One building destroyed was not a military target, but a church building in Zaporizhzhia. Yet, Eric Mock with Slavic Gospel Association (SGA) says the church lives on through the people of God.

The church in Zaporizhzhia destroyed by Russian drone and missile attack. (Photo courtesy of SGA)

Mock was in Zaporizhzhia recently, visiting ministry partners. He shares, “Church leaders and pastors there who traveled to multiple villages that were in an area called the gray zone, which is about 20 miles away from the front lines.

“[It was] close enough that we could hear the rumble of explosions in the distance, and close enough that the people lived in terror every single day of small drones that would fly around with explosives and take out people. These villages were literally decimated.”

For these pastors, going to the mission field looks like putting on literal body armor along with the spiritual armor of God. Mock says they’ve counted the cost.

“These pastors were there because they could not live with the thought that someone could perish apart from the Gospel. And so they come.”

Mock explains, “In these villages with these pastors, we help them do what they cannot do by providing the resources. And they do what we cannot do, which is almost daily wearing body armor [and] heading into the front lines to advance the Gospel and the goodness of God to a people who are hurting and lost.”

Eric Mock (center right) in a village near the front lines. (Photo courtesy of Eric Mock/SGA)

As the war drags on, embattled Ukrainians are struggling for hope.

“Generations are being impacted by this. So pray, first of all, that the believers would not be discouraged, that they would not be indifferent or lose heart, that they would remain faithful,” he asks.

“But mostly, pray for faithfulness in the midst of what the Lord continues to allow for His purposes…. Churches are being planted, congregations are moving forward, and God is continuing to be glorified in difficult times.”

You can support SGA’s relief efforts in Ukraine at sga.org.

Header photo: The church in Zaporizhzhia destroyed by Russian drone and missile attack. (Photo courtesy of SGA)

When conflict recently broke out between the U.S. and Iran, a team with LIFE International was en route to Bangladesh to conduct their Redemptive Conversations workshop.

Luke Salik, LIFE International’s pastor of partner care, says, “Halfway through that flight is when the U.S. and Israel did the joint attack on Iran. We didn’t find out until I got woken up by the intercom there and the pilot explaining the situation and diverting us to Cairo rather than Doha.”

Training with LIFE International partners in Bangladesh. (Photo courtesy of LIFE International)

The LIFE International team eventually had to return to the U.S. But in Bangladesh, ministry partners were already gathered. Rather than cancel the training altogether, the local leaders pivoted.

“When they found out that we weren’t able to make it, they decided to hold the training anyway.”

Salik says, “The leadership team, they’re from several different countries in South Asia, they kind of banded together and thought, ‘Hey, what can we do together to help equip a lot of these pastors or ministry leaders who are coming together?’”

The leaders went on to conduct training sessions with the attendees — turning a potential setback into a locally led effort.

The training equips Christian leaders to support women facing crisis pregnancies in light of biblical hope. Its tools are also applicable to many other crisis counseling situations.

Salik explains, “We’re spending time giving people tools to love people well, listen to people well, and be a place where they can safely talk about their situation.”

(Photo courtesy of Theodore Goutas/Unsplash)

At its core, pro-life trainings with LIFE International point people to lasting hope and make known the Father’s heart for life.

“The goal…is to specifically bring the redemptive work of Christ into the story,” Salik says.

Pray for the leaders in South Asia who stepped up to continue this training, that God would strengthen and equip them for further ministry. Ask the Lord to open doors for future life-affirming trainings to happen safely and effectively. Finally, pray that women facing crisis pregnancies would ultimately encounter the hope of Christ and choose life!

Learn more about LIFE International at lifeinternational.com.

Header photo: Training with LIFE International partners in Bangladesh. (Photo courtesy of LIFE International)

A growing church-based effort is stepping into those critical moments with both practical help and Gospel hope.

Journey of a Life Giver Training in Uganda. (Photo courtesy of LIFE International)

LIFE International partners with a church network in Uganda, conducting training events titled Journey of a Life Giver and Redemptive Conversations. These trainings equip Christian leaders to respond to family crises in life-giving ways.

April Schmidt, LIFE International’s Life-Giving Ministries Manager, says the goal is to have a spiritual and cultural impact as leaders ultimately point people to God the Father’s heart for life.

“We’re seeing just an expansion and a change of heart in the participants,” says Schmidt. “These are leaders in this denomination. They already love the Lord. They’re already committed to the sanctity of human life. But what this does for them in this training is it’s helping them to take what they know and to put that faith into action.”

That action often begins when people approach Christian leaders during moments of desperation.

Journey of a Life Giver Training in Uganda. (Photo courtesy of LIFE International)

“They are usually coming to you because they have what they perceive as their felt need: ‘I have the need for an abortion. I have to have this abortion. I need money. I need a place to live. I need a job,'” Schmidt says.

“However, the greatest need is the real need. The real need is Jesus.”

One simple training tool has opened powerful conversations. Schmidt explains, “One of the Uganda trainings was we give them this little fetal model of [a] 12-week gestational age baby. They hold it in their hand and they look at it, and they have this realization of how small and how precious life is.”

Schmidt says one Christian leader in family ministry and counseling now carries the fetal model with her everywhere.

“She said, ‘Since I have done this training with you, I am finding more and more that people are coming to me with their crisis pregnancies, with their stories of loss and suffering…. I can pull that little baby out and I can put it in their hand, and I can talk to them about the value of life.'”

Journey of a Life Giver Training in Uganda. (Photo courtesy of LIFE International)

As Ugandan churches engage family crises with biblical truth and grace, prayer support is essential.

Please pray for protection, wisdom, and transformed hearts as pro-life ministry continues in Uganda and beyond.

Learn more about LIFE International at their website.

Header photo: Maternity home in Uganda. (Photo courtesy of LIFE International)

A3 works around the world, “changing the few who change the many.” By developing church leaders, A3 aims to change the lives of local pastors and other leaders who can make a significant Kingdom impact.

The A3 process aims to equip and unify local body leaders through retreats where leaders can learn to implement ministry concepts. The real transformation of spiritual leaders has proven to impact communities and cause Christ-centered movements, like Pastor Artur Sargsyan is seeing in Armenia.

Pastor Artur Sargsyan with A3 says that 95% of people in Armenia are traditional Orthodox Christians, but says there needs to be a revival of born-again believers. 

A3 is working to equip pastors in godliness to lead people. Photo provided by A3.

Pastor Sargsyan says, “Just now in Armenia, we have really a revival, because everyone’s churches, every Sunday service, we have new people receive Jesus.”

Sargsyan says that we have a moving God and that people are open and hungry for Jesus, spirituality, and the gospel.

Please pray with the Armenian churches as they ask God for continued revival. 

Sargsyan says that the Bible prophesied to ask for rain from God. Today, we ask God to rain down spiritual revival. 

Please pray that the Armenian revival will be a witness of faith to neighboring Muslim countries. Pray that Armenians in the Diaspora will be a witness to their neighbors and that the people of Armenia will receive a historical revival.

Image by Allexxandar on Freepik.

Zion was once a massive house church. But it was banned in 2018 after refusing to install government surveillance cameras in its sanctuary. The congregation has continued to meet in smaller groups in creative ways since then, despite continued challenges. 

This series of detainments has received the condemnation of the US State Department.

A cross outside of a government-approved Three Self Patriotic Movement (TSPM) church in Suzhou, China. (Photo courtesy of IMB)

“It is a new and significant crackdown that should get our attention and should refocus our thoughts and prayers towards the people in China that are facing ever-increasing challenges and outright persecution,” says a gospel worker supporting the Church in China. 

Last month, the Chinese government issued new restrictions on how religious leaders can and cannot use the internet. According to a report from Bitter Winter, Zion Church’s coordinated arrests seem to stem from church leaders disregarding those regulations.

“[Online platforms] became very important during COVID and have been a really important tool for especially the house churches, but the registered churches as well,” explains the gospel worker. 

As Chinese believers continue to pivot under government rules, they need wisdom for how to minister the gospel. 

“The Christians in China are not afraid to take some risks and to do things that might get [them] in trouble, but if they don’t have to and there’s strategies otherwise, then they’d love to take advantage of that,” says the gospel worker. 

Pray for younger believers to glean insight from the older generation on how to endure and adapt to persecution.

Header image is a representative stock photo courtesy of Donald Tong/Pexels.

However, Eric Mock with SGA says, “What they hadn’t counted on is there are a lot of people that didn’t know where their next meal was going to come from, and they would happily open the door to a pastor that wanted to tell them a message of hope and bring them a bag of groceries.”

In the countries of Belarus, Ukraine, Kazakhstan, and Tajikistan, SGA-sponsored missionary pastors are visiting needy families in their regions with much-needed parcels of staple food items. (Photo, caption courtesy of SGA)

Now, 11 years later, the SGA-supported Compassion Ministry is flourishing.

SGA supports 55 missionary pastors in Belarus, 35 of whom are actively involved in the Compassion Ministry.

“The figure the pastors last week gave me is that 7% of all people coming to faith, out of all the ministry of the churches in Belarus, are through this Compassion Ministry!” says Mock.

“Ten percent of all the pastors in Belarus are engaged in this Compassion Ministry through support from SGA.”

The pastors themselves often have very little. Yet, Mock says, “They faithfully declare the Gospel in their community, and here they give of the abundance of their heart more than an abundance of resources. So we help them in that, and that’s opened up doors and people have been coming to faith.”

Praise God for open doors and hearts to the Gospel in Belarus!

You can support SGA’s Compassion Ministry here.

Header photo courtesy of SGA.

But for local women, the quake is only one crisis among many. Since the Taliban took over Afghanistan four years ago, the militant group has tightened restrictions on women’s travel, education, employment, and even the use of their voices. The UN reports that these abuses of women’s rights are being normalized. 

Recently, Nehemiah* with FMI heard directly from Afghan pastors about the social boycott women are enduring: “Many women feel trapped, silenced and powerless. This isolation has further increased levels of depression, anxiety and hopelessness among women, while also placing immense pressure [on] families who relied on women’s income.”

(Photo courtesy of FMI)

Yet in places of despair, the light of the gospel shines. It just has to be shared carefully. In Afghanistan and similar cultures, a man may only speak with a woman if they are related. 

“In many cases, FMI’s pastors, their wives are the ones who go and talk to these deprived women who [do not find] hope in [the] Taliban system, but they find hope in Jesus Christ,” says Nehemiah. “This is the only channel we have at the moment where women feel connected and encouraged.”

Recently, one pastor’s wife showed the Jesus Film to a dozen women. Pray that many more will know the hope of Christ! 

“Pray for FMI partners in Afghanistan and their wives, who are really struggling and [who] put their life on [the] line every day,” says Nehemiah.

“Pray for their safety, their wisdom. [Ask] God [to] open avenues and doors for these pastors and their wives so they can connect with other Afghan families, women, children, so they can do ministry.”

Learn more about the work of FMI here. 

Header image is a representative stock photo courtesy of Farid Ershad via Unsplash.

According to Pete Noor of Set Free Ministries, spiritual bondage is stifling discipleship in churches across America. And unless something changes, sermons will keep hitting walls instead of hearts.

Noor says, “I wonder how many preachers are coming up with these wonderful sermons and wonderful teachings — [yet] what percentage of their congregation is able to even take in what they are preaching because they’re not free yet? They are bound by some lie or sin that they believe. Until they’re free, they can’t take things in.

“You can only disciple a captive as far as he or she can stretch the chains.”

(Photo courtesy of Terren Hurst/Unsplash)

Set Free Ministries helps individuals find spiritual freedom through Christ. Now, they’re turning their focus toward churches — partnering with pastors to equip congregations with a tool called the Freedom in Christ course.

“What would happen if more and more churches got more and more of their congregants set free first?” Noor asks. “Then their messages, I believe, that are being preached would be so much more clearly understood and applied.”

The Freedom in Christ course is an 11-session journey centered on discovering identity in Christ and breaking free from spiritual lies and sin. Part way through the course is the “Freedom Appointment.”

Noor explains that the Freedom Appointment in this context takes place in a small group setting. “They’ll have group prayers and group declarations together. But then individuals split off into private areas where they can quietly pray to God for Him to continue to reveal to me areas in my life where I’m out of line…so that I can confess, renounce, and repent…. Then they come back together as a group and finalize that step, then go to the next step.”

The idea isn’t new — Freedom in Christ Ministries developed the Freedom in Christ course for churches in Europe and “it’s been effective,” says Noor. “So we’re thinking that this should work very well in the United States as well.”

(Photo courtesy of Jon Tyson/Unsplash)

Set Free is already working with several congregations. Noor says, “We would be happy to talk to more churches. They can contact us for more information. At Set Free, we’d be happy to talk to them, share our experiences, and maybe put them in contact with the resource.”

Click here to contact Set Free about the Freedom in Christ course for churches!

“Pray that the Holy Spirit would continue opening up the eyes of churches so they can understand the freedom that’s available to them and the beauty of walking out of their identity in Christ… and that we can continue to help more and more people find freedom in Christ.”

Header photo courtesy of Vlad Shalaginov/Unsplash.

But that’s led to an urgent prayer request from FMI’s partners. 

Patrick Anthony with FMI says the investigations are definitely a positive thing, but they’ve had unexpected consequences. “What that’s done, though, is it has closed some buildings that our partners were planning to use to house children for their Christian summer camps,” he says.

Summer camps (Photo courtesy of FMI)

Camps begin next month. They are life-changing moments where kids and their families hear the gospel, many for the first time.

“Local leaders tell us they think there [are] about 10,000 Christians out of [Türkiye’s] 85 million population,” Anthony says. With so few believers scattered across the country, summer camp offers a much-needed time of fellowship and discipleship for Christian children. 

Another thing gives this year’s summer camps special meaning. FMI’s partner — a pastor we’ll call Izzet —and his team are celebrating 35 years of fruitful ministry. 

“It has not been easy for 35 years,” Izzet writes. “We have experienced much oppression and cruelty, but every year we have seen the hand of the Lord protecting and providing. Sometimes our camp was attacked with axes, sometimes with guns. Sometimes we were interrogated by soldiers and police. Sometimes we were kicked out of the facility in the middle of the camp. But we never put out our campfire for 35 years. Our prayer is that one day our campfire will burn in every city of Türkiye.”

Over the decades, Izzet and his team have watched campers grow into pastors and ministry leaders. Some kids have aged out of the program return as camp counselors.

Please pray for safe solutions to this summer’s urgent housing needs. Anthony says the challenges are signs of spiritual opposition. 

“At the same time, it shouldn’t surprise us and should really encourage us to be praying more and looking for the Lord to deliver in ways that perhaps we didn’t expect,” he says. “The director of the ministry (Izzet) is asking for people to pray.”

To support FMI summer camps financially, make a gift to the Tangible Resources fund at FMI’s website.

Header photo courtesy of FMI. 

Even so, the interim government is seeking more power, and Bangladesh’s future is uncertain as the international community questions if it could become the next failed state.

A crowded street in Dhaka, Bangladesh’s capital city. (Photo courtesy of Niloy Biswas/Unsplash)

“Chaos has continued,” emphasizes Bruce Allen with FMI. “Initially, people thought there would be elections held with new candidates put forth by the political parties within three months. But then the interim government was saying, ‘No, we might want to hang on to power for three to five years.’”

Violence and social unrest have continued as political factions clash. With so much anger boiling over, minorities become an easy punching bag. “You know, it’s kind of like kicking the lowest rung on the social ladder,” Allen says.

Bangladesh’s interim government has made at least 100 arrests in connection to attacks on religious and indigenous groups, according to a UN fact-finding team.

Pastors in Bangladesh are telling FMI about attacks targeting Christians who make up less than 1% of the population.

Allen reports, “Pastor Rajiv – one of our partners and, in fact, one of the members of our leadership team in Bangladesh – was attacked and his property set on fire.

“A few weeks prior to that, his two dogs were poisoned and killed. He had these dogs on the premises to protect his family and his property.”

Please pray for Christians in Bangladesh, even amidst the chaos, to win over their neighbors and persecutors with Gospel truth.

Header photo courtesy of FMI.