The Persecuted and the Unreached
4 Nations Where the Church is Persecuted, 12 Unreached People Groups, 1 Gospel
In shadowed corners of the world, whispers of faith rise from the persecuted church. Christians in these places face unimaginable hardship and are sustained only by their faith in Jesus. Environments of persecution are some of the most difficult places to reach with the gospel.
This year, we will pray for the persecuted church in four different nations and for 12 of the unreached people groups in those nations who have yet to hear the good news of Jesus.
Pray for God to prepare hearts to hear and receive the gospel and for believers to obey His call to go to them, even in the face of risk.
Summer 2024 | Praying for Nigeria
Out of the 5,621 recorded Christians killed for their faith in 2022, 89% were killed in Nigeria. If countries were rated for violence alone, Nigeria would be number one in the world. The Nigerian government claims all Nigerians have the right to worship God. However, in the recent past, the government has denied there is any evidence of the persecution of Christians in the country. Though Nigeria is home to a large number of Christians (100 million in total), groups like ISAWP (Islamic State West Africa Providence) and Boko Haram are working and seeking to eliminate all Christians in Nigeria. The northern and middle states are most targeted, but the movement(s) are currently working their way south. Men and boys are targeted to be recruited to join the movement(s) in hopes of uprooting family life. Women and girls are persecuted for their faith and gender and are left vulnerable to abduction, sexual assault, and “…forced marriages with armed groups,” according to OpenDoors.org. Many Christians have been displaced and live in camps due to them being kicked out of their homes. Christians can also be seen as second-class citizens.
How You Can Pray for Them
- Pray God would soften and turn the hearts of the leaders and government workers of Nigeria, Boko Haran, and ISAWP toward Him to receive salvation in Jesus and to seek peace and unity with all men.
- Pray for the Christians who are displaced, have lost family members, have been hurt, are imprisoned, and have faced other issues because of the violence and persecution.
- Pray the Christians would continue to find ways to spread the gospel and would be filled with God’s peace as they do so.
- Pray for the protection of the young boys and girls as well as mothers and fathers who are vulnerable and at risk for recruitment, forced marriages, abductions, and other such evils.
- Pray for spiritual protection over the country, people, and leaders; pray for Nigeria’s leaders to work to stop this violence and uphold their laws that declare every Nigerian is free to worship God.
(Prayers taken/adapted from OpenDoors.org)
July | Hausa–38 million people | 99.85% Islam, 0.15% Evangelical
Hausa are the largest people group in West Africa. In Nigeria, they live in what is called “Huasaland.” In the past, Hausa has been known for the trading of gold with foreigners from the Middle East. This is how the Hausa were first introduced to Islam. Islam was brought from Middle Eastern traders and was accepted by the Hausa as a religion in hopes of Islam helping their trading businesses. At first, the religion was not accepted by villagers, but all soon accepted it.
Hausa life is a bit more modernized as most villages have medical health care, a good diet, shelter, electricity, and education. Though life is a bit more convenient for the Hausa, one-third of the population is unemployed, half of the population can’t read and write, and 53 years of age is the average life expectancy.
(Information taken from JoshuaProject.net)
How You Can Pray for Them
- Please pray God would provide a way for the gospel to continue to spread all throughout the “Hausaland” and for loving Christians to be willing to go and spread the good news.
- Please pray God will continue to bless, give wisdom, and protect the Hausa Christians in Nigeria.
- Please pray the Hausa would have a desire to find true life in Jesus and have a relationship with the God who loves them.
- Please pray for more churches to be planted and for the hearts of the Hausa to be softened and ready for the ministries and churches there.
- Please pray the Hausa would one day use their influence over Nigeria for good rather than evil.
(Prayers taken/adapted from JoshuaProject.net)
August | Fulani–17.7 million people | 99.72% Islam, 0.28% Evangelical
The Fulani are cattle herders. If a Fulani family owns a lot of cattle, it is seen as a sign of great wealth. The Fulani are also known for living a nomadic lifestyle. Most families have a home for the dry season and another home for the rainy season. In the recent past, the Fulani have lost their traditional farming land and have started to compete with other such tribes for farmland. The Fulani are also very much against any way of life that is different from their traditional ways of living. Since many Fulani are starting to experience hardship from sticking to their traditional ways, many families have started migrating to the cities in search of better jobs, better education for their children, and a better lifestyle as a whole for their families.
The Fulani militants are great persecutors of Christians and non-Muslims in Nigeria. In 2014, the Fulani were rated the 4th deadliest terrorist group in the world. The Fulani are responsible for many terrorist acts, killings, abductions, and more in Nigeria. 99.72% of Fulani are Islamic, as they were one of the first West African people groups to accept Islam as their religion. Though the Fulani believe in Allah as their god, they also believe in witchcraft and animism. Polygamy is also not abnormal, as the presence of many children in a household is seen as a sign of wealth.
(Information taken from JoshuaProject.net)
How You Can Pray for Them
- Pray for the Fulani to be open to the gospel, to see their need for salvation, and to make room in their hearts to have a relationship with the one true God.
- Pray that God’s light and love would shine through this culture of fear and darkness, and God would continue to raise up brave and courageous missionaries to go and minister to the Fulani.
- Pray the gospel would reach and soften the hearts of the tribal and militant leaders and that they may become catalysts for the gospel to spread to all Fulani tribes in Nigeria.
- Pray God would continue to provide a way for the Fulani to be able to listen to the Bible in their own language, as most do not know how to read or write.
(Prayers taken/adapted from JoshuaProject.net)
September | Dirya—14,000 people | 74% Islamic, 6% Evangelical
The Dirya live in the Jigawa state of Nigeria. The Dirya live in close proximity to the Choogan tribe. So much so that the Choogan and Dirya share the same land to live on and are often seen as the same people group by the outside world. The Dirya and Choogan used to celebrate festivals together but have stopped these festivals since converting to Islam. The Dirya are subsistence farmers growing guinea corn, groundnuts, beans, millet, and benniseed. The Dirya also raise cattle. Most villages lack basic amenities, but some do have basic medical clinics, markets, and junior and secondary schools. Motorcycles, bicycles, and other such vehicles are used for modes of transformation. 75% of Choogan & Dirya are Islamic, and 25% are Christian. Though there is a Christian presence within the Choogan tribe, there is no church presence for the Dirya and no request for the Bible to be translated into their language.
(Information taken from JoshuaProject.net)
How You Can Pray for Them
- Pray God would raise up people to plant churches within the Choogan and Dirya.
- Pray God would call and equip others to write and continue to translate the Bible into a language the Dyria & Choogan can understand.
- Pray for God to open doors and ways for the gospel to be presented through missionaries, dreams, visions, Bibles, and other means to the Dirya and Choogan.
- Pray God would create a desire in the Dirya & Choogan to want to know the one true God and the true way to having everlasting hope, peace, joy, and life.
- Pray against any darkness, strongholds, or spiritual warfare there may be over these people
(Prayers taken and/or adapted from JoshuaProject.net)