Author: bbyrd

It cannot be denied that the nations of the world are arriving at our doorstep. The chance to welcome them with the hands and feet of Jesus is a chance to change the world. Pray that U.S. Christians would get involved, explore their communities with open eyes and prayerful hearts and see what God reveals. Pray for friendships to develop with those of other countries. “As for the foreigner who does not belong to your people Israel but has come from a distant land because of your great name, and your mighty hand, and outstretched arm – when he comes and prays… do whatever the foreigner asks…so that ALL the PEOPLES of the EARTH may know your name and fear you, as do your own people Israel, and may know that this house I have built bears your Name.” (2 Chron. 6:32-33)

Praise God for the various means of communication. Team Expansion utilizes the means of electronic devices to engage the global church through internet. Ask God to compel individuals with a desire for God’s heart for the nations to submit a profile on www.teamexpansion.org “For we cannot help speak about what we have seen and heard.” (Acts 4:20)

Praise God for opportunities Team Expansion has to engage the global church through visits to college and university campuses. “Don’t let anyone look down on you because you are young, but set an example for the believers in speech, in life, in love, in faith, in purity…devote yourself to the public reading of Scripture, to preaching and to teaching.” (1 Tim 4:12-13) Pray that today’s generation would sense and respond to God’s call on their lives.

Praise God for opportunities to engage the global church through conventions like NACC and ICOM. Pray for plans and ask God to bring glory to His name through these gatherings. “On arriving there, they gathered the church together and reported all that God had done through them and how he had opened the door of faith to the Gentiles.” (Acts 14:27)

“So the churches were strengthened in the faith and grew daily in numbers.” (Acts 16:5) Praise God for responses at NACC and ICOM to His call for mission service. Pray that those who made decisions to serve as missionaries would overcome every obstacle and find a place of fruitful service.

“Because of my chains, most of the brothers in the Lord have been encouraged to speak the word of God more courageously and fearlessly.” (Philippians 1:14)  A part of engaging the global church is to pray together for the persecuted. As we give thanks for the freedom we have to worship God in our own country, lift up those who are persecuted for the sake of following Christ. Pray that the Gospel will spread because of and in spite of persecution.

“You are the children of the LORD your God…a people holy to the LORD…the LORD has chosen you to be his treasured possession.” (Deut. 14:1-2) Team Expansion strives to engage the global church in God’s heart for the nations for the purpose of expanding God’s kingdom among unreached peoples. Pray for believers around the world who are alone in their faith. Ask the Holy Spirit to grant them encouragement, boldness, and a deep trust in His love for them. Pray for more believers to join them.

Praise God for strategically placing his workers around the world and for church planting and disciple making movements His Spirit is forming. God is moving through the global church. Pray that the 6,500 remaining UPGs totaling over two billion unreached people will be reached with the Gospel. Ask the Lord of the harvest to raise up workers for the harvest fields.

 

There are still 1170 Muslim Unreached People Groups that remain UNENGAGED. There are 178 groups of more than 100,000 in population, 497 groups of more than 10,000 in population. “Unreached” measures the people’s response to the Gospel. “UNENGAGED” measures the church’s response to the Great Commission. “Unengaged” means no long term resident in that people’s language church planting witness. Pray for the church to focus and make a priority to send global first teams to UNENGAGED groups before sending more teams to those already engaged. “Let no foreigner who has joined himself to the LORD say, “The LORD will surely exclude me from his people.” (Isaiah 56:3)

Micah 4:2 says, “Many nations will come and say, “Come, let us go to the mountain of the Lord, to the house of the God of Jacob. He will teach us his ways, so that we may walk in his paths.” Team Expansion needs additional Project Fulfillment Specialists to work with churches in accomplishing the Great Commission. Pray God would identify individuals to help churches adopt and minister to an unreached people group through ongoing training, field visits, planning, and prayer.