Church Planting Movements

The Night of Power (Laylat Al-Qadr)

Mar 19, 2025 | Stories

Laylat Al-Qadr (the Night of Power, Night of Destiny, or Night of Decree) is the holiest night of Ramadan. It is the night when Mohammed is thought to have begun receiving the Qur’an. The exact night is disputed, so Muslims hold special observances for the last ten days of Ramadan. Some will practice itikaf, a sort of spiritual retreat where one stays in a mosque for the whole ten days in order to worship and attach oneself closer to God.

The Night of Power is said to be worth 1000 months and, as the gates of Paradise are open for this one night, it carries blessings beyond those of other nights in Ramadan. It is believed that if on this night, one stays awake and applies themself to prayer, meditation, and the reading of the Qur’an, their previous sins will be forgiven and the rest of the year, which is determined on al-Qadr, will be blessed.

This night has been significant in recent history for the Church as well. There have been numerous accounts of Muslims who, earnestly and passionately seeking a revelation of God over Al-Qadr met Isa al Masih (Jesus the Messiah) in their dreams. Typically these dreams reveal, in whole or in part, the true way to righteousness with God, a relationship with Jesus Christ. These dreams have been instrumental in bringing the gospel into areas previously prohibitive for evangelism. Several of our partners have said Ramadan is one of the most fruitful times for evangelism due to Muslim’s heightened spiritual focus.

HOW TO PRAY:
Pray for Muslims to have miraculous encounters with Jesus while praying during the Night of Power. (John 20:30-31)

Pray for Muslims to have a revelation of the forgiveness offered through Jesus. (Titus 3:5)

Pray for Christian workers to have the opportunity to pray in Jesus’ name for their Muslim friends.

THE NIGHT OF POWER AND THE INFIDEL

The Night of Power, an especially holy night near the end of Ramadan (the Muslim month of fasting), had arrived for Rahmad. read more …

REMEMBER SUSI, THE SEEKER?
Since the beginning of the year, Jane* and her local partner have been studying the Bible with Susi*, a spiritually hungry Muslim read more …

I AM READY!
“I have some great news to tell you,” Job shared with Frank over the phone. “I’m ready to follow Jesus!” read more …

Finding Jesus in the Ordinary

Mar 14, 2025 | Austronesia, Stories

As our ministry teams share Jesus with those he brings into their path, they discover that Jesus is found in the ordinary. He gives hope to those who need it and comfort to others who call on His name.

Hope in Jesus
Yul often visited the cemetery where his beloved wife was laid to rest. It was part of his journey through grief, yet each visit was infused with a quiet hope.

During one of these visits, he encountered the man who had dug his wife’s grave. As they spoke, Yul shared his heart: “I come here to grieve, but not without hope. My wife was a follower of Jesus Christ, and I believe she is now in heaven with Him. I also believe that when I die, I’ll be reunited with her there. This is the hope I have in Jesus.”

The grave digger looked surprised. “I’ve never heard that before,” he admitted.

“I’d love to meet with you and share more from the Scriptures about this hope,” Yul offered. “Would you be interested?”

The man nodded. “Yes.”

Since then, not only the grave digger, but five other cemetery workers have joined Yul for nine Bible study sessions, learning about the prophets and Jesus. Pray that through Yul’s testimony and truth of Scripture, the Holy Spirit would draw each of them into a saving relationship with Christ and make obedient disciples of all of them.

The Sleepiness Vanished
In Southeast Asia, our follow-up team encourages new disciples to go through Steps to Freedom in Christ, a book designed to help them navigate the spiritual battles they often face after baptism. Many new disciples in this region experience intense demonic attacks, and this resource equips them to understand their identity in Christ, renounce any surrendered ground, and reclaim those areas through the power of Jesus.

As Fit prayed through the material, an overwhelming wave of drowsiness suddenly washed over her. Sensing a spiritual attack, her teammate Nini urged her to pray. Fit closed her eyes, lifted her hands, and began to pray. Instantly, the sleepiness vanished.

When she opened her eyes, she turned to Nini and thanked her for holding her hand. But Nini shook her head. “I didn’t hold your hand. I didn’t even touch you,” she said. “That must have been Jesus.”

Now, more than ever, Fit knows that Jesus is always with her.

Pray that she continues to experience His presence in deeper and more powerful ways, and shares his love with others.

*pseudonyms

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The Festival of Colors

Mar 3, 2025 | Stories

Holi, the Indian festival marking the beginning of spring, falls on March 14 this year. Holi is also known as the “Festival of Colors” due to the bright, powdered pigments that are a trademark of the celebrations.

We invite you to join us in praying these colorful Bible passages over the Hindu world as Holi approaches.

“Come now, let us settle the matter,” says the Lord. “Though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are red like crimson, they shall become like wool.” -Isaiah 1:18

Father, we pray for you to prepare the hearts of Hindus everywhere for your freeing gospel. We pray for a holy discontent with Hinduism and their own sin to fall on them so that they would be ready to accept the Good News. May their sins turn from scarlet to white as snow through acceptance of the Lordship of Christ Jesus.

One who heard us was a woman named Lydia, from the city of Thyatira, a seller of purple goods who was a worshipper of God. The Lord opened her heart to pay attention to what was said by Paul. – Acts 16:14

Lord, we ask you to open the hearts of Hindus to pay attention to the good news of the gospel when your followers speak to them. May many thousands of Hindus come to be called worshipers of the one true God.

But blessed are those who trust in the Lord and have made the Lord their hope and confidence. They are like trees planted along a riverbank, with roots that reach deep into the water. Such trees are not bothered by the heat or worried by long months of drought. Their leaves stay green, and they never stop producing fruit. -Jeremiah 17:8

Having received Jesus as Lord and having become your True Followers, we pray, Father, that you would cause them to thrive in you. May Hindu background believers, old and new, not be bothered by “drought times,” but may they stay ever green in you, continually producing the fruit of disciples who make disciples.

After this I saw a vast crowd, too great to count, from every nation and tribe and people and language, standing in front of the throne and before the Lamb. They were clothed in white robes and held palm branches in their hands. -Revelation 7:9

Thank you, Almighty God! Thank you for your promise that members from every Hindu believing people group would be counted among those standing before your throne at the end of days.

OTHER HINDU HOLIDAYS

SHARING THE LIGHT OF THE WORLD WITH HINDUS
All over the world Hindus, Sikhs, Jains, and Newar Buddhists will light oil lamps and place them in their homes and businesses to invite the Goddess of Prosperity, read more …

DUSSEHRA
Different parts of India celebrate Dussehra in different ways. Scenes from Rama’s life might be enacted, grand processions may take place or effigies of Ravana burned. read more …

RAKHSHA BANDHAN
Rakhsha Bandhan is an annual Hindu festival celebrating the special bond between brothers and sisters or unrelated persons with a similar familial bond. read more …

Heal the Sick and Proclaim the Nearness of God’s Kingdom

Feb 19, 2025 | South Asia, Stories

In Luke 10, Jesus gave His disciples a strategy for reaching the lost. In verse 9, He instructed them, “Heal the sick who are there and tell them, ‘The Kingdom of God is near to you.'” In South Asia, we witness disciples of Jesus fulfilling this command as they reach out to the lost, heal the sick, and proclaim the nearness of God’s Kingdom.

From Hating God to Loving Him
*Richard, a disciple-maker, shared how three generations of discovery groups began among Muslim families. “It all started with one family, *James and *Elizabeth. I befriended them and prayed for Elizabeth, who was ill. I invited them to learn more about Jesus. Initially, James wasn’t interested; in fact, he said he hated God. However, when Elizabeth was healed, she told her husband, ‘See, I was healed, so now we should give this a chance.’ After witnessing his wife’s recovery, James decided to start listening to the stories of Jesus. Both James and Elizabeth were amazed by these stories and noticed a real transformation within their family.

They then decided to share what they were learning. James and Elizabeth spoke to a distant relative about the changes in their family and shared some stories of Jesus. This relative was also captivated by the stories and experienced their own miracles, eventually passing the stories on to a neighboring family. Now, we have three generations of Muslim families studying the word of God and experiencing Jesus for themselves.”

A Baby is Healed
One effective way to enter a new village and share the good news is by meeting a need. In *Highland Village,access to clean water is crucial. While disciple-makers *Gia and *Paul were in Highland Village discussing water filters with families, they met *Raj and his parents. Raj, an eight-month-old baby, had been ill for a long time. Gia and Paul prayed over Raj and assured his parents, “Your child will be healed tomorrow,” promising to return the next day.

When Gia and Paul visited Raj’s home the following day, they found a happy and healthy baby who had been healed by God. This miracle has sparked interest among Raj’s family and many others in the village, who are now eagerly awaiting devices with recordings that tell the stories of Jesus in their native language. Through this miraculous healing, God is opening doors for the people of Highland Village to know Jesus for the first time.

After Being Sick for Years, *Alta is Healed
Disciple-maker *Paul shared another inspiring story about a woman named Alta who had been suffering from frequent bleeding for many years. Despite consulting local doctors, Alta found no relief. Paul shared the message of Jesus with her, and she believed. He prayed for her and she was healed—the bleeding stopped completely! Now Alta, along with her family, is eagerly awaiting a device with recorded Bible stories to help them grow in their new faith.

*pseudonym

Thaipusam Observed

Feb 5, 2025 | Festivals and Holidays, South East Asia

Thaipusam is an Indian festival originating from southern India, celebrated exclusively by the Tamil people. This year it will be observed on February 8.

Within minutes of Frank and his team mates witnessing the event, it became undeniably clear that those who consider themselves devoted followers of these Hindu gods are wholly committed—body, mind, and soul.

This festival demands extreme acts of devotion. Participants pierce their bodies with needles, hooks, or even small jugs of milk, while others carry enormous burdens—such as intricately decorated chariots or gallon-sized containers of milk—on a grueling two-mile trek uphill. This particular Thaipusum journey started at a Hindu temple at the base of a mountain to another at the summit, where offerings were made to specific idols. All this took place in the midst of the sweltering Southeast Asian heat and the throngs of thousands making the ascent together.

Frank and his teammates arrived in the midst of it all, determined to witness the spectacle firsthand and pray for every soul they encountered. The oppressive heat bore down on them, leaving them drenched in sweat and eventually with sunburns that lingered for days. After two exhausting hours, they finally reached the temple at the top.

Inside, the air pulsed with the sound of lively Indian music, yet the atmosphere was oppressive. People offered their life savings to the idols, while those who had pierced their bodies as acts of sacrifice stood motionless while the objects were carefully removed. Hundreds—perhaps thousands—of gallons of milk were poured over the golden and bronze statues, a sacred offering, given the holiness of cows in Hindu tradition.

Despite the intensity of the rituals, something was strikingly absent—joy. No one smiled. No one looked fulfilled. Instead, a heavy darkness seemed to overshadow everything, an unsettling oppressive presence. Amidst all the devotion, pain, and sacrifice, Frank and his teammates saw no peace or sense of hope. It all seemed tragically empty.

Yet, as Frank observed, he couldn’t ignore one undeniable truth: These worshippers, while far from knowing the one true God, willingly sacrificed everything in their desperate search for divine connection. Their faith—though misplaced—was real to them, shaping their actions and defining their lives.

Many participate in Thaipusam out of deep religious obligation, ancestral ties, or fear of displeasing the gods. Pray that Jesus would break any spiritual chains holding them back from experiencing freedom in Jesus. Pray that those participating in this festival would come to understand that Jesus has already made the ultimate sacrifice for them, and they do not need to endure suffering to earn divine favor.

OTHER HINDU HOLIDAYS

SHARING THE LIGHT OF THE WORLD WITH HINDUS
All over the world Hindus, Sikhs, Jains, and Newar Buddhists will light oil lamps and place them in their homes and businesses to invite the Goddess of Prosperity, read more …

DUSSEHRA
Different parts of India celebrate Dussehra in different ways. Scenes from Rama’s life might be enacted, grand processions may take place or effigies of Ravana burned. read more …

RAKHSHA BANDHAN
Rakhsha Bandhan is an annual Hindu festival celebrating the special bond between brothers and sisters or unrelated persons with a similar familial bond. read more …