The Kingdom of God is dramatically advancing around the world. Today we hear the stories and review the challenges of living for Christ in closed countries.  Miriam Adeney is a professor of global and urban ministries at Seattle Pacific University and author of  .

She joins Connecting Faith to celebrate God at work in our world, as well as learn how to pray for fellow believers living out their faith in far-away places.

Miriam gives a well-rounded and encouraging picture of global Christianity – in short, the gospel is taking root in every country by leaps and bounds! In China, for example, both the registered and the unregistered churches are growing so quickly that they’re in dire need of Bible schools and well-trained pastors. This is a common theme in many other countries, including Iran, where one pastor has said, “We don’t need evangelism – what we need is theological education.” Pray that God would equip these saints to preach and teach the Bible well.

How can the Church start to minister to different nations and people groups, especially in the aftermath of a crisis?
Miriam suggests a three-pronged approach:

  • Relief – serve the people with supplies, clean water, shelter, etc.
  • Development – equip them to rebuild their businesses and local infrastructure
  • Advocacy – defend the vulnerable from exploitation and greed

How can we pray for our brothers and sisters in other countries?

Miriam suggests that we pray for their endurance, knowing that “persecution winnows and refines the church.” At the same time, we must prepare for persecution in our own country and continue to engage an increasingly hostile culture. What should our response be? Remember the words of the apostle Peter. “Always be ready to give a reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect.” As we watch Christians flee from Syria, Iraq, and Egypt, pray for their wisdom, but also for those who choose to stay to display “a powerful witness.”

Highlight – The global Kingdom

The global Kingdom