Is your church ready for the International Day of Prayer?

Many churches didn’t have Vacation Bible School this year. Some decided to cancel camps, dinners, and other special activities. Although you may have had to cancel events this year, too, there is one thing you can always do — even in the midst of a raging pandemic

You can pray.

The International Day of Prayer for the Persecuted Church is Sunday, Nov. 1. Right now, more than 260 million believers around the world are facing torture, imprisonment, and even death because of their faith. Their needs are many. But you can download these free resources so you will know exactly how to pray for persecuted Christians on Nov. 1.

Here are some of the resources you’ll have access to:

Prayer guides for families and youth groups so all ages can participate and pray for the specific needs of persecuted believers
A coloring sheet for kids that can be used to introduce a teachable moment about how important it is to pray for Christians in other countries
A list of Scripture verses that can serve as a springboard to help your church family discuss and pray for the persecuted church
An insert for your church’s bulletin with some basic facts about persecution around the world and what Christians here in America can do to help
PowerPoint slides for International Day of Prayer to share with your small groups or to show before or during your worship service

Believers in persecuted countries are dealing with things we can’t even imagine. “The persecution of Christians in parts of the world is at near ‘genocide’ levels,” one report said.

And things are only getting worse. Last April, bombs exploded in Sri Lanka near three hotels and three churches holding Easter Sunday services. At least 253 people died, and 500 more were injured. The Islamic militant group that carried out these horrific attacks admitted to targeting Christians.

“I thought [we] had left all this violence behind us,” one onlooker said.

But the violence has clearly not stopped.

This year, Christian persecution has gotten even worse … especially for those living in poverty. Tens of thousands of North Korean believers are locked away in prison camps for their faith. And Christ-followers in Nigeria are constantly on the lookout for militant groups that want them dead.

Persecuted believers need you and your church to pray now more than ever.

If your church is meeting in-person, please consider handing out the free bulletin insert fliers. Show the brief PowerPoint presentation. Or pass out the teen prayer guide to your youth group.

Meeting virtually? Your church can still get involved because all the resources can easily be downloaded at home! Just email, text, or post this link on your social media, and everyone will have access to these tools. If you’re a pastor, share the link with your colleagues and other pastors so that even more believers can be in prayer for the persecuted church.

The Bible tells us to “pray for one another.” And right now, our brothers and sisters in Christ desperately need your support. Many are beaten within an inch of their lives for simply uttering the name “Jesus.” Others are killed for attending underground churches.

Today, persecuted believers around the world have many specific needs — from protection to provision to Bibles. And now you have the tools to pray for each of them.

Please download the free resources today and share them with your church, family, and friends. And join us in prayer Nov. 1.

Download your resources here