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.
Children told not to sing ‘Lord’ in carol
19 Dec 2019
The headteacher of a London primary school ruled that children should sing ‘baby boy Jesus’, not ‘little Lord Jesus’ in the carol Away in a manger (so that pupils of all beliefs could join in). Children also sang edited versions of modern hymns at a carol service and nativity at a nearby church. Margarita, whose children attend the school, said: ‘As a family we go to church, pray together, and celebrate Christmas as the birth of Jesus the Son of God. If he was just a baby boy named Jesus, there wouldn't be a celebration in the first place. He is our Lord and Saviour and King of all Kings - that's the whole point.’