"Give thanks to God that the new church in the district of Rubavu has finally received the long-awaited building permit!" writes the Theological Education Team. "Pray for a trained pastor to lead this congregation. In Rwanda, churches cannot be led by pastors who have no theological training. They also have to meet many requirements, such as having five toilets, four parking spaces, brick construction, etc. Pray that God will provide for their needs. Several members are Muslim-background believers."
"Our team has recently met with several families who would like to partner with us to share the gospel among the lost. Some want training, others want community, but all are passionate about the lost hearing the good news of Jesus. Pray that we'll be able to meet the needs of these believers and partner well with them. Pray that we'll be able to increase our presence among our people group and see many more people come to Jesus."
A member of the AOne8 Brazil Team writes: "At the doctor's office a couple of months ago, I saw an elderly woman sitting alone on a bench and felt led to stop and tell her how beautiful she looked. She grasped my hand and, as her eyes teared up, started telling me how much that meant to her. I sat down next to her and asked how I could pray for her. As she told me about her family troubles, I was able to share the gospel with her and handed her a tract to read later. Then I prayed for her and gave her a hug before her husband arrived to pick her up. Give thanks to God for that opportunity! Please pray that Rosalva will understand her need to accept Jesus as her Savior and find peace in Him alone."
(van-COO-ver) - "The Metro Vancouver area is hard soil. While there were many Southern Baptist churches here in the past, those numbers have dwindled. Right now, there are 85 churches and church plants for a population of 2.7 million. Most of the Southern Baptist churches here are either just beginning or are struggling to exist. Only eight meet in their own building. But there is hope because God loves the people of Vancouver. Please pray for a movement of the Lord in this place. Pray for God to bring new vitality to already existing churches, pour out His blessing on those planting new churches, and raise up local church planters for His future churches."
(m-BOON-duh) - As you intercede for the Mbunda people, pray that God's Holy Spirit will bring understanding and that hearts will be softened toward the gospel.
(die-AS-puh-ruh) - The Jewish people worldwide are experiencing what they never thought would happen again. There are people intent on harming or displacing them once again. Some of the Holocaust survivors are saying that it reminds them of the horrible times before the actual Holocaust and are wondering what is going on. What they do not understand, because they do not know the Bible, is that the Father is calling them to faith in Jesus. Pray that even in their great trials and suffering, they all will see that He loves them so much that He wants them to be saved and know the only way to eternity with Him--through His Son, Jesus Christ.
Please pray for the 8-Step Mission Continuum training at the end of this month. Korean Baptist churches and the International Mission Board will be participating. Pray that this training will encourage many and mobilize many for missions all over the world.
(EH-kwuh TOR-ee-ul GIH-nee) - Pray for pastors throughout the country to be known for "rightly handling the word of truth" (2 Timothy 2:15 ESV). Pray that the lives they live and the messages they preach will be testimonies of God's love, grace, mercy, and provision that effectively counter the fallacies of the prosperity gospel.
Please pray for Central Asian church leaders to grow in their understanding and ability to teach the Scripture. Pray for their faithfulness and diligence in Bible study. Ask God to give them mentors to guide them in the faithful exposition of God's Word.
(bohj-POOR-ee) - Within the Bhojpuri belt, hundreds of thousands of people have been trained in early "milk" discipleship tools such as the Four Fields church-planting tool. There is a growing need to begin mid-term discipleship cohorts (study groups), but each time a plan is made to start them, it falls through. Please pray that Satan will not have a foothold in the Bhojpuri belt. Also pray that church leaders and other faithful believers will have a desire to dive deeper into God's Word and to walk in faithful obedience. Pray not only that all will hear, but that the faith of the believers will grow deeply and richly as they learn more about their beautiful Savior.
(buh-LOHCH) - During the Islamic month of Ramadan, a time when Muslims fast from sunup until sundown, Tucker, who is a follower of Jesus, met with Caleb and Tyler. They asked him about fasting and what that looked like for Christians. This turned into a spiritual conversation in which Tucker was able to share the gospel. They were intrigued about the differences between how Muslims and Christians view Jesus. Tucker was surprised because Tyler actually quoted the Bible during their conversation and was particularly confused by Jesus saying, "My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?" Caleb and Tyler didn't understand how God could forsake Himself. This led to a deeper conversation about the complexities of God and how He isn't limited like we are. Pray that Tucker's words will linger in their hearts and that they will wrestle with their beliefs about who Jesus is. Pray for continued conversations about Jesus, and pray that they will both repent and believe.
The Laba people of China have access to numerous Christian resources, yet less than 1% follow Christ. They speak Mandarin, the official language of China, but they have a distinct ethnicity from the people groups around them. Christian work began among the Laba in 1899, and gospel recordings were made 100 years later. But the gospel has yet to take root among these people. They worship the spirits of their ancestors and have been known to sacrifice cows because they believe their ancestors eat the meat in the afterlife. Pray that the Laba will see the futility in repeated animal sacrifices and will accept the once-for-all sacrifice that Jesus made. Pray that their only sacrifices will be those they offer to God—offerings of praise made with their lives.