Film - 'Peacemakers: Crossing the Divide'
01 Jan 2020
The Film - 'Peacemakers: Crossing the Divide' brings a message of hope in the midst of the seemingly intractable conflict between Israeli Jews and Palestinian Arabs. The power of the gospel to transform lives through forgiveness and reconciliation is communicated by powerful personal stories of Jewish and Arab followers of Jesus.
This unique one-hour documentary film, along with an in-depth study guide, speak to deep issues of division in the church worldwide. Ultimately the film is about Jesus’ prayer for his followers:
“May they be brought to complete unity to let the world know that you sent me…” John 17:23
Peacemakers: Crossing the Divide is officially released and available to download from the website: www.peacemakersfilm.org
Please feel free to promote this as widely as possible. Our goal is to not only see the film reach the English speaking audience, but also to have it translated into multiple languages. We believe the message of reconciliation and unity in the body of Christ is a message for the global church.
We are looking for advocates who share this vision and can help distribute the film through their networks.
Pastor Kevin Turpin, Associate Pastor, New Life Church, VA Beach, VA said, “Peacemakers is more than a film about conflict between Jews and Palestinians. It is a story that profiles the power of Christ. To nullify generational, religious, and political ideologies of hatred and division. To create a pathway for hearts to be reconciled and restored. It is, indeed, a magnificent story of redemption.
The film shows the extraordinary steps taken by individuals to experience reconciliation. Get ready for your own epiphany. Areas of your heart become open to reconciling with those who are different and you once opposed. The walls that divide are torn down through a full embrace of a small group of the Cross of Christ. Bob and Kathryn have chronicled well the hostility between Jews and Arabs. Therefore, the unique ways that God transforms hearts. Hearts which leads to a willingness to “cross the divide”.
If you have a weekly/regular prayer meeting and it has dwindled down to the “faithful few,” it’s time to take stock. If you are the organizer(s) of the prayer meetings, it can get discouraging if people are not participating in arguably the most important spiritual act designed by God and so prolifically practiced in the Book of Acts and the rest of Scripture.
Harvest Prayer Ministries have published a useful resource that will help you to review and bring your prayer meetings back on track.
Click Here: https://www.harvestprayer.com/9-ideas-to-increase-attendance-at-your-prayer-meetings/
ARE YOU A CHURCH PRAYER LEADER?
If so, consider checking out the Church Prayer Leaders Network! The CPLN exists to help individuals (pastors and lay people) who are working to raise up more prayer in their churches. They want to encourage, challenge, inspire, and resource you as you seek to motivate and mobilize your church toward deeper levels of prayer. The website offers more than 700 ideas, articles, and training videos to help you or your church be more effective in prayer.
Click Here: https://www.prayerleader.com/
A zealous Muslim finds a path to Christ
19 Dec 2019
Hassan, a fervent Muslim in an African country, was fanatical about converting Christians to Islam. He accepted a missionary organisation’s offer to help translate the Bible into the Ndam language. After all, many Christian scriptures are deemed holy books in the Koran. In a secular country where tolerance marked relations between Muslims and Christians, he welcomed the opportunity to discuss Scripture with prospective converts to Islam, but he was constantly exposed to Scriptures at translation workshops, and ended up accepting Jesus Christ as Saviour and Lord. Now he is growing through discipleship and constantly interceding for the salvation of his community.
God is ceaselessly sovereign
19 Dec 2019
2019 has been a year of great triumphs and unimaginable tragedies. As we enter 2020 we remember and proclaim that God is sovereign over every corner of the globe, the hope of the nations. Though some situations appear hopeless, we can rejoice that He reigns ‘far above all rule and authority, power and dominion’, and ‘all things are under His feet’. Nothing is impossible for Him. He rules over Iran and China, North Korea and Syria, a deluge in Mozambique, and a water shortage in India. He rules princes, presidents, and prime ministers. He rules over cyclones and volcanoes, floods and fires, protests, perpetrators, persecution and refugees. He rules over corporations, celebrities, and sports. He rules over galaxies, stars and planets, ‘and calls them each by name’ (Psalm 147:5).
Iraq: mini-paradise in a refugee camp
19 Dec 2019
Baadre refugee camp in Iraq houses 15,000 Yazidi refugees. The leader of Baadre children’s centre said that it was her dream that orphaned children freed from IS would find a place full of love and joy. In the 18 months since it opened there has been a huge change in the children. Their eyes now shine again, something they had lost through their terrible experiences with the IS militants. Some were born of rape, the sons and daughters of Yazidi girls and women held as sex slaves. But now they are in a mini-paradise, receiving the love they need, and learning Christian values of mutual respect, help in difficult times, comfort and encouragement.
Pakistan: Christian media
19 Dec 2019
Christians in the world’s 6th largest nation make up just 2.5% of the population. Many are poor and experience discrimination because of their faith. The struggle to survive is silencing the voices and eroding the faith of many young people. But also there are remarkable leaders emerging in the Church - strong in the Lord, intellectually bright, culturally aware. PAK7 is a new approach to strengthen and support the Church in Pakistan and her witness for Christ to 200 million countrymen, many of whom know nothing about Jesus. It empowers young Pakistani Christians in the use of media so that they have strong faith, confident voices, and a platform to explain who they are, what the Bible means to them, and the difference Jesus makes in their lives. Click the ‘More’ button to watch a short video about PAK7’s work.
‘Let the healing begin’
19 Dec 2019
1 Timothy 2:2 tells us to ‘pray for all who are in high positions’. Boris Johnson’s first speech after the election urged ‘everyone, on either side of an increasingly arid three and a half year argument, to find closure and let the healing begin’. We can pray that his words will be a prophetic declaration, and the division and pain will give way to healing and restoration of our nation. After accepting the Queen's invitation to form a government, he spoke of a ‘one-nation conservative government, acting for everyone in the UK’. Pray for the new legislation which will pave the way for the UK leaving Europe on 31 January. Pray for the future trade and security talks that will begin almost immediately.
Quakers challenge the new government
19 Dec 2019
Quakers in Britain are challenging Boris Johnson’s new government to give priority to its promise to take action on climate breakdown. They are urging him to ensure that the economic transition puts the most marginalised people first. They want the government to create a humane and fair immigration system and a culture of welcome. They will encourage the Conservative party to focus on its manifesto pledges on crime prevention and rehabilitation, rather than on longer sentencing, to transform justice; and also to promote peace and nonviolence across the UK and abroad. Quakers want to work with the new government to build a fairer, greener society, and encourage politicians from all parties to come together in the national interest. See also @PoliticalQuaker.