2017 October Prayer Powerlines

“See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it? I am making a way in the wilderness and streams in the wasteland.” –Isaiah 43:19

1. PRAY FOR URBAN CHINA. This month, join us in praying for urban China. With 40,000 people moving to the cities daily, it is estimated that by 2030, 1 billion people will be living in China’s cities. Pray that God’s Spirit would move powerfully in urban China, that the gospel would reach all levels of Chinese society to the glory of God.
2. CHRISTIANS IN BUSINESS. Business in China is a high-pressure environment. Christians in professional workplaces can easily work a 60-hour week and often work on Sundays. Pray that believers in China’s cities would not give up meeting together, but would spur one another on and be witnesses to nonbelievers in their workplaces.
3. TUTORING. After-school tutoring is common in China. Students often times have a lot of homework and both parents work so there is no one home when school lets out. Pray that Christians would take the opportunity to sow gospel seeds by being available as after-school tutors for Chinese students.
4. HUDSON TAYLOR MOVIE PROJECT. Pray for fresh inspiration from the Holy Spirit as the screenwriters work on the final draft of the screenplay for this project. Pray for a strong finish to the development stage with an excellent screenplay, funding for the upcoming production stage and hiring of the director.
5. CANDIDATE COURSE. The Candidate Department looks forward to having nine people at the upcoming Candidate and Orientation Course. These individuals feel led to minister among the Chinese, Japanese and Thai peoples. Please pray for the Lord’s calling to be clear for each person.
6. CHURCH PARTNERSHIPS. The Church Missions Consultant Team has several important opportunities in the San Francisco Bay Area coming up: preaching about missions, representing OMF and running a vision and coaching seminar for a church missions committee. Ask God to equip this team to help churches be obedient to God’s unique calling for them.
7. POET. A translation team in Ta Veng, Cambodia, is beginning to translate the Psalms into the Brao language. Please join the team in praying for at least one “poet” in every translation group that can help translate the Psalms in a way that is beautiful and powerful while retaining the proper meaning.
8. WORK OPPORTUNITY. An OMF worker in East Asia is waiting for contract approval from the director of a children’s rehab center where she hopes to work. This contract approval is critical for her visa process. Ask God to grant her favor with the director so that she can live and serve among a people group in need of the gospel.
9. GOSPEL HIGHWAYS. A short-term worker to Southwest China recently noted that the transportation systems have improved drastically since his last visit. Just as the Roman roads enabled the gospel to spread quickly in the early days of the church, pray that these newly constructed highways and high speed rail lines will bring about the rapid spread of the gospel throughout Southwest China.
10. PARTY FOUNDATION DAY. Today, the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK or North Korea) celebrates Party Foundation Day, one of the country’s most popular holidays. It is celebrated through parades and government distribution of products that are usually in short supply, like electricity and certain foods. Pray that God would supply the needs of DPRK citizens and draw them to himself.
11. DIASPORA WORK. Recent studies have shown that 70-80 percent of new diaspora believers stop attending church after returning to their country of origin. Pray that OMF’s Diaspora Returnee Ministries Team would be able to prepare East Asian believers to face the challenges of returning home so they will remain steadfast in faith and grow in maturity.
12. BURIAL. As a group of Christian villagers in Laos prepared to conduct a Christian burial ceremony for a fellow villager, local authorities showed up and demanded an animist ceremony be performed instead to appease the village spirits. Eventually, officials forcibly confiscated the body and prevented friends and family from attending the burial. Despite this, the believers gathered to worship God. Pray that the testimony of these believers would lead to many villagers coming to faith in Christ.
13. FAMILY TENSION. Praise God for two Japanese women who recently confessed Jesus as their Savior and were baptized. One of the women faces rising tensions in her non-Christian family as a result of her decision. Pray for Christian Japanese women as they learn to be bold witnesses for Christ in a society where less than one percent of the population follows Jesus.
14. MISSIONARY KIDS. When missionary kids accompany their parents on home assignment, they often get asked about their parents’ ministry but don’t always get the chance to share their own stories. Pray that missionary kids would be sought out for their unique perspectives and feel a sense of belonging while they are back “home.”
15. EVANGELISTS. A group of young, single Christian Lisu women are reaching out to Lisu animists in places where drug production is the sole source of community income. These women live on $10 per month and face challenges such as threats from drug addicts and deterred travel as rebel armies block off roads. Pray for strength, boldness and encouraging fellowship for these women as they faithfully serve the Lord.
16. MINORITY GROUPS. Vietnam has more than 50 minority groups. In the northern provinces, many of these groups remain completely unreached with the gospel. Pray that God would pour out his Spirit on these groups and empower the few believers to share God’s story with their communities.
17. YOUTH IN MISSION. In Vietnam, a young generation of believers has a passion to see God at work in their nation. Ask God to give them wisdom as they try new approaches to mission and break away from traditional methods.
18. RECOVERY IN MONGOLIA. Celebrate Recovery (CR), a Christ-centered recovery program, is continuing to be used in churches throughout Mongolia to help communities that are affected by alcoholism. Pray for the teams that are training new churches in CR. Ask God to use the program to teach people dependence on Christ in their struggles.
19. TEMPTATION. Pray for local church leaders in Cambodia who are growing in spiritual maturity but still face temptations like gambling and alcoholism. Pray that believers in Cambodia would rely on the strength God provides to resist temptation, especially as spiritual battles increase.
20. MEDICAL PROGRAM. OMF partners with the Manobo Medical Program in the Philippines to provide Manobo patients with medical care that they cannot get in their local areas. Pray that patients would receive both physical and spiritual healing through the program as staff members share the Good News with them.
21. SERVE ASIA. A new Serve Asia opportunity in the Philippines is now available for 2018. Ask God to raise up a short-term team that can come alongside a long-term OMF team as they partner with nearby churches to plant new churches in a least-reached coastal area of the Philippines.
22. RAPID URBANIZATION. Jakarta, Indonesia, is the second-largest city in the world. Rapid urbanization has led to problems such as flooding, traffic congestion and social inequality. Pray that God would bless the city of Jakarta and guide the city’s leadership in implementing solutions that help alleviate these problems.
23. NEXT GENERATION LEADERS. Teachers at Singapore Bible College (SBC) face the responsibility of not just transferring information to their students, but also helping them think critically to apply what they learn to relevant challenges facing the church and society. Pray for SBC as it raises up the next generation of Christian leaders. Pray that students would be well-equipped to address society’s problems in a biblical, thoughtful way.
24. NEED FOR REVIVAL. An OMF couple ministering in Taiping, Taiwan, reports that most churches in the area are small and not growing. Pray for opportunities for them to partner with, mobilize and train people within local churches. Pray also that God’s Spirit would revive local churches with a passion for discipleship and outreach.
25. ABSENT PARENTS. In Taiwan’s working class families, both parents often work long hours in order to make ends meet. These extended absences, while often unavoidable, can be difficult for children, leading to an increased risk of delinquency. Pray that children of Taiwan’s working class would come to know God as an ever-present father who deeply cares for them.
26. HALLOWEEN EVANGELISM. Holiday celebrations afford an opportunity for Christians to evangelize in new, creative ways. As Halloween approaches, pray for the OMF workers who are distributing evangelism tracts in Japan around the holiday. Pray that the tracts fall into welcoming hands and that they would lead to spiritual conversations.
27. YOUTH IN CRISIS. In the Isaan region of Thailand, an increasing number of youth are getting addicted to prescription medicine, and young women are at greater risk of sexual abuse and unplanned pregnancies. Pray that Christians would find creative ways to reach out to youth in Isaan schools and communities, that they would find hope in Christ.
28. BUDDHISM. Roughly 99 percent of all people in Isaan, Thailand, are Buddhists. Every village has a temple and most people strive to make merit by giving food, clothing, money and medicine to monks and participating in temple ceremonies. Pray that the people of Isaan would hear about God’s free gift of salvation through Christ.
29. MISSIONARY PARENTS. Missionaries aren’t the only ones who make sacrifices to serve overseas. The parents they leave behind are often left without the help and companionship they would otherwise have. Ask God to encourage missionary parents as they face the challenges of living apart from their children and grandchildren for extended periods of time.
30. PRESIDENT SEARCH. Continue to pray that God reveals his will for the next President/National Director of the U.S. team. Pray that the Lord provides clarity and direction for both the search committee and the candidate(s) they are approaching.
31. BUDGETING. Pray for the Finance Team as they are in the midst of the annual budgeting process. Praise the Lord for God’s provision and pray that all pieces come together smoothly for presentation to the Board of Trustees.

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