Prayer Points 18 July 2021
Our Church
English as a Second Language Classes – Thank God that ESL will be resuming in-person classes on 19 Jul. Pray for God’s protection and guidance for all teachers, volunteers and students.
Tamil Service 2nd Food Distribution – to the migrant workers group at Penjuru dormitory is happening today (18 Jul). Please pray that God’s loving hands will be seen as they receive and have their dinner.
Our People
EXCEL Apprentices – Pray for Vanessa Lee and Joel Khoo as they begin their full-time ministry apprenticeship at Zion Bishan starting 1 Aug. Thank God for leading their lives towards His gospel work. Read their sharing in Word In Season (see p7).
Our World
Unreached People Group (UPG) Focus –This week we look at the 2nd largest UPG, the Japanese. Estimates of the total number of Japanese worldwide in 2020 is 126 million (prayercast.com). Only 1 % would call themselves Christian and about 0.3% are evangelical. Most Japanese do not consider themselves religious, however, their way of living and cultural identity are often deeply spiritual. Most would identify with Buddhism (69%) and would practice a mix of Buddhist, Shinto, Daoist, Confucian, Atheistic and even Christian beliefs. Since 2019, the LoveJapan vision in Singapore was launched. They hope to reach young Japanese in cities, with evangelism, disaster relief and other church planting efforts there. A change has been felt in the nation as Covid, natural disasters and economic woes drives a new generation to rethink their traditional values and lifestyles. Pray that God will continue to develop a new spiritual hunger for him, the Creator God in many Japanese and for more Christians to go to the strategic mega-cities in Japan to shine for him.
India –We praise God for our partner’s 40th anniversary. This partner has trained and raised many workers for NE India. Pray for God’s grace to be upon its leaders, students and all the workers that are labouring in the field and facing new challenges at all levels. Pray for their effort to reach out to migrant workers in a big city. Praise God also that some local authorities have allowed Sunday service to resume, as the nation opens up from lockdown.
Lebanon –On 6 Jul, Hassan Diab, Lebanon’s acting Prime Minister, said that the nation is “days away” from a “social explosion”. Last year’s devastating explosion in Beirut, the pandemic and financial and political turmoil has left the nation mired in a deep crisis. This has led to the value of the local currency plummeting and left much of the population short of food, fuel and medicine (The Economist, 10 July). Pray for Lord’s mercy on this country, and for our partner there to have God’s provision of resources to continue helping with food items and ministering spiritually to the needy in their neighbourhoods.
