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GEOGRAPHY

Area 9,529,063 sq.km. The world's third largest nation in area and population.

Immigration rates are high with 42 million foreign-born and approx. 3,000 legal immigrants arriving daily.

Capital Washington DC 745,000. Other major cities: New York 20.2 mill.; Los Angeles 16m; Chicago 8.8m; Washington-Baltimore 7.3m; San Francisco 6.85m; Philadelphia 6.05m; Boston 5.65m; Detroit 5.4m; Dallas 4.9m; Houston 4.6m; Atlanta 3.9m; Miami 3.7m; Seattle 3.55m; Phoenix 3.1m; Cleveland 2.95m; Minneapolis 2.9m; San Diego 2.75m; St. Louis 2.6m; Denver 2.5m; Pittsburgh 2.4m; Tampa 2.3m; Portland 2.25m; Cincinnati 2m; and 48 other mega cities. Urbanites 76%.

PEOPLES

A nation of immigrants with the greatest ethnic-origin diversity of any nation in history.

Euro-American 70.7%. Descendants of English settlers, then British and Irish and then from all Europe. Also Cubans, Puerto Ricans, etc., from Latin America. Estimates for the Roma (Gypsy) vary between 1.1 and 2.5 million.

Afro-American 12.4%. Most of their forebears came to the Americas as slaves. Increasing immigration from Caribbean, Haiti (800,000), Somalia (100,000) and Latin America.

Latin Mestizo 7%. Mixed race (Hispanics of all racial types are 12.6%).

Asian 4.5%. Predominantly in western USA and Hawaii. Largest communities: Filipino 3.3m; Korean 2.1m; South Asian 2.1m; Chinese 1.9m; Japanese 1.2m; Vietnamese 1.2m; Cambodian 210,000; Lao 164,000; Meo(Hmong) 100,000.

Middle Eastern 4.3%. Jews 5.6m – of which 500,000 originate from the fSU; Arab 3.2m; Iranian 2m; Turk 100,000; Afghan 60,000.

Native American 0.9%. Amerindian(266) 1.9m; Inuit (Eskimo) 60,000 in Alaska; Aleut 2,000 in the Alaskan Aleutian Islands.

Polynesian 0.2%. Hawaiian 340,000; Samoan 95,000.

Literacy 96% (functional literacy 85%). Official language English. The growing Spanish-speaking Hispanic population is 11.2% of the population and numbers 34 million. All indigenous languages 176, of which 77 are close to extinction. Numerous languages and dialects still used by immigrants from all continents. About 13% of the population use a language other than English in the home. Indigenous languages with Scriptures 6Bi 11NT 39por 25w.i.p.

ECONOMY

The most powerful, diverse and technologically advanced economy in the world. Rich in agricultural and natural resources, yet 35 million live below the poverty line. A free-market economy with great flexibility. Part of NAFTA, the North American Free Trade area. Strong importer from other lands and a large adverse trade balance – so any US economic downturn has global repercussions. HDI 0.927; 3^rd/174. Public debt 66% of GNP. Income/person $31,380.

POLITICS

Independent from Britain in 1776 as a federal republic. The number of states increased from the original 13 to 50 as the nation expanded westwards across the continent and the Pacific Ocean. The strong democratic tradition, emphasis on private initiative and civil liberties have helped to make the nation a world leader. The USA emerged from World War II as the leading industrial and military power in the world – but for 40 years was in cold-war confrontation with the USSR. Military defeat in the Vietnam War was a trauma from which the USA slowly recovered in the 1980s, but still deeply affects foreign policy. The evaporation of the threat from the USSR with its collapse in 1991 left the USA as the only global superpower, but uncertain in its application of that power toward a more peaceful world. The multiplication of localized ethnic wars, and increased danger from well-armed but small terrorist forces demand a watchful vigilance from the USA.

RELIGION

Freedom of religion is written into the constitution. No state in the world has been so strongly influenced by biblical Christianity. The principle of the separation of Church and State has been misused by liberal and anti-Christian minorities to limit the public exercise of religion and to promote permissive legislation.

The Religious Freedom Act of 1998 was passed to empower the President to act against nations reported as persecuting religious minorities.

Missionaries from USA
P,I,A 60,200 in 631 agencies to 220 countries.
C 6,000. M 200,000, mainly Mormon short-termers.

Missionaries to USA
P,I,A 1,873 in 139 agencies from 115 countries: Peru 415, Brazil 384, Philippines 289, Mexico 283, Japan 247, Kenya 201.

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Answers to Prayer

1 Prayer networks, and numbers involved, increased significantly in the 1990s through many channels – Mission America with the Lighthouses of Prayer, increased prayer by students before schools for their schools, prayer walking, Pray World of CCCI, Lydia Fellowship and increased involvement in global prayer initiatives.

2 The post-WWII rise of Evangelicals from the wings of national life to centre-stage. The crucial issue – will this influence be rightly exercised in the 21^st Century? The national percentage of Evangelicals has only increased from an estimated 29% to 32%, but their impact on national life is very significant.

3 The massive growth of the newer Pentecostal and, even more, the Charismatic networks across the spectrum of Christian megablocs and denominations from 10% of the population in 1970 to around 25% in 2000. There have been localized revivals such as that in the Brownsville Assemblies of God in Pensacola, Florida in 1995, with thousands repenting and many being touched by the Holy Spirit.

4 The impact of Billy Graham; arguably the Evangelical of the 20^th Century. God gave him grace to remain humble and true to his high calling as an evangelist. He has preached the gospel to more people and witnessed to more leaders than any person who has ever lived. His greatest contribution to the Kingdom has been his unwavering support for world evangelization through such great conferences as Berlin 1966, Lausanne 1974 and the series of Amsterdam Evangelists' Conferences in the 1980s and 2000. These became, under God, catalytic for the astonishing growth of Christianity in Africa, Latin America and Asia.

5 The nation-wide impact of newer movements:

a) Promise Keepers in providing a spiritual dynamism to Christian men confused about their role in society.

b) Renewal among Catholics – over 30% testify to being born again through faith in Christ.

c) The New Culture churches with radically different, but culturally appropriate worship patterns for Generation X and Y youth.

d) The rapid growth of Evangelicalism in mainline denominations such as the United Methodists and others, which has eroded the power-base of theologically liberal leaders and their espousal of such contra-biblical issues as homosexuality and extreme feminism.

e) A strong movement against the evils of society – drug abuse, promiscuity and pornography, permissive legislation, abortion and crime. These are what the media (especially films) portray, giving a distorted image of the USA to the world. Pray for the multiplicity of networks and bodies that have sprung up to confront the wrongs of society and that they may retain biblical balance and political objectivity.

Challenges for Prayer

1 The USA's role in the world during the 1990s has been unique as the sole superpower. Every policy choice in economics, politics and use of the armed forces has global reverberations. The US President wields awesome power. Pray for the President, his choice of leadership team, the Congress and Senate and their legislation so that decisions may be wisely made and well balanced between often conflicting domestic and international requirements.

2 Globalization of the modern world is largely driven by US technology, media and culture. There are positives – the Internet communications revolution, widespread use of English, information availability that empowers people and exposes tyrannies, economic development, etc. There are the downsides, too – an insensitive cultural imperialism, imposition of a post-Protestant American individualism without its biblical constraints, a glorified perception of recently gained human rights, freedom and democracy that could generate anarchy and moral collapse. Pray for the restraint of greed and evil and the enhancement of the good in this revolution now taking place.

3 The Pilgrim Fathers were determined to establish a land in which they were free to exercise their Christian faith. On that foundation has developed one of the largest and most dynamic Christian movements in history. In the USA are 19% of the Protestants in the world, 21.5% of the Evangelicals and 35% of all the world's foreign missionaries. Evangelistic vitality, generosity and vision have been major factors in the surge of gospel progress. Pray that this may be maintained.

4 The spiritual heritage of the USA is being eroded by an unholy alliance of humanists, New Agers and homosexuals. They exploit the provisions of the constitution and their control of the media to disparage and mock Christians and dismantle all they can of anything Christian in public life. Freedom of religion is becoming freedom from religion. They aim to replace 'intolerant' Christian absolutes with their permissive culture. There is scant tolerance for expression of religious values. Pray for a national re-awakening and commitment to that heritage – its loss would impoverish the world.

5 The Christian Church is not impacting the nation as it should. The USA needs revival, yet the word 'revival' has been debased to mean slick mass evangelism and theatrics. The need of the hour is a true revival with conviction of sin, repentance and an outpouring of the Holy Spirit. These are some of the prayer challenges for the 21^st Century Church:

a) The need for biblical holiness in a time when Christians display little difference in values and lifestyle to non-Christians. Superficiality and materialism are more characteristic than dedication and passion for Jesus and doing His will. The succession of high-profile failures of televangelists, Christian leaders in the church and in politics and the high rate of divorce among church-goers all underline the need. Pray that Christians may repent of carnality, be revived and help to change rather than mimic culture.

b) A deep commitment to the authority and veracity of the Bible. Effective expository preaching and solid teaching on the basic doctrines of the faith are not widely evident. The prevailing tolerant pluralism has brought widespread loss of certainty about the Bible and a creeping universalism which cripples vision for evangelism and missions.

c) Spiritual unity. The Church in the USA is seriously divided on several key issues and needs prayer. A number of Christians in mainline denominations tilt towards the politically-correct left in supporting pro-choice (abortions) a feminist agenda and gay marriages. Many Catholics, Orthodox and most conservative Protestants would oppose these. Numerous Bible-believing denominations wage war over issues such as eschatology, gifts of the Spirit, definitions of biblical inerrancy, length of the days of creation, etc., while issues of world evangelization are sidelined. Pray for repentance, a seeking after God's priorities and that, through love and grace, a sensitive and balanced handling of divisive areas might be found.

d) Christian withdrawal from, or involvement in, public life is an ongoing unresolved tension. The public school system has deep failings – not least the elimination of anything Christian or religious. Massive networks of Christian-run school systems have emerged. Some would consider this separation as a retreat. A spectrum of evangelical groups are working for social change in the USA which include such as Mission America, WVI, Prison Fellowship, Promise Keepers and Christian Community Development Association, Evangelicals for Social Action, Concerned Women of America, the Christian Coalition, etc. Efforts by the Moral Majority and the Religious Right to influence the political world have not been entirely successful. Pray for balance, wisdom and long-term involvement of Christians as salt and light in society.

e) A crisis of leadership and church structures demand a revolutionary re-think. Common expectations are for a pastor to be a media star at the apex of a pyramid with a performing leadership and spectator laity. Pray for the wider development of a servant leadership that enables the led to be active as biblical apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors and teachers in a participatory fellowship structure.

f) Leadership training possibilities abound. The variety and number of theological training possibilities defies full analysis! There are 644 recognized institutions that award theological degrees. The American Association of Bible Colleges includes 89 accredited evangelical colleges. Pray for a deeper level of commitment to Christian service and especially to world evangelization among professors and students alike. Pray also for flexibility and innovation in leadership training which is fitted for the times in which we live.

6 Young people present one of the major areas of spiritual battle today. The bitter fruits of humanistic philosophies are now being harvested in disorientation, spiritual vulnerability, moral decay, rejection of authority, widespread drug abuse and mindless violence. God raised up such organizations as OM, YWAM, CCCI, Teen Challenge and others to combat this confusion and make a mighty impact on the world. Now God is also raising up a new generation of movements for this century – pray for such as Youth Quake and Teen Mania. Pray for the youth. The next generation could be America's most traumatized ever if there is not a decisive work of God's Spirit.

7 Student ministries have flourished in recent years. The impact of the complementary ministries of IVCF(IFES), Navigators, CCCI and others has led to effective discipleship and outreach on campuses. The large Urbana conferences of IVCF have challenged many students with the needs of a lost world. The ministries of Navigators and CCCI have diversified into a wide range of activities in the USA and around the world.

8 The 35 million-strong Afro-American community has suffered immensely due to its origins in slavery and subsequent racial discrimination. The civil rights movement achieved much in changing structures and attitudes, but for many the cycle of unemployment, poverty, family instability and crime is unbroken. Pray for:

a) Young people – especially in the decaying inner cities – many of those in their 20s are in prison. Drug abuse and AIDS are rampant, and murder is the major cause of death for 15- to 34-year-olds.

b) Black Muslims whose numbers have grown rapidly to over 2.2 million – most from a Christian background. A small but vocal minority belong to Black nationalist groups and to the Nation of Islam organization. The majority are becoming increasingly orthodox in their Islamic faith – yet nearly all are true seekers after God. Pray for effective and loving outreach to them.

c) The Afro-American churches. Many of the largest and most vigorous evangelical churches are Black, but they are isolated from the mainstream of white American evangelical Christianity and also from much meaningful involvement in missions. Pray for a unity of believers that transcends race, and pray for a moving of the Spirit of God in many churches with little spiritual life. Some of these have been deeply impacted by the charismatic movement.

d) Greater missions vision among the Christians. The Destiny Movement (with conferences in 1987 and 1992) is helping to redress this, but most churches lack the structure and practical experience to become effective sending churches.

9 Church growth among ethnic minorities is the growing edge of US Evangelicalism today. This is an urban phenomenon – ethnic minorities comprise a majority in 50 US cities. There are an estimated 125 ethnic communities that maintain their cultural cohesion – very few without growing churches. In 20 years Hispanic Protestants have increased from 6% to 26% of the community, with around 10,000 Spanish-speaking congregations in 1998. Dynamic networks of congregations have sprung up among Koreans (3,000 churches), Chinese, Filipinos, Arabs and even Iranians. Pray for:

a) The effective evangelization and discipling of every ethnic minority, both new immigrants and those largely integrated into US life, and development of vision and outreach to evangelize their lands of origin through radio, literature and personal evangelism. The major challenge is to mobilize Christians who originate from the Middle East, and from South, Central and East Asia for this.

b) The growth and maturation of these churches – in language use and in keeping the balance between cultural integrity and integration into the mainstream of US life – especially as second- and third-generation numbers increase. Pray for the provision of wise and forward-looking leaders. Generally lacking sufficient numbers of local pastors, there is a danger that the gaps be filled by those drawn from their more needy lands of origin.

c) Effective strategies and cooperation between Anglo-American and ethnic minority churches and agencies to ensure these minorities are discipled in what is a highly fragmented ministry. The SBC has 250,000 believers in 4,600 congregations and 87 languages; 40% of new AoG churches are among ethnic minorities; CMA, CoG (Cleveland) and others have vigorous church-planting ministries among them too.

d) Growth of missions vision. Notable in this is the Korean World Missions Council – an interdenominational association linking over 600 North American Korean churches, and sending out an increasing number of missionaries. Pray that this vision may be emulated by other ethnic minority churches.

10 Native Americans, or the First Nations, have suffered intensely in their encounter with centuries of European immigrants. They have lost almost all their lands, their self-respect and much of their culture, and they still face prejudice and insensitivity to their plight. Poverty, disease, alcoholism, child abuse and unemployment are common among those on reservations and among the 50% or so who have migrated to the cities. There is a vigorous movement across the country to revive indigenous cultures; this is successfully demanding the honouring of treaties protecting Indian lands and rights that have rarely been kept by the government in the past. Pray for:

a) Vitalization of Christianity among native Americans. A profusion of missionary efforts over the centuries has yielded meagre fruit. In the early 1980s there were 2,500 congregations and 320,000 Christians of all kinds, but syncretistic indigenous sects and cults as well as reversions to pre-Christian beliefs are still widespread. Only about 17% of the total population is affiliated with a Christian church. The largest group, the Navajo (200,000), have begun to respond after years of indifference and a very low percentage of believers – now 7.3% of the population.

b) Bible translation, which has regained importance as local languages are revived. Over 50 languages are in common use, and SIL and others have teams working in 27.

c) The evangelization of every reservation. Of the 550 reservations, 54 were surveyed in 1979 and only 20% had a church led by a native American. In the 1990s change came; the Holy Spirit raised up indigenous leaders and new organizations, such as Wiconi International and On Eagles' Wings, as a means to indigenize the gospel and promote reconciliation.

d) The indigenous peoples of Alaska who have retained their identity far more than those in mainland USA. Over 16 missions and churches have ministry among them (SEND, Interact Ministries [formerly Arctic Missions] and GMU). The harshness of the climate, geographical isolation and economic stresses complicate the work of bringing churches to maturity. Many of the Aleut and Eskimo are traditionally Orthodox Christians, a legacy of the time when Russia ruled Alaska. Over 71% of the 65,000 indigenous people profess to be Christian.

11 The less-reached. The variety and effort expended to evangelize the majority of US residents who do not regularly go to church means that few are unreached, but there are some groups which need input from missions agencies.

a) The 5.4 million Jews are an influential but declining minority, even with the recent immigration of 70,000 fSU Jews. It is the largest concentration of Jews in the world. New York is estimated to be 10% Jewish. A growing receptivity and response to the gospel has been evident since 1970, and more Jews are being won to Christ in the USA than anywhere else since New Testament times. There are estimated to be between 30,000 and 100,000 Messianic Jews. Of these, about 15-20,000 have retained their cultural distinctives and meet in Messianic congregations. An estimated 600-1,100 come to Christ each year. There are more than 48 agencies and 325 full-time workers committed to Jewish evangelism – one of the most dynamic and innovative is Jews for Jesus. Pray for the maturation of the work after the euphoria of the 1970s.

b) The sects pose a challenge. Most of the more aggressively missionary sects such as Christian Science, Mormonism, Jehovah's Witnesses and Scientology originated in the USA. There are reckoned to be 2,500 such sects and exotic cults. Specific efforts to reach such people must be made. Some successes have been seen among both Mormons and Jehovah's Witnesses.

c) International students number over 600,000 and come from over 180 countries; 56% from Asia (China 50,000; Taiwan 37,000; South Asia 44,000); 30% are Muslim. Many come from lands unreceptive to missions and with few Christians. Over 37 agencies and many local congregations are involved in ministry to them, with remarkable response. The Association of Christian Ministries to Internationals is an umbrella body linking ministries such as ISI (with 163 staff), IVCF(IFES), CCCI, Navigators and others. Pray for conversions and a discipling ministry that will enable these students to be effective witnesses when they return home.

d) Muslims have steadily increased through immigration and conversion of Afro-Americans. Some reckon they may now number nearly 8 million with more than 1,500 mosques. Of special mention:

i) Arabs. Many are Muslim but the majority are Christian. The small minority of Islamists among them have gained notoriety for the community.

ii) Iranians may now number 2 million with 500,000 in California alone. Disillusionment with Islam has caused some to become Christians – Iranian Christian Fellowships are coming into being.

iii) Somalis, Afghans, Bosnians, etc., are all significantly growing refugee communities.

e) South Asians are mostly techno-migrants (computer programmers, etc.), and one of the most wealthy ethnic communities in the USA. Nearly all are Muslim, Hindu or Sikh and come from sections of Indian society least exposed to the gospel; few are Christian.

f) The US prison population is very large with 1.8 million in jail. No other democratic nation has such a high incarceration rate. Nearly half the prison population is Afro-American. Approximately 400,000 were sentenced for drug-related offences. Pray for ministries such as Prison Fellowship International which seek to minister to them, win them to Christ and rehabilitate them in society.

12 Many of the 20^th Century gospel advances were pioneered and generously supported by US churches. The number, variety and commitment of US missionaries and agencies have impacted every nation on earth. Over 70,000 US evangelical missionaries were serving Jesus in 2000. Major umbrella bodies for Evangelical agencies are EFMA and IFMA and, for the more charismatic agencies, AIMS. ACMC (Advancing Churches in Missions Commitment) acts as a coordinating support structure for local church missions programmes. The largest denominational agencies: IMB-SBC (4,570), AoG (1,583), Christian Chs/Chs of Christ (1,162), Chs of Christ (1,014), ABWE (761), BMM (612). The largest interdenominational agencies: WBT/SIL (2,932), YWAM (1,832), NTM (1,524), CCCI (973), TEAM (643) and SIM (571). Pray for:

a) Local churches to make the Great Commission central to their church life. Only a fraction do – an estimated 400,000 evangelical churches were supporting 70,000 missionaries in 2000; nearly 6 churches for one missionary.

b) Effective partnership between local churches and mission agencies. For this, agencies need to adapt their way of operating. Many mission-minded congregations have become impatient with past methods. Many are sending missionaries direct to fields – not always a strategic success.

c) Viable long-term strategies that impact the least reached – especially in the 10/40 Window nations and peoples. The huge growth in short-term missions, while positive in many respects, can be to the detriment of long-term impact and fruit.

13 Christian media ministries. There is such a profusion, only brief mention for prayer is made here for:

a) Christian literature. In the 1980s there were massive increases in sales of Christian literature through the 5,000 Christian bookstores and through secular outlets (16% of all books sold are religious), but the subject matter was more often for the 'fad' market. Pray for a more discerning and book-loving Christian public.

b) Christian radio and television which have developed dramatically since 1961. The National Religious Broadcasters links together 1,400 Christian broadcasting bodies which produce 75% of all religious programmes in the USA. There are over 1,100 Christian radio stations and over 350 Christian TV stations in the USA. Pray for:

i) Wise and sensitive use of these powerful media. The credibility of all such ministries was damaged by the distorted, fraudulent and immoral lifestyles of certain televangelists and their lack of accountability to the Body of Christ.

ii) A balance in use of funds for what is a very expensive ministry.

iii) Programming that uplifts the Lord Jesus rather than personalities, products or organizations and that promotes morality, family cohesion and biblical holiness.

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