What an experience it was last week to join more than 30,000 young people who had gathered for this worship, prayer and teaching event! It was thrilling to see so many waving, jumping, on-fire teens, 20s and older folks as well who want their lives to count for Jesus and His mission in our world. Several hundred of us also took place in a leadership summit that focused on mobilizing a global prayer and worship movement with the following ambitious suggested goals by 2020-2025:
1. 100 million intercessors for the completion of the Great Commission
2. 24/7 prayer and worship in all 4000 "omega zones" of the earth
3. 24/7 prayer and worship in all 50 U.S. states
4. 50 million young adults involved on 2500 U.S. campuses and 5000 campuses worldwide
5. Prayer mobilized for translation in all remaining languages (less than 2000 without it now)
6. Prayer mobilized for one billion new people to come to Christ and be discipled
7. Resource 4/14 Window movement and Back to Jerusalem movement with 24/7 prayer
The International House of Prayer in Kansas City that put on the events hopes to convene annual gatherings of mission and prayer leaders to continue this process of prayerful deliberation so that more tributaries of the prayer and mission movements can begin to flow more closely together.
Hats off to IHOP and its leadership who are having such an enormous impact on the prayer movement within the U.S. and internationally through their focus on 24/7 prayer and mission. As they rightly teach, prayer and mission belong together and should be intimately intertwined for maximum impact on ourselves and the world. They should also be congratulated for graciously serving and collaborating with the rest of the prayer and mission movements.
While in Kansas City, several from the IPC, IHOP and other prayer networks met to do some initial planning for the two initiatives that I mentioned to you in the last Connections- an April 14, 2014 global prayer focus for children and youth and a World Youth Prayer Assembly in 2016. A Skype call with others from different parts of the world made it a very valuable international time of conferring together. Much more needs to be done, but here are some of our conclusions:
- Children and youth need to be encouraged as partners in prayer, worship and mission for the transformation of our world.
- A global youth and children prayer and worship focus will be used by the Lord to raise up men and women of God for future generations.
- We hope to collaborate with many other networks and ministries to hold an annual 24- hour global prayer/worship initiative co-led by children and youth, starting April 13 (Palm Sunday) and April 14, 2014. In preparation, we recommend a global prayer and fasting day on January 17, 2014 in the spirit of Luke 1:17.
- The Internet will be used as the conductor, connecting prayer and worship in different regions and styles throughout the globe and resources will be provided with teaching and tools for those wanting to participate.
- Global, holistic prayer points that focus on children and youth and their issues and needs will be circulated so we can agree in prayer by the thousands and millions for His breakthroughs.
- Churches and others could use the theme of welcoming Jesus in line with the celebration of Palm Sunday, encouraging and letting their children and youth lead them in prayer and worship to welcome Jesus into their families, communities and nations.
- This one-day global prayer focus each year will help lay the foundation for a World Youth and Children's Prayer Assembly in 2016 that the Lord could use to trigger a new and global Jesus Movement.
- It will be youth-led, with the older generation in a mentoring and supportive position, so these youth and children will understand their potential and talents and be able to connect strategically with their peers in other parts of the world.
- The Internet and satellite TV will be used to stream and link such tri-generational gatherings in several regions, possibly with one larger anchor gathering.
- The whole process of both initiatives will be highly relational, seeking to build a long-term movement rather than just to hold a one-time event so that not only this generation but even generations to come will be affected for the glory of the Lord and His purposes for our world.
We invite you to give us your feedback and hope you will join us on this journey towards seeing the younger generation arise to the special destiny God has for them. United prayer led by them and supported by the older generation will help unleash them in their unique callings and will bring untold blessing to our world as a result!
John Robb
IPC Chairman
A team of people led by Andy Page, an IT professional from the U.K., have created our new website, which was just launched on 13th December 2013. The website brings together three of our existing ones into a single cross-generational site that is designed to inform, equip and engage us. We are grateful to those who have offered to be involved in the social media side of things - theirs will be a crucial role in developing the way we communicate and encourage each other in prayer.
Please go to the website www.ipcprayer.org and give us your feedback as we continue to tweak it and make it a resource that can more effectively serve you and the wider prayer movement. You can write to Andy Page who manages the website at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. with any comments or suggestions you may have and we would greatly appreciate that.
Please keep Syria and its ongoing civil war in your prayers. More than 100,000 men, women and children have died so far and millions have been displaced. A peace conference will be held in Geneva under the auspices of the United Nations on January 22.
Please pray with us for the following:
- That the Syrian government and opposition forces will take part and be open to ending this conflict.
- For wisdom for the UN and its negotiators in facilitating these talks so that an agreement will be reached.
- For the regime and the opposing side to allow humanitarian aid to get to those who need it.
- For a possible prayer initiative next month with a team of international prayer leaders who may go into the country to facilitate a coming together of the churches and their leadership to pray for His breakthrough in ending the war and bringing restoration to this shattered society. Pray for open doors, open hearts and His protection over all.
"Islamist militants stormed police stations in several cities of Iraq's restive western province of Anbar on Wednesday, seizing weapon caches and freeing prisoners after security forces dismantled a Sunni protest camp on Monday. The attacks on police stations in Falluja, Ramadi and Tarmiya represent an escalation in the confrontation between Iraqi Sunni groups and the Shiite-led government of Prime Minister Nuri Kamal al-Maliki. In Falluja, a police officer said gunmen first forced policemen to leave their posts without their weapons, then deployed snipers on a nearby building to prevent the security forces from retaking command. In Tarmiya, at least four officers were killed when gunmen attacked a police headquarters, the police reported. Mr. Maliki had said this week that the civilian police force could resume control over Anbar's security, but that decision was changed after an appeal by the province's governor." (New York Times, Jan. 1)
Pray for the restoration of peace and stability in Iraq. Over 9000 people were killed in 2013 in suicide bombings and other attacks, largely due to the ongoing conflict between the Sunni and Shiite Muslims. Pray for an end to the newest violence by Islamic radicals in the restive Anbar province and that the government will be able to effectively contain and overcome it.
Here are some additional key ministry concerns for the land of Iraq from some dear friends who are Christian leaders in the northern part of the country. Especially pray for the building up of a strong prayer movement within the nation, which they are seeking to do:
- Praise the Lord for the showing of Jesus Film according to the Gospel of Luke, in a cinema in Erbil starting on the 19th December and for three weeks, and in another cinema in Baghdad. Please pray for smooth showings and many Arab & Kurdish people to see the film, also, pray please for follow up.
- Praise God for prayer training "Dark Places" that will take place in Erbil on the 6-9th Feb. Please pray for God's sovereignty & grace to be upon the speakers and for the Iraqi and international participants living in Erbil. Also, for the preparatory meeting, entitled "Reconciliation" the last week of January to start a prayer movement within the church of Iraq.
- Praise God for our weekly discipleship program "Arise & Build", which is increasing in number, Please pray for it's continuation after the holidays, and for heavenly wisdom for the next schedule, for God to water the seeds planted in the souls.
- Pray for the Radio Ministry training taking place fist week of January,
Thank you for standing with us in the gap
Mahir & Sahar
The New York Times (January 3) describes "a murky, vicious conflict" in South Sudan, the world's newest nation with "a lot of very disturbing reports about targeted killings of Nuer, as well as targeted killings of Dinka", the two main ethnic groups in South Sudan. At least 1,000 people have been killed in fighting between government and rebel forces so far, with disturbing reports of ethnically motivated atrocities by both sides. This situation, the article says, raises the "specter of mass atrocities".
Let's be in prayer that Satan, the destroyer, will be bound, and that leaders on both sides of the conflict will be moved to engage in negotiations for peace and healing of their division. Pray for the United States that is frantically trying to broker peace talks between the warring factions as well as strengthening a United Nations peacekeeping force. Intercede too for South Sudan's neighboring countries Ethiopia, Uganda and Kenya to effectively take a leading role in bringing peace.
It was encouraging to hear from one of the veteran workers in Afgh anistan that there is a better atmosphere with more hope for the future being expressed by expatriate and local brothers and sisters who live there. He attributes this in part to our year-long prayer focus on the nation. There has also been an encouraging growth in the prayer movement in both nations. Let's continue to pray for His transforming hand to bring down the wicked powers (both spiritual and human) that stand in opposition to God's good purposes for these lands and their peoples. Here are some fresh prayer concerns from our friends who know the situation:
Pakistan
1. Praise God that new believers are coming into the Kingdom, many for the first time and many in groups. Pray for strength and protection. They are being attacked. Many are coming to faith at the cost of their lives.
2. Electricity and gas for cooking and running cars are only being supplied in major cities for 6 hours a day. Rationing is taking place in many cities now.
3. Corruption is rampant. This is leading police to demand bribes to protect Christians.
4. There is a move by radical Muslims to demand the death penalty for "blaspheming Muhammad". This could be used against Christians so pray that it will not be passed by the government.
5. Continue to pray for the local believers to overcome any fear of taking on spiritual strongholds in the authority of Christ and for the prayer movement to become united, involving Christians of all the different denominations, even those that have been at odds with one another in the past.
Afghanistan
1. President Karzai has still not signed the agreement that would keep a small coalition military force in the country for the coming years to serve as a bulwark to the Afghan army and against attempts by the Taliban to overrun the nation.
2. Pray for good, moderate people who really care for their nation to gain the support of the people for the national elections in April, especially for the position of president.
3. Pray for the training and strengthening of the local believers and the building up of the prayer movement in the country.
4. Pray for more teams of prayer leaders and intercessors to visit both nations to provide support and encouragement to the locals and for great favor with the authorities for visas to be granted.
Some wicked Taliban leaders responsible for the killing of thousands of people that need to be brought to justice:
Afghanistan Taliban
Mullah Muhammad Omar (Mullah - religious leader & teacher like Rev. or Pastor. Muhammad - descriptive title - Muslim follower of Muhammad)
Pakistan Taliban (North West-Pakistan)
Mullah Fazllullah is the new leader who has taken over Hakimullah Mehsud's place who was killed. Pray for confusion and dissension. Fazllullah is the first outsider to ever take leadership for the Mehsud tribe. Many from within the tribe are not happy. He is a far more aggressive and fierce leader.
Punjab Taliban (supply much of the finances and suicide bombers for the war.)
Malik Ishaq is the main leader and organizer, connected to the Taliban and Al-Qaida. Creating trouble in Afghanistan, Punjab and a strong effort to take over the city of Karachi. Hafiz Saeed, one of Malik's main people. Used in the Afghanistan war. But with their belief that the war will be over in 2014, he is once again heading up war initiatives against India.
Pray for these wicked men to be brought down and removed from influence in both nations.
I would like to ask if prayer could be mobilised for Armenia through the Intercessors of IPC. I have just returned from Armenia where we saw the nation potentially on the cusp of transformation. We had pastors joining in unity and forgiving the Turks for the atrocities they committed through the Genocide in 1915 when over 1 million Armenians were killed and also for the Azeris who are still at war with Armenia over Nagorno Kharabagh Republic.
This was the email I put out as a result of our 10 day mission:
"So much happened in Armenia whilst we were there and here are a few snippets of God's awesome work. It is difficult to tell the stories because God's power was so GREAT but we believe He had a huge impact on individual lives and most importantly on the nation. Indeed, it was not much about His power but His presence. Then the Lord said: "I am making a covenant with you. Before all your people I will do wonders never before done in any nation in all the world. The people you love among will see how awesome is the work that I, the Lord, will do for you." Exodus 34:10
Pray for the pastors to have wisdom and discernment on how to move forward in this nation. Pray for us in Flame International to know how to move forward with the Armenians to facilitate a "new thing" in that nation."
WITHIN 2 WEEKS OF RETURNING WE THEN RECEIVED THE FOLLOWING FROM A PASTOR IN ARMENIA:
"Dear friends, It is with much anguish of heart that I write to you to bring to your awareness the situation we are facing in Armenia as a nation at this time. As you may have heard in the news, on September 3, 2013, our president signed an agreement with Russia which has left the nation in shock ever since... However, this agreement literally puts Armenia under obligation to Russia and to follow its dictates on its every move. In other words, our government believes that we as a nation cannot survive on our own and cannot be independent and that we are to be ruled by Russia. Some say this is the end of our 22 years attempt at sovereignty and that we are going back to a Soviet Union type of scenario rather than going forward.
If you follow the news, you are aware that Russia's Putin is putting pressure on former Soviet Union countries to sign this Customs Union agreement...Political analysts suggest that Armenia has completely lost its place in the international scene and can no longer defend its rights and its interests in the resolution of the Kharabagh conflict with Azerbaijan and the recognition of the Armenian Genocide by the Turkish government.
We add to all this the psychological state of the people of Armenia. Most have given up and want to leave the country in any avenue possible. The statistics show that each year more than 100,000 people are leaving the country for good. The government keeps changing and playing with laws to further its interests and ignoring the protests of the people and putting political activists in jail with false accusations. There are added taxes almost every other day and the people are barely surviving while the government oligarchs are expanding their businesses and taking over small and medium businesses.
The people have lost hope and have become very passive. They just want to leave. But what about the Christians? What are they doing? This is the reason why I am writing. We have seen that many Christians are talking and behaving like everyone else who have no hope. They also want to leave. Calls for prayer are made by some, but not responded to in the numbers, unity and with the perseverance that is needed to bring about transformation in our nation. The passivity of the Christians is our greatest concern and anguish. It is more disturbing than the actual circumstances we face. Instead of coming together in unity and seeking the Lord's face, we see Christians busy with "business as usual" and Christian leaders pitted against each other, building their own little kingdoms behind church walls.
We as Christians have the most powerful weapon against the enemy and we are not using it. We are called to prayer and we preach that prayer changes things in nations. But where are the praying Christians who are praying strategically into these events that are taking place right under our noses? Why are we not aware that the enemy through Putin plans to take over our land again? Why are we not standing against the spiritual forces that are behind these political figures and events and why are we not doing anything? Jesus asked the question as to whether He will find faith in the earth when He returns (Luke 18:8). This is the question that keeps coming to mind in this situation as well. Where is our faith to stand against the plans to destroy this nation and God's purposes for our people? Where is the revival we are seeking?
Please join with us to pray for our nation. You are welcome to share this with your friends who believe in prayer. Let's raise a unified voice to change the course of history toward God's purposes and will for this region."
· Please pray for the people of Armenia to stay close to the Lord.
· Pray for Armenian Apostolic Church to accept other protestant denominations and for them to be in unity.
· Pray for unity and obedience to the word of God for all Armenians
· Pray for revival so the Holy Spirit will inflame the faded fire of the faith
· For the God given mission of the Armenians, so that the Armenians will walk in faith of their ancestors by being torch bearers of Christianity in the East.
Jane Ransom,
Director, Flame International
Work for healing, forgiveness and reconciliation.