Praise God for going before us on His mission. Ask Him for wisdom to know how best to speak of Him to the world around us. Pray for Him to help us all be bold in our proclamation of the gospel.

This week we are praying for the Brook Hills ESL Ministry (English As a Second Language). The ESL Ministry serves English learners in the community by providing free English classes to international women on Thursday mornings at Brook Hills and families on Thursday evenings at First Baptist Hoover. The ESL Ministry aims to extend Christian hospitality, establish community, and share the love of Jesus Christ with internationals living in Birmingham. We’re also praying this week for Meadowbrook Baptist Church and Pastor Chris Jones.

Day 1: Pray for the 197 international adults representing 31 countries who were a part of our ESL ministry last year, as well as those the Lord will call to join us this year. Pray that God would give them the patience, skills, and mental strength necessary to learn the English language. Pray they will all hear and understand the gospel this year.

Day 2: Pray for the elementary school kids who will participate in the children’s program while their parents are in class. Pray that they will be peaceful and eager to learn new truths about God each week from their Bible-centered lessons.

Day 3: Pray for the faithfulness of volunteers in every area of this ministry to cultivate a safe, hospitable, and loving environment for the students and their children. Pray for more volunteers to serve preschoolers and children, and for those who use their specific gifts to serve on the International Care Team.

Day 4: Pray for those who have come to know Christ through the ESL Ministry to walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, grow in their faith, gather with a local church, and make disciples. 

Day 5: Pray for the ESL Women’s Bible Study on Wednesday mornings at Brook Hills. Pray that these students, from a variety of spiritual backgrounds, will receive the Word of God and be transformed by it.

Day 6: Pray for the Brook Hills International Care Team as they seek to meet the ever-pressing needs of the internationals they serve. Pray that through their words and deeds, internationals in Birmingham would experience the love of Christ in tangible ways that open doors for volunteers to share the gospel.

This week, we are praying for Mid-Termers, Jared and Elizabeth. They serve in Central Asia, reaching one of our focused people groups. They have been on the field for seven months with their two children.

Day 1: Pray for Elizabeth’s friend, Molly*. Pray that Elizabeth would be able to connect with her on a heart level, as she only speaks the local language. Pray for opportunities to spend time with her family and to get to know them well. Pray that Molly’s heart would be softened to the gospel.

Day 2: Pray for Jared’s friend, Heath*. Heath speaks a different dialect, so communication can be difficult at times. Pray that Heath would become dissatisfied with his religion and see that no one can make himself clean before the Father, only the love of Jesus can do this for him. Pray for clear communication with him. 

Day 3: Last week, Elizabeth hosted two sets of neighbors. They seemed to be honored by her eagerness to learn their culture and language, and have started asking more questions about their family. Pray this leads to questions about their faith in Jesus!

Day 4: Please continue to ask the Father to help Jared and Elizabeth in their language learning. Their schedule is changing drastically in the coming weeks, including a new teacher for Elizabeth. Please pray for them to adjust well and continue to work hard while maintaining healthy family rhythms.

Day 5: Pray for their marriage. Pray they would be united by the bond of peace and be intentional with one another. Pray that they would be an example to their children of love and mercy. 

Day 6: Pray for Jared and Elizabeth to be wise and loving as they parent their two children. Pray that they will love them well and point them to Jesus. Pray for the boys’ salvation. 

*Names have been changed for security reasons.