Praise God for the grace He extends to us through the gift of His gospel. Ask God to keep us from looking to legalism for our justification. Pray for the Spirit to guard us from adding requirements to the gospel for those whom we are trying to reach. Pray for God to grant us favor with those around us who have not yet heard and responded to the gospel. Pray for God’s guidance in understanding what aspects of our lives we need to abandon in pursuit of God’s mission in this world. Pray we will make the most of any opportunity with which we are presented to encourage believers around us, regardless of what background they come from.

This week we are praying for our ESL ministry as we begin our second year of ministry. English as a Second Language (ESL) is an outreach ministry with a vision to serve internationals in our city by providing free English classes that will help connect them to each other and to Christians who can share the love of Christ with them. Flyers advertising the free English classes at Brook Hills are available at the Local Missions kiosk – help us spread the word! We are also praying for the Board of Elders at the Birmingham Chinese Christian Church.

DAY 1: Pray for God to grant favor to the outreach efforts of this ministry as volunteers distribute flyers and invite internationals to join us on Thursday nights for instruction and fellowship. Praise God for bringing the world to our doorstep by sovereignly drawing peoples of many different nationalities to our city!

DAY 2: Pray for the participants that God will bring to Brook Hills to learn English. Pray for God to soften their hearts toward the gospel and establish within them a sincere curiosity for the things of God.

DAY 3: Pray for the teachers and assistants, that they would be effective in teaching English to the participants and that the classes would be taught with excellence.

DAY 4: Pray for the volunteers in every area of this ministry to create a hospitable environment and be effective in communicating gospel truths through conversations in and outside of class times. Pray for God to orchestrate opportunities for fellowship between volunteers and students apart from Thursday nights.

DAY 5: Pray for the volunteers serving the children of the ESL students, that the children would be quick to trust and accept them. Pray that the relationships formed with the children would serve as bridges for reaching the entire family with the love of Christ.

DAY 6: Pray that as this ministry seeks to glorify God by making disciples of all nations, God would provide spiritual growth and the gospel would be multiplied.

This week we are praying for Brook Hills Long-Termers Taylor and Julia serving in East Asia. Last year we had the privilege of commissioning this young couple to join our East Asia Church Planting Team. Julia is currently working as a social worker at a local orphanage, and Taylor is working with a small business in their town. Join us this week as we pray for this family and their role on our East Asia Church Planting Team.

DAY 1: Taylor and Julia have been very busy this summer and the Lord has opened up many opportunities to engage their community. Praise God for these open doors through Taylor’s work, an English Camp they held in their neighborhood, and for deeper friendships.

DAY 2: Taylor and Julia have shared the gospel and have many friends who are seeking truth. Pray for their friends JX, Jerry, and Wendy to find the truth they seek and to believe in Christ.

DAY 3: Taylor and Julia are in the process of switching their visa status. Pray for a visa approval before their current one expires in October.

DAY 4: There are many good things for Taylor and Julia to be a part of. Pray for God to help Taylor and Julia prioritize where He wants them to serve and to help establish a schedule that honors time with Him above all else.

DAY 5: Ask the Father to help Taylor and Julia to see and find their identity and rest in Him and not in the things they are doing or accomplishing.

DAY 6: Pray for God to use Taylor and Julia to make His name known among the Hui.