Japan
1. Current Spiritual Condition:
The news of former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe’s death has shocked the whole world. The assassin was a victim of a widespread cult in Japan. His mother was coerced to sell all her properties, worth 730k USD, when he was young and his family went bankrupt.
Religious cults are very active in Japan and were especially so during the pandemic. These cults hold lots of “Prayer Meetings” to pray for good health and good fortune or seminars to teach how to make more money in a short time. Each participant has to pay at least 220 USD. These cults grow rapidly both in Japan and overseas. Pray that Japanese will be protected from the influence of these cults. Pray that the Holy Spirit will help them to differentiate what is problematic and what is not. Pray that Christians can help many to know the gospel and the truth without any distortion or twist.
2. Celebration:
Thank God for guiding Japan Campus Crusade through all the mountains and valleys for the past 60 years. We celebrated our 60th anniversary on September 23rd. Thank God for raising many prayer warriors to pour out lots of prayers for the Japanese Gen Z in our 60-day fasting prayer chain (July 26 -September 23). Thank God for sending both in-person and online summer mission teams to reach out to Japanese university students.
3. Looking forward:
a. Pray that God will raise up lots of Christian university students to be laborers in the harvest field. Pray that they will fully and totally commit to God as full-time workers or as tent-makers. Pray God will raise up many of them to be missionaries and respond to the calls of Macedonians.
b. Pray for all Christian university students to have a solid and strong fellowship each day. Pray that they are filled by the Holy Spirit and in step with the Spirit. Pray that they are strong witnesses of the Lord and a fragrance to Jesus. Pray that they are actively engaged in our discipleship training and trained as mighty spiritual warriors for the Lord.
Taiwan
1. Current Spiritual Condition:
a. The political situation between China and Taiwan has become very tense. The Chinese military has been doing ‘live’ drills along the waters surrounding Taiwan. Ask God to work in the hearts of the leaders from both sides to exercise constraints and for peace to prevail over the Straits of Taiwan. Pray that the actions by the Chinese government will not intimidate our people or for Taiwanese folks to stir up strife against the Chinese government.
b. Please pray for the nationwide election of mayors and government officials at the end of November, and ask God to raise up leaders who will rule justly, love mercy, and be honest and upright as they govern each city, so that we can live our days under godly and upright leadership
2. Celebration:
a. Thank God for His protection as we sent out 10 mission trips in partnership with churches in the rural parts of the island to share the Gospel. Thank God for sending 3 missionaries to Malaysia and Germany to reach the overseas Chinese living and studying there.
b. Thank God for the global Cru Publication department granting the rights for us to print local editions of various resources for disciple-making. Some of these include resources from the FamilyLife ministry, e.g. Art of Parenting, Freedom in Christ resources, LeaderImpact resources for the marketplace, and Strive – a Bible application app. These resources have greatly blessed our ministry and also the Christian community.
3. Looking forward:
a. Pray for the National Leadership team as they spend time this December to pray and map out God’s Strategic Plan for our movement. Pray for wisdom, foresight, courage and boldness to face the changing and challenging demographics of our society.
b. Pray for God to open many opportunities for each MCC to actively use digital strategies in their ministry and to use that platform to strengthen local cross-cultural missions and expand their impact to remote villages across the country. Pray for God to give us wisdom so that we can be creative, flexible and discover new strategies to train and send people to the harvest fields. Pray for God to raise up the next generation of youth leaders.
c. We will be conducting a Life Investment Workshop at the end of February 2023. Pray and ask God to open the hearts of our graduating students and for those who are praying about making a career change to attend. Pray that God will speak to them and that many will join as our co-labourers or join God’s harvest fields as full-time labourers.
Hong Kong
1. Current Spiritual Condition:
Hong Kong is superficially stable again because of the renewed "I country 2 systems" implementation. The churches suffer the loss of members because of migration and people quitting.
Most young people do self-discovery through music, hobbies, exercise, or food. Some do this by excelling in careers and making money. The longing for more among young people is common and strong. The ways to share the Gospel need to adapt to this longing and the culture. The churches need to repent and ignite again their flame of love for God. We need to embrace fellow brothers and sisters that we have despised merely due to political stances. Christians have to be witnesses in the workplace, families, and schools. They, including the pastors, need to be equipped with and through small group discipleship.
2. Celebration:
a. Hong Kong people want resources like the significant project and LeaderImpact groups. We have more trained and active facilitators, a total of 25.
b. Hong Kong people yearn to have their spirituality grow deep and real.
c. We have more Student Led Movements (SLM) staff who desire to apply the coaching mentality in their discipleship. More mature and growth-oriented students will be attracted to the ministry.
d. We have supporters and staff who care about global issues like the Ukraine crisis. We can contribute financially as well.
e. We will have a new National Team Leader and a New SLM leader in Dec 2022. We will become more agile and more adaptive to our changing settings.
f. We have fewer staff members but they have counted the cost and are younger and more willing to take risks and attempt new things by faith.
3. Looking forward:
a. Two Bridges International staff need to extend their visa so that they can continue to serve in HK.
b. Pray that we can have the right person and resources to develop our Digital Strategy.
c. Pray for the rebranding process for HK Campus Crusade.
d. Pray that God will revive our prayer department and to build up prayer momentum to serve HK.
e. Pray for continual growth in our Leader Strategy.
f. Pray for the support raising of our staff as some of their supporters are migrating to other countries.
g. Pray for God’s mission as we discern a secure way in our Sending strategy.
h. Pray for our newly appointed research manager in conducting qualitative research to the Emergent Adults in Hong Kong.
i. Pray for the new emotional resilience initiative as a way to reach out to students;
j. Pray for our FamilyLife ministry as the key leader is migrating to other countries and we need to rebuild this team.
k. Pray for our newly appointed Great Commission Training Center director as he learns how to design a suitable curriculum for new staff/ interns.
South Korea
1. Current Spiritual Condition:
Korean society is an atmosphere in which people's minds are divided and people who have different opinions are not recognized. We are in an unstable situation where we cannot unite our hearts with either one due to the lack of trust in the president and the lack of genuine leadership.
We need genuine leadership in the Korean church as well. We look forward to all the members of the Korean church holding on to the unshakable truth by the living Holy Spirit.
Korea Campus Crusade is preparing a Jesus Festival to serve and help Korean churches. In each region, churches are gathering strength in the hope that they will gather their hearts, unite, pray together, and create a movement to build up young people.
2. Celebration:
We are thankful for some steadfast people who pray for the nations and for the people.
We thank God for letting the Korea Campus Crusade staff and pastors share the same purpose in each region. We are doing our best to promote and prepare the Jesus Festival.
3. Looking forward:
a. Pray that all members of the Korean church will have unwavering faith in any external circumstance through a deep encounter with Jesus Christ, who is the Truth.
b. Through the Jesus Festival, pray that Korean church members would unite and pray together, and a movement to build up young people would arise.
c. Please pray for the training and growth of the students involved in the second semester on campus so they can grow into leaders and have dreams and visions of discipleship ministry.
Mongolia
1. Current Spiritual Condition:
1. Laments: Due to Covid, inflation is increasing in Mongolia. People are getting into debt. Government needs to work wisely.
2. Celebration: Mongolia Campus Crusade just celebrated the 30th anniversary of God’s faithfulness. Also, Franklin Graham’s evangelistic festival is going to happen in September. We are seeking to share the gospel with 30,000 people. Mongolia Campus Crusade is playing a big role in organizing the event.
3. Looking toward: We believe God is giving us a new vision for 2030 — “Multiplying leaders, Movements in cities, Mission to nations”. So, we are planning to start our branch in the next city, Darkhan, in 2023. We are starting to send our missionaries to other cities and countries.
Macau
1. Current Spiritual Condition:
a. In the past years, Macau’s economy mainly relied on the profit from gambling business. Many young people or middle-aged people worked in casinos or the entertainment areas related to gambling business, therefore many citizens had high income and enjoyed much. They might not think about their lives or the future. Pray that God will forgive Macau people or Christians for ignoring Him and indulging in different desires.
b. We ask God’s forgiveness for some Christians who have forsaken the love they had at first for God and people.
2. Celebration:
a. Due to Covid disease in the past 3 years, Macau people could not travel to other places. Thank God that the participation rate of joining local evangelical training, meetings and gospel saturation campaigns was much higher than before as Christians could only spend their holidays within the city.
b. Praise to God that despite the Covid pandemic and the gathering restriction order from our government, Macau Campus Crusade could still launch Leadership Training Institutes (for about 300 adults and students) and gospel meetings online.
c. Though the participants of “Gospel Saturation Day” on August 5 could not share the gospel with partners publicly due to the pandemic, they were encouraged and sent testimonies and the gospel in their “Jerusalem” — i.e. with their families or friends through messages or phones. They invited them to morning or evening online gospel meetings. Eventually, brothers and sisters could have personal evangelism through different online chat rooms after gospel meetings.
3. Looking forward:
a. Pray that God will awaken more Christians in reaching out to adults and kids who are distressed due to unemployment, economic depression, family abuse … caused by the pandemic. Pray that more people will receive the gospel and become servants of His kingdom.
b. Pray that more young people will serve as full-time staff or preachers.
Singapore
1. Current Spiritual Condition:
“Righteousness exalts a nation, but sin is a reproach to any people.” Proverbs 14:34 Pray for righteous laws to be enforced in Singapore that will safeguard morality and ensure freedom of practice of religion. Pray for Christians to live righteous lives and be bold witnesses for Christ in campuses, marketplace and communities. Pray for righteous leaders to arise who will lead the nation forward courageously and make wise decisions for the welfare of the people. Pray for Christian communities to have the compassion of Christ to intentionally engage on societal issues and care for the elderly, poor and marginalized. Pray for a spiritual awakening and revival from God that will transform many lives in our society as He did so powerfully among the youths in Singapore fifty years ago.
2. Celebration:
We are grateful for the God-given ‘Singapore Dream’ to be a blessing unto nations. As part of our 50th anniversary celebration, we launched a Cru documentary video, published a book and produced a song “His Story, His Glory” to tell of what He has done through our 50 years of movement-building in Singapore and beyond. We thank God for a 50-day season of prayer (Cru50: 1426 Pray & Seek) from 21 June to 9 August as our staff community prayed and sought the Lord together for Cru Singapore and our nation. Despite many disruptions and limitations due to the pandemic in the past 2 years, the Lord empowered us to develop creative ways to do outreach, discipleship, and missions.
3. Looking forward:
a. May God empower Cru Singapore to “Make 10,000 CSM (Christ-centered, Spirit-led, Mission-minded) disciples to help reach missional gaps by 2030.”
b. May God lead and empower us to #GetSet (2023) and #GO (2024-2025) into the nations through intentional missions mobilization. Pray for many to catch the heart of the Father and for the nations to return back to Him. Pray for compassion and obedience to respond to God's call to make disciples everywhere despite the challenges in missions-sending in a post-pandemic world.
Country 1
1. Current Spiritual Condition:
The situation in our country is not really good. The food shortage is becoming worse by border closures. In addition, in some areas, hundreds of thousands of rice, corn and bean fields were submerged and damaged by recent heavy rains. Strong winds this season have also caused a lot of damage to agricultural land and crops. So, there are rumors circulating that the food will not be distributed this fall, and farmers are getting more concerned because of them. The government is ignoring the support of the international community. Lord, help our leaders turn from their stubbornness and implement economic policies that save our people.
2. Celebration:
a. God has given us opportunities to preach the gospel to people from our country living abroad, and some have accepted Jesus. Thank God for giving us the opportunity to continue to serve them.
b. We opened a cafe abroad to better help and serve the people of our country. Our people visit this cafe from time to time. God, grant us the opportunity to meet more of our people through this place.
c. Thank God for sending a new full-time staff member to the prayer ministry.
3. Looking forward:
a. God, please open more doors of ministry that can help our workers abroad, and give us people for this ministry. Please open the hearts of our students abroad who have heard the gospel of God and help them grow as disciples of the Lord.
b. Lord, please guard our security so that the door of ministry is opened.
c. God, please open the door to our country again so that the education, agricultural, and childcare ministries there can be reconnected.
Country 2
1. Current Spiritual Condition:
In our country, sin operates through a vast system: the will of the state, the actual implementation of the various authorities (religious bureaus, state security, anti-cult organizations...), the sin of man (blind obedience to the authorities, not pursuing justice for self-preservation...). Pray that this vast system of sin will be crumbled/ broken completely. The upcoming election will decide the new leaders, and we pray that the Lord will intervene and rulers for His use will be elected.
2. Looking forward:
a. We pray for the Lord to open doors for us to preach, because in many places campuses are closed due to the pandemic, and staff cannot enter the campuses. There is also a strengthening of the ideological management of students in schools, and Christian students will be warned and investigated, causing great resistance to the work of discipleship. Pray for a spiritual breakthrough of these spiritual bondages. Pray that our staff and disciples experience victory and breakthrough.