Persecuted Church Prayers : Sept/Oct

Prayers for the Persecuted Church : September/October 2022

"IF WE WANT TO LEAVE AN INDELIBLE MARK ON THE WORLD,

THERE IS NO MORE POWERFUL WAY TO DO IT

THAN BY JOINING IN GOD'S PURPOSES THROUGH PRAYER.

OUR PRAYERS CAN GO WHERE WE CANNOT.

WHILE MANY THINGS MAY SEEM IMPOSSIBLE FROM A HUMAN

STANDPOINT, IN THE REALM OF PRAYER THERE ARE NO

IMPOSSIBILITIES.” Brother Andrew.

Sept. 4th : COLOMBIA (No 30 on the World Watch List)

48 million Christians (in a population of 50.6 million)

Though Colombia is mostly Christian, believers still face persecution from criminal gangs and indigenous groups. OPEN DOORS strengthens persecuted Christians in Colombia through Bible distribution, training, trauma care, community development projects, emergency relief aid, and education and safe houses for children.

PLEASE PRAY: for protection for pastors and communities who are targeted by organised criminal groups; for strength so that indigenous Colombian Christians can remain steadfast in the gospel; and that God will equip and encourage local Open Doors partners. Amen

Sept. 11th : CENTRAL AFRICAN REPUBLIC (No 31 on the World Watch List)

3.8 million Christians (in a population of 5 million)

Since 2013, the Central African Republic (CAR) has been embroiled in conﬂict, and most of the country is occupied by armed militia groups that are responsible for a wide range of human rights abuses. Christian leaders who publicly have denounced the violence have been threatened, and their churches ransacked and torched. Women and girls can be put under house arrest, or forcibly married to a much older Muslim. The local community will often ostracise Christian converts or try to force them to renounce Christianity through violence.

OPEN DOORS works through local partners to support believers with persecution survival training, economic empowerment projects and trauma care.

PLEASE PRAY: that God will bring lasting peace and stability to CAR; for protection for Christians as they live out their witness to Christ, especially pastors and their families; that God will encourage and protect Open Doors partners who are working to equip the church - while facing many of the same risks. Amen

Sept 18 : BURKINA FASO (No 32 on the World Watch List)

5.1 million Christians (in a population of 21.5 million)

Burkina Faso is located in a region where Islamist groups have growing inﬂuence. There are over 1 million internally displaced people in Burkina Faso, many of whom are Christians.

OPEN DOORS works with through local partners to strengthen Christians in Burkina Faso by providing persecution survival training, relief aid, and spiritual and trauma care.

PLEASE PRAY: for wisdom for the government, as it seeks to bring an end to Burkina Faso’s insecurity; that the Lord will be at work in the lives of traumatised believers to bring healing and comfort; for protection over Open Doors partners as they visit volatile regions. Amen.

Sept 25 : NIGER (No 33 on the World Watch List)

64,700 Christians (in a population 25 million)

Once a country known for cross-religious harmony, Niger has re-entered the top 50 of the World Watch List, reﬂecting how pressure is increasing on Christians in this Muslim-majority nation.

OPEN DOORS partners in Niger strengthen persecuted Christians through economic empowerment, various forms of training and pastoral care for new believers.

PLEASE PRAY: for violence against believers to stop and the inﬂuence of militant Islamist groups to diminish rapidly; for healing for believers affected by trauma; that Open Doors partners’ training programmes will equip believers to withstand persecution and serve Jesus in the places where they live. Amen.

Oct 3 : BHUTAN (No 34 on the World Watch List)

30,000 Christians (in a population of 844,000)

All Christians who worship together in Bhutan are technically worshipping illegally because the government doesn’t ofﬁcially recognise any churches, and all citizens are expected to be Buddhists.

OPEN DOORS works through local partners to strengthen persecuted Christians in Bhutan through relief aid, prayer support and other practical emergency help.

PLEASE PRAY: that believers, who’ve been rejected by their families, would ﬁnd new communities; that God would use the support of Open Doors partners to strengthen Christians facing persecution; for religious freedom in Bhutan, and for the government to ofﬁcially recognise Christian churches. Amen.

Oct 10 : TUNISIA (No 35 on the World Watch List)

22,800 Christians (in a population of 12 million)

Tunisian believers experience high pressure in every area of life. This is particularly true for believers who’ve converted from Islam, because the country forbids religious conversion. Tunisian Christians face hostility and abuse from their families and their surrounding community - including beatings and death threats. It can be dangerous to share their faith, so many of them are forced to worship Jesus secretly. Exposure would endanger them, and they are monitored by Tunisian security services.

OPEN DOORS works with local partners and churches in North Africa to provide leadership training, discipleship, livelihood support, pastoral care and prayer support.

PLEASE PRAY: for Christians in Tunisia who have converted from Islam to be protected, preserved and encouraged by God; for women from Muslim backgrounds to be protected; that God will speak to the hearts of those in authority, so they will seek the good of all. Amen.

Oct 17 : OMAN (No 36 on the World Watch List)

190,000 Christians (in a population of 5.3 million)

Like other countries in the Arabian Peninsula, the extent to which Christians in Oman are persecuted depends mostly on status and nationality. Converts from Islam encounter the greatest opposition. Expatriate Christian communities are mostly tolerated. Proselytising is illegal.

OPEN DOORS supports the church on the Arabian Peninsula by organising prayer, distributing Scripture resources, and training believers and pastors.

PLEASE PRAY: that all believers will have access to discipleship and fellowship; for the safety of Christians and strength to withstand pressure and persecution; that the Holy Spirit will soften the heart of the Sultan - who is also the country’s Prime Minister - towards religious minorities. Amen.

Oct 24 : CUBA (No 37 on the World Watch List)

7.1 million Christians (in a population of 11.5 million)

Persecution in Cuba continues to worsen. The Communist government reacts harshly against opposition. When church leaders or Christian activists criticise the regime, they face arrest, closure of their churches or businesses, prison sentences, and harassment by the government. New churches are often denied registration, as the authorities want to control and limit the church’s inﬂuence. The government controls all media and restricts access from the outside world, so it is very hard for Christians to communicate widely in the country.

OPEN DOORS partners strengthen the persecuted church in Cuba through Bible distribution, livelihood projects, biblical training, leadership development projects and socio-economic development.

PLEASE PRAY: that God will bring about change in the political landscape, so that religious freedom will be honoured; for resilience and wisdom for church leaders; that God would continue making ways for local Open Doors partners to serve the persecuted church in Cuba. Amen

Oct 31 : ETHIOPIA (No 38 on the World Watch List)

69.2 million Christians (in a population of 115.4 million)

In Ethiopia, converts to Christianity from Islam and those who join Protestant groups from the Ethiopian Orthodox Church (EOC) are equally susceptible to mistreatment from families and communities. Political violence - especially in Tigray - has led to believers being killed and churches destroyed, and the country has been gravely affected by drought and plagues.

OPEN DOORS works through local partners to strengthen Christians in Ethiopia with leadership and persecution survival training, economic empowerment projects and skills training.

PLEASE PRAY: for the government, as they lead a country greatly affected by war, drought and plagues; for Christians facing intense pressure to renounce their faith; for greater unity between Protestant groups and the EOC. Amen

FOR OVER 65 YEARS OPEN DOORS UK & IRELAND

HAS STOOD ALONGSIDE THE PERSECUTED CHURCH,

STRENGTHENING AND SUPPORTING CHRISTIANS

WHO DARE TO FOLLOW JESUS, NO MATTER THE COST.

Further details from www.opendoorsuk.org Tel 01993 460015