Pray for the Hui

A week from today I'll be attending an event called "Secret Church" here in Birmingham at The Church at Brook Hills!! You may want to know what Secret Church is? It's an intensive time of bible study (usually about 6 hours, or more), led by David Plaitt, with brothers and sisters both nationally and around the globe. It is supposed to be a demonstration of the idea of "house churches" and "secret churches" around the globe, where the gospel is not allowed in the country and thus believers and those wanting to hear have to meet secretly.

"When we think of "church" in America, we think of going to meet at a building, singing, praying and hearing a message from a Pastor or teacher. But in many places around the world, "church" meets in a home, an apartment, even in secret. These small groups of Christ-followers often meet for many hours in study, prayer and fellowship, as it is dangerous to travel to "church" and they want to make the most of their time together.

Secret Church is our "house church," where we meet periodically for an intense time of Bible study--lasting 4-6 hours--and prayer for our persecuted brothers and sisters across the globe. This is not for the uncommitted or faint at heart...

God will use this focused time of study to enrich our knowledge of His Word as we gain understanding of the state of His Church and our persecuted brothers and sisters around the world. The objective of Secret Church is for you to pass along what you learn to others, so that you can make disciples of Christ--both locally and globally."
(radical.net)

I'll be writing a separate post after the event, but right now I want to shed some light on the focus people group for #SC13. This year, we pray for the Hui. If you're like me, you may have never heard of this people group located in China. That is exactly why I've done some research. I'm hoping the benefit of learning about the Hui will better equip myself and even others to pray specifically for their needs and for their access and openness to the gospel.

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The Hui: 10 Things to Know

1. Made up of 13 million people, the Hui is the largest and most widespread group of Chinese Muslims.

2. They are the 3rd largest minority group in China.

3. Only .006% of them know Christ!

4. Being Muslim is what they know, thus that is how they define themselves. Muslim by association. Islam is their way of life. 

5. The Hui are a hospitable people. They treat each other like family. 

6. Most own restaurants and are found in cities all around China. 

7. Men wear prayer caps. Women wear head scarves. 

8. Mandarin Chinese is the spoken and written language. Arabic and Persian are  more common in their spiritual language. 

9. They are descendants of Muslim traders, soldiers and officials who came to China between the 7th & 14th centuries. 

10. It's estimated that one Hui person dies every five minutes. The problem: more Hui people are dying daily than the number of Hui who are hearing the gospel.

(source: Pray for the Hui)

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How we can be praying!

• Pray for God to call laborers to reach the Hui- from other countries as well as Chinese Christians already living among the people group. 
• Pray that effective strategies for sharing the gospel will be identified and implemented. Pray in thanks for the work that is being done. 
• Pray for God to break down barriers that are keeping the gospel from the Hui. 
• Pray that Hui believers will gather and build churches that will multiply.
• Pray for followers of Jesus to share the gospel bodly with the Hui, believing that God is faithful and is already doing a great work among the people. 

(source: Pray for the Hui)

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Whether you're attending Secret Church, a SC simulcast, or not participating at all, please join me over this next year in making a conscious effort to lift up the Hui of China. May we be fully confident that the Lord is and will move in an awesome way among the people of China.