Pray for: Australia

Australia’s precarious environment is overexploited, in urban settings as much as in rural ones. Oceania’s ecology is possibly the most fragile of any continent, and with the years-long drought and increasing use of land and water, serious ramifications for the future must be addressed. The devastating fires of 2019-2020 are a tragic example of this truth. Questions persist as to whether the government does enough to address the need for better stewardship of the land, for clean energy, and regarding their efforts to prevent, mitigate, and combat bushfires. These failures have resulted not only in staggering environmental destruction, but in simmering resentment that has boiled over into outright anger on the part of the population. It may be too late to save much of Australia’s land. May repentance for careless consumption, rapacious industry, and exploitative lifestyles bring about true change and lasting healing – for the land, and in peoples’ hearts. May the people of God passionately pursue His mandate of being good stewards of Creation.

The Church in Australia faces a mighty challenge. The strong influence of Christianity declined as the country became more diverse in religions, and became more secular in its public life and laws. Many Australians see the Church as intolerant, abusive of its power, and anti-progressive in its values. A series of scandals and corruption in Hillsong and other highprofile churches accelerated disillusionment and disgust with Christianity. Only 44% of the population claimed to be Christian in 2021, down from 71% in 1996! From 2016-2021, Christianity declined by over 1 million people, and by the 2026 census, “No Religion” will almost certainly become the largest group in Australia. Pray for revival in the Church that will affect every area of Australian society.