If you visit www.opendoorsusa.org and scroll down the page of recent headlines, your heart will become heavy as you read report after report of how Christians in countries all over the world are facing persecution for their faith. Some believers are being denied the right to hold public worship services or to pass out Bibles and Christian literature. Others are being put in prison and some are paying the ultimate price — their very life — because they claim the name of Jesus.

From natural disasters and wars to economic woes, the headlines on our televisions and in our newspapers are filled these days with a reality that is hard to face.

I shared in my last column that the North American Mission Board reports that about 259 million people in the United States and Canada do not have a personal relationship with Jesus Christ. The International Mission Board tells us that 3,726 people groups in the world are unengaged and unreached, which means they are essentially void of any evangelical presence.

Right here in our state, 5.6 million people do not know Jesus Christ.

North Carolina Baptists, we don’t need to look far to find a reason to pray. Our world, our nation, our state and our communities are in desperate need of prayer.

Prayer is our only hope for seeing a change in this world, and in our own lives and hearts. Through prayer, God unleashes His power. Scripture teaches that the same power that raised Jesus Christ from the dead is at work in the lives of all who trust in Jesus. When God’s people pray and seek their Heavenly Father’s face, His desires and His purposes, He promises to hear.

The National Day of Prayer is Thursday, May 5. Will you take some time during this day to pray? Imagine the kind of revival we could see if believers across this country truly committed to spending time on their knees and on their face before God.

As wonderful as that would be, just think of the revival we could see if believers committed to this focus on prayer every single day. I fear some of us have forgotten that God has called us to a life of prayer. Our lives should, as Romans 12:12 and Colossians 4:2 teach, reflect faithfulness to prayer. As Paul encouraged the church at Philippi, we must not be anxious for anything, but in all things through prayer, bring our requests before God (Phil. 4:6).

The headlines may look grim. Yet, I am not discouraged, for I know where our hope comes from — and so do you. Our hope rests in the Lord Jesus Christ. May we come before Him in humble repentance and prayerfully plead for our Father to make His glory known in our country and in the world.

“If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.” 2 Chronicles 7:14

(SPECIAL NOTE — Thank you for your continued support of the Biblical Recorder site. During this interim period while we are searching for a new Editor/President the comments section will be temporarily discontinued. Thank you for your understanding and patience in this. If you do have comments or issues with items we run, please contact dianna@biblicalrecorder.org or call 919-847-2127.)

In just about two weeks North Carolina Baptists will join with believers all across the nation and the world in celebrating the resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ.  

Without His birth, Resurrection Sunday would not be possible, but without His bodily resurrection, His birth into this world would have had no meaning.  

I challenge you to pause and remember that there are many, many people who will not join us in celebrating Resurrection Sunday because they have never even heard about Jesus.  

Some of these people live right here in North Carolina and in communities throughout this nation.   The North American Mission Board (NAMB) tells us that about 259 million people in the United States and Canada do not have a personal relationship with Jesus Christ.  

NAMB is working with churches, state conventions and associations to try and get the gospel to these people. NAMB recently held a commissioning service for 81 newly appointed missionaries.

These missionaries are leaving their homes and family in order to go tell others about Jesus Christ. They will be serving in efforts such as church planting, chaplaincy, college ministry, youth ministry, and many types of intentional evangelism ministries.  

In 2010, through partnerships with state conventions, associations and churches, NAMB saw 1,271 new churches started in the United States and Canada.  

NAMB began in 1997, and since that time, Southern Baptists have started more than 20,000 churches — an average of more than 1,500 new churches every year.  

In addition to married adults, NAMB also involves high school and college students in short-term mission efforts.  

Last year more than 1,600 students got involved in such mission efforts.  

Gardner Webb University was recently recognized by NAMB for providing many of these students. What makes all of this possible?  

Our gifts to the Annie Armstrong Easter Offering. This year’s offering goal is $70 million and the theme is “Start Here.”  

To “Start Here” means that each of us examines our own heart and prays about what God would have us do when it comes to being obedient to the Great Commission.  

To “Start Here” also means that each of us begins to consider how we can impact those around us with the gospel.  

NAMB has many excellent resources available for you and your church to use at www.anniearmstrong.com. This web site is also a good place to read testimonies from NAMB missionaries about how God is working through them and the ministry to which He called them.

Please pray about how God would have you support the Annie Armstrong Easter Offering.  

I hope you will join me in giving a generous love gift to help support this important missions offering so that many others will individually hear the story of Jesus and accept Him as Savior.  

“And how shall they preach, except they be sent? as it is written, How beautiful are the feet of them that preach the gospel of peace, and bring glad tidings of good things!” Romans 10:15

(SPECIAL NOTE — Thank you for your continued support of the Biblical Recorder site. During this interim period while we are searching for a new Editor/President the comments section will be temporarily discontinued. Thank you for your understanding and patience in this. If you do have comments or issues with items we run, please contact dianna@biblicalrecorder.org or call 919-847-2127.)