Trumpet Call 2015 Special
17 Aug 2015
A richly diverse mixture of 2000 people from across the country came together to stand at the International Convention Centre in Birmingham on July 4th for what many have described as an 'awesome' Trumpet Call day.
The morning started with Ian Cole the founder of WPC, who told us that we stood on a well of salvation – a site where tens of thousands had come to know Christ. He spoke of canals. They remind us of all the things that we do in our own man-made efforts. He told us that this is a time for rivers to be released – and for God's people to thirst for living water.
Ian called for a deeper understanding and experience of the supremacy of Christ. Jesus is Sovereign over every nation, He has all power and authority - but He is waiting for His people to pray with raised faith and expectation. Then we moved to proclaim the saving power of the cross - the cross disempowers all arguments and philosophies. Jesus is the only name by which men can be saved. The cross was carried into the centre of the hall and we lifted our hearts and voices to praise our Redeemer Jesus. The trumpet was blown throughout the day – with a clear distinctive sound - as we proclaimed key biblical truths and declared God's Will and purpose.
In the afternoon, we prayed for unity recognising how often we fail to build it – it needs to be a sovereign work of Jesus bringing His church together to release blessing. We moved on to pray that young adults and children would be released into their calling in the eight pillars of society – politics, business, media, church etc. We sensed God's heart for this revival generation, praying for their protection from the many dangers they face and for a powerful work of the Holy Spirit to release prayer and worship.
As we moved to close, we called a group of European prayer leaders onto the stage - sensing God's desire to bless our brothers and sisters across Europe and the nations they represent. There was a moving time when Germany prayed for Greece, demonstrating God's desire to impact the nations. We also prayed for two nations that have blessed the UK richly – Korea and Nigeria.
The event finished with a declaration. We felt this was a watershed moment – as Jesus mobilises His people to pray, proclaim and lift Jesus in their churches, villages, towns and cities. We have heard of the declaration being prayed across the country - and as far away as Sri Lanka. Many other ministries and organisations are standing with us and saying - this is a time for harvest, and a time for the fresh reviving waters of God's Spirit. The trumpet will continue to blow (see details of the European Trumpet Call). God is calling us into His presence, and we want to glorify Jesus as He refreshes us, changes us and brings thousands to know Him. Please let us have your testimonies and stories so we can say – look what the Lord has done!
We believe this is a time of change, release and blessing. You may have a sense of things changing in your village, town or neighbourhood. Is it time for a WPC team to pray alongside you? If you want to find out more, read What are WPC teams and contact us at WPC.
OUR DECLARATION
The Supremacy of Christ
We declare that Jesus is the Creator and Sustainer of all things, He is the Saviour of the world, He is the Head of the church, He is the Lord of our lives, He is the Hope for the world, and He is the King of kings and Lord of lords. Hallelujah!
The Salvation of Christ
We declare the Gospel of Christ, His life, death, resurrection and ascension is God's plan for the redemption of all mankind. We declare Christ and Him crucified; that Calvary is a place of forgiveness, cleansing, healing and victory over death. We declare it's time for harvest; a mighty move of God touching every part of this nation and our continent.
The Unity of God's Church
We declare that our strong desire is to fulfil the prayer of Jesus that we be one, believing the Scripture that, "When brothers and sisters dwell together in unity, there God bestows His blessing even life for ever more."
Release for our Children and Young People
We declare and prophesy a Jesus Generation of boys and girls, young men and women who will walk in the power of the Holy Spirit, knowing God's protection, mercy and blessing as they take the Gospel to their families, friends, communities and the nations.
We declare the Grace and Mercy of God over each other and from this place the Trumpet Sound to reverberate in every village, town, city and nation, "That the earth will be filled with the knowledge of the Glory of the Lord as the waters cover the sea."
Amen and Amen.
Featured in the WPC's 'The Heartbeat'
The city of Durango and La Plata County, Colorado, have declared a state of emergency after a federal cleanup crew accidentally released 1 million gallons of mine waste out of an abandoned mine area, turning the Animas River orange with pollutants of arsenic, lead, copper, aluminium and cadmium. The Environmental Protection Agency told locals to avoid the area amid grave concerns as to the ability of local elected officials to ensure that all appropriate levels of state and federal resources are brought to bear to assist the community not only in actively managing this tragic incident but also to recover from it. Colorado Parks and Wildlife officials have been watching for effects on wildlife since the incident began.
On Tuesday 47 traders were killed and at least 50 others injured when terrorists invaded the Sabon Gari community market of Damboa, 85 miles south of Maiduguri, during peak trading. The injuries from the blast are mostly ‘severe’ and the death toll is expected to rise. Borno State Police Command has said that Boko Haram is not winning the war and insurgents are fleeing to neighbouring Niger, Cameroon and Chad in order to attack soft targets in the sub-region. Meanwhile on Wednesday, Chad's President Idriss Deby said that Boko Haram has a new leader. He said Abubakar Shekau had been replaced by Mahamat Daoud - who has not been heard of before. Mr Shekau has not featured in the group's recent videos, leading to speculation that he has been killed. Mr Deby, whose troops have been involved in battling Boko Haram, said Mr Daoud was open to dialogue. See: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-33889378
Iraq: School for refugees
13 Aug 2015
Christian children forced to flee after the IS invasion, began school recently for the first time in a year. After fleeing their homes, families left everything behind, including access to schooling. In Iraq a local church leader and a mission agency partner noticed this need in their community, and because they believe education is important to the child, they began to dream of opening a school. Their goal was to begin with approximately 25 students. Church leaders prayed for a suitable location near a refugee camp and God showed them a nearby house with a big back-yard. Though it would need many renovations before it was safe, church leaders discovered that it would accommodate four classrooms with enough space for at least 20 students in each classroom, and a school was born. Across the Middle East most countries do not have the capacity to provide schooling for a sudden influx of thousands of children. Pray for more schools for refugees.
When the animated series The Legend of Korra ended its three-season run with the two heroines holding hands and dissolving into a mist – thus making explicit a lesbian love interest that hitherto had only been hinted at – children’s TV may have been changed forever. So claimed Vanity Fair arts writer Joanna Robinson, who enthusiastically lauded the finale of the show as the ‘most subversive television event of the year.’ But for Christian media watchers that lesbian fairytale ending was just the inevitable next step in a clearly discernible trend in America where there are more gay and transgender characters and stories in children’s television. Other examples include the Australian ‘gender-bending’ cartoon series SheZow featuring a 12-year-old boy who finds a ‘power ring’ that turns him into a girl, and an episode in Good Luck Charlie in which a lesbian couple bring their child over for a play date. Christian media watchers predict it will get worse because children’s TV is a reflection of what’s already in our culture.
Wildfires are charging through the parched West and forcing people to flee. Some residents had to evacuate their homes twice in recent weeks after blazes exploded in size and changed direction. In Northern California a blaze is only 5% contained by 1,100 firefighters, and firefighters have nearly surrounded a larger nearby blaze that started two weeks ago across 109 square miles. In Southern California four separate blazes are being contained. In Montana 18 square miles of heavy timber in Glacier National Park are ablaze, prompting trail and campsite closures. Firefighting efforts could escalate with temperatures between 95 and 100 degrees expected until Thursday and strong winds on Friday. In Arizona fires are 40% contained. Elsewhere in the west a wildfire along the shore of Lake Chelan in Washington State covers 54 square miles, firefighters are keeping it away from communities. Alaska’s fire season has officially become the second biggest on record. 7,940 square miles have burned this year.
Syria: IS seize key Christian town
13 Aug 2015
Suicide bombers stormed Qaryatain, paving the way for overnight clashes resulting in IS jihadists finally overwhelming al-Assad regime soldiers on Wednesday morning. Capture of the town allows IS to unify several key areas under its control. Qaryatain is home to 40,000 people - many of them members of Syria's ancient Christian community. It is the site of towering Roman ruins, and is located some 50 miles from the al-Assad regime-held city of Homs. When the terrorists took full control they released a series of gloating images of militants posing with captured tanks on affiliated Facebook pages. As well as Sunni Muslims and Christians the town has thousands of internally displaced people who had fled from Homs. This Syrian news comes as a Kurdish official reported that IS executed 19 women for refusing to have sex with its fighters in Iraq. He claimed the women were being held hostage in Mosul.
Songs of Praise in Calais migrant camp
13 Aug 2015
The crew of the BBC's flagship religious show Songs of Praise has arrived in the Calais migrant camp to shoot one of its most controversial episodes yet. They’re to film at a makeshift Ethiopian Orthodox Church in the centre of the Calais migrant camp. The decision to film there has provoked a mixed reaction from the public and the migrants. The Eritrean priest who runs the chapel feared that filming would endanger his family’s life if the images were seen in his home country, adding that the producers did not have permission to film in the camp. The BBC was accused of wading into a politically-sensitive issue. Meanwhile a blog by the so-called “Archbishop Cranmer” said that this is Christ’s church for the poor, weak, lonely, dispossessed, hurting, grieving and broken. It’s for the desperate and oppressed; destitute and dying. Hold your nose and avert your eyes: it’s the swarm of humanity in the cesspit of life. Songs of praise are to be sung to the Lord in the cardboard church of Calais. The Lord is there. His Spirit is with them. Glory to God in the lowest places. See: http://archbishopcranmer.com/songs-of-praise-and-the-cardboard-church-of-calais/