In my first pastorate, the church had a tradition: they would start the New year by setting aside the first full week for week for Cottage Prayer Meetings. The members would gather during the evening hours in a congregant’s home for reflection, prayer and light refreshments.
It was a time to pray for one another, our families and community. One gentleman was always prepared to offer prayers for the global church. He would talk about the hardships fellow believers faced in our world as they lived for Christ, reminding us to pray beyond our “Jerusalem” – to also think about Judea, Samaria…and the rest of the world (Acts 1:8).
Members of the early church gathered regularly to pray (2:42). They knew how to pray when being threatened. Then, when Peter and John were interrogated by the Sanhedrin and told “not to speak or teach at all in the name of Jesus” (4:18), the first-century believers prayed to God and affirmed who He was (4:24). They quoted Scripture that was applicable to their situation (4:26-28) and asked the Lord for boldness and confirmation of their message (4:29-31). We can learn a lot from their commitment to prayer by following their pattern.
The prayer calendar is an excellent tool designed to guide us in praying for those experiencing pressure, harassment, and tremendous opposition for their faith. Readers of our magazine and parents of school-aged children have offered their appreciation for the calendar, adding that they regularly use it to pray and talk to their children about persecution and suffering.
Table Talks is an interactive resource designed to generate conversations and learning moments for families while gathering around a dinner table, homeschool desk, or sitting in our family rooms at home. It invites participants – young and old alike – to dig a little deeper and weigh in on some relevant global issues. Questions are provided to encourage thought-provoking responses – no doubt, pushing readers way out of their comfort zones and motivating them to make a difference.
Pay close attention to the one-way piece. As many people think all religions are the same or, at least, provide different paths to heaven, we will be looking at the dominant religion relating to the country of focus, comparing how each world religion is similar to the Gospel and how it’s vastly different. Be sure to encourage everyone in the family to read the testimony on the calendar page titled, Along the Way, and then meditate on (or commit to memory) the Bible verse found under the heading, His Way.
Would you kindly continue to offer prayers like the following?
- Father, draw near to persecuted believers and give them courage to endure.
Pray that our brothers and sisters in Christ would experience the comfort of God and His strength to persevere (2 Corinthians 12:10). - Lord Jesus, grant persecuted believers access to Your Word so they can be encouraged to grow in the faith.
Pray that God’s Word would be made available to believers, and that those new to the faith would be discipled (2 Timothy 3:16-17). - Holy Spirit, cause the Gospel to spread through the faithful witness of persecuted believers.
Pray that the Holy Spirit would empower believers to share the Gospel boldly, and that their persecutors would come to know Jesus as their Saviour (Acts 1:8).
Whether you gather at a Cottage Prayer Meeting or with your small group at church – whether you participate in the prayers of your congregation during a Sunday worship service or set aside personal quiet time to intercede at the end of a busy day – would you pray for the people whose life stories are shared in our periodical? Would you ‘pray beyond our Jerusalem’? Would you follow the example of the early church and pray boldly, in Jesus’ name, for His chosen servants who are serving in difficult places?
*With each Table Talks issue, a link to additional downloable materials will be provided.
