Partnering in Faith!

Pastor Asif Raza and His Ministry in Pakistan

At City Centre Church, we're always inspired by the ways God is working around the world. Recently, we received a heartfelt letter from Pastor Asif Raza in Faisalabad, Pakistan. His family has been faithfully watching our Sunday service videos online each week and lifting us up in prayer. In response to some questions from Pastor Stephen P. Bell, Pastor Asif shared inspiring details about his church, community, and family. We're excited to share this with you as a glimpse into the global body of Christ and how we can pray and partner together. Below, we've organized his responses for clarity.

1. Tell us about your church! Where you are and how it's going.

Our church is located in Faisalabad, Pakistan, where by God’s grace we are serving the local Christian community with a sincere and growing faith. The church is made up mostly of families who live with limited resources, yet there is a strong hunger for God’s Word and a deep commitment to prayer and worship.

By the grace of God, the church is gradually growing. New people are coming to faith, some are being baptized, and many are becoming actively involved in ministry. Along with our Sunday worship services, we focus on home fellowships, Bible study, children’s ministry, and practical support for needy families as a way of sharing the love of Christ.

Although we face challenges and have limited resources, we clearly see God at work among us. He is strengthening our church spiritually, building unity, and using us to be a light and a source of hope in our community.

2. What are the spiritual demographics of your town?

The spiritual demographics of our town are quite diverse. The majority of the population follows other faith traditions, while the Christian community is a small minority. Most believers come from economically marginalized backgrounds and often face social pressure and limitations in openly expressing their faith.

At the same time, there is a growing spiritual openness, especially among younger people and families who are searching for hope, peace, and purpose in their lives. Many Christians are strong in faith but have limited access to biblical teaching, discipleship, and resources.

This context creates both challenges and opportunities for ministry. There is a great need for prayer, discipleship, and compassionate outreach, and we believe God has placed our church here to serve, strengthen believers, and faithfully share the love of Christ through word and action.

3. Where has your church seen God working recently?

Recently, we have clearly seen God at work in several encouraging ways within our church. We have witnessed spiritual growth among our members, with people becoming more committed to prayer, worship, and studying God’s Word. A few new families have begun attending regularly, and some individuals have taken important steps of faith, including baptism and deeper involvement in ministry.

We have also seen God working through outreach and compassion ministries. As we serve needy families with food assistance and prayer, hearts are being touched and people are experiencing God’s love in practical ways. Testimonies of answered prayers, encouragement in difficult situations, and renewed hope have strengthened our faith.

Despite limited resources, God continues to open doors and provide at the right time. These recent experiences remind us that the Holy Spirit is actively working among us, building His church and transforming lives.

4. Is there anything we can pray for?

Yes, there are several important areas where we would deeply appreciate your prayers. Please pray for spiritual strength, wisdom, and protection for our church members as they live out their faith in a challenging environment. Pray that God would deepen our faith, keep us united, and help us remain faithful and bold in sharing the Gospel.

We also ask for prayer for provision of resources—especially for discipleship materials, children’s ministry, and outreach efforts to serve needy families. Please pray for good health and strength for our leadership team, and for God’s guidance as we make decisions for the future of the church.

Above all, pray that God’s name would be glorified through our ministry, that lives would be transformed by Christ, and that our community would come to know the hope and salvation found in Jesus.

5. We'd love to know more about your family! Your church family and your biological family! About your wife, your daughter, your dad and grandfather!

We are thankful for the opportunity to share about our family, both our church family and our biological family. You have already spoken with my wife, Evangelist Sumera Asif, who is actively serving in children’s ministry. God has placed a special burden on her heart for poor and needy families, and she serves them with great compassion and faithfulness.

God has blessed us with two children. Our elder daughter, Mireya Asif, and our son, Ozias Asif, are growing up in an environment of faith and service. It is our prayer that they will continue to know the Lord deeply and walk in His purposes for their lives.

As a family, God is using us in different ways through ministry. We lead home churches in various areas and share the Good News with people who are far from God, especially among deserving and unreached communities. Through prayer, teaching, and practical support, we seek to demonstrate the love of Christ.

We have been actively involved in ministry for the past ten years, but ministry is truly part of our heritage. I come from a pastoral family—my grandfather was a pastor, after him my father has continued in pastoral ministry, and now my wife and I are serving together. In a very real sense, ministry is in my blood. My wife also comes from a believing and ministry-focused family; her father served in ministry, and after him his brother continues as a worship leader and youth pastor.

We are grateful to God for this legacy and for the privilege of serving Him together as a family, trusting Him to continue His work through our lives and our church family.

6. How can City Centre Church partner more in the Gospel with you and your team?

City Centre Church can partner more deeply with us in the Gospel in several meaningful ways. First and foremost, your continued prayers are a great source of strength and encouragement for us. Knowing that we are remembered in prayer helps us remain faithful and bold in our calling.

Partnership through discipleship and ministry support would also be a great blessing. Sharing teaching resources, training materials, and ministry guidance can help strengthen our leaders, children’s ministry, and home churches as we disciple believers and reach unreached communities.

We also welcome partnership through outreach and compassion ministries. Financial support and strategic collaboration can help us expand our work among poor and deserving families, support evangelism in new areas, and develop sustainable ministries that meet both spiritual and practical needs.

Finally, regular communication and mutual encouragement will help us grow together as one body in Christ. We see this partnership not just as support, but as a shared mission—to glorify God and advance His Kingdom together.

In his letter, Pastor Asif also shared: "Thank you so much for your kind message and for becoming a partner with us. We are truly grateful and very excited about this fellowship and partnership in the work of the Lord... Hope you will learn in detail about us. God bless you."

We're grateful for this connection and invite our church family to join in praying for Pastor Asif, his team, and their ministry. If you'd like to get involved or learn more about partnering, reach out to Pastor Stephen. Let's continue to lift one another up as we serve the Lord together!