War-torn areas: shelter and relief
21 Dec 2017
The word ‘shelter’ literally means a house, a tent, or a refuge. It arises from the command of Jesus that we are to ‘love our neighbour.’ This additionally implies providing food, clothing and drinking water to the poor and needy as well as a roof over their heads. For over thirty years Shelter Now has assisted with humanitarian and developmental assistance in Pakistan and Afghanistan, providing emergency relief for war-affected refugees and for victims of earthquakes, floods, drought and other natural disasters. It provides reconstruction, rehabilitation and long term development co-operation. Recently the work in Pakistan was closed, to start helping refugees from IS in Kurdistan instead. In November a staff member, Udo Stolte, visited Yazidi refugees in Sulaimaniya in northern Iraq’s autonomous Kurdistan region. You can read his report on Yazidi children going to school again by clicking on the ‘More’ button.
Pakistan: persecution in churches and prisons
21 Dec 2017
On 17 December, two suicide bombers targeted a Methodist church in Quetta, leaving nine dead and over fifty injured. Only one managed to detonate his vest: the second was killed by security forces. Over 400 worshippers were in church at the time. A group affiliated to IS claimed responsibility. Pray for the Pakistani government to take all steps necessary to provide adequate security to Christians during this Christmas season. Pray for God’s healing mercy upon those injured, and His presence to be with those grieving the death of loved ones. Also, Pakistan Prison Mission Society reported discrimination against Christians in prison. Christians are accused of blasphemy only because of personal vendettas or vested interests, and it takes years before courts absolve them of false charges. They are mistreated by other prisoners as soon as it is known they are Christians. Pray for pastors to be allowed into prisons this Christmas.
Nigeria fighting Fulani
21 Dec 2017
‘I watched Fulani kill and burn homes with glee. Numan region belongs to us. If the government cannot protect us, then we will protect our land and our heritage. It is all we have to hand on to our children’, said Pwanedo Justin after fleeing his village. The government’s inability to address the plight of Christians, and policies where Muslim victims are given priority over Christian ones, have deepened the sense of injustice. This recent attack was a reaction to a massacre in three villages by Bachama youths. Bachama are predominantly Christian. The Fulani are heavily armed with sophisticated weapons, which are believed to come from outside Nigeria. Thousands were displaced and are now missing. These attacks remain the single most dangerous threat to Nigeria today. On 19 December the federal government announced it will spend $1bn on fighting insurgency.
Syria: fighting and refugee plight
21 Dec 2017
In just one area of East Damascus over 500 Syrians are in urgent need of medical evacuation from an area which has been under siege since 2013. There are severe food shortages, with 11.9% of children suffering from acute malnutrition. On 20 December, in the western countryside of Damascus province, advances against the Syrian branch of Al-Qaeda terrorists were being made and a number of key hilltops were captured. Pray for civilians still trapped in jihadist strongholds. Pray for those living in fear and desperation, where Syrian troops are unleashing machine gun fire from the hills above their towns, particularly Mazaraat Beit Jinn and Mughir al-Mir. Pray for jihadist fighters to be prevented from mobilising any coordinated counter-attack against army advances in key areas such as East and West Damascus.
Egypt: 2018 election
21 Dec 2017
Ever since former prime minister Ahmed Shafiq said he would run in the 2018 presidential election, many are speculating about his ability to win. Egypt’s religious institutions influence presidential candidates, and journalists supporting President al-Sisi have focused on the ties that Shafiq has with the Salafist Dawa Party and its political arm. The Salafi movement is ultra-conservative Sunni Islam. If Shafiq mobilises the only remaining influential religious blocs of Salafist Dawa and the Copts, his candidacy in the upcoming election might produce a repeat of 2012, when two strong candidates, Shafiq and Morsi, competed against each other. In those elections the Copts supported Shafiq out of fear that Morsi and the Muslim Brotherhood would win. It is difficult for the largest Coptic bloc not to vote for al-Sisi, who they believe has protected them by overthrowing the Muslim Brotherhood.
Resolution 2018
21 Dec 2017
World Prayer Centre is calling on Christians across our nation to start 2018 in a different way. This is no ordinary year. It is the year of Turning. There is a trumpet sound telling us to awake, to get ready and to dedicate ourselves to the Lord in 2018.
So we invite everyone with a passion to see the good news of Jesus renew His church and transform lives to join us. Pray through this resolution below as God mobilises His people for His amazing purpose.
- In 2018 through the power of the Holy Spirit, we commit to be better Disciples of Christ Jesus, Son of God, our Saviour, who is King of Kings and Lord of Lords.
- We resolve to humble ourselves, seek God’s face, and turn from our wicked ways.
- We proclaim 2018 a year of Turning for the church and nation through our consecration, dedication, reconciliation and celebration.
We are inviting the Body of Christ to join us on our discipleship journey to:
- Turn from anything and everything that grieves His Spirit - pride, unbelief, idols, disunity, self-righteousness, critical attitudes and in humility and repentance…
- Turn our hearts and minds to Him.
As disciples, our desire is to know Jesus more, to keep Turning and being refined.
We believe that 2018 will also be a year when the Church asks the nation to turn - in our proclamation, preaching, witnessing, caring, loving of our neighbours, and in our praying, we are declaring “It is time to turn.”
We shall not invite the nation to turn to religion, or turn to faith, not even turn to the church. We are inviting them to turn to Jesus, the Light of the world, the forgiver of sins, the Lover of our souls who is the only way to a wonderful relationship with God the Father.
Please make this declaration out loud as your spiritual resolution for 2018:
I resolve to be a better disciple. I consecrate and dedicate myself to Jesus. I commit to serve Him, and serve others and to stand as an agent of turning for my family, community and nation.
2018 - A Year of Turning. God says, “If we turn, He will hear from heaven, forgive our sins and heal the land”. 2 Chronicles 7:14
Download a PDF version to use in your church, small group or prayer meeting.
Created for a purpose
15 Dec 2017
God has a purpose for each one of us, something unique that He calls us to respond to. Dallas Derksen thought he already had his plan, but then realised that the Lord had another path for him and his family. He faithfully followed God’s calling, and is now leading the MAF team in Mongolia, a vast and beautiful land that is difficult to travel in, with extremely cold and turbulent winters. MAF light aircraft support the work of a small but growing Church, development agencies and government bodies across Mongolia. They provide inflight patient care, training for local doctors, and enable NGOs such as Reaching the Light to offer physical, speech and education therapy to children. Dallas says, ‘Our plane also becomes an air ambulance as we carry out many emergency airlifts for the sick and injured.’
Iraq: victory parade
15 Dec 2017
On 9 December, Iraqi forces recaptured the last areas still under IS control along the Syrian border and secured the western desert. This ended the war against the militants, three years after they had captured about a third of Iraq’s territory. The following day a military parade in Baghdad’s heavily fortified Green Zone celebrated the final victory, with prime minister Abadi looking on as troops marched in formation, their bodies spelling ‘victory day’ in Arabic. He announced that 10 December would be an annual national holiday. However In his victory speech he did not mention the Peshmerga, who played a big part in the fight against IS. Instead he hailed the Iranian-trained and backed PMF Shiite militias, many of whom are loyal to Iran.