Pray for Jordan
“You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden. Nor do people light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a stand, and it gives light to all in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven.” -Matthew 5:14-16
Population: 6,472,392
Capital: Amman
People: Arab 95.4% (33.2% of which are Palestinians)
Urbanites: 78.5%
Official Language: Arabic
Religion: Muslim 96.47%, Christian 2.24%
Pray:
- Christians in Jordan are a community under pressure. From 1980-2010, Jordan’s Christian population dropped from 6.5% to 2.2% of the population. Yet, Christians are found in all walks of life, including Parliament, and often in positions of influence. Pray that Christians may be salt and light so that Jordanians can do nothing else but give glory to the Father in heaven.
- King Abdullah’s rule began with promise and hope, but war in Iraq and the resulting turmoil have placed great pressure on the nation of Jordan. Over a million immigrants fleeing from the two wars in Iraq, plus those relocated from Palestine and Kuwait, have intensified Jordan’s economic and political stresses. Rising tensions between moderate and Islamist sentiments indicate further difficulties. Pray for the peace of this land and for wisdom among political leaders.
- Ministry opportunities for foreign Christians are under threat, but remain important. A crackdown on Islamist extremism resulted in some Christian ministries being shut down and visas denied. Several of these agencies are involved in a wide range of activities, usually supporting and enhancing the national Church and meeting humanitarian needs. Pray for the gospel to continue to spread and for strength for national believers if foreigners have to leave.
Information provided by Operation World and Joshua Project. For more details, go to http://www.operationworld.org/jord.