South Asian churches remembered on Day of Prayer for the Persecuted Church
By IMB Staff
Editor’s note: Nov. 3 is the Day of Prayer for the Persecuted Church.
RICHMOND, Va. (BP) – High in the Himalayan mountains of South Asia is a valley that is home to 8 million Muslims. God is at work among the people, bringing many to salvation, but new believers are facing severe persecution.
As the Day of Prayer for the Persecuted Church approaches, the International Mission Board urges prayer for the believers in this valley and other brothers and sisters of the faith who are met with threats, beatings, imprisonment, loss of family and income and even death for the sake of Christ. The IMB provides resources to guide in prayer.
Among the unengaged, unreached people groups in this Himalayan region, IMB missionaries are making the Gospel accessible to local craftsmen. Men and women make hand-painted ornaments, a skill that has been passed down through many generations. The sale of the crafts provides money for the families but also gives Christians opportunities to share the Gospel. Muslim-background believers are involved in church planting among the lost.
Every year, hundreds of Muslims, including those in this Himalayan valley, are forsaking Islam and declaring faith in Jesus. Day by day, the Gospel is spreading from family to family and from village to village. Amid this kingdom growth, persecution also grows.
Almost all are harassed and threatened by their families. Some have been beaten or arrested. A few have been killed for their faith. Despite much opposition, the kingdom continues to grow and thrive.
Ahmed is one Muslim-background Christian who is facing opposition. For 25 years he has stood up under persecution, boldly proclaiming Jesus. God has been blessing his ministry, as he and other Christians have recently planted the first churches in the valley among three different unengaged, unreached people groups.
Just last year, Ahmed faced arrest, beatings and many threats for the Gospel. Thankfully, the Lord sustained him through all these acts of persecution.
God is at work among the Muslims of South Asia. Pray that the work continues to help advance the Gospel among people who are dearly loved by the Lord.
Nov. 3 is the Day of Prayer for the Persecuted Church. On this day, remember to pray for churches like the ones in South Asia and for church leaders like Ahmed who have faced multiple acts of persecution.
Find resources at imb.org/persecuted.
Lifeway releases ‘Everyday Evangelism’ Bible study
By Lauren Pratt
BRENTWOOD, Tenn. — Lifeway Christian Resources released its latest Bible study by Preston Perry, “Everyday Evangelism: Pursuing Hearts, Not Arguments,” focused on equipping the everyday believer to share their faith with confidence and to engage non-Christians with love, respect and truth.
“Most Christians find it difficult to share their faith. If we aren’t careful, we’ll let these hesitations keep us from the important work God’s given us to do,” said Perry. “God has called us to be evangelists. If we are willing to engage with this calling, He is more than willing to empower us through the Holy Spirit to give the Gospel to anyone we encounter.”
Based on Perry’s book published earlier this year, “How to Tell the Truth,” the six-week study is designed to serve individuals and small groups alike in deepening their biblical view of God’s call on every Christian to share their faith with their friends, coworkers and neighbors.
“Before we can have productive conversations about the Gospel, we need to cultivate a desire to see people come to faith in Jesus – and desire that more than being right or proving a point,” Perry said.
According to a 2022 Lifeway Research study, less than half of self-identified Christians have, at least once in the past six months, shared a Bible verse or Bible story with a non-Christian loved one (46 percent), invited a non-Christian friend or family member to attend a church service or other program at church (43 percent), or shared with a non-Christian loved one how to become a Christian (38 percent). Additionally, the 2022 State of Theology report published by Lifeway Research and Ligonier Ministries, only 32 percent of the 3,011 American adults surveyed strongly agree that it’s very important to personally encourage non-Christians to trust Jesus Christ as their personal Savior.
“We see a clear, biblical mandate to go and make disciples, and that starts with sharing the Gospel,” said Ben Mandrell, president and CEO of Lifeway Christian Resources. “While evangelism should be the heartbeat of every follower of Jesus Christ, we’re seeing a massive drop-off in Christians regularly taking the Gospel from the pews to the people next door who don’t know Christ.”
Mandrell explained that seeing this decline in evangelism highlights the need for greater discipleship among believers to share their faith consistently and effectively. “We pray Everyday Evangelismwill equip men and women in the local church with the tools necessary to share the Gospel with their friends, family and coworkers. We want to help our church members become everyday evangelists who are, as 1 Peter 3:15 says, ‘ready at any time to give a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you.’”
Perry builds on his own story of coming to faith and learning how to evangelize in his book and subsequent Bible study, giving readers an example of how the everyday Christian – not just vocational ministers – can talk about their faith wisely and winsomely. Perry, husband to Christian author and speaker Jackie Hill Perry, also founded Bold TV (now Apologetics with Preston Perry) and Bold Apparel in 2017 as avenues to engage the public in theological discourse.
Everyday Evangelism includes video access to teaching sessions, discussion questions, personal study between group sessions, applicable Scripture, “How to Use This Study,” and tips for leading a group. Interwoven into the study are personal stories from Perry and his journey of coming to faith and developing a robust understanding for communicating the gospel clearly and effectively with people from a variety of spiritual backgrounds.
For more information, visit Lifeway.com.
