expanding god's kingdom in Indonesia & laos

"Blessed are those who are persecuted for the sake of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven." Matthew 5:10


Christ Church supports five Laotian pastors through the ministry of Open Doors USA. Open Doors focuses on serving persecuted Christians. Because of the governmental restrictions on religious activities and the dangers of persecution, we are committed to protecting the pastors we support, as well as the people from Open Doors who minister to them. Therefore, for the safety of these pastors, their families, & the believers they preach to and disciple, we cannot share names or specific locations. But we can pray for them & be confident that God knows exactly who we are praying for.


Pray:

*for these 5 pastors & their fellow pastors to be strong and courageous as they do the work God has called them to do

*for the people who hear the message of Christ to have hearts that are tender and receptive

*for those who receive Christ as Savior & Lord knowing that they may very well lose everything--family relationships, possessions, jobs...

*for perseverance, endurance, & unwavering faith in the face of certain persecution, knowing that their reward will be great

*for the financial & physical needs of these courageous Christians to be met through the gracious gifts of their brothers & sisters in Christ

about Laos


Laos, located in Southeastern Asia, is a Communist state with a population of 7,038,000. There are an estimated 225,000 Christians in this country that ranks 24th out of the 50 worst countries for Christian persecution.


The dominant religion is Buddhism and much of the persecution comes from Tribal antagonism. Buddhist temples are the centers of social and religious life, and most Lao men are expected to spend some time serving in a temple.


Any deviation from Buddhism is unthinkable and perceived as dangerous. Therefore, Christians refusing to participate in Buddhist practices are perceived as foreign and a threat to traditional culture.


Added to this is a government which believes that the practice of religion divides, distracts, & destabilizes. Though it tolerates Buddhism, the Communist government strictly oversees its activities & training materials. The treatment of Christians is not as kind.


Witnessing to Buddhist neighbors and family can be a huge challenge, as well as dangerous, but believers in Laos are boldly living out their faith at great peril to themselves & their families.


As one believer there writes, "This is a hard place for Christians, but I believe God is working. If we focus only on what we see, we will be discouraged."


Pray:

*for the country, people, government officials, & Christ-followers of Laos

*for the Holy Spirit to move in the unbelievers there through dreams & the message of Christ shared & lived out by the Christians there

*for the government to see the positive effects on society of Christ-followers living out their faith

*for Christians who have nowhere to read the Bible and pray without being watched

*for older Christians to take the initiative in discipling new believers

*that Christians would know how to witness to Buddhist neighbors and family