Carrie will be going back to the Ukraine to minister in the church at Lustk (particularly in their ministry to the disabled). This Sunday we will see a short presentation about the ministry in Lutsk and then following the service here from Carrie about her return. Please be in prayer for her preparation and for the Lord to use her again there as an extension of this body.

Pray For…
Afghanistan
Stats
• Population – 28,395,716
• Percentage of Evangelicals – N/A
• Total Number of People Groups – 55
• Number of Unreached People Groups – 55
• Language Spoken – Pashto (used by 50% of population), Dari (Afghan Persian, 35%)
• Major Religion – Muslim (97.89%)
• Human Development Rank – N/A
• Persecution Index – 4
In 1747, Afghanistan was founded by the unification of Pashtun tribes. Afghanistan lies in the heart of Central Asia along one of the routes of the historic “Silk Road”. Since the 1970’s, Afghanistan has experienced many conflicts both from within and from the outside. The most recent conflict being the toppling of the Taliban by US, Allied, and anti-Taliban Northern Alliance after September 11, 2001. Even though the Islamic extremism that was instituted by the Taliban has mostly been removed, anyone who acknowledge faith in Christ experiences intense persecution, including death. Islam has been the dominant religion since the 9th century and has strong times to tribal customs and culture. These barriers make it difficult for the gospel to spread freely.
• Pray for the Lord to grant peace to this war-torn land.
• Ask God to help and protect those translating scripture.
• Many people have to listen to Christian radio in secret. Pray that they would understand what they are hearing and come to know Jesus.

Answers to Prayer
1 The strength of Christianity in the Pacific.The Pacific was one of the first areas to be evangelized in the modern Protestant missionary era. By the end of the 19th Century most of the Pacific region had become Christian through the sacrificial labours of early LMS, Methodist, Anglican and Pacific Islander missionaries. Missionary casualties were high through disease, violent death and cannibalism.

2 Great people movements over the past 200 years have brought whole peoples and islands to Christianity. Some of the most strongly Protestant Christian nations in the world are in this region. These people movements continue to this day in Papua New Guinea.

3 A renewal in the 1990s of the Pacific Islander missionary vision of the 19th Century. In recent years, New Zealand has had a good record in sending out missionaries.

Hot Spots in the Pacific
1 Fiji’s unhappy, recent history of coups and tension between indigenous Fijians and the large ethnic Indian population remains unresolved.

2 Bougainville Island’s 10-year war for independence from Papua New Guinea is still not settled despite a cease-fire in 1998.

3 The Solomon Islands has endured inter-ethnic tensions and fighting since 1998 which has affected the stability and economy of the country. The underlying issues need resolution.

Trends to Watch
1 Historic wrongs associated with the arrival of Europeans are at last beginning to be faced.

a) The British handling of Australia and its penal colonies.

b) Wrongs done to the indigenous populations — those most affected being the Australian Aborigines, New Zealand Maori and Fijians.

Christians needs to be in the forefront in doing all possible to achieve fair reconciliations, honour cultural distinctives and lay foundations for inter-ethnic harmony.

2 The struggle for survival of many isolated island communities is threatened by modernity and globalization, economic unviability, large scale unemployment, heavy dependence on aid, isolation from health, education and modern consumer goods, together with increasing costs for inter-island travel.

The Church in the Pacific
1 The decline of Christianity is especially acute in Australia, New Zealand and New Caledonia with a rapid rise in secularism, family breakdown and indifference to spiritual things. The churches need new vision, flexibility in methods and understanding of cultural changes to communicate a relevant biblical message and become a more effective discipling community.

2 Nominalism in the Pacific Islands has increased due to inadequate teaching on true repentance, personal faith and the need for a daily walk with the Lord. This has led to a widespread misunderstanding of the true nature of the gospel, syncretistic beliefs, unmodified political power structures and, in Melanesia, a range of syncretistic cults.

3 The rapid growth of Mormonism in Polynesia, winning many nominal Protestants, is a rebuke to the traditional churches. Polynesia is rapidly becoming Mormon — especially Tonga and the two Samoas which are over 20% Mormon.

4 The relative failure to launch an effective inter-state evangelical network. The Evangelical Fellowship of the South Pacific has struggled with the low degree of cooperation among Evangelicals in many countries, lack of unifying vision, lack of finance and the high costs of travel.

5 The need to revive a missions vision. After a century of decline in missions commitment in the Islands, renewed vision has sprung up. The Deep Sea Canoe Mission was founded in 1989 to stimulate vision, identify and train missionaries and channel them overseas. The New Zealand record in sending missionaries has been good, and those of Fiji and Papua New Guinea are increasing.

6 Completing the task of world evangelization in the Pacific.

a) Remaining unevangelized and unoccupied tribes in New Guinea’s interior — a few such still exist. Many more are only superficially evangelized.

b) The few evangelical believers in parts of New Caledonia, French Polynesia and on many of the nominally Christian island groups. Some areas need to be re-evangelized.

c) The Indians of Fiji, the largest unreached people in the Pacific. Pray for effective evangelization of these Muslims and Hindus.

d) The Chinese are increasing through immigration. In some islands this is for trade or low-paid labour; in Australia and New Zealand it is as professionals. Many small trading communities remain unevangelized.

e) Bible translation. This is a major necessity. What remains to be done is being researched, but many hundreds of smaller language groups may still need translators.

The Church in the Pacific
1 The decline of Christianity is especially acute in Australia, New Zealand and New Caledonia with a rapid rise in secularism, family breakdown and indifference to spiritual things

2 Nominalism in the Pacific Islands has increased due to inadequate teaching on true repentance, personal faith and the need for a daily walk with the Lord

3 The rapid growth of Mormonism in Polynesia, winning many nominal Protestants, is a rebuke to the traditional churches

4 The relative failure to launch an effective inter-state evangelical network

5 The need to revive a missions vision. After a century of decline in missions commitment in the Islands, renewed vision has sprung up

6 Completing the task of world evangelization in the Pacific

a) Remaining unevangelized and unoccupied tribes in New Guinea’s interior —

b) The few evangelical believers in parts of New Caledonia, French Polynesia and on many of the nominally Christian island groups

c) The Indians of Fiji, the largest unreached people in the Pacific

d) The Chinese are increasing through immigration

e) Bible translation. This is a major necessity

Religion
Overview:

In every state and territory except Fiji the great majority of people are Christian, but nominalism and secularism have eroded commitment to the Church.

Al Mohler gives a good summary of a new book out titled “Wired for Intimacy: How Pornography Hijacks the Male Brain”. You can read the entire article here – http://www.albertmohler.com/2010/02/01/hijacking-the-brain-how-pornography-works/

William M. Struthers of Wheaton College explains, “Men seem to be wired in such a way that pornography hijacks the proper functioning of their brains and has a long-lasting effect on their thoughts and lives.”

Struthers is a psychologist with a background in neuroscience and a teaching concentration in the biological bases of human behavior. In Wired for Intimacy: How Pornography Hijacks the Male Brain, Struthers presents key insights from neuroscience that go a long way toward explaining why pornography is such a temptation for the male mind.

“The simplest explanation for why men view pornography (or solicit prostitutes) is that they are driven to seek out sexual intimacy,” he explains. The urge for sexual intimacy is God-given and essential to the male, he acknowledges, but it is easily misdirected. Men are tempted to seek “a shortcut to sexual pleasure via pornography” and now find this shortcut easily accessed.
In a fallen world, pornography becomes more than a distraction and a distortion of God’s intention for human sexuality. It comes as an addictive poison…

Struthers offers keen and strategic insights from neurobiology and psychology. But what makes this book truly helpful is the fact that Struthers does not leave his argument to neuroscience, nor does he use the category of addiction to mitigate the sinfulness of viewing pornography.

Sinners naturally look for fig leaves to hide sin, and biological causation is often cited as a means of avoiding moral responsibility. Struthers does not allow this, and his view of pornography is both biblical and theologically grounded. He lays responsibility for the sin of viewing pornography at the feet of those who willingly consume explicit images. He knows his audience — after all, his classrooms are filled with young male college students. The addict is responsible for his addiction.

Pray For…Europe

Stats
•Population of Europe – 725,218,750
•Percentage of Evangelicals – 2.4%
•Total Number of People Groups – 871
•Number of Unreached People Groups – 782

For centuries, Europe has been a launching pad for the gospel. Europe is likely the place where Paul penned most of his letters; home of the Reformation; and the birthplace of many great heroes of the faith like William Carrey, George Mueller, and Charles Spurgeon. However, over the past century, the percentage of believers in Europe has greatly declined. Whether it be a growth in secularism or an increase in immigrant populations of other faiths, today Europe is a place of spiritual darkness and numbness to the gospel. In addition, some of the most least-reached peoples call Europe home now. With that said, there is a great opportunity for the gospel and a great harvest.

•Pray for the Holy Spirit to prepare the hearts of the lost and to grip the lives of the people of Europe with the gospel.
•Most Christians in Europe are Roman Catholic. Pray that God would awaken in the Catholic Church a desire to know and love and seek God. Pray that they would experience true rebirth and repentance and that they would not settle for dead, ritualistic religion.
•Ask God to send workers to the field and to stir the hearts of his Church to go and bring the good news to all the ends of the earth.

This Sunday night will be our monthly small group meetings. If you are interested in joining a small group – please contact – Joe Blankenship, Andrew Moss, Doug Fry, or Jared McCoy.

Springs of Grace will have our regular schedule tomorrow with Puppet Time for children and Adult Fellowship at 9:30 and then Bible Study for all ages at 9:45 and worship service at 10:45.

Excited about worshipping together with you.

The Unfinished Task in Asia
1 While we praise God for great strides in the evangelization of Asia, the remaining challenge is awesome

a) Over 83% of the 4.4 billion non-Christians in the world

b) Over 87% of World A unevangelized individuals

c) The three largest non-Christian religions in the world and the most challenging for Christians: 832 million Muslims, 805 million Hindus, 400-900 million Buddhists

2 Of the 55 countries of the world that are less than 10% Christian, 44 are in Asia

3 The least evangelized people on earth are predominantly Asian

4 The unreached peoples of Asia

a) The Arab World (including North Africa, but excluding African minorities)

b) The Indo-Iranian bloc

c) The South Asian bloc is the largest of the 8 with 1.3 billion individuals, nearly 800 ethno-linguistic peoples and thousands of ethno-cultural caste groups

d) The Turkic bloc stretches from SE Europe to NE Siberia across most of Central Asia

e) The East Asian bloc comprising those cultures deeply impacted by the Chinese

f) The Tibeto-Burman bloc of the Himalayas, Central Asia, NE India, Myanmar and China

g) The Southeast Asian bloc — the four nations of Indo-China, Thailand and South China

h) The Malay peoples

5 Special areas of ministry need:

a) The Parsees are followers of the Persian Zoroaster

b) Children in crisis

c) Bible translation presents a major challenge with 1,300 languages having a definite or likely need

The Church in Asia
1 The Middle East/West Asia

a) The birthplace of the Church could become its grave if present emigration of Christian communities from the lands of West Asia continues

b) Protestant denominations are few and small

c) Believers from a Muslim background are few and often scattered

d) Trained leadership for the Protestant churches is inadequate

e) A missions vision needs to develop

2 Central Asia

a) Indigenous evangelical Christians have multiplied to number thousands in Azerbaijan, Kyrgyzstan, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan and even Turkey, but in every country they are under pressure from the authorities, Muslims, the Orthodox hierarchy and relatives

b) Pressures on Christians are more severe in Uzbekistan, Tajikistan and especially Turkmenistan

c) Multi-national partnerships of expatriate believers have laboured hard since 1990 to help in the birth of indigenous fellowships in this region

3 South and East Asia

a) Areas of decline

b) Nominalism. This has become a problem in some Christian communities in Indonesia, India, Myanmar and the Philippines

c) Syncretism

d) Persecution

e) Missions vision

Tibetans

Stats
•Population of Tibetan Peoples – 7,147,000
•Number of Tibetan People Groups – 134
•Number of Tibetan UPG’s – 117
•Restricted Nations with large Tibetan Populations – China, India, Nepal, and Bhutan

The Tibetan Plateau is located in west, southwest China and is home to many Tibetan people groups. However, Tibetan peoples can be found in large numbers in countries such as India, Nepal, and Bhutan while in smaller numbers in Bangladesh, Myanmar, and Pakistan. In 1959, there was a major role in the uprising against the Chinese government that led to the Dalai Lama’s departure from Tibet. All Tibetan people groups are devout followers of Buddhism. Work among the Tibetans has been happening for centuries but has been met with much resistance and conflict. Tibetans who come to faith in Christ can experience persecution from the society they live as well as family and friends. Despite such persecution, the church among a number of Tibetan people groups has persevered. However, Limited availability of Scripture and literacy of languages along with the importance placed Tibetan culture and rituals make it difficult for Tibetan believers to live a Godly life. Source: Joshua Project, IMB

•Pray for Scripture (NT) translation into Tibetan languages.
•Ask God to continue to bless the Christians serving among Tibetans.
•Pray for Chinese Christians to be able to travel freely and minister to Tibetans.
•Pray for God to work in the hearts of the Tibetan peoples and draw them to Himself.
Pray for the Hamiltons in China who have ministered to many Tibetian orphans.

Answers to Prayer in Asia
1 The spectacular growth of the Church in some countries of Asia observed in the 1980s has continued in the 1990s
a) All Christians have increased from 22 million (2.3%) in 1900 to over 300 million (8.3%) in 2000
b) Protestant and Independent Christians increased from under 4 million in 1900 to over 193 million in 2000
c) Catholic growth was slower — from 11.1 million (1.2%) to 96 million (2.6%)
d) Asian Evangelicals, over 130 million, have become almost as numerous as all Evangelicals in the Americas
2 The establishment of the Church in lands long sealed off from all overt Christian work with hundreds of churches and thousands of believers in Mongolia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan, Turkey and footholds for the gospel gained in a number of others
3 South Korea’s maturing Church
4 Indonesia is the first largely Muslim country to have many Muslims coming to Christ
5 The increase in the number of Muslim Background Believers (MBBs), despite or even because of, the activities of Islamist extremism
6 Detailed and dedicated research during the 1990s in India, China, Indonesia and SE Asia has revealed the spiritual needs and the extent of Christian outreach, or the need for it, to the various peoples in these complex, multi-cultural lands
7 The emergence of a mature, international missionary involvement

The Unfinished Task in the Americas
Despite the large Christian presence and much evangelical activity, major challenges remain:

1 There are 6 countries where Evangelicals are below 5% of the total population:

a) North America: Greenland, St. Pierre & Miquelon

b) Latin America: Colombia, Cuba, French Guiana and Uruguay

2 Upper and middle classes in Latin America. These are generally less evangelized by Evangelicals

3 The urban poor. In North America they usually live in the decaying hearts of major cities; in Latin America it is in huge slums that ring or even permeate the major cities

4 Whole regions of some countries are far less evangelized than the rest of the country

5 Students in the universities. Only a small minority are Evangelicals

The Church in the Americas
1 During the 20th Century, the Americas proved to be the most dynamic Christian continent

2 The Roman Catholic Church has passed through 40 years of tumultuous change, in part spurred by the growth of Evangelicals

a) Concern for the poor and social justice

b) The charismatic movement

c) Traditional Catholicism

3 The challenges for Evangelicals in the 21st Century

a) Wise handling of political power in Latin America

b) Willingness to confront social and economic injustices in a biblical way

c) Religious freedom

d) Adequate training for present and future pastors

e) Maturity in the churches

f) The need for biblical standards in morals and ethics

g) Denominationalism, which is a major problem

h) The integration of Amerindian churches into the mainstream of Christianity in their countries

i) Christians to face up to the challenge of cults

4 The Evangelical missions movement has had an enormous impact on the world — firstly from North America and now increasingly from Latin America

a) Churches to learn the privileges and responsibilities of supporting cross-cultural outreach

b) Finance, which is a major limitation

c) The development of viable and locally applicable sending structures

d) The ability to relate to the international missions world

Francis Schaeffer once asked his wife:

“Edith, I wonder what would happen to most churches and Christian work if we awakened tomorrow, and everything concerning the reality and work of the Holy Spirit, and everything concerning prayer, were removed from the Bible. I don’t mean just ignored, but actually cut out—disappeared. I wonder how much difference it would make?” We concluded it would not make much difference in many board meetings, committee meetings, decisions and activities.

—Edith Schaeffer, The Tapestry: The Life and Times of Francis and Edith Schaeffer (Waco: Word, 1981), 356.

Let’s press one another on to live lives dependent upon the Holy Spirit of God rather than ourselves.

Father, would You empower your Word by Your Spirit to cause Your church to accomplish Your mission. For You are able to do far more abundantly than we can even ask or think according to the power that works in Your church.

Answers to Prayer in the Americas
1 The growth of Evangelicals in Latin America in the 20th Century has been spectacular

2 Pentecostal Evangelicals have demonstrated the greatest vigour and have become the largest component of Evangelicals in Latin America with over 32 million affiliates

3 The spiritual impact of North America, and especially the USA, on the world

a) Great evangelists who have touched the world

b) Great missionary statesmen and visionaries who helped to lay the foundations for the present global harvest

c) Unstinting generosity in giving for great causes — especially missions advances

4 The impact of the Scriptures on Catholics has opened the hearts of millions to a personal encounter with the Lord Jesus

5 People movements are growing among the Amerindians who have long been resistant or indifferent to the gospel
Geography – North America
Area 21,675,600 sq.km. North America contains three of the 13 largest countries of the world: Canada (2nd largest); USA (4th) and Greenland (13th).

Population (2000) 309,631,093 +0.85%AGR

Peoples – North America
Euro-American 64.6%.

Hispanic 11.4%.

Afro-American 11.4%.

Asian 4.8%.

Middle Eastern 4%,

Other/mixed 2.7%.

Native Americans 1.1%.

Economy – North America
The world’s wealthiest continent and the economic engine on which the world’s economy depends for growth.

Politics – North America
The economic and political strength of the USA has the potential to overwhelm its neighbours, which encourages a defensive nationalism on the part of the latter.

Religion – North America

The continent with the least religious discrimination.

Religions Population % Adherents Ann.Gr.
Christian 81.57 259.0 mill +0.66%
non-Religious 12.04 31.8 mill +1.95%
Jewish 1.83 5.9 mill -0.07%
Muslim 1.68 4.6 mill +2.28%
Buddhist/Eastern 0.99 2.9 mill +3.60%
Hindu 0.49 1.3 mill +2.70%
Traditional ethnic 0.38 1.1 mill +1.83%
Baha’i 0.26 787,000 +0.85%
Sikh 0.18 412,000 +2.48%
Other 0.58 1.6 mill +2.64%
Christians Denom. Affil.% ,000 Ann.Gr.
Protestant 793 23.11 71,568 -0.1%
Independent 2,515 21.94 67,928 +2.2%
Anglican 4 1.02 3,162 -1.0%
Catholic 9 22.81 70,616 -0.6%
Orthodox 76 2.06 6,381 +0.7%
Marginal 395 3.55 10,982 +0.6%
Unaffiliated 15.62 48,371 n.a.
Doubly affiliated -6.51 -20,157 n.a.

Missionaries from Americas

71,088 in 672 mission agencies of which 50,720 are in other countries.

Missionaries to Americas

3,008 expatriates in 151 mission agencies.

Geography – Latin America/ Caribbean
Area 20,537,000 sq.km. Comprising 46 countries and territories, of which 25 are islands; 15.1% of the world’s land area.

Population (2000) 519,131,119 +1.59%AGR

Peoples – Latin America/ Caribbean
Euro-American 40.5%; Mixed race 39.1%; Amerindian 10.2%; Afro-American 9.1%; Asian 1.1%.

Literacy over 85%. All languages in the Americas 1,183. Indigenous languages with Scriptures 25Bi 254NT 200por 249w.i.p.

Economy – Latin America/ Caribbean
Rapid development since the early 1980s when democracy and free market economics took root, trade barriers were lowered and inter-state and inter-island communications improved.

Politics – Latin America/ Caribbean
The ending of the Cold War and the eclipse of Communism reinforced the trend to more democratic government throughout Latin America.

Religion – Latin America/ Caribbean

In 1900 almost the entire Spanish-speaking population was considered Catholic.

Religions Population % Adherents Ann.Gr.
Christian 91.65 476.6 m +1.52%
non-Religious 4.28 21.4 m +2.66%
Traditional ethnic 2.73 14.7 m +1.17%
Muslim 0.34 1.4 m +2.88%
Jewish 0.20 1.1 m +1.47%
Baha’i 0.18 829,000 +3.11%
Buddhist/Eastern 0.16 723,000 +1.81%
Hindu 0.13 894,000 +0.38%
Sikh 0.01 40,000 -0.70%
Other 0.33 1.9 m +5.67%
Christians Denom. Affil.% ,000 Ann.Gr.
Protestant 1,874 7.11 36,889 +3.7%
Independent 2,894 4.58 23,752 +4.6%
Anglican 44 0.18 928 +1.0%
Catholic 48 78.77 408,941 +0.8%
Orthodox 64 0.10 533 +0.7%
Marginal 276 1.76 9,150 +4.7%
Unaffiliated 3.30 17,106 n.a.
Doubly affiliated -4.00 -20,700 n.a.

Missionaries from Americas

10,192 from 346 agencies of which 3,827 serve in other countries.

Missionaries to Americas

16,980 expatriates in 539 agencies.

Pray For…Latin America

Stats
•Population of Latin America – 588,503,542
•Percentage of Evangelicals – 10.59%
•Total number of People Groups – 1,274
•Number of Unreached People Groups – 737

The Latin America are a land of diversity where old inhabitants meet new immigrants and prosperity meets poverty. Stretching from the the Gulf of Mexico to the Antartic Circle, the environments are about as diverse as the people who populate them. Within this diversity lies a history that is amazing in some instances while tragic in others. Today, much of the population of the Americas enjoy modern luxuries and the benefits of industrialization. However, there is great poverty amidst these luxuries. Whether due to discrimination, conflict, government corruption, or natural disaster the Latin America is home to people struggling for the necessities of life. Currently the poorest country in the Western Hemisphere, Haiti, was struck by a 7.0 magnitude earthquake just days ago leaving tens of thousands dead, unaccounted for, homeless, or injured. Each year the Caribbean is pounded by hurricanes that result in loss of lives and property alike. In addition, the majority of Latin America has been affected by an economic downturn. So, let us pray for all the peoples of the Americas, but especially, let us ask God how he would have us help those in poverty.

•Pray for the Latin America churches to understand how to best support cross-cultural outreach.
•Pray for God to provide for those in need through His church.
•Pray for God place a passion in the Latin American churches to spread His glory to the nations.
•Pray for the development of training and sending structures that result in fruitful long-term missions.
•Pray for Jim and Maria McCarty as they serve as medical missionaries in southern Mexico. They are supported in part by Springs of Grace Bible Church. Jim attended Grace Church of Collin County in Texas where Brother Joe pastored and graduated from Springs of Grace Shreveport Preacher School before heading to Mexico.

The Unreached of Africa
Much has been achieved; Christians are numbered in their millions, but serious challenges must be met, and the Church in Africa and world-wide must be mobilized to meet them

Much of Africa is within the 10/40 Window area

1 The Imazighen, or Berber of North Africa

2 The Tuareg (Tamasheq) are related to the Berber, but have a unique culture and live in the central Sahara Desert

3 The West Atlantic cluster with 6.4 million speaking 77 languages and dialects

4 The Mande peoples live mainly in Africa west of Nigeria, and are in a majority in Mali and Guinea

5 The Soninke-Bozo peoples — mainly of Senegal and Mali are 1.6 million with only a handful of believers

6 The Songhai-Zarma peoples — 4.7 million living mainly in Mali and Niger and speaking 18 languages and dialects

7 The Fulbe (Pulaar, Fulani) number 20 million in 40 or so distinct ethnic groups speaking related dialects

Religion
Overview: Geography, Peoples, Economy, Politics

Religious freedom has increased over much of Africa during the 1990s, but persecution of Christians by Muslims has also increased in Egypt, Sudan, northern Nigeria and the Comores.

Religions Population % Adherents Ann.Gr.
Christian 48.37 379.4m +2.83%
Muslim 41.32 324.1m +2.53%
Traditional ethnic 8.74 68.6m -0.97%
non-Religious/other 1.15 9.0m +4.85%
Hindu 0.22 1.71m +1.42%
Baha’i 0.19 1.47m +2.32%
Jewish 0.01 96,400 +1.02%
Christians Denom. Affil.% ,000 Ann.Gr.
Protestant 1,927 12.59 98,768 +4.2%
Independent 13,137 9.99 78,360 +3.9%
Anglican 36 4.12 32,329 +5.2%
Catholic 63 15.10 118,423 +2.6%
Orthodox 54 5.96 46,727 +0.5%
Marginal 164 0.45 3,506 +6.0%
Unaffiliated 3.65 28,664 n.a.
Doubly affiliated -3.46 -27,119 n.a.

Missionaries from Africa

12,442 in 620 agencies with 3,126 in other lands.

Missionaries to Africa

17,737 expatriates in 620 agencies.

click for legend

Geography

Area 30,212,000 sq.km; 22.3% of the surface area of the world’s 238 countries.

Population (2000) 784,315,000 +2.41%AGR

Peoples
African 77.9%; Arab 17.3%; Imazighen (Berber) 2.6%; European 1.1%; Mixed race 0.7%; Asian 0.4%.

Languages 2,110; 30.5% of the world’s total. Official languages Arabic in North Africa (7 countries). Elsewhere French (22), English (21), Portuguese (4), Spanish (1). The increasing use of European languages in education is at the expense of local languages. In only 6 nations is an African language officially used as the main means of conducting the nation’s business.

Bible translation Africa is the greatest remaining challenge for Bible translation with existing openings for missionary translators. Languages with Scriptures 130Bi 237NT 250por. There is work in progress in 373 and a definite need for translators in 297 more. This latter number could rise to 1,290 after careful field research.

Economy
Africa’s economy has stagnated for 40 years; many countries have become poorer, a few have made progress. HDI is a measure of the quality of life of 174 nations. Of the bottom 40 in this list, 33 are in Africa. Income/person $660 (2% of USA). Only 1.7% of the world’s GNP is generated in Africa.

Politics
Black Africa’s isolation from the rest of the world ended in the ‘Scramble for Africa’ by the European colonial powers in the 19th Century.

Pray For…Africa

Stats
•Population of Africa – 997,260,873
•Percentage of Evangelicals – 14.8%
•Total number of Countries – 58
•Number of Restricted Countries – 12
•Total number of People Groups – 3,124
•Number of Unreached People Groups – 1,977

Africa is one of the most diverse continents with a variety of languages, cultures, peoples, religions, and history. The North African states are made up mostly of Arab peoples with small populations of black Africans. The black African populations increase in proportion as one moves to countries further South. Poverty is a major factor in this continent. Heavy droughts; corrupt, unstable governments; and widespread conflicts have displaced vast populations and left even more with vulnerable food supplies and lack of suitable shelter. Also, Africa has seen a growing AIDS population with whole generations pass away from this disease. This is largely due to a lack of preventative education and proper medical care. However, along with this, Africa is home to 12 countries where there is widespread persecution against those who follow Christ. These countries are largely located in the northern part of the continent and mostly are in Muslim dominated countries. Those who profess faith in Christ risk losing jobs, friends, family, their freedom, and even their lives. Let us remember those in chains and ask God to put a passion in all of His people to cling to Christ alone in a similar manner. Sources: Voice of the Martyrs, IMB Global Research, Operation World, and CIA World Factbook

•Pray for our brothers and sisters who are persecuted that the Lord with be with them, keep them, and make His face shine upon them.
•Pray for God to bring His peace to the continent of Africa which has been ravaged by war.
•Pray for the majority of African peoples who live in poverty where even basic needs such as food, clothing, and shelter are a daily struggle.
•Pray for the great number of people affected by AIDS and for God to move amidst the lack of education and proper medical care that continues to escalate.
•Pray for the Church in Africa to be effective in the discipling of new believers.
•Ask God to provide leadership training within the church by supplying funds and solid Biblical resources for training and supporting full-time workers.

This is one way to easily contribute aid to help legitimate groups minister in Haiti.

http://twentytwowords.com/2010/01/13/charge-a-donation-for-haiti-to-your-phone-bill/