband and partner in their mission to shine the light of Jesus into dark and hopeless places. Episode Summary: In this episode, Karen shares the story of how God used three ordinary believers to challe...

About the Guest: Melanie is a leader of a singles ministry at a large church in Calgary, Canada. She is an advisory board member of See Global. Melanie has a passion for reaching people who don't know Jesus and has a heart for evangelism and discipleship. Episode Summary: In this episode, Karen and Melanie discuss the importance of intentionally engaging with people from different faiths and cultu...

About the Guest: Narmin grew up in a Muslim family in an Islamic ruled nation. After a series of events, she had a personal encounter with Christ that transformed her life. She is currently working with Global Heart Ministries as a social media evangelist and communication liaison, sharing the message of hope and the gospel of Christ to Central Asian populations. Episode Summary: In this episode,...

About the Guest(s): Kimberly is a Christian woman who discovered The Blue Cord about a year ago when she was searching online for how to share her faith with refugees and immigrants around her. She grew up in a military family and moved around frequently, always prioritizing finding a church in each new location. At the age of nine, she asked Christ to lead her life and confess her sins to Him. Sh...

About the Guest(s): Becca is a passionate follower of Jesus who has a heart for sharing the love of Christ with people from different faiths and cultures. She grew up in a Christian home and accepted Jesus into her heart at a young age. However, it wasn't until college that she became aware of God's heart for the nations and the importance of sharing the hope of Jesus with people from all backgrou...

About the Guest: Jill Lowry grew up in Bakersfield, California, in a culturally Catholic family. She accepted the Lord at the age of 11 and felt called to be an evangelist and a missionary. Jill and her husband served as missionaries in the Democratic Republic of the Congo for over 26 years, working with pastors, women in prostitution, and various other ministries. They also lived in India for thr...

About the Guest: Clay is a talented worship leader and church planter. He has been working behind the scenes editing all the Blue Cord Podcast episodes. Clay and his wife, Beth, have been dear friends of the hosts for over a decade. They have traveled the world together, shining the light of Jesus and sharing their faith. Clay's personal journey has taught him to shine his light for Jesus in his e...

About the Guest(s): Shannon is a passionate advocate for sharing the hope of Jesus across faiths and cultures. In 2017, she discovered her calling to actively share her faith and realized that it was not just for missionaries. Shannon's heart was deeply moved during a trip to Indonesia in 2019, where she encountered Muslim women and felt a burden to share the love of Jesus with them. She has exper...

About the Guest(s): Brandy is a married woman with two daughters and a dog. She works part-time for her church and a healthcare system, where she focuses on team building and culture building initiatives. Brandy is actively involved in her community, leading a weekly small group and attending a leadership group. She is passionate about sharing her faith and teaching others to do the same. Episode...

About the Guest(s): Karen Bradford: Karen Bradford is a former high school reading teacher who has a passion for sharing her faith with others. After working in industry and traveling to Indonesia, she developed a heart for reaching the nations with the gospel. Karen has been involved in various outreach efforts, including training on how to reach Muslims with the gospel. She is dedicated to model...

About the Guest(s): Linda is a seasoned traveler and worker who has spent over a decade working with immigrants, refugees, and church planters in Europe. She has been actively engaged in reaching out to people from other faiths, particularly Muslims, and has a heart for sharing the love of Christ with them. Linda is affiliated with a European church planting organization and has been involved in t...

About the Guest: Andrena Sawyer is an author, business strategist, and survivor of the civil war in Sierra Leone. She left Sierra Leone at the age of nine and experienced her first encounter with God at the age of seven or eight during an altar call at church. Adrena's family was able to leave the country during the civil war due to her mother's employment at KLM Airlines. Adrena's parents were on...

About the Guest(s): Amy McBrayer: Amy is a busy mom of two sons, a teacher at a local school, and a PhD candidate working on her thesis on the topic of modeling sharing faith across cultures. She is intentional about teaching her children to be authentic witnesses in their daily lives and has practical tips to share with other parents. Episode Summary: In this episode, Karen interviews Amy McBraye...

About the Guest Lily (pseudonym) is a former school administrator with a heart for engaging the nations who live among us. She is currently engaged in purposeful interactions with people from various nations in a large city in North America. Lily is intentional about cultivating compassion for those who don't know Jesus and seeks to be an authentic witness in her daily life. Episode Summary: In th...

It's a wrap! In this special, year-end BONUS EPISODE, Karen gives you a sneak peek of 3 BIG things coming for The Blue Cord in '24, and ways you can get involved. Watch for new Season 6 episodes in February '24. Until then, make sure you’re on our Blue Cord email list so you get all the latest updates. Sign up at www. TheBlueCord.org . Thank you for being a part of this Blue Cord community. Your h...

About The Guest(s): Julie King is an author who grew up in Germany during the fall of the Berlin Wall. She is the founder of Arise, an initiative through East-West Ministries International that focuses on mobilizing and equipping women to share the gospel around the world. Summary: Julie King shares her experiences in knowing God and making Him known. She discusses the importance of modeling and s...

About The Guest(s): Cathyl: A Blue Cord woman who has led four studies and is starting an international platform. Leatrice: A Blue Cord woman who has led three studies and brought nine women to the conference from Ohio. Jaiden: The youngest Blue Cord woman who led her first study at 16 and is now sharing her faith on her college campus. Summary: Cathy, Leatrice, and Jaiden share their experiences...

About the Guest: Sarah, a former Buddhist from Burma, shares her compelling journey from a life of uncertainty and striving to the profound peace and transformation she found through encountering Jesus Christ. Her story illuminates the impact of God's love in her life and the remarkable transition from practicing Buddhism to embracing Christianity. Episode Summary: Karen welcomes Sarah to the Blue...

About The Guest(s): Hediah Miramadi is the founder of Resurrect Ministry. She was a devout practicing Muslim for over 20 years and worked in the US government and private sector focused on defeating Islamic terrorism. After a series of life events, she had a personal encounter with Christ and her life was transformed. Summary: Hediah Miramadi shares her journey from being a devout Muslim to encoun...

About The Guest(s): "Zana" - Born in Kenya, Zana came to the United States with her family in early 2000. She grew up in an Islamic household but surrendered her life to Christ at a young age.  "Abha": Originally from India, Abha moved to the United States in 2001 after an arranged marriage. She grew up in a Hindu background and followed Hinduism. However, after reading the Bible and attending chu...