Prayer Support

This month Troy Bierma begins teaching a biblical interpretation course for students in the Masters program at the Christian College of Theology Bangladesh. Pray for wisdom as he responds to their questions and presents new ideas. Pray that this course may lead students to a deeper understanding of God’s Word.

Life behind bars can be harsh and bleak for prisoners at the South Dakota state penitentiary in Worthing, South Dakota. Please pray that God works through Cornerstone Prison Ministry to reach the hearts of prisoners with the message of hope found in the gospel.

Please continue praying for disaster survivors in the Philippines and Indonesia. Ask that CRWRC staff members on the scene be blessed with health, emotional support, and financial resources needed to empower communities to rebuild and experience lasting transformation.

Praise God for answers to prayer for meetings with listeners in the village of Balumath. Hindi ministry leader Stephen Paul reports: “We had a very good time at Balumath when we met and shared the love of God with twelve listeners. It was a time of great joy and blessings for us. And listeners seem to be determined to follow the Lord. Specific and continued prayer is needed for the people of this village.”

At Synod 2009, the proposal to study the Belhar Confession as a denomination was passed overwhelmingly. In March 2010 the CRC will begin launching various resources to assist congregations in their efforts to study the Belhar Confession, and to understand what it says about unity, justice, and reconciliation. Pray for God’s blessings over these sessions, and that his Spirit will lead us in discerning what it will mean for us to live out the principles of this confession in our congregations and communities.

The Daniel Center in Abuja, Nigeria, gathers people together to talk about, pray for, and actively explore what it means to bring transformation into every area of life. Pray that politicians, teachers, pastors, and other Nigerian leaders would continue to take the message of transformation to heart.

Pastor Jamie VanderBerg leads the campus ministry at the University of Guelph in Guelph, Ontario. Pray for him as he seeks to bring the gospel to students at this large secular university.

Pray for CRWRC field staff, James and Sarah Zwier, as they work in Phonsavan, Xiengkhouang Province, Laos to empower communities through literacy, gender equity, and children’s health programs. Ask that God grant them safety and stamina as they serve in remote villages.

Pray for a teacher in Henan who uses the Chinese English Today to share the gospel with students. He writes that, “your English World website is very helpful to me too, for I am also learning English myself, just a few steps ahead of my students.”

After almost two years of research, planning, and budgeting, CRWM will begin a new transformational network ministry in Romania in March. Pray for local and international partners to connect with to provide leadership training, evangelism empowerment, and social change that lead to the growth of God’s kingdom in Romania.

Holy City CRC, a new church located in Bellflower, California, is hosting a Chinese school. Please pray that this school attracts more local Chinese residents to the church.

Pray for Judith, who contacted the Portuguese staff after hearing devotional messages on the Disque Paz (Dial Peace) phone line. Judith’s son suffers from severe depression, and she called looking for encouragement. Staff provided spiritual comfort and connected Judith with a local church where she receives ongoing support and discipleship.

Lift up in prayer the elderly members of your congregation and community. Elderly persons can be vulnerable to abuse when they become dependent on caregivers. Elderly persons are also more isolated by health issues and winter weather so they are less able to seek help. Pray for the protection of your elderly family members and friends. Give thanks for the marvelous care given to elderly persons by family and friends who offer help as the face and hands of Christ.

Pray for translation efforts for the Hausa Common Language Bible. Since Hausa is a trade language used in many parts of West Africa, the Hausa Bible will reach many people. Recently, translation efforts have halted while translators work on something else. Pray that they may resume this task so people may receive a full copy of the Bible by the end of 2010.

Home Missions supports small group programs like Coffee Break in more than 900 North American congregations. Please pray that God uses these outreach ministries to introduce Christ to those who might not yet know Him.

Remember DRS Green Shirt volunteer work teams in the Galveston, Texas, area who are rebuilding homes for needy survivors of Hurricane Ike. Pray for their safety during travel and on their work sites, as they bear testimony to Christ through their service.

Pray that the simple but profound truth of Jesus’ love will open the heart of Ms. Masako S., from Kochi. Masako wrote: “Thank you always for caring. I still can’t believe in God, but I think I’m going to take small steps. On a recent program, the hymn ‘Jesus Loves Me’ moved my heart. Please kindly let me know the lyrics of the song.”

Chaplain Gord Terpstra wrote that a chaplain’s ministry is to “be the living presence of the Prince of Peace.” Pray for God’s blessing on chaplains as they minister our Lord’s presence to military personnel, and to people in prisons, hospitals, businesses, and elsewhere.

Larry Spalink recently met with church leaders in Japan to discuss new ways of cooperating together to help the churches develop richer worship and more effective evangelistic programs. Pray for discernment to see where God is leading them and for a vision for seeing lives transformed by Him.

There are new pastors in place at 11 existing Christian Reformed churches in California and Washington. Please ask God to use these servant leaders to equip others to make disciples and expand his kingdom.

Pray for CRWRC partner Vid y Pampanos and the community of La Palmera, Guatemala, where the people are escaping poverty through the collective purchase of an abandoned farm. Ask for blessing as they begin using organic agricultural methods that increase yields and engender soil health.

Pray for Yousif who asks guidance from the Arabic broadcast staff to understand some difficult things raised by some of his friends about the Bible. At the same time, praise God that Mohammed from Egypt testifies, “I am now a believer in Christ and spend much time every day reading the Bible. The material on your website is very helpful to my growth.”

Zach and Sharon Segaar-King are church and leadership developers in Haiti who work with pastors, women, and deacons to help them become effective servant leaders. Pray that the Holy Spirit will fill their work and the programs and activities they lead so local leaders may be inspired and empowered in Christ to lead others within their church.

Envision Ministries, a new ministry in Bellingham, Wash., uses worship and a coffeehouse to reach the community of Bellingham. Please pray for this ministry as it continues to preach the gospel to so many who are considering faith in Christ!

Pray that God will use BTGMI Spotlight programs to lead Okantha, a Buddhist monk in India, to a relationship with Jesus Christ. Okantha found the Spotlight website and was intrigued by its content. He calls himself “your pupil of the Internet.” Pray that Okantha would also become a disciple of Jesus Christ!

At the Regina ministry they are happy for new staff. Indian Family Centre in Winnipeg is excited about a room dedicated to supervised visits between parents and children in care. Edmonton’s Native Healing Centre’s striving for excellence program needs prayers to help form healthy lifestyles within our youth. All three ministries pray for relationships to be restored within families and communities so that stronger relationships will be developed with our Creator, Jesus Christ. Pray for our councils and boards who provide leadership for our ministries.

Aimee Bootsma teaches grade four students from missionary, expatriate, and local families at Nicaragua Christian Academy. Pray for patience, energy, and wisdom for Aimee in responding to their questions and showing them what it means to follow Christ.

Ask God for guidance for the staff of The River, a church plant in Allegan, Mich. This ministry will focus on community development and interaction in 2010, and seeks your prayers as it tries to discern what shape those efforts might take.