Ukraine: Unrest and 'escalating tensions'
kraine's Prime Minister has called on the opposition to stop escalating political tensions, warning, ‘anybody found guilty of violating the constitution and laws will be punished.’ Mass street protests (the largest since the pro-democracy Orange Revolution in 2004) began over a week ago, sparked by the government's decision not to sign an association deal with the EU. The EU wants to forge closer ties with Ukraine, Moldova, Belarus and three states in the Caucasus - Armenia, Azerbaijan and Georgia. All these former Soviet states have remained to some extent in Russia's sphere of influence since the Cold War ended. Years of negotiations culminated in a summit in Lithuania on 28-29 November. Ukraine and Armenia pulled out of an association agreement. Once on the path towards EU membership, countries (Turkey for example) receive millions of euros in EU funding for development projects. Ukraine has a population of 45 million and is one of Europe's biggest countries, dwarfing the other five partner states.
Bosnia: Bishop demands end to discrimination against Catholics
‘Politicians from the West must put pressure on Bosnian politicians so that Catholic war refugees can also return to Bosnia at long last,’ said Bishop Franjo Komarica of Banja Luka Diocese, Bosnia-Herzegovina. Talking to the Catholic charity Aid to the Church in Need, Bishop Komarica, chair of the Bishop's Conference of Bosnia-Herzegovina, called on politicians to make sure refugees' basic rights are respected. According to the bishop, Catholics, who are ethnically Croats, have not received the same rights as Bosniaks and Serbsin the country. Bishop Komarica said: ‘Croatian Catholics must finally be put on an equal footing with the other two ethnic groups. They must be allowed to return from abroad and possibilities must be created for them to build up a life in their hometowns.’
Ukraine: Unrest and 'escalating tensions'
kraine's Prime Minister has called on the opposition to stop escalating political tensions, warning, ‘anybody found guilty of violating the constitution and laws will be punished.’ Mass street protests (the largest since the pro-democracy Orange Revolution in 2004) began over a week ago, sparked by the government's decision not to sign an association deal with the EU. The EU wants to forge closer ties with Ukraine, Moldova, Belarus and three states in the Caucasus - Armenia, Azerbaijan and Georgia. All these former Soviet states have remained to some extent in Russia's sphere of influence since the Cold War ended. Years of negotiations culminated in a summit in Lithuania on 28-29 November. Ukraine and Armenia pulled out of an association agreement. Once on the path towards EU membership, countries (Turkey for example) receive millions of euros in EU funding for development projects. Ukraine has a population of 45 million and is one of Europe's biggest countries, dwarfing the other five partner states.
Evangelist Andrew Palau joins with 500 Churches in Ethiopia
In the heart of one of Africa’s most influential cities, world evangelist Andrew Palau and 500 Ethiopian churches joined together in a significant effort to foster unity and love, and reach out with the Good News through Love Ethiopia, October 26 through November 17, 2013. The campaign visited the nation’s seven largest cities with the clear message of Jesus Christ. It included more than 17 partner evangelists, 120 short-term missionaries, more than 70 para-church organizations, and thousands of local volunteers in 175 events. From outreach events in local prisons to a private meeting with the newly-appointed president of the nation, the campaign reached every level of society and touched more than 250,000 people, with many thousands responding to the clear Gospel message presented by Andrew Palau and dozens of others. Andrew’s biblical messages of hope rang out to tens of thousands of people on the closing weekend of the festival, forming a potent capstone to the three-week-long campaign.
Free resources for The Bible TV series
The Emmy Award-winning TV series 'The Bible' premiered last Saturday on Channel 5 and two of the largest UK Christian charities have created an online guide for those who will tune in to watch. The five-part series has had phenomenal success in the US with more than 100 million viewers. It covers Genesis to Revelation in one grand narrative, with each two hour episode focussing on two or three Biblical stories. The executive producers, husband and wife team Mark Burnett and Roma Downey, have said they conceived the idea for the series with the hope that it would ‘affect a new generation of viewers and draw them back to the Bible’. Following the announcement that the series would be shown on British television, the Damaris Trust and the Evangelical Alliance teamed up to provide resources that will give viewers background Biblical information and will explore the major themes of the series, such as forgiveness and transformation.
Evangelist Andrew Palau joins with 500 Churches in Ethiopia
In the heart of one of Africa’s most influential cities, world evangelist Andrew Palau and 500 Ethiopian churches joined together in a significant effort to foster unity and love, and reach out with the Good News through Love Ethiopia, October 26 through November 17, 2013. The campaign visited the nation’s seven largest cities with the clear message of Jesus Christ. It included more than 17 partner evangelists, 120 short-term missionaries, more than 70 para-church organizations, and thousands of local volunteers in 175 events. From outreach events in local prisons to a private meeting with the newly-appointed president of the nation, the campaign reached every level of society and touched more than 250,000 people, with many thousands responding to the clear Gospel message presented by Andrew Palau and dozens of others. Andrew’s biblical messages of hope rang out to tens of thousands of people on the closing weekend of the festival, forming a potent capstone to the three-week-long campaign.
Free resources for The Bible TV series
The Emmy Award-winning TV series 'The Bible' premiered last Saturday on Channel 5 and two of the largest UK Christian charities have created an online guide for those who will tune in to watch. The five-part series has had phenomenal success in the US with more than 100 million viewers. It covers Genesis to Revelation in one grand narrative, with each two hour episode focussing on two or three Biblical stories. The executive producers, husband and wife team Mark Burnett and Roma Downey, have said they conceived the idea for the series with the hope that it would ‘affect a new generation of viewers and draw them back to the Bible’. Following the announcement that the series would be shown on British television, the Damaris Trust and the Evangelical Alliance teamed up to provide resources that will give viewers background Biblical information and will explore the major themes of the series, such as forgiveness and transformation.
Last week, over 300 brothers and sisters in Christ from approximately 40 nations came together in the New York City area to pray for the children and youth of our world and for the efforts of the United Nations to help them. Our theme was "Children and Youth: Investing in the Future". Two unique and historic events - the Children in Prayer global consultation and the United Nations prayer initiative- both meeting end to end during the same week, carried that theme through all their sessions.
Here are some of the high points of both events:
- Hearing stirring and insightful presentations from our many gifted presenters.
- Praying with the children and youth participants over a huge inflatable globe for the nations and also an explosive spread of the Children in Prayer movement to the ends of the earth.
- Watching the kids being kids, having fun together and sometimes squirming on a large map of the world as they tried to concentrate fully. They also prayed, danced and shared moving words from the Lord with us during "Time with Abba".
- Stimulating workshops and regional sessions for both kids and adults as well as time spent in a specially decorated 24/7 prayer room.
- An affirming Skype call with Esther Ilnisky, "mother of the CiP movement".
- Strategic planning sessions and excursions to the Empire State Building to pray over New York and a tour of the U.N. to bless that complex, its personnel and efforts.
- Being challenged about the Next Generation and the possibility of a World Youth Prayer Assembly in 2015 or 2016.
- Hearing the testimony of one Korean church in New York that is impacting hundreds of thousands of children through inviting them to soccer games in stadia in several nations.
- Eating breakfast together in the U.N. Delegates Dining Room with ambassadors and U.N. staff to hear about the needs of children and youth; and to be led by children and youth in prayer for the Millennium Development Goals and by virtuoso students of Itzhak Perlman who played their violin and viola masterfully.
- Anointed worship of the Lord with all our hearts in the very heart of the United Nations.
- Praying there in the U.N. for a whole day, strongly and in agreement for the issues of youth and children- for orphans, those caught in trafficking, those in need of health, education, and employment, children trapped in war and refugee situations such as Syria, etc. You can see the 10 am session on November 20 inside the UN on this UN webcast link:
http://webtv.un.org/watch/the-united-nations-prayer-initiative/2859713384001/
- Fellowship with one another over meals and praying for one another's lives and ministries before departing.
Many said their lives and ministries were affected deeply and that they now intended to focus much more intentionally and energetically on the Next Generation in their countries. Here are some of the many comments:
"The CIP / UN Prayer initiative... was such a wonderful and worthwhile time of God's people coming together from across the nations. The first evening as we worshipped and sang "Worthy is the Lamb" together will stand out in my memory as a holy moment in time."
"I have come away uplifted andencouraged by what the Lord is doing across the nations at this time. Soglad and thankful that I came to New York. I'm so looking forward to all that the Lord is going to do in the future amongst the children here in Perth - literally the ends of the earth! I feel that is significant!!"
"I really thank you for involving me in the CiP UN Prayer Initiative. I am returning to Nigeria with a fresh passion and burden for children and youth."
-John Robb, IPC Chairman
A Testimony from One Participant
When IPC, the organizing body for International Prayer Initiative confirmed my name as one of those to be praying at the UN (Nov 15-20), for issues facing the children, youth, nations and leaders of the world today, I was humbled and deeply grateful to God for this rare opportunity and favour from the Lord. Lots of questions came to mind like, 'why pray for the children and youth'? Why not pray for cessation of hostilities and terrorism or human rights violations and related human sufferings around the world? etc., etc. But after the event, I understood the strategic importance of praying for the children and the youth of the world to initiate a 'generational' transformation and solution to so many human problems. Here is how the Lord clarified the issue to me.
As the children led the praise and worship and leaders were introduced to the participants, the Spirit of God began moving amongst us. The many dry bones as it were got 'connected' through the proclamation of the word, prayer and praise. As the Spirit took over, we felt like one body, worshipping together the Lord of the nations. How marvelous! "My Jesus, my Savior.. Nothing compares with the promises I have in YOU". Well, did not Isaiah prophesy? "A little child shall lead them"? Did not Jesus underscore the importance of becoming like a child because the kingdom of God belongs to those whose hearts had become obedient and soft like children?
Then, four horns of ram started blowing declaring the moment of spiritual victory, and the season for fresh anointing powerfully announced in that manner ALL by the children. The promise that came to us was through the songs like.. Greater things are yet to come.. Greater things are yet to be done in this city..(remembering that New York was hit by terrorists in 2001) was loud and clear. Yes, Jehovah Gibor has declared war against the forces of darkness over the nations and victory will be declared!
Delegates were encouraged to go into a small prayer room located near the breakout rooms. One afternoon, I also joined a few Indians who were praying there. I saw in one corner, a table with a cup of wine and a few crumbs of biscuits, intended for those who might like to have communion with the Lord. I said to the Lord, "Lord, I want to see you Lord afresh. I have been blessed already through the word and through the songs, but I want to see you.. high and lifted up". I took the cup and ate the bread and then a powerful presence overwhelmed me like I have never known before. The experience was indescribable and then the Lord said to me, "I give you my blessings now in that cup because that is the cup of blessings and the cup of joy (Psalm 16, 23 1 Cor. 10-11). Drink and be filled with my love and go to the UN with this love".
I remained standing praising Him because He heard my humble prayers. I said, "Because of your love you prayed at Gethsemane with drops of blood. Now, I can go and pray for the nations with that love, Lord. Thank YOU Lord." I felt that love the whole time we prayed at the UN on the 20th Nov and that was a tearful and most joyful moment for me. The prayer room encounter happened the day before we went to pray at the UN.
Another great moment happened earlier in my room (812). My roommate Ehab from Egypt complained of severe pain in his right foot one morning as I could see the expression of pain in his face. The Lord said, "You rebuke the pain in my name" which I did, and lo and behold, the pain left him from that moment and so he was released. Praise the Lord! God is good all the time!!!