Worldview - Azerbaijan

Contents

Azerbaijan: The Land of Fire

One of Azerbaijan’s most notable features is the famous Yanar Dagh, one of the world’s few “ re mountains,” where natural gas seeps to the surface and burns continuously. Today, global workers are seeing a di erent kind of re — the re of the Holy Spirit — spreading throughout Azerbaijan and changing lives.

by Daryl Jump

Syria the Serene

Jesus is opening doors of opportunity for gospel witness in this Middle Eastern country. As the Holy Spirit guides global workers, people are experiencing miracles and discovering the life-changing power of the gospel.

by

Dick Brogden and Lisa Wright

A Call to Prayer and Fasting

Jesus said that through prayer and fasting we can move mountains (Matthew 17:20-21). AGWM staff and global workers gather each Wednesday to fast and pray that Jesus will move mountains as they proclaim the gospel to those who are yet unreached.

Next Issue

e Bible and Missions — Many pastors and believers in parts of the world have no access or limited access to a Bible in their heart language. When they finally receive a Bible, they are overjoyed because they have a Bible they can read and understand. Learn how Life Publishers is providing Fire Bibles to those who desperately need them.

by Holly Smith

On the Cover: Children playing on the Peace Monument in Sumqayit, Azerbaijan

This WorldView Edition

Azerbaijan and Syria are two of the many nations in this world that have limited or no access to the gospel. But as AGWM global workers in these countries are building friendships with the people they meet, they are nding that many are hungry to know more about Jesus. As a result, they are seeing lives transformed. Today, there are billions of unreached people throughout the world. AGWM is committed to reaching all peoples with the life-changing power of the gospel. Global workers are responding to God’s call to reach these nations. We ask that you partner with AGWM in praying, giving, and going so all peoples everywhere can hear and respond to the gospel.

John Easter AGWM executive director

Our Vision

Christ will be proclaimed, and His Church will be established in all nations through the power of the Holy Spirit.

AGWM EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

John Easter

AGWM PUBLICATIONS STAFF

Lauren Cordner, Bill Fleming

Linda Gonzalez, Alex Goodrich Lucas Key, Marc McBride

Hailey Miranda, Joy Myers

Faith Sandquist, Richard Schoonover

Holly Smith, James Wright

AGWM EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE

Greg Beggs, Kevin Donaldson

John Easter, David Ellis

Joe G, Jeff Hartensveld

Larry Henderson, Steve Lilly

Doug Marsh, Gil Rodriguez

Randy Bacon, David Dobson iStock, Shutterstock

Gaylon Wampler

Our Mission

Establishing the Church among all peoples everywhere by reaching, planting, training, and serving.

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Gaylon Wampler

itwas a simple event — a birthday party. *Fatime’s family had connected with us because they were trying to learn English. We often connect with people because we speak English. Fatime came to the party but sat at a table with other Muslim women. Though we had spoken with her about spiritual things on other occasions, today she didn’t seem interested. She had been exposed to the church in the past, but on this day she didn’t want to talk about religion with us. During the party, one of our friends shared how she came to believe in Jesus. She explained how Jesus rescues us from the power of darkness and brings us into His kingdom of light (Colossians 1:12–14; 1 Peter 2:9). As she talked about the light of Jesus, Fatime suddenly interrupted. “I’m in darkness right now. How do I come into the light you’re talking about?”

* Names changed for security

by Daryl Jump

Azerbaijan

Gospel Access

In Azerbaijan, nearly everyone is Muslim and stories like Fatime’s are few and far between. For most Azerbaijanis, the gospel is something that Russians, Westerners, or the hated Armenians believe — not something that is good news for them. Most Azerbaijanis never seriously consider the life and teachings of Jesus or what it means to follow Him. While the capital city has numerous churches, most places in the nation have little to no gospel witness — no churches, no believers, and no missionaries. For people like Fatime, there is almost no chance of encountering a believer who could share with them — in their language — the story of Jesus, the love of the Father, the offer of redemption, and the power of the Holy Spirit. They are trapped in darkness and have no one to turn to and ask, “How do I come into the light that you are talking about?” The Christian faith remains foreign, known only in Russian and English.

The issue in Azerbaijan is one of gospel access. Most Azerbaijanis live and die with little practical access to the gospel. They could easily find information online if they searched for it in a foreign language, but the story of Jesus, the hope of adoption into His family, and the welcome into His reign isn’t something that crosses the average Azerbaijani’s mind. How will they know if someone doesn’t share with them the good news?

Where?

The modern Republic of Azerbaijan gained independence from the Soviet Union on August 30, 1991 . It is home to approximately 9 million people and is similar in size to South Carolina or Indiana. The Caspian Sea forms the eastern border of the nation. To the south lies Iran, where another 17 million Azerbaijanis live. To the north, over the beautiful and rugged Caucasus mountains, is Russia.

Azerbaijan has rich local culture, including wonderful cuisine, beautiful carpets, and colorful headscarves. The nation has unique geography, an abundance of oil and natural gas, and mud volcanoes. One of Azerbaijan’s most notable features is the famous Yanar Dagh, one of the world’s few “fire mountains,” where natural gas seeps to the surface and burns continuously. Ancient people as far back as the Persians, Greeks, and Byzantines referred to the fires burning in Azerbaijan. In addition to these natural phenomena, oil drilling began in 1846 and continues today. For these reasons, Azerbaijan is truly deserving of its title, “The Land of Fire.”

This Land of Fire is changing. Over the past few decades, the population has become younger and younger. Today, roughly half of Azerbaijan’s population is under age 30. This baby boom has created an entire generation of young adults who are seeking truth, trying to find their way in the world. The interconnectedness of today’s world further creates openness to change. It is an unprecedented opportunity to share Jesus.

They are trapped in darkness and have no one to turn to and ask,

How do I come into the light that you are talking about?”

People are ready to respond, but we don’t have the capacity to get to all of them.

What’s Happening?

In this land of rich history and unusual geology, the Church has only a tiny foothold. The Joshua Project suggests approximately 18,000 Azerbaijanis are followers of Jesus, but things are changing. After many years of prayer and patiently sharing the gospel, we are beginning to see significant fruit in Azerbaijan.

Church planting teams and small, local churches are focusing on sharing the good news with the people of Azerbaijan and are discovering something exciting: Many people are hungry to hear more about Jesus and His message. “We’re running beyond our capacity right now, and still there are more who are hungry here,” said one global worker. “If we had more workers, we would have more Bible studies. It’s that simple. Azerbaijan seems to be in a unique moment. People are ready to respond, but we don’t have the capacity to get to all of them. Please send us more workers.”

The harvest comes through various means. The relationships we build and the conversations that emerge in the flow of life provide opportunities to share Jesus. One young man, *Azad, connected with a global worker through tourists on a short visit to Azerbaijan. The global worker struck up a friendship with Azad and he and Azad would periodically get together to drink tea and chat about life. Not much happens in Azerbaijan without tea. One day, Azad asked, “You don’t really believe Jesus is God, do you?” They opened the Bible together and looked at what God’s Word says. Another time, Azad asked the global worker, “What does it mean that one day truth will come knocking at my door?” As the global worker, again, turned to God’s Word — this time to Revelation 3:20 — Azad was able to understand that Jesus was calling him. He immediately began to share with his friends, and even strangers. Authorities in his life reprimanded him, but the change in his life led him to continue talking about Jesus. Within a couple weeks a new Bible study had formed, and Azad was eventually baptized with two friends.

Global Worker

People also watch global workers and recognize the difference between these global workers’ lives and their own. One time, a man asked one of our global workers about his parenting. “I see how you act with your family and how you treat your children. I want that for my family, too.” He saw the difference in the life of the global worker, though he didn’t know the source. Was he just observing cultural differences between Azerbaijanis and Americans? The global worker sat with him and shared his testimony, discussing how Jesus had changed his character and his life. The power of the gospel to impact lives is a compelling testimony of God’s grace and the truth of the gospel when we take advantage of the opportunity to share.

Often, people are looking for something that only Jesus can provide. *Vahid’s sister, *Aygun, became a follower of Jesus and Vahid joined her for a Bible study with one of the global workers. “As we shared our testimonies and the story of the prodigal son, Vahid was noticeably manifesting demonic possession of some sort. We asked if he wanted prayer, to which he responded, ‘I just want everything to be quiet.’ Those in the Bible study prayed for him, but nothing changed. Their relationship continued, though, and a little more than a year later, Vahid was still in contact with believers. For a while, he would hang around and participate, but didn’t have any serious interest in spiritual topics. As the year continued, he grew more interested in, and open to, the gospel. He became involved in a Bible study, and before long he was consistently present. When some men gave him a Bible, he immediately jumped up to hug and thank these men. They told him, ‘In this Book you will find freedom.’ He immediately responded, ‘I’m ready.’” The hunger for freedom — from spiritual darkness, from hopelessness, and even from demonic oppression — is a key factor for many coming to Jesus.

In this Book you will find freedom.’ He immediately responded,

Continued on page 15

‘I’m ready.’” - Vahid

A Closer Look at

Azerbaijan

POPULATION

10.4 million total population

9 million unreached people

26 unreached people groups

ETHNIC GROUPS

91.60 % Azerbaijani

2.02 % Lezgian

1.35 % Armenian

1.34 % Russian

1.26 % Talysh

2.43 % others

RELIGION

85.9 % Islam

2.53 % Christian Adherents (mainly non-evangelical Russian Orthodox)

0.22 % Evangelical Christians

11.2 % Nonreligious

0.2 % Ethnic religions

Caspian

Uzbekistan

Turkmenistan

Baku

Jelilabad

Ganja

Khachmaz

Sumqayit

* Fatime had a powerful encounter with Jesus during prayer and her fear dissipated.

Local Believers Sharing

Another aspect of Vahid’s story is related to his sister, Aygun. She met Jesus through the faithful witness of a local believer. Azerbaijani believers are witnessing to the power and goodness of Jesus, and to the truth of the gospel, and are seeing fruit. Aygun met Jesus because a local believer told her the story of Jesus. Then she brought her mom and brother to hear.

Fatime’s story is similar. After asking that fateful question at the birthday party — “How do I come to walk in light?” — she visited the global workers for tea and listened as they presented the gospel. Then she began to join the global workers for Bible studies. As a Muslim, she battled fear and doubt as she learned the Word of God and considered what it means to follow Jesus. One day, she had a powerful encounter with Jesus during prayer and her fear dissipated. She began to share with everyone she knew. Her family and friends heard the good news through her, and she invited many women to join the Bible study. The change in her life is a powerful witness to the truth of the gospel, and many women have heard about Jesus through her.

Go

and make disciples.”

- Matthew 28:19

What’s Next?

While it’s not without challenges, there are vast opportunities to minister in Azerbaijan. It seems a season of God’s favor and blessing is dawning on this wonderful Land of Fire. We are praying for an outpouring of the Holy Spirit on this nation in the heart of Eurasia. While Islam has dominated the region for more than 1,000 years, it is a new day for the Azerbaijanis, and we believe the gospel will find more open hearts and will change thousands of lives. Pray alongside the believers in Azerbaijan for a mighty move of God’s Spirit across the land and a continuation of the season of openness they are witnessing.

Ministering among Azerbaijanis requires resources. Global workers use funds to spread the gospel through printed materials, creating and maintaining online platforms for outreach and disciple making, and various outreach events. During Azerbaijan’s conflicts with neighboring countries, global workers used funds to help local believers reach out to families near the front lines. There is fruit from partnering with local churches to help make their practical outreach efforts possible in times of great need.

Your Move

Even more than the funds used in ministering and providing resources in Azerbaijan, the common element in each of the changed lives is the relational-oriented approach to evangelism. Azerbaijanis are meeting Jesus because men and women are praying with them, sharing cups of tea with them, and talking about life, family, and faith with them. Global workers have uprooted themselves to carry the gospel around the world. They are people from all walks of life, responding to the simple command of Jesus, “Go and make disciples” (Matthew 28:19). Seeing the openness of Azerbaijanis right now, we can’t help but cry out to Jesus, the Lord of the Harvest, to send more workers. We need more people to respond to the call to go so that Jesus would be glorified among the unreached in Azerbaijan.

Pray for an outpouring of Jesus on the unreached people of Azerbaijan. Pray that this “Land of Fire” will experience the transformative re of the gospel and the Holy Spirit.

Global workers need nancial support to increase gospel access and crucial ministry in Azerbaijan. Consider nancially supporting a global worker or giving to your church’s missions fund.

Pray Give Go

More people in Azerbaijan would hear the gospel if more workers were there to share it. Is God calling you to answer Jesus’ prayer in Matthew 9:38 for more workers for the harvest?

Today, there are people like Fatime, Azad, Vahid, and Aygun who are on a journey toward Jesus, but are looking for that next cup of tea, that next conversation, that next explanation of why we believe what we believe, and that first invitation to a Bible study. The gospel spreads through simple men and women who respond to the call of Jesus to go into all the world and who do the hard work of crossing borders to reach out.

Would you ask the Lord what He would have you do in response to the move of His spirit in Azerbaijan?

Scan the QR code or visit pgg.agwm.org/v10n4

DARYL JUMP AGWM Global Worker

Theme resources available online at agwm.org/store.

On the night of His resurrection, Jesus told His disciples, “As the Father has sent me, I am sending you” (John 20:21, NIV). The Father sent the Son, the Father and the Son sent the Spirit, and Jesus sends His followers.

God is still sending the Church into all the world with the whole gospel. He has called us to participate in His mission to proclaim the gospel to all peoples everywhere. While evangelizing our communities and winning people to Jesus, we cannot neglect those who have limited or no access to the gospel. That is why we have chosen this theme for 2024: Sent—All Peoples Everywhere.

The local church plays an important role in fulfilling God’s mandate (Matthew 28:19-20). Each church must cultivate an atmosphere where God can speak and must be willing to train, send, and support those He calls (Acts 13). Will you join us in ensuring all peoples everywhere hear the gospel?

by Dick Brogden and Lisa Wright

the Serene

“Did you see that, *Habiib?” I asked my tour guide. “Jesus just did a miracle.”

“Yes,” he said, “I do believe in miracles.”

Syria has always brought diverse people together in difficult times. Paul and Ananias would not have imagined becoming friends and brothers, but they became both. You wouldn’t think that John the Baptist’s alleged grave would be in an Umayyad-era Mosque, nor would it architecturally resemble a European cathedral.

* Names changed for security

A Syrian Greek Orthodox nun with Dick Brogden

That was an amazing miracle, ... It happened immediately. We cannot deny what we just saw.”

Habiib

Still, both monuments are peacefully standing side by side. You wouldn’t think that Muslim and Christian women would walk arm in arm through the Damascus markets, laughing freely, talking about nothing and everything simultaneously. Still, there they strolled along, chatting happily with each other.

You wouldn’t think that a conservative Pentecostal missionary would, or should, kiss the cross of a sweet Syrian Greek Orthodox nun, but when she asked me to, I did. She reminded me of my 90 year-old Greek grandmother, and no good Greek American disobeys his Yai Yai (grandma).

Syria — she brings diverse people together.

Habiib was our intelligent, gracious Muslim host. The rules of engagement in Syria required him to inform the security police to gain their approval for every location to which we traveled. He did this joyfully and faithfully. We visited Damascus to register Convoy of Hope in Syria and to share Jesus’s love with all of God’s children. Habiib, therefore, was with me when I sat to meet a lawyer to ask about the way forward.

He agreed to let me pray, so I walked around his desk to hold his hands. I prayed that Jesus would take away his pain and heal him completely.

When we opened our eyes, it was evident that Jesus had answered the prayer. The lawyer’s face shone; he said in astonishment, “My pain is gone! I don’t know if it is because I stood up or. ...”

“No!” I interrupted him, “Jesus just healed you!”

With a big smile, he turned to me and said, “Then pray to Jesus again for me. In these difficult days, I need some money.” We all laughed as he escorted us to the door. Still beaming from ear to ear, he repeated, “I can’t believe it. My pain is completely gone!”

My new Muslim friend Habiib and I walked down Damascus Road arm in arm, both feeling joy over what we had just witnessed.

The lawyer was helpful, honest, and practical, but he was in physical pain. He had gone to the hospital for outpatient surgery that morning, but all was not well. He was ashen-faced and squirming through our entire appointment. Recognizing his discomfort, we drew the appointment to a close. Standing up, I asked him, “Sir, before I go, may I pray for you?”

“That was an amazing miracle,” Habiib told me. “It happened immediately. We cannot deny what we just saw.”

“Yes, Habiib,” I said. “Jesus did a miracle, and He certainly has the power to do another one by granting us registration in Syria.”

The Light of the Gospel Penetrates the Darkness

There was no light in the cold, dirty stairwell of the old, run-down building. I hoped I had found the right place but wasn’t sure. I kept climbing slowly, one step at a time. My teammate followed behind. Carrying my 1 year-old daughter in one arm and a bag of groceries in the other, I whispered under my breath, “God, please help me. I’m so tired. Give us Your words to speak. Oh, Jesus, reveal yourself to this family today.”

Finally, we saw light shining from an open door on the floor above us. Several women and children stood there with kind, smiling faces that were wrapped in colorful hijabs, eagerly waiting to greet us. Removing our shoes at the door, we stepped inside.

A Closer Look at

POPULATION

23.2 million total population 37 people groups

8 million unreached people 18 unreached people groups ETHNIC GROUPS

50

89.8

“Ahlan-wa-sahlan.” They repeated this welcoming phrase as they kissed our cheeks and ushered us in. One of the ladies lifted aside a thick blanket hanging in a doorway. We stepped into a small room where a red, well-worn rug with an ornate pattern covered the floor. Brown, thin rectangular cushions lined bare cement walls and an iron wood stove burned hot in the corner. From the smell of the smoke, I could tell they were burning whatever they could find to keep the fire going for us.

The women and their children gathered around as we each sat on a cushion. They were curious to talk with us. We shared openly with them that we were bringing groceries as a gift from the church. “We want you to know that we care about you. You are not alone here,” I said.

Soon, one of the older daughters brought in a tray of tea and set it on the floor in front of us. She poured each of us a glass.

“Where in Syria are you from?” I asked as I stirred in a spoonful of sugar.

“Rural Aleppo,” the women replied.

I imagined them — like so many other Syrian villagers we had met — raising livestock among arid olive groves, canning miniature stuffed eggplants called

makdous, and spending their evenings listening to the music of the tabla and oud under the stars.

For a moment, I flashed back to my own rural upbringing in small-town America. I remembered sitting under an old oak tree with the smell of freshly mowed grass and watching golden leaves gently falling on a crisp autumn breeze.

As a teenager, I was shy and insecure. But one day, I saw a statistic in the Pentecostal Evangel magazine that changed the direction of my life. “There’s just one missionary for every 1 million Muslims.” That’s not enough, I thought. Someone needs to go. God began breaking my heart for the Muslim world.

“Can I pour you some more tea?” One of the women broke my daydream. I smiled and said, “No, thank you,” but she insisted and began to pour, illustrating the beautiful virtue of hospitality, deeply ingrained in Arab culture.

“What is your name?” I asked as she returned to her seat on the floor next to me. Her three young children began to climb onto her lap and tug at her sleeves.

Her name was *Samira. When she was 13 years old, her parents gave her in marriage to a much older cousin. Samira never finished school and couldn’t read or write. She had never traveled outside her village until the day she fled on foot for her life, clutching her newborn baby girl. Bombs were falling nearby. �

For a year, villagers had heard rumors of an escalating war. Eventually, those rumors turned into occasional flashes of light in the distance and the low rumbles of explosions not far away.

Samira and her family couldn’t afford to leave Syria. They didn’t have the means. How could they leave the place where their family had lived for generations? This was all they knew. Besides, the roads were far too dangerous. No, they would stay and wait it out. Surely, one day, everything would return to the way it was.

But that day never came.

There’s just one missionary for every 1 million Muslims. That’s not enough.”

It is not us you are seeing ...

Instead, one hot summer day, a barrage of vehicles came, firing gunshots, the black flag of ISIS waving. There was nowhere in their simple home to hide.

Armed men rushed into the house, shouting, and waving guns in their faces.

“They grabbed one of our cousins by his arm and dragged him out into the street along with several other men. Then, we watched in horror as they killed them one by one. We were too afraid to even go out and get his body,” Samira said, hanging her head.

“This has really affected us,” her sister added with a lifeless look.

It was a look I had seen repeatedly in the eyes of other Syrians we had met as they shared their stories:

Once a Syrian mother told me, “I had to hold my 5-year-old daughter’s hand as we walked past dead bodies… This became normal.”

“While living in a war zone, I was diagnosed with cancer. I had to risk my life every time I went to the hospital to get treatment,” stated another.

“I lost all three of my grown sons in the war, each one leaving his wife and kids behind. The hardest thing I still can’t accept is that my nephew killed my son. He was forced to under threat of his wife being killed.”

“While we were in hiding, fleeing through the wilderness, one of the people in our group froze to death. Another lost her child in the darkness and chaos and never found her again.”

“True, we are living, but inside, we are dead.”

We were heartbroken once again as we offered listening ears and shoulders to cry on. These women and children had walked through, and still lived in, such deep, deep darkness.

But the light of Jesus was about to pierce through the darkness of their situation.

The conversation began to move on to other things. They had lots of questions for us.

“So, you are Christians?” Samira asked. Religion is an integral part of their daily lives, so it wasn’t an awkward or taboo question.

“Yes, we follow Jesus. Have you ever heard stories of Jesus from the Bible?”

“No, I haven’t.”

“Would you like to hear some?”

“Sure,” they all said enthusiastically.

I relied on the Holy Spirit for strength as I bounced my fussy daughter on my hip. Taking a deep breath, my teammate and I began to share the gospel. We told the story of Adam

and Eve, Jesus’ birth, His miracles, and His death on the cross.

They hung onto every word.

“Then,” the story culminated, “three days later Jesus rose from the dead.”

Samira’s eyes went wide. She was shocked. It was her first time ever hearing the good news.

After more discussion, we asked if there was anything we could pray about in Jesus’ name. Her sister-in-law *Amina, who had been quiet throughout our visit, sat up and asked us to pray for her pregnancy.

Sitting down on either side of her, we laid our hands on her shoulders and prayed a simple

It is Jesus in us.” — Wright

prayer in Arabic. We looked up to see the women staring at us in wonder. They had never seen anyone pray this way before.

By this point, we had been there for nearly three hours, so we thanked them for the tea, hugged the kids tightly, and left.

Several months later, we returned to see them. Amina was holding a healthy baby boy. “Do you remember when you prayed for me when I was pregnant? This is the baby you prayed for.”

We also found out, unknown to us at the time, that she had lost her previous baby five months into her pregnancy. When we had visited previously, Amina was five months along with her new baby and terrified of losing another.

“God answered your prayers,” she told us, smiling.

“Why is it that you are such good people?” The matron of the family asked.

“It is not us you are seeing,” we told her. “It is Jesus in us.”

Our Prayer for Syria

Before the recent war, Syria was 19% Christian, consisting of evangelicals, Catholics, Syriacs, and Coptics. That percentage has dwindled, yet endures, as does arm-in-arm relationships with beautiful Muslim friends. Syrians don’t tend to ask each other about religion. When you are under pressure, you accept friends wherever you find them.

Despite the violence around them, despite the rage of Islamic radicals — who have killed Muslims as thoughtlessly as they have killed Christians — Syrians are beautiful, peaceloving people, proud of their heritage, and longing for a reason to hope. Twelve years of war has devastated ‘Alawites, Druze, Sunni Muslims, Christians, and Kurds alike. More than half of the population has been displaced from their homes.

Would you pray that our team, who has been praying and trying to access Syria for the past five years, would be granted residency permits?

Would you pray for our Syrian partners who have chosen to stay in the land they love when

so many others have fled? They have five different fellowships that meet regularly to worship Jesus.

Would you pray for the beautiful Syrian people, that whatever their background they would find eternal life in Jesus Christ?

The greatest miracle on the Damascus Road was the saving revelation of Jesus to Paul, the granting of eternal life, and the transformation of a man who hated the gospel. Those who embrace this miracle become missionaries who go to all the nations believing that similar miracles can happen again, for the glory of God.

This was Syria’s past. This will be her future.

Dick Brogden

Would you pray for the beautiful Syrian people, that whatever their background they would find eternal life in Jesus Christ?

Our weekly prayer newsletter, formerly known as Bridge the Gap, is getting a new look and a new name, WorldView: A Call to Prayer. The real-time updates and intercessory requests you’ve come to expect, however, are here to stay. In these emails, you’ll receive the latest information on the e orts of our missionaries and speci c instructions on how best to pray for them and events happening around the globe.

Your prayers are vital to the e orts of each and every one of our workers.

To subscribe to the WorldView newsletter, visit agwm.org/pray or scan the QR code below.

Prayer and A Call to

by Holly Smith

Fasting

BWorld Prayer Center in Springfield, Mo., dozens of retired missionaries, Assemblies of God World Missions staff, and members of the AGWM

missionaries, Assemblies of God World Missions staff, and members of the AGWM Executive Committee interceded for the nations. Some paced around the room, others knelt, and several lay prostrate before the Lord. These intercessors prayed in the Spirit, wept, and with hands stretched toward heaven, prayed for the needs of AGWM’s global regions, AGWM global workers, and the unknown tribes and tongues.

Every Wednesday, from 12�1 p.m. CST, AGWM personnel gather at the World Prayer Center in response to AGWM Executive Director John Easter’s 2024 call to prayer and fasting, which began January 10, 2024. In Matthew 17:20�21 Jesus says, “I say to you, if you have faith as a mustard seed, you will say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move; and nothing will be impossible for you. However, this kind does not go out except by prayer and fasting” (NKJV). Fasting and prayer are necessary components to our faith. This prayer meeting occurs during the lunch hour to emphasize the relationship between fasting and prayer.

“Daily, our families and teams face spiritual challenges and opposition as messengers of the gospel. Pressures of life and ministry are always present. Prayer is so important for our vitality and well-being. Let’s believe for strongholds to be broken, for open doors to see the acceleration of the gospel, and for our missionaries’ families to be healthy and effectual,” said AGWM Executive Director John Easter.

After a time of silence, Mike M., veteran missionary to Asia, led the group in prayer. He asked AGWM regional directors to share prayer needs from their regions. As each director shared his prayer requests, attendees slowly moved to the large global map imbedded in the floor in center of the room. Leaders asked retired missionaries to stand on the map as other attendees laid hands on them and prayed.

“We’re praying because we believe that God hears and answers prayers. I believe that the prayers we pray here, during our time together, will outlive us. We may not see the answer to all these prayers immediately, but I believe that God remembers every single prayer that we pray,” said Mike.

As attendees directed their prayer toward the map, others walked around the circumference of the room, praying for the needs of their fellow brothers and sisters. On the back wall

hung dozens of handwritten prayer requests, lodged between the masonry.

This commitment to prayer and fasting is not just occurring at the World Prayer Center. Around the world AGWM global workers are gathering with their families and teams to fast and pray for regional, area, and countryspecific needs.

Joe and Cyndi Martin, AGWM global workers to Côte d’Ivoire, gather at noon every Wednesday to pray. Beginning with AGWM as a whole, the team then prays for Africa, West Africa, and their country, as well as additional prayer requests.

“We pray for people, Unreached People Groups, initiatives, local ministries, and global workers. It’s been a powerful time of prayer sometimes

’’ I say to you, if you have faith as a mustard seed, you will say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move; and nothing will be impossible for you. However, this kind does not go out except by prayer and fasting.”

lasting longer than an hour. We also sing and worship. It has been an amazing time of prayer and interceding. We have already had some praise reports,” said the Martins.

AGWM global worker to Spain, Ellen Cannon, meets with her team on Friday to pray, opening the hour of prayer and fasting to anyone willing to come. They intentionally focus on the Muslim world.

This call isn’t exclusively for AGWM staff and global workers, but for all of God’s people.

“Jesus said to pray to the Lord of the Harvest for workers and for laborers. We’re doing that. We’re obeying God’s commandment to pray for workers for the harvest field. We’re believing that God is going to pour out His Holy Spirit on the nations of the world,” said Mike.

— Matthew

17:20-21

(NKJV)

“One thing that has become real to me in recent years is the fact we have people in the world today whose name may never have been called before the throne of God. Naturally, we pray for people whose names we don’t know.” We may not even know their ethnic group. I think it’s tragic that we have ethnic groups in the world today whose names are never mentioned before the throne of God. What we’re doing also signals something great for our children. They need to know that we’re praying. They need to learn from us the importance of prayer.”

There are millions of needs around the world. Join AGWM in fasting and prayer as we lift our world to the throne room of heaven.

HOLLY SMITH AGWM Communications