NOVEMBER PRAYER AGENDA FOR THE NATIONS
The Psalmist declares that: The earth is the LORD’S, and the fulness thereof; the world, and they that dwell therein. (Psalm 24:1). God’s world is beautiful and so are all of the tribes, nations and kindred of the earth. As we pray this month let us offer thanksgiving for our home and offer prayers that those who dwell on this blue orb would acknowledge its Creator as God and His son as our Saviour.
1. TIMOR LOROSAE: The capital city of Timor Lorosae (formerly East Timor) is Dili. Most of the people of Timor Lorosae are Roman Catholics. Timor Lorosae was annexed by Indonesia in December 7, 1975 and became the 27th province of Republic of Indonesia until October 1999. Before that, Timor Lorosae was colonized by Portuguese for 400 years. After President Suharto was forced to resign, the next president, B.J. Habibie, allowed the people of Timor Lorosae to vote. On August 30, 1999, more than 78% of them chose independence. However, following the vote, the Indonesian military and their militias killed thousands people, towns, houses, and other infrastructures were burnt. More than a quarter million people were taken forcibly to West Timor, Indonesia, and lived in refuge camps.
Pray for this nation to experience a Move of God.
2. TOGO: The Church in Togo stagnated between 1960 and 1990. The long established Evangelical Presbyterian Church became theologically liberal and nominal and remained confined to the Ewe, while the Methodists remained among the Mina. The Catholics likewise only grew slowly. During the 1980s newer evangelical groups began to grow – the AoG (once mainly in the north and now predominantly in the south), the Baptists (IMB-SBC and ABWE in the south) and the Missouri Synod Lutherans among the Moba in the north have all seen encouraging results. Many new denominations from outside Togo commenced work in the ’90s and all denominations began to grow rapidly.
Pray for the establishment of strong, indigenous congregations and denominations with visionary leadership.
The whole body of Christ in Togo is beginning to unite in common vision for reaching every part of their land – and beyond. Pray for barriers of mistrust and denominationalism to be broken down and for a Great Commission movement to be firmly established. A national survey of the unfinished task was under way by 2001 on behalf of many evangelical churches and agencies with the help of SIL.
Pray for its successful conclusion and results that lead to church planting among these peoples.
3. TONGA: The Tongan Church has had a glorious history of missionary outreach, but for decades the vision has languished. Over the last ten years there has been renewed interest with evangelical Christians forming a group to promote a missions vision. YWAM’s University of the Nations has a branch in Tonga with a specific burden to encourage this.
Pray that good intentions may become Kingdom-advancing action.
The 20 th Century has been one of spiritual decline. There has been a sad history of bitter schisms within Methodism. Politics and Church are intimately intertwined. Doctrinal extremes and personalities have played their part in dividing denominations.
Pray for humility and godliness to characterize leadership and pray for revival.
3. TRINIDAD & TOBAGO: Inter-ethnic harmony has been hindered by political parties aligned according to race and the activities of several extremist minorities among Muslims, Hindus and some ‘Christians’.
Pray that the government may be impartial and fair to all ethnic groups.
The Christian Church is very fragmented – between traditional and newer denominations and a growing multiplicity of Indian and Black-led charismatic and Pentecostal ministries. There is little cohesion with common spiritual goals, outreach or missions involvement. There is a lack of national vision and purpose and many ‘Christian’ families are dysfunctional.
Pray for revival to enliven and empower the Church.
The Christian Church is very fragmented – between traditional and newer denominations and a growing multiplicity of Indian and Black-led charismatic and Pentecostal ministries. There is little cohesion with common spiritual goals, outreach or missions involvement. There is a lack of national vision and purpose and many ‘Christian’ families are dysfunctional.
Pray for revival to enliven and empower the Church.
4. TUNISIA: In earlier centuries the Christian Church was widespread, producing such leaders as Tertullian and Cyprian. Schism, heresy, a failure to put roots deep in the local culture or translate the Bible into local languages, foreign invasions and finally Islam, brought about its demise. There are about 200 committed indigenous believers today; but about half that number meet together regularly for worship.
Pray that a living, growing Church might become a reality again in this land
Tunisia is the one of the most progressive and open societies in the Arab world. While the outward trappings of Islam are obvious, most people are more committed to secular dreams of wealth.
Pray that the emptiness of religious posturing, spiritual apathy, and materialism might be exposed and replaced with spiritual hunger for Jesus.
There are a number of new believers and new church groups that have come into being over the past few years. Pray for their continued growth and discipleship. However, the Church is still a tiny proportion of the total population. Some are isolated, fearful, with very limited opportunities for fellowship and discipling. To some, emigration is an easy option; pray that God may give them a vision of the Church He wants to build through them.
Pray for lasting commitment to Jesus, as few Tunisian believers have stood in the faith for more than 10 years.
Pray for safety, encouragement, integration into the Body and boldness amongst the increasing numbers of new believers; – many have a vision for evangelism.
5-7. TURKEY: Turkey remains the largest unreached nation in the world. For over 1,000 years it was a bastion of Christianity, but it became a strong propagator of Islam. The Christian population has declined from 22% to 0.32% since 1900 – most of these Christians being non-Turkish. Few of the 66 million Muslims have ever heard the gospel. Turkey is a nation torn in opposite directions. It straddles Europe and Asia; some strive to bring the country into the EU, others to strengthen ties with Muslim states to the south and east. The constitution, judiciary and army are secular and uphold religious freedom, but many politicians, the police and the growing Islamist movement are hostile to anything Christian.
Pray that all attempts to restrict religious freedom may be frustrated, and that ambiguities in the law may be clarified – it is the latter that open the way for mis-treatment of Christians.
The barriers of prejudice and hatred of the gospel can appear insurmountable.
Pray for the following to be broken down:
a) Historical. Turkey’s long association with Islam and more than a millennium of bitter wars with ‘Christian’ Europe make conversion appear almost an act of treachery.
b) Cultural. To be a Turk is to be a Muslim, even if only nominally so. Family pressure, police intimidation and threats from Muslim extremists keep many from coming to Christ, and force others to remain secret believers.
c) Fixed attitudes. A deep-seated resistance in the general public to anything Christian makes any form of witnessing difficult. A radical change in public attitudes and press coverage of Christians must be prayed for.
d) Biased understandings. Evangelical Christians are lumped together with Armenian terrorists and Jehovah’s Witnesses. Sensational articles in the Press and biased television programmes spread untruths about Christians, further inflaming public opinion. Muslim misconceptions about Christian doctrine present another major barrier.
e) The legacy of violent past suppression of Christian minorities. The turbulence and political instability before and after World War I brought about widespread violence and forced deportation for many Armenians. Armenian nationalists, urged on by Russian agents, fought for a separate homeland. The horrific Turkish response resulted in the virtual elimination of Armenians through expulsions or massacres. Some estimate 1.5 million died.
Pray that the cloud of prejudice and darkness might be lifted and many might find joy and peace in the forgiveness offered by the Lord Jesus.
8. TURKMENISTAN: The President has built up a personality cult around himself which resembles Stalin and the Muslim caliphs of past centuries. He has built palaces and memorials to himself all over the country whilst his subjects suffer in dire poverty. He calls himself the ‘King of kings’.
Pray for a change of heart like Nebuchadnezzar (Daniel 4:28-37) or a change of government to one that respects constitutionally promised human rights and religious freedoms.
There is an international network of Christians concerned for the evangelization of this land.
Pray for Turkmenistan to open up for sharing the good news.
Hostility against any evangelical Christian activity or even presence has increased since 1997. Nearly all foreign Christians have been expelled. Several national pastors have been exiled, beaten up, heavily fined and imprisoned. Congregations have been intimidated and forbidden to meet.
Pray for a softening of the attitude of the authorities, for courage for Christians in the country to stand firm and for Christians outside to pray and speak up against these actions.
8. TURKS & CAICOS IS.: Christian values in society are being challenged by offshore finance dealing with its frequent money laundering, tourism with its increasing licentiousness and by illegal drug trafficking.
Pray that the churches might address this through holy living and genuine faith.
The inflow of immigrants are mostly illegal and from Haiti. They are poised to outnumber natives, or “Belongers”.
Pray that believers might meet these newcomers with biblical love and share with them the gospel.
TUVALU: Tuvalu may be the first nation to disappear as a result of global warming and the rise in ocean levels. Pray that the uncertainty of the future may bring spiritual earnestness. Tuvalu was first evangelized by Cook Island missionaries. The Congregational Church is effectively the established church; nominalism and tradition are brakes on spiritual life and fervor. The work of AoG and Church of God of Prophecy are the only distinctly evangelical ministries on the islands.
Pray for spiritual life for all groups.
9-10. UGANDA: The devastation of the Amin and Obote years with unrestrained terror, murder, tribal warfare and corruption destroyed much of the economic and social fabric of the nation and hastened the spread of AIDS. Recovery will take many years. Pray for peace – in the international Central African War and internal fighting by terror groups and robber gangs.
Pray for the government that it may exercise its authority with even-handed honesty.
The Church though in part being revived and growing needs prayer for:
a) Loving unity in Christ. Reconciliation is needed between tribes, between Protestant and Catholic, revived and non-revived, charismatic and non-charismatic.
b) Continued renewal. While most of the population claims to be Christian, widespread polygamy, a culture of promiscuity and paying mere lip-service to God, belies this.
c) Training of a new generation of leaders. Uganda Christian University (formerly Bishop Tucker Theological College) once strongly evangelical, has some liberal teachers on the faculty. There are several Pentecostal Bible schools and a Baptist Seminary. YWAM provides short-term training in their Discipleship Training School. Pray for the preparation of spiritual, godly leaders.
11-12. UKRAINE: The aftermaths of both independence and the Chernobyl disaster still have tragic impact on Ukrainians. Poverty, rather than riches, has been the outcome of freedom for many. Strict reform measures combined with rampant corruption is only likely to intensify the problem. The vacuum left by Communism’s demise has often been filled with violent crime, breakdown in family structures and sexual immorality. In addition, radiation pollution from Chernobyl still affects huge swathes of the country. The consequent weakening of immune systems, combined with a rapidly spreading AIDS virus could do incalculable damage to an already shrinking population.
Pray that amidst the darkness, many would seek the Light.
Ukraine has a strong Christian heritage, but suffering under Communism was severe. Evangelical Christians have emerged stronger and more numerous from 130 years of unrelenting persecution in which millions of Christians were killed.
Pray that full freedom of religion for all groups may be enshrined in the constitution, practiced by the state, and fully utilized by believers.
Pray that the church might adjust to a new context, and meet its challenges boldly. Among these are:
a) The need for full restoration and reconciliation. The era of Communist persecution is over but the scars of intimidation, manipulation and betrayal are not entirely healed. Orthodox, Catholic and Protestant Churches all face this. Pray for firmness, fairness and forgiveness in handling all who compromised. Pray that those who did not bend might now demonstrate flexibility in church structure, and in enabling congregations to be outward looking rather than insular.
b) Lack of unity. Communist subterfuge brought division and chaos between registered and unregistered congregations of nearly all denominations. Since 1990, disputes have come into the open. These issues have been recognized by Ukrainian Christians and are being addressed.
Pray for removal of prejudice, mistrust, personality clashes, and structures that prevent fellowship and promote competition – especially in tapping Western funds and aid.
c) The lack of resources for maximizing the present harvest. Most evangelical denominations are growing rapidly, hampered only by an inability to erect buildings and train leaders. Due to the economic situation church buildings, discipleship materials, disciplers and basic equipment are in short supply.
Pray that the kingdom of God’s growth would not be stunted by simple financial needs.
d) Religious freedom is somewhat threatened by the entrenched religious hierarchy and by government actions taken to limit the expansion of cults and sects. Registering churches or missions can be a very difficult and delicate process.
Pray for wisdom and the right combination of discretion and boldness on the part of Christian workers.
13. UNITED ARAB EMIRATES: Radical changes of the last generation have made UAE citizens more cosmopolitan and open to new ideas, yet the rise of extreme Islamism has led to increased restrictions. Many are in daily contact with Christians, but few believers have opportunity to openly share their faith because of the possible results – arrests are not unusual.
Pray for courage, wisdom and an atmosphere in which the gospel can be shared freely.
There are limited medical facilities in which expatriates are involved. These are dependent on good relationships with the authorities.
Pray for the provision of godly staff willing to serve in them.
Pray for the unreached in this land:
a) The indigenous Arab population. Both urban educated and rural illiterate have had little exposure to the gospel. There are some Gulf Arab believers. Their faith exposes them to persecution and possibly even death – pray for their encouragement and for steadfastness. Discipleship for these believers and opportunity for fellowship are great needs. Some are enrolled in Arabic language BCCs.
b) Many expatriate communities. The Iranian (Persian, Kurd, Baluch), Pakistani (Panjabi, Pushtun and Baluch), Somali and Sudanese communities here have no known groups of believers among them.
c) Women are less marginalized here than in some Arab countries, but they are nevertheless socially isolated from much potential contact with believers. Pray for fellowship and strength for those who secretly believe.
14-16. UNITED KINGDOM: A sense that all is not well pervades the country. The ‘freedoms’ of the 1960s led to social disaster and hastened spiritual decline. Many are discouraged about the future and cynical about the seeming impotence of politicians to deal with the malaise. The gay rights movement, though representing a small minority, has seized the initiative in many areas of public life and in government legislation. Spiritual need is highlighted by increasing violence in the cities, the high divorce, suicide and illegitimacy rates, and drug abuse. Paralleling this is the growing number of younger people who have no contact with or knowledge of Christianity. Without a radical change, disaster looms.
Pray for national repentance and restoration to the spiritual vigor that once made Britain’s Christians a blessing to the world.
A national awakening is needed. There has been one every century in the last 800 years – the last was in 1859-69. The Judeo-Christian heritage has been so eroded by post-modernist worldviews that public opinion is no longer Christian. Christians have been marginalized in the media, public life, government legislation and school curricula. Religious pluralization has sapped the confidence of many Christians to testify boldly and even believe that Jesus is the only way to the Father. The steep decline in numbers of the Methodists, Anglicans, United Reformed, Brethren and other denominations continues and the Baptists and newer (house) churches have plateaued.
Pray that Christians might become passionate for God’s honor, burdened to pray for revival and be freed from a deadening negativism and materialism that pervades the life of the churches.
Tolerance is the ‘in’ word. The influx of non-Christian religions has affected the worldview of the population. The spokesmen for Islam, Buddhism, Hinduism, etc., push for legislation that will favor their religions, and demand freedoms they would never grant Christians in their lands of origin. Astrology, the occult, reincarnation, old world paganism (Druid/Wicca) and even Satanism have become popular, with a massive increase in literature promoting their ends. The mission field has come to the UK – and many non-Western Christians perceive the UK itself as a mission field.
Pray that UK Christians may recover a confidence in the ‘intolerant’ gospel and a passion for sharing it with the majority who have little concept of its content.
There are signs of hope – water these tender plants with prayer:
a) Traumatic social change and the devastating consequences of violence, family breakdown and fear for the future have brought a new openness to consider spiritual solutions.
b) Renewal movements. Many pastors and congregations experienced charismatic renewal between the 1960s-‘80s. This also gave rise to a new family of churches. The house church movement, or Newer Churches, grew fast and have become a significant spiritual force in the nation, deeply affecting church structures and fellowship patterns, and have enlivened worship across the denominational spectrum. Their growth slowed in the 1990s. Nation-wide, these changes have been stimulated by major trans-denominational gatherings such as Greenbelt and Spring Harvest.
c) New younger generation movements are emerging with radically new approaches – Internet café gatherings, WEB prayer and culturally appropriate worship styles, such as Tribal Generation, flowing from the Church of England, and also others spontaneously springing up in different parts of the country.
d) The Alpha Course phenomenon has spread across the country to nearly every denomination and across the world as one of the most successful outreach programmes run by churches in the UK today. These user-friendly introductory courses explain Christianity in a relaxed and informal environment. About 6,400 congregations were using the Alpha courses in 1998 with over 650,000 individuals having completed one.
e) Christian leaders from across the denominational spectrum are meeting regularly for prayer together in many cities and towns. This is leading to cooperative efforts in ministry.
17-22. UNITED STATES OF AMERICA: Globalization of the modern world is largely driven by US technology, media and culture. There are positives – the Internet communications revolution, widespread use of English, information availability that empowers people and exposes tyrannies, economic development, etc. There are the downsides, too – an insensitive cultural imperialism, imposition of a post-Protestant American individualism without its biblical constraints, a glorified perception of recently gained human rights, freedom and democracy that could generate anarchy and moral collapse.
Pray for the restraint of greed and evil and the enhancement of the good in this revolution now taking place.
The Pilgrim Fathers were determined to establish a land in which they were free to exercise their Christian faith. On that foundation has developed one of the largest and most dynamic Christian movements in history. In the USA are 19% of the Protestants in the world, 21.5% of the Evangelicals and 35% of all the world’s foreign missionaries. Evangelistic vitality, generosity and vision have been major factors in the surge of gospel progress.
Pray that this may be maintained.
The Christian Church is not impacting the nation as it should. The USA needs revival, yet the word ‘revival’ has been debased to mean slick mass evangelism and theatrics. The need of the hour is a true revival with conviction of sin, repentance and an outpouring of the Holy Spirit.
These are some of the prayer challenges for the 21st Century Church:
a) The need for biblical holinessin a time when Christians display little difference in values and lifestyle to non-Christians. Superficiality and materialism are more characteristic than dedication and passion for Jesus and doing His will. The succession of high-profile failures of televangelists, Christian leaders in the church and in politics and the high rate of divorce among church-goers all underline the need.
Pray that Christians may repent of carnality, be revived and help to change rather than mimic culture.
b) A deep commitment to the authority and veracity of the Bible. Effective expository preaching and solid teaching on the basic doctrines of the faith are not widely evident. The prevailing tolerant pluralism has brought widespread loss of certainty about the Bible and a creeping universalism which cripples vision for evangelism and missions.
c) Spiritual unity. The Church in the USA is seriously divided on several key issues and needs prayer. A number of Christians in mainline denominations tilt towards the politically-correct left in supporting pro-choice (abortions) a feminist agenda and gay marriages. Many Catholics, Orthodox and most conservative Protestants would oppose these. Numerous Bible-believing denominations wage war over issues such as eschatology, gifts of the Spirit, definitions of biblical inerrancy, length of the days of creation, etc., while issues of world evangelization are sidelined.
Pray for repentance, a seeking after God’s priorities and that, through love and grace, a sensitive and balanced handling of divisive areas might be found.
d) Christian withdrawal from, or involvement in, public life is an ongoing unresolved tension. The public school system has deep failings – not least the elimination of anything Christian or religious. Massive networks of Christian-run school systems have emerged. Some would consider this separation as a retreat. A spectrum of evangelical groups are working for social change in the USA which include such as Mission America, WVI, Prison Fellowship, Promise Keepers and Christian Community Development Association, Evangelicals for Social Action, Concerned Women of America, the Christian Coalition, etc. Efforts by the Moral Majority and the Religious Right to influence the political world have not been entirely successful.
Pray for balance, wisdom and long-term involvement of Christians as salt and light in society.
e) A crisis of leadership and church structures demand a revolutionary re-think. Common expectations are for a pastor to be a media star at the apex of a pyramid with a performing leadership and spectator laity.
Pray for the wider development of a servant leadership that enables the led to be active as biblical apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors and teachers in a participatory fellowship structure.
f) Leadership training possibilities abound. The variety and number of theological training possibilities defies full analysis! There are 644 recognized institutions that award theological degrees. The American Association of Bible Colleges includes 89 accredited evangelical colleges.
Pray for a deeper level of commitment to Christian service and especially to world evangelization among professors and students alike.
Pray also for flexibility and innovation in leadership training which is fitted for the times in which we live.
23. URUGUAY: Lack of knowledge of God has given opening to a spirit of error. Brazilian spiritists, once banned, could possibly number a million, many of them members of the Catholic Church. The largest non-Catholic religious bodies are sects such as the Mormons, Jehovah’s Witnesses and the New Apostolic Church. New Age thinking has filled the vacuum among the agnostic middle-class and intelligentsia. The Unification Church (Moonies) is also influencing the country through capital investment.
Pray for these deceptions to be exposed and the demonic powers behind them defeated.
Evangelical churches have struggled throughout the past century to make an impact on Uruguayan society, and large-scale efforts garnered only meagre fruit in converts. However, since 1986 the growth of some Pentecostal groups and Baptists has accelerated.
Pray for this awakening to continue and that all evangelical churches may find ways to take advantage of this new spiritual interest.
Unity has been one of the fruits of this recent awakening. While prayer for further unity and fellowship is still needed, churches are working together on an unprecedented scale. Through the ministry of DAWN, Evangelical Alliance members launched Cooperacion 2000 – a goal of 2000 new congregations by the year 2005. Many feel as if Uruguay is on the cusp of revival. A large increase in congregations will create a demand for godly, well-trained pastors. Some schools have been negatively impacted in the past by liberal theology
Pray as well for the 20 or so seminaries or Bible schools.
24-25. UZBEKISTAN: Independence has not brought freedom, but instead, the nation is an arena of warring value systems. The term Uzbek means ‘master of himself’, but many are seeking to enslave the Uzbeks with their ideologies: radical Islamism (especially in the fertile Ferghana valley), occultism, and several sects.
Pray that Uzbeks might find freedom by serving the Lord their Creator and true Master.
Uzbekistan is strategically vital – whither goes Uzbekistan, so goes Central Asia. There is an intensifying contest between the current regime (‘democratic’ with leftover Soviet ideology) and Islamism (of the Wahhabi sect). But the people are disillusioned – the economy is crumbling under Soviet style control, and corruption within the government is resistant to change and reform.
Pray that the nation’s leaders may govern uprightly and for regional stability despite attempts by some to exploit and destabilize.
Uzbekistan is one of the world’s worst violators of religious liberty. Dynamic and evangelism-oriented churches, especially Uzbek churches, are particularly targeted. Official registration eases this problem, but the government has made this almost impossible to achieve. Evangelism or missionary activity can earn three years in prison; organizing an unregistered group, five years. Some Christians have been imprisoned, but they are winning many converts while in prison.
Pray for Christians who are under pressure to betray fellow believers ot the authorities.
Pray too for those persecuted and in prison, that God may give them strength and boldness.
26. VANUATU: Vanuatu’s motto is “In God we stand”. Christians played a major role in the attainment of independence and in subsequent governments.
Pray that the leaders of this complex little nation may be an example in doing so.
Pray for these spiritual challenges for Christians:
a) There are pockets of traditional ethnic religion on Tanna, Aniwa, Santo, Vao and other islands.
b) There are many who still follow ‘custom’ or have been led astray by cargo cults.
c) How to counteract increased Mormon missionary activity.
d) Muslim missionaries are active in setting up mosques and offering free schooling.
Pray for decisive demonstrations of God’s power and of holy-living Christians that will win the rising generation of Ni-Vanuatu.
27-28. VENEZUELA: On a social level, Venezuela is struggling. Poverty is widespread, living standards are plummeting (60% of urbanites live in slums) and crime is soaring out of control. The use of Venezuela as a drug trafficking conduit increases – the long border with Colombia is impossible to adequately patrol, despite the government’s efforts.
Pray that just and honorable leadership would be raised up to oppose systemic evil in this nation.
Pray for a government determined and upright in its efforts to relieve poverty and combat lawlessness.
The religious climate of the country is increasingly opposed to Christ:
a) Venezuela is not at all the Catholic bastion that it seems. The majority of Catholics are nominal – only 20% attend mass – making Venezuela one of the least churchgoing nations in all Latin America. A secular materialist mindset is prevalent in public life. The Catholic hierarchy often seems more concerned with guarding its privileged position and opposing evangelical work than tending to its needy flock.
b) Spiritism is dangerously strong. Up to 85% of the population are involved to a lesser or greater extent in some form of spiritist practice. There are thousands of occult and spiritist shops where witch doctors and their ilk are frequented by rich and poor alike. Television programmes and advertisements promoting this are growing in number.
c) All manner of spiritual forces draw Venezuelans away from Christ. New Age spirituality is increasing, especially among the educated and rich. Satanists actively seek to destroy the Church. Caracas is the site of Latin America’s largest mosque. Jehovah’s Witnesses and Mormons claim huge numbers and are growing rapidly.
Pray that the powers blinding Venezuelans to the truth might be bound, and that the exalted Christ might be revealed to all, drawing many to faith in Him.
29-30. VIETNAM: One of the few Communist nations in the 21st Century, Vietnam faces new challenges. Repression of all types of freedom continues, but at the same time, social ills are on the rise. Drug addiction, AIDS, prostitution and exploitation of children are all too common. There are two abortions for every live birth, one of the world’s highest rates.
Pray that the ideological and moral darkness over this nation might be banished by the light of the gospel.
Vietnam remains one of the worst persecutors of Christians. Seeing the role of Christianity in the demise of Communism elsewhere, the regime has attempted to either control or wipe out believers. Government efforts have intensified as churches respond to persecution with growth and outreach. Registration implies compromise; failure to register churches is illegal – forcing most believers’ underground.
Pray for:
a) Those in prison for their faith. At any time there are probably dozens of Christian leaders imprisoned. Most pastors have had times of imprisonment in grim conditions.
Pray for Christians in prison – many prisoners have come to faith through such witness.
b) Registered churches. The Church in the north has suffered much longer, and the authorities there are stricter. Meetings are only permitted in the few remaining recognized church buildings; the majority have been closed or destroyed. Open evangelism and itinerant ministry is forbidden and contact with foreign Christians restricted. Yet these churches, especially EVCN/CMA, have grown.
Pray that they may withstand unrelenting government pressures to compromise and conform to strict regulations.
c) Unregistered churches. These are harassed by the police, with meetings frequently broken up and leaders arrested. Yet the courage and tenacity of these believers under pressure rarely fails and growth continues. There are tensions between leaders of registered and unregistered churches.
d) The Montagnard churches among the Ede, Jarai, Koho, Mnong, Stieng and others. They have suffered particularly savage persecution – churches razed, congregations scattered and Christians killed. Yet people movements to Christ are still reported. Maintaining adequate fellowship is hard where meetings are illegal and few of their languages have Scriptures. This lack has led to schisms and false teaching in some areas.
Pray for an increased supernatural move of the Holy Spirit among all of these Christians.
Pray for them to walk in boldness and in the love of the Lord.
As we end this time of prayer I pray that these nations and people groups will remain in your heart. Our God is faithful to hear and answer our petitions. We believe for the winds of revival to blow across the nations of the earth. May you have a blessed month!
“If My people, who are called by My name, shall humble themselves, pray, seek, crave, and require of necessity My face and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from heaven, forgive their sin, and heal their land.”
(II Chronicles 7:14)