PRAYING for BRUNEI

27th March  2011

Pray for Brunei

Population: 407,000 with 71 people per sq km.

Religion: 65% Muslim, 13% Buddhist, 11% Christian.

Challenge for Prayer

Islam dominates life in Brunei, with a brand that is conservative but not radical. Islamization by financial and career inducements as well as by general pressure to convert and conform has yielded a slow but steady trickle of converts from among the tribal and Chinese minorities. Despite constitutionally guaranteed religious freedom, it is illegal to proselytize and illegal for a Muslim to convert to another religion. Other religions are often infiltrated by government agents for monitoring purposes. Pray for an atmosphere of religious freedom and spiritual openness and for the observance of the constitutional right for other religions to be practiced.

The Sultan is alleged to be the world’s second wealthiest royal. The Sultan is reluctant to diversify the economy and liberalize government structures, believing that external influences might destabilize the country. Yet, he has established a world-class university and is working toward a smooth handover to the crown prince. Pray for conversions to Christ in the large royal family; the Sultan has shown evidence of becoming increasingly spiritual. Pray also that in following him, the Sultan’s subjects might seek after spiritual truth and in doing so find Jesus.