Praying for the World in 2011

1. Praying for the World in 2011 Ask of Me, and I will give You The nations for Your inheritance, And the ends of the earth for Your possession. Psalm 2:8

2. Praying for the World in 2011 Week14 Denmark Czech Republic You Are Here Croatia Cyprus Cuba Cote d’Ivoire Ask of Me, and I will give You The nations for Your inheritance, And the ends of the earth for Your possession. Psalm 2:8

3. Praying for the World in 2011 Cote d’Ivoire (Ivory Coast)

4. Cote d’Ivoire One of the Largest Producer of Cocoa, Coffee and Palm Oil Pray for… • Despite political unrest, church is growing and unified. • Nation divided – Muslim, north Multi faith, South • Pray for new government that is just and able to lead the nation forward from years of conflict. • Pray for wisdom on how to handle the millions of immigrants from neighboring countries drawn by jobs in a growing economy. This has been the core of conflict from 2002-2007. • Nominalism in Catholic and Methodist churches prevalent. • Animism is strong (influences worldview of both Christians and Muslims here) • Biblical understanding is low. Focus on prosperity and miracles/healing. • CAPRO is training for outreach to other French speaking countries in the region. Need for training people for ministry to Muslims.

5. Cote d’Ivoire One of the Largest Producer of Cocoa, Coffee and Palm Oil Pray for… • Pray for faithfulness of congregations in supporting those they send out and that God would show himself faithful to those obedient to go. • Unreached peoples: • Mande and Malinke in the northwest are strongly Muslim • Gur people – practice African traditional religion • Foreign immigrants from other African neighbors • Large influx of foreigners has caused conflict yet brings opportunity to evangelize. Most Muslim. • Islam spreading rapidly. 1900 - 5% current – 41.8% • Christians have aligned with current government and undermined their witness. • AIDS a serious problem.

6. Cote d’Ivoire One of the Largest Producer of Cocoa, Coffee and Palm Oil Pray for… • Abidjan is 5 million people. ½ are Muslim immigrants. • Pray for best ways to take advantage ofthe opportunity to preach openly in the public schools. • Bible translation – 28 projects under way; 3 OT and 6 NT completed. Pray for wider distribution. • Literacy programs underway to make use of bibles translated. • Audio resources available in 65 languages. • Christian music is influential. Radio broadcasts in French and Jula. Relay stations broadcast in other local languages. • Jesus Film in 12 languages.

7. Cote d’Ivoire One of the Largest Producer of Cocoa, Coffee and Palm Oil Pray for… • PEMA film studio produces culturally relevant videos for TV across West Africa. • Publishing ministries crippled during political upheaval of 2002-2007. Pray for restoration and return of foreign partners.

8. Praying for the World in 2011 Croatia

9. 1600 years of mutual hatred underlie the Croat /Serb division Croatia Pray for… • Freedom of religion in this secular state, but Catholicism enjoys favor and has lead in issues of justice and reconciliation. Pray for Catholics to have a personal relationship with the living Lord. • Ancient ethnic hatred endures and hampers progress. Pray that the church would truly be peacemakers. • Evangelicals have transcended the divides. Serbs, Croats and Bosnians are being brought together in churches. Pray for this example of unity and peace to spread. • Pray for the Church: continued growth, unity where division is the rule, training for leaders that the Lord is raising up, prayer movements to grow. • Less Reached: Novi Zagreb (no evangelical churches), Romani (neglected, but responsive).

10. 1600 years of mutual hatred underlie the Croat /Serb division Croatia Pray for… • Special Needs for ministry: • Youth – High unemployment, no hope, godless drug use (80%) • CCCI is having success in ministering to families and business professionals. • Bible is widely available. Pray for it to get into many hands and have a life changing impact. • Pray for books and literature to be produced that will help people find biblical solutions to the many issues they face. • Christian Radio and TV are widely available.

11. Praying for the World in 2011 Cuba

12. Last Communist Protagonist in the Western World Cuba Pray for… • Change of leadership could see changes in politics. Pray for Fidel Castro’s brother Raul to have a new vision for the people of Cuba. • Assistance comes from Venezuela, China and Bolivia, but economical isolation and US Embargo have brought poverty to Cuba without the desired reforms. • Aging outnumber the young making burden of future support unbearable. • Pray for healing in US Cuban relations. • Catholic Church spotted by syncretism. Less than 10% attend mass. Pray that they will be purified and revived so that many will find Jesus.

13. Last Communist Protagonist in the Western World Cuba Pray for… • Evangelicals immigrated to US leaving little witness. Pray that growing numbers would be a light to the nation. • Persecution of believers is less, but the government still sees the church as a treat as it does in China. Forbids building new churches, making house churches more plentiful. • Informants make church attendence, membership, and baptism more stringent (air of distrust and suspicion). • What few trained leaders remaining in Cuba are weary and require other trained disciples to come alongside. • Less Reached:

14. Last Communist Protagonist in the Western World Cuba Pray for… • Less Reached: Spiritism is supported by the government as “cultural”. Also include Sateria and other voodoo cults. Pray for release from bondage of occult practices. • Foreign missions restricted. Organizations blacklisted. Pray for wisdom in helping Cuban Christians in spite of restrictions. • Pray for the refugees in the USA, mostly Catholic to not be overcome with materialism so prevalent. • Bible distribution – urgent need for more. Govt. approval makes it harder to get good translations. 1 million printed in Cuba, thousands of others imported. Pray that the many print and audio resources available in Spanish would make it into Cuba. • Shortwave is illegal in Cuba, so most can’t access radio broadcasts. Some local island FM is available, but Christian programming is still illegal in Cuba. • Christian music will be a huge influence on the growing church. Pray for anointed worship leaders who reflect the Cuban culture.

15. Praying for the World in 2011 Cyprus

16. Cyprus One-Sixth of World’s Ships are registered in Cyprus Pray for… • Turkey seized one third of land and settled in the north causing one third of population to become refugees. • Orthodox church is focal point for culture. Cyprus is very religious. Pray for revival and transmission to the younger generation. • Orthodox church distributing new testament in public schools. Pray that God’s word would bear fruit. • Pray the Cypriots would be open to evangelicals who present the gospel. • Logos Bookstore core of resources for evangelicals as well as The Bridge Christian Bookshop • Major base for ministries in the rest of the Middle East: headquarters safe from terror, protection of resources housed here (bibles/literature in Arabic, Greek and other languages), SAT -7 television ministry into the Arab world., Christian radio to be available in Turkish. • 2 large British bases there. Pray for service personnel to live out their witness to the Cypriots and UN peacekeepers there.

17. Cyprus One-Sixth of World’s Ships are registered in Cyprus Pray for… • Major base for ministries in the rest of the Middle East: headquarters safe from terror, protection of resources housed here (bibles/literature in Arabic, Greek and other languages), SAT -7 television ministry into the Arab world., Christian radio to be available in Turkish. • 2 large British bases there. Pray for service personnel to live out their witness to the Cypriots and UN peacekeepers there. • Pray for foreign workers from all over the world.

18. Cyprus Pray for… • Turkish Republic of North Cyprusalmost entirely Muslim. Dependent on Turkey. • Pray for Christian families who live among Muslims in Northern Cyprus to be a witness of Jesus’s love, for protection from persecution and provision. • Unification of the island could bring economic and spiritual opportunities as well as conflict. Pray for wisdom and peace to prevail. • Pray for very small numbers of Christians to grow and for protection from persecution.

19. Praying for the World in 2011 Czech Republic

20. Czech Republic Pray for… • Czech churches now sending missionaries. Churches growing among younger people. • Post-communist freedoms have lead to hedonistic materialism along with crime, immorality, depression and suicide. • Catholic church in free fall – did not seize opportunity of the new freedoms. Aging laity and priests. • Legacy of John Hus and the Moravians threatened. Pray for a renewal of this earlier protestant zeal! • Grassroots Church-planting groups seem to be having the best success as they reject traditional, hierarchical organized religion. • Prague has two strong biblical seminaries. Pray for them to build Christ-like leaders in tune with the Holy Spirit and the needs of the Czech people.

21. Czech Republic Pray for… • Prague has two strong biblical seminaries. Pray for them to build Christ-like leaders in tune with the Holy Spirit and the needs of the Czech people. • Pray for unity in the church. Freedom has brought division and spiritual error. • Population aging and youth leaving. Immigration increasing to meet the need. Ministry to these communities will be necessary. • Summer camps impact youth and answer questions not addressed by traditional religion. Pray for staff and leadership to capture the hearts of the young seekers. • Bible is available, but needs to be distributed and read. • Christians programming available on state radio and tv.

22. Praying for the World in 2011 Denmark

23. Denmark Pray for… • 85% Christian. Personal relationship to God still low 33%. Signs of increased unity and growth are evident. • Social laws still reflect traditional values. Pray that this will continue, unlike other western nations. • Lutheranism seen as dead. Pray for a revival of this institution. (much of reformational theology is non-missional and does not see training for outreach and missions ministry as valuable.) • Pray for pastors in all “Free” churches. Need trained leadership able to meet the challenges of post-modern culture.

24. Denmark Pray for… • Immigrants have been both a harvest field and laborers for harvesting: • Guest workers and refugees have been a force for renewal. 1/3 of people in church on Sunday are in a foreign church. • Muslims and Chinese have settled here, but are not reached. Pray for relations with Muslims who are 4% of population, but receive 40% social welfare with little integration into society. Pray for the Danes to continue to show the love of Christ despite the tensions.