Every year on Pentecost Sunday, Southern Baptists devote a day to pray for a group of people that has not heard the good news of God's love and salvation in Jesus Christ.

Last Sunday, The International Mission Board (IMB) of the Southern Baptist Convention spearheaded the "Day of Prayer and Fasting for World Evangelization 2004."

This year's focus was on the people of the Arabian Peninsula where there is great need for missionaries. There are some 50 million people living in the seven countries of the Arabian Peninsula, which include Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates and Yemen.

Saudi Arabia, Mecca's home, is widely regarded as the most restrictive, least evangelised nation on earth. Most of the people living in these regions are Muslims, if they change their religion, they are often expelled from their families, lose all government benefits and can even lose their lives.

IMB believes that the task of sharing the good news with the people of this region is impossible apart from the enabling power of the Holy Spirit. It is meaningful to hold the prayer and fasting day on Pentecost with the power of the Holy Spirit, which can take the gospel to the world.

"As we look around the world and look at those who have least access to the gospel, this certainly is a group of people who have very little access. A couple of those countries just absolutely do not allow any expression of Christianity at all. Christian churches are banned," Dr. Clyde Meador of the IMB says.

The goal of the Day of Prayer and Fasting is to see the kingdom of God come to the group being prayed for.

The four-year emphasis of the Day of Prayer and Fasting is "That all peoples may know Him," and the theme selected for 2004 is "Go in God's Power." (2002: Seek God's passion; 2003: Follow God's purpose; 2005: Celebrate God's glory)