Vietnam Prayer Points

• The main religion of Vietnam is Buddhism, with a little over half the country being adherents

• However, the biggest spiritual belief in Vietnam is the veneration / worship of ancestors. Pray that the Christians will be able to think Biblically on this issue, and that those who face opposition will stand firm. Pray that those who are seeking God will not be stumbled by this issue

• While the constitution guarantees freedom of religion, this is greatly reduced by a vast Bureau of Religious Affairs and other agencies

• One of the biggest issues is that local authorities in the Northwest have been given the mandate to compel Christians to recant their faith.

• Many churches find registration with authorities difficult, however unregistered churches are considered illegal and are subject to harassment. Registration is difficult for some denominations, and often requires compromise to meet state regulations.

• Registered churches find it difficult to buy, rent or build places of worship. Unregistered churches often struggle to find places suitable for their congregations. Church premises have been seized by the government, making even churches with premises uncertain about how

• Ethnic minority churches suffer extreme persecution – meetings are illegal, and have been broken up, and Christians killed. They are also much less likely to have the Scriptures in their language

• Leader development and theological training is vital, especially as many pastors are responsible for multiple congregations. Training is restricted, rare, and can be of low quality, meaning that pastors can be missing essential theological doctrine

• All open Protestant mission work is illegal, and has been since 1975. Pray that those who are tentmakers (primarily in business or as English language teachers)will be able to successfully impact those they work with

• Vietnamese who have converted overseas are returning to their homeland – pray that they are able to successfully impact the lost

• While some groups have been reached with the gospel, others are yet to hear it, or have had very limited access to the gospel. Pray for:
o The Northern Vietnamese
o The Muslim Cham and Buddhist Khmer
o The Cao Dai and Hoa Hao religionists
o Communist party members

• Bible translation is an issue – there are at least 37 languages with a definite need to have the Bible translated into that tongue

• Pray for the success of media such as the JESUS film and Christian radio programs

• Drug addiction, prostitution, AIDS, and child abuse are all rising social problems.

Ways You Can Help
• Write to Vietnam’s representatives in the UN regarding the restrictions on religious freedom
• Write to Vietnam’s Christian prisoners of conscience. Information can be found on the VOM website (www.persecution.com.au)
• Donate to Bibles+ (a Voice Of the Martyrs program)