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Monthly Prayer Agenda

November 2019 Global Prayer Agenda

Created: Sunday, 22 December 2019 23:34
Hits: 8315

Welcome to the November 2019 Global Prayer Agenda featuring major concerns affecting the nations of our world, and the growth of Christ's church universally for the advancement of world evangelism and the establishment of God's Kingdom.  This agenda was specially prepared for use during the Monthly Global Prayer Teleconference sessions by a few members of the team of leaders facilitating these monthly global prayer calls.  The agenda is structured into three main categories for the convenience of our users.  As you join us in prayer about these various issues, during this month, we trust that you will find the experience spiritually rewarding.  We also extend a special invitation to join us for our next Monthly Global Prayer Teleconference.   

Category One

Prayer for the United States, Canada,  South America, the Caribbean, and Europe

Category 1 Scripture Verse:

“God, be merciful to them and bless them, and cause Your face to shine upon them, that Your way may be known on the earth, Your salvation among all the nations. Let the peoples praise You, Oh God; let all the peoples praise You. Oh, let the nations be glad and sing for joy! For You shall judge the people righteously, and govern the nations on earth.” (Psalm 67:1-4 NIV)

Prayer for the United States

Some Important Facts on the State of the church and spiritual needs of the nation

  • Based on the current rates of retention and evangelism, it's estimated that 42 million young people could leave the church by 2050. That is over one million young people walking away from the church each year. If, however, we can revert to Gen X rates of retention and evangelism, that number can be reduced to only 20 million.
  • It is also estimated that 176,000 churches could close by 2050 in the US if the trend continues.
  • Every year, about 4,000 churches are planted in the US and every year about 3,700 churches close.  Based on population growth rate we need to triple church planting in the next five years.  By 2050 it is estimated that the US will need to plant 416, 000 new churches. (Source: www.thegreatopportunit,org)
  • At any given time, 75% of pastors in America want to quit. (Church Resource Ministries – 1998)
  • More than 2000 pastors are leaving the ministry each month. (Marble Retreat Center 2001)  (Source: www.Standaloneministry.org)
  • Francis Chan warns Satan is 'getting the victory' amid lack of unity in US churches
  • Suicide is the 10th leading cause of death in the US; 47,173 Americans committed suicide in 2017, but there were an estimated 1,4000,000 suicide attempts in the year. In 2015 suicide and self-inflicted injuries cost the Federal Government $69 billion. But the sad news is that the suicide rate is trending upwards, an indication of the high level of hopelessness permeating every sector of American culture.
  • More than 61 million abortions have been performed in the United States since 1973 when the U.S. Supreme Court's Roe v. Wade decision made the procedure legal. For the same period, the number of abortions committed worldwide is estimated at 16 million. Fewer U.S. women are having abortions than at any time since Roe v. Wade, according to new government figures. In 2015, the most recent year for which data is available, a total of 638,169 abortions were reported, a decrease of 2 percent from 652,639 abortions in 2014.  New York Governor signed into law a recent bill expanding abortions rights, legalizing later terms abortions.`

These facts underscore the dire need for spiritual revival in the church in America.

Pray

  1. For all pastors across America facing all types of moral failure that continue to undermine the credible witness of the church as salt and light of this nation, to turn to the Lord in prayer and repentance to help to facilitate revival in the church for the spiritual healing and transformation of the nation so urgently needed at this time.  
  2. A spiritual revival in the church across America is what is needed today to bring about the healing and social transformation of the nation through the additions of millions of new converts.  As we pray today for revival in the Church across America, let us pray especially to the Father to pour out upon the Christian community across America at this time a spirit of prayer marked by a deep hunger and reverence for Him, repentance towards Him, love for one another and unity to heal the growing divisions within its midst.
  3. Jesus says, “I come that you might have life and have it more abundantly.”  Pray against the culture of death pervading America, reflected in the high suicide and abortion rates being reported in the nation annually.

Prayer for the United States Government

1 Timothy 2: 1 – 6

“I urge, then, first of all, that petitions, prayers, intercession, and thanksgiving be made for all people— for kings and all those in authority, that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness. This is good and pleases God our Savior, four who wants all people to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth. For there is one God and one mediator between God and mankind, the man Christ Jesus, six who gave himself as a ransom for all people. This has now been witnessed to at the proper time” (NIV).

PRAY

  1. For President Donald Trump and his family; all members of his Cabinet and White House staff, for their safety, protection, and wisdom to govern the country justly and in the fear of God.
  2. For the love, peace, and unity of God to permeate all areas of our deeply divided US Government to facilitate healing and reconciliation in all sectors of American life.
  3. For a divine solution to the migrant crisis at the US southern border.

Prayer for Children and Youth across America

Kentucky School Must Remove 'Prayer Lockers' after Group Says it's Unconstitutional

Will Maule | ChristianHeadlines.com Contributor | Wednesday, October 9, 2019

An attorney representing a Kentucky public school board has convinced his district to remove "prayer lockers" with immediate effect following a complaint.

The specific lockers in question were located at Pike Central High School had a sign emblazoned across them urging students to submit prayer requests. Facebook posts indicate that the Fellowship of Christian Athletes sponsored the initiative.   “Do you have a prayer request?” reads the sign, which can be seen clearly in a photo posted to Facebook. “Write it on a piece of paper. Slip it into the locker. Our prayer team/FCA students would love to pray for you. All requests will remain anonymous.”…Shortly after hearing news of the initiative and seeing the Facebook post themselves, the anti-religion group “Americans United for Separation of Church and State” lodged a complaint, arguing that the locker was “likely a violation of the Establishment Clause of the First Amendment.”…

… Indeed, not everyone was happy with the closure of the prayer lockers, with one student saying the initiative had been the “biggest blessing.”

“My church and I have prayed for every need that was placed in this locker. However, after tomorrow, there will be some changes to the way I collect people’s prayer needs,” student Emily Chaney explained on Facebook. “After tomorrow, prayer needs will need to be given to me personally rather than in the locker. To make things easier, the first 5 minutes of break I will be in the cafeteria and can take any prayer requests cards you may have. Thank you to everyone who has trusted me with your prayer needs, and please continue to bring those needs to me personally.”

“I love everyone and will keep praying because that is my religious freedom!”

'It's gonna be a hard movement to stop': Following AU backlash, Pike County students plan to "Pray Anyway"

By Buddy Forbes | 

Posted: Mon 6:55 PM, Oct 14, 2019  | 

Updated: Mon 11:51 PM, Oct 14, 2019

PIKE COUNTY, Ky. (WYMT) - Students in Pike County are pushing back following a recent letter from Americans United for the Separation of Church and State, which asked the Pike County Schools District to remove "prayer lockers" from its schools…

… Now some students at East Ridge High School are taking the project in a new direction with a challenge from a local church.

Elkhorn City Baptist Church pastor Aaron Butler said he was inspired by the love of God shown by the kids in his area and wanted to help encourage them to keep pushing for what they believe. So he introduced the "Pray Anyway" campaign.

"If we can't have one (prayer locker), we'll just have 50 to 100 in every school," Butler sa…

… Superintendent Adkins said the district has no issue with allowing students to take part in the campaign because it is student-led.

"Adult involvement was the only issue," Adkins said. "As long as it is student-led and does not disrupt the educational process, we will not have a problem at all."

PRAY

  1. Father, help our nation to get “back to basics” with the proper teaching of the history of our God-blessed nation to our children.
  2. Open the eyes of our national, state and local leaders to understand that “separation of church and state” does not strip us and our children of the right, privilege and God-given directive to be “light and salt” and give an answer for the hope that is in us.
  3. Open the eyes of all those in spiritual leadership (family, school, church) to be the supporters, encouragers and enablers of our students (Like Elkhorn City Baptist Church) as they stand up, step up and speak up for Christ on their campuses.

Prayer For Canada

How about “no” to dedicated Muslim prayer spaces in Toronto subway stations?

“A Change.org petition is calling on the Toronto Transit Commission to install Muslim prayer spaces in subway stations.”

“The petition was started by something called the Abu Ubaydah Islamic Centre and at the time of writing, it has more than 3,300 signatures.

I suppose anyone can ask for anything but the response I received when I reached out to a TTC spokesman on the matter, was a tad disturbing.”

“On the one hand, TTC spokesman Stewart Greene initially confirmed that setting aside extra space for anything in Toronto’s increasingly crowded subway stations would make for a logistical nightmare. On the other, the TTC’s official response I received later, suggests that they need to think about it once the petition is presented.”

“Huh?

Why isn’t the answer an outright no? Where’s that speech about separation of church and state?

While diversity is our strength and discrimination is bad, apparently some discrimination for a particular type of diversity is good, I suppose.”

(Source: https://www.therebel.media/how-about-no-to-dedicated-muslim-prayer-spaces-in-toronto-subway-stations-)

Note: 

Interestingly, while efforts continue in Canada to restrict God, the Bible and the active presence of the Christian faith in the public square as we see in the recent arrest and prosecution of Pastor Lyn for preaching the Gospel on the streets of Toronto and the subsequent eviction of his congregation from the rented space it occupied, efforts are now underway to facilitate the spread of Islam across Canada. Let us join together to intercede for the Lord God, the Righteous Judge over all the earth and the Soon-Coming King to reveal Himself as Lord in the church across Canada, revive His people again and cause His Name to be glorified throughout the nation through a strong and victorious church.

Pray for

  1. The Christian community across Canada to take a bold stand against the strategies of the Evil One at work through the Canadian authorities to outlaw the Scriptures as the basis of moral values for Christian families, schools, and colleges across Canada.
  2. Freedom of Pastor Lynn and his congregation facing increased opposition since his arrest for preaching against homosexuality in Toronto and for his vindication in the courts; pray also for other pastors, congregations and Christian organizations in Canada that are facing increasing hostility as a result of their opposition to homosexuality, gay marriage, and the LGBTQ gender ideology.
  3. For revival in the church across Canada resulting in large-scale salvation of the loss and social transformation of the nation.

 

Prayer for South America and the Caribbean

PRAYER ALERT: Executive Coups Favored by 23% of Latin Americans

Twenty-three percent of Latin Americans support “executive coups”, according to the Latin American Public Opinion Project—if such coups give their leaders power to solve vital issues. The issues include crime, poverty, food insecurity and corruption.

On September 30, Peru provided a dramatic example of this trend. President Martin Vizcarra dissolved Peru’s congress. He did so after the congress had blocked his anticorruption measures for four months. In response, many legislators refused to exit the Legislative Palace. But a growing crowd gathered outside to demand that they leave. The legislators finally complied. As a result of his move, President Vizcarra’s approval ratings jumped from 40 to 75 percent.

The success of the crowd’s pressure illustrates another trend. People are more willing to agitate in the streets until the desired change actually takes place. Not only in Hong Kong and Venezuela, but also recently in Chile, Ecuador, Guatemala and Puerto Rico, we see masses demonstrating against their government not once, but day after day, week after week, month after month, or even year after year.  While we can agree with their ends, we must take into account that democracy suffers as a consequence. Both autocratic rule and mob rule defy democratic processes.

In fact, the same Latin American Public Opinion Project found that 39+ percent were dissatisfied with how democracy was operating in their nation. Furthermore, of the 20 nations surveyed, only 3 trusted the democratic US more than communist China. That number had dropped from 14 trusting the US more in 2012.  We can easily find fault with constitutional democracy. Its checks and balances slow and sometimes stop the progress of desired political change. But its stability and protections for individual freedom favor the spread of the gospel. We must pray for such a peace that allows God’s people to increase and multiply unhindered:

“that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness. This is good, and pleases God our Savior, who wants all men to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth” (1 Tim 2:2-4, NIV).

Related source: Latin America awash in troubles amid protests, uprisings and a distracted Washington

Pray

Pray for God to:

  1. Make His will and judgments known to those campaigning for change in Peru, Venezuela, Chile, Ecuador, Guatemala, and Puerto Rico.
  2. End the violence, establish a peaceful atmosphere for protests, and clarify the real issues that are at stake.
  3. Reveal His higher way to rise from poverty to prosperity, and increase the true government and peace which have no end. And show that this way is ultimately found in Christ.

Revival across Europe

  1. European Students Unite in Prayer for Revival

SARAH BREUEL| Christianity today| OCTOBER 25, 2019|LAUSANNE [excerpts]

https://www.christianitytoday.com/edstetzer/2019/october/european-students-unite-in-prayer-for-revival.html

The student generation in Europe is hungry for revival. A wave of secularism has swept over Europe and its universities in the last decades, reducing God to a small corner for those who are not “intelligent enough.” But God cannot be contained into a corner. He is big enough to move, even in the hostile academic environment in Europe.

It is with this desire that student organizations such as IFES, Cru, Navigators, and Students for Christ have come together and rallied up with 22 other Christian organizations with a common vision of pursuing a Move of God in the student generation. The effort is called Revive Europe.

Thomas Bucher, the General Secretary of the European Evangelical Alliance, has added that “Europe is in a crisis. In crisis situations, God has often opened up unexpected avenues, often using youth.’’

European students started a 40-week prayer campaign for 40 countries in February 2019. Every Monday, one country is highlighted. The 40-week prayer campaign will culminate with students coming together for five days at the end of this year in Germany, where the hope is to gather 5,000 students from 50 countries. The organizers are preparing extensive times of prayer, worship, repentance, and study [of the word].

It is historic to have student and mission organizations partnering this way in Europe. ‘‘What a movement of the Spirit to get us all at the same table! What will God do with and through Revive?’’ says Connie Duarte, Chair of Mission Net and Board Member of the European Evangelical Alliance.

European students have been fighting back the wave of secularization for years. In the public sphere in particular, they have been organizing ‘mission weeks,’ in which students put together public debates, apologetic talks, and lunch bars on campuses to bear witness to Jesus. Just in the last year, about 200 mission weeks have taken place in 30 European countries.

The challenges in the so-called ‘Prodigal continent’ are overwhelming. In the history of revivals. As Erzsébet Komlósi, European Director for Scripture Union says, ‘‘Our old continent is in desperate need for a new revival.’’

PRAY

  1. That more and more Christians would rise up with a new zeal, boldness and courage and join in with the Revive Europe initiative, to pray and work for revival in Europe.
  2. That God will draw students from the countries throughout Europe to gather together in Germany at the end of the year, for the extensive time of prayer, worship, repentance, and Bible study, as planned.
  3. That God would move in a mighty way and meet the longing for more of Christ and His Spirit and power that so many people in Europe have and need.

2.      Turkish billboards: “Don’t take Jews and Christians as friends”

 ARTHUR LYONS | VOICE OF EUROPE | 26 October 2019 [excerpts]

https://voiceofeurope.com/2019/10/turkish-billboards-dont-take-jews-and-christians-as-friends/

Billboards displaying Quranic verses calling for Muslims not to take Christians and Jews as friends were spotted in the Turkish city of Konya earlier this week. 

Konya is well-known as Turkey’s most culturally conservative city. In last March’s local elections, Islamist Justice and Development Party (AKP) garnered more than 70 percent of the vote.

“Do not take the Jews and the Christians as allies. They are [in fact] allies of one another. And whoever is an ally to them among you – then indeed, he is [one]of them. Indeed, Allah guides not the wrongdoing people,” the posters say, citing Quranic chapter five, verse 51.

To the side of the Quranic quote are a cross and a star of David with bloodstains. 

The posters are believed to have been put up by Islamist organizations. Below the Quranic verse are the logos of two organizations that are affiliated with the Islamist Saadet Partisi (Felicity Party) – a party which belongs to the notorious Millî Görüş movement.

Millî Görüş has been referred to as one of the “the leading Turkish diaspora organizations in Europe” and has also been described as the largest Islamic organization operating in the West.

Turkey, a country that is 98 percent Muslim, is home to between 200,000 to 320,000 Christians, and close to 12,000 Jews.

The billboards were eventually removed following widespread outrage.

Complaints were received from members of the public over concern that the posters could incite religious hatred and that the content was “hateful” to religious minorities. Both Jews and Christians are tiny minorities in this overwhelmingly Muslim-majority country (

PRAY

  1. That God will protect His people in Turkey from both open and subtle persecution at the hands of their non-Christian neighbors who make up the overwhelming majority of the population
  2. That God will grant the tiny minority of His people increasing strength. Enable them to exercise overwhelming influence in the affairs of the nation – socially, politically and culturally, even as Daniel and his friends had in Babylon.
  3. That God will grant His people an open door which no man can shut, to bear witness to the Name of Jesus Christ with the overwhelming power and enablement of the Holy Spirit.

 

Category 2

 Israel, the Middle East, and Africa

Scripture: Ps. 40:1-9 NIV

Iran and Israel

WASHINGTON - The United States and six other countries imposed sanctions on Wednesday on 25 corporations, banks and people linked to Iran's support for militant networks including Hezbollah, the U.S. Treasury Department said in a statement.

The targets were announced by the Terrorist Financing Targeting Center (TFTC) nations — which also include Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates — as Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin was on a Middle East trip to finalize details of an economic development plan for the Palestinians, Jordan, Egypt and Lebanon.

In Jerusalem on Monday, Mnuchin said the United States would increase economic pressure on Iran over its nuclear program, making the pledge during a Middle East trip that includes visits to U.S. allies Israel and Saudi Arabia. (Reuters, October 30, 2019)

https://www.voanews.com/middle-east/7-countries-issue-iran-related-sanctions-25-targets

Pray

  1. Pray for International leaders to continue to take action against Iran because of their support of militant groups that oppose Israel such as Hezbollah.
  2. Pray for the protection, peace, and prosperity of Israel.
  3. Pray for the continued growth and strengthening of the Church in Israel and Iran.

Nigeria

KATSINA, Nigeria, Oct 16 (Reuters) - Police freed about 500 men and boys from an Islamic school in northern Nigeria on Wednesday, many of whom had been chained to walls, molested and beaten, police sources said. The raid in Katsina was the third such operation in less than a month, bringing the total of people freed from abusive conditions this month alone to about 1,000.

President Muhammadu Buhari's government is under pressure to take urgent action to free the potentially thousands of other children who remain in similar schools across Nigeria.

Another purported Islamic school, where captives were chained to walls, some beaten so badly they needed help walking, was raided in September in neighboring Kaduna state. (Abdullahi Inuwa, Reuters, October 16, 2019)

https://www.yahoo.com/news/1-police-free-hundreds-males-162015284.html

Pray

  1. Pray that the nearly 1,000 men and boys freed from Islamic schools would come to faith in Christ and experience healing from their abuses.
  2. Pray that those responsible for abusing approximately 1,000 men and boys would be brought to justice.
  3. Pray for the strengthening and growth of the Church in northern Nigeria.

Ethiopia

Ethiopia Sources from New York times reported 67 people dead in Ethiopia from ethnic conflicts sparked by rival groups in Addis Ababa.  The protests were fueled by media house owned by Mr. Jawar Mohammed a renowned political activist and journalist.  The Oromo conflict lead by Oromo Liberation front and the Oromo Liberation army. The 45 years conflict between the Oromo communities and the Government of Ethiopia has centered on injustices on distribution of state resources, including government positions, access to grazing land, and water resources, including regional hegemony.

The latest conflict comes on the backdrop of prime Minister Abiy Ahemed receiving Nobel peace prize for his efforts in negotiating and ending conflicts in Sudan, and Eritrea.  Mr Jawar is said to have expressed his interest to run against Abiy in the next election and is viewed as a formidable opponent, wielding over 1.75 million Facebook followers and political supporters. (Peter Kegode, IMPI Facilitator, October 28, 2019). https://www.nytimes.com/2019/10/25/world/africa/ethiopia-protests-prime-minister.html

Pray

  1. Pray for God to comfort the families of the victims of violence.
  2. Pray against the spirit of violence and for justice to be done for those involved in the violence.
  3. Pray for a lasting peaceful solution to be found between Oromia and rival communities in Ethiopia.
  4. Pray for revival to touch every corner of the nation of Ethiopia.
  5. Pray for growth of Church of Christ in Ethiopia

Algeria

Algeria is at least 95 percent Muslim, and believers face intolerable pressures from family and neighbors militating against the open expression of their faith, along with anti-conversion and blasphemy laws, according to Open Doors’ World Watch List. Yet in God’s economy, as much as Satan attempts to squeeze the church, the faster it grows. This has been demonstrated during the last decade in Algeria.

“In 2008, there were an estimated 10,000 Christians…by 2015, that number had grown to 380,000. I believe it could now be approaching 500,000,” notes Dr. Rex Rogers, president of SAT-7 USA. He attributes a healthy portion of the growth to Christian satellite programming they produce and beam into this and other North African countries.

 “There is now a rapidly growing church in Northern Algeria with 1,000 believers. So many are coming to Christ that every few months they hold a baptism service where 60 to 100 new believers declare their new faith,” Rogers says. This church has already planted 14 daughter churches, he says. (Mark Ellis, CP Guest Contributor, July 11, 2019)

https://www.christianpost.com/news/algeria-church-grows-50-fold-in-10-years.html

The Algerian government shut down three churches this week, including the two biggest congregations in the North African country. Authorities forced Christians from their buildings and arrested some who continued to protest the crackdown. Members of the largest Protestant congregation in Algeria—the 700-member Church of the Full Gospel in Tizi-Ouzou—were warned their church would be sealed by the government this Wednesday. When they met for prayer and worship on Tuesday, the gathering was raided by the national guard.

The crowd at the Church of the Full Gospel panicked as they were ordered to leave. Some refused and were forcibly dragged out. When leaders—including pastor Salah Chalah, head the Protestant churches in Algeria (L’Église Protestante d’Algérie), and pastor Tarek Berki—tried to intervene, they were beaten, Morning Star News (MSN) reported.

The second-largest congregation, the 500-member Source of Life Church in Makouda, was shut down the same day, followed by 100-member Light Church (L’eglise Tafat) in Tizi Ouzou.

At least 15 Protestant churches—out of only about 46 in the country—have been shuttered since January 2018, according to the Christian advocacy group Middle East Concern. The country, home to just 125,000 Christians, fewer than 1 percent of the population, ranks 22nd on Open Doors’ World Watch List.

Middle East Concern reports that the latest closures were ordered last week, after Protestants rallied in front a government building in their northern province of Bijaya on October 9. (KATE SHELLNUTT, Christianity Today, OCTOBER 17, 2019)
https://www.christianitytoday.com/news/2019/october/algeria-forces-christians-out-of-countrys-largest-churches.html

Pray

  1. Thank God the growth of the Church in Algeria.
  2. Pray that Church leaders would know the Lord’s peace, wisdom, and guidance in the face of the growing pressure.
  3. Pray that the churches ordered to close would soon be permitted to re-open, and that no further action will be taken against churches and church leaders still under investigation
  4. Pray for the authorities to end their systematic campaign to close churches and limit Christians’ freedom to worship
  5. Pray that the regulations governing non-Muslim worship would be amended and justly implemented so that Christians will be able to worship freely
  6. Pray that those responsible for the closure orders would know the conviction of the Holy Spirit and the forgiveness and new life offered by Jesus.

Syria

GENEVA - The U.N. refugee agency reports thousands of Syrian refugees have fled to Iraq in less than two weeks to escape Turkey's military onslaught in Kurdish-controlled areas of northeastern Syria. The UNHCR says since the last influx of Syrian refugees nearly two weeks ago, more than 12,000 people have crammed into the recently opened Bardarash camp, and more than 800 other refugees are sheltering at the Gawilan Transit site. Both places are about 150 kilometers east of the border.

The UNHCR reports nearly 180,000 Syrian Kurds, including some 80,000 children, have been displaced since the start of the Turkish assault. Dozens of civilians reportedly have been killed. The U.N. estimates 1.3 million people in the region are in need of humanitarian assistance.

The U.N. refugee agency reports women and children comprise around three-quarters of the Syrian refugees in the two camp sites in Iraq. It says many are in need of psycho-social counseling. (Lisa Schlein, VOA News, October 30, 2019)

https://www.voanews.com/middle-east/thousands-syrian-kurds-flee-iraq-escape-turkish-incursion

In an interview Monday, Mazloum Abdi, the commanding general of the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), told VOA's Sirwan Kajjo that the United States made a strategic mistake by withdrawing its troops from northeast Syria. He said SDF "has not agreed to the U.S.-Turkey cease-fire agreement in its entirety." He added that SDF's trust in the United States is at its "lowest," but stressed that the alliance with Washington continues in the fight against the Islamic State terror group.

Days after U.S. President Donald Trump's Oct. 6 announcement that U.S. troops would withdraw from a border area in northeast Syria, the Turkish military and its allied Syrian militia groups began an offensive against SDF fighters. Last week, a temporary cease-fire, set to expire Tuesday, was brokered by the U.S. after a delegation led by Vice President Mike Pence met with Turkish officials in Ankara. Per the cease-fire deal, SDF Kurdish fighters and remaining civilians evacuated the city of Ras al-Ayn. (Sirwan Kajjo, VOA News, October 21, 2019)

https://www.voanews.com/extremism-watch/sdf-chief-our-trust-united-states-its-lowest

The United States is keeping some troops near oil fields in northeastern Syria to protect them from being captured by Islamic State, defense chief Mark Esper said Monday. A convoy of more than 100 vehicles with U.S. troops crossed into Iraq from Syria on Monday, part of the broader withdrawal from northern Syria ordered by President Donald Trump. But Esper said that some American forces were still patrolling near the oil fields alongside Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces. (By Ken Bredemeier, VOA News, October 21, 2019)

https://www.voanews.com/middle-east/us-keeping-troops-near-syrian-oil-fields

Hevrin Khalaf, a female politician who worked to unite Christians, Arabs and Kurds in Syria was among nine individuals executed by a Turkish-backed group in the northeast region of the country, according to a human rights monitor. (Leah MarieAnn Klett, C. P. Reporter, October 15, 2019)

https://www.christianpost.com/news/kurdish-female-politician-who-worked-to-unite-christians-arabs-kurds-executed-in-syria.html

Pray

  1. Pray for the protection and safety of the Kurds, especially for the Christians among them.
  2. Pray that displaced Kurds will receive humanitarian aid.
  3. Pray for the Lord to restrain the Turkish government and military from decimating the Kurds. Also pray for peace to be established between Turkey and the Kurds.
  4. Pray for the Kurds to find salvation in Christ.

Category 3

Prayer for Movement Day Global Cities, the Persecuted Church and Other Critical Concerns of Asia

Scripture   -   Psalms 7: 1 – 2; 6 - 10

PRAY 

Movement Day Expressions

  1. Please pray for the Movement Day Expressions team, Jurie Kriel, Jim Liske, and Naomi Edwards as they work to on the framework and building blocks for Movement Day Global Cities
  2. Please pray for Rev. Jurie Kriel as he transitions into the role of Director of Movement Day Expressions  Pray hat God gifts him fresh vision, insight, and creativity as he works to accelerate expressions of Movement Day
  3. Please pray for the PAN African gathering taking place later this month in Uganda.
  4. Pray for our Global Hub Leaders, as they cultivate relationships within their respective regions to advance unity within the body of Christ
  5. Pray that God would strengthen the Movement Day expressions team as we plan for Movement Day Global Cities 2020.
  6. Pray for the Movement Day expressions team as we have strategic conversations to build out the framework for Movement Day Global Cities 2020.

The Global Persecution of Christians

Over 215 million believers are persecuted with intimidation, prison, and even death for their faith in Jesus Christ across the world, Open Doors USA says in a report, listing the top 10 persecutors of Christians.

The report, released this week, notes that hostility against Christians is particularly intense in some areas "due to the focused efforts of either one person or a larger system bent on smashing or squeezing out Christians in the region."  Half of the top 10 human rights offenders toward Christians are Islamist terror groups, including the Islamic State terror group, also known as IS, ISIS, ISIL or Daesh. The brutal and targeted attacks from ISIS have driven many Christians to flee countries like Iraq, where Christianity has had a presence for nearly 2,000 years, the report says. "Ten years ago, there were nearly 1 million Christians living in Iraq, with a large majority of the population living in Mosul. Today, ISIS has been driven out of Iraq and Syria for the most part, but now they are spreading to Southeast Asia. Abū Bakr al-Baghdadi is the current leader of ISIS in western Iraq, Syria, Libya and Afghanistan," it notes.  While Islamic State was listed as No. 1, the list is not comprehensive or in particular order, the ministry notes.

The second persecutor of Christians listed is the al-Qaeda terror group, which has not been in news much but "has continued to fight in countries throughout the Middle East, often marking Christian communities as specific targets."  The report mentions particularly Yemen, where Christian converts from Islam are particularly at risk as they are already treated as outcasts by their own communities. "As Al-Qaeda takes advantage of distracted governments, Christians in their path experience intense persecution. Ayman al-Zawahiri, is the current leader of Al-Qaeda."

The far-right Hindu nationalist movement" seeks to wipe out any religious expression, including Christianity, that falls outside of the Hindu faith, the report says. It mentions the Hindu nationalist association Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh, or RSS, which "has created a culture war and made it very dangerous and difficult for many Christians living in the region who are often forced out of villages, beaten and arrested for believing in Jesus." The governing Hindu nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party in India is seen as the political wing of the RSS.

Fifth on the list is the al-Shabaab terror group, which is "in many ways the Eastern African version of al-Qaeda." "Al-Shabaab has terrorized the country of Somalia for the past decade and is recently focusing its attacks on the neighboring country of Kenya. Another top persecutor is the Boko Haram terror group in Nigeria, "whose belief is that any sort of Western influence is heresy, especially Christianity." "Boko Haram has conducted raids, bombings and assassinations against any target it deems Western, especially churches and schools. They have taken out contracts on influential Christian leaders and are also at war with the Nigerian government," says the ministry.

Next on the list are Muslim Fulani herdsmen in northeastern Nigeria, who have been accused of aligning with Boko Haram.

The 2017 Global Terrorism Index described the herdsmen, who attack Christians regularly in southern Adamawa, as terrorists in 2014. According to the index, the Fulani are responsible for as many as 60,000 deaths since 2001. Nigerian Christian leaders warned that if the current rate of massacres continues, with hundreds of believers being killed each month, Africa's most-populous nation is on the brink of decimating its Christian population by 2043.

Open Doors further identified as a top persecutor radical Islam, which continues to spread, "aiming to bring many parts of the world under Sharia Law." "The movement, which often results in Islamic militancy and persecution of Christians," is expanding in Asia, including the Philippines, Bangladesh, Indonesia, and in African countries like Egypt, Nigeria and Somalia. (Source: Christian Post - June 2018)

PRAY

  1. For the over 215 million Christians worldwide suffering persecution with intimidation, prison, and even death for their faith in Jesus Christ across the world to experience the blessings of the Kingdom promised by Christ to those who suffer persecution for righteousness;   
  1. For the millions of persecuted Christians around the world, who are facing economic hardship and other major difficulties threatening their survival. Pray for God’s strength, covering and protection for all these believers. 
  2. For the conversion of key leaders of groups who hate and persecute Christians around the world.

India

8 Christians arrested in Hindu mob's brutal crackdown on house churches: report

CP CURRENT PAGE:WORLD | SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 28, 2019

A massive crackdown on house churches by radical Hindu groups has led to the jailing of at least eight Christians on charges of forced conversion in the Lakhimpur Khere district of Uttar Pradesha fter, according to the persecution advocacy group International Christian Concern.

Since 2014 when the Hindu nationalist BJP rose to power in India, there has been a drastic rise in Hindu extremist persecution against Christians and other religious minorities. According to the online resource Map violence, there have been over 1,400 incidents of persecution against Christians in India since 2014.  Hindu mobs often resort to violence and accuse Christian leaders of forced conversion, an act that is considered a crime in seven Indian states. 

Although Uttar Pradesh is not one of those states, Hindus instead accuse religious minorities of violating the nation’s blasphemy laws. 

 (Source: https://www.christianpost.com/world/8-christians-arrested-hindu-mob-crackdown-house-churches.html).

PRAY

  1. For the speedy release of the eight arrested Christians and for the house churches Uttar Pradesh facing persecution from Hindu radicals.
  2. For the improvement in religious freedom conditions in India to facilitate the growth of church;
  1. For the continued growth of the church in India despite persecution.

 

North Korea

 

Chinese pastor shared Gospel with 1,000 North Koreans before being assassinated for his faith

“A pastor on the China-North Korea border shared the hope of the Gospel with at least 1,000 North Koreans before he was assassinated for his missionary work in 2016, a defector has revealed.  Voice of the Martyrs says the Rev. Han Chung-Ryeol, a Chinese pastor of Korean descent, was on Pyongyang's most-wanted list as early as 2003 for his charitable work and dedication to spreading the Gospel.”

“Han, who ministered on the border town of Changbai since the early 1990s, ministered to thousands of North Koreans over the years — many of whom had fled the famine-stricken country in search of food and jobs. The pastor provided practical aid, such as food and clothing, and introduced each person to the Gospel before sending them back to North Korea to share Christ and help their families. After planting a Three-Self Church near the North Korean border in 1993, Han helped orphans, women enslaved to prostitution, soldiers, those starving from famine, and many others.  One man helped by Han, Sang-chul, shared his story in a short documentary released by The Voice of the Martyrs.” 

“North Korea has for the last 18 years ranked as the worst persecutor of Christians in the world on Open Doors USA’s World Watch List. In the hermit country, those who profess Christ or are caught communicating with missionaries face severe repercussions like torture and imprisonment. No definitive estimates exist on how many people have died inside North Korean political camps but some believe the number ranges from 400,000 to many millions.”

(Source: https://www.christianpost.com/news/chinese-pastor-shared-gospel-with-1000-north-koreans-before-being-assassinated-for-his-faith.html?fbclid=IwAR3ZcZu20sSATpFWmRdjPi2TP--v7xUX_Cke_cAZF31Yt1k2ou6ERmHe6f4 )

PRAY

  1. Praise God for the life Chinese pastor of Korean descent Rev. Han Chung-Ryeol, for his charitable work and dedication to spreading the Gospel to the people of North Korea and also for the lives of the other numerous Christian martyrs of North Korea who gave their lives as a sacrifice for the Gospel among the Korean people.
  2. For the safety and protection of believers in North Korea who continue to risk their lives to share the Gospel with others and for the peotection of the over 50,000 North Korean Christians in concentration camps suffering for their faith in Christ.
  3. For the continued growth of the church in North Korea and the spread of the Christian influence  despite increased persecution

China

China destroys 3,000-seat church, detains pastors

CP CURRENT PAGE:WORLD | MONDAY, OCTOBER 21, 2019

The People’s Republic of China destroyed a church that reportedly could seat 3,000 people and detained its pastors, according to a human rights organization. China Aid, an international nonprofit Christian human rights group based in Texas, reported the incident in a statement released Saturday. According to the group, Chinese authorities provided no legal papers to justify the demolition.

The church was located in Funan, Anhui province. Its pastors, Geng Yimin and Sun Yongyao, were detained under suspicion of “gathering a crowd to disturb social order.”

China Aid President Bob Fu said in a statement that the incident was “yet another clear example showing the escalation of religious persecution today by the Chinese Communist regime.”

“The total disregard of religious freedom's protection as enshrined in the Communist Party's own Constitution tells the whole world President Xi is determined to continue his war against the peaceful Christian faithful. This campaign will surely fail in the end,” he continued.

While China’s persecution of religious groups has existed for many years, recently under President Xi Jinping a wave of crackdowns on religious practices in China has taken place.

The Communist government has destroyed or damaged several churches, reflecting concerns about the increasing Christian population of the country.

In the summer, True Jesus Church in Henan province was razed to the ground, according to persecution watchdog Bitter Winter. Police officers reportedly dragged out all believers from the church before they demolished the property.

Bitter Winter also reported last month that the Ten Commandments have been removed from nearly every Three-Self church and meeting venue in a county of Luoyang city and replaced with President Xi Jinping’s quotes as part of the Chinese Communist Party’s efforts to “sinicize” Christianity.

Pray

  1. Praise God for the resilience of Chinese Christians that are persecuted and imprisoned for their faith in Christ.
  1. Pray for the release of Pastors Geng Yimin and Sun Yongyao who were detained following the demolition of the building housing their 3000 members congregations. Pray also for the congregation during this difficult and uncertain time.
  1. Pray for the house church movement across China facing various efforts of the Chinese Government to restrict its growth across China, including demolition of church buildings, removal of crosses and banning of free access to Bibles. 
  1. For the continued growth of the church across China despite harsh persecution to facilitate the expansion of Christianity across Asia.

 

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