“And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the Lord’s people.”
Ephesians 6:18
By Wissam al-Saliby
How to Pray for the World?
This is a question I often hear from Christians who desire to pray faithfully, knowledgeably, and with well-defined appeals to our Lord and Savior. Many believers want their prayers to move beyond general requests and instead reflect a deeper awareness of the realities facing God’s people and the world He loves.
My personal approach to praying for the world involves researching and engaging with trusted country watch lists that outline the challenges faced by individuals, nations, and their leaders. These challenges include maintaining peace, providing for their people, protecting human dignity, and responding to humanitarian crises.
Together, these watch lists enhance our understanding of the difficulties many Christians confront globally. They also draw attention to countries where Christians endure hardship and, in some cases, outright persecution. In many of these contexts, local churches and faith communities are striving to respond faithfully amid extraordinary pressures, and they need our prayers, solidarity, and advocacy.
Below are three lists for 2026 that I encourage you to add to your prayer watch practices. Each offers a distinct yet complementary lens through which we can pray more intentionally for the world.
- Baptist Vulnerability Index
The Baptist Vulnerability Index, published by the Baptist World Alliance (BWA), highlights members of the global Baptist family living in the most vulnerable and challenging countries in the world. Published annually since 2021, this index is shaped by four key factors:
- hunger
- livelihood insecurity
- violent conflict
- religious freedom challenges
I appreciate this list because, while the BWA is strongly invested in missions through the Global Baptist Mission Network and the Acts 2 Movement, and is a staunch and respected advocate for religious freedom, it also reflects our Christian commitment to the whole person. It acknowledges that missions and spiritual freedom cannot be separated from physical survival, economic stability, and safety from violence. This holistic perspective helps us pray not only for protection of faith, but also for daily provision, justice, and peace for our Baptist brothers and sisters—and their neighbors.
Access the list here:
https://baptistworld.org/vulnerability-index/
- International Rescue Committee Emergency Watchlist
The International Rescue Committee (IRC) publishes an annual Emergency Watchlist identifying countries most at risk of new or worsening humanitarian emergencies. This list has been produced for more than a decade and serves as a sobering reminder of how fragile life can be in many parts of the world.
For Christians, this watchlist offers a powerful tool for intercession—guiding us to pray for the most vulnerable populations and nations, and to ask for God’s mercy to prevent death, injury, displacement, and the loss of livelihoods. It also invites us to reflect on our call to compassion, generosity, and advocacy on behalf of those suffering.
I was especially saddened to see my home country, Lebanon, ranked tenth on this year’s list—a reminder that crises are never abstract, but deeply personal for millions.
Access the list here:
https://www.rescue.org/watchlist
- Crisis Group Watch List
Lastly, Crisis Group, an international peace and conflict prevention think tank, publishes an annual Watch List identifying ten countries facing heightened risks of deadly conflict, humanitarian emergencies, or political instability. While this list is primarily intended to inform policymakers, particularly within the European Union, it offers valuable insight for people of faith seeking to pray wisely for peace.
This watch list can serve as a blueprint for prayer focused on diplomacy, conflict prevention, reconciliation, and justice. It helps us intercede for timely interventions that could save lives, reduce suffering, and promote lasting peace, security, and stability.
The 2026 Watch List is expected to be published in January 2026. In the meantime, you can access the 2025 Watch List, published in January 2025, here:
Access the 2025 list here:
https://www.crisisgroup.org/global/watch-list-2025
A Call to Informed and Faithful Prayer
Taken together, these lists—two of which come from secular organizations—broaden our perspective and deepen our understanding of the forces that shape peace and conflict, humanitarian need, threats to human rights, and the ability of communities to flourish according to God’s intention and design.
As Christians, we are called to pray not only with compassion, but also with awareness. I invite you to pray specifically for leaders in these countries, including Christian leaders, to:
- engage in mediation and conflict resolution
- provide humanitarian aid, shelter, food, and clean water
- advocate for just governance
- confront corruption
- defend human rights and the dignity of all people
May our prayers be informed, persistent, and Spirit-led—and may they move us toward faithful action as we seek God’s peace for a broken world.
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