AFWIS Joins Operation World in Prayer for the Republic of Bulgaria in Europe

Published on Operation World (http://www.operationworld.org)

Home > Mar 20: Bulgaria

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Mar 20: Bulgaria

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Bulgaria

Republic of Bulgaria

Europe

See Prayer Information

Geography

Area: 110,912 sq km
Balkan state adjoining Turkey, Greece, Macedonia, Serbia and Romania.
Population: 7,497,282    Annual Growth: -0.63%
Capital: Sofia
Urbanites: 71.7%
HDI Rank: 61 of 182 (UN Human Development Reports 2009)

Peoples

Peoples: 34 (24% unreached) All peoples
Unreached Peoples Prayer Card

Official language: Bulgarian    Languages: 16 All languages

Religion

Largest Religion: Christian

Religion		Pop %	Ann Gr
Christians	5,991,078	79.91	-0.7
Evangelicals	145,536	1.9	0.7

Challenges for Prayer

Evangelicals have grown, matured and unified in response to challenges and opposition of the past two decades. Pray for:
a) The Evangelical Alliance (BEA). Its work of drawing diverse churches together to act and speak with a common voice is crucial to further growth.
b) The Bulgarian body of Christ is capable of making an immense positive impact on this country where racial tensions abound and where hope for the future is rare. True unity amongst believers of different ethnic and denominational backgrounds could be a powerful testimony.
c) Sofia, the capital and Bulgaria’s only large city, has many churches, but more are needed. Pray for the nation’s centre of influence to be saturated with the gospel. Meanwhile, 2,500 villages are without any evangelical church. Pray that the peoples of the rural areas would not be neglected; their spiritual need is great.
Consolidating church growth is a priority. Pray for:
a) Training of church leadership. Residential, TEE and informal training courses (such as EQUIP and the Global Leadership Summit) are multiplying – all necessary to prepare more leaders for growing churches. Pray especially for the interdenominational Evangelical Theological Institute, a cooperative effort formed through the merger of four different schools. Pray for the staff and students, and for provision of financial and academic resources necessary to provide a solid biblical foundation for ministry.
b) Discernment of doctrinal error. Every modern heresy and cult seems to have targeted this country – Mormons, Jehovah’s Witnesses, extreme “prosperity” teachings and other Christian and eastern cults are very active, sending many missionaries. Pray for wise leaders and a biblically knowledgeable Church to discern false doctrine.
c) New indigenous agencies have sprung up, many characterized by creativity and activism. They aim to reach children, prisoners, and ethnic minorities and to provide literature, Bibles, and Christian teaching in schools and camps. The need for wise coordination and adequate funding mechanisms is urgent.
d) Country-wide vision. Pray for the influence and use of the BEA and others in setting – and achieving, by God’s grace – ambitious goals for the effective evangelization of the country.
     For an additional 9 Challenges for Prayer see Operation World book, CD-ROM, or DVD-ROM.

More Information

The Operation World book, CD-ROM, and DVD-ROM provide far more information and fuel for prayer for the people of Bulgaria.