People on the move

People are often more open to the gospel when they are in a new land. Pray that East Asians on the move would hear the gospel and believe.

• Each new term brings hundreds of thousands of new students to the UK. Some are here for just a few months while others stay many years. Pray that these students will receive new life in Christ. Lord, equip your Church for the special challenge of ministry to people who may not stay here long.
• Many diaspora East Asians come from communities without even a single church. Pray that they would not only come to faith while away from home but that God would use them to spark a great movement among their people group.

Welcoming the stranger

Moving to a new land is always disorientating. The Church has a great opportunity to show Christ’s love in action through welcoming internationals: meeting newcomers at the airport, helping them settle and adjust to life here, inviting them over for a meal, helping out with learning English or career development skills.

• Indifference, busy lives, and an inward focus in churches can mean newcomers don’t ever hear the good news. Ask the Lord to embolden the Church for witness.
• Reaching across cultures is challenging, and it is easy to miscommunicate or even offend unnecessarily. Pray that Diaspora Returnee Ministries’ cross-cultural training at churches and with student ministries would be effective in preparing God’s people for evangelism and discipleship with East Asians.

Evangelism, Discipleship and Returning Home

To be a disciple of Jesus is to follow him. We long to see the worldwide movement of East Asians discipled and sent out to their own people and the others God brings them to. East Asians tend to be open to the gospel while overseas and many make a commitment to Christ through campus ministries, but may not continue going to church when they return home.

• OMF offers Returnee Preparation training to prepare those returning home for the challenges and opportunities they will face back home. Pray that churches and campus ministries would encourage returnees to attend such training.
• Returnee networks such as Japanese Christian Fellowship Network help returning believers find and plug into a church. These networks follow-up with recent returnees and journey with them through their transition. Pray that new believers will get connected with these networks before they return.
• Having been welcomed as foreigners in another land, returning Christians can do likewise when they return. East Asia’s cities are incredibly diverse and East Asian Christians have many opportunities for missional living. Pray that returning Christians in Asia would follow God’s call to welcome the strangers in their midst.

Unity and Integration

Our world today is not often welcoming to strangers: fear, suspicion, misunderstanding and prejudice divide people. The Church celebrates diversity in unity and the gospel proclaims that ‘you who once were far away have been brought near by the blood of Christ’ (Ephesians 2:13). Pray for the unity and integration that is taking place through the gospel.

• Praise God for drawing together so many diverse peoples to cities such as Chicago, London, Nairobi, Frankfurt, Tokyo and Sydney where they may hear the word of God proclaimed freely. Pray for unity among diverse churches and campus ministries, strong partnerships for the gospel and a spirit of service one-to-another.
• The massive movement of peoples in this past decade is affecting immigration laws and government policy around the world and could impact ministry to people on the move. The Church today has a great opportunity to show the light of Christ in uncertain times. Pray that the window we have for ministry to people on the move would remain open and thank God for directing the movements of peoples in our time so that ‘they would seek him, and perhaps reach out for him and find him.’ (Act 17:27)