Global: human trafficking
20 Jan 2017
The International Justice Mission operates in many places around the world, seeking to assist in the conviction of traffickers of adults and children. They currently seek prayer support for teams in Kenya, Uganda, Philippines, Guatemala, Thailand, and Cambodia. Their urgent request today is for a team in South Asia who are seeking to help anti-trafficking police rescue 20+ men from slavery. A recent success story is the conviction of eight men in India, after a three-year trial, for torturing and chopping off the right hands of two innocent men whom they tried to enslave. All eight were sentenced to life imprisonment, the longest sentences ever in an Indian bonded-labour case.
Middle East: the year ahead
20 Jan 2017
2017 is set to be fraught with challenges for the people of the Middle East, Christian and Muslim alike. A brief summary: 1) Iraq will remain precarious, even though the battle to retake Mosul is making progress: Shiite-dominated rulers in Baghdad face conflict with an unwilling Sunni minority. 2) Turkey’s stability is threatened by challenges from IS and from Kurdish militants, who have killed some 1,000 Turkish soldiers in the last two years. 3) There are hopeful signs in Iran, though changes could be slowed by the death of former President Rafsanjani and the expectation of more hostile US policies under Donald Trump. The poor health of supreme leader Ali Khamenei might mean a potential leadership change soon, which could have serious implications for the entire region. 4) The mood in Syria seems to be turning towards a ceasefire and acceptance of Assad staying on as president, at least in the short term. 5) Egypt is expected to see new protests and tensions with continued terrorism, and the economy will remain the number one challenge. The whole region remains in much need of continuing prayer: yet every challenging phase is also a chance for Christians to rise up as salt and light, and to offer reconciliation and restoration where they are desperately needed.
Zimbabwe: help for farmers
20 Jan 2017
Last year’s maize crop failure is still proving debilitating: it takes more than a season to fully recover from the ravages of drought. Although the rains arrived on cue in November last year to plant this season’s crops, many farmers had either been forced to eat their seed, or had no harvest from the previous year to eat. Their livestock herds were decimated and the lack of jobs meant families also had no money to purchase their farming inputs, let alone food. Barnabas Fund has provided seed, fertiliser and training so that farmers could plant on time. Hope has returned, but the crisis still simmers and the outcome of the harvest will be critical. A new strain of stalk-borer insect attacking the maize is also a threat. How can farmers survive until the April/May harvest? Barnabas is working closely with local churches to ensure that they are not forgotten or left hungry during this crucial period. Violet, a farmer and mother of five, is appreciative: ‘We want to thank God for providing us with food for our family - our lives have changed. We have seen God’s hand through our brothers.’
Stand together on a global watch
18 Jan 2017
At the last Trumpet Call, we stated that 2017 was going to be the year of the extraordinary; extraordinary good things, extraordinary bad things and extraordinary surprise happenings. I believe that this will not only be at local and national level, but most certainly globally.
For Christians around the world, persecution will continue... and the Church will grow. Political shakeups will continue... but the Church will continue to grow. New leaders will emerge... but the church will continue to grow. Brexit will move in one direction or another, elections in several European countries will take place with as yet unseen consequences, but the Church will continue to grow. The gates of hell will not prevail against the Church.
Already planned for this year are several gatherings of Christian Leaders from different Continents, who in waiting on God in prayer and discussion are looking towards the fulfilment of the Great Commission through worldwide prayer and mission out of real unity within the Body of Christ.
This will be a year like never before. We must look beyond the media’s headlines and stories and see what God is doing, and what God is allowing around the world through His Church to bring His Kingdom here as in heaven.
Fellow global watchmen and women, we stand together on a global watch in faith to see, to warn, to rejoice, to pray without ceasing, as the extraordinary unfolds across the nations.
What an extraordinary privilege!
21 Days of prayer and fasting
18 Jan 2017
We are encouraging a period of prayer and fasting at the start of the year in 2017.
We sense the need to push in prayer at the start of 2017 because of the potential of this significant year.
The lining up of the national 'Mill statement' by prayer leaders in 2015, Malcolm Duncan’s refocusing on the Smith Wigglesworth revival prophecy at the World Prayer Centre conference this year, the deep significance of Brexit, the Trumpet Call about Jubilee over the British Isles, anointed street evangelism in Reading and other places - all point towards an increase in the move of the Spirit to expect in coming months.
We are aware that the prophet Daniel in Daniel chapter 9, when he realised a 70 year prophecy was soon to be fulfilled, didn’t just rejoice and accept it, but prayed and fasted to help pray in the fulfilment of it. We sense the need to partner & birth the new season.
As Beacon house of prayer, supported by UK houses of prayer network, we are suggesting 21 days of prayer and fasting to start when appropriate in January; we are going from Monday 23rd to Sunday 12th February, but we know a couple of other HOPs are doing the start of January.
Exact timing is not so important, as long as there is a covering of prayer at the start of 2017.
We are attaching a very simple prayer guide outline for any HOPs and prayer groups that would like to take this up.
Download the prayer & fasting guide
Source: Beacon House of Prayer
Our conference is fast approaching and we anticipate a very special time as we meet in this year of promise. The ‘As One’ title reflects Jesus’ desire that His Church be one, but we have seen the church split and disagreeing over minor issues, we have seen people jockeying to control the Church rather than serve it. Things must change if the world is to see God’s Kingdom come.
As One links with the command a centurion would give his legionaries as they faced a hail of stones and as spears flew towards them. Raise the shields As One, move forward and possess the land As One.
We are pleased to announce that Malcolm Duncan will be joining us again for As One and he will be giving prophetic teaching and direction. We will also have practical workshops on extraordinary prayer for place, harvest, the prodigals and the nations.
The As One focus will be seen in our prayer and worship - God’s people standing together in deep praise, with servant hearts to see things change and be released in our nation. We expect all delegates to return home with a renewed sense of expectation and authority.
Tickets are going fast - people share our expectation that this will be a special time. To book visit worldprayer.org.uk or call 0121 633 73093.
This year will be special - think about other people you could bring along - your pastor, a younger leader, or other friends so they can share the As One experience.
Prayershift kicks off an extraordinary year
18 Jan 2017
2017 has started with a prayer upsurge across the UK with many prayer weeks and prayer events. Ian Cole brought a wonderful testimony from Germany that shows that prayer and the celebration of The Reformation has caught the attention and favour of German media already in 2017.
World Prayer Centre moved into a new season with its Prayershift prayer gatherings, which are focused on praying for God to move and bring change to our nation and the nations. A packed meeting was led in prayer by Jane Holloway, who got us to think about what God’s presence would mean for our home, community and workplace. We then started to pray for God’s goodness, His peace, His beauty, His light because His presence can and will change us.
Steve Botham focused on a clear start in 2017. He described this as a year of promise, presence and prayer. He said our key call as people of prayer is to change the spiritual soil so that the tree that is God’s church can be fruitful. At the moment it is in poor soil, and we are seeing a rapid decline in attendance and a loss of faith, and an increase in sin and rebellion. Changing the soil through attracting God’s presence, a move of the Word and Spirit and a release of prayer, will lead to great fruitfulness and abundance. Ministries like evangelism, children’s and youth work and social action will flourish as the soil becomes richer.
This is a time for significant change and we prayed for God to have mercy on our nation. We asked God to fulfil His promises for an unprecedented move of His Word and Spirit and for awakening in our nation.
The day closed with a powerful declaration from Jeremiah 33:14 “The days are coming when I will fulfil the good promise I made to the people of Israel and Judah.”
We believe this word. These are exciting times when we expect extraordinary things in our prayer times. People of great prayer experience, and none, are coming from across the nation to pray and see things shift.
Join us for our next Prayershift on February 18th?
Largest stained-glass window in the world
13 Jan 2017
The largest stained-glass window in the world, depicting scenes from Genesis to Revelation, is being built in Leawood, Kansas. The congregation at the Church of the Resurrection raised several million dollars to build the window, which will be the centrepiece of their new $70-million sanctuary. More than 160 panes of glass are being fused in California, and will then be shipped to Leawood to be put together like a puzzle. Pastor Adam Hamilton wants to make this new sanctuary a very holy place that attracts many families to visit the church. ‘We hope people say, we've got to go see what's inside there. They would've heard about the window at Resurrection and say let's go check it out because there's nothing else like it anywhere in the world.’ The new sanctuary, including the window, will be ready for the Easter weekend this year.