P r i s t i n a (EBPS) – According to Baptist pastor Bekim Beka (Pristina), the death of Kosova President Ibrahim Rugova catapults the country’s few Protestants into an uncertain future. On the occasion of the Kosova Day of Prayer scheduled for 31 January, the pastor writes that Rugova was known in this heavily Muslim country for his “pro-Christian attitude”. “He was always willing to speak with church representatives,” according to Beka. He notes that since the end of Kosova war, 31 January has become internationally recognised by Christians as a day of prayer for Kosova.

Peace in Kosova remains very fragile. The Muslim majority of roughly 2 million and the Serbian Orthodox minority of 100.000 remain bitter enemies. Negotiations on the future status of religion in the region are to begin in February. Kosova’s status as an autonomic province within Yugoslavia was cancelled by the Serbian President Slobodan Milosevic in 1989. Since the withdrawal of the Serbian army in 1999 following the Kosova war, the province has been under UN administration. Most of Kosova’s Serbs then fled or were driven our by ethnic Albanians. Formally the area is still part of the Republic of Serbia and Montenegro.

Beka reports that the provisional government is preparing a new law on religion requiring that all Protestant groups be officially registered. It requires though that at the next national census at least 2.000 citizens declare themselves “evangelical”. Beka assumes that many Protestants will avoid this due to possible negative consequences and that consequently the required number will not be reached. Protestants in the country are repeatedly discriminated against as a “new sect”. Pastor Beka requests prayer that this hurdle might indeed be overcome. His further prayer requests include the naming of Rugova’s successor, negotiations on the independence of Kosova and the anchoring of religious liberty in the new constitution.

Dr. Tony Peck, General-Secretary of the European Baptist Federation, supports the concerns listed for the Day of Prayer. He calls Europe’s 750.000 Baptists to pray on January 31^st especially for this region.

Prayer concerns

    1. For our political leaders in Kosova, especially now after the death of our President. Pray that the new president will be a God-chosen person.

    2. Pray for the negotiations regarding the final status of Kosova that are planned to begin soon. There is a huge difference between what Albanians and Serbs want, so let’s pray that God will provide the best solution for this land.

    3. Let's pray that Kosova will remain a free country for Christian work and witness.

    4. Let us pray that, whatever the final law on religious freedom will be, it will enable us to freely exercise our faith and to worship Jesus Christ as our Lord and Saviour.

    5. Recently we have experienced a media campaign against our community. Let us pray for God's protection and strength for all of us: pastors, lay leaders, missionaries and all Christian believers in our country.

   6. Please pray for our witness and evangelism in the churches. Pray that 2006 will be a year of spiritual awakening and growth.

   7. Pray for our discipleship ministries and for God to multiply Kosovar leaders in our churches. Pray for new pastors, new preachers, new worship leaders, evangelists, etc, among Kosovar Christians.

   8. Pray for unity among Christians and churches in our country. We want to be one in God. Pray that we will have a unity which reflects His glory.

   9. Pray for the Council of Ministers of the Kosova Protestant Evangelical Church (KPEC), that God will give us wisdom and guidance as we serve our Christian community. Please pray that God will keep us humble and that we may seek Him above anything else.

   10. Please pray for the KPEC that it will be a real Body of Christ in Kosova and not just an organisation. Please pray that everyone within KPEC will experience God's blessings.