Prayer Guide

Thank you for praying for the commemorative concert in Sendai, Japan, one year after the earthquake/tsunami. Rev. Masao Yamashita reported that around 500 people attended and were encouraged by the concert. Several people gave testimonies of how God is sustaining them. However, he adds, “Many are still in sorrow. Please continue to pray for healing.”

Pastors of new and existing churches in Ontario are gathering together regularly to learn from and with each other. Please pray for these church leaders as they work to see the kingdom expand in their communities!

Please pray for wisdom in planning for the year ahead as Faith Alive continues to face ministry challenges, particularly in the area of finance. Please pray also that Faith Alive Sunday school curricula, Bible studies, hymnals, and other publications for ministry may help believers and newcomers connect with and grow closer to the Lord Jesus in the coming year.

Pray for Moises Colop, CRWRC’s country consultant for Guatemala and Mexico. He has worked for CRWRC for more than 34 years. Among other successes, he has seen communities in Guatemala and Mexico increasing food production by using newly learned soil conservation and organic farming methods. Praise the Lord for these results!

In addition to wounds, lost limbs, and head injuries, nearly 20 percent of forces returning from the Iraq and Afghanistan wars are likely to suffer from either post-traumatic stress disorder or major depression, and these numbers continue to climb. Pray for veterans dealing with life-changing injuries and for churches and many others as they minister with these men and women.

Yash , a high school student in northern India, heard our program and wrote several letters asking how he could grow closer to Jesus. Our producer was able to visit Yash and share the words and love of Jesus with him. Praise God that Yash accepted Jesus as his Savior! Yash told the producer, “Please pray for me. Your radio messages are my daily spiritual food.”

Praise the Lord that over 60 people attended the Safe Church Ministry Conference held April 27-28. Ask the Lord to increase compassion in the church to respond rightly to abuse; motivate people to use the skills they’ve gained to create good prevention policies for their church; call churches to be active in developing resources and/or partnering with existing resources to help break the cycle of abuse in families; and lead many churches to participate in a pilot project, Circle of Grace, a curriculum designed to increase awareness, prevent abuse, and promote healthy relationships.

The Celebration Fellowship prison ministry at the Bellamy Creek Correctional Facility in Ionia, Mich., will soon expand to the nearby Handlon Correctional Facility. Please pray for pastor Andy Hanson as he works to gather volunteers to lead this new ministry while continuing to serve as pastor at Celebration.

Give thanks for the Timothy Leadership Training (TLT) sessions recently held in three West African countries. Pray for efforts to integrate TLT into the countries’ seminary and Bible school curricula. Pray that the TLT program may lead to a strong, healthy church guided by leaders grounded in the Bible.

Women in developing countries are often at risk of fatal complications during pregnancy and childbirth. Pray that CRWRC’s maternal health programs under way in Bangladesh, Malawi, and other countries will continue to bless the lives of women and young children.

The Office of Race Relations has a very busy schedule in May. On May 10-11 a Dance of Racial Reconciliation workshop will be offered to staff and missionaries at our Grand Rapids office. Race Relations Advisory Council meets May 18-19. Facilitator training will take place May 25 for our newest collaborative workshop, Cultural Intelligence Building, which focuses on concrete skills to improve our ability to act and react in positive ways across cultural lines. Please pray that the training will be effective and that all participants may return to their churches with newfound skills to be used for God’s kingdom

Several people have recently left messages on our Walk the Way website, asking for prayer. Pray especially for Eddie, a new believer who asks us to pray that God will use this daily audio and video program to help him learn to walk the way of faith.

The Home Missions Church Planting and Development Leadership Team is collaborating with the Reformed Church in America on the Church Multiplication Initiative. Please pray for new ministries already begun and for ministries preparing to launch through this initiative in Michigan, California, Arizona, and Florida.

The Network has been both an organizational entity housing specialized ministries such as Sustaining Pastoral Excellence, Sustaining Congregational Excellence, and ServiceLink, and it has organized and supported the online Network website. Please ask God to guide and give wisdom to denominational leaders as they determine next steps for reorganization of The Network. Also pray for God’s peace and grace for staff during the time of transition.

A discipleship group and several evangelistic Bible study groups are under way at the Agua Viva church plant in Tijuana, Mexico. Pray that both recent and longtime believers may be encouraged and challenged through these groups. Pray that God’s Word may grow rich in their hearts and lives.

Partnerships with Ecumenical groups and non-government organizations make for a great way to deepen and broaden the expression of Jesus’ message of justice and hope. With this in mind, please ask for God’s blessing for the Evangelical Fellowship of Canada, the Canadian Council of Churches, and KAIROS - Canadian Ecumenical Justice Initiatives.

On this Ascension Day, pray that the ascended King will reign triumphantly in the hearts and lives of people all over the world! Give thanks and pray for each of our ten worldwide ministry teams as they proclaim the lordship of Jesus Christ!

Green Meadow Community Church is a small congregation actively involved in outreach in Helena, Mont. Join us in celebrating this church’s missional heart and in praying that its faithful efforts will help renew this community.

Pray for CRWRC as it continues its disaster response work in Japan, where a 9.0 magnitude earthquake struck the Pacific Coast in 2011. Pray that as CRWRC helps people rebuild their lives, they may also regain hope.

Praise God that we have successfully relaunched the Chinese Today website. With the new website plus Facebook and social media sites in mainland China, we are now able to reach more than 100,000 readers every day.

Several evangelism teams have moved to northern towns to begin or renew a faith presence in the community. Pray for opportunities to share the gospel. Pray that the team members will work well together and be filled with wisdom, grace, and love as they share God’s message of salvation.

Pray for Pete and Ila Diepersloot, who are serving as international relief managers on behalf of CRWRC in Niger. They are working with CRWRC partners to provide food assistance to 28,000 West Africans affected by chronic drought. Pray for safety and blessing in their work.

Please pray that God will give patience and discernment to Calvin Theological Seminary graduates as they wait for calls to ministry work or to continue their preparation for ministry.

Praise God for Carlos, who told our Portuguese ministry team that while he was watching our TV program Truth and Life, the Holy Spirit compelled him to attend church. Today he and his family worship each week. “We now understand that Jesus Christ has changed our lives, and we want to share this experience with others.”

This year our annual Chaplains Conference will begin on May 31. We will meet concurrently with the RCA Chaplains at the Calvin College Prince Center with some overlapping meetings/activities. We expect 130 -200 participants, some from across town and some from around the globe. Please pray with us that this will be an uplifting and inspiring activity for all involved.

Pray for students at All Nations and San Pablo seminaries in Ciudad Juarez, Mexico, as they prepare for ministry. Pray that their studies may lead them to a deeper understanding of God and their leadership roles.

Many of the world’s poorest and most vulnerable people are women and girls. Gender equality is therefore a crucial component in transforming the lives of communities in need. In Senegal, for example, CRWRC is working with adolescent girls to equip them to make healthy decisions, feel empowered to speak up for themselves, and form good relationships with their parents and peers. Pray for this program.

Please pray that the relationships that men and boys have developed during weekly meetings this year will continue on through the summer as they camp, hike, and experience God together.

The campus ministry at the University of Guelph, Ont., holds a weekly time of communion and prayer on Friday mornings. Pray that this gathering continues to attract more students eager to hear the gospel!

Praise God for two listeners, one from Yemen and one from Algeria, who have publicly declared their faith in Christ. Pray also for a young woman and her brother in Jordan who are secretly reading the New Testament. Ask God to use our online ministry to lead them to faith.

Several spiritually mature and gifted Fulani believers are receiving further training on discerning God’s Word. Pray that they may be filled with the Holy Spirit to know and share the richness of the Scriptures.