Displaying items by tag: Praise

Colombia is home to two million Venezuelan refugees who fled economic and political crises and now face adapting to and integrating into a foreign culture. But instead of finding support, they often find themselves isolated and discriminated against. Churches across Colombia have been reaching out to these refugees, letting them know they are not alone. Tearfund and local partners have been equipping churches to set up trauma healing groups, which have supported hundreds of women. It was at her local church’s healing group that Julia finally found acceptance, community, and healing. ‘It is the first support that I found here in Colombia for migrants like us. When I arrived at the church I found the peace that I previously did not have. I saw that it was like my family. I arrive and they hug me, I leave and they hug me. It really has made me think about changing my life.’

A new milestone has been reached by Wycliffe Bible Translators as the Bible is translated into its 700th language. The acceleration that is happening in the work of Bible translation means it is impossible to state which translation was actually the 700th, as there were several launches of physical Bibles as well as several being made available online and via apps, all at about the same time. Every time the Bible is translated into another language, we know that people in that language group can fully access the complete picture of God’s story. Now 5.7 billion people who speak 700 languages have the Bible in the language that speaks to them best. That is a remarkable figure, which continues to grow.

Filipino Manny Pacquiao announced his retirement from boxing on social media, expressing gratitude to God, saying his boxing career would not have been possible without the Lord. He is the only boxer to hold twelve world titles in four different decades. In his retirement post he says, ‘God is good all the time. I give all glory to God. I always believe that in God, all things are possible. Without Him, I am nothing. He is the one who gave me the ability to train and accomplish all those things. The Lord gave me overflowing blessings.’ Meanwhile when Ukrainian boxer Oleksander Usyk became world champion this week by beating Anthony Joshua, he told the media, ‘The only thing I wanted to do with this fight is to give praise to my Lord Jesus Christ and to say that all I have comes from him.’ See

On 18 September the Queen's granddaughter, Princess Beatrice, gave birth to a baby girl weighing 6lb 2oz, at the Chelsea and Westminster Hospital. Buckingham Palace said the princess and her daughter were doing well, and the baby's grandparents and great-grandparents were ‘delighted’. The baby will be 11th in line to the throne and the Queen's 12th great-grandchild. Edoardo Mapelli Mozzi, the baby’s father, will pass on the official Italian title of Nobile Donna, which translates to Noble Woman.

A missionary planted a church in Nicholas Lebey’s village in Ghana. Now Nicholas has done the same in south-east London and Bradford as a pioneer evangelist. In 2013 he came to Woolwich, and planted a church with young people who had no former connection with church. He launched a Friday night youth club, a Tuesday night gathering, a Youth Alpha course and from this, a youth congregation which met on a Sunday evening. He also worked on a local estate, running football and lunch clubs focussed on getting young people off the streets and into a place where they could belong, connect with friends, and build relationships, Nicholas was able to mentor them, with Christian teaching. ‘As relationships deepened, we began to see a community emerge. It came from the young people themselves. I believe we don’t do things for people, we do it with them’, explained Nicholas. 

On 10 September Prayer Alert reported that government ministers were rejecting Scientists recommendations of Covid jabs for 12- to 15-year-olds. You prayed for the Government to change its mind and step in so that pupils got what was needed according to God’s plans for them (Jeremiah 29:11). On 14 September the Government announced that a Covid jab rollout will start in schools in England. Although they are deemed at very low risk from the disease, factors such as disruption to education tipped the balance.

After raising over $28 million to rescue Afghan Christians, Glenn Beck shares an update. ‘Seven years after the IS blitzkrieg, there is revival in northern Syria. The establishment of Islamic government provides ripe soil for the Church to grow. The Afghan Church is determined to do the same. They are still actively meeting, studying the scriptures together and sharing the gospel. We have heard a report about Christians sharing the gospel with Taliban members who came into their village, and they have actually been engaging in Bible studies and prayer.’ While it is often the sensational reports or heroic action that make headlines, Richardson said Afghanistan's Christians are just real people choosing to live out their faith. ‘They say they are scared. Many of them are in despair, but it is in that weakness that they're still pushing forward and they are finding sweetness in all of it.’ he said.

Help the Persecuted (HtP) hosted 100+ Christian converts at a retreat in the Middle East. Most were new converts seeking refuge from war-torn Syria. Others were families HtP helped after the Beirut explosion. All face persecution for their faith. Seif, one of the attendees, said, ‘I lost my brother two months ago. Today, in Christ, I have more brothers than I can imagine. I feel like I am home among my family!’ HtP are praising God for bringing together a community of former Muslims who now live for Christ, and who have now experienced the community of the Body of Christ personally. The HtP team focused on discipling these new believers, as they sought the Lord for healing and hope, and were overjoyed when 49 Muslim converts stepped forward in faith and were baptised!

An ex-Muslim Christian working among Gazans in Jerusalem for medical treatment of war wounds said, ‘They’re tired of hatred and fighting so it’s easier to talk about love and reconciliation.’ Several became believers and one man was miraculously healed of cancer. If only more people would preach the Gospel, many more Muslims would come to Jesus! A great number of Jews have also come to discover their Messiah, and now contend that they are more Jewish than ever. Some had visions of Christ.’ Also, the Church of England will offer an act of repentance in 2022 for its anti-Semitism. The service will mark the passing of 800 years of humiliating anti-Jewish laws which eventually led to the expulsion of Jews from Britain. This monumental move follows their 2019 document ‘God’s Unfailing Word’, which acknowledged the Church’s role in fostering anti-Semitic feeling. 

Rehman Chishti, former PM’s special envoy for freedom of belief, heard of Action for the Church in Need when it brought Asia Bibi’s husband and daughter to see him. He became more familiar with how ACN aims to make the lives of persecuted people better, and decided to run the London marathon in October on its behalf. However, he slipped a disk, causing serious injury that initially left him barely able to stand. Now he will do the 26 miles walking five kilometres every other day. It is the most he can do due to pain. He said, ‘I will do the walk in segments as I can’t risk injuring myself any more. To me, politics is about fulfilling your commitments. On that basis I am adamant I will do that by walking the duration of the marathon.’