A long journey completed. A sigh of relief. Joy irrepressible. The graduating students of Cape Town Baptist Seminary feel these emotions. Nine students will graduate on December 6 after four, five, or even nine years of following God's calling to serve Him in ministry. These dedicated servants of God have trained their head, heart, and hands. They shall spread the truth about Jesus to every nation. Those nations include the tribes of South Africa and people from across the African continent. With paper in one hand and a Bible in the other, the students excitedly prepare to work among people whom God loves. Pray for each student to live filled with the Holy Spirit, to walk like Jesus, and to seek the Father. Ask God to protect and lead them. Praise God for calling and preparing these students! "All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age" (Matthew 28:18-20 ESV).
http://www.imb.org/sub-saharan-africa/
A local architect is working with a "micro-farm church" in rural Norway, in partnership with a Baptist church in Georgia. They are working to develop plans for improving and expanding the facilities of the farm to become a space for the church plant and for a ministry center and retreat center. Pray that there will not be any unforeseen setbacks that would keep FBC Loganville from beginning to send construction teams in early 2026.
Yara thought that a life away from war would bring her peace and joy. But even after receiving residency in her new country, she continued to feel empty and sad. A Christian woman in her neighborhood invited her to share a meal at a local Arabic-language church. She immediately felt a different kind of love from the people in the church, so she decided to attend a weekend conference with them. She began to have many questions about Christianity, so she asked the pastor if he could meet with her. After she did a Bible study with the pastor and a believing woman, the pastor explained to her the basics of the Christian faith and told her about salvation and redemption. At the end of their meeting, Yara decided to give her life to Jesus! Now she is filled with peace and joy and is looking forward to being baptized. Praise the Lord that He has brought salvation to Yara! Pray that she will "[bear] fruit in every good work and [increase] in the knowledge of God" (Colossians 1:10 ESV).
(OO-tar pra-DESH) - A group of Muslim-background believers who have all been baptized have recently been introduced to a lot of biblical truths and gospel-sharing tools. They are very excited about the work! Pray for their boldness to continue to share the good news, even as hard questions and persecution comes.
The Christmas holiday season is a great opportunity for Turkish believers to share about their faith. Due to the Western exportation of ideas such as gift-giving, Christmas decor, and even Santa Claus, there can be a lot of misunderstanding around the true meaning of the holiday, but there is curiosity, as well. Shopping malls in Turkey have Christmas trees, and even Christmas carols play in the background of public places, with local people oblivious to the meaning of the songs they are hearing. As believers in Turkey prepare to celebrate, there are natural segues into truth-conversations with friends, neighbors, and family members. Please pray for Turkish believers to have boldness during the holiday season to share the hope of Jesus' coming. Pray for open hearts among the Mediterranean Turks to the truth.
centralasianpeoples@protonmail.com
(MEE-boh) - Where the Mebo people live, Buddhist Lent ended in October. Pearly's family promised her they would become believers after Lent. Pearly has been a believer for only one year, but her life has changed since she became a Christian. The Lord has helped her greatly in her struggles with mental health. She does not live in her village anymore; she lives with her Christian husband who has helped her grow in her faith. He is now studying to become a pastor. Pearly's family saw the drastic changes in her life, and they want to become Christians. They read their Bible daily, but they are still afraid of the Buddhist traditions and responsibilities they would have to break away from to follow Jesus. Pray for Pearly to stand strong, and for her family to accept Christ, and that a house church could be started in her home village.
pray4APAC@imb.org
(muh-DRID) - Please pray for the youth at a church in Madrid, Spain. Pray that God will help church leaders to invest in and mentor them well. Pray that those who are believers will grow in their faith in the Lord, and that those who are not yet believers will surrender their lives to Christ.
The new rice season has arrived in Japan, but there is an ongoing rice crisis. The Japanese are paying over 30% more for rice than before. This is a challenge because in Japan rice is the main dish rather than a side dish as in other places. Rice farmers are using new cultivation methods to increase the rice yields and less labor-intensive ways to farm, yet more and more aging farmers are retiring and not recommending their calling to those who are younger. But greater than a rice crisis the real problem in Japan is the lack of understanding of the free gift of the bread of life for all. Along with this, an ever-increasing number of pastors are retiring and not enough new pastors are rising to fill their shoes. Pray that the Lord of the harvest will call out new pastors to share the living bread that came down from heaven and that multitudes will find their deepest hunger satisfied in Jesus!
pray4APAC@imb.org
Several million Green Mountain Arabs have been cut off from the gospel for more than a millennium because of Islam and the heavy persecution of Christians. Tragically, they are taught that Jesus is just one of the prophets and a steppingstone to the true hero, Muhammad. They have never read the Bible nor heard about the real Jesus, who is "the way, and the truth, and the life" (John 14:6 ESV). Those from this people group who follow Christ -- less than .01% -- face extreme challenges when trying to form churches, such as government surveillance or persecution from their family members. They also encounter "fake Christians" infiltrating groups for money, either preying on their compassion without any genuine spiritual interest or spying on them for Islamic extremist groups. But God sees and loves the Green Mountain Arabs, and He sent Jesus to redeem them. He is the Lord of the harvest, so one day, they, too, will be among all the "tribes and peoples and languages" depicted in Revelation 7:9 (ESV), worshiping around His throne. Please pray for the salvation of the Green Mountain Arabs.
(sahn-tee-AH-go) - A church plant in a key area has struggled to find traction this year. Please pray for this group on Saturday, December 6, as they host a Christmas event, asking that new people will come and be impacted by the gospel. Pray for a new place to meet in the new year, and pray for encouragement for the leaders as well as wisdom to make good decisions.
santiagocityteam@gmail.com
Three "Scripture planters" have been trained to bring God's Word to life through oral Bible translation. One just completed translating Mark and is now beginning Ruth. Another has completed translating the Creation-to-Christ story and will soon start Matthew. A third is preparing to reach two new unreached groups this year. Pray that more local believers will hunger for God's Word in their own language and join this sacred work of translating Scripture, sharing God's Word with hearts and communities. "For the earth will be filled with the knowledge of the glory of the LORD as the waters cover the sea" (Habakkuk 2:14). "Lord Jesus, bless these 'Scripture planters' as they speak Your Word into new languages. Stir a longing among local believers to know You deeply and share Your truth boldly. May every tribe soon hear Your voice in the language of their hearts. Amen."
pray4APAC@imb.org
(DEE-goh) - Please pray for the Digo and coastal families who will be receiving Christmas bags with supplies in them as an outreach ministry. In these bags, there will also be a copy of the Book of John. Pray that these families will be curious and read the Book of John and be introduced to Jesus, the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world, the Bread of Life, the Living Water, the Good Shepherd, and the Messiah who died and rose again, providing the only way to a relationship with God the Father. Pray that through the Word of God, which is "living and active, and sharper than any two-edged sword" (Hebrews 4:12 NASB), they will be drawn to Jesus. Pray for a Christmas miracle: that these families will put their trust in Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord!
http://www.imb.org/sub-saharan-africa/
Many Bangladeshi churches are planning Christmas events and programs to celebrate Jesus' birth. Sometimes these events are just a big party for church members as opposed to being evangelistic opportunities for surrounding communities. Please pray that these events will be more outward focused than inward focused and that many people will come to learn about Jesus either for the first time or with new, listening ears as they hear the gospel message.
Workers write: "Christmas is a wonderful time to celebrate the birth of our Savior. Across the region, people will be using this opportunity to share with the lost people around them. Parties, outreach events, and open houses will happen in both churches and in homes. Pray that many will hear the good news at these events and receive salvation!"
pray4APAC@imb.org
