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.
Continued revival in the Middle East
13 Jan 2017
For some time now, Iran has had the infamous reputation of being one of the most dangerous countries to be a Christian. However, Christianity is taking root in an ongoing revival for Jesus. Hundreds of Iranians as well as Afghans were baptised in November. It is thought that twenty years ago there were 2,000-5,000 Christian believers in Iran: that number has grown more than tenfold since then. At least 300,000-400,000 former Muslims now live new lives in Christ. TBN Nejat TV, a broadcasting ministry, has also seen astounding harvests. Since its launch in 2006, as many as five million Iranian Muslims have begun a new life in Christ as a result of the network. TBN reports that it has helped to establish and disciple over 90 underground churches in Iran, Afghanistan, Kurdistan and other Farsi-speaking areas.
Friday Focus - pray for five
13 Jan 2017
Colossians 4:2-3: ‘ Devote yourselves to prayer, being watchful and thankful. And pray for us, too, that God may open a door for our message, so that we may proclaim the mystery of Christ, for which I am in chains.’ We discovered in the Talking Jesus research (www.talkingjesus.org) that one in five of the people we talk to about Jesus wants to know more. So join us as we each pray for five of our friends or family members who don’t know Jesus. You could set an alarm on your phone to remind you each day to pray for your five. Pray that you are given opportunities to share about Jesus with them and that they come to follow Jesus for themselves.
(Written by Dr Rachel Jordan-Wolf, Church of England)
It seems almost inevitable that there will be an election in Northern Ireland, following deputy first minister Martin McGuinness’s resignation on Monday. This was after first minister Arlene Foster refused to step aside temporarily while an inquiry took place into the controversial ‘cash for ash’ renewable heat incentive scheme, which has turned out to be much more expensive than expected. Unless Sinn Féin nominates a replacement for McGuinness, which it has refused to do, an election has to be called. It is not certain if McGuinness will be a candidate in the expected elections: he has been diagnosed with a rare genetic disorder called hereditary ATTR amyloidosis, which affects the nervous system and the heart to varying degrees. Medical experts say the disease progresses slowly.