A new sports ministry program with the AICT is being launched. 34 people are being trained this week in how to mobilize and start a sports ministry program. Pray for the mobilisation of Christian coaches through Tabora Bible College to bear much fruit amongst the youth.

Praise God for the training of 74 lay-pastors and church leaders in Tabora! We could not ask for a more motivated, engaged, and enthusiastic group of men and women. Praise God for the generosity of a US partner church that provided a Swahili African Study Bible to those who have been faithfully attending and participating. There was a lot of rejoicing as they received these Bibles! Pray for these disciples as they apply what they learn, teach others, and persevere to complete their Bible certificate program.

Pioneer Bible Translators have just published Genesis in the Nyamwezi language, the book of Mbu’ki’ (Genesis)! Pray that in reading through the book of Genesis, the Nyamwezi will know that God is a personal God, not distant, and that God has a plan to redeem the brokenness of all mankind.

Pray for believers who live among the Nyamwezi that their lives would be a living letter and testimony to their neighbors. Pray for opportunities to share with their Muslim neighbors physical and spiritual blessings. Pray for receptive minds and ears to the message of Christ and that the Nyamwezi would long for truth that only Jesus can satisfy.

Praise God for two new churches under construction receiving roofs! These two churches are in Tabora and Uyui District. Praise God for local believers committed to seeing these churches finished and for donors who have helped with the roofs! Pray that the structures would provide permanent points of outreach among the Nyamwezi. Pray for believers to welcome Nyamwezi and all peoples in their area into fellowship in Christ.

Father, set the Nyamwezi free from Satan’s strongholds and help them embrace the family of God.

Please pray over a historical Nyamwezi kingdom area where there will be a big emphasis in evangelism door to door from October 12-15, followed by a seminar for new believers Oct. 15 and 16. May the Lord give favor and boldness to His servants, allowing open doors into the homes of those whom live in darkness without Christ. Pray for conversations seasoned with salt at every opportunity, making the best use of their time, sharing the Gospel at all times graciously. Ask the Lord for hearts ready to hear and receive God’s plan of salvation!

Pray for outreach to a strategic railway town center outside of Tabora, that God would draw the people there to knowledge and faith in Jesus, and that the small band of believers would be strengthened in the Lord and be the light of the world (Matt 5:14) to their neighbors, glorifying God in all they do and say. Pray for the believers who are beginning to build a church and a house for an evangelist as they would like a place to assemble together frequently and respond to God’s call.

Please pray for men and women of peace among the Nyamwezi to come forward when evangelism takes place both in new places and places where evangelism has already gone through an area so that the church may grow in those areas. Pray that the unreached will be reconciled with God. Luke 10:6 “And if a son of peace is there, your peace will rest upon him.”

Pray for fruit following the preaching of the Gospel and showing the Jesus Film at Utuliadeka. Well over one hundred people came each night the film was shown in the church, but no one openly declared their trust in Christ. Pray that God will erase doubts and replace fears with bold decisions to turn from former ways to faith in Jesus alone. Pray that this new church will be a beacon of light to those lost in darkness. “So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.” Isaiah 41:10 (NIV)

Pray for an outpouring of the Holy Spirit among the Nyamwezi. Pray for open hearts and minds among Muslims, and for bold, wise, and winsome proclamation! Many who are devout to Islam warn adherents to not speak to Christians. Pray that they may hear the Word anyway. Ask God for divine appointments for any who want to know Jesus to meet with Christians to explain the Scriptures, just as Philip was told to go and then met the Ethiopian, sitting with him and sharing the Good News about Jesus. (Acts8:26-40)

Praise God for nine area church teams who went to the Nyamwezi villages of Igalula, Msiliembe, Utulaideka, and Kipalapala. For three days in each location, the teams faithfully proclaimed the Gospel house to house, sang and praised God in the village centers, and taught the Word. There was objection to the Message and though tolerant of the activities, leaders discouraged attendance, but God led some to come and turn their lives around. Prayers were answered, twenty-six new believers have put their trust in Jesus! New land was purchased at Igalula as believers seek a place to worship together. In Msiliembe believers who had been apart came together again to rebuild their church. Pray for one more outreach this weekend, to Goweko, for an outpouring of the Holy Spirit in that town!

Praise God for Gospel seeds sown long ago and the work of the Holy Spirit still reaping a harvest today! A Nyamwezi man said he adhered to the Islamic religion of his wife, but would like to become a follower of Christ. He said he had an old book from his Christian father, and he has continued to read it. It was a copy of a Swedish Free Mission hymn book written in the Nyamwezi language. He reads it frequently even though he doesn’t know the tunes because the words hold great meaning to him. Pray that he will keep seeking the Truth and hear more Gospel teachings, and that the Holy Spirit will change his heart to make a decision to receive Christ as his Savior. Pray he will read the Bible, too, and treasure it even more than his father’s hymn book!

Praise God for nine Tabora area churches joining together to hold 3-day long evangelism outreaches this month in nine unreached villages outside of Tabora, Mpanda, and Nzega. Pray for the youth, women, and church leaders volunteering and using their own means to travel outside of the towns. Pray that villagers will listen well and embrace the Good News about Jesus and the salvation He offers to all people. In the mornings there will be teams sharing the Gospel from house to house, in the afternoons there will be open air meetings in the village centers. Pray that God will draw people, convict, change hearts, transform lives, and wash clean those accepting His grace. Pray that God’s truth will be integrated into the hearts and lives of new believers and their faith will be wholehearted. Pray for new churches to begin to meet together following Gospel outreaches in these nine new outreach areas.

Pray for a pastor’s family who have resided in a Nyamwezi village for the last five years. They faithfully share the Gospel and there are new thriving churches they are responsible for in surrounding villages, but their village and neighbors remain hardened to the Gospel. Pray for their children in the local schools as they shine for Jesus. Pray for villagers to have a hunger and thirst for the truth, that eyes will be open to see the lies and false hopes in Islam. Pray that this family will not grow weary in doing good and will be refreshed and encouraged by fellow believers who see their efforts and will join with them in praying for people to come to faith. May the Lord gather and protect His flock from among the hard rocks and thorns.

As new churches are formed, some are already reaching out to neighboring villages. Pray that when believers start new churches, they ask the Lord to raise up a faithful leader to lead the new flock. Pray for wisdom in identifying, training, and equipping emerging leaders. Pray for leaders willing to go and serve anywhere. Pray for servant leaders who will be generously supported by larger churches, or have means to sustain their families financially while engaged in church planting. Ask the Lord of the harvest for new believers among the Nyamwezi, and for leaders, including Nyamwezi believers, to lead His flock.

On the day after Easter, a Muslim neighbor asked, “How was Christmas?”, clearly not knowing Christians had just celebrated Christ’s resurrection, or its meaning. It was an open door to share with her the hope we have in Christ that those who believe in Christ are forgiven of all sin, promised a place in Heaven with Jesus, enjoying eternal life with Him. Pray for boldness in local believers to share of their Lord Jesus Christ with those whom they live among.

Praise God for eight villages with believers starting new church plants. These outreach points are where new believers may join others in fellowship with the family of God. Pray for whole families to come! “But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, purifies us from all sin.” 1 John 1:5

Pray for whole families to come to Christ. Often it is one of the spouses, but not the other, or the children coming to church and not the parents. Pray for whole households to choose to follow Christ.

“It made me glad to hear them say, ‘Let’s go to the house of the LORD!'” Psalm 122:1

Pray for Nyamwezi neighbors who witnessed the drowning and burial of two grandsons of the AICT evangelist working in a new church plant area. Pray that those who heard the Gospel message at the funeral and responded will grow in their faith.

Pray for bold proclamation of the Gospel through Christ-centered, reproducing, culturally appropriate churches. Praise God for village believers who have begun two new churches planted around the Tabora area. These outreach points are places where new believers may come to join others in fellowship with the family of God. Pray for the vision for the visible church to be not only in Tabora, but physically present and active in every village surrounding Tabora, too. Pray for increasing ways for the Good News to be broadcast into communities through radio, preaching, discipleship, visitations, love and care, teaching, etc. Pray that those who are seeking to know Jesus will see clearly where God is at work in and through his visible church.

Pray that the Nyamwezi would see the real reason for this season. Pray that they may see Jesus as more than a prophet, more than a man, but God who has come to save them, born of the Virgin Mary and living in our world to be that perfect sacrifice on our behalf. Ask the Lord of the Harvest that they would accept Him as Savior and Lord, and have the courage to join a local body of believers.

Pray that the Nyamwezi would break free from the heavy yoke of oppression under the spirit world and Islam, often mixed together in animistic religious practices, including surrounding their fields with amulets to ward off evil from harming their crops. As the rainy season begins, pray that Nyamwezi Christians would acknowledge God and God alone and God’s all sufficiency through every aspect of planting and farming, and be a testimony to their neighbors. Pray they will sow with joy, and honor the Lord in giving back to Him from their harvest. Ask the Lord of the Harvest to draw more Nyamwezi to Christ, to seek Him, and entrust their lives and fields to Him alone.

Pray that the veil of Islam be torn and that people are able to see the light. Pray for unsaved village leaders that they would have dreams and visions of Jesus that they cannot refute. Pray for the church to be salt and light in the community and to demonstrate God’s love for their Muslim friends and neighbors.

Pray that as more have access to Bibles there would be increased Scripture engagement through daily reading of the Word, memorizing passages, orally retelling the Scriptures to others, acting in skits that teach the Bible, singing the Scriptures, preaching, teaching and discussing the Word in small groups, in-depth Bible studies, seminars, or Bible courses. Pray believers would frequently share testimonies about how God’s Word is a lamp and a light to them. Psalm 119:105 “Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path.”

Pray that God will raise up a whole new wave of harvest laborers both locally and assigned to this region from other areas. Pray all serving in the church will have a heart and mind to be fishers of men among those yet needing to hear God’s Word. Pray they would not be discouraged to go into the harder to reach areas, including literally leaving the taste of fresh fish behind. Pray for God’s provision for those sent. Ask God to remove any fears and stereotypes which would cause stumbling blocks in sharing the Message of Truth.

Praise God for the publishing of 2,000 copies of a discipleship course written specifically for new believers in Jesus from a Muslim background, now translated into Swahili. Ask the Lord to raise up discipleship relationships and spiritual growth between believers and new believers as they study through these twenty lessons though the book 1 Peter together.

Pray for encouragement for small church gatherings of believers. In some places it may only be two to three families who are led in worship by a local evangelist. However, some evangelists are growing weary and discouraged to lead the handful of people who come to the Sunday service, and see even fewer who participate in other church activities. Pray that those meeting will be faithful and their faith will grow in the promises of God. Pray for whole households to come to faith in Jesus and attend together on Sundays. Pray as they meet that they will encourage one another and be led well by the evangelist. Pray for unity and working together to expand the reach of the Gospel message to their unreached neighbors. Many of these smaller churches are also working to build a permanent structure as a meeting place. Pray that this will be a joy to see what God is doing amongst them. “And let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up.” Galatians 6:9

Praise God for a new outreach area where a person of influence has offered a plot of land to the church. A small group of believers have joined together to clear the plot. But further development has come to a standstill due to disunity among the few believers. Please pray that God would unite the body of Christ. Pray that they work together to have a place to worship and in their love for one another others will see God’s love. Ask the Lord of the Harvest for more to come into fellowship in the body of Christ. Remembering Christ’s prayer in John 17, “I in them and you in me, that they may become perfectly one, so that the world may know that you sent me and loved them even as you loved me.” (John 17:23)

Pray as Gospel campaigns take place throughout Tanzania, most often held in July. This week, there is a 3-day gospel assembly in Tabora, filling a large soccer field. All who believe in Jesus are invited to come praise God and bring others who need to know God’s love. Pray for God’s harvest for unsaved friends, neighbors and even strangers who pass by and hear God’s Word preached. Thank the Lord for the open door to preach in public places in Tanzania. Ask God for individual revival among the thousands who attend and for fervent follow-up and unity among participating churches. May the Lord bring forth much fruit. “Behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation.” 2 Corinthians 6:2

Pray for new churches developing among the Nyamwezi. Pray that the Holy Spirit would stir people to study God’s Word for themselves, to grow in personal relationship with Jesus, and to join in fellowship with other Christians.

Pray for Nyamwezi who are seeking after the Kingdom of God, secretly listening to audio Bibles or reading the Bible while at work. Ask the Lord to help them to grow in their faith and find Christians who will welcome them into fellowship. May they be emboldened to proclaim to others their belief and to share Christ with others. Ask the Lord to shelter them and remove their fears in leaving Islam.

Pray for Nyamwezi who are coming to faith in Christ but are reluctant to join a fellowship of believers.  Some welcome Christians into their homes for discipleship in following Christ, and are eager to read and hear God’s Word. But they face cultural challenges and isolation from their communities if they leave the mosque. In their hearts they do not hold to the teachings of Islam, but they have yet to be actively involved in fellowship with other followers of Christ. Pray for boldness and that they would not be ashamed of the Gospel, that they would know in Christ they can overcome obstacles in their life. Pray new believers will boldly share their faith with others, leading others in their proximity to the truth of the Gospel.

An evangelical worker recently asked a pastor’s son, “Who is you closest friend in school? The boy replied, Mohammed! The second son said Hussein was his closest friend. The daughter replied her best friend was Aisha. Pray for cross-cultural workers, sent out as families to live among those who do not yet know Jesus as the Son of God. Pray for their living faithfully in Christ and for His protection over the families. May the friendships developed bring about fruit for the Kingdom and a light into the lives of their friends that they may no longer be held in darkness but come to Jesus.

Funerals are opportunities for Christians to share their hope with others who do not yet understand the eternal blessings that can be theirs. We mourn the loss of a beloved Christian who was taking Bible courses to become a full time church worker. During his life he shared the Gospel with his family, village, and in neighboring areas. The student’s faith in Christ was evident not only in his life but also became his final testimony at his funeral. How different a Christian funeral is as hymns of hope are sung about resurrection rather than the typical wailing and piercing cries of unquenchable lament! Pray that those who stand in need of peace with God accept the gift of God – to be saved by grace through faith.

Praise God for baptisms that took place in the Tabora region during Passion Week. Some of these baptisms are the first believers in their families. Pray for U’s family who are Nyamwezi, do not yet know Jesus, and would not come to his baptism. Pray for other sincere seekers to be encouraged by U’s public testimony to follow Christ, and even now during Ramadan, to make the same commitment to become followers of Jesus. Pray for U and the eight other believers baptized with him that they would persevere through tribulations and powerfully proclaim the Gospel to the people around them.

The first ever translation of the Old Testament into the Nyamwezi language is underway! Pray for the translation team as they meet together daily translating the book of Genesis. Pray for the team to work well together, for clear thinking and wisdom in accuracy, and be committed to the longer work of translating the entire Bible.

Praise God for land and building permissions for a Bible school at the center of Nyamwezi land! May the Lord bless this training center. Pray for new students to enroll who will have a heart to take the Gospel to every village where the Gospel has not yet been preached. As the classroom foundation is laid brick by brick, pray the same kind of spiritually solid Biblical foundation will be built in the lives of emerging church leaders trained at this site. Pray God’s blessing and protection over the teaching staff. Pray for fifty students already trained and sent out for their ministries to bear much fruit.

Pray for a new believer, Chacha, who struggles daily with putting off the old nature and putting on the new one. He is despondent over the difficulties in his life and recently his home and all he owned was burnt to the ground, leaving him homeless. Pray that he will put on his new identity in Christ as he wars against his old nature – pray for renewing of his mind, discerning truth, knowing God’s power and presence, and knowing God’s peace that passes understanding. “Put on your new nature, and be renewed as you learn to know your Creator and become like him.” (Colossians 3:10)

Praise God for the generosity of a Muslim Nyamwezi village leader who has given his land for a church. The fellowship of believers have build a temporary shelter of thatch while they construct a permanent building. The generous village leader frequently sits just outside the church on Sundays and listens to the sermons. Recently he offered another larger piece of land nearby for a church clinic. He says before he dies he wants to help his community in every way he can. Pray that he will come to Christ and not stay in the shadows, but receive the invitation of Christ to follow Him and join the fellowship of believers.