Let’s Learn
Across the Muslim world, believers who have left Islam to follow Jesus face heavy external pressures of persecution—rejection from family, social isolation, difficulty finding a job or a spouse, physical abuse, imprisonment, or even death. Many of these believers are afraid to tell others about their faith or meet with other Jesus followers. This fear of getting in trouble or getting hurt can lead believers to not trust each other.
Beni Shangul of Ethiopia
In 2022, Loving the Lost featured the Beni Shangul (BEH-nee SHAN-gool), a Muslim people group in western Ethiopia with no known gospel presence. Since then, people have been praying, and God has been working. God burdened two groups of Ethiopian believers to reach the Beni Shangul. A believer from another country began to research the Beni Shangul and visit their small, isolated farming villages. He discovered more than a dozen Beni Shangul believers! In 2023, despite major challenges with communication and transportation, these Beni Shangul believers gathered in a large city to learn how to share their faith. Now, Beni Shangul believers are growing in discipleship and starting small groups where there are no churches.
From the Word
2 Timothy 1:7
For God gave us a spirit not of fear but of power and love and self-control.
Let’s Pray
God, I pray that believers will remain faithful as they endure persecution. Help them to grow in their faith and support one another. We know that Ramadan can be a difficult time for believers living in the Muslim world, as it can leave them feeling isolated from their communities. Please be with believers in Ethiopia. As Numbers 6:24-26 says, please bless them and keep them. Make Your face to shine on them and be gracious to them. Please lift up Your countenance on them and give them peace. Remind them that You are with them and that, while their culture might reject them because of their faith in You, You will never abandon them.
Use these resources to help pray specifically each day.
