29% of the world’s population are considered unreached, that’s over 2 billion people with little access to a church, a believer or a bible.
Currently, among East Asia’s peoples, over 667 million people are still unlikely to meet a follower of Jesus.
Billions of East Asians do not know Christ, and millions have little to no access to the gospel, a Christian church, or even a single believer. We believe God is calling us to focus prayer, people and resources to bring the hope of Christ to unreached peoples in East Asia and around the world.
Each month during 2017 our aim is to start a focused prayer movement for a different unreached country or people group. We hope you will consider being part of this movement—and help bring the hope of Christ to those who have little to no access to the gospel.
Vietnam is a vibrant, growing country. With a population of 94 million people, it is the 14th largest country in the world. Eighty million of Vietnam’s people are ethnic Vietnamese. The church among them is small but growing steadily. However, only 1 percent of Vietnamese in the South and 0.05 percent in the North know Christ. The gospel has spread rapidly among some of Vietnam’s minority people groups. But in other minority groups, there are hardly any Christians.
Prayer makes a difference. Join in praying for this country and all its people to have the opportunity to hear and respond to the gospel. Pray for greater growth of the church among the majority Vietnamese population as individuals and families are transformed by God’s love.
Day One – Sowing the Seeds
In Vietnam there are many obstacles to the Good News taking root in people’s lives, just like those Jesus spoke of in the parable of the sower. Trouble and persecution from family cause people to fall away from faith, and materialism
stifles growth in the gospel. Praise God for the times the seed falls on good soil and produces a crop many times over.
Lord, help Vietnamese Christians to present the message of Christ in ways that ensure a clear understanding of the gospel, as well as a call to obedience and commitment.
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Lord, may your word bring transformation, not just in the lives of believers, but also among the unreached through the witness of church communities.
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Lord, give boldness as churches teach about obedience and the cost of living as a disciple. We pray that the message would avoid legalism and communicate God’s grace.
Day Two – Transforming Communities
As the kingdom of God grows in Vietnam, there are reasons to rejoice. Not only are individuals coming to know Jesus, but entire families, communities and people groups are being transformed by the gospel. Pray for greater breakthrough, that the harvest would be multiplied.
Lord, we pray that those who have decided to follow you would have wisdom and be sensitive to how their faith impacts relationships in their family. We pray they would be bold in their commitment to Christ while striving to maintain harmony.
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Lord, thank you for the power of changed lives to communicate the Good News. We pray for new believers to be equipped to share their own story of finding hope.
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Lord, we pray for breakthrough among many families living in fear of ancestral and other spirits. We pray that they would recognize Jesus’ authority over the spirits and trust his power to protect them.
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Lord, give Christians confidence to walk in the freedom you give, not consulting mediums or following the superstitions of those around them. Give wisdom to those dealing with demon possession.
Day Three – Facing Challenges
Vietnam has more than 50 minority groups. In the northern provinces, many of these groups remain completely unreached with the gospel. Some of the largest groups are the Muong (1.4 million), Tay (1.7 million), Nung (1.1 million) and Black Thai (800,000). There are a few believers in all of these groups, but the vast majority remain far from God.
Lord, pour out your Spirit on Vietnam’s minority people groups. We ask for the few believers to proclaim the gospel to their family and friends. Give believers ears to listen to the story of others and clarity in sharing their story and your story.
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Lord, we pray for your people to be discipled and to grow in faith that leads to fruitful obedience. We pray for them to make disciples of others. We long to see groups of people worshiping and obeying you in every village.
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Lord, raise up local leaders who are filled with your Spirit, trust in the authority of your word and can teach it to others.
Day Four – Communicating the Message
Sharing Bible stories is one effective way to communicate God’s love and grace. Stories can be easily understood and are often warmly received. Pray that new believers would receive a solid foundation in God’s word, which has the power to transform their worldviews.
Lord, give your people a love for your word. Provide churches in Vietnam with pastors who can equip their church members to understand and apply your word to their own lives.
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Lord, thank you that many children across Vietnam are hearing about Jesus. Raise up a new generation ready to love and obey you. May they be grounded in your word and empowered to influence their nation.
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Lord, we praise you for creative ways of bringing the gospel to those who have never heard. We pray for people to hear you speak as your truth is shared with them.
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Lord, please help Christians and churches to take full advantage of special opportunities like Christmas and children’s festivals to share about Jesus.
Day Five – Empowering Workers
Training and mentoring is critical in grounding new believers in their walk with Christ. Pray for those with a heart for mission to be sent cross-culturally to other people groups, both within and beyond Vietnam.
Lord, call skilled Christian workers to go live in Vietnam, study the language, become acquainted with the people and walk alongside them, sharing life and faith together.
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Lord, thank you for a young generation of believers with a passion to see God at work in their nation. We pray for wisdom as they try new approaches to mission, breaking away from traditional methods.
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Lord, give wisdom to those providing training to new believers, that it would appropriately meet the needs of the people who receive it.
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Lord, we pray for approaches which train Vietnamese to equip their own people, enabling kingdom growth and transformation to be passed on.
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Lord, empower believers to effectively share the gospel so that thousands of Vietnamese may clearly understand and accept the message of Christ.
Next Steps
Is God drawing you to more focused prayer or involvement with the people of Vietnam? Consider additional ways to nurture God’s love among these people.
PRAY. Partner with God’s work in Vietnam through prayer. Contact prayer@omf.org for more information about prayer resources for Vietnam.
GIVE. As God directs, some intercessors may be prompted to invest in a project launched by friends devoting their lives to the people of Vietnam. Contributions to this project directly impact disciplemaking and training efforts. Contact prayer@omf.org to learn more about this opportunity.
PARTNER. Mobilizing your community to join God’s work in Vietnam is a vital ministry. Will you encourage others to pray and serve?
GO. Is God stirring in you a desire for further involvement? Serve Asia opportunities from 2 weeks to 11 months allow you to explore how God is leading. Teach English, prayer walk, serve and encourage those already working with Vietnam’s people. Visit serveasia.org to find out more.
What resonates in your heart? How do you want to get involved? Contact prayer@omf.org or visit omf.org/us for more information.
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