Displaying items by tag: Religion

Last month we prayed for God to strengthen His church to stand against temptation after high profile scandals led to many leaving Hillsong. Now a statement by the 24-7 Prayer movement said, ‘Some significant concerns relating to Mike Andrea’s role in the local church have been proven and are being addressed by the Trustees of Global Generation Church. Having carefully and prayerfully considered the investigation findings we have asked Mike Andrea to step down as CEO of 24-7 Prayer and are requiring him to submit to personal and professional training and development, to which he has agreed, prior to considering any new role within the organisation that has yet to be defined.  Alongside this, we will conduct a full and thorough review of the culture within 24-7 Prayer’s various operational teams and will recruit a new CEO. Pray for God to heal all who have been hurt by inappropriate experiences by Christian leaders.’

The Christian Medical Fellowship (CMF), working under the authority of the Ukraine ministry of health, is providing a portal for getting medicines, consumables and equipment to hospitals, health centres and frontline Ukrainian paramedics. It has a window of opportunity and needs to act quickly and decisively. It has appointed experienced volunteers to key roles and has set up a national operation to deliver medical supplies to Ukraine, in partnership with the Keswick Group. Supplies will be received, sorted and packaged near Derby and then sent by lorry to Poland where they have organised a good supply route into a West Ukraine distribution centre operated by a local Christian medical association. Please pray for stamina for the CMF doctors and nurses collecting medical supplies from pharmacies, surgeries and hospitals. Pray for wisdom as they sort the aid and package it, and for safe speedy transport to the areas where it is needed.

Interserve works alongside the Church in nations across Asia and the Arab World, and in other locations where there is opportunity to disciple Asian and Arab peoples. Some missionaries serve long-term, others for a shorter time. Some join through as volunteers or as consultants. Pray for more people to hear God’s call on their lives to be involved in bringing transformation into the lives of the people by starting a business, or working in medicine, or ministering to refugees. Pray for God to send those with the skills to assist immigrants, now in the West, with language classes, teaching, and much more in partnership with the global Church. Pray for those already discipling people in dangerous situations; ask God to keep them safe. Pray for those countering human trafficking, working alongside refugees, and assisting immigrants in every way possible. https://www.interserve.org.uk/focus/ Times have changed, but Jesus is the same yesterday, today, and for ever.

Since the 2021 coup which deposed Myanmar’s democratically elected government, the Burmese military has been attacking its own civilians. The junta that controls the government continues to destroy religious buildings with artillery attacks and airstrikes on civilian areas in the Christian-majority Chin state. Residents in some regions have formed militias to resist those destroying religious buildings (often used as shelters during attacks). In Chin state, over 35 churches and 15 other Christian-affiliated buildings were destroyed between February 2021 and January 2022. In Kayah state 12 churches were destroyed in the same period. In May 2021 the military continuously shelled Sacred Heart Church in the capital of Kayah state, killing four who were sheltering there and causing extensive damage. Myanmar’s cardinal published a plea to the regime, urging them to stop targeting religious buildings. The military ignored his request and are continuing to shell many more churches.

As India’s election process gathers momentum, more Christians are being attacked. Haryana is the tenth state to pass an anti-conversion law preventing Christians from sharing their faith or Hindus from converting freely. A Haryana pastor, speaking on condition of anonymity, said, ‘There has been a gradual shutdown of house churches in the region through threats and violence. The new law will be one more step to validate what they have been doing to Christians. The law can be misused to target innocent Christians.’ Opposition Congress members staged a walkout of the legislative assembly on 22 March in protest at the bill. They called anti-conversion measures ‘draconian’ and said its passing would be ‘a black day in Haryana’s history that will deepen the communal divide. The bill is in violation of the Indian constitution, which gives the right to profess, practice and propagate a person's religion’.

Hillsong Phoenix lead pastor Terry Crist has resigned from the Hillsong church and taken his congregation with him. Nine US-based Hillsong churches have left the global organisation in two weeks as the movement shrinks dramatically. The church’s high-profile scandals include the resignation of Australian founder Brian Houston after he breached a code of conduct with two women. The pastor of Hillsong Atlanta left immediately after to launch a new church at Easter. Pastor Crist lost confidence in the global board to continue to lead them as a congregation and had asked to be allowed a local governing board while still operating under the Hillsong banner. The board refused. Pray for the Hillsong families as they process the pain of separation from their community. Pray for healing and change where change is needed.

Churches across the UK have marked the second anniversary of the first Covid-19 lockdown with walls of reflection and remembrance in cathedrals and churches as people brought photos, prayers and memories to honour those who have died. Cathedrals and other landmarks across the country have lighted up their buildings in yellow as a sign of support. The Bishop of London, chair of the UK Commission on Bereavement, said, ‘I recall how helpless so many people, including myself, felt in the early days of the pandemic, surrounded by constant reminders of the magnitude of loss being experienced across the country. Today is a day to reflect, pause and remember those we have lost over the past two years and pray for the millions bereaved during the pandemic.’

Ukraine’s Christians are praying for God's protection, peace, and His will to be done, seeking Him in churches, bomb shelters, and homes. They are believing for miracles, healing and the supernatural presence of God to manifest itself powerfully throughout Ukraine. There is such faith being exercised, with crying out to God, as shown on videos, that some wonder if the presence and glory of God will become so pervasive that Russian soldiers will kneel down and repent on the battlefield, while Ukrainians extend grace, forgiveness and mercy, showing the love of Christ. In the midst of trial and war, the church is singing. It is standing against the wave of evil, bringing a standard of righteousness and holiness in the midst of calamity. Worship and prayer, spiritual warfare tools, are cutting through the darkness and joining brothers and sisters in Christ worldwide.

Kyrgyzstan, a remote mountainous nation with a nomadic tribal culture, is one of the poorest former Soviet states. Life is hard and many have left to work elsewhere. Most Kyrgyz have returned to their pre-communist Islamic cultural identity. 93% are Sunni Muslims: 4% are Christians, including less than 1% evangelicals. Some churches worship openly, even in small towns, but being a Christian is difficult because of the Islamic culture. Christian converts are commonly beaten, and the small Christian minority is generally oppressed by society. For example, buses will not stop for those known as Christians in small communities, and believers have difficulty getting jobs and even buying goods. In some communities, Muslim leaders have denied the burial of deceased Christians. Bibles are more accessible in Kyrgyzstan than in other Central Asian nations and can be purchased at churches in larger cities, but they are expensive.

A recent survey by the Deseret News reveals a growing trend. Americans are becoming less attached to religious practices and institutions such as daily prayer and attending services. While the state of religion is continually changing, the study found that most Americans still hold core religious beliefs and draw moral guidance from their families and their faith traditions. 7 in 10 Americans believe the country would be better off if we prayed for each other, and most Americans say the Constitution was inspired by God. About 71% consider themselves spiritual, regardless of whether they practise religion or not. 40% attend church at least once or twice a month - a noticeable decline from 2011. Americans over 60 are the most likely to attend church services. 72% believe ‘the nation's moral compass is pointed in the wrong direction’.