Displaying items by tag: Religion
Day of prayer for rural Britain
On 16 November, between 10am and 3pm, a day of prayer for the churches and communities of rural Britain will be held at St James’s Church, Sutton, Macclesfield SK11 0DS. Prayer Alert intercessors are invited to join Hope for the Countryside in a time of worship, sharing, listening, and seeking the Lord for a fresh move of the Holy Spirit across the countryside and the nation. There will be no charge, and hot drinks and lunch will be provided. For more information click the ‘More’ button.
Controversy in Cornwall
Philip de Grey-Warter, vicar of Fowey for 17 years, resigned from the Church of England and on 6 October started his own church in the town. The new church community, Anchor, will be run under the auspices of AMiE (Anglican Mission in England), a mission society established by GAFCON to multiply and strengthen healthy Anglican churches in England, assisting in evangelism and Biblical teaching. It intends to pioneer 25 AMiE churches by 2025. GAFCON is a global movement of conservative Anglican clergy who aim to restore the Bible to the heart of the Anglican Communion. Mr de Grey-Warter decided to leave the CofE when the House of Bishops allowed the baptism liturgy to be used for those who are transitioning gender. He denied that the new church is homophobic, and posted his story online . See also
Day of prayer for persecuted church
Join Christians around the world on Sunday 3 November, the International Day of Prayer for the Persecuted Church - a global prayer meeting for our Christian brothers and sisters who witness for Christ boldly at any cost. Voice of the Martyrs has produced a short film providing a dramatic example of the challenges of following Christ inside North Korea, the world’s most restricted nation. The film will inspire all who watch it to pray for persecuted Christians around the world. It depicts the true story of Pastor Han, who was assassinated by North Korean agents in China because of his effective gospel work among North Koreans. The story is told through the eyes of one of his disciples who has followed in his mentor’s footsteps by continuing to share the gospel with North Koreans, despite the danger.
Benin: prayer needs
Benin is best known for its peaceful democracy, one of the most stable in Africa. However, corruption remains a significant issue. The country, once hosting main ports crucial in the slave trade, still negotiates shady deals. Poverty increases each year. This year deadly protests broke out after opposition parties were banned from participating in elections. The nation’s annual Voodoo Day brings thousands of participants to the country’s celebration. Voodoo, a religion approved by the government, has more than 60% devotees and contributes to significant spiritual bondages over the nation, its people and the Church. The country allows freedom to practise and propagate any religion. Pray for humility and repentance to grip the government (2 Chronicles 34:27). Because Benin has such strong connections with voodoo, it is difficult for people involved to leave it and follow Jesus. It is also difficult for Christians to grow in their faith without dealing with the spiritual bondages of voodoo. Ask God to minister deliverance and freedom (2 Corinthians 2:11).
Halloween and sharing the hope of Jesus
Halloween is a great time to share the hope of Jesus with all those who come knocking at your door. Each ‘bag of hope’ from UCB and World Vision contains a full-colour, Bible-based booklet and activity sheet. Picture the scene. It is 31 October, the night is drawing in, and the doorbell rings. The Christians in the house know it will probably be trick-or-treaters, so they have two choices. They can pretend not to be in (dim the lights, quick!) or they could greet callers with a big smile and a brand new bag of hope. The bags are free and suitable for children aged 5 to 10. Praise God for the Christian input on that day with church light parties, and resources like the bags of hope.
Hope for the countryside
‘If the foundations are destroyed, what can the righteous do?’ (Psalm 11:3) Beneath the turmoil and conflict in nation and church is a crumbling of the biblical foundations that have supported both through many centuries. As we teeter on the edge of an abyss, pray that believers will be able to see beyond the news and understand the time from the Lord’s perspective. Pray that He will call out a faithful remnant characterised by radical discipleship, loving fellowship, and humble service. Pray for rural believers to understand their calling to light beacons of prayer and make places of sanctuary. Britain’s green and pleasant land has a dark side which is getting darker. While overall crime rates are falling, drug crime is increasing in small towns and villages. According to NFU Mutual, rural crime hit a seven-year high in 2018, with farmers bearing the brunt. Pray to the Father to deliver us from evil, and for His peace to reign in the countryside.
Scrapping council meeting prayers
In an attempt to be more 'inclusive', North Somerset Council voted last week to abolish its Christian prayers before council meetings, also rejecting a proposal to replace them with a period of ‘reflection’. Christian Legal Centre's Michael Phillips commented ahead of the vote, ‘If we remove every last vestige of Christianity, we are really left with nothing. When we turn our backs on what is good, we are left in a complete and utter mess.’
Germany: prayer walk
A prayer walk along the former east-west border is being undertaken by German intercessors, from 3 October to 9 November, with the slogan ‘From a lifeless divide to a new lifeline’. The walk will take place along two routes, one from the north and one from the south, to a central meeting point. Its aim is to thank God for freedom and unity, and to pray for further reconciliation and understanding between former East and West Germany.
Sudan: prayer needs
Sudan’s dominant religion is Islam, and it ranks 6th in the persecution table. Almost 50% of the population live below the poverty line. President al-Bashir was forced to step down after thirty years in power marked by oppression, genocide, and human rights abuses. The military now rule the country, and sharia law throughout the country allows stoning and amputations as punishments. Bashir’s military was responsible for bombing Christian civilians in the Nuba mountains. Christians are often subject to brutal treatment from the surrounding culture and from authorities; conversion from Islam to Christianity is punishable by death. Church buildings are regularly attacked and burned. The Christian community in Sudan is waiting and watching the uncertain future under military law. Pray for God to work in the hearts of Sudanese leaders, convicting them to seek justice and peace through the power of the Holy Spirit.
Hope Youth
Hope Youth (formally Hope Revolution), the youth arm of Hope Together, seeks to engage young people from across the church in mission and evangelism. Hope Youth has numerous partners including but not limited to the Church of England, Alpha, Limitless, Youth for Christ, Scripture Union, Message Trust and the Pais Movement. Collectively this group has facilitated the creation of various initiatives and resources including Mission Academy, Mission Academy Live, and Amplify, part of Advance 2020, an evangelistic movement to promote and stir up the gift of the evangelist building towards a cross-country outreach in 2020. Alongside this they are praying and planning together for what an intentional, strategic, and spirit-filled year of mission will look like in the UK in 2020, taking the gospel to the nation on an unprecedented scale. See