Each zone in Nigeria has unique challenges and opportunities. Christian persecution increases, especially in the north. Some Muslim groups have killed thousands and destroyed hundreds, possibly thousands, of churches. Persecution unites Christians, driving them to the Lord in prayer. It also threatens the core of society and statehood. Pray for restoration and recovery for those who suffer from loss, or rape. Pray for forgiveness and freedom from a spirit of revenge. Pray that believers respond in the most Christ-like way possible, and for enemies of Christ to become His followers. In the south oil industries have polluted pristine agricultural land but only an elite (corrupt) few have benefited. Pentecostal churches are growing: may God give them sacrificial concern for the less privileged in the less-reached areas. Muslim missionary activity has intensified to win ethnic religions and backsliding Christians. Pray for cross-cultural outreach and true conversion of youth.

Pray: for an end to religious persecution in Plateau state. Pray for greater harmony between Christians and Muslims, and for a Christlike response to opposition. (1 Peter 3:14)

More: operationworld.org/prayer-calendar/09-22/#nigeria

This week we invite you to pray for 2 key Nations which are strategically important for the Kingdom of God in reaching the Unreached. First, we join with Operation World Prayer Focus on Nigeria.

Why Nigeria is Important?

Because it is the:

• 6^th Largest Nation by population in the World – 218 Million.  (After China, India, USA, Indonesia, & Pakistan)
• 5^th largest Moslem Population in a single nation.  80 million. (After Indonesia, Pakistan, Bangladesh &  Iran)
• 3^rd largest Christian Nation.  90 million. (After USA, Brazil)
• 3^rd  Highest number of Evangelicals in the World.  (After USA and Brazil)
• 2^nd largest Assemblies of God National Council – With other 18,098 Ministers, 16,300. Churches and 3.6 Million Members. (After Brazil AG) 
• The most populace Nation in the Continent of Africa.
• Nation with great potential for Missions in Africa and beyond!

Nigeria also has the greatest Challenges as a Nation and a Church:

Nigeria becomes “the Greatest Enemy of Christian Faith in the World” and “a country with the world’s largest Christian Deaths for the Year 2021.”

• Persecution and Violence.
• Islamic influence.
• Political and Economic Challenges.
• Spiritual Challenges.

Read On:

CHURCH GROWTH

Church growth has been massive and remains so. A large majority of West Africa’s evangelicals live in Nigeria. Nigeria has the world’s 4th, and possibly 3rd, highest number of evangelicals in the world. Catholics, Anglicans, traditional Protestant groups, and newer Pentecostal and charismatic groups all grow. Much growth comes from among Muslims and those who follow tribal religions. This growth often happened quietly, in less obvious ways. Praise God for the millions who have come to know Him in Nigeria!

SPIRITUAL CHALLENGES.

Africa and Nigeria’s greatest spiritual challenge is discipleship, not Islam, not corruption, and not even the need for missions. The Church grew so fast that many new believers have little chance to be discipled. Much division and false teaching enters into churches. Prosperity teaching distorts the gospel. A form of Christianity mixed with African tribal religious practices is common. The Church needs a balanced and biblical approach to spiritual warfare, to healing and miracles, and to outreach towards other religions. Many Christians seem to live by other values than what the Bible clearly teaches. Pray that humility, simplicity, and holiness might become the motto of the Nigerian Church. Read more from Operation World.

City of Lagos

POLITICAL & ECONOMIC CHALLENGES:

Nigeria’s unity has survived, almost miraculously, despite countless threats. The cumulative effects of ancient tribal rivalries, Muslim conquests, British colonial policy in which the north and south were handled differently, the bitter Biafra war of 1967-70 and heightened religious tensions have left deep scars. Pray for healing and reconciliation; pray also for leadership that will serve to reconcile and unite rather than to embitter and divide.

The challenges facing the government are myriad and urgent – extremist Muslim agitation in the north, armed militias in the disgruntled and oil-rich southeast, pervasive corruption, a self-serving network of bureaucratic elite, emigration/brain drain, widespread poverty and an apparently disintegrating sense of national identity.

These are challenges enough for any established government, never mind a fledgling democracy. Pray for the right balance between caution and decisiveness in addressing such threats, and between prudence and ambition in economic development and in combating poverty.

Pray for General Elections in Nigeria in next February which is critical in dealing with violence, poverty and persecution. The Campaigning begins this week!

PERSECUTION AND RELIGIOUS ISSUES.

The world media intentionally shuns news about violence against Christians in Nigeria.
The introduction of shari’a law in northern Muslim states is a direct challenge to the federal government. It is an open door to human rights abuses and the further infiltration of Nigeria by extremists. It is a danger to national stability and a threat to Christian ministry in those states so affected.

Pray for the intrinsic cruelty and injustices of shari’a to be exposed and for those seeking moral order and social righteousness to find it in the practice of biblical principles under the authority of Christ.

Photo by Genocide Watch.

• The Genocide Watch notes that by having a distinction of being the country most hostile to Freedom of Worship, Nigeria also became “the Greatest Enemy of Christian Faith in the World” and “a country with the world’s largest Christian Deaths for the Year 2021.”
• No fewer than 5,191 of the victims were unarmed citizens hacked to death or shot by Islamic radicals or hostile members of the country’s security forces.
• According to the Open Doors’ 2022 World Watch index on global killing of Christians: “4,650 Christians were killed in Nigeria between Nov 2020 and Oct 2021, higher than 3,530 deaths recorded in the previous year (Oct 2019-Nov 2020
• For the fifteen months from January 2021 to March 2022, Nigeria saw a total 6006 Christian deaths.
• From July 2009 (year of the Boko Haram Uprising) to March 2022, the Christian death tolls rose to 45,644. Approximately 30,000 moderate Muslims were also killed during the period by the country’s Jihadists, who are chiefly indigenous Fulani Herdsmen, Fulani Bandits and other jihadist pastoralists or mercenaries.
• The issues of Kidnapping of Christians and Leaders.
  According to Morning Star News, just last week more kidnappings have happened raising the danger of Christians in Nigeria. Read more:

Please pray for the protection of Christians and for this senseless violence to stop.

UNREACHED PEOPLE:

Specific religious communities needing prayer and attention are many; Nigeria’s religious context is highly complex and varied beyond the obvious domination of the Christian-Muslim dynamic. The major blocs are:

• Muslims.  40%.  Many are more open to the gospel despite – or even because of – Nigeria’s religious tensions. Tens, and possibly hundreds, of thousands have come to Christ. But many face death threats, discrimination and ostracism. Powerful Christian literature for Muslims and effective outreach methods are increasingly available. There are many expressions of Islam in Nigeria, including the majority Sunni and Shi’ite, Sufi and militant, and the hostility between some of these groups is evident.
• Practitioners of African traditional religion. While they number officially only around 3%, they more likely number around 8%; even beyond this, their practices and beliefs penetrate deeply into some forms of both Islam and Christianity. Many of Nigeria’s remaining smaller unreached-people groups are animist; they are responsive to the good news, yet are being rapidly Islamized. Pray for urgent Christian outreach to them while the door remains open.

PRAY FOR ASSEMBLIES OF GOD NIGERIA.

Praise God for the General Council of Assemblies of God in Nigeria (AGN) which has been a great influence for the Kingdom of God. The founder of AGN, Rev. Augustus Asonye was one of the first five young men who spoke in tongues in 1934 without a Missionary and contrary to their church belief. They were kicked out of Faith Tabernacle, and formed the Church of Jesus Christ and in 1939 invited the Assemblies of God, to take them over.

Today AGN is the 3rd Largest Assemblies of God National Council having over 3.6 million members, with 18,600 Churches and 16,300 Ministers. AGN in a huge resource for the Continent of Africa and for the Global Church.

Pray for the leadership of AGN and as they have their General Council this November to elect the future Leaders. Pray for dynamic vision of raising next generation leaders to reach the continent of Africa.

Pray fo the Leadership of Assemblies of God Nigeria.

Pray for Pastors and Churches who are facing persecution for strength and courage to continue their work.

Pray for the Missionary Vision of AGN.
They have sent a number of missionaries to neighboring nations in Central and West Africa. Many are working among the large diaspora Nigerian communities around the world. However, there is a massive potential in AGN to send hundreds of missionaries, especially to Islamic Nations in North Africa and Middle East. Please pray for AGN Missions Director, Rev. Udochukwu Oriwa who represents Central Africa and for Rev. Uche Ama, Deputy Director of Missions for AAGA. Let us pray to raise up the sleeping giant of Missions in Nigeria.

MISSIONS CHALLENGE:

Nigeria is one of the leading missionary-sending countries of the developing world. Pray for:

• Nationwide mission networks. The Movement for African National Initiatives (MANI), Nigeria Evangelical Missions Association (NEMA) and Agape Missions and Evangelical Network (AMEN), who all play huge roles in pushing forward the mission impetus started at the 1974 Lausanne Congress which has the goal of mobilizing 50,000 Nigerians for missions in the next 15 years. Currently, 5,300 long-term Nigerian missionaries are under the NEMA umbrella, representing 115 agencies. Around half serve cross-culturally within Nigeria; the other half serve outside the country.
• Denominational agencies with a strong missions programs such as  The Evangelical Missionary Society of ECWA has by far the largest number of cross-cultural missionaries. Deeper Life Bible Church and Living Faith Ministries have sent missionaries to over 40 nations. The former has planted over 3,000 churches outside of Nigeria. AOG, Baptists, Churches of Christ in Nigeria (TEKAN) and others also have strong missionary-sending programs.
• There are now 50 missions-training institutions in Nigeria, an answer to prayer. Congregations still need to understand the vital roles they play in supporting and sending Nigerian missionaries into the field. About 2,000 Nigerian missionaries serve in other lands, mainly in West Africa; they face difficulties in receiving funds to provide for their material needs and educate their children. Read More about Nigeria Missions.

PRAY FOR EACH ZONE AND THEIR NEEDS.

Each Zone in Nigeria represents unique challenges and opportunities.
Please read and pray for each Zone represented in this Map on points given below:

Source: ResearchGate.net

Southern Zones

• The oil industry has polluted the pristine agricultural land of millions, but only an elite (or corrupt) few have benefited. Christians are in the great majority. Pentecostal churches are the predominant influence and the fastest growing – ranging from small groups meeting in homes to megachurches.
  Pray for sacrificial concern among Christians for the less-reached and less-privileged areas.  In the Niger Delta and coastal regions many peoples live in these virtually inaccessible swampy, riverine areas that are largely bypassed by missions.

Central Zones

• There has been dramatic church growth over the last 50 years and more recently, various Pentecostal and charismatic churches. Pray for the spiritual growth of believers and for true conversion of the younger generation – evangelical nominalism is a major problem. Pray for revival and a vision for cross-cultural outreach.
• Muslim missionary activity has intensified in the region. Considerable efforts are made to win over followers of ethnic religions and backsliding Christians.
• The occurrences of religious violence and persecution in this region, especially Plateau state and its capital, Jos, have been prominent in the last decade. It is the fault line between Christian- and Muslim-dominated Nigeria. Pray for boldness and faithfulness in the midst of pressures and for a Christlike response to opposition.

Northern Zones

• There is a great need for Nigerian missionaries to ensure that the costly gains in church growth are not lost. Pray for the sending of workers, from the scores of denominations and churches who will be well prepared and effective in such a hostile, dangerous environment.
• The gospel has made progress since independence despite considerable opposition from Muslims. Many smaller non-Muslim peoples and an increasing number of Muslim-majority peoples are responding to the gospel. Believers from a Muslim background are often driven either underground or out of their home area.
  
  Read More details about each Zone:

Pray for the unreached peoples.

• The Fulani (Fulbe) are a strategic people across Africa and sub-Saharan Africa’s largest unreached-people cluster. Their origins are in Senegal, but their greatest numbers are in Nigeria, where 16 million of the 32 million Fulani live. They form both the strongly Muslim ruling class (Sokoto/Toroobe) and the nominally Muslim nomadic cattle grazers over much of Nigeria and the Sahel. Over 90% of Nigerian Fulani are Muslim, but an increasing number are responding to the gospel.
• The Hausa are known as predominantly Muslim, but a number actually follow traditional religions. Among these are the Maguzawa, a people with their own distinctive culture who retain the pre-Islamic, traditional Hausa religion. An exciting turning to Christ is happening among them.
• The Isawa, a Hausa Muslim fringe group that gives high honour to Jesus, are also responding to the gospel. Christian resources in Hausa are widely available.
• The Kanuri of Borno state are proudly Muslim and have been so for 1,000 years. They doubt that other peoples can even practice Islam properly. There are few believers among the 5.2 million even after years of witness.
• The Gwoza Hills (Adamawa and Borno). The area is hotly contested spiritually, with some peoples turning from paganism – more to Christianity than to Islam. Over 23 peoples live in the area.

Thank you for taking the time to Pray for this great Nation of Nigeria.
Please mobilize prayer in your Church and Nation for Nigeria.

• Sources:
• Operation World.
• Open Doors.
• A Biography of Rev. Dr. Augustus O. Asonye,
• Genocide Watch.
• Morning Star News.
• Pics sources:
• Assemblies of God Nigeria.
• almacenamientoit.ituser.es
• ReserachGate.net
• Genocide watch.

A recent UN report stated as many as three out of four women are forced into marriage among certain Nigerian groups. Take for example Lena, a 14-year-old girl. She became a Christian, but as her father was a Muslim leader in the mosque, she knew it was going to cause problems. Sure enough, she survived physical abuse from her father, forced marriage, and violent sexual assault. By the time she finally escaped, she was a single mother who could not read or write. She persevered with an education and vocational training to be self-supporting. After attending a discipleship school, Lena plans on going back to her hometown, this time as a missionary. Pray for Nigerian women suffering persecution and assault. Pray for healed emotions for the traumatised. Ask God to touch the hearts of abusers perpetuating violence, and thank Him for the courage of women like Lena.

Pray: for an end to the persecution and the violence which is going on in northern Nigeria. (Isaiah 60:18)

More: www.mnnonline.org/news/christians-targeted-for-forced-marriages-in-nigeria/

In 2017 Fulani militants seized a Christian mother’s land and burned down her house, forcing her and her family to move closer to the city for safety. Loss of their farmland forced the family of seven into deep poverty, living and sleeping in one room. On 8 August Fulani militants attempted to rape her 16-year-old daughter while they were out walking. A missionary visited the family after the attack and the mother said, ‘They told us to stop, then they beat me as I tried to stop them from raping my daughter.’ She showed the deep gash in her arm she received from the militants, and said God used her to protect her daughter from public disgrace and shame, which is how victims of rape are viewed in their society. ‘I have nothing to say but thank God. Please tell Christians to pray for us. Pray that we will return to our village one day. Life is too expensive in the city.’

Pray: for the government, intelligence agencies, and police to end the persecution of Christians and for the safe return of their homes and farms. (1 Peter 3:14)

More: t.e2ma.net/message/m8e2jx/6zdri3u

Since 2000 there have been 300 churches planted across Sweden by other nations. The Nigerian Redeemed Christian Church of God has 40 Swedish church plants. Their vision is to plant worshipping communities within five minutes' distance from each other. Also from Nigeria there are church plants from Deeper Life Bible, Mountain of Fire and Miracles Ministries. There are plants from Ghanaian Church of Pentecost where the worship language is English, Ghanaian Swahili and Swedish. Chile’s International Mission Church gathers 1,500 people for Sunday services in Stockholm. For Sweden, this is a very big church. There are also congregations with Ethiopian, Eritrean, Iranian, or Afghan connections that are generally closer to the established Swedish denominations.

Praise: God for the vibrant variety of church plants in Sweden. Ask God to bring unity amongst the different styles of worship of so many denominations. (Psalm 118:15)

More: www.europeanea.org/diaspora-churches-in-sweden/

When our brothers and sisters are displaced because of their faith in Christ, we can support them through prayer. As we pray, we open our hearts to their needs and grow deeper in fellowship with them. Pray for the Lord to meet all their needs. (Philippians 4:19) Pray for their healing from physical and emotional trauma. (Psalm 147:3) Pray for them to be able to love and forgive their persecutors. (Matthew 5:44) Pray for persecutors to repent and trust in Christ. (Luke 15:10) Christians in Burma, China, Eritrea, India, Iran, Nigeria, North Korea, Pakistan, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Syria, and Vietnam are persecuted by their governments and religious freedom is violated. Afghanistan, Algeria, Azerbaijan, Bahrain, the Central African Republic, Cuba, Egypt, Indonesia, Iraq, Kazakhstan, Malaysia, Sudan, and Turkey are countries whose governments allow or engage in ‘severe violations of religious freedom.’. Take time to pray for Christians in these nations. 

Pray: for God to enable world leaders to eradicate Boko Haram, Yemen’s Houthi, ISIS, Pakistan’s Khorasan Province, Somalia’s al-Shabaab, and Tahrir al-Sham in Syria (Psalm 23:1-6)

More: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Persecution_of_Christians#

Conservative MP Kemi Badenoch wrote in the Times, ‘I'm putting myself forward in this leadership election because I want to tell the truth.’ The Christian MP for Saffron Walden supports lower taxes to boost growth and productivity, and is accompanied by tight spending discipline. Her role as minister for local government, faith and communities included being the government’s liaison for the country’s faith leaders. She was born in Wimbledon, brought up in Nigeria, and has a range of faith traditions to draw upon. Tom Tugendhat, a Catholic, is MP for Tonbridge and Malling and chairman of the foreign affairs committee. He appealed to Boris Johnson on behalf of Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe and asked UK churches to negotiate her release from an Iranian prison. As of 14 July, he is one of the five remaining candidates, but Kemi has been eliminated.

Pray: for God’s chosen MP to lead the Conservative party and the nation. (2 Chronicles 1:10a)

More: premierchristian.news/en/news/article/former-faith-minister-catholic-mp-in-running-to-replace-boris-johnson

Hundreds of prisoners escaped from the Kuje medium-security prison near Abuja due to an attack attributed to Boko Haram. Equipped with explosives, the attackers freed 600 of the 994 inmates and only about half of the escaped prisoners have been found. A large number of captured Boko Haram fighters were released in the attack. Armed extremist groups have been gaining power in Nigeria, with a lack of effective opposition from security forces and government officials. Boko Haram has maintained an insurgency in Northern Nigeria for thirteen years and displaced over 2.4 million people through violent attacks and threats. They have murdered tens of thousands of Christians and forcibly converted many others. Please pray for the end of their attacks, and for the Lord to soften the hearts of militants.

Pray: for the Lord to heal and strengthen terrorism victims and the persecuted. Pray for the government, security forces and judiciary to be strengthened in Nigeria. ( Psalm 10:17-18)

More: www.persecution.org/2022/07/12/hundreds-inmates-escape-prison-nigeria-armed-attack/

In Afghanistan, after America and its allies withdrew, the Taliban controlled the government, declaring an Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan, employing harsh tactics to expose Christians. This has brought persecution in Afghanistan to its highest levels since the Taliban’s first government in 1996. In Nigeria Fulani Militants, the largest nomadic ethnic group, have killed tens of thousands of Christians and left many more homeless since 2000. Having seen increasing violence against Nigeria’s Christian population in the Middle Belt, it is alleged that the Fulani militant aggression is aided by stakeholders within the Nigerian government. Iran’s Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, the country’s Supreme Leader, exerts control over every aspect of Iranian life, both physically and spiritually. As an Islamic republic, Iran poses severe limits on the ability of Christians to practice their religion, enforcing a hardline regime that allows the brutal torture and execution of many Iranian Christians.

Pray: for God to strengthen Christians who are being beaten, imprisoned, tortured and murdered simply because of what they believe in. (Isaiah 40:31)

More: https://www.persecution.org/2022/06/29/icc-cites-afghanistan-fulani-militants-ayatollah-ali-khamenei-worst-persecutors/

A high court has ordered a church founded by Pastor Tobi Adegboyega to be closed ‘in the public interest.’ His Salvation Proclaimer Ministries Limited (SPML) is charged with £1.9 million fraud. Adegboyega, popular for his opulent lifestyle, is charged with financial mismanagement and lack of transparency. The Charity Commission is also examining SPML’s financial, governance and safeguarding; members have allegedly been financially exploited by senior church personnel promoting ‘prosperity gospel’ and establishing what many called ‘cult membership’ by young Black people from poor communities. Meanwhile, the Everlasting Arms Ministries sold their London property for £8 million, while being allowed to continue occupying the building. At the same time the pastor’s salary increased from £44,536.20 to £72,000 pa, and his deputy’s from £45,000 to £54,000. Other employees’ salaries also rose. A Charity Commissions investigation found £180,000 spent on business-class flights and £457,655 on luxury hotels.

Pray: for the charities watchdog to continue to recognise and remove corruption, theft, and fraud by churches and charities. (2 Corinthians 11:13-15)

More: www.gov.uk/government/publications/charity-inquiry-the-everlasting-arms-ministries

The Nigerian government is about to pass a bill that will punish those who pay ransoms with up to fifteen years in prison. It would also give a death sentence to those who commit abductions. Armed groups have kidnapped hundreds of people for ransom across Nigeria over the last two years. Most recently, a ransom of $240,000 was paid by the Nigerian Methodist Church after eight gunmen abducted its head, His Eminence Samuel Kanu, and two other pastors while they were on their way to the airport in Nigeria’s southeastern state of Abia. The clergymen’s driver and one other church member managed to escape. The 69-year-old recounted how the abductors showed them the rotted bodies of previous victims, threatening to do the same with him. Archbishop Chibuzo Opoko, who heads the Methodist church in Abia State, said paying the ransom was necessary.

Pray: for more security agencies, for better and more successful police intervention, and for the new laws to deter criminals from kidnapping. (John 17:15)

More: gatewaynews.co.za/nigerias-methodist-leader-says-huge-ransom-paid-of-his-release/