Pray For…The World
Stats
•Population – Over 6 Billion
•The World’s population has more than doubled in the last 40 years
•Impact of older and new diseases has increased such as AIDS and malaria
•The Indian sub-continent has the largest concentration and variety of least-reached peoples and people groups on earth
•Over 90% of unreached peoples live in the 10/40 Window
The Great Commission exhorts preaching the gospel to every person. It is harder to measure the impact of multiple means of ministry to the unconverted – personal witness, literature, Scripture translation, Christian video, cassettes, television, radio, the Internet and many other tools God has given us. We can measure potential accessibility by many of these ministries – though the reality may fall far short of this. However, the cumulative effects of multiple layers of ministry increase the likelihood of non-Christians hearing the gospel and the possibility of response.
•Pray that persecuted believers will know the sustaining grace of God and power of the Holy Spirit to witness to their own people.
•Pray that churches around the world will gain a vision for unreached peoples
•Pray that the Church may passionately pursue making disciples of all peoples from all nations.
Pray For…The Poor of Sierra Leone
Stats
•Population – 6,440,053
•Percentage of Evangelicals – 3.2%
•Total Number of People Groups – 27
•Number of Unreached People Groups – 16
•Human Development Rank – 179
•Persecution Index – N/A
Although Sierra Leone has great natural resources, the decade-long civil war severely devastated the country’s economy, destroyed infrastructure and caused large-scale human suffering. In 2008, Sierra Leone ranked 84 out of 88 countries in the Global Hunger Index and last out of 179 countries in the Human Development Index. The overall situation in Sierra Leone has significantly improved since 2001, due to increased security. The subsequent return of displaced rural populations to their homes has helped agricultural recovery, which is taking place across most of the country. However, still some 40 percent of all children below five are chronically undernourished which puts them at high risk to never develop their full physical and mental potential. Acute child malnutrition is at 10 percent, alarmingly high. Every fourth child dies before reaching the age of five. Poverty remains pervasive with more than two thirds of the population of about six million living below the poverty line, particularly in the Eastern and Northern regions. Unemployment, especially among the youth, low labor productivity, lack of irrigation, over-harvesting and inadequate access to food markets as a result of poor road infrastructure continue to be risks to food security. Meanwhile, Christians have been pressed by the Islam that has been steadily increased in influence and ethnic religions continue to have a stronghold. Sources: CIA World Factbook, IMB Global Research, World Food Programme.
•Pray for God to show Himself mighty in this time of struggle.
•Pray for the Government and its stability.
•Ask God for provision for the people of Sierra Leone.
•Pray that the body of Christ is strengthened in Sierra Leone and grows for the glory of Christ.
Pray For…The Persecuted Church in Pakistan
Stats
•Population – 176,242,949
•Percentage of Evangelicals – 0.4%
•Total Number of People Groups – 98
•Number of Unreached People Groups – 95
•Human Development Rank – 139
•Persecution Index – 13
Pakistan is a hotbed for terrorist activity. All Pakistanis suffer from the suicide bombings, killings, robberies and high prices. The conflicts are mainly between fundamentalist Islamic groups and the secular government. Though religious freedom is guaranteed in the constitution, Christians are increasingly suffering under Shariah law. Things are particularly bad for Pakistani Christians in the northern areas. Christians there live under constant threats from fundamentalist Muslims. Sixteen Christians were abducted by Muslim extremists when they gathered to pray in Academy Town, Peshawar, Pakistan, on June 21, 2008. Members of the Taliban armed with machine guns held the 16 Christian men captive all night in a cave. During this time, they tried to persuade the pastor to convert to Islam. In the morning they were freed. There are about 50,000 Christians in the Peshawar district.
•Pray that the gospel will spread through and in spite of the barriers that are present
•Pray for our Pakistani brothers and sisters that they will hold fast to the faith and be bold
•Pray for those being persecuted that the Lord will show Himself strong in their lives
•Pray that the Lord will continue to grow and strengthen His Church there in Pakistan
Pray For…The Ministries of Springs of Grace Bible Church
Pray for the preaching of the Word of God as we gather together that God would empower His Word as it is preached and empower His people to prove it out as they hear.
Pray for the ministry outreach of One Hope to those in need in our community. Pray for the One Hope tutorial Academy students to develop a pursuit of living a life they have been created for.
Pray for GetAhead as it begins a new semester. Pray for tutors and workers and relationships with children and their parents.
Pray for our Twenty Something bible Study as it begins again in a few weeks.
Pray for the sick in our church body and those dealing with ongoing physical trials.
Pray for those trapped in poverty in our city that we might build relationships with them and demonstrate to them the life of Jesus.
Pray for those in our city enslaved to drugs, violence, pornography, homosexuality, comfort, racisim, and hatred. Pray that Jesus might set the captives free.
Pray for those involved in human trafficking. Pray for the rescue of children and young girls enslaved in the sex slave trade.
Pray for the homeless in our city and for the hungry that we might show them the love of Jesus.
Pray for orphans and those in the foster care system. Pray for those in our church who are seeking to adopt to be able to do so soon.
Pray for the families of Springs of Grace to model the love and mission of the church.
Pray for one another.