God's Heart for the World
Part 1) God's Heart for the Stranger
God commands us to care for the vulnerable and specifically the orphans, widows and foreigner. Throughout the Bible we hear this call and we can not ignore it. God has a heart for the foreigner, the newcomers and as we follow Jesus, we should seek to as well!
As more people immigrate to Alberta, we are seeing the nations come to us. No more can we say it is the missionaries who are responsible for cross-cultural outreach, for now we have the opportunity to reach the world without ever leaving our city. Our prayer is that every newcomer would experience warmth, safety, and genuine invitation—spaces where questions are welcomed, relationships can grow, and faith can take root. We recognize that hospitality is more than a greeting; it is a posture of the heart that mirrors the welcome of Christ.
Learn more
Welcoming the Stranger (Course)
I Was A Stranger Challenge - 40 Days of Scripture
Books
Welcoming the Stranger – Matthew Soerens & Jenny Yang
Seeking Refuge – Stephan Bauman, Matthew Soerens, & Dr. Issam Smeir
Start With Welcome – Bri Stensrud
No Longer Strangers – Sandra Van Opstal
Local Organizations/opportunities
- CARE for Newcomers: contact kate.kozoletova@CareForNewcomers.ca to hear about the 1 on 1 match program, 3-6 month commitment, meeting 2-4x/month
- Catholic Social Services (Immigration & Settlement)
- Central Alberta Immigrant Women’s Association (CAIWA)
- Red Deer Local Immigration Partnership (RDLIP)
Prayer Points
- That cultural and racial barriers would be overcome by embracing God’s command to “love our neighbours as ourselves”.
- That our church family would embrace hospitality—creating space for connection, evangelism, and discipleship.
- That newcomers would sense deep belonging and feel seen, known, and valued in our community.
Part 2) God's Heart for the Unreached
The International Day for the Unreached is a reminder of God’s heart for all people and His desire that everyone would hear the good news of Jesus Christ. Around the world, there are still billions who have little or no access to the Gospel. The unreached aren’t people who heard the Gospel and walked away. They’re people who have never had the opportunity to hear it even once. No church nearby. No Bible in their language. No Christian in their circle. For billions, Jesus is simply an unknown name. This is literally a third of the world! This day invites us to lift our eyes beyond our own communities and to pray, give, and go so that every nation, tribe, and language may know Him.
Unreached People Groups Defined:
- An ethnic or linguistic group with very limited access to the Gospel; less than 2% of the population is Christian.
- There is no established, self-sustaining community of believers who can replicate themselves without external support.
- They face cultural, linguistic, or geographical barriers to receiving the Gospel.
- Over 40% of the world are unreached and lack access to Jesus.
- Less than 10% of missionaries serve here and less than 2% of missions giving gets directed here.
- This is why we must PRAY for the Nations and for workers, GIVE strategically and GO where the Gospel hasn’t yet reached!
Learn more
Books
Let the Nations Be Glad – John Piper
Operation World – Patrick Johnstone / Jason Mandryk
A Third of Us – Megan & Mike Newell
Prayer Points
- Pray for unreached people groups to have opportunities to hear the gospel for the first time.
- Pray for global workers and local believers serving in difficult and restricted areas—that they would have courage, support, and wisdom.
- Pray for open hearts among those who have never heard about Jesus.
- Pray that God would stir our hearts as a church to be involved through prayer, giving, and going.
Part 3) God's Heart for Persecuted Believers
Around the world, more than 388 million Christian believers face persecution for their faith, enduring hardship, discrimination, and even violence because they follow Jesus. Yet in the midst of suffering, their courage and steadfast faith continue to shine as a powerful testimony to God’s faithfulness. As the global church, we are called to remember our brothers and sisters, to stand with them in prayer, and to ask God to strengthen and sustain them in every trial.
Learn more
Nik Ripken Ministries
Faith Responds to Evil (a message by Nik Ripken, CrossRoads Church, 2021)
Books
The Insanity of God – Nik Ripken
The Insanity of Sacrifice (devotional) – Nik Ripken
God’s Smuggler – Brother Andrew
Saving My Assassin – Virginia Prodan
Foxe’s Book of Martyrs – John Foxe
Prayer Points
- Pray for strength, courage, and unwavering faith for persecuted believers as they endure hardship.
- Pray for God’s protection over individuals, families, and churches facing opposition.
- Pray that through persecution, the gospel would continue to spread and lives would be transformed.
