Lausanne World Pulse – PEOPLES OF THE WORLD – A Focus on West and Central Africa: 520 Least-Reached People Groups Remain

Overview
West and Central Africa embraces twenty-four countries with more than five hundred least-reached people groups remaining. The countries of Senegal, Mali, Guinea, Gambia, Mauritania and Niger lead the way with over eighty percent of their populations least-reached. Still, in terms of number of people Nigeria has over forty-five million people least-reached, although they represent only 34.7% of the total population of that nation. Islam had already reached the powerful tribes of West Africa long before the French colonized much of the region during the nineteenth century. For many centuries, Islam was the religion of the chiefs and elite since Arabs were primarily interested in profiting from the slave trade—not in making converts. When slavery was forbidden by the colonial powers, Islam spread faster in fifty years than it had in the previous eight centuries. Yet, Islam here may also include animistic traditional religions and practices. Voodoo, fetishes, ancestor worship and idolatry are found here.

The Church has grown rapidly, especially in places like Nigeria which is now a sending base for missionaries to other continents. Two of the major missionary-sending churches are Redeemed Christian Church (which has two million members) and Deeper Life Bible Church (which has over 450,000 members). However, a great challenge remains even in their midst. AIDS in Africa now overshadows the future of the entire continent. Add to that the specter of poverty and one sees the great obstacles those in this region face. Pray that God empowers our brothers and sisters in this region to rise to the challenge with good news and works which lead to transformation.

Prayer Points

  • Miracles of Healing and Deliverance. Pray that miracles of healing and deliverance even for those battling HIV/AIDS would open doors for faith.
  • Power over the Demonic Activity. Pray that believers walk in the Holy Spirit’s power over all demonic depression, oppression and attraction of every sort, demonstrating that Jesus is truly king of kings and Lord of lords.
  • Once for all Sacrifice. Pray that least-reached peoples recognize that Jesus is the lamb of God, the once-for-all sacrifice that forgives all our iniquities and heals all our diseases and that they apply this finished provision to their lives.
  • Binding of all Backlash of the Enemy. Pray that believers apply their authority in Jesus Christ to bind all backlashes of the enemy as they work to penetrate the strongholds of darkness to deliver the captives and see them transferred to the kingdom of light.
  • Breaking Generational Curses. Pray that generational curses that have come as a result of idolatry, immorality, injustice and independence from God will be broken and believers will walk in the true freedom of Jesus Christ as a testimony to those who do not yet believe.

Links

  • Resources to pray and to mobilize prayer and outreach.
  • Discover West and Central Africa’s least-reached peoples.
  • Pray for the peoples of this region.
  • Obtain daily prayer guides for peoples of this region.