Open Doors and Youth for Christ have teamed up to create an exciting new resource for youth groups. My Heart Bleeds looks at the plight of persecuted Christians around the world and the valuable lessons that can be learned about staying in faith through tough times. The resource is broken down into six lifestyle sessions looking at what it means to follow Jesus through the inspiring lens of the persecuted church. The resource, available for a donation of £10, contains teaching material, activity discussion ideas, games and film clips for use with each session theme. National Director of Youth for Christ, Gavin Calver said ‘This is a deeply challenging resource that will have a huge impact on young people throughout Britain.’ Jonny Goodchild, Open Doors youth spokesman, said: ‘My Heart Bleeds is a way of taking seriously our responsibility to stand with the suffering.’
Pray: for the success of this new resource leading to a wider understanding of persecution and its causes. (Job.28:12)
British people have significantly less integrity than ten years ago, and it risks harming civic mindedness, new research claims. Adultery, lying and underage sex have all become more acceptable, according to the findings published by Professor Paul Whiteley. He blames the bad examples set by footballers cheating on their wives, the phone hacking scandal, and dodgy financial dealing. And, he says, the implications could be profound for society. The findings show that people with high levels of integrity tend to have a strong sense of civic duty. The Essex Centre for the Study of Integrity has been set up to analyse the issue. Professor Paul Whiteley is the centre’s director. He commented: “If social capital is low and people are suspicious and don’t work together, those communities have worse health, worse educational performance, they are less happy and they are less economically developed and entrepreneurial. It really does have a profound effect.”
Pray: for a return to the unchanging Biblical truths of morality and integrity. (Ps.25:21)
More: http://www.christian.org.uk/news/people-have-less-integrity-and-it-is-harming-society/
Twelve Pentecostal and New Church networks are combining their efforts in order to give their opinions political clout. Representatives from the churches have met senior Christian politicians and other Christian pressure groups to discuss how they can gain better influence in politics. The church groupings include the Elim Pentecostal Church, Assemblies of God, NewFrontiers, Pioneer and Vineyard. They believe that so far only the traditional denominations get a hearing in Parliament and that a large number of Christians in the country go unrecognised. They want to help MPs appreciate the views of these believers. Each network has its own concerns and will appoint people to represent them to MPs, but the churches plan to cooperate on issues like social justice, the environment, diversity and equality, and the family. Pray: that God’s people will continue working together to influence the political arena. (Php.4:1)
Pentecost – the Church’s Big Bang moment
23 May 2013Christmas and Easter rightly have prominent places in the Church calendar. Jesus’ birth, death and resurrection should be properly celebrated, but the place of Pentecost is equally important. Without that point in time when the Holy Spirit descended on Jesus’ followers as they waited patiently after his ascension, they would have remained a group of confused and fearful people. It was the Church’s Big Bang moment. Pentecost is a reminder that the Holy Spirit moves with power and that without the Spirit working through us, individual Christians and the Church will be able to achieve little of substance. Our society desperately needs to see and experience a revolutionary Church filled with the fire of God’s Spirit.
Pray: for the Church to open herself up to the power of the Holy Spirit. (Eph.6:10)
More: http://godandpoliticsuk.org/2013/05/18/pentecost-the-churchs-big-bang-moment/
Pentecost Festival embraces London
09 Jun 2011
This year’s Pentecost Festival looks set to be the biggest yet. Organisers are anticipating that as many as 30,000 will be reached in the 10-day Central London event which started last Friday. Now in its fourth year, this is the first time the finale, hosted by Holy Trinity Brompton, Hillsong and Jesus House, will take place at the 17,000 capacity O2 arena. The festival sees more than 100 arts-based events with performances from X-Factor finalist Beverley Trotman and US group Spoken Groove, comedy from Andy Kind, John Maloney and Paul Tonkinson, and theatre which addresses issues of injustice. There will be science debates, seminars on faith and fashion and a political evening looking at the impact of the message of Pentecost hosted by Baptist minister the Revd Steve Chalke. Andy Frost, festival director, said 'Once again it will show people that the church is not just about Sunday mornings. 'It's engaging with what's happening culturally. It's representing God's heartbeat.'
Pray: for those leading this event and for its success in reaching out to those who have not received the Gospel message. (Ps.107:22)
More: http://www.baptisttimes.co.uk/news3.htm
A Lib Dem peer in the House of Lords has tabled an amendment to remove the requirement for Christian worship in schools. Currently schools must have a daily act of collective worship. Collective worship must be ‘wholly or mainly of a broadly Christian character.’ Parents can withdraw their children and teachers are also permitted to opt out. But now Lord Avebury, a Liberal Democrat peer, has tabled an amendment to end the requirement for collective worship in all schools apart from faith schools. Earlier this year a secularist campaign group said that Christian assemblies should be banned because they breach children’s human rights. The National Secular Society wrote to Education Secretary, Michael Gove, demanding that the law on Christian assemblies be abolished. But a spokesman for the Department for Education said the law on Christian assemblies ‘encourages pupils to reflect on the concept of belief and the role it plays in the traditions and values of this country.’ (See Prayer Alert 36-2011)
Pray: that this further challenge to our faith would be thwarted. (Pr.6:23)
More: http://www.christian.org.uk/news/peer-in-bid-to-dismantle-law-on-christian-assemblies/
Peacemaking Sunday
21 Sep 2010
Churches are being encouraged to mark the United Nations’ International Day of Peace on 19 September - Peacemaking Sunday - using ecumenical worship resources provided by the Baptist Union of Great Britain, The Methodist Church and the United Reformed Church. The United Nations’ International Day of Peace is celebrated on 21 September and provides an opportunity for individuals, communities and nations to focus on peace and peacemaking in the world and within their own lives. The three denominations have compiled a selection of art, prayers, a sermon guide, meditation and a commissioned hymn designed to help congregations focus on peace this coming Sunday. Mrs Val Morrison, moderator of the General Assembly of the United Reformed Church, says 'Peacemaking Sunday and the United Nations’ Day of Peace highlight our need to pray for peace in the many areas of conflict across the globe, but also, in our own lives and relationships.’ (See also World/Africa below) Pray: for God’s peace to be upon us all. (Mi.4:3) More: http://www.methodist.org.uk/index.cfm?fuseaction=opentogod.newsDetail&newsid=461
Payday Loans / Christians against poverty
14 Dec 2012The pressures of Christmas spending will drive four million people to take out payday loans to cover Christmas costs, despite a cut in the average budget for festive spending and giving fewer presents this year. Louise Brittain of R3 the insolvency trade body said, ‘I would urge people to think again before taking out a high interest loan to pay for presents, partying or luxury food. Debt has been normalized, attributable in part to clever marketing campaigns of big payday lenders operating glossy websites who are capitalizing on a shift in attitudes towards saving and debt.’ One in four families struggles to break even every month. Meanwhile a national debt counselling charity that works through local churches called ‘Christians Against Poverty’ offers hope and solutions to debt through a service showing God’s love in action sustainable poverty relief of counseling and practical help. See: http://www.capuk.org/who/aboutus.php
Pray: for Christian charities and networks helping people in debt to reach those in most need; and for similar Christian resources to be birthed at this time of recession. (Mt.25:35-36)