With the recent rise in the number of Buddhist adherents in Korea, spiritual awakening among the churches is a great need. Pray that Korean churches and believers will catch a fresh vision to reach out to their Buddhist friends and neighbors with the Good News. Pray that they will be faithful and effective in sharing their faith and that many Buddhists will come to Christ.
Centrifuge 2009 is coming this June and about 160 teenagers are expected to board a plane or bus to head for a week of fun, adventure, and spiritual growth with kids their own age. Many are not yet believers. Pray for safe travel, for kids to grow and commit to God’s will for their lives, for souls to be saved, and for leaders to be anointed and equipped for this ministry. Ask God to do a new work and miracles in each participant from the youngest kid to the oldest adult.
The 500,000 blue-collar workers on the island of Jeju are ethnically Korean but possess their own distinct understanding of the spirit world, folk religion, social culture, and linguistic dialect. The farmers, fishermen and especially the haenyo women divers prefer to be left alone. Spiritually, Jeju remains a resistant stronghold. Shamanism mixed with cultural Buddhism holds at least 98% of the population in utter darkness. The exclusive call of Jesus Christ is seen as a complete betrayal of what it means to be from Jeju. Pray that the Spirit will burden believers with compassion to share the gospel with every islander in a way that removes their fear of losing either personal or cultural identity. Pray that rapidly reproducing churches can be started and sustained among these islanders. Pray that workers can victoriously face the spiritual battles encountered among the many strongholds. A person of peace is a critical need to reach the blue-collar workers of Jeju Island. Pray that a Jeju believer, who speaks the dialect fluently, will become burdened to return home and help reach his people for Christ. The IMB workers on the island ask you to pray for this partner to come quickly and to assist in conducting basic evangelism, discipleship and implementing a church planting movement strategy.
Sue met an elderly woman at the traditional farmer’s market on Jeju. Her heart is gradually opening to the witness of Christ. Sue gave the lady a ride home, met her sick husband, and gave him a Bible to read. Sue has also met four other ladies and one man at the market. Pray that each one will be saved.
Volunteers from a church in Memphis, Tennessee will be ministering in South Korea and a last frontier country in August and September. Pray for wisdom and discernment as plans are being made for strategies in reaching out to the lost in these areas. Ask God to prepare each volunteer for the opportunities to share the good news with hundreds of people. Pray that many will receive Christ. Ask that doors may open for future, on-going ministry after the team leaves.
Two IMB workers are mobilizing a key partner church in adopting an unreached people group in a closed country. Two Korean couples are already on the field in a third country preparing to enter their target country by this summer. Other personnel from the partnering church will soon follow them. Pray that this UPG team will be able to secure visas and find appropriate housing and schooling for their children as they begin to minister in this very restrictive nation. Pray that they will quickly establish meaningful contacts with their new people group.
