Malaysia
An extremist Muslim minority has been pressing for radical Islamic reforms and the formation of an Islamic state. This has brought stress to the whole country and an acceleration of Muslim missionary activities.
Non-Muslims are suffering a creeping erosion of religious freedom. Pray for:
- The restoration of full religious liberty.
- The restrictions on Christian meetings to be removed.
- Unity among Christians in the face of persecution.
- Courageous Christian leaders who are willing and able to present the needs and rights of the Christian community to the authorities.
Since Malay became the only national language, Christians have been pushed into a series of crises. The Bible in Bahasa Malaysia and Bahasa Indonesia is available in Christian bookshops. However, the government requires that it is made obvious that it is not for Muslims.
There is a need for Christian literature in the Malay language.
Some states have strongly discouraged the use of Malay in church to inhibit the conversion of Malays to Christ.
Pray for missions to and from Malaysia:
- Many Malaysians are studying overseas. Pray that they would find Christ and be able to maintain their faith back at home.
- Pray for Malaysian Christians to rise to the challenge of cross-cultural missions both within Malaysia and beyond.
- Malays who have believed have suffered social ostracism and the loss of legal rights, privileges and jobs; some have had to leave Malaysia. Pray for supportive fellowship for Muslim background believers. Pray for Christians to tactfully, but fearlessly, share the gospel.
- In East Malaysia, 23 per cent of the Chinese and the majority of the indigenous peoples are now Christian. However, there are some unresolved problems for the churches, including nominal beliefs, materialism, the drift to the cities and a lack of full-time workers.
- Pray that the Malaysian Church will be a reconciling community through genuine care for all.
