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Over 300 million people in Africa have little opportunity to hear the good news, and even less opportunity to be discipled as followers of Jesus. “Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field” (Matthew 9:38). Please join us this week in praying for more people to go and share the gospel. We’re currently looking for people to serve in the following teams and ministries…
Healthcare
The healthcare needs in Africa can seem overwhelming with so many struggling without basic medications taken for granted in the UK. Our vision of healthcare is not to try and meet that need everywhere but to go strategically to unreached people groups, where we can not only share medical skills, but the gospel too. Please pray for people to go to this harvest field, people who are passionate about offering the complete healing that Jesus brings. Pray specifically for workers to join a team going to the Indian Ocean Islands where healthcare professionals will serve in medical centres and in a local government hospital.The team will also commit to local language and culture learning. Our prayer is that through serving and supporting this community in this way they will have many opportunities to share their faith. Find out more.
TIMO teams
TIMO stands for Training in Ministry Outreach. Pray that God would raise up more people who are called to a lifetime of service, willing to live as learners and explore ministry through a TIMO team. Initial training lasts for two to three years, with team members living among an unreached people group putting the training into practice. Pray for people to join two teams starting in 2017 in creative access locations. Members of one of those teams will also be able to gain an MBA during the TIMO process. Pray for team members who are passionate about using their skills to set up businesses in creative access locations, allowing them to build relationships among communities, and have the joy of seeing new believers and fledgling churches established. Find out more.
Education
47% of Africans are under the age of 18, which means most ministry in Africa involves working with young people and children. Our desire is to share Jesus, make him known and encourage people of all ages in their own walk with him. But we need more people to serve in this way. Pray that God would convict those who are passionate about teaching and encouraging young people about the needs in Africa. We have openings for teachers to serve in African schools where they will not only teach their subject but have the opportunity to share about Jesus and disciple young people. Pray too for teachers who would be willing to join outreach and evangelism teams. Many of these teams thrive and see great fruit when parents are supported by teachers willing to ‘homeschool’ their children. Pray that teachers would see the opportunities to serve and support in this way. Find out more.
Bible & Theology
We long to see African churches communicate the gospel in all its fullness, responding to the lies on offer, and building up believers who will in turn, reach out to their communities. But for that to happen we need people willing to go and teach them. In the UK if we have a question we can find an appropriate book, google a question or ask an older, wiser Christian. But if you’re an African pastor living in an area without electricity and with limited literacy skills how do you grow in faith? One of the answers for African pastors is for them to attend courses and seminars at local Bible colleges. Please could you join us in praying for teachers to fill the vacancies we have in those colleges? We need people willing to pass on their knowledge and hungry to see Christ-centred churches among all African peoples. Find out more.
Focus teams
Focus teams offer opportunities to reach the unreached with the gospel, or to be part of the vital follow up work necessary after the first seeds of the gospel have been sown. Ministry can be outreach and evangelism, or church planting as new believers are encouraged and equipped to lead churches. Following a lighter curriculum than TIMO, Focus teams offer opportunities for members to join at any point. Because of that fluidity, team leaders are integral to a team’s success. Pray that God would raise up and equip team leaders, particularly for a team in Chad among an unreached people group. Pray too for team members, for people willing to be led, and to grow as a team in godliness and depth of insight. Find out more.
Support Roles
Seeing unreached people groups come to a saving knowledge of Jesus is the fruit of the body of Christ in action, each using their particular gifts to share the good news. Some of those roles go unnoticed, but that doesn’t mean that they are not vital to the work of the Great Commission. AIM’s regional and mobilising offices provide the necessary administrative, financial and pastoral support to allow missionaries to serve. Without the work of IT professionals, accountants and administrators, missionaries could not operate as effectively on the field. Please pray for more people with gifts and experience in these areas to be willing to serve. Pray that people would be willing to sacrifice enticing salaries in the UK to serve the Lord in this way, and that they would recognise the value of their skills in the mission field. Find out more.
Creative Access
We recognise that as we continue to focus on unreached people groups, we will increasingly work in locations where Christianity is not welcome. The majority of people groups still not reached with the gospel identify themselves as Islamic. To reach these people missionaries need to find ‘creative’ ways to share the gospel. As such, pray specifically for entrepreneurs and business people passionate about the gospel, to be called to serve in these locations. Pray too for healthcare workers and teachers, people who will be able to integrate into communities through the skills that they can offer. Pray that people’s hearts wouldn’t be governed by fear but instead that they would be convicted to go and minister in some of the world’s most difficult places. Find out more.
