Week of prayer for the global church
Day one – the impact of the church
Churches continue to be a light to their communities throughout many challenges. Tearfund partners with churches across the world to equip them to identify needs and opportunities in their communities, mobilise resources and start development projects.
Pray that churches across the world will realise the impact that they can have on their communities. Ask God to give church leaders wisdom and strength and to bless them as they reach out to others.
Day two – the welcoming church
Colombia has become a place of refuge for hundreds of thousands of Venezuelan migrants who have arrived with only the few belongings they can carry. Tearfund has trained more than 300 church leaders in Colombia to help their churches become places of protection and welcome.
Thank God for churches across Colombia that are providing food, trauma support and healthcare to migrants. Pray that the church will always be a refuge for vulnerable people.
Day three – the persecuted church
In some of the countries where Tearfund works, our partners are serving their communities despite experiencing oppression themselves. But God is working through these communities in wonderful ways.
Ask God to protect those who are marginalised or oppressed because of their faith. Lift up churches and faith groups who are operating in these challenging contexts and pray they will be able to continue serving their communities.
Day four – the responding church
When disaster strikes, local churches are often the first on the scene. They then continue to provide support to their communities long after the headlines move on. Like in Haiti, where churches continue to help people rebuild and recover after the deadly earthquakes.
‘Our role and duty is to be there, to give our support whatever way we can do it,’ shares Thimothee Saint-Juste, a church leader in Haiti. Please pray for the work that church leaders, like Thimothee, are doing to respond to disasters and provide long-term support to their communities.
Day five – the reconciling church
Church leaders are ambassadors for peace; they can heal the hurts that divide people and promote unity.
‘I believe that church leaders should be present in everyday life, engage and invest in the peaceful processes in their country,’ says Rev Onesphore Ndayizigamiye, who attended a Tearfund workshop in Burundi about promoting peace. ‘They should not be afraid, but step up, because their role is very important.’
Praise God for the work church leaders are doing to bring peace where there is conflict and suffering. Reflect on the divisions you see in society and pray for the church to step into the gap.
Day six – the caring church
A growing number of churches are answering God’s call to love their neighbours by caring for creation.
In India, after attending a Tearfund training course, Pastor Sunil has introduced practical ways his congregation can get involved and learn more about caring for wider creation. The church has banned single-use plastic, has a kitchen garden, and is planting trees around the community.
Thank God for the work Pastor Sunil’s church is doing to care for creation. Pray that even more churches around the world will take action to tackle the climate crisis.
Day seven – the hope-filled church
The message of the church is hope. Around the world, churches are living out this message and being the hands and feet of Jesus.
Praise God for how he works through the local church. Ask God to highlight a way that you could serve in your local church to help someone in need. Pray that churches around the world will be invigorated with hope.
Continue praying with us
Thank you for spending your week of prayer praying for the global church – your prayers are making a difference.
If you’d like to continue to pray for global issues and people living in poverty, Tearfund’s Prayer Diary can help guide you with daily prayer points. When you sign up, it will be posted to you three times a year, along with Tear Times, our free magazine featuring updates and good news stories about Tearfund's work worldwide.
