Displaying items by tag: Worldwide

With only 61 days till 2018 it is time to begin preparing to start the New Year off with a wave of prayer around the nations.

We invite our brothers and sisters in Christ, prayer groups, and churches to join us all over the world to pray at sunrise on New Year's Day 2018 at a public location like a hill, lookout or landmark in your city or town.

Register your 'Public' or 'Private' and join the Facebook Event and let's get the conversation started.http://www.sunriseprayerrelay.org/

Invite your friends, prayer groups and churches to join in the New Year's Day Sunrise Prayer Relay and together let's start 2018 with prayer, because when people pray God moves.

Christianity is “the world’s most oppressed faith community,” and anti-Christian persecution in the worst regions has reached “a new peak” claims a new report by Aid to the Church in Need.

“In terms of the numbers of people involved, the gravity of the crimes committed and their impact,” notes the report, “it is clear that the persecution of Christians is today worse than at any time in history. Not only are Christians more persecuted than any other faith group, but ever-increasing numbers are experiencing the very worst forms of persecution.”

The report, “Persecuted and Forgotten?”, compiles analysis from a number of sources, including Open Door’s World Watch List and the Pew Forum’s Social Hostilities Index. In 12 of the 13 countries reviewed, the situation for Christians was worse in overall terms in the period 2015–17 than within the preceding two years. The only exception was Saudi Arabia, where “the situation was already so bad it could scarcely get any worse.”

The report claims that the United Nations and Western governments failed to offer Christians in countries such as Iraq and Syria the emergency help they needed as genocide got underway. “If Christian organizations and other institutions had not filled the gap,” says the report, “the Christian presence could already have disappeared in Iraq and other parts of the Middle East.”

ISIS and other Islamist militant groups have committed genocide against Christians in Iraq and Syria. The militants are being defeated in many areas, though, which is making it possible for some Christian communities to return to their homes. “The defeat of [ISIS] and other Islamists in major strongholds of the Middle East offers the last hope of recovery for Christian groups threatened with extinction,” says the report. “Many would not survive another similar violent attack.”

Christians have also suffered increased violence and oppression as a result of a rise in religious nationalism. In India, persecution has risen sharply since the 2014 rise to power of the right-wing Hindu nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party.

The worst persecution, though, continues to occur in North Korea. As the report points out, the “unspeakable atrocities” against Christians include enforced starvation, enforced abortion, and reports of believers being hung on crosses over a fire and others being crushed under a steamroller.

Download the report here: https://www.churchinneed.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/10/persecution-1-1.pdf

On Wednesday in Iraq, an IS booby-trap killed a family of twenty-three, including pregnant women and children. In Indonesia, two suicide bombs detonated outside a bus terminal, killing three guards. In Somalia, five people were killed by a Shahid suicide bomber, and in Syria children were among fifteen civilians killed by IS. Last Saturday Islamic terrorists opened fire on Nigerian villagers, killing at least seven. The list goes on. Manchester brought terrorism to the UK, but so far this year there have been 496 terrorist attacks globally, with 3,292 fatalities. We can’t remove terrorism, but God can change hearts, situations and nations. He can use situations and circumstances in Iran, Nigeria, Yemen, Somalia, Bangladesh and other nations being shaken to achieve His purposes. Terrorism is a big concept, but our God is bigger.

Wednesday was a historic day for Christian Solidarity Worldwide (CSW). After an eight-year wait, its application for accreditation by the United Nations was finally granted. CSW, an organisation supporting Christians around the world living under pressure because of their faith, will now have independent access to key UN human rights advocacy platforms, and the ability to organise side-events independently at fora such as the UN Human Rights Council and General Assembly. CSW’s application had been supported by such dignitaries as Nobel laureates Archbishop Desmond Tutu and Jose Ramos-Horta, the former President of Timor Leste, and also by all five UN Special Rapporteurs.

Known as ‘Europe's last dictatorship,’ Belarus does not tolerate protest or dissent. Yet thousands protested in the streets over a controversial tax. These protests have gained significant momentum, even though 400+ have been detained and many beaten. A brewing conflict over the relationship between Belarus and Russia is spiraling downward, as the country moves away from Russia. Belarus is fragile and vulnerable at a pivotal moment in its history. But most importantly, increasing numbers of Belarusians are turning to Christ, even amid tight controls and increased persecution (source: Prayercast). In America Donald Trump hit back at tax protesters, asking who funded their demonstrations. English newspapers report the tide turning on the streets of the world’s capital cities. Hundreds of peaceful protesters were arrested in Moscow and St Petersburg, after unsanctioned demonstrations against corruption. Half a million Romanians forced their government to abandon a law pardoning corrupt officials after taking to the streets.

At a G20 meeting this week, financial leaders from the world's biggest economies failed to agree on trade, highlighting a global shift towards protectionism (for ten years, the finance ministers and central bankers of the world's top twenty economies have rejected protectionism and endorsed free trade). Failure to agree on a commitment to keep global trade free and open will have negative consequences. Watered-down free trade commitments reflect the mood of anti-globalisation that Donald Trump endorses. Another Trump ‘win’ is that the G20 dropped a reference, used last year, to its readiness to finance climate change, as agreed in Paris in 2015, because of opposition from the United States and Saudi Arabia. Trump has called global warming a ‘hoax’ concocted by China to hurt US industry, and has vowed to scrap the Paris climate accord aimed at curbing greenhouse gas emissions. Pray for his administration to reconsider its proposed 31% cut to the Environmental Protection Agency's budget. See also

“Thy Kingdom Come” is the invitation of the Anglican Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby to Christians around the world to pray during a focused time between Ascension and Pentecost from 25th May – 4th June 2017 that people might know Jesus Christ

The hope is that:

∙             People will commit to pray with God’s world-wide family - as a church, individually or as a family

∙             Churches will hold prayer events, such as 24-7 prayer, prayer stations and prayer walks, across the UK and in other parts of the world

∙             People will be transformed through prayer by the Holy Spirit, finding new confidence to be witnesses for Jesus Christ

How did it begin?

In May 2016 the Archbishops of Canterbury and York invited Christians from across the Church of England to join a wave of prayer between Ascension and Pentecost. The response was astonishing as hundreds of thousands joined in from churches of many denominations and different traditions around the UK and across the world.

For 2017 the vision is even greater as more church denominations across the UK are getting involved and the invitation has gone to churches of the world-wide Anglican Communion. Participating nations that are taking part to date are: USA, Canada, Cuba, Bermuda, Brazil, Ghana, South Africa, Uganda, Rwanda, Egpt, Sri Lanka, Australia, Mauritius, Malaysia, Hong Kong, Portugal.

You can join as an individual, church, network or group - the Archbishop’s invitation is simply asking people to pray in whatever way they want, with whoever they want and wherever they can, that others might know Jesus Christ.

Anyone can sign up on the website now and pledge to pray and get more information:   www.thykingdomcome.global

If you are happy to represent your denomination /network in your nation please email Nicola Martin to get more information: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

“In praying 'Thy Kingdom Come' we all commit to playing our part in the renewal of the nations and the transformation of communities." Archbishop Justin Welby

Jane Holloway, World Prayer Centre, Birmingham part of Steering Group of Thy Kingdom Come

Bible Translations

Having the Bible translated into the local language is an important resource for reaching an unreached people group. The written word in their own language adds validity and acceptance to the message, as well as making it more available.

For the word of God is living and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart. -Hebrews 4:12

Lord Jesus,

You are the God of all, the faithful God who keeps covenant and mercy for a thousand generations with those who love You and keep Your commandments. Lord we want to see the Oral and Oral Bible-less Peoples be some of those who love You and keep Your commandments.

Father we thank You for Your Word, and for those who sacrificed so much over the years so that we could have the Bible in our own language. What a blessing it is to read Your truth anytime we want. We pray Lord that you would provide that same blessing to the Every & All, to each of the Oral and Oral Bible-less Peoples around the globe.

We ask that you would accelerate the translation and distribution process for their language. We bless those who are working on this in Jesus name. We ask that You would release Your favor and grace upon them, and upon each project in the making. We ask for You to abundantly provide the funds they need to get Your Word out to the Oral and Oral Bible-less Peoples. In Jesus name, amen.

Linda Bemis

International Orality Network

[International Council Member]

Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

ION Prayer Blog: IONPrayer.com  

International Orality Network

- Influencing the body of Christ to make disciples of all oral learners 

       - 80% of the world (5.7 billion) are oral learners / 1/2 are children! ~Visit: Orality.net 

http://orality.net/

Global persecution of Christians has risen for the fourth year in a row and is on a "rapid rise" in Asia fueled by "extreme religious nationalism," a new report warns.

The report from Open Doors UK, released Wednesday, offers a stark picture of Christian persecution around the world.

"Religious nationalism is sweeping the globe according to figures released today as part of the Open Doors 2017 World Watch List," said Lisa Pearce, CEO of Open Doors UK & Ireland, Catholic News Agency reported.

"Persecution levels have been rising rapidly across Asia and the Indian subcontinent, driven by extreme religious nationalism which is often tacitly condoned, and sometimes actively encouraged, by local and national governments."

According to the report, all top 10 countries with the worst persecution of Christians are in Asia and Africa.

North Korea is still the most difficult place in the world to be a Christian, with Somalia ranking second, followed by Afghanistan, Pakistan, the Sudan, Syria, Iraq, Iran, Yemen, and Eritrea, the report found.

Other "key findings" were:

• Islamic extremism is the main engine of persecution in 14 out of the most hostile 20 countries in the World Watch List, and 35 of the top 50.
• In the Middle East, Christians face pressure under both radical and autocratic regimes.
• Over 200 million Christians in the 50 countries where it is most difficult to be a Christian experience high levels of persecution because of their faith.

http://www.newsmax.com/Newsfront/christian-persecution-middle-east-africa/2017/01/12/id/768326/

Let’s pray for the rejection and overthrow of religious nationalism and for our brothers and sisters in Christ, especially in the countries listed, who continue to suffer great abuse and even death for their faith.

It has been reported that Theresa May was told about the test of a Trident missile that misfired less than a week before she held a House of Commons vote on renewing the £40bn nuclear system. This week she repeatedly refused to deny reports that a serious malfunction had occurred, saying the Government would not get into operational details. Downing Street is facing growing accusations of a cover-up, because on 18 July the Prime Minister stood up in the Commons to ask MPs to vote for the renewal of the Trident programme without telling them about any possible problems. In that debate, Mrs May said she would be willing to authorise a nuclear strike that could kill 100,000 people, and the Commons voted overwhelmingly to replace the programme.