New Zealand: your model must be Jesus
06 May 2016
A TV show had an Anglican minister live with a same-sex couple for ten days. How would a Christian who opposes same-sex marriage engage with two atheists and activists who invited him to their wedding? Rev David Ould had a same-sex couple live with him and his family for a few days; then he spent a few days living with them. The programme featured the three interacting and discussing their differences. Michael and Gregory went to church with David. David went to their wedding in New Zealand and marched in a gay pride parade; he displayed grace and honesty, holding fast to Christian orthodoxy on sexual morals and marriage. Michael and Gregory were not able to understand the Christian opposition to same-sex marriage and David was unable to agree to the moral basis of homosexuality and its claim on marriage. He showed that holding to truth is not easy and it opens us up to misunderstanding and even sarcasm. In short, there is usually a price to pay.
USA's critical moment
06 May 2016
The United States is a nation with rich farmland, abundant resources, and a literate and educated population. It is a democratic republic with a constitution that guarantees freedom of speech. Yet the culture foundations have been eroding for decades. The systematic dismissal of God in society has led to increasing violence, rampant corruption, normalised immorality, and widespread spiritual apathy. When the foundations are being destroyed, what can the righteous do? (Ps. 11:3) We can pray. Across America, and the world, believers humbly interceded on behalf of the United States on Thursday. The USA stands at a critical moment in history. Although the vigil will have ended by the time this article is read, we can still join them and pray for Godly leaders to arise in churches, government, and society. Pray for national repentance of sin, immorality, and selfishness. Pray for an outpouring of the Holy Spirit on the Church, bringing another Great Awakening.
India: persecution update
06 May 2016
Hindu fundamentalists vandalised a church in Chhattisgarh during the Sunday service, forcing believers to chant ‘Praise the name of God Ram’. They then captured the pastor, Deenanath, and his seven-month pregnant wife and threw gasoline on them, trying to set them ablaze before vandalising the church and burning the Bible. In another story, Meena and Sunita came to faith through a Christian radio programme and worshipped in secret, listening to broadcasts. When they were baptised and started to visit church services, persecution began. The entire village rejected them, refusing food, clothing and even right of way in the streets. They ran away after a particularly nasty incident and were chased by Hindus shouting ‘Where are they? Burn them! Burn them!’ Both sisters still live in hiding, Open Doors is assisting with necessary supplies. Pray for God to strengthen and protect Christians in many of India’s states who are experiencing intimidation and violence. Pray for indigenous Christians and foreign missionaries to minister safely and reap miraculous results.
Africa: droughts
06 May 2016
Zimbabwe’s ten national parks are famed for their huge populations of elephants, lions, rhinos, leopards and buffaloes; but on Tuesday they put their wild animals up for sale to save them from a devastating drought. The Parks and Wildlife Management Authority said, ‘Members of the public with the capacity to acquire and manage wildlife - and enough land to hold the animals - should get in touch to register an interest.’ The drought is expected to worsen an already critical water shortage. Further north, Ethiopia is in the midst of the worst drought in fifty years, affecting over half of the country’s 750 districts. Earlier this month, the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs called Ethiopia’s condition ‘a deteriorated humanitarian situation’. Ethiopia is a victim of land degradation, due to increased use of unsustainable agricultural practices. Grazing animals and firewood collection haven’t helped, causing decreased protection against erosion with soil easily washed away. See also
Brazil: Summer Olympics preparations
06 May 2016
International Olympic Committee officials say preparations for the Olympic Games are the ‘worst ever’. The situation is critical on the ground, there is no plan B and they are not ready in many, many ways.The latest warning is all the more significant for coming from inside the IOC. The work has been troubled by construction delays and mass protests. The unwieldy relationships between the city, state and national governments and the ambitious nature of the plans have caused delays and discord. There are also ‘social issues that need addressing’. Hosting the Olympics was designed to showcase Brazil's confidence as one of the fastest growing world economies and turbocharge long-overdue improvement to the city's infrastructure. But negative headlines about the readiness of facilities has dented confidence in its ability to deliver.
Small but Mighty
05 May 2016
The least of you will become a thousand, the smallest a mighty nation. I am the Lord; in its time I will do this swiftly.' (Isaiah 60: 22)
God uses children to change nations. No one is too small or insignificant in his eyes! The Bible is full of children used by God and children who've overcome the odds to become great men and women of God.
Today, children are born into situations of great risk of abuse, trafficking, disease, disaster, early death – yet are being used by God to share his love and to change society.
Let's empower the children in our churches to lead us in prayer.
Let's make them more visible and listen to them.
The 2016 World Weekend of Prayer for children at risk campaign on 4-5 June has the theme: "Small but mighty".
Our desire is to turn to God together in prayer for a change of attitude and action by all communities around the world towards their children.
We're calling on Christians wherever they are that weekend to join us in praying that:
- Children who feel neglected and forgotten would experience lasting change in their lives, receiving genuine love and compassion.
- God would turn around the thoughts and actions of those adults who look down on, ignore or even despise children.
- Child leaders would be raised up and anointed as ambassadors for Christ: committed in prayer, selfless in action and spiritual in their decisions.
We would love for World Prayer Centre to stand with us that weekend and be part of this global prayer campaign.
Would you be able to promote the event through your member/supporter networks, on your website, email communications or through social media?
Go to www.worldweekendofprayer.com to find resources for download, including a resource guide, plus activities, a study series, a song and a prayer diary. Our Facebook page is www.facebook.com/WWPrayer.
Thy Kingdom Come Resources
05 May 2016
We are so excited by the participation in 'Thy Kingdom Come' with 10's of thousands of people already involved and daily more congregations are joining this great wave of prayer for the evangelisation of our nation. Thank you for all you have done to enthuse churches about this week of prayer.
Emails have been flowing in from far and wide, from parishes across a range of traditions and a variety of locations, from urban town centres to rural parishes, from the centre of England to the USA, from Bermuda to Brussels and Israel they are joining with us to hold prayer and Beacon Events.
Many tell us they plan to host continuous prayer, from 12-1 to 24-7, often partnering with others in their deanery and other denominations in their area. We are also most encouraged to hear of a huge number of special prayer services, prayer walking events, and prayer stations, to name but a few.
We are delighted to share with you the invitational video for the Archbishop Canterbury: https://youtu.be/RJt4DrKhwv4
There has been considerable uptake of the Novena prayer booklet and the 'Pray for 5' leather bands (indeed we have sold out of the leather bands and are having to order more!).
Tickets for the Beacon events over Pentecost weekend are going fast – indeed, Canterbury and Durham Cathedrals have no more tickets but Canterbury will live-stream the service over the internet. In Winchester, where all tickets went in a matter of weeks, screens are being erected outside the Cathedral to allow an additional 2,000 people to participate. These tickets along with a few for Coventry and St Michael Le Belfrey are available – please grab them before it is too late at http://thykingdom.co.uk/beacon-events.
Resources are available to use for the week of prayer. You can download PDF's below:
Resource book A5 Young persons resource book A5
Resource book A6 Young persons resource book A6
We do ask that you continue to hold Thy Kingdom Come in prayer and encourage all to think about how they can take part. There is still time.
Source: Thy Kingdom Come
The goal is to have from four to seven tribes represented at this gathering: the Apache, Hopi, Paiute, Zuni, Ute, Arapahoe, and Northern Cheyenne. The leaders who invited them to come expressed grave concern about people in their tribe who were attempting to draw their people back into traditional religious belief systems, so he asked if that was one area we might focus on.
Some of the issues among others that are expected to be dealt with are the Native Psychological Dilemma, Host People and Redeeming the Land, Strategic Level Spiritual Warfare, Spiritual Mapping, SWAT Training (basic principles and tools needed to carry out prophetic prayer initiatives), Ministry of Intercession, Deliverance Ministry Team Training, Ministry of Inner Healing, and Spiritual Gifts.
Ivan and Linda Doxtator from First Nations Counseling Ministries will be doing the training. For more information about attending, please contact Pete Belon 505 6864020.
Please pray for His strong anointing on the Doxtators and all those who take part. Pray for the development of a united prayer movement among the Native peoples of the USA. They are crucial for the deliverance and transformation of America.