“We’ve heard from our Indonesian believers a consistent story: the economy is bad. They will tell us that it’s very bad,” Anthony says.

“Young people especially are frustrated because it’s just very hard to find good jobs. Oil prices increased, which we hear raises the price of almost everything.”

Image courtesy of FMI

Finding fuel is a massive struggle. The government hiked gas prices because of the closure of the Strait of Hormuz, and when gas stations do have fuel available, long lines form to get it. Part of FMI’s ministry is sending their partners across the country to encourage and train pastors and church planters, but funding transportation is becoming increasingly expensive. 

People in Indonesia are struggling to maintain hope, as it seems there is no end to their economic woes. Religious offerings are going down, making it difficult for churches to continue their ministries and support their pastors — especially in denominations that do not allow their pastors to hold another job. 

Hope for Indonesia

Yet in the midst of despair, God is working. 

“People are looking for hope. So [our partners are] witnessing more opportunities to share the Gospel readily with people because of the economic situation,” Anthony says. 

An Indonesian pastor hikes through a rainforest on the island of Borneo over a broken-down bridge to reach a ministry site. (Photo, caption courtesy of FMI)

A challenge for many Indonesian believers in evangelism is social customs. Indonesia is the world’s largest Muslim-majority country and is also home to many folk religions, creating a high value on interfaith harmony. 

“However, because of such a high value on harmony, Christians in Indonesia can struggle with the call to be bold, to proclaim Christ to their neighbors because they don’t want to upset the harmony,” Anthony says. 

With the economic challenges, Indonesian Christians are finding more natural opportunities to share Christ in a culture that often makes it difficult. 

Pray for boldness for Christians in Indonesia. Anthony also asks that we would pray for creativity for church leaders in how they and their congregations respond to the tough economic times. God is the great provider, so pray that He would help the people of Indonesia find solutions to their situation and support pastors who rely on communal funds for their livelihood.

Header image courtesy of Bruce Allen/FMI

Patrick Anthony with FMI explains, “A common approach to leadership training that helps people be equipped for persecuted context is really internship programs or mentorship programs.”

Men talking (photo courtesy of Tanmay Tiwari via Pexels)

This approach is often called relational discipleship or life-on-life mentoring. New leaders don’t just gain knowledge. They watch, learn, and walk closely with experienced leaders.

Many face daily challenges and difficult questions. As Anthony puts it, “How you walk through a crisis? Or how do you go about everyday shepherding? And then, how do you handle a crisis?”

This need is being echoed by ministry partners across multiple countries. In high-risk regions, the demand for trained mentors is urgent.

Anthony says, “Governments will expel foreign workers, and that can leave a gaping hole of leadership in a country that deals with chronic persecution.”

That reality points to a training model that values character as much as competence. One FMI partner in Kenya says:

“This moment offers a powerful opportunity to raise leaders who reflect Christ, demonstrate integrity and shepherd God’s people with resilience rooted in the Gospel.”

Several FMI partners also highlighted the need to find and build leaders, especially in crisis areas, emphasizing “a leader’s own walk with Christ before their competence and skills,” Anthony adds.

Pray for FMI’s ongoing work training leaders worldwide, especially those in persecuted countries. Pray also for more life-on-life mentorship in the churches facing persecution.

“Pray for their walk with Christ and their families, and that they would work together as a family, taking part in Christ’s work with FMI in those countries,” says Anthony.

Visit the FMI website to learn about their approach training leaders.

Header photo: Two men walking side by side on a railway platform (Photo courtesy of Ritesh Arya via Pexels).

Istanbul (photo courtesy of
ONUR KURT via Unsplash)

Patrick Anthony from FMI says teenagers often fall through the cracks of society. “They’re oftentimes caught in between childhood and adulthood, and oftentimes they’re kind of unseen, or invisible to the rest of the population,” Anthony says.

Yet God places special value on young people. One FMI partner in Türkiye who works with youth shared, as quoted by Anthony:

“He likes to think of children in this teenage group as diamonds waiting to be polished,” Anthony adds.

Many teenagers are struggling with anxiety and depression, with some turning to smoking or alcohol at an early age to cope. Moreover, more than 2 million children in Türkiye are outside the formal education system, making them more vulnerable to exploitation and involvement in crime.

“That can foster a desire in teens to seek significance in unhealthy places, which can lead to extreme behaviors,” says Anthony.

Hopelessness is especially prevalent in economically strained areas. Many teenagers and young adults are also wrestling with deep questions about the meaning of life and their future.

“They’re diamonds waiting to be polished”; diamond (photo courtesy of Long Truong via Unsplash)

“The invisibility and the oftentimes the lack of attention and care can really exacerbate these kinds of problems,” he adds.

One solution, Anthony says, is to reconsider how the church views its youth, while also fostering healthy relationships between mature believers and teens. “That can really help a teen find their place and feel like they do belong,” Anthony says.

Pray that Turkish churches respond to the hopelessness of local youth with practical Gospel hope.

“Pray for creative solutions and building bridges to teens,” Anthony says.

Visit FMI to learn about the ways their empower indigenous church planters. Pray also for an FMI partner in Türkiye who leads a children’s outreach ministry in his community. He organizes summer camps and plans to host four camps for kids this year. Pray for the team’s protection and for transformed lives among the children.

Header photo: Young men standing in Istanbul, Türkiye (Photo courtesy of Ibrahim Guetar via Unsplash).

Pakistan is number 8 on Open Doors ranking of countries where Christians face the worst persecution. Anthony’s partners also face struggles with finances and rising costs of living, which sometimes make it hard to even put food on the table, as well as pressure to conform to the surrounding culture places not just on them, but on their spouses and children.

Anthony says his “aha” moment came when some of FMI’s US staff spent a couple of days on retreat outside of Pakistan with this team. A large portion of the time was spent interviewing leadership team members individually.

Mob attack in recent years (Photo courtesy of FMI)

“And I remember sitting there thinking, wow, this is so nice, because whenever we visit and we go in country, we have time to talk to all of our team members, of course, but we also have a very busy itinerary to follow, visits to make—and so we’re talking, but it’s also in between events. But for retreat, we had a dedicated time where we could ask, ‘How are you doing? Tell us, what are your challenges? What are you excited about?’ When it comes to missionary care, that’s needed to be able to know where our partners are, emotionally and vision wise, and helps us to see how we can better come alongside them.”

Team members personally reported the individual conversations were positive for them, helping to open discussion on different ideas, future goals, and where they feel the Lord’s leading them. It also gave the ministry leaders a chance to be vulnerable about what they’re truly facing. The ministry’s national director in Pakistan, for example, opened up about his daughter, who faces extreme pressure at her Muslim school, from fellow students and her teacher, to convert to Islam. However, this school may be one of the only opportunities for her to receive an education within the country.

“It’s one thing when a peer says something, pressures you, but when your teacher is coming down on you more than once, that puts a lot of pressure on a student,” notes Anthony. “I don’t know that I would have heard the story of our partner’s daughter’s situation in school if we didn’t have those multiple meetings. He didn’t share that right away.”

Anthony encourages those working in a fast-paced ministry, especially those with people serving around the world, to slow down ask their ministry leaders how they’re doing, what’s on their heart, and what’s burdening them.

“I think it starts personally. Before we ask someone else, it’s helpful to spend some time in prayer for our own reflections with the Lord, personally reviewing, ‘Okay, where am I at? How is my family at?’—talking to our spouse, talking to our families—and let that bleed over into the ministry. We need to care about that for ourselves, to then also care about that for someone else.”

Learn more about FMI’s work at forgottenmissionaries.org.

Header photo courtesy of Aaron Burden on Unsplash .

Patrick Anthony with FMI says that while many pastors and ministry leaders are well-prepared theologically, “there can be a lack of, perhaps, awareness that pastors, ministry leaders are also called to get their hands kind of dirty, and practically help their people.”

He explains that solid theological training has universal value. “Generally speaking, pastors are trained well in the Scriptures about what to expect, as in, Jesus tells us that we will suffer trials following Him, that He tells us about growing pains getting close to the last days of wars and earthquakes and famines and crisis after crisis.”

But in hotspots marked by war, economic crisis, and disaster, congregations often look to their leaders not only for spiritual guidance, but also for practical help and solutions.

Photo courtesy of Tosin Superson via Pexels

FMI’s partner in Indonesia adds, “Currently, we need a leader who is somewhat different from the leaders of the past, who tended to only specialize in certain fields.”

Anthony says modern challenges are increasingly diverse and complex — and many leaders are already adjusting their ministry and training to meet them. He points to FMI’s partner in Kenya.

For years, churches followed a model where congregations financially supported their pastors. But in many communities, poverty runs deep, and that approach is no longer sustainable.

So leaders have shifted their focus. One Kenyan leader explains, “We need to help them learn what they can do business-wise and entrepreneurially, so they can put food on their own table for their children and send their kids to school.”

These leaders test business ideas themselves, then teach what works to their congregations. Anthony says they’re determined to lead by example and reflect Christ’s compassion:

“We know your burden. We know you’re barely getting by. Come to me — and I will show you ways you can provide for your family.”

Pray for FMI as they encourage and equip leaders around the world.

Header photo is a representative stock image courtesy of Papaioannou Kostas via Unsplash.

Across Türkiye, pastors faithfully serve their communities, nurturing believers and guiding churches to maturity. As one congregation grows strong and vibrant, the next step — multiplying into new fellowships — can bring its own challenges. Still, many continue seeking ways to extend the Gospel’s reach to places where it has not yet been heard.

Patrick Anthony from FMI says, “One of the biggest challenges is finding those people in a country with a Christian population that’s so small in percentage.”

Türkiye’s Christian population is less than one percent. Though most Turkish Muslims are cultural rather than devout, the Church often feels isolated. Yet the need for hope and the Gospel remains great — a need made especially clear after the earthquake two years ago.

“Muslims were coming to faith in Christ,” Anthony recalls, “because of the way the Christian community was caring for them in the aftermath, compared to the government.”

Yet with the great need, there are not enough people. Anthony says FMI looks for pastors to work alongside who meet certain criteria:

• deeply rooted in their faith,
• grounded in Scripture,
• experienced in leading the Church,
• genuine in their relationship with Jesus,
• and most importantly, they understand the need for the Church to multiply and reach more people.

Bustling Istanbul Bazaar (Photo courtesy of Ugur Tandogan via Pexels)

Anthony explains that a true church planter is someone who can “raise up a church and mature and disciple a church for the purpose of those people’s spiritual health, and also the multiplication of the church.”

Encouragingly, this work is happening in some areas of Türkiye.

“They [Christian leaders] are in one neighborhood with hundreds of thousands of people, and they’re pastoring the only known evangelical church there. They’re praying and planning to plant another church in a nearby suburb — also with hundreds of thousands of people — and they don’t know of any evangelical churches there,” Anthony says.

Yet one challenge is that many areas remain unreached, and there is a growing need for strategic planning. In addition, Turkish law doesn’t allow the construction of new church buildings; believers must use existing structures or, when that’s not possible, rent office space. This reality highlights the urgent need for prayer!

Please pray for workers to be found, as the harvest is ready! Visit FMI to learn more about their work and the ways you can help.

Abandoned 18th Century Brick Church in Turkiye (photo courtesy of Meriç Tuna via Pexels).

On April 23, families gathered in Istanbul’s parks to celebrate National Sovereignty and Children’s Day, a beloved public holiday. But at 12:49 p.m., a 6.2 magnitude earthquake struck in the Sea of Marmara, sending physical and emotional shockwaves through the city. Memories of the devastating 2023 earthquakes in Hatay and Antakya fueled panic. Some jumped from windows, fearing buildings would collapse. Others rushed to open areas like parks and squares to wait in fear.

Patrick Anthony from FMI says:

“There are a lot of frightened people right now, and it sounds like the fear is more of what could be coming, more aftershocks, more even possibly a larger earthquake.”

Istanbul street (photo courtesy of Nick Night via Unsplash)

Reports say at least 151 were injured, many from acting in panic. After the chaos, authorities advised citizens to spend the night outside. Some slept in their cars, while others gathered with neighbors in gardens and courtyards. A few returned home, but the fear lingers.

Although this quake caused little structural damage, the anxiety remains. Many wonder if the next one will be worse. But amid the uncertainty, ministries remain active, offering comfort, support, and spiritual stability.

“There are so many people who need to hear the gospel for the first time! And things like this are a reminder that, yes, gospel workers, we must keep praying, keep working. Jesus is coming. And people need to know that,” encourages Anthony.

FMI continues to stand alongside local churches. “We come alongside the indigenous church planters and the indigenous church in places where it’s very difficult for the church to replicate because of persecution, or because of poverty,” says Anthony.

Pray for those in need of shelter and comfort in the aftermath. Many partners and families live in multi-story apartment buildings. After experiencing an earthquake, many are too afraid to return home, uncertain if the structures are safe.

And most importantly, pray that Turkish citizens find a truly firm, unshakable foundation in Christ.

Header photo: Istanbul houses (photo courtesy of Gokhan Polat via Usplash)

For the past two years, FMI has hosted pastor trainings in Malawi — and they’re bearing abundant spiritual fruit.

FMI’s Patrick Anthony says, “Out of 86 pastors last year, they were able to teach and share with over 2,400 people. They reported that in this past year, 450 churches had been planted; and they also reported that over 30,000 people placed their faith in Christ!”

The training is also helping pastors and their churches recognize and resist false teaching.

“One of the coolest stories that I heard was that there was a self-proclaimed prophet who had walked into one of the villages where three of the pastors from the first conference were from,” says Anthony.

“As this prophet came into this area, he was apparently preaching a prosperity gospel. When he came in, the villagers told him, ‘You’re not preaching the right gospel. You’re preaching the prosperity gospel. You need to leave.’”

Pastor Chikumbu, a pastor in Malawi who received a Bible and training with FMI. (Photo courtesy of FMI)

In addition to training, FMI provides each pastor with a Bible. But the need is even greater.

“One of the pastors, he said, ‘Listen, we’re really appreciative that we all have a Bible now. But our people need Bibles too,’” Anthony shares.

You can help. By donating to FMI’s tangible resources fund, you can put the Word of God in the hands of spiritually hungry villagers in Malawi.

Click here to give!

Then, pray for pastors in Malawi to grow in wisdom and biblical knowledge as they make disciples for Jesus. Pray for continued growth, boldness, and discernment in the Malawian Church to reject false teachers.

Header photo: Historic brick church in rural Malawi. (Photo by Chisomo Gondwe/Pexels: https://www.pexels.com/photo/historic-brick-church-architecture-in-rural-setting-29306403/)

Both Bangladesh and Pakistan have voiced strong criticisms of India, bringing them closer politically. The two nations also share Islam as the majority religion.

(Graphic courtesy FMI) Bangladesh Flag

This new connection could have significant consequences — not just for politics on the Indian subcontinent, but also for everyday people in Bangladesh.

Patrick Anthony with FMI says, “The interim government is more of a Muslim fundamentalist government [and] they’re trying to build ties with Pakistan instead of India.

“One concern that our partners have is that this may lead to civil war down the road, especially if the former prime minister gets more and more involved.”

As Bangladesh reshapes its global relationships, the question remains — What does this mean for religious freedom?

The Bangladesh Hindu Buddhist Christian Unity Council recently called out the government for failing to protect religious minorities, saying officials are even using their power to silence them.

One group feeling the impact is the country’s small Christian community, which makes up just 0.4% of the population. In early August alone, there were over 2,000 incidents of communal violence, leaving many religious minorities feeling unsafe.

Bangladesh (Photo courtesy of FMI)

“People around the country are seeing they haven’t liked Christians to begin with, and they’re seeing more of an opportunity to loot, steal, and burn houses and properties of Christians, and that’s what our partners are feeling,” says Anthony.

“Just last month, our partner said that Muslims attacked a church and broke the boundary of a mission school and they occupied the place.”

Anthony says FMI-supported pastor Rajiv has described how other pastors in Bangladesh are being intimidated by Muslims in their communities to stop preaching.

Yet, “Rajiv believes that the Lord’s using this to make them stronger and more courageous so that they can witness more effectively to the larger community, particularly to Muslims.”

Please join Bangladeshi believers in prayer for their nation. Anthony asks, “One prayer target could be that Christians would be creative and find ways to increase security because if they are attacked by a mob, there may not be a whole lot that they can do.

“Pray for faithfulness, that whether they’re FMI partners or other Christians in the country, that they really would find that this is now an opportune time even more to stand for their churches, to stand for the Gospel — that attackers may see something different and may see that they have a strength that comes from not this world.”

Learn more about FMI’s ministry in Bangladesh.

Header photo: Bangladesh National Parliament House in Dhaka. (Photo by Ashraful997 – Own work, CC BY-SA 4.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=154337869)

The catastrophe and following aftershocks took the lives of more than 59,000 people in the two nations. Dozens are still missing, with their families left searching for answers. 

Patrick Anthony with FMI says rebuilding has been slower than what Türkiye’s government promised. Hundreds of thousands of Turks still live in temporary containers awaiting new homes. 

“There is some concern that more and more people are going to leave, which is going to make just even stabilizing that [region] even harder,” Anthony says. 

But gospel ministry continues. One of FMI’s partners, who we’ll call Pastor Enver, travels to the earthquake zone each month. He serves alongside the Church there, bringing them any donations he’s received. 

“He’s done a lot of counseling too, meeting with people who need to talk about their situation or just providing some spiritual care,” says Anthony. “He says praise God, they’ve seen many people respond in faith, come to faith in Christ through this.”

Devastation from the 2023 earthquake. (Photo courtesy of FMI)

Anthony notes that although rebuilding efforts are frustratingly slow to many, “Really, we’re not to be putting our full trust in government. It’s a good call for the Church that the Church, whether you’re in Türkiye or somewhere else in the world where there’s been a devastating event — the church is called to step up and to meet needs and share the hope of Christ.”

Please pray for strength and effective gospel proclamation for gospel workers like Enver. Pray for survivors wrestling with anger and grief over the loss from the earthquakes, that God will lead them to hope in Christ. Pray that those who know Christ will stand in faith and trust, sharing the good news with their neighbors. 

Finally, as part of the Body of Christ, consider donating to support aid and gospel hope for the people of Türkiye. Click to visit FMI’s website and learn how to partner with them. 

Header photo of container homes for quake survivors in Turkiye, courtesy of FMI.