Please join our team as we pray for the following PARTNER SCHOOLS and reSource PROGRAMS:

 
And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the Lord’s people.”
Ephesians 6:18

PARTNER SCHOOLS

Hanoi Bible College | Hanoi, Vietnam

Background
The Evangelical Church of North Vietnam (ECVN) currently has over 1,200 churches and meeting points with over 170,000 believers (95% of which are ethnic minorities). There are just under 500 ordained pastors and evangelists. The need to train church leaders is urgent.

The majority ethic group, the Viet Kinh (85% of the population) is still unreached in the North. Among the 80 million Viet Kinh, approximately 0.5% are protestant Christian. However, the distribution is very uneven: about 1% in the southern churches but only 0.05% in the north. Churches are being planted in Hanoi that are trying to reach them. This ethnic group is the new growing middle and upper class of professionals. Some HBC grads and students are involved in churches like this.

Prayer

• For their hope to graduate ~200 students from the Bachelor of Theology by 2025
• Thanksgiving for their 10th anniversary celebration (5 Sep 2023). Pray that HBC will have a bright future of training leaders.
• For the continued development of a good financial and business plan to take them into the future
• For institutional health as they navigate staffing changes
• Thanksgiving that the new campus is being used to house and train 45 new students
• Faculty Development
  • For HBC faculty member, Saralen Tran, and her PhD work in Transformational Learning at Asia Pacific Nazarene Theological Seminary (Philippines). She is finishing her coursework and then taking her Comprehensive Exam in 2024.
  • For the 5 members of HBC’s Leadership Team who have completed their DMins at Thailand Baptist Theological Seminary
  • Discernment and the leading of God in the finding/nurturing/choosing of those who are well suited for continued study and would be blessed by it.
• Pray for wisdom for the process of completing the self-study for accreditation with the Asia Theological Association. Pray that this time will also be a valuable learning experience for all involved and a catalyst for growth for the college. 
• For the hope to graduate ~200 Bachelor of Theology students by 2025
• For the new campus to be a place of community, learning, and discipleship for the students who come from all over Vietnam

Arab Baptist Theological Seminary | Mansourieh, Lebanon

Background
Founded in 1960 in the hills overlooking Beirut, the Arab Baptist Theological Seminary (ABTS) equips servant-leaders for the ministry challenges arising in the Middle East and North Africa – be it theology, apologetics, communication, pastoral care, ethics, society, or culture. ABTS’ vision it “To see God glorified, people reconciled, and communities restored through the Church in the Arab world.”

The Republic of Lebanon is bordered by Syria to the north and the east, Israel to the south, and the Mediterranean Sea to the west. Once settled by the Ancient Canaanites and Phoenicians, the region later flourished as a Christian center. Today, Lebanon is home to around 5 million people, of whom 68% are Muslims, 32% Christians, and 5% Druze. Since 2019, Lebanon has been in dire crisis after years of corruption, poor governance, and debt. As Lebanon’s currency has lost up to 98% of its value, its people face vanishing savings, skyrocketing costs, and shortages of food, fuel, medicine, and electricity. Join us in prayer, that the Lord would sustain and encourage our Lebanese neighbours.

Prayer

• “I give thanks to God for His incredible provision, especially during this challenging year. I am deeply grateful for our dedicated faculty and staff, who have faithfully and passionately served, regardless of the circumstances. I lift up Wissam in prayer as he prepares to step into leadership at ABTS. May God grant him wisdom, strength, and guidance, and empower him and the leadership team as they enter a new season of ministry in service to the Arab Church.” – Elie Haddad | President
• “Please pray for a smooth and successful transition as we welcome the new president of ABTS. This change is significant for our community, and your support is greatly appreciated during this time. Also, please pray for our ABTS students who are currently serving in areas that are unstable and volatile. Thank you for your continued support and partnership.” – Walid Zailaa | Academic Dean 
• “Please pray for our Non-formal Training and Peacemaking team and for a lasting impact on the displaced people from the south, whom we’ve connected with throughout this crisis. Pray for the peacemaking training workshops across the MENA region, that they may bring healing and transformation. Finally, pray that we remain aligned with God’s heart and desire.” – Bassem Melki | Director of Peacemaking and Non formal Training 
• “Please pray for the transition period to be smooth, seamless, and without any obstacles. Pray for the upcoming residency and graduation ceremony. Pray that the situation in Lebanon remains stable and safe. Also, pray for the families staying in the guesthouses, as many have been unable to return to their homes yet due to the insecurity in their areas and the destruction of their houses.” – Rana Wazir | Registrar and Director of Quality Assurance
• “Join us in praising God for all His work in the Arab world and through ABTS. Praise Him for his mighty work and for His love and mercy in a region that desperately needs Him. Pray with us for our students and graduates, men and women, who desire to serve and obey Him despite the difficulties. Pray also for Wissam as God continues to prepare him for a new season at ABTS.” – Loulwa El Maalouf | Director of Partnerships and Organizational Development
• “Please pray that, during this time of transition in our region, we may faithfully display and declare Christ to our communities, genuinely loving them as He has loved us. May this crisis lead many to seek Christ personally. Also, please pray for me as I transition to my new role at ABTS. Pray for God’s wisdom and guidance as we work together to equip faithful ministers of the gospel in the Arabic-speaking world. May we glorify Him in all that we do.” – Wissam Nasrallah | President-Elect

Biblical Seminary of Colombia | Medellín, Colombia

Prayer:

• We have filed all the required paperwork for approval of a Master’s degree in Christian Ministry. The papers have been filed with the Colombian National Ministry of Education. They now have to assign two professional peers to make an on site visit. They make a report that is then sent by them to the Ministry of Education for (hopefully) final approval.
• New students for all our programs, on campus and virtual education. We are thankful that the virtual education program is growing with students from throughout Colombia and several other countries.

Conrad Grebel Theological School | Holguín, Cuba

Prayer

• That the political and social conditions in Cuba would be conducive to the ongoing initiatives Overseas Council/reSource are doing
• For President Gonzalo Grimal and his family
• For the social, economic, institutional, etc. situation in Cuba
• For donors who feel a passion for Cuban theological education
• For all the students studying and faculty teaching
• Praise for forward strides in publishing from Cuba:
  • A CGTS faculty member published a chapter on the effect of the pandemic in Cuba (on church, youth, mental health, etc.) 
  • Increased connections with Latin America Theological Fellowship who want to publish as much from Cuba as they can

Tyrannus Bible Seminary | Jawa Barat, Indonesia

Prayer

• For the preparation of reaccreditation for our under-graduate and graduate programmes

• For our plan to recruit three to four young lectures candidates for TBS’ faculty regeneration

• For our effort to mobilising students to do evangelism more and more in midst of the biggest Muslim population

• For renovating the female dormitory, the main administration buildings, and the houses of the family students

• For developing our IT system and the hybrid classes

Jordan Evangelical Theological Seminary | Amman, Jordan

Prayer

• The incoming students that started various programs at the seminary, their adjustment to life in Jordan, a very demanding study program, involvement in church life and ministry, and financial challenges.

• The outgoing graduates as they return to difficult countries and poor economies.

• The expanding publications of JETS to help meet the need for resources for the church.

• The ongoing needs of the seminary operation and campus development.

Phnom Penh Bible School | Phnom Penh, Cambodia

Prayer

• Pray for the leadership team of the school.
• For leadership changes: 3 board members have just been retired, then 3 replaced
• For financial support, as it is getting much lower than before.
• For the studies of school President, Vuthy, who is working on a PhD in theology (online only), and for enough financial support.

Zarephath Bible Seminary | Rawalpindi, Pakistan

Background

• ZBS is the only residential accredited seminary in Pakistan
• Many pastors and leaders are doing good work, but lacking theological education and training
• Pakistan has been facing the most terrible situation caused by rains and floods unprecedented in our national history. Pray for Pakistan and its suffering people. Our economy is destroyed. Inflation is over 40%. Devaluation of the Pakistani rupee has brought great stress upon our lives. Our income has reduced by more than half while prices have increased 200-300%. Political instability is a major factor, along with the natural calamity. (Dr. Maqsood Kamil, Vice Principal of Gujranwala Theological Seminary)

Prayer

• For Shabaz Boota as he begins his PhD in the USA (Muslim Evangelism and Mission work in Pakistan)
• For current interim president, Ashkenaz Asif
• New SFL (Sponsor a Future Leader) partner school
• For ZBS’s financial struggles
• For their students in their various interests/calls
  • Church planting: new areas, remote areas, mountain areas, towns, etc.
  • Mission and evangelism
  • Reaching Pakistani women (35% of student body is female)
  • Professionals who want to learn the Word of God for their daily lives

reSource PROGRAMS

Training Leaders (Sponsor A Future Leader)

Prayer

• For donors to continue supporting students’ studies in the majority world
• For the school staff who administer the program, gathering updates from students and tracking finances
• For program growth: for more schools, students, and donors
• That the sponsored students may persevere and excel in their studies
• For our key schools:
  • Arab Baptist Theological Seminary (Mansourieh, Lebanon)
  • Biblical Seminary of Colombia (Medellín Colombia)
  • Hanoi Bible College (Hanoi, Vietnam)
  • Zarephath Bible Seminary (Rawalpindi, Pakistan)
  • Tyrannus Bible Seminary (Jawa Barat, Indonesia) 
  • Jordan Evangelical Theological Seminary (Amman, Jordan)

Equipping Faculty (Faculty Sponsorships)

Prayer

• For the 5 MA and 1 PhD students studying at the Islamic Study Centre at St. Paul’s University (Kenya), that they would be enriched and enabled to serve well and minister the gospel.
• For Hanoi Bible College faculty member, Saralen Tran, who is working on a PhD in Transformational Learning at Asia Pacific Nazarene Theological Seminary in the Philippines (in partnership with ScholarLeaders)
• For the 5 members of HBC’s leadership team completing their DMins at Thailand Baptist Theological Seminary (in partnership with Local Leaders International and ScholarLeaders)
• For discernment in the selection and nurturing of other faculty to sponsor

Growing Schools | Library Development & Books

Seed Publications (Vietnam Translation & Publishing)

Prayer

• That Seed Publications Director, Thuy, and her new editorial assistant will be able to work efficiently and effectively to put quality Christian literature in the hands of theological students, pastors, and laypeople
• For favour as they seek to do the customs paperwork to import some journals to sell in Vietnam
• For wisdom in making decisions about which books to translate
• That increased sales will enable Seed Publications to become more self-sustainable

Growing Schools | Campus Development

Centre for Urban Mission’s Tafakari Centre (Nairobi, Kenya)

Prayer

• For the centre that “should serve the purpose of drawing people of Kibera to the loving-kindness of Jesus Christ. That it will be a place that connects people to God and to each other, a place of worship to God, the Jerusalem of Kibera.” (Archbishop of the Anglican Church of Kenya)
• For infrastructure to equip the medical clinic, training spaces, library, gym, and recording studio, staff room, AirBnb, science lab for students
• For all of Centre for Urban Mission’s community programs in Kibera: homework club, youth dance program, digital centre, music lessons
• Licenses for the gym
• A gym instructor who follows God
• Funds for treadmills and bikes
• Equipment for the recording studio
• For all the items that are upcoming in the next steps
• Praise for the digital hub
• Praise for provision of the sewing machines
• Praise for provision of the gym and some equipment
• Praise for the medical clinic proposition (conversations with a franchise who may be interested in the project)

Online Learning (Local Online: A Global Strategy)

Background

COVID-19 brought disruption, loss, and trauma to every community around the globe. A lesser-known impact is the massive change that pandemic lockdowns brought to majority world theological education: a once-in-a-generation opportunity to lift the learning experience of hundreds of thousands of Bible college students through online education. The change that we thought would take 15 years only took 15 months. We are working with our global affiliates to help our partner colleges develop robust online programs that are sensitive and contextualized to each region.

Prayer

Pray that this timely strategy will effectively assist colleges to lift their online education capabilities, with the aim of reaching even more with your truth. Please bless and protect Program Director, Dr David Turnbull, and Program Manager, Linda Peterson, as they break new ground at the forefront of this missional endeavour.

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