NORTH KOREA 30 DAY PRAYER GUIDE - Eugene Bach - 1 -
NORTH KOREA 30 DAY PRAYER GUIDE Eugene Bach First Edition Copyright 2018 - Eugene Bach All Rights Reserved. Including the right to reproduce this book, or any portion thereof in any form. Reproduction or translation of any part of this work by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, beyond that permitted by Copyright Law, without the permission of the publisher, is unlawful. Any dissemination, distribution, or copy of this communication is strictly prohibited. NORTH KOREA 30 DAY PRAYER GUIDE - Eugene Bach - 2 -
North Korea 30 day prayer guide Few places in the world are like North Korea. Today, even though it seems cold, sterile, and isolated from the rest of the world, on the other side of the heavily armed borders hides a land of rich Christian history and flaming hot revivals. Really. Deep inside the Hermit Kingdom lies the secret embers of a revival fire that once burned in the hearts of the people. Revival fires burned so hot in North Korea that Pyongyang was literally nicknamed The Jerusalem of the East. Churches were filled, Bible schools were packed, and missionaries were on almost every corner handing out tracks to passersby, but that scene is a far cry from the North Korea of today. The smell of revival smoke has long lifted from north of the 38th parallel. The days of Holy Ghost meetings in downtown Pyongyang are over. It seems that the North Koreans of today lack the religious experiences of their ancestors and only eek by in day-to-day survival. When we think of North Korea we don t think of church meetings our street evangelism, we conjure up images of malnourished people having been beaten and bruised, held down and kicked. We think of North Koreans as prisoners, held captive by an evil mad dictator, but were they victims in the beginning or is North Korea the result of what many people NORTH KOREA 30 DAY PRAYER GUIDE - Eugene Bach - 3 -
desired when they ushered in a new government. To tell the truth, the cry of the Communists in the 1950 s struck excitement in the hearts of many North Korean people. Maybe they did not all abandon their Christian faith and become Communists over night, but maybe many of them lost their revival one small grievance at a time and searched for solutions not in God but in the writings of Karl Marx. Many North Koreans enthusiastically marched in the ranks of Kim Il Sung and rejoiced at the idea of a unified nation under the common banner of atheism. It was the faddish thing to do in the 20th century. Some joyfully drank from the blood of the saints that were persecuted in the streets and laughed at the destruction of the churches. The North Korean revival starved for oxygen in the Communist age, which at the time, much of the world thought was the highest achievement of independence from God. Now it is abundantly obvious to the following generations that they made the wrong choice. They stepped out of freedom and are now living in hell. Many of them would like nothing more than to see revival again. If North Korea would like to see revival again it will take more than nostalgic stories of days gone by, it is going to take prayer and sacrifice. Not the kind of prayer that comes cheaply, but the kind of prayer that requires Christians around the world to stand in the spiritual trenches with their brothers and sisters of North Korea and abandon their regular past time activities for the spirit of a warrior. I am not going to lie to you. This is the kind of prayer that takes you outside of yourself and leaves you exhaust- NORTH KOREA 30 DAY PRAYER GUIDE - Eugene Bach - 4 -
ed and drained. This prayer can leaves us unplugged and render us temporarily useless to the world around us. It can be poetic, jumbled, passionate, tired, rewarding, unrewarding, and raw unintelligible groans all at the same time. But you don t have time, right? You have a wife, husband, kids, soccer games, and one of the busiest jobs ever right? Doesn t matter. Only prayer with absolute abandon will do. Abandonment of ambitions, health, and self-recognition will be the only kind of prayer to break the darkness that is currently strangling North Korea. This 30 Days of Prayer for North Korea consists of stories and testimonies collected by Back to Jerusalem over the last fifteen years that will help give insight for strategic prayer so that you can pray with purpose. To help strategically pray, this prayer guide is broken into three parts. First, we identify the parts of North Korean culture and history that the enemy has used to shackle the people with poverty and pain. Second, we will share amazing testimonies that will bring hope as you pray. Last, we will open up the secret doors of ministry that are currently taking place inside the Hermit Kingdom to practically tear down the strongholds of the enemy. Each day of prayer will only take five minutes to read through, but your continuous prayer throughout the day for the entire 30 days is essential. North Korea is currently completely closed to the Gospel. It is considered to be one of the most unreached nations in the world. Many brave missionaries have recently NORTH KOREA 30 DAY PRAYER GUIDE - Eugene Bach - 5 -
tried to bring the Gospel to the nation, but it seems that their efforts have been repeatedly repelled over and over again. We believe that the day is coming when the spiritual walls around North Korea will come tumbling down and the freedom of Christ will prevail in the hearts of the people, but in order to see that, the Body of Christ needs to pray; pray like never before. NORTH KOREA 30 DAY PRAYER GUIDE - Eugene Bach - 6 -
day 1 The Founder It is impossible to walk into any home, business or government office in North Korea and not see a large imposing picture of Kim Il Sung, the founder of North Korea. He led the country for 45 long years before his death in 1994. It is believed that Kim Il Sung will forever be the eternal leader for the North Korean people. After his death, there were about three years of extreme mourning. The country did not even have an official president during these years of mourning. In 1998, it was written into the constitution that Kim Il Sung would forever be the eternal president of the North Korean people. Kim Il Sung will forever be remembered as the man who brought Communism to the Korean peninsula, but it should also be remembered that he was not brought up as a Communist. As a young boy he was brought up in a Christian home, faithfully attended a Presbyterian church, played the organ during worship service, live in a Methodist school dorm in China s Jilin Province, and was aided by the donations of Christians from around the world. His grandfather was a pastor and his father was an elder in the church who had even served as a missionary among the Chinese underground house church movement. NORTH KOREA 30 DAY PRAYER GUIDE - Eugene Bach - 7 -
His mother, whose father was a pastor, had strong roots in Christianity and raised her children in the church. In fact, the main church in Pyongyang has been named after her. So as you begin this 30 days of prayer for North Korea, keep in mind that the founder knew the truth about Jesus Christ and willingly decided to sadly create a country that severely persecutes anyone who follows the same God as his mother, father, and grandfather. Kim Il Sung, knowing the Truth and Light of Jesus Christ, did not just build a nation against Him, but built a personality that would resist Him even in his death. Kim made an idol of himself to the people, because he believed, as tyrants have throughout time, that he was the highest law. He once said, My God is none other than the people. Only the popular masses are omniscient and omnipotent and almighty on earth. Therefore my lifetime motto is: The People are my god. But if the people were god and he was the leader of the people then he was the god among gods and as a god, there must be no higher power than him. There must be no higher law than him. Jesus, the God of his father and mother, could not be allowed to remain as He alone would be a challenge to Kim s own power. NORTH KOREA 30 DAY PRAYER GUIDE - Eugene Bach - 8 -
Prayer Points: * North Koreans are living in extreme darkness and look to their founder Kim Il Sung to help them. * The founder of North Korea propped himself up as a god for the people to follow and worship. * The people of North Korea need to know that Christ died for them and is the only living God. Unlike Kim Il Sung, He has not abandoned them. He never stopped loving them. He hasn t forgotten them and He will return again for them. Today s Scripture Reading: Psalms 45:6 Your throne, O God, is forever and ever. The scepter of Your kingdom is a scepter of uprightness. NORTH KOREA 30 DAY PRAYER GUIDE - Eugene Bach - 9 -
day 2 Killing Revival Believe it or not, North Korea was once recognized as one of the most thriving places for Christianity in all of Asia. The entire city of Pyongyang was dotted with missionary schools and training centers. 800 Christians schools educated more than 41,000 children in the current capital city of Pyongyang alone! The Christian education system was so good that foreign missionaries from all over Asia sent their children to boarding schools in Pyongyang. One such example was Ruth Bell-Graham, the wife of Billy Graham. Ruth was born and raised in China as a missionary kid, but her parents sent her to secondary school in Pyongyang to get a superior Christian education. In the early 1900 s, a huge movement known as the Wonsan Revival swept over the peninsula. In 1904, more than 10,000 Koreans were baptized. The number doubled in the next two years. The revival spilled over the Chinese border into Jilin Province where Christian missionary Jonathon Goforth gathered crowds of 25,000 per day. The Wonson Revival was overshadowed by the Pyongyang Revival of 1907. One believer there to witness it, George McCune, said that the outpouring of the Spirit of God on the people and church during the Pyongyang Re- NORTH KOREA 30 DAY PRAYER GUIDE - Eugene Bach - 10 -
vival was the most empowering presence of the Holy Spirit ever, surpassing even the revivals in Wales and India. One could hardly walk anywhere in the city and not see missionaries and local evangelists passing out tracts or inviting you in to one of the church services. Kim Il Sung grew up in the society that was shaped by these churches. His knowledge of the power of the Holy Spirit makes his conversion to atheism even more dramatic. He, like Lucifer, saw the majesty of God and said to himself, I will ascend to heaven, above the stars of God. I will set my throne on high. I will sit on the mount of assembly in the far reaches of the north. I will ascend above the heights of the clouds. I will make myself like the Most High. (Isaiah 14:13-14). Kim Il Sung was able to create a personality cult where he alone was praised and worshipped. He simply used the methods of God s people that he was familiar with and perverted them for his own glorification. NORTH KOREA 30 DAY PRAYER GUIDE - Eugene Bach - 11 -
Prayer Points: * North Koreans have a rich history of revival * The founder of North Korea benefited from the fruits of the Korean revival * The people of North Korea need a refreshing waters of revival that once flowed freely in their land Today s Scripture Reading: Exodus 15:2-3 Jehovah is my strength and song, And he is become my salvation: This is my God, and I will praise him; My father s God, and I will exalt him. Jehovah is a man of war: Jehovah is his name. NORTH KOREA 30 DAY PRAYER GUIDE - Eugene Bach - 12 -
day 3 A New Religion and a New God Communism, according to Marxist theory, is pure atheism. According to Karl Marx, religion is the opium of the masses and is incompatible with religion. However, in every single situation in history, government-backed atheism is never really atheism at all. It is merely the exchange of one religion for another. The personality cults that grew out of the dark empty abyss of atheistic systems was universal. It happened with Stalin in Russia, Mao in China, and Castro in Cuba. It is the dirty little secret of atheism. Throughout the history of man, religion has been universal. It points to the great need in man to praise the God that created Him. It is the one thing that Satan has not been able to wipe clean from the DNA of mankind. He knows that if he takes the One true God away from the masses, he must replace it with something else. If God is absent, the people will create a new one. Satan tried to use Kim Il Sung to destroy the revival among the Korean people. His goal was to take over the entire Korean peninsula, but he was unsuccessful. Once Kim Il Sung had power, he immediately went about killing Christians, destroying bibles and Christian books, and persecuting the church. NORTH KOREA 30 DAY PRAYER GUIDE - Eugene Bach - 13 -
Once the first stage was accomplished, Kim Il Sung went about building up his own religion Juche. Juche is what sets Kim Il Sung apart from all the other dictators in the world. No other dictator was able to develop such a sound and complete system to attach to their personality cult like Kim Il Sung was. Juche is heavily sprinkled with elements stolen from the church, a characteristic no doubt from Kim Il Sung s exposure to the true living God as he was growing up. What Juche allowed Kim Il Sung to do is to rule over the people by harnessing the absolute soul-owning power of faith. On the surface, Juche is idea that the people of North Korea can be independent. Man is the master of all things and the decisive element of everything in the world, but dig deeper and you will find that Juche is actually a replacement of the Gospel. Here are a few examples: * The year is not based on the birth of Jesus Christ (20--), but instead on the birth of Kim Il Sung. * The people are forced to daily read from the writings of Kim Il Sung. It is required that the writings be daily read in unison together in schools, work places, and offices and a qualified teacher is then expected to expound on the nature of the teachings so that everyone can meditate on them. * Songs of praise are sung to Kim Il Sung using songs that are directly taken from old hymns. * In Juche, there exists a holy trinity with a fa- NORTH KOREA 30 DAY PRAYER GUIDE - Eugene Bach - 14 -
ther (Kim Il Sung) a son (Kim Jong Il) and the Holy Spirit (the spirit of the people). * People can pray to Kim Il Sung and ask for miracles * North Koreans are required to pray and bow to Kim Il Sung * When North Koreans die, they believe that as their eternal leader, they will go to be with Kim Il Sung forever. There are many more examples of Juche, the religion that Kim Il Sung started, being used to replace the One rue God in the minds of the Korean people. NORTH KOREA 30 DAY PRAYER GUIDE - Eugene Bach - 15 -
Prayer Points * Kim Il Sung built up the false religion of Juche * Juche, in many ways, is based on Christianity, taking elements of truth and turning them into lies * The Korean people need to see the One true God that never sleeps or slumbers and has not forgotten them Today s Scripture Reading Deuteronomy 6:4-9 Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one. You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might. And these words that I command you today shall be on your heart. You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, and when you walk by the way, and when you lie down, and when you rise. You shall bind them as a sign on your hand, and they shall be as frontlets between your eyes. You shall write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates. NORTH KOREA 30 DAY PRAYER GUIDE - Eugene Bach - 16 -
day 4 The Holy Mother Tucked away in between the grey square block buildings of Pyongyang stands a simple little building with a cross on top. The building is a church and with all of the discussions of Christian persecution in North Korea, it can be very shocking sight to see. The Chilgol Church is one of the only two protestant churches allowed in North Korea and is the place where Kim Il Sung attended with his mother when he was a young boy. Today there are about 150 people that attend Chilgol Church and their prayers are sung in praise of Kim Il Sung s mother Kang Pan-sok. Kang Pan-sok was a deaconess of the church before fleeing to China to escape the Japanese occupation. In the holy trinity of North Korea, there is the father (Kim Il Sung), the son (Kim Jong Il) and the spirit of the people (represented by a flame between the hammer and the sickle), but what would be a complete copy of biblical theology without the edification of a mother Mary-like figure? Kim Il Sung, not to be outdone by God, set up his own mother Mary Kang Pan-sok as a central figure in his personality cult. In the 1960 s a massive campaign was launched called Learn from Madam Kang Pan-sok where every girl NORTH KOREA 30 DAY PRAYER GUIDE - Eugene Bach - 17 -
throughout the entire nation was required to read a book about her life. Mothers would come together in the early morning hours, at least an hour before their children went to school, and would read and study the book together. Both the mothers and the daughters that were exposed to this book internalized the vision of the sacrificial mother that was willing to give up her children for the cause of the revolution. They would spend time every day discussing the ways in which a good mother like Madam Kang Pansok would readily deliver their children into the jaws of death if it advanced the cause. This book indoctrinated women to believe in the cult personality of Kang Pan-sok and to give their sons and daughters in the sacrifice of the Communist revolution as she did. She is referred to as the mother of Korea and can almost be equated with the Mother Mary concept in Catholicism. When people die, many believe that they will join the eternal leader Kim Il Sung and there in his presence will be his mother. Every year on April 21st, a wreath-laying ceremony is held near the church of Chilgol in memory of her. The entire ceremony is very religious in nature. NORTH KOREA 30 DAY PRAYER GUIDE - Eugene Bach - 18 -
Prayer Points * Kang Pan-sok s Christian background is ignored in North Korea * There is a strong religious personality cult built around the Mother of Korea * Kang Pan-sok is dead is not able to answer the prayers or respond to the praise that the people in Chilgol Church offer to her. Christians need to pray that the people of Chigol Church return back to the One True God that can save them from the misery that they currently live in Today s Scripture Reading Proverbs 14:1 The wisest of women builds her house, but folly with her own hands tears it down. NORTH KOREA 30 DAY PRAYER GUIDE - Eugene Bach - 19 -
day 5 The Son Kim Il Sung s son Kim Jong-il has a life that is more myth than fact. It is believed that Kim Jong-il birth was foretold by a swallow before he was miraculously born in a cabin on the slopes of the famous Korean Paektu Mountain and upon his birth a double rainbow formed and a new star appeared in the sky. The day of his birth continues to be celebrated every year on February 16 as the Day of the Shining Star. However, the real truth is he was born in a muddy camp for Chinese and Korean exiles on a cold grey winter s day in Russia. Kim Jong Il was known as the Dear Leader so as to separate him from his father who would forever be known as the Great Leader. Like his father, Kim had a personality cult built around him so that people would sing his praises and lift him up in god-like status. As a child he was supposedly educated in Pyongyang and constantly chastised his teachers for their misinterpretation of history, but the records show that he was educated in China far from the dangers of the war torn Pyongyang. Miracles are said to have followed Kim Jong Il everywhere he went. Just three weeks after he was born it is said that he was walking and after only eight weeks he was able to talk. The first time he picked up a golf club, he had NORTH KOREA 30 DAY PRAYER GUIDE - Eugene Bach - 20 -
11 holes in one. He wrote six operas in a period of two years and they are said to contain the best music in human history. He invented a new food called double bread with meat that the world enjoys to eat also known as the hamburger. During his time as a college student he wrote 1,500 books and he is able to control the weather with his thoughts. Whenever sailors at sea are in trouble they cry out to him for help. He walked around in 6-inch platform shoes and curled his hair to compensate for his short height. He owned one of the largest movie libraries in the world and was a huge fan of the American series Desperate Housewives. He even it demanded a DVD copy of the series one time as a condition for processing visas of visiting American media reporters. Even though the retelling of the miracles that surrounded him are comical to the rational listener, the North Koreans take them literally and believe them with every fiber of their being. His rule was a cruel one. Because of the god-like myth that surrounded him, his ideas were taken as the gospel. They were never wrong. His teachings on agriculture led the country into one of the worst four year famines in history where it is estimated that a quarter of the population died of starvation. His teaching on Juche led to more inmates in concentration camps than automobiles on the road. His leadership on factory production, housing, and technology sent the country into a spiraling stone age that they may never really recover from. He was worshipped as the son in a trinity relationship NORTH KOREA 30 DAY PRAYER GUIDE - Eugene Bach - 21 -
between the father and the spirit of the people, but his tyrannical rule came to a screeching halt on morning on a train when he died of a heart attack. On 17 December 2011 the North Korean people learned that their god Kim Jong Il was a mere mortal when he took his last breath. His death did not break the chains of spiritual slavery though. The enemy had a replacement who would prove to be just as tyrannical and destructive. Prayer Points * The people of North Korea are lied to about the power of their leaders * North Korean s pray powerless prayers every day in front of portraits of the Dear Leader and the Great Leader not knowing that one day their leaders will bow before the King of Kings and the Lord of Lords * Pray that the people of North Korea will see the power of the Lord super naturally in their lives Today s Scripture Reading Romans 14:11-12 For it is written, As I live, saith the Lord, every knee shall bow to me, and every tongue shall confess to God. So then every one of us shall give account of himself to God. NORTH KOREA 30 DAY PRAYER GUIDE - Eugene Bach - 22 -
day 6 A Secret Class System Integrated into the social structure of North Korea is a secret socio-political classification system known as songbun - that determines how a person will live from birth until death. It is an extremely repressive caste system and helps the government justify the habitual humanitarian abuses and discrimination. Songbun marks one third of all children from birth and makes them slaves for their entire lives with no way to escape. Every North Korean is assigned a classification at birth and determines every aspect of human life. The classification is solely based on heredity and socio-political rank of the parents. At birth, the three designated classes are CORE, WA- VERING, and HOSTILE. The elite class or CORE class of people make up the ruling class in North Korea. These are primarily individuals that are closely connected with the Kim family. They are given the best roles in society and given the greatest opportunities. The WAVERING class of people are the commoners that make up the tradesmen, managers, technicians, etc. From birth they are marked as a tradesman and have no NORTH KOREA 30 DAY PRAYER GUIDE - Eugene Bach - 23 -
chance to ever change. The HOSTILE class of people is where the real pain sets in. These are individuals who have been deemed to be anti-revolutionaries from birth. They are assigned to hard and dangerous labor without pay and are heavily monitored in their daily movement. They have no say over where they were live or what they will do. It is all assigned to them and if they have children, then their children will be born with the same status. Christians and their families are put into this category if their faith is ever discovered by holding secret prayer meetings or smuggling bibles. Not only do they suffer for their faith, but their children and their children s children. When North Korean s come to Christ, they are not just risking their life they are risking the life of every generation after them. NORTH KOREA 30 DAY PRAYER GUIDE - Eugene Bach - 24 -
Prayer Points * North Korea has created a class system that determines a person s worth from birth * Anyone who becomes a Christian in North Korea is risking their life and the lives of their family members forever * The Korean people need to know that we are all created equal and each person is valuable no matter what class system that they are born in Today s Scripture Reading Romans 10:11-13 For the Scripture says, Everyone who believes in him will not be put to shame. For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek; for the same Lord is Lord of all, bestowing his riches on all who call on him. For everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved. NORTH KOREA 30 DAY PRAYER GUIDE - Eugene Bach - 25 -
day7 Gulags There is a place on earth that might be as close to hell as any human being will ever find. Auschwitz survivor, Thomas Buergenthal, described North Korea s gulags as terrible or even worse than the Nazi prison camps he experienced during WWII. The nightmares that take place in North Korean gulags are hard to imagine for the human mind. North Korean defectors have reported to have witnessed new born babies being fed to guard dogs, execution of starving prisoners caught digging up grass to eat, constant brutal rape of female inmates of all ages, forced abortions through injecting motor oil, and endless beatings. Many of the inmates do not even know what they are being accused of. Some of them are merely detained by the police and hauled away to the prison camps. Once a prisoner is sent to a gulag, they are never heard from again. When someone is arrested and sent to a gulag, they do not go alone. According to North Korean teachings, they are infected up to three generations, so entire families are detained, stripped of all their belongings, forcibly split up, and sent away to the gulag. The International Bar Association War Crimes Committee has reported that North Korea is guilty of war crimes including murder, extermination, enslavement, forcible NORTH KOREA 30 DAY PRAYER GUIDE - Eugene Bach - 26 -
transfer, imprisonment, torture, sexual violence, persecution, enforced disappearances and other inhumane acts all but one of the 11 recognized crimes against humanity. As many as 130,000 people are currently detained in a network of secret gulags that have been discovered by the international community many for arbitrary crimes such as gossiping about the state or watching South Korean TV shows. One former inmate that escaped from Camp 16, where 20,000 prisoners are kept, remembers making prisoners dig their own grave and then stand on the edge while some one came around and hit them in the back of the head with a hammer till their dead bodies fell into the fresh holes which were then covered up by other prisoners. Christians are routinely the primary target for the gulags. They are tortured, with officials instructed to wipe out the seed of [Christian] reactionaries. One former North Korean known as Mr. A reported to the UN about the abuse that his family endured because they converted to Christianity: Both of Mr A s sisters were punished severely for their religious belief and activities. One was discovered to be preaching Christianity to a friend and was caught with a Bible resulting in a 13 year sentence in an ordinary prison camp (kyohwaso). The other was caught in China. As a result of the starvation rations and horrendous living conditions, the first sister almost died in prison and only survived after Mr A paid a substantial bribe to free her after three years of confinement. The other sister was labelled a political criminal because it was discovered that she had NORTH KOREA 30 DAY PRAYER GUIDE - Eugene Bach - 27 -
practiced Christianity in China and had also attempted to flee to the ROK. She was sent to Yodok Camp and was never heard from again. Through satellite imagery, it is clear that these camps that hold and torture Christians for their faith are growing under the current leader Kim Jong Un. The government is bringing in more prisoners every week. As more North Koreans come to Christ, prayer is desperately needed for their protection. The level of sacrifice that Christians have to give if they are caught is unimaginable. NORTH KOREA 30 DAY PRAYER GUIDE - Eugene Bach - 28 -
Prayer Points * Gulags are hell on earth and represent the darkest part of life without God * Anyone who becomes a Christian in North Korea is risking their freedom and could possibly be sent to a gulag if their faith is discovered. * Christians need to pray for all of the prisoners in North Korean gulags. The entire system of gulag networks needs to come to an end. Today s Scripture Reading Isaiah 42:5-7 Thus saith God the Lord, he that created the heavens, and stretched them out; he that spread forth the earth, and that which cometh out of it; he that giveth breath unto the people upon it, and spirit to them that walk therein: I the Lord have called thee in righteousness, and will hold thine hand, and will keep thee, and give thee for a covenant of the people, for a light of the Gentiles; To open the blind eyes, to bring out the prisoners from the prison, and them that sit in darkness out of the prison house. NORTH KOREA 30 DAY PRAYER GUIDE - Eugene Bach - 29 -
day 8 Learn to Hate The darkness of Satan has swept through North Korea and even the basic instincts of love that were stamped into our DNA by God when He made man in His image are being pushed away. The eradication of love can be seen through the eyes of a young boy named Shin Dong Hyok. He was born and raised in the hell of a North Korean gulag. On a cold day, in the dead of winter, Shin Dong Hyok was wearing tattered rags that barely covered him from the harsh cold. He was 14 years old, but because of malnutrition he looked like he was only 10. On this particular day, he was forced by the guards to walk to the main yard and sit on the front row next to his shamed father. His father was trying to hold back tears. The mood was dark. He thought that he was being brought out to the main grounds by the guards to be put to death. He had seen and heard of many executions and thought that today must be the day for he and his father to die, but what he was about to experience was much worse than death. At 14 years old, Shin should have been spending his afternoon studying or outside playing with his friends, but unfortunately he was born in a concentration camp known simply as Camp No. 14 in Kaechon, North Korea. NORTH KOREA 30 DAY PRAYER GUIDE - Eugene Bach - 30 -
As he sat beside his weeping father, Shin soon realized why they had been brought to the front row. His mother and older brother were marched in front of the crowd. They were going to be executed. His mother walked by her little boy and their eyes met for the last time. She couldn t even say goodbye or speak any words of comfort to her son. She was gagged and her hands were bound behind her back. Shin s mother had a noose placed around her neck and was hanged in front of her teenage son, but not before seeing her older son executed by a firing squad. According to a New York Times report, Shin showed no emotion. He had no love for his mother, nor was he capable of it. He was taught by the government to hate his mother for the crime that she committed, despite not even knowing what the crime was. Shin was a prisoner by birth, a member of the hostile class, and knew no other life. He wasn t educated, loved, or cared for in anyway. Camp No. 14 was the only place in the world that he knew existed. He had never heard of Pyongyang (only 55 miles away), South Korea, China, or America. All he knew was the camp. All he knew was hate. Shin is not alone. There are many more in gulags like him that need the love of Christ. NORTH KOREA 30 DAY PRAYER GUIDE - Eugene Bach - 31 -
Prayer Points * The enemy has created a society where love for anyone other than the Dear Leader is prohibited * Without love, the people of North Korea find it hard to empathize and sympathize for others * Jesus is the only One that can bring love back to the Korean people. Today s Scripture Reading 1 John 4:7-12 Beloved, let us love one another, for love is from God, and whoever loves has been born of God and knows God. Anyone who does not love does not know God, because God is love. In this the love of God was made manifest among us, that God sent his only Son into the world, so that we might live through him. In this is love, not that we have loved God but that he loved us and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins. Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. No one has ever seen God; if we love one another, God abides in us and his love is perfected in us. NORTH KOREA 30 DAY PRAYER GUIDE - Eugene Bach - 32 -
day 9 Brother s Keeper It was not until Kim Jong Un was being groomed to replace his father that the world intelligence community even knew that he existed. It was his older half brother, Kim Jong Nam, that they were watching carefully. But Kim Jong Nam embarrassed the entire nation when he was caught red-handed trying to sneak into Japan with a Dominican Republic passport so that he could go to Disney Land in Tokyo. After his arrest in Japan, it was decided that he could never become the next leader of North Korea. The next in line was another younger brother, but Kim Jong Il (who wore high heeled platform shoes and curled his hair) felt that the younger brother had characteristics that were too feminine. So the leadership turned to Kim Jong Nam s youngest half brother that was living a secret life with a fake family in Switzerland. Kim Jong Un was chosen over his older brothers, forced to leave his high school in Switzerland and flown back to Pyongyang to begin training as the replacement for his father. Kim Jong Nam left North Korea, moved to China and lived the life of a playboy. Some say that the Chinese protected Kim Jong Nam as a favor for Kim Jong Il, but rumors were established that China allowed Kim Jong Nam to live in Beijing as a kind of ransom. If the leadership of NORTH KOREA 30 DAY PRAYER GUIDE - Eugene Bach - 33 -
North Korea ever did anything that China disapproved of, they could simply dangle the safety of Kim Jong Nam as extortion. Few know how little blood relationships mean to atheist dictators. Kim Jong Un is rumored to kill several of his own family members in the most grotesque ways to secure his power. His older brother would not be treated differently. On February 13, 2017, Kim Jong Nam was at the international airport in Kuala Lumpur when two North Korean secret sleeper cell agents walked up to him in broad daylight and executed him with a chemical VX nerve agent. Kim Jong Nam tried to make it to a receptionist to tell her to alert airport security, but the nerve agent began to eat away at his insides almost immediately. Within seconds, he collapsed on the airport floor with vomit and blood coming out of his mouth. He had been executed by a team sent by his own brother. This murder reveals how little value family members have in the eyes of the North Korean dictator. How much less does he have for the citizens of North Korea that have no relationship to him at all? NORTH KOREA 30 DAY PRAYER GUIDE - Eugene Bach - 34 -
Prayer Points * Atheism has left the people without a real connection to their emotions * Without love, the people of North Korea find it hard to empathize and sympathize for others * Jesus is the only One that can bring love back to the Korean people. Today s Scripture Reading 1 John 4:7-12 Beloved, let us love one another, for love is from God, and whoever loves has been born of God and knows God. Anyone who does not love does not know God, because God is love. In this the love of God was made manifest among us, that God sent his only Son into the world, so that we might live through him. In this is love, not that we have loved God but that he loved us and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins. Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. No one has ever seen God; if we love one another, God abides in us and his love is perfected in us. NORTH KOREA 30 DAY PRAYER GUIDE - Eugene Bach - 35 -
day 10 The Illegal President According to North Korea s own laws, Kim Jong Un is an illegal leader. He has been disqualified many times over and actually belongs in a gulag. According the socio-political classification structure known as songbun, Kim Jong Un belongs at the bottom class. Of the three primary classes of CORE, WAVERING, and HOSTILE Kim Jong Un belongs to the Hostile class. If Kim Jong Un had done unto him what he has done to others, he and his entire family would be be put in a gulag and would never be allowed to leave. For starters, the reason that Kim Jong Un was largely unknown to the rest of the world for most of his life was because his mother was not the wife of Kim Jong Il she was the mistress. Kim s mother was a professional dancer in Pyongyang when she met with Kim Jong Il. Kim Jong Il already had children with his wives Song Hye-rim and Kim Young-sook. In traditional Korean culture, from which songbun is derived, a child of a mistress falls to the bottom of the social totem pole, but this is not the reason why Kim Jong Un fails the litmus test for Korean leadership. Kim Jong Un s mother, Ko Yong-hui, is of Japanese heritage. Ko s mother, Kim s grandmother, was Japanese. Ko NORTH KOREA 30 DAY PRAYER GUIDE - Eugene Bach - 36 -
was born and raised in Japan. Her father, Kim s grandfather, worked in a factory in Japan in support of the imperial Japanese Army during the Japanese occupation of Korea. This family history would give Kim Jong Un the lowest imaginable status qualities. Furthermore, one of the primary reasons why Kim Jong Nam was not allowed to be president was because of he tried to sneak into Japan to go to Disney Land. He only did this after Kim Jong Un s mother took him to Disney Land on several different occasions. Kim Jong Un s mother was able to use Brazilian passports and obtain visas in Vienna to take her son back to Japan, the land of her birth. Such a treasonous act would be met with almost certain death had it been anyone else. It gets worse. Kim Jong Un s primary caretaker for most of his life while he was in boarding school in Switzerland was his mother s sister Ko Yong Sook. Ko, who mothered Kim Jong Un, escaped from North Korea and defected to the USA! Ko Yong Sook defection to the United States was a huge blow to the royal family. Ko knew many secrets about the current leader Kim Jong Un and has been able to share the most intimate details with the intel community in exchange for the right of abode. Each one of these crimes is enough to put the current president in a gulag for the rest of his life or worse. But there is one more thing that puts the nail in the coffin. A counter-revolutionary is considered to infect the family gene pool and no other counter-revolutionary is worse than a Christian. A Christian is the bottom of the NORTH KOREA 30 DAY PRAYER GUIDE - Eugene Bach - 37 -
pile, next to the Japanese sympathizers and American traitors. Since Christians are the worse counter-revolutionaries, every leader of North Korea has been unqualified. Kim Jong Un, his father Kim Jong Il, and his grandfather Kim Il Sung are all decedents of Christian leaders. Kim Jong Un s great grandfather and grandmother were leaders in the church, making his genetic pool contaminated. Christian heritage, Japanese Imperial occupation support, vacations to Japan, and family defections to America makes Kim Jong Un completely unqualified to be president. If only Kim Jong Un could see that those that he tortures are not much different from him. NORTH KOREA 30 DAY PRAYER GUIDE - Eugene Bach - 38 -
Prayer Points * President Kim Jong Un kills and tortures people that are guilty for the same or less than he * President Kim Jong Un, according to North Korea s own laws, belongs in prison with those that he has imprisoned * Equality does not exist in Communism and cannot exist without Christ * Pray that the Truth of Christ can show the nation of North Korea the real equality that they desperately seek. Today s Scripture Reading 1 John 8:31 Then said Jesus to those Jews which believed on him, If ye continue in my word, then are ye my disciples indeed; And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free. NORTH KOREA 30 DAY PRAYER GUIDE - Eugene Bach - 39 -
PART II day 11 The Need for Missionaries In 2005, I was traveling inside North Korea and preaching the Gospel when a person in one of the villages turned me in, Esther said and she retold the story. The police came to where I was staying, busted into the room, and told me that I was an enemy of the state. I was taken into an interrogation room and questioned day and night. I wasn t given water or food for days. The commander kept pounding on the desk in front of me, demanding to know every detail about what I have been doing and the names of the people I had been meeting with. I just kept telling him that I am a child of Christ and love the people of my home land. There is nothing that I would do to harm anyone in my homeland. I was kept in prison for over a month, but because I was a Chinese citizen they let me go and sent me back to China. During Esther s time in North Korea she had made many friends who grew to love and her and trusted her. They did not want her to leave. They needed her to return. NORTH KOREA 30 DAY PRAYER GUIDE - Eugene Bach - 40 -
While she was gone, many of them shared about her deeds and love for the people inside of North Korea. Stories about her work and effort spread all around the countryside. The people that heard the stories longed to see her and meet her in person, because there were not many people who were brave enough to share the Love of Christ inside of North Korea. Even today they call me on a weekly basis and ask that I provide support for people when they come out of North Korea into China for supplies. I help all that I can. I get calls from many people who don t know who I am, but have heard about me and ask if I can help them. Esther is not the only missionary that has served in North Korea, but there are currently not enough. Many more brave souls of Christ are needed to be sent to the nation behind the bamboo curtain. NORTH KOREA 30 DAY PRAYER GUIDE - Eugene Bach - 41 -
Prayer Points * There are too few missionaries inside North Korea * Missionaries that are discovered are often thrown in jail, tortured, or killed * The world-wide Christian Body of Christ is desperately needed to send missionaries to North Korea Today s Scripture Reading Romans 10:13-15 For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved. How then shall they call on him in whom they have not believed? And how shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard? And how shall they hear without a preacher? And how shall they preach, except they be sent? As it is written, How beautiful are the feet of them that preach the gospel of peace, and bring glad tidings of good things! NORTH KOREA 30 DAY PRAYER GUIDE - Eugene Bach - 42 -
day 12 Teaching North Koreans How to Pray Several Christian missionaries from China have left their homeland and are now living and serving in North Korea. One such missionary named Jasmine (not her real name) had been working together with a group of workers on a compound by a lake. She looked for opportunities every day to share the Gospel. One day she saw an opportunity. It had been raining so badly inside North Korea that we could not get any work done. I told one of the workers I would pray for it to stop raining. When I prayed for it to stop raining, it stopped. The North Koreans were so amazed at the power of Jasmine s prayers. They were used to hearing about the miracles associated with prayers that were lifted up the Great Leader, but those prayers were mainly useless and powerless. They didn t really change anything. They were only stories told by the regime to be believed by children, but no one had actually ever seen any miracles take place from praying to the Great Leader. One of the North Korean ladies that worked together with Jasmine approached her and asked if God really listened to her prayers. Of course, I told them, explained Jamine. She wanted NORTH KOREA 30 DAY PRAYER GUIDE - Eugene Bach - 43 -
me to teach her how to pray. I told her I had to first teach her about God. As Jasmine told the girl about God, the girl was amazed. Later, the girl told another worker whose father had died that she should pray with Jasmine. Jasmine was able to share with both of the girls about Jesus. As she began to pray for them, Jasmine said, Tears streamed down her face and she called out to the Lord to save her. She is now a true believer in North Korea! Jasmine was able to share the Jesus Film with her and give her a digital Bible. NORTH KOREA 30 DAY PRAYER GUIDE - Eugene Bach - 44 -
Prayer Points * So many children in North Korea are taught to pray to their leaders, but those prayers are weak and powerless * There are so many people who are longing to know that there is someone who listens when they pray * The people of North Korea need to know about the true power of prayer when they pray to a living God Today s Scripture Reading Revelation 1:17-18 And when I saw him, I fell at his feet as dead. And he laid his right hand upon me, saying unto me, Fear not; I am the first and the last: I am he that liveth, and was dead; and, behold, I am alive for evermore, Amen; and have the keys of hell and of death NORTH KOREA 30 DAY PRAYER GUIDE - Eugene Bach - 45 -
day 13 Refusing to Bow After driving for some time they finally arrived at a bronze statue of Kim Il Sung, the founder of North Korea. The driver stopped and everyone got out of the car. It was customary for officials to pay their respects to the large statues of the leaders and to bow before them in worship. Esther began to pray frantically in her spirit, knowing that this short moment could mean the end of her time in North Korea. If she refused to bow to the great leader in worship, she might be forced to leave North Korea or even be put in jail. Locals could even be executed for refusing to bow before the Great Leader s statue. As they walked together toward the statute, Esther was still at a loss as to how to deal the situation. Everyone lined up shoulder to shoulder beside each other and prepared to begin the ceremony. Dear Lord, what do you want me to do? Esther prayed silently. Then suddenly a surge of boldness filled her heart and she began to pray differently. Kim Il Sung, you are not the King of kings. You are not the Lord of lords. You were a horrible, evil leader and I command you in the Name above all names to fall down and disappear! Everyone bowed in unison except Esther. She stood upright and stared directly at the bronze statue. NORTH KOREA 30 DAY PRAYER GUIDE - Eugene Bach - 46 -
Fall down in acknowledgement of the one and only King of kings. The statue did not fall physically, but it no longer held any power over Esther. No one really noticed that she had not bowed because they had all closed their eyes as they did so. After bowing several times, there were a few people who did notice that Esther did not bow. Teacher? one of the party members asked. They often called her teacher as a sign of respect in the Korean culture. Why don t you bow when we come together and pray before our Great Leader? Please understand, Esther started out slowly, I don t know how to greet others by bowing down. After all, isn t it only a bronze statue? It isn t the Great Leader himself. He didn t make it; someone made it to remind them of him. The statue can t do anything to acknowledge that I have been here paying my respects. If I wanted to truly honor the Great Leader, wouldn t it be better to do something for him or his people directly? Which would be better for you, to follow the teachings of your leader and help those around you, or to come and bow to a statue that can t do anything for you, the people, or the Leader? The people around her pondered her words for a moment. Amazingly, from that day onward, they never again asked her to bow before the statue. After only a few trips to North Korea, Esther felt compelled to share the gospel with as many people as she could, but wasn t sure how to maximize her audience in such a closed country. Everywhere she looked there were NORTH KOREA 30 DAY PRAYER GUIDE - Eugene Bach - 47 -
people hurting, afraid, and looking for a way out of their misery. They were like people waiting to be saved in the midst of a raging storm. (This story can be found in the book about Esther s life, Smuggling Light ) Prayer Points * Everyone is forced to bow before the statues of the North Korea Leaders * People bow in front of the statues every day because of fear of what will happen if they do not * Pray that the God of Abraham, Jacob, and Isaac be revealed to the people of North Korea Today s Scripture Reading Deuteronomy 6:4-9 Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one. You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might. And these words that I command you today shall be on your heart. You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, and when you walk by the way, and when you lie down, and when you rise. You shall bind them as a sign on your hand, and they shall be as frontlets between your eyes. You shall write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates. NORTH KOREA 30 DAY PRAYER GUIDE - Eugene Bach - 48 -
day 14 Feeling Like a Failure Before I came to North Korea, I was living and ministering in China and then one day a Christian brother came and asked if I knew anything about North Korea. I told him that I hadn t even heard of it before. After he introduced it to me and told me that it was on the border of China and was very poor country, I had a strong desire to go. I began to study the language and culture and the more I learned, the more my heart yearned to share the Gospel of Jesus with the people there. My desire to move there and share with the people was almost more than I could take. I thought about North Korea day and night. After I finished my training, I was given an opportunity to serve in North Korea with other Chinese Back to Jerusalem missionaries. I will never forget my first time going into North Korea. It was a day of thanksgiving for me. When I arrived into the country and looked around, I really felt that I had been taken back in a time machine to my grandfather s generation. After only a day or two, I realized why God had put me through so much training in China for this day. The pressure was high and the situation is dire. I was ridiculed for being a foreigner and not under- NORTH KOREA 30 DAY PRAYER GUIDE - Eugene Bach - 49 -
standing the system. I prayed that God would help me to understand the local customs and practices. I had only been in North Korea for less than a week and already it seemed that everyone I met hated me. During my first year, I was absolutely certain that I had made the wrong decision and that there was no way that I would ever have an opportunity to share about the love of Christ. How can I possibly share about Christ if the people completely hate me? Sharing about Christ became the least of my problems though. I didn t think that I would survive. I started to doubt whether or not I would even live another week. One day, the most miraculous thing happened. I made a friend in North Korea. I had the best opportunity to share the Gospel with them through our small daily conversations. However, a westerner that I was working with at the time overheard our conversation. The westerner is a Christian missionary as well, but was not happy that I was sharing the Gospel. The missionary took me to the side and scolded me for preaching about Jesus to my newly found friend. They said that I was jeopardizing the work and could get everyone in trouble. Most missionaries that I have observed in North Korea do not believe that openly sharing about Jesus is the way to minister. Most believe that good works alone will bring the people to Jesus. I went back to my room and cried out to Christ. Jesus! I can t do anything right. The government doesn t like me. The locals don t want me here. Even the Christian missionaries don t want me around for fear that jeopardize the mission. NORTH KOREA 30 DAY PRAYER GUIDE - Eugene Bach - 50 -
I was tired and drained. I was weak and confused. I needed the Lord to show me the way. I needed to crawl up in His arms and take refuge. Then I read the words, Therefore my heart is glad and my tongue rejoices; my body also will rest secure. God s words refreshed and strengthened me again. He gave me fresh joy and happiness. Soon after that prayer, I met my North Korean friend and she gave me an apple. This does not seem like a lot, but in North Korea, giving things that are valuable like food almost never happens. It was an amazing sign to me that God was working! Because of her friendship, more North Koreans started to trust me. I separated myself from the missionaries who did not approve of me preaching to the locals. I shared the Gospel on a regular basis and one day my friend became a believer. Eventually, several more of her friends who heard about Jesus also came and gave their hearts to Christ. I eventually moved in with all three of them and we worship Christ together every day. These North Korean ladies are no longer my friends. They are now my family members and I can t imagine my life without them. Prayer Points * Fear runs rampant in North Korea and often prohibits even the most basic emotions from being shared * Even those that know the Gospel message can be afraid to share it because of the level of security needed to maintain safety NORTH KOREA 30 DAY PRAYER GUIDE - Eugene Bach - 51 -
* Pray the spirit of fear be lifted and a new boldness be found to pierce the dark clouds that hover over North Korea Today s Scripture Reading II Timothy 1:7-12 For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind. Be not thou therefore ashamed of the testimony of our Lord, nor of me his prisoner: but be thou partaker of the afflictions of the gospel according to the power of God; Who hath saved us, and called us with an holy calling, not according to our works, but according to his own purpose and grace, which was given us in Christ Jesus before the world began, But is now made manifest by the appearing of our Saviour Jesus Christ, who hath abolished death, and hath brought life and immortality to light through the gospel: Whereunto I am appointed a preacher, and an apostle, and a teacher of the Gentiles. For the which cause I also suffer these things: nevertheless I am not ashamed: for I know whom I have believed, and am persuaded that he is able to keep that which I have committed unto him against that day. NORTH KOREA 30 DAY PRAYER GUIDE - Eugene Bach - 52 -
day 15 From Refugee to Rescuer Ji Su was starving to death. She knew that her only chance of survival was to escape to South Korea, so one night she risked her life and swam across the Tumen River from North Korea to China. She did not know how to get from China to North Korea, but she was desperate and was willing to try anything. Once in China, Ji Su was lost and alone and did not know what to do until she met a friendly Chinese Christian who was a Back to Jerusalem missionary working with refugees from North Korea. The Chinese missionary did everything to help and even gave her an audio Bible that she could listen to when she was alone. During the next week, she listened to the audio Bible and took solace in the words that she heard. The stories were much different that she had heard when she was growing up in North Korea. She went back to the Chinese Christian and asked what she must do to be saved. When she asked Jesus in her heart, she felt a huge flood of joy and freedom flood her soul. Ji Su no longer felt the strong desire to escape poverty in South Korea. Instead, she now had the most unbelievable feeling stirring inside of her to risk her life again and swim back across the Tumen river to return to her home town and share with her NORTH KOREA 30 DAY PRAYER GUIDE - Eugene Bach - 53 -
family and friends what God has done in her life. Ji Su loaded up a bag of more than 50 audio Bibles given to her by the Chinese believers, tossed them on her back and headed back home. After distributing the players and sharing the Good News, she returned back to China to get more. Ji Su found a purpose in life that went beyond survival. She is now serving as a soldier in the Kingdom of God that is saving people from damnation every day. Prayer Points * North Korean s are fleeing to China every week looking for food and refugee status * People are starving to death in North Korea both physically and spiritually * Many North Korean s are looking for food but do not know about the Bread of Life that will never run out Today s Scripture Reading John 6:34-35 Then said they unto him, Lord, evermore give us this bread. And Jesus said unto them, I am the bread of life: he that cometh to me shall never hunger; and he that believeth on me shall never thirst. NORTH KOREA 30 DAY PRAYER GUIDE - Eugene Bach - 54 -
day 16 Spies in the Midst In North Korea the word started to spread about a Chinese believer named Chan (not his real name). Chan had a cross on his door and would help North Korean s in search of food and supplies. Chan was a dream come true for the many North Koreans who would sneak across the border to China looking for resources to help them survive. They did not understand what made Chan different or why he would freely give out such valuable items to people that he did not even know. One-by-one and night-after-night, North Koreans would knock on Chan s door and ask him for help. His Korean was broken, but his warm heart was welcoming to them. He would sit down with them in his living room, offer a warm cup of tea, and share about Jesus. After a while, there were regulars that came often and sat with him to read from the Bible. They would sometimes bring their friends and have a Bible study together. One night, a man knocked on the door that Chan had never met before. He asked if he could come in. Chan warmly welcomed him in to join a Bible study with other North Koreans that was already going on. The man had many questions and kept interrupting the Bible study. He was not asking questions about the Bi- NORTH KOREA 30 DAY PRAYER GUIDE - Eugene Bach - 55 -
ble, the teaching or even about Chan s reason for helping. Instead, he seemed to have many questions for the other North Koreans in the room. Chan did not know it that night, but by the next morning all of his friends had been arrested after the meeting. The man that Chan did not know was a spy, sent by the North Korean government to infiltrate the network of Christian churches that help refugees. Chan s story of being monitored by spies is a common occurrence today as China and North Korea both try to infiltrate and destroy the network of underground Christian churches. NORTH KOREA 30 DAY PRAYER GUIDE - Eugene Bach - 56 -
Prayer Points * Christians that minister in North Korea continually find themselves attacked by secret agents posing as believers * It is a common occurrence for spies that are sent by the government to attend house church meetings and obtain information on the leaders and all those that attend * Pray that God gives His followers a spirit of discernment and does not allow fear to seep in and close their hearts Today s Scripture Reading Matthew 10:16-22 Behold, I send you forth as sheep in the midst of wolves: be ye therefore wise as serpents, and harmless as doves. But beware of men: for they will deliver you up to the councils, and they will scourge you in their synagogues; And ye shall be brought before governors and kings for my sake, for a testimony against them and the Gentiles. But when they deliver you up, take no thought how or what ye shall speak: for it shall be given you in that same hour what ye shall speak. For it is not ye that speak, but the Spirit of your Father which speaketh in you. And the brother shall deliver up the brother to death, and the father the child: and the children shall rise up against their parents, and cause them to be put to death. And ye shall be hated of all men for my name s sake: but he that endureth to the end shall be saved. NORTH KOREA 30 DAY PRAYER GUIDE - Eugene Bach - 57 -
day 17 The Day it Rained My name is Mijin (not the real name) and I have been working with several young ladies inside of North Korea. I feel so privileged to be inside and to be able to work with the people there. They are so poor and beaten down. Many of them seem to lack emotion. I know that Jesus loves them and I want so badly to tell them, but I have to be careful because I know that it is not allowed. One day there was a young lady that I became friends with who was interested in my life in China and the story of my life. We often find ourselves talking for hours at a time about random things. On one occasion though, I really felt the need to share with her about Jesus and what He has done for me and my life. This was the first time that she had ever heard about Christ and I could see that she was just completely amazed about who Jesus was. She didn t understand the concept of God becoming man and giving His life for the sins of man so that we could be saved from damnation, so I started out slowly about my own personal experiences and how God often heard my prayers and blessed me. One day, the young lady was sick and she came running to me and begged me to pray for her. I did and she was miraculously healed! Her family also fell ill and again she asked me to pray for their health, so I did and God healed NORTH KOREA 30 DAY PRAYER GUIDE - Eugene Bach - 58 -
them! There was no rain for the crops, so she brought other members of her family to me to pray for rain and when we prayed, IT RAINED! I told her about the saving power of Jesus Christ and asked her if she would like to follow Jesus and she said that she did. She saw the power of God firsthand and knew that He listened to our prayers and answered them. I took her by the hand and prayed with her and she became a Christian. Others were present and were watching us as we prayed together. Two other young ladies who were watching as I prayed with this sister were interested in who Jesus was, so I told them. I introduced them to the story of Jesus and the Bible. They are so hungry! They couldn t consume enough information. They just wanted more and more. I am handing them everything that I can to teach them more. I just thank God for being so faithful to His word and answering the prayers of very simple people who are poor and in daily need for the basic things of daily life. NORTH KOREA 30 DAY PRAYER GUIDE - Eugene Bach - 59 -
Prayer Points * The people in North Korea are so hungry for the Truth but few are able to share it with them * There is a real hunger to see a miraculous intervention because they have nothing else to hope for and their empty prayers to the Dear Leader always go unanswered * Pray that the miraculous power of God will be supernaturally revealed to the people of North Korea Today s Scripture Reading 1 John 5:13-15 These things have I written unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God; that ye may know that ye have eternal life, and that ye may believe on the name of the Son of God. And this is the confidence that we have in him, that, if we ask any thing according to his will, he heareth us: And if we know that he hear us, whatsoever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we desired of him. NORTH KOREA 30 DAY PRAYER GUIDE - Eugene Bach - 60 -
day 18 Granny s Secret Casserole (Some of the details of this story have been changed for security reasons) Mrs. Yin was an 80 year old grandmother that loved to talk about Jesus. She had spent her life raising her children and grandchildren in China, but after her husband passed away she found herself in a place where she no longer had the overwhelming commitments that she had when she was younger. She always had a heart for North Korea and did not see any reason why she could not travel there and start churches. She had heard that the people in North Korea desperately needed Bibles, but they had no way of getting them. It is just too dangerous to try to take Bibles into North Korea, the local Christians said. Many have tried and died. Their words of warning did not scare Grandma Yin, but only made her more determined that she was needed. Grandma Yin was known for feeding everyone that came to her home. She would make large meals big enough to feed a small army. One day she got the idea to make her famous Korean casserole and hide audio Bibles inside. With her new idea she baked a casserole and took it across the border to NORTH KOREA 30 DAY PRAYER GUIDE - Eugene Bach - 61 -
North Korea. No one suspected her of doing something so dangerous and her casserole smelled so good that she was never stopped. She was so successful that she decided to cook more casseroles and smuggle in more Bibles, but one day while crossing the border a guard saw a lump in the middle of her casserole and was suspicious. He took out his knife, stabbed it into the center of granny s casserole and felt a sudden thump. When he pulled out the item that hit his knife, he discovered that innocent little granny was actually a Bible smuggler. Grandma Yin was thrown into a North Korean prison. When she did not return back to her family in China, everyone knew that it was not good. When they found out that she had been arrested for smuggling Bibles into North Korea the family cried. There was very little chance that they would ever hear from her again. Unfortunately for the prison guards, Grandma Yin did not stop one bit. She continued preaching and sharing the Gospel. She became one of the number one trouble makers in the prison. The guards did not want to kill her because she was a Chinese citizen and no one had the heart to beat her, so after going over their options they realized that the best thing to do was to let her go and to never allow her to return back. Grandma Yin went back to her home across the border in China and continues to serve warm home-cooked casseroles for hungry North Koreans and hand out Bibles for them to take back with them to North Korea. NORTH KOREA 30 DAY PRAYER GUIDE - Eugene Bach - 62 -
Prayer Points * One of the most difficult and dangerous challenges for North Korean missionaries is getting Bibles into the hands of the people * There is a real hunger to get the Word of God in North Korea * Pray that God will raise up more brave grandmothers that have the grit to face down the enemy and win! Today s Scripture Reading Isaiah 40:28-31 Hast thou not known? hast thou not heard, that the everlasting God, the Lord, the Creator of the ends of the earth, fainteth not, neither is weary? there is no searching of his understanding. He giveth power to the faint; and to them that have no might he increaseth strength. Even the youths shall faint and be weary, and the young men shall utterly fall: But they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint. NORTH KOREA 30 DAY PRAYER GUIDE - Eugene Bach - 63 -
day 19 A Stranger s Love Mr. Wong s phone rang one day while he was working in his yard. It was a Chinese pastor friend of his. There was a young family who had just escaped across the river from North Korea and needed help. Immediately Mr. Wong agreed to help them. He hung up the phone, went and prepared his home and waited for the family. When they arrived, they were the typical refugees fresh from crossing the river. They were skinny, dirty, shaggy haired, wearing tattered clothing, and wanted food and money. Mr. and Mrs. Wong prepared them a warm Korean meal and made up a bed for them to sleep in on the heated floor. They were so incredibly thankful, but did not express it in the way that many might expect. They did not smile or bow or repeat words of thanksgiving. They were like wounded scared animals suspicious of everything. They simply did not understand why complete strangers would help them. Their desperation led them in, but their suspicion kept them at a distance. After some time, Mr. Wong told them the reason why they are different than other North Koreans that they would meet on their journey of escape. They explained that they are Christians and that the love of Jesus compels NORTH KOREA 30 DAY PRAYER GUIDE - Eugene Bach - 64 -
us all to love one another. After some time, the woman began to cry. She opened up to Mr. and Mr. Wong and told them how the government had forced her to have an abortion when it was discovered that she was pregnant with her second child. The more she remembered the more intense she cried. Her body trembled and shook. Mrs. Wong softly shared the the Gospel with her to bring her comfort. After sharing for only a short time, the small family opened up their hearts and seemed to intuitively understand what the Wongs were saying. Mr. Wong gave them an audio Bible. They were so happy to receive an electric version of the Bible. Most paper Bibles in North Korea never last very long because North Koreans attempt to hide them by tearing them apart and burying them in the ground so that they will not be found by government officials. NORTH KOREA 30 DAY PRAYER GUIDE - Eugene Bach - 65 -
Prayer Points * All too often North Korean women are forced to abort their babies * The people of North Korea desperately need to know the kind of love that is given without merit * Pray that more missionaries will be sent to the North Korean people to show the love of God Today s Scripture Reading Matthew 25:35-40 For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me, I was naked and you clothed me, I was sick and you visited me, I was in prison and you came to me. Then the righteous will answer him, saying, Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you drink? And when did we see you a stranger and welcome you, or naked and clothe you? And when did we see you sick or in prison and visit you? And the King will answer them, Truly, I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these my brothers, you did it to me. NORTH KOREA 30 DAY PRAYER GUIDE - Eugene Bach - 66 -
day 20 Steam Roller One defector told the US Commission about his memories as a soldier in the North Korean army. He can remember when his unit was dispatched to clear the ground of obstacles so a road between Pyongyang and Nampo could be widened. In 1996, his unit began tearing down a vacant house in Yongkang County that was in the construction zone. When they began to tear down the foundation, they found a small notebook in the debris. Upon inspection, it turned out to contain a church roster with the names of a pastor, two assistant pastors, and other local Christians. The contraband was immediately handed over to the authorities. The 25 people who were listed in the notebook were arrested and brought to the road construction site. Five of those detained were listed as leaders and were bound and laid down on the ground. The other 20 were forced to stand on the side. Announcements were quickly made to get other observers to come out and watch. The five Christian leaders lay on the ground while a large steamroller was positioned in front of them. They were told to reject Jesus Christ and serve only Kim Il Sung and his son Kim Jong Il or they would die. None of the Christian leaders said a word. They were given another chance to save their lives. NORTH KOREA 30 DAY PRAYER GUIDE - Eugene Bach - 67 -
These five leaders were told that they could continue living their lives and things would go back to the way that they were if they would only deny the name of Jesus Christ. They were given the same options that Nebuchadnezzar gave Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego before the flaming furnace and that the Romans gave countless Christians when facing the roaring lions. People in the crowd began to cry out, begging them to denounce Christ to save their own lives, but the Christians refused to deny the name of Jesus. Finally, the order was given to the driver of the steamroller to kill them. Witnesses said that they could hear the gruesome sound of their skulls popping when the steamroller crushed them to death. Those believers earned a martyr s crown that day. NORTH KOREA 30 DAY PRAYER GUIDE - Eugene Bach - 68 -
Prayer Points * Christians in North Korea regularly face the choice between death or Christ * The level of persecution has not changed since the Communist took over in the 1950 s * Continue to pray for the believers that God has raised up in the nation of North Korea Today s Scripture Reading Matthew 24:9-14 Then shall they deliver you up to be afflicted, and shall kill you: and ye shall be hated of all nations for my name s sake. And then shall many be offended, and shall betray one another, and shall hate one another. And many false prophets shall rise, and shall deceive many. And because iniquity shall abound, the love of many shall wax cold. But he that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved. And this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world for a witness unto all nations; and then shall the end come. NORTH KOREA 30 DAY PRAYER GUIDE - Eugene Bach - 69 -
PART III day 21 Back to Jerusalem Missionaries Not many missionaries are working and serving in North Korea. It is true that it is dangerous and is not legal to be a missionary in North Korea, but that is why they are needed more now than ever before. Even if North Korea was safer and did have a legal path to be a missionary, the likelihood of missionaries from Christian nations being sent to North Korea is slim. The sad truth is that the number one missionary-sending country in the world (per capita) is Palestine which is not a Christian country. Strictly speaking, Palestine is not even a real country! Sadly, the number one destination for Christian missionaries is nowhere near North Korea. It is America. More foreign missionaries leave their nation to share the Gospel in America than any other country. In fact, the top 9 destinations in the world for missionaries are Christian nations. A person living in a Christian country has a higher chance of dying from a kick in the head by a horse than being a missionary in North Korea. NORTH KOREA 30 DAY PRAYER GUIDE - Eugene Bach - 70 -
Although it might seem that Christian nations have forgotten the Great Commission, the Chinese underground house church has a vision to send many missionaries to North Korea to share the Gospel with those that have never heard. They have already started doing so and today there are Chinese missionaries working all over the nation of North Korea preaching the Gospel, planting churches, and handing out Bibles. Back to Jerusalem has sent in several missionaries and currently supports their work and activities inside North Korea. NORTH KOREA 30 DAY PRAYER GUIDE - Eugene Bach - 71 -
Prayer Points * Few people answer the call to be a missionary to North Korea * There are more than 25 million people in North Korea and zero registered legal missionaries * Pray that God will raise up an army of missionaries to take the Good News to the suffering people of North Korea Today s Scripture Reading Matthew 28:18-20 And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth. Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen. NORTH KOREA 30 DAY PRAYER GUIDE - Eugene Bach - 72 -
day 22 Give Us our Daily Bread In 2018, even though the military was preparing to fight America if they invade the nation, North Korea allowed their soldiers to leave their posts for three months to go and find food. A few of those soldiers risked their lives and ran across the de-militarized zone between North Korea and South Korea in order to get food for survival. One soldier was taken to an emergency room and treated for severe malnutrition. Massive tape worms and kernels of uncooked corn were found in his digestive track. Many North Korean fishermen were able to make their way to Japan to find food. North Korea s crops have been grossly mismanaged and there is a chronic food shortage. The winter of 2017 2018 proved to be famine like conditions. The number of people dying in North Korea from hunger is not known. Back to Jerusalem currently has a feeding program that provides food throughout the nation for free. Children are the number one target of the feeding program. For several years now, we have been distributing food to the most needy areas of the country. Although we cannot give details about the feeding program, we can say that the methodology that we have employed cuts the costs of typical food production by huge amounts. NORTH KOREA 30 DAY PRAYER GUIDE - Eugene Bach - 73 -
Most feeding programs in North Korea are forced to allow the government to carry out their efforts. The World Food Program is a prime example. The WFP has sent both food and resources to North Korea and have allowed North Korean officials to carry out the project on their behalf. With little or no oversight, North Korea simply uses the resources to feed their military and political cadre. Every month, when production is at it s best, we are able to provide 2,000 meals for people in North Korea. This is not a large number, but it is personally monitored and carried out. With all of the missile launches and nuclear testing that North Korea is conducting, it is easy to miss that North Korea has been suffering from a significant drought. According to a report released by the UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), a drought in the central and southern cereal-producing provinces in North Korea has led to serious concerns about the final production of the internationally isolated country s main cropping season. Extreme drought in these critical growing regions has led to drastically less yields of staple crops and put millions of people at risk of starvation. The FAO report also states that Pyongyang will need to import more than 500,000 tons of food aid to stave off famine. Sanctions have been slapped on North Korea that keep desperately needed items from going in or out of the nation. Even China, North Korea s biggest supporter, is giving in to the sanctions. Back to Jerusalem is one of the few organizations that is able to provide food hand-to-mouth because of our NORTH KOREA 30 DAY PRAYER GUIDE - Eugene Bach - 74 -
unique access through the Chinese missionaries. Prayer Points * North Korea suffers from constant food shortage * Though people are dying on a regular basis from starvation in North Korea, the total number of deaths is not known * Pray that God continue to use His people to provide food to those that are suffering from starvation Today s Scripture Reading Psalms 107:4-9 They wandered in the wilderness in a solitary way; they found no city to dwell in. Hungry and thirsty, their soul fainted in them. Then they cried unto the Lord in their trouble, and he delivered them out of their distresses. And he led them forth by the right way, that they might go to a city of habitation. Oh that men would praise the Lord for his goodness, and for his wonderful works to the children of men! For he satisfieth the longing soul, and filleth the hungry soul with goodness. NORTH KOREA 30 DAY PRAYER GUIDE - Eugene Bach - 75 -
day 23 Man Does Not Live on Bread Alone A new threat from North Korea to the rest of the world is almost a weekly event, but for the people in North Korea, BTJ is predicting a battle for survival that has nothing to do with war with America, Japan, or South Korea. It is a battle against starvation. To battle this, Chinese missionaries that are supported by Back to Jerusalem have developed unique ways to locally source food without trying to bring it in from other nations. Sanctions have been slapped on North Korea in the last couple of months that keep desperately needed items from going in or out of the nation. By locally producing it and sourcing it, there is no need to import it from other areas. The North Koreans are being taught how to do it themselves and at the same time, the missionaries are able to share with them about Jesus. They are able to pray for them and show them what it means to do business as with Christian ethics by being an example. BTJ missionaries are able to work with the locals to produce crops of rice, corn, potatoes and soybeans as well as producing protein through pigs, sheep, goats and poultry. Back to Jerusalem missionaries cannot fix the food NORTH KOREA 30 DAY PRAYER GUIDE - Eugene Bach - 76 -
shortage for the entire country, but they can make a big difference for the ones that they are working with and living with. Prayer Points * North Korea suffers from constant food shortage * Though people are dying on a regular basis from starvation in North Korea, the total number of deaths is not known * Pray that God continue to use His people to provide food to those that are suffering from starvation Today s Scripture Reading Psalms 107:4-9 They wandered in the wilderness in a solitary way; they found no city to dwell in. Hungry and thirsty, their soul fainted in them. Then they cried unto the Lord in their trouble, and he delivered them out of their distresses. And he led them forth by the right way, that they might go to a city of habitation. Oh that men would praise the Lord for his goodness, and for his wonderful works to the children of men! For he satisfieth the longing soul, and filleth the hungry soul with goodness. NORTH KOREA 30 DAY PRAYER GUIDE - Eugene Bach - 77 -
day 24 Speaking in Tongues Many people assume that North Korea and South Korea speak the same language, but that would not be a correct assumption. Language is alive and develops as societies develop. After more than seven decades of separation, North Korea and South Korea have a linguistic divide that continues to grow further apart. Many experts claim that North Korean is interesting for linguists because it s essentially a country-wide experiment in isolation, evolving on a closed island, but that is not true. The North Korean language has borrowed many words from Russian and China while South Korea has borrowed many words from America. South Korean has developed a modern efficient language while North Korea has been left in a time zone of days long gone. For instance, South Koreans would say computer, but a North Korea would say electronic computation machine. For many North Koreans that defect to the south, the hardest part of adjusting to modern life is not learning about the Internet, mobile phones, and electronic self-cleaning toilet seats, but language. It is estimated that a North Korean student can understand less than 50% of a South Korean text book when they arrive in South Korea. NORTH KOREA 30 DAY PRAYER GUIDE - Eugene Bach - 78 -
Here are a few examples of the differences English North Korean South Korean Corn Kangnaeng-i Oksusu Cart Talguji Sure Goose Kesani Geowi Lettuce Puru Sangchu Hamburger Gogigyeopbbang haembeogeo Ice cream Almgwadsa Aiskrim McDonald's? Maekdonald It is virtually impossible to share the Gospel in North Korea unless one knows the language. That is why the BTJ missionaries study the North Korean dialect prior to going in to the country. It is not easy to find teachers that can teach the North Korean dialect, so there is a lot of prayer needed for them. BTJ missionaries are currently studying the North Korean language, but they are not studying in official universities. They are in private apartments, village homes, and farming communities partaking in unofficial linguistic studies that have not been approved by the government. NORTH KOREA 30 DAY PRAYER GUIDE - Eugene Bach - 79 -
Prayer Points * The languages between North and South Korea have gone in different directions over the last 70 years * The North Korean language might be backwards for modern society, but it is their heart language and the way to reach their people * Pray that more missionaries can learn their languages and take the Gospel to their people * Pray that more Christian resources can be made available in the North Korean dialect Today s Scripture Reading Revelation 10:10-11 And I took the little book out of the angel s hand, and ate it up; and it was in my mouth sweet as honey: and as soon as I had eaten it, my belly was bitter. And he said unto me, Thou must prophesy again before many peoples, and nations, and tongues, and kings. NORTH KOREA 30 DAY PRAYER GUIDE - Eugene Bach - 80 -
day 25 Bibles Elementary school teachers are given pictures of North Korean Bibles and taught how to use them to talk to their students. Teachers are taught to show the picture to their students and ask if they have ever seen a book like it before. If a student says that they have, then the teacher shares the information with the school administration that then alerts the police. A special units raids the home of the child, apprehends their parents and conducts a search for any sign of a Bible or biblical material. The North Korean government views the Bible as an extremely dangerous book. They make every effort to keep their people far from it because it can shed light on the darkness of their nation. The Bible can give Truth in a land full of lies. Bibles are a precious commodity in North Korea. They are next to impossible to find one in North Korea, but Back to Jerusalem is making every effort to get them into the hands of believers living inside. For more than a decade, BTJ has been delivering Bibles by the thousands into North Korea. Over the years a myriad of different methods have been employed. BTJ has delivered Bibles in print, in audio, in video, and in every digital format imaginable. Back to Jerusalem has provided Bibles printed in a for- NORTH KOREA 30 DAY PRAYER GUIDE - Eugene Bach - 81 -
mat that mimics many of the Communist style books inside. Bibles have been delivered on small Mp3 players that were hidden in food and other items and smuggled inside. Bibles in video format on small Mp4 players have been smuggled into the nation mounted inside. Bibles have even been placed on pocket-sized projectors and used to lead small study groups. Today BTJ has a new tool that is smuggled into the country on the backs of Chinese missionaries that allow children to have Bibles that are made just for them. Prayer Points * The Bible is the Word of God and threatens any government that forcefully compels man to accept atheism * Those living in darkness desperately crave the light. * Thousands of believers in North Korea are without access to God s Word * Pray that more Bibles can make their way into the hands of North Koreans Today s Scripture Reading Hebrews 4:12-13 NORTH KOREA 30 DAY PRAYER GUIDE - Eugene Bach - 82 -
day 26 Reaching the Gulags Back to Jerusalem is constantly inventing new ways to get the Bible into the hands of North Koreans. With a creative team and divine inspiration from the Holy Spirit, there have been many amazing stories about getting Bibles across the border without the authorities finding out, but there is one place that is virtually impossible to have access to the Bible. However, that might be about to change. BTJ is proud to announce that there is now a new device that has just been invented and it has the ability to bring God s light into the darkness of the North Korean gulags. BTJ now a Bible that is the size of a small pill and can rest on the end of a finger. When activated, it illuminates the air in front of their face and creates a hologram that allows the user to read the entire Bible from Genesis to Revelation. The device uses energy of motion to create the power needed for illumination and can last for several years before needing to be replaced. This means that it does not need to be charged or have a replacement for batteries. This is perfect for the rural environment of North Korea. The Bible hologram is extremely easy to use and allows the user to read the Bible along with others that are close NORTH KOREA 30 DAY PRAYER GUIDE - Eugene Bach - 83 -
by. The Bible can be read in solitary or in company with two or three others. Because it is so very small, about half the size of a small coin, it can be smuggled into almost any location and if the authorities come into a room when it is being use, it can simply be swallowed. There is no other device like the BTJ Bible Hologram that can bring the Light of Christ into the darkness of the North Korean gulags. Prayer Points * The Bible is the Word of God and threatens any government that forcefully compels man to accept atheism * Those living in darkness desperately crave the light. * Thousands of believers in North Korea are without access to God s Word * Pray that more Bibles can make their way into the hands of North Koreans Today s Scripture Reading Isaiah 9:2 The people that walked in darkness have seen a great light: they that dwell in the land of the shadow of death, upon them hath the light shined. NORTH KOREA 30 DAY PRAYER GUIDE - Eugene Bach - 84 -
day 27 Business As Mission Today s global economy has created strategic opportunities for Christian businesses in some of the most unlikely corners of the world and North Korea is no different. North Korea is extremely dependent on the economy of China. This gives Back to Jerusalem missionaries from China an amazing opportunity to start a wide range of businesses. Business as Mission (BAM) is a relatively new term but is based on Biblical concepts. Chinese have been starting new businesses in North Korea for many years, so it is virtually impossible for the government to identify which ones are BTJ and which ones are not. BTJ businesses are real companies that make a profit, but the one defining difference is, the BTJ businesses make efforts to help North Koreans come to into a relationship with Jesus Christ. North Koreans admire the technological advancements made by Chinese companies and allow them to have more freedoms than business persons from other nations. The history and culture are similar as well as the political ideology and Communist brainwashing. Chinese have been living through persecution from their own government for many years, so there is a kind of empathy that is unique with the North Koreans. They know what it is like to be poor and have no money or food. NORTH KOREA 30 DAY PRAYER GUIDE - Eugene Bach - 85 -
Business can be a unique way to help. BTJ missionaries have been active on the mission field for a relatively short period of time. China has long been considered to be a missionary receiving country, not a missionary sending country. That idea is changing at a very rapid rate. Missionaries from China have not typically had a lot of resources and financial backing, so business allows them to obtain resources for ministry that they would not otherwise have. Chinese missionaries have been able to establish several businesses that help them obtain a visa, support their family with a steady stream of sustainable income, and allow regular unfettered access to the people. Sometimes the businesses that the Chinese missionaries have established have even been supported by the Chinese government. NORTH KOREA 30 DAY PRAYER GUIDE - Eugene Bach - 86 -
Prayer Points * The North Korean economy is suffering from the Communist Structure of the government * Most North Koreans do not regular paychecks from dependable employment * Pray that Chinese missionaries can establish businesses that will bring life and hope to the people of North Korea Today s Scripture Reading Exodus 35:35 Them hath he filled with wisdom of heart, to work all manner of work, of the engraver, and of the cunning workman, and of the embroiderer, in blue, and in purple, in scarlet, and in fine linen, and of the weaver, even of them that do any work, and of those that devise cunning work. NORTH KOREA 30 DAY PRAYER GUIDE - Eugene Bach - 87 -
day 28 A Gospel Franchise Back to Jerusalem missionaries have set up a small business that is allowing them to have regular access throughout North Korea. For security reasons, the details of the business cannot be revealed, but it has allowed a group of Chinese missionaries to move to North Korea to share the Gospel. The missionaries have been trying to make their business competitive as well as compassionate. The government officials would like to financially benefit from the income and have offered special favors in exchange for a bribe, but the Chinese have resisted the temptation. They are hoping that they can make a difference by setting the example of Christian ethics in business. North Koreans have come from all over to gain employment from the Chinese missionaries. Word has started to spread around that the Chinese employers are not only good people to buy goods and services from, but they are also good to work for. Unlike the government, the Chinese business that has been set up by the missionaries pay their workers a competitive salary and they pay it on time. Unfortunately, in North Korea, more than 90-95% of the workers income has to be given over to the government as tax. The workers are not allowed to keep very much of NORTH KOREA 30 DAY PRAYER GUIDE - Eugene Bach - 88 -
their pay, but because of the tax system, the Chinese also subsidize the pay with food, rice, and vegetables. Paying the workers in food makes many of the employees extremely happy. In a nation where the overwhelming majority are malnutrition and starving to death food is a welcomed currency. Prayer Points * North Koreans are not very accessible to foreign missionaries, so business provides an amazing platform for engagement * Most North Koreans are unemployed so the BTJ business contributes by providing jobs and skills * Pray for the Chinese missionaries that are currently running their business in North Korea NORTH KOREA 30 DAY PRAYER GUIDE - Eugene Bach - 89 -
Today s Scripture Reading Psalms 37:3-9 Trust in the Lord, and do good; so shalt thou dwell in the land, and verily thou shalt be fed. Delight thyself also in the Lord; and he shall give thee the desires of thine heart. Commit thy way unto the Lord; trust also in him; and he shall bring it to pass. And he shall bring forth thy righteousness as the light, and thy judgment as the noonday. Rest in the Lord, and wait patiently for him: fret not thyself because of him who prospereth in his way, because of the man who bringeth wicked devices to pass. Cease from anger, and forsake wrath: fret not thyself in any wise to do evil. For evildoers shall be cut off: but those that wait upon the Lord, they shall inherit the earth. NORTH KOREA 30 DAY PRAYER GUIDE - Eugene Bach - 90 -
day 29 Infiltration Back to Jerusalem missionaries have set up an underground railroad through a business that they have established in North Korea. The business allows them access to a chain of suppliers that can easily help deliver desperately needed items in North Korea like food, bibles, and Christian teaching materials. More than ten years ago, BTJ was able to deliver hundreds of audio Bibles in to North Korea through the porous border, but as BTJ saw success, so did many other ministries. Soon there were many ministries on the border of North Korea delivering their own audio Bibles and it did not take long before North Korean officials caught on. They began to clamp down on the border region specifically looking for audio Bibles. The Chinese government was made aware of the situation and also began to crack down on ministries in the area. Their level of alert was heightened after North Korean agents came across the border and assassinated a Chinese citizen pastor in an attempt to stop the Gospel from coming to their nation from China. The Chinese government was not happy about their territorial integrity being violated and greatly blamed underground Christian ministries infiltrating North Korea with the Gospel. The North Korean government crackdown has been NORTH KOREA 30 DAY PRAYER GUIDE - Eugene Bach - 91 -
extremely effective, but this new method that has been established by Back to Jerusalem has allowed Christian materials to get to the hands of the people without much worry regarding the new regulations. The delivery is irregular and large quantities are not always possible, but so far the new method has been able to keep the Chinese and their partners safe. More materials are needed and more prayers for protection is absolutely necessary. Prayer Points * New Christians in North Korea desperately need Bibles and other Gospel materials * Most North Korean Christians do not know any believers that are willing to risk their life to help them with access to God s Word * Pray for the safety of those that are involved in the BTJ underground railroad NORTH KOREA 30 DAY PRAYER GUIDE - Eugene Bach - 92 -
Today s Scripture Reading Isaiah 54:2-5 Enlarge the place of thy tent, and let them stretch forth the curtains of thine habitations: spare not, lengthen thy cords, and strengthen thy stakes; For thou shalt break forth on the right hand and on the left; and thy seed shall inherit the Gentiles, and make the desolate cities to be inhabited. Fear not; for thou shalt not be ashamed: neither be thou confounded; for thou shalt not be put to shame: for thou shalt forget the shame of thy youth, and shalt not remember the reproach of thy widowhood any more. For thy Maker is thine husband; the Lord of hosts is his name; and thy Redeemer the Holy One of Israel; The God of the whole earth shall he be called. NORTH KOREA 30 DAY PRAYER GUIDE - Eugene Bach - 93 -
day 30 Training of Pastors and Church Planters Go ye therefore, and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them into the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit: teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I commanded you: and lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world. Was the command given by Jesus to those that follow Him in Matthew 28:19-20. Back to Jerusalem missionaries from China know that handing out Bibles and praying for people is not going to bring long term change in North Korea. In order to bring long term change, there is a huge need for making disciples. Pastors, evangelists, and ministers are desperately needed. That is why Chinese missionaries are not just sharing the Good News and then leaving to celebrate a victory, but they are willing to live and die in North Korea to be a living sacrifice. They eat, sleep, work, and live every day life with the people in North Korea. They do not deliberately separate themselves in isolated foreign communities. Instead, they mingle among the locals and make friendships that will last a life time. They make friends with the people of North Korea like Jesus did with His disciples. NORTH KOREA 30 DAY PRAYER GUIDE - Eugene Bach - 94 -
In His final hours on earth, when Jesus prayed in the Garden of Gethsemane, He wasn t only praying for strength to face the task that was inevitable for the salvation of man, He prayed deeply for His disciples. He had grown to love them and they had grown to love Him. Paul mentors several different men during his missionary journeys and even mentions them in his letters. Old Testament scriptures were not widely available to the normal person during the days of Jesus and the New Testament did not even exist in the canonized version that we have today for another couple hundred years. Face to face discipleship is how the first century church grew. Jesus spent time with his disciples and personally showed them the ways of the Kingdom. It was almost like being born again also involved being raised again. Just as a child that is born into a family is raised by his or her parents before they are one day sent out on their own. The disciples took the deposit that Jesus made in their lives and began making investments in the lives of others. This is really the only method that the Chinese missionaries in North Korea are able to employ. They do not have Bible schools or theological seminaries to train up new believers. Instead, they have to rely on the exact same method that Jesus used with His disciples. More missionaries are needed for this task. NORTH KOREA 30 DAY PRAYER GUIDE - Eugene Bach - 95 -
Prayer Points * North Koreans need missionaries that are willing to invest the rest of their lives in North Korea * Discipleship is key to training up new pastors and leaders in North Korea * Just like the disciples of Jesus, the likelihood of North Korean disciples surviving till they are old is slim. Many North Korean disciples will face premature deaths and prayer for them is desperately needed Today s Scripture Reading 2 Timothy 2:21-25 If a man therefore purge himself from these, he shall be a vessel unto honour, sanctified, and meet for the master s use, and prepared unto every good work. Flee also youthful lusts: but follow righteousness, faith, charity, peace, with them that call on the Lord out of a pure heart. But foolish and unlearned questions avoid, knowing that they do gender strifes. And the servant of the Lord must not strive; but be gentle unto all men, apt to teach, patient, In meekness instructing those that oppose themselves; if God peradventure will give them repentance to the acknowledging of the truth. NORTH KOREA 30 DAY PRAYER GUIDE - Eugene Bach - 96 -
About the Author Eugene Bach is a pseudonym for a member of the Chinese underground church who does not wish to be identified. He was trained in U.S. military special operations and served two tours in the Persian Gulf and Asia Pacific region, serving primarily as a member of a rapid response team focusing on targeted threat elimination, counterterrorism, and security. He has been working with the underground church in China for more than fifteen years, helping them to establish forward mission bases in closed countries around the world, including Iraq and Syria. Eugene leads the Chinese mission movement called Back to Jerusalem, which provides essential support for Chinese missionaries in Africa, Asia, and the Middle East, and he has written books about the underground church in China, North Korea, and Iran. NORTH KOREA 30 DAY PRAYER GUIDE - Eugene Bach - 97 -