Call2Prayer: 23 prayers for our ministry in 2023
/Prayer is one of, if not the most, important pillar of our ministry in the Middle East and North Africa. With 2023 underway, there is no better way to crown the new year than by covering it in prayer. We really hope that you will continue to partner with us in this way over the coming months. To inspire you, we have provided 23 things that you can be praying with us in 2023. The 23 different points are split into seven sections, so that perhaps you can tackle one theme on each day of the week.
For God above all
1. Thanksgiving: Give thanks to the Lord for His ongoing faithfulness and goodness throughout our 47 years of operation.
2. Christ-centeredness: That everything MEM does will keep Christ and His will at the centre and glorify His Name. As we plan, create, communicate, and relate, we pray that in all aspects of our work and ministry we would be seeking and following the Lord’s wisdom and guidance.
For our teams
3. Protection: Safety, security and health for each of our team members, staff, volunteers and partners across the world.
4. Unity: Of vision between our different teams in the UK, US and Middle East.
5. Love: For each other, the people of the Middle East, and above all, the Lord.
6. Trust: For our confidence and reliance on Him in all circumstances, in times of blessing and times of adversity and opposition.
For connectedness
7. Partnerships: We long to make new connections with likeminded organisations and churches this year that make ministry in the Middle East more effective. We also pray that our existing partnerships would be mutually strengthened.
8. Relationships: With new individuals who are passionate about our work and are eager to get involved, as well as deepened relationships with our existing supporters and friends, both in the West and in the Middle East region.
9. New Reach: Through our new media teams and existing projects, people who have never encountered God’s love before would do so in amazing ways. We pray that new individuals, families and communities would be made known to our staff and partners in the region on a personal level.
For existing projects & their reach
10. Women: For more women to find hope and healing through projects like Blossoms, Nisa’a and Precious & Honoured, supporting native and refugee women both online and on-the-ground. We pray for these projects as they challenge the status quo with Biblically-inspired justice, raising awareness of issues such as human-trafficking, women’s rights, and mental health.
11. Children & Families: Particularly for the ongoing impact of our Life in the Desert 3D animation series for traumatised children, and for our Kingdom Platform, which has reached over 1.8 million views on YouTube in just over twelve months. Kingdom Platform has recently begun connecting with parents via a Facebook page and is evolving into a whole family ministry. More on this to come in your Spring 2023 MEMO newsletter!
12. Believers: For those we are walking alongside on their journey of faith to experience more life transformation through knowing Jesus in 2023.
For provision
13. Resources: That we will source the necessary finances, materials and human resources needed to accomplish the work God has put on our hearts this year, as well as to keep all of our staff in each of our offices in employment.
14. Inspiration: For each of our content creators as they plan and create media content in various forms, as well as bring together ideas for effective new projects.
15. Generosity: In time and finances from supporting individuals, organisations and trusts.
For new content creators
16. The Gulf: For the three women who have recently launched their social media outreach ministry to share the love of God with other Arab women from their background. We pray for energy, passion and favour for these individuals, as well as openness and readiness in the hearts of the women they are reaching out to.
17. South Sudan: Where we gave media training to a church-based team in 2022, and even trained some individuals working in national television. We pray for the opportunity this team has to broadcast Christian content on national TV as well as use radio media in their outreach. We pray also for wisdom for our teams as they continue to disciple, train and support this flourishing team.
18. Developing Partnerships: With teams of indigenous content creators in Northern Iraq, Mauritania and Morocco, each eager to reach their own communities with God’s love through media in ways most appropriate to their audiences. We pray for wisdom, resources and clear next steps as we begin discipleship with each of these new groups. More on these teams to come in your Spring 2023 MEMO newsletter!
For transformation and growth
19. Questions & Conversations: For the biblical messages and truth in our media productions to spark new questions and conversations about faith, God and Christianity in homes throughout the Arabic-speaking world.
20. Lives Transformed: That God would be using our work in manifold ways to move more people in the Middle East towards life-transforming faith, healing and freedom in Jesus’ name.
20. New Opportunities: It is our vision to come alongside and empower believers from minority backgrounds in every corner of the Middle East and North Africa, so that they too can reach their communities creatively through media. We pray for God to lead the way in establishing new relationships with new believers in new places this year.
21. Openness: Particularly in places where the majority culture restrictive towards Christianity. We pray for a growing sense of openness, tolerance and religious freedom across the region —a trend we already see beginning to emerge.
23. Unstoppable Hope: As, together, we seek to spread the love and light of Christ in the Middle East.
