If you have a passion for spreading the Gospel, India is one of the most critical mission fields — and now is a key time to support Mission India as they touch kids’ hearts.

(Photo courtesy of Mission India)

Raina Miller with Mission India says, “Giving Tuesday falls during our 10-Day Children’s Bible Club matching challenge, so it’s a great time to take advantage of that…. Every dollar that you give to 10-Day Children’s Bible Clubs is currently being doubled — so $1 is doubled to reach two children with the good news of Jesus!”

India is home to 1.4 billion people, and 96% have never heard the Gospel. Mission India works with local Christian partners for these Children’s Bible Clubs — even as believers face intense persecution.

“India is actually the 11th most dangerous nation in the world for Christians,” Miller explains. “There are people who are ostracized from their communities, they are facing violence, they’re facing intimidation in all different forms for following Christ…. And yet, we’re finding that the more persecution increases, the more the Church grows.”

(Photo courtesy of Mission India)

You can donate to Mission India’s 10-Day Children’s Bible Clubs today at www.missionindia.org/double.

This Giving Tuesday, help make an eternal difference for children in India.

Miller also asks, “Pray that the kids who are reached through the Bible Clubs that are being sponsored during this match would have their hearts changed in a way that pushes them to lead others to Christ as well. [Pray] that it just creates a domino effect where the kids reached through this match then go on to reach entire communities!”

Header photo courtesy of Mission India.

For years, national voter turnout has been low, plagued by cynicism and apathy. However, this week, more than 56% of registered Iraqis showed up at the polls.

“I’m surprised by that number!” remarks Samuel with Redemptive Stories. “We had heard that this would be the lowest turnout of them all, but it seems like the number is actually the opposite. This might be one of the highest.”

Samuel believes that the voter turnout number points to a deeper shift in Iraq.

“It means that people are beginning to trust the government. It means they want their voice to be heard. It means that things are uniquely stabilizing.”

A church in Baghdad. (Image courtesy of Wikimedia Commons)

That’s a big deal in a country that has endured decades of conflict and instability. Still, Samuel warns believers not to assume calm will make life easier for the Church.

“When stability occurs, it gives space for the authorities to look for other sources that will bring instability,” says Samuel. “So that could begin to, again, add a microscope to the work of the Church in the overall sphere of Iraq.”

As final election results are expected next week, pray for God’s will in Iraq.

Samuel asks, “Pray that the Church will continue to stand as a beacon of hope – no matter who is in charge of the government or who is in power – that it would not only stand as a beacon of hope, but it would continue to be a light that goes out from the Church.”

Header photo: An Iraqi woman votes in 2010 election. Image courtesy of DVIDSHUB (www.flickr.com/photos/dvids/4417086779/), Licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 2.0 Generic | Flickr

Ukraine has struck at least 21 of Russia’s 38 large oil refineries, leading to fuel shortages. Meanwhile, Russia is targeting Ukraine’s gas infrastructure. Emergency power blackouts have occurred in nearly every region in Ukraine. 

Eric Mock with Slavic Gospel Association says a partner in Kyiv sent a desperate message last week about one Russian strike. 

“The damage that was done to the electrical facility was so great that the local leaders said, ‘This will not be rebuilt until the war ends,’” Mock reports.

You can imagine what having no light or heat source means for that SGA partner’s household, and others like it.

Heat and Hope outreach provides generators for emergency use (Photo courtesy of Slavic Gospel Association)

“Last year it was a temperate winter. But this year, we’re hearing that it’s going to turn cold, and it already has become much colder,” Mock says. 

SGA sends resources through an outreach they call Heat and Hope in order to equip local Christians for ministry. To provide generators, they partner with a group called Sunset Solutions. The emergency equipment goes even as far as the front lines of the war — but always through local churches.

“All the food we send over, everything we send over for winter warmth, all of that goes through the local church. Why? [So] that people that are in need would hear — hear from Christians who are showing them love and grace, even in their own fear — of the gospel of Jesus Christ,” says Mock.

Find your place in the story. Learn more about past Heat and Hope outreaches and how to partner with SGA’s work in 2025 on their website. 

“Imagine the people in Ukraine where a light switch doesn’t work, nor a thermostat doesn’t work, who may sleep through the night when it’s 25 degrees in the house, who may have to burn a candle as their only source of light, or use the the light on their cell phone through a soda bottle to generate light to live by, to even read their Bibles by and to stay in touch,” says Mock. 

“Life for them is very difficult. It’s in such time[s] that God’s people gather together to take care of one another.”

Header image: Ukraine, Kyiv (Photo courtesy of Алесь Усцінаў via Pexels)

(Photo of Beirut, Lebanon courtesy of Jo Kassis/Pexels)

Just over a year ago, former Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah was killed by an Israeli strike — an event that reshaped power dynamics. Now, a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas has brought temporary relief to the region.

Yet next door, Lebanon is in a fragile state as Hezbollah refuses to disarm.

Nuna with Triumphant Mercy Lebanon says, “There is an agreement and everybody – the whole government now – has decided that Hezbollah needs to disarm. The international community is for that, so everything is going towards that end. But at the same time, Hezbollah is not willing to.”

Many Lebanese are weighed down by instability and disillusionment. “So many people are depressed,” Nuna says. “So many people are skeptical. So many people are in disbelief and in hopelessness…. So many people are feeling like it’s better for us to leave.

“It is strategic to pray at this time. We really want God to just show His power.”

As Lebanon grapples with transition, pray that the nation’s leaders will act with wisdom to stabilize the country. Pray for the Church to be a source of Christ’s hope and healing.

(Photo courtesy of Triumphant Mercy Lebanon)

Nuna says, “We’re seeing all these shifts in whole nations, and we’re just there asking God to release His glory and to have people’s eyes see His glory because it’s a really difficult time at this time.”

Learn more about Triumphant Mercy at tm-lebanon.com.

Header photo courtesy of Wikimedia Commons | https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Beiteddine_-_drapeau_libanais.jpg

For some, it’s a broad commitment to human dignity in every form. For others, it’s a political label. Yet, LIFE International’s Alissa Hollander says the movement risks losing focus if it drifts too far from its anti-abortion roots.

(Photo courtesy of Pixabay)

“Historically, the term pro-life was probably always a good amount of things,” Hollander explains. “But it was never less than being anti-abortion. That was foundational — and where the term began.”

Over the last decade, the cultural conversation has shifted. People have tried to broaden “pro-life” to include every form of human flourishing.

Today, Hollander says the pro-life label “has been applied to everything, from environmental concerns to economic policies.” While those desires may come from good intentions, she warns that redefining the term risks diluting it.

“If everything is pro-life, the word risks losing its meaning,” Hollander says. “At its core, pro-life means affirming the God-given value and dignity of every person, beginning at conception. That’s the foundation from which everything else flows.”

The pro-life community can hold nuanced opinions on other issues — such as immigration or the death penalty — without compromising that anti-abortion foundation.

“We always should treat everyone with dignity and respect,” Hollander says. “But we need to be clear that it (being pro-life) always includes being against the ending of innocent life in the womb.”

LIFE International staff (Photo courtesy of LIFE International)

LIFE International’s founder Kurt Dillinger and Alissa Hollander co-authored The People of the Womb and the Great Commission — a free resource helping Christians and the Church connect the Great Commission with the Father’s heart for life, available for free on their website. The paper explores how the Church’s mission must include defending the preborn, as the Great Commission calls the Church to uphold all that Christ commanded, including the value of every human life.

“Pro-life people have been accused of only caring about babies in the womb up until the moment of birth…. I just don’t think that accusation holds any weight,” Hollander adds. “There’s countless ministries that are aimed at helping support women and their partners in keeping babies and supporting them after a baby is born.”

Pray for unity of purpose in the pro-life movement, and for believers to live out that conviction with truth and compassion. Pray that more people will recognize the God-given value of life in the womb.

Learn more about LIFE International and their global partnerships in 170 countries at lifeinternational.com.

Header photo courtesy of Camylla Battani/Unsplash.

Kasr El-Dobara Evangelical Church (KDEC), located in Egypt, was founded by Dr. Ibrahim Said in 1949 with a “missions DNA.” Since then, the church has grown into the largest Arab Evangelical congregation, with 12,000 members.

(Photo courtesy of KDEC)

KDEC’s Pastor Sam emphasizes, “It’s not about the number, actually. It’s about the Kingdom. We are Kingdom-minded, not church-minded.

“We believe that the Church exists for the Great Commission, to continue the message that Jesus Christ started, and help people to get to the knowledge of Jesus Christ. We pass the message of hope for people.”

Out of Egypt’s 118 million people, Pastor Sam says, “At least 20 million are Christians. The majority are Coptic Orthodox — 93%. Five percent are Evangelicals, and the rest are Catholic. So we are a minority among minorities — but thank God that we can reach the multitude!”

KDEC meets people where they are through creative outreach. Pastor Sam says, for example, “We have the largest sports ministry program in the Middle East. We serve around 750,000 per year across Egypt and also in the Middle East. We are using sports to reach people [with] the knowledge of Christ.”

(Photo courtesy of KDEC)

Another outreach draws thousands to music festivals. “We developed a program called Count It Right in partnership with Palau’s organization. We have a festival, and people come from different backgrounds to watch the shows. In each station, we share…the Gospel.”

Whatever the method, Pastor Sam says it all comes down to one goal — telling as many people as possible about Jesus.

“We are using different ‘languages.’ I don’t mean like Arabic and English. I mean languages like sports, music, apologetics, media, [and] social media to grab people’s attention to the message of Christ.”

When asked how Christians can pray, Pastor Sam responds with sincere reverence: “Pray for grace and wisdom as we’re serving the Lord. [Pray] for the Church in Egypt to be in the center of God’s will, and to be brave, and to continue sharing the Good News without fear.”

Learn more about KDEC at their website.

Header photo courtesy of KDEC.

But in prisons, the dynamic changes. An incarcerated extremist becomes, quite literally, a captive audience for the Gospel.

Greg Von Tobel, President of Prisoners for Christ (PFC), says, “When we talk about third-world prisons, there are a lot of terrorist groups that have found themselves in prison.

“What better opportunity to share the love of Christ with some of the hardest of hearts that are bent on evil and having them come to know Lord, getting released, going back to their communities and sharing the love of Christ?”

Photo courtesy of Colin Carey via Unsplash

PFC helps believers behind bars start churches in prisons across the developing world. For terrorists, these church gatherings are often the first place they hear about Jesus.

Don Szolomayer, PFC’s Director of International Affairs, explains that many inmates enter prison churches simply out of curiosity. “And it says, ‘This is a safe place. This is a place you can come, you can ask questions, you can learn, you can grow.’”

Still, sharing the Gospel is only the beginning. Von Tobel stresses the importance of building up new believers in the faith during their incarceration.

“We have to have the discipleship piece – feeding and growing inmates that are babes in the Word of God, and watching them and growing them into great warriors for the cause of Christ.”

Pray for extremists in prison to turn to Christ, and become warriors for God’s mercy and truth!

Pray also for believers who lead these prison churches — that God would equip them with wisdom, courage, and perseverance as they disciple new Christians behind bars.

Header photo image generated by AI.

“After the war, they realized there are many spies [who] find government secrets and send [them] to Israel,” she says. “They are blaming everyone.”

One watchdog organization reports that journalists have been especially targeted. Baghestani adds Christians and Baha’is to the list. She says the government accuses believers of being “Zionist Christians” spying for Israel. It’s a fast track to prison. 

“More than I would say 70 Christians are in prison currently, awaiting their sentences,” Baghestani says. 

Heart4Iran knows of house churches that have been raided and at least one pastor who was arrested and tortured so severely that he shared names of other believers. 

“Some have just left their homes and cars where they are, and they just fled for their lives,” says Baghestani. “It’s sad, because we have prayed with these friends, with these Christians inside the country. We have discipled them. They are like our [children], and we are responsible for them.”

People’s fear of being monitored has kept them from calling Heart4Iran’s counseling center, which has seen its daily call volume drop.

(Photo courtesy of Heart4Iran)

“Everybody — Christian or non-Christian, the youth, the old — they all live in fear. Fear of arrest, fear of even getting killed on the streets. They come and stab you, and nobody knows why. You’re dead on the street, bleeding, and there is no answer,” Baghestani says. 

“When Mahsa Amini [protests] started, all the youth [rose up]. But now the youth are quiet. Where are they? They’re scared. They’re afraid.”

She says Iranians are placing notes and stickers in public places as signs of protest rather than taking to the streets themselves.

Let these accounts lead your prayers for the Iranian church.

“The Lord is good. The Lord is faithful. The Lord can protect them in the midst of all the persecution,” Baghestani says. 

Then, share this story. Visit Heart4Iran’s website to learn more about the Church in Iran.

“When we educate one another [about] what’s going on, when we bring awareness, we will be able to pray better for our people inside the country,” Baghestani says. 

“As much as we feel we are safe and there is no persecution, at these end times, persecution is spreading. If there is persecution in Iran, it will ooze out, and it will affect Christians all over the world.” 

Header image is a stock photo from Tehran, Iran courtesy of Seyed Amir Mohammad Tabatabaee.

Non-Existent Organizations

Todd Nettleton with The Voice of the Martyrs USA recently recorded a podcast with Chinese pastor, Brother Enfu*. He offered some insights on this unique concern of the underground church.

Nettleton says, “Every single church leader that has been charged in the last two years has been charged with financial crimes charges. They’ve been charged with fraud. They’ve been charged with so-called illegal business practices. And what it comes down to is the government comes in and says, ‘Hey, you’re collecting donations for an organization that doesn’t exist. That’s fraud.’”

Pastors facing this charge have very little chance at a defense. They cannot admit to having parishioners since that would require a legal church. The trials have been short and there is little chance for outside help since China says the arrests are for fraud not religious persecution.

(Image courtesy of Jacob Bentzinger on Unsplash)

Nettleton says that for Brother Enfu and other church leaders this poses a serious problem. Tithing, paying a pastor, and even providing healthcare or insurance for the pastor have become increasingly difficult.

“You can’t start a checking account for something that doesn’t legally exist. And the Chinese government is certainly monitoring financial transactions. They’re watching what’s going on. He talked about the fact that people bring their offerings in cash because they don’t want it tracked through some kind of electronic transaction, and the church doesn’t have a checking account where they could deposit checks. So people bring their money, their offerings, in cash. Then in his church they divided it up among the elders of the church,” Nettleton says.

Once the elders have the money, there still must be a legitimate reason for them to have it. So many church leaders have found themselves attending to these practical concerns while they struggle to find time to prepare to preach.

Smaller Churches, No Outside Training

Additionally, the crackdown in this way has forced larger underground churches to break up into smaller units. They need more leaders, but the avenues to train and pay them are fewer and more dangerous than in the past.

One area of increased concern is with outside training from foreigners. Brother Enfu noted that the government has cracked down on outsiders sharing the Gospel.

(Image courtesy of Zhang Kaiyv on Unsplash)

Nettleton says, “Not just in front of a crowd of people, but literally even in a one-on-one conversation, for a foreigner to talk about religion is now against the law in China. And so the need for Chinese leaders to be raised up, and Chinese leaders to stay and to train the next generation of leaders, that is something that is certainly on Brother Enfu’s heart. He encouraged us to pray for that as well.”

As a result of these new and creative means of persecution, Chinese parents are preparing their children for oppression and imprisonment. Nettleton says, “He talked about literally sitting around his own dinner table and talking with his own children about, ‘What will happen when I get arrested? Yeah, that that’s a strong possibility. But more importantly, what will happen when you get arrested my children? When you go to prison? Because that’s what it looks like to follow Jesus in China.’”

Please pray that God would continue to grow the church in China despite persecution.

If you want to listen to Brother Enfu’s interview in full, click here.

*Pseudonym

Header image courtesy of Ye Jinghan via Unsplash

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.