Urgent: Pray for the Holy Land

As we watch devastating events taking place in the Holy Land, we are not mere spectators. We don’t just see headlines. We see people. Right now they are injured, frightened, missing. They are lost.

As this crisis unfolds, we will not ignore it. We will not be silent. We will not stand still. We will cry out to God on their behalf, asking Him to bring about true peace as only He can. Join us now as we pray, together.

Download the prayer guide: Pray for Peace in the Holy Land (PDF) or PowerPoint presentation.

Pray for physical needs

Men, women, and children are facing unspeakable horrors. While this region has a history of unrest, the escalation of violence demands an urgency in our intercession.

Pray now that God would have mercy on the millions who are suffering and comfort those who have lost loved ones. Ask God to bless the efforts of those distributing aid. Pray He will provide opportunities for them to share His love.

Pray for lostness

Rockets are launched and the streets are filled with violence. Amid this chaos, the lost are living and dying in darkness. While the nations rage, God is still in control and near to all who call out to Him.

Pray that God will use current events to draw the lost into a relationship with His Son.

Pray for Gospel access

Believers are walking through this crisis with non-believing neighbors, friends and family members.

Pray that believers will have attitudes of peace amid the current situation. Pray that the lost will ask them about the peace they have in times of trouble.

Pray for the Church

In a land impacted by years of hatred, believers from diverse backgrounds who are united in Christ can display God’s love to each other and to their neighbors.

Pray that they will seek to share and be the light of Jesus to their neighbors.

Southern Baptists encouraged to pray for global persecuted church

By IMB Staff

Editor’s note: Sunday, Nov. 5, is the International Day of Prayer for the Persecuted Church.

In a world where someone is killed for their faith every two minutes, Southern Baptists are uniting in prayer on Sunday, Nov. 5, for the Day of Prayer for the Persecuted Church.

Resources are available now from the International Mission Board to raise awareness of global persecution and the church’s role in praying for those suffering for their faith in Christ. The IMB is providing a range of downloadable resources to guide churches and individuals in focused prayer. These resources include a comprehensive prayer guide, bulletin inserts, social media graphics and promotional videos.

Startling statistics from Open Doors’ World Watch List reveal last year alone, 5,621 Christians lost their lives due to faith-related reasons, 2,110 churches faced brutal attacks, and 4,542 Christians were unjustly detained. Shockingly, one in seven Christians worldwide currently faces persecution in various forms.

Each day, dedicated IMB missionaries stand alongside courageous national believers who endure unimaginable persecution for simply living out their faith. Recent events in Guerrero, Mexico, serve as a stark example of this ongoing struggle. Eduardo, a local believer, was arrested by authorities for renouncing his role as a lay priest/cantor, a position that the Catholic Church had compensated him for. His unjust detainment resulted in an exorbitant fine and imprisonment until the sum could be paid.

Eduardo’s church family rallied to his support, approaching local authorities to secure his release from what they knew was an unjust incarceration. An IMB missionary in the area recounted, “They assumed that they would be arrested, as well, for their actions so went prepared with blankets and their guitars. Today, one brother remains in jail, but the others were able to visit him, pray with him and encourage him.”

The IMB team in Guerrero earnestly requests prayers for Eduardo and for other believers to remain strong in their faith, despite fear of persecution.

As the Day of Prayer approaches, Southern Baptists are encouraged to join in weeks of fervent prayer. Pray not only for the persecuted, but also for Christian workers worldwide who support their national partners amidst persecution.

Key areas of prayer include:

• Praying for the persecuted, that they may find the strength to live in the power, love and sound mind that only God can provide.
• Praying for those who have suffered brutalization, that they may sense the Lord’s love surrounding them and respond to those who have injured them with grace and dignity.
• Praying for followers of Christ to consistently study and obey Scripture, so they are spiritually prepared when persecution inevitably comes.
• Praying for each church to maintain its focus on the glory of God and the growth of His church, even in the face of adversity.

Join other believers across the Southern Baptist Convention by committing to pray for the persecuted church. Visit imb.org/persecuted to learn more.