Praying for Northwest Africa
For Sunday 6 September, Ramadan 2009. “Loving Muslims Through Prayer”
Out of the 78 million people in the three nations of Northwest Africa (Algeria, Tunisia and Morocco), possibly only 50,000 are native believers in the Messiah.
Algeria: population: 33.8 million
According to some estimates, there are possibly 25,000-50,000 Algerian believers of all denominations (Catholic, Protestant, Pentecostal and other). Some believe that the numbers are greater and there are various degrees of commitment to Christ which are manifest among them. Many Algerians have discovered Jesus through visions, dreams and supernatural events. Many more have discovered the Messiah in recent years through meeting other Algerian believers as well as through radio, satellite TV and films. Significant numbers of people have come to faith. As a result, in 2006 a law was passed opening the door to official persecution of Algerian believers. Several have been arrested, detained and tried for various offenses. While the situation is not as grave as in Iran or Saudi Arabia, Algerian believers are under increased supervision and have experienced the beginnings of significant governmental persecution. They have been courageous and generally continue to affirm their faith. Proselytising is a criminal offense. Any individual trying to convert a Muslim either through education, health, social, culture or financial means can be sentenced up to five years in jail with a maximum fine of $7,000. Pray along the lines of Acts 4:29-31. See more details at persecution.org.
Tunisia: population 10.5 million
Tunisia has the appearance of being a Muslim country, however the number of committed Muslims is limited. The vast majority of Tunisians are pursuing their dreams of having a better lifestyle. Tunisians need to reflect more on the meaning and the brevity of life. Tunisian believers number less than 1,000. Pray using Matthew 6:24-34.
Morocco: population 33.8 million
A very small number of Moroccan believers exist (possibly only a few thousand). Their numbers are slowly increasing, but knowledge of the Gospel in Morocco is very limited. Believers have suffered significant threats and mistreatment by relatives and some government officials. Pray along the lines of Isaiah 40:9-11; 52:7. Pray for King Mohammed VI and the royal family. Hassan, the Crown Prince, is six years old.
Background information: Islam in Algeria
See also our Islam in Tunisia article
and Muslimis in Morocco
Ghardaia, Algeria
Pray for Algeria:
* for the spritual growth and maurity of the emerging Algerian Church
* many Muslim Algerians intrested in the Christian faith to convert
* for all Algerians to hear and reieve the Gospel
* for house-churches to be established in every city and people
* for Muslim fundementalists to hear and recieve the Gospel
Pray for Morocco:
* for the protection of,wisedom for, and salvation of King MohommandVI
* for the Berbers to come to the faith of their Fathers
* for the encourgmenet of the small but growing Moroccan Church
Pray for Morocco:
* for protection of, wisedom for, ans slavation of King Mohommad VI and his family
* for the strengthening of the very small, but growing, Moroccan Church
* for more Christian workers for Morocco
* for the evanglization of Rabat, Casablanca, Fez, and the other key cities of Morocco
* for the evanglization of the many villages in Morocco
* for the Berber peoples to return to the God of their fathers (they were Christian once)
* for acurate Bible translations into Moroccan Arabic and the Berber languages-they’re underway
* for effectivnes of Christian satelite TV and radio in Arabic and Berber languages
* for an end to war in the Sahara region and reutrn of the Sharawi to their land
Pray for Algeria
* for the spritual growth and matuirty of the small, but rapidly growing, Algerian Church
* for the multiude of Muslims intrested in Christianity to convert
* for the evanglization of the Shawiya-almost no known believers admist 1.5 million people
* for the conversion of the cities of Algeris, Oran, Constantine, and Annaby
* for the young people of Algeria to come to Jesus
* for the Berber tribes to return to the God of their father Augustine
* for the governement officals to come to Jesus and lead in righteousness
* for the Arab majority to come to Jesus
Algeria (MNN) ― Despite laws preventing conversion, Muslims are turning to Christ in what’s being called an amazing move of the Spirit in Northern Algeria.
In 2008, Algeria put into full effect a new anti-conversion law that prohibited efforts to convert Muslims to another religion and gave the government the right to regulate every aspect of Christian practice. This law was a direct attack against Christians since almost all Algerian Christians are converts from Islam. The new law could make nearly all Christian churches in the country illegal.
Despite this new law, 2009 has been an incredible year for evangelical church growth, says Pastor Youssef Jacob with Operation Mobilization. “We have churches that have grown 802%. Many converts have come from Islam with no Christian heritage, no Christian background, no resources whatsoever, no training. But they just believe in God and His Word.”
Jacob says the Kabylie people are the most responsive in the Kabylie region, which is home to more than 2,000 towns and villages. “In every village and every town there are Christians, and there are churches,” says Jacob. “In one town, actually there are more churches than mosques, which is a big miracle to happen in the Middle East.”
These churches aren’t stagnant, either, says Jacob. “I know of many, many churches today who baptize about 120 to 150 every year. I have never been to a church in the west or anywhere in the world where the church is already packed 2 1/2 hours before the meeting.” That’s happening in Algeria.
With the large number of new Christians comes a need for training. Jacob says funding is desperately needed. “If we fail to train, disciple, and empower the Algerian church today, I believe it will be one of the biggest mistakes in the history of missions to the Muslim world.”
As training takes place, Jacob believes these Christians could be the key to reaching the Muslim world. “The Lord has given to us a vision that first [we need to re
“An Algerian policeman and his daughter announced that they have embraced Christianity. This news has precipitated a tremendous amount of discussions and arguments in Algeria, causing the religious authorities to demand that the police department should dismiss him from his position, now that he has become a Murtadd (Apostate).
“The policemen explained to the Algerian newspaper al-Nahar that his previous life, as a Muslim, was filled with anxieties and a corresponding absence of peace of mind. He added that the radical Islamist movements that had massacred many women and children caused him to become fearful of Islam which he held responsible for the bloodshed. His life was caught up in a deep struggle that eventually led him to embrace Christianity which, according to him, “has given me peace of mind.”
“As to the daughter of the policeman, she explained that her reason for embracing Christianity was due to the fact that Islam treated women as maids and concubines, only to be sexually exploited by men. Muslim men regard women only from a physical point of view. Now, having adopted Christianity, she began to feel as a dignified human being. Her decision was final, and she does not regret it at all.
“The Algerian religious authorities reacted swiftly by declaring that a Murtad (Apostate) is now a Kafir (Unbeliever) and is subject to capital punishment, unless he or she repents by returning to Islam.
“It is estimated that there are around 10,000 Christians most of them live in the Kabyle district of Tizi Ouzou. Some unofficial sources claim that the number of Christians in Algeria is more than 100,000; they are to be found all over the country, especially in the west of Algeria around the cities of Oran and Mostaganem, most of these converts are young men and women. They claim that the reason that prompted them to embrace Christianity was Islam’s responsibility for murder, terror, and rape, as perpetrated by the Islamist groups who, in 1992, started the
Algeria: Update: Church Burned
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On Jan. 10, Muslim extremists set fire to Tafath church in Tizi Ouzou, Algeria, damaging church property, according to The Voice of the Martyrs contacts.
The Tafath church has been threatened since December, when extremists disrupted a Christmas celebration. “As Christians continued to come for worship to this church despite the increasing intimidation, the Muslim extremists decided to burn the church,” VOM contacts said. “The next morning, the church members were able to retrieve some unburned stuff from the church and move it to a safe place.”
A few days before the attack, extremists broke into the church and stole valuable electronic equipment. On Dec. 26, about 20 Muslim extremists tried to prevent members of Tafath church from holding a service. Extremists confronted believers and barred them from entering the building. “This land is the land of Islam! Go pray somewhere else,” some of the protestors reportedly said.
The Voice of the Martyrs encourages you to pray for this congregation and especially their pastor, Mustafa Krierch, and his family. Pray that God will protect these
Pray for Algeria:
there may be 100,000 believers admist 34.8 million people in Algeria. Let us pray:
* for the encourgment of the few Algerian believers
* for the many Muslims interested in the Christian faith to convert
* for true religious freedom in Algeria
* for Islamic fundmentalists to hear and recieve the Gospel
* for the barriers to ALgerians accepting Christ to be removed