Zimbabwe: Christian leaders speak out
17 Nov 2017
The Archdiocese of Harare issued a statement after the armed forces had taken over. The general secretary of the Zimbabwe Council of Churches, Rev Kenneth Mtata, called on politicians and social leaders to rebuild a broken society. ‘The current situation was inevitable. We had reached a point of no return. Our politics of attrition and toxic public engagement have had their logical conclusion.’ His statement echoed one made earlier by the Catholic Bishops’ Conference and the Council of Churches in which they described the country’s politics as ‘poisonous,’ and accused Mugabe of stifling political dissent. Mtata said, ‘Our hope is that we can put the train back on the rails of democracy and citizenship engagement.’ The fragmented society is a result of failures to deal with the hurts of the past, and the political system not allowing everyone to have an opportunity.
Iran, Iraq: earthquake aid
17 Nov 2017
Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu offered humanitarian assistance, via the Red Cross, to the victims of a devastating 7.3 magnitude earthquake that killed hundreds in Iran and Iraq on 13 November. He was immediately refused. Netanyahu said Israel has no quarrel with the people of Iran; the quarrel is with the regime that threatens Israel’s destruction. Meanwhile tens of thousands of Iranians are living in the open, after homes built with earth were totally destroyed. The terrain is mountainous, and the temperature is dropping. The head of the Revolutionary Guards, Major General Jafari, said the immediate need was for tents, water and food. Pray for this crucial aid to reach the inaccessible areas as helicopters and army vehicles are mobilised. Pray for clear communication between agencies organising search and rescue operations and relief camps. Pray for those in hospitals, and those in mourning. See also
Bedouin: week of prayer
17 Nov 2017
The Bedouin are traditionally Arabic-speaking nomads who live in tents throughout the deserts of the Middle East. In recent decades many have settled into small villages within their tribal territories while continuing to shepherd herds of goats, sheep, and sometimes camels. Culturally they have stronger ties to their families, tribal customs, and traditions than with conservative Islam - though all would declare themselves Muslim. They are very cordial. Even the poorest family will offer a cup of tea or coffee to their guest. Often behind that generosity there is a family suffering from degrees of brokenness and hopelessness. Desert life is difficult. They accept their fate ‘ordained by God and unchangeable’. Because they live in remote areas, they are hard to reach and many have never met a Christian; however, what may seem impossible for us is possible for God. Pray for the Lord to send His rain to soften the dry ground of people’s hearts, sending dreams and visions for people to talk about.
Afghanistan: specific targeted prayer
17 Nov 2017
A missionary writes: ‘Afghanistan continues to be plagued by suicide attacks and violence. Recently more than 100 army and police personnel were killed in three days. Government and media offices as well as significant leaders were also targeted. The terrorist groups mainly responsible for this were the Taliban, IS, and the Haqqani network based in Pakistan. Together they are responsible for thousands of deaths each year. Yet when some of us who are still in the country recently prayed very specifically about this situation, within days the security forces uncovered a truck loaded with explosives and a house full of weapons, thus saving many lives. We need to maintain this level of specific targeted prayer. We also need to pray against the external sources which provide all these weapons. Finally, we need to pray that the Lord will continue to protect and provide for our colleagues and national personnel. (Psalm 18:36)’
Yemen: civilians suffer from blockade
17 Nov 2017
A Saudi-led coalition backing Yemen's government will not allow rebel-controlled air and sea ports to reopen until a better system is created to prevent weapons being smuggled from Iran. The coalition tightened its two-year blockade after a ballistic missile was fired at Riyadh airport. Iran denied arming Houthi rebels, and said the missile launch was ‘an independent action’ in response to coalition ‘aggression’. 2,000+ have died since April from cholera, and 3,500 cases are being treated daily. The blockade will undo efforts to curtail its spread. 27,000 children a month are treated for severe and acute malnutrition. With no aid deliveries, nutrition supplies will run out within two months, affecting the treatment of 400,000 children over the coming year. The children will bear the scars of this conflict long into the future. Civilians are the only people paying the price for political wrangling.
Russia: radioactivity and chemicals
17 Nov 2017
A mysterious radioactive cloud that passed over 28 European countries recently was first detected over Italy. France’s radioprotection institute has now detailed its findings, saying the origins of the cloud came from ‘somewhere in South Russia’. The area in question has nuclear facilities, including one that converted nuclear fuel into weapons during the Cold War. Even after the location was identified, it is unclear how the radioactive cloud appeared, as there was no apparent accident at any of the nuclear facilities and it was not an ‘authorised release’. Meanwhile, on 16 November, Russia and the USA failed to resolve a dispute over extending the mandate of a UN-backed investigative team which blamed Syrian forces for a chemical weapons attack in April that killed over 80 people. See
Great Commission website
15 Nov 2017
As people whose lives have been transformed by Jesus, we all have a story to share...
But sometimes we can struggle to find the words to talk about what Jesus has done.
That’s why, at Great Commission, we want to not only inspire a passion for sharing Jesus, but also empower you to have the confidence to talk about Him.
Our online hub connects you to a wide range of stories, tools, resources and initiatives, inspiring and equipping us to be talking about Jesus and praying for those who don’t yet know Him.
Have a look at how you and your church could use our Watch, Read, Pray and Act sections...
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Bahrain wants religious tolerance
10 Nov 2017
For many years intercessors have prayed that Christian persecution would be replaced by interfaith tolerance. Recently the king of Bahrain took unprecedented action in the Middle East North Africa (MENA) region and issued a declaration of interfaith tolerance that he believes will promote similar action in other MENA nations. Muslim, Christian and Jewish scholars reviewed the king’s declaration and hope it will gain sign-offs globally from leaders of all faiths. Individual religious freedom is specified as one of the five points in the declaration. Terrorism, suicide bombing, sexual slavery, inciting extremism, and the abuse of women and children are specifically disowned. Preaching hatred and violence in the name of God is condemned as a desecration of His name. The king has also promised to build a museum of tolerance.