Call2Prayer: Readiness & Renewal for New Church Believers

/

“…your heart will rejoice
    and you will flourish like grass…”

Isaiah 66:14

Our ministry in the Gulf devotes a significant proportion of their time to supporting and walking alongside Christian believers from a Muslim background – New Church (NC) believers, as they prefer to be known. As well as providing holistic training and discipling to a number of NC interns, our leadership team are committed to building up and empowering NC believers from all walks of life to mature in faith, overcome challenges, and step into their callings. 

Multi-day retreats and workshops are a valuable way through which this vision in realised. As in the West, taking time out to focus fully on learning, growing and receiving from the Lord alongside others and without the distractions of everyday life can be hugely powerful and transformative experience. For NC believers, who are often carrying additional emotional and spiritual burdens as a result of the difficulties associated with converting to Christianity in this part of the world, these opportunities can be truly life-changing. 

At the end of this month, therefore, our Gulf team will be holding two two-day long retreats for 12 NC believers and their families. These two events are specifically for emerging leaders and counsellors within the New Church community – those who have been walking with the Lord for some time, and are now exploring stepping out into evangelism and ministry to others from their background. It is incredibly important that all upcoming Christian leaders, but particularly those who have experienced deep suffering and trauma, are given appropriate emotional support and theological training before stepping into these roles.  

As gathering together for such a reason in their Gulf country is too risky an endeavour, these two retreats will be taking place in another Christian-majority country in Eastern Europe. Attendees will travel to the location with their families, and will benefit from a guest speaker, professional counsellors, pastoral carers, worship and prayer leaders for the full two days. Volunteers will also conduct simultaneous sessions for the attendees’ children, teaching the Bible. It is our longing that each believer would come with a readiness to be transformed and a longing to receive, and leave with a renewed vision and refreshed spirit.

We are incredibly excited about the potential these retreats have to spiritually, emotionally and professionally bless these individuals and their families. God is powerfully at work in the NC community in the Gulf, and we strongly believe that many more in the region will come to Christ through the faith of these individuals. NC believers in this part of the world see themselves as the next big area of growth in global Christianity. Of course, then, the enemy would love to put a stop to this opportunity.

Would you join us therefore in covering the many practical and spiritual aspects of these retreats in prayer? 

Please pray especially for: 

  • Safety: for our team, the believers, and all those attending as they travel and stay away from home for the duration of the conferences. For protection against both physical and spiritual harm.

  • Logistics: in travel, planning, and coordination of the events. Please pray for good communication between volunteers and guests, for all the necessary preparations to be completed in time, and for the smooth operation of the programme. 

  • Readiness: for the hearts of the NC believers attending. Please pray that they would come ready to be vulnerable and open in discussion times and in one-to-one sessions. Pray that they would be ready to release their grip on whatever heavy burdens they are carrying and to make room to receive what God has prepared. We want to pray against any doubts and fears that have been planted by the evil one.

  • Wisdom: for all of the leaders, speakers and volunteers. Pray that the Holy Spirit would speak through them and give them great discernment and sensitivity, especially when handling the specific pastoral needs of the believers attending. 

  • Rest: we pray that these retreats would provide each of the believers and families a space in which they can properly rest and feel refreshed away from the stressors of their everyday lives. We pray that they would feel safe. 

  • Healing: for those coming with specific emotional, spiritual or physical burdens, whether related to their conversion or otherwise. May they benefit greatly from the pastoral support being offered, and find renewed freedom, hope and joy.

  • Protection: against any of the enemy’s attempts to get a foothold. Please pray against attack on every level – physical, spiritual, emotional, practical, and social – for each individual and the collective group.

  • Flourishing: for each individual and family attending to leave feeling encouraged, empowered and equipped by and for God. May the Lord be raising up mature, godly leaders from the NC community, who can go on to lead others from all religious backgrounds to faith and freedom in Him!