SAN DIEGO, California, January 22/Christian Newswire/--In partnership with the 4/14 Window Movement and the worldwide Body of Christ, Children’s Ministries International, Inc. announced, in a statement released this morning, that the 2nd annual Global 4/14/ Day is set for Sunday, April 14, 2013.
“Global 4/14 Day has become an annual day of prayer,” said Steve Karges, coordinator of the event. “The focus of our prayers on April 14 will be for children in the 4/14 Window,” Karges continues, “and we invite Christians worldwide to join the movement and pray.” “ONE MILLION Christians praying for TWO BILLION children will have a resounding impact on our world,” Karges said. “We are making this announcement today,” Karges continues, “to give individuals, churches and ministries around the globe, enough time to plan and organize local prayer events.” The Global 4/14 Day website, www.global414day.com, has been updated and is available in 14 languages. Additional translations of the website will be added in the future in order to reach and invite more people to pray. “The 4/14 Window refers to all children between the ages of 4 and 14,” Karges concludes. “During this decade or ‘window’, most children in this demographic develop their moral and spiritual foundations.” For a free Prayer Guide and to learn more about Global 4/14 Day, visit www.global414day.com.
Right now 656 campuses have been adopted, with 497 communities and churches praying in 367 cities. All 50 states will have someone praying on February 28, 2013!
Here are two examples of how ministries are promoting the CDOP:
1. 24-7 Prayer http://www.24-7prayer.com/features/1955
2. Mom’s in Prayer (V&S Leader Julie Loos)
http://www.momsinprayer.org/email/general12/collegiatedayofprayer.html
Don't use aid money for peacekeeping, PM told
Christian development agencies are urging the Government not to divert aid money to peacekeeping operations. The plans were unveiled this week by Prime Minister David Cameron who is under pressure to save the Armed Forces from further spending cuts. However, charities are warning that the move could jeopardise stability in regions benefitting from British aid. Justin Byworth, Chief Executive of World Vision UK, said: “The Prime Minister's correct that security and peace are essential, but long-term stability is about far more than peacekeeping. "In reality, it’s a complex mix which includes nutrition, health, education, and protecting vulnerable children, which all help to prevent conflict and empower people to cope with challenging circumstances. “Spending on peacekeeping from the aid pot is already limited by international standards. We’d be concerned if this statement means these standards are being challenged.” Christian Aid warned that linking aid to military spending in fragile states could put aid workers on the ground at risk.
Pray: for legislation to be revised so that Christians can serve their communities as Christians – not in a way that forces them to ‘leave their faith at the door'. (Pr.31:9)
More: http://www.christiantoday.co.uk/article/dont.use.aid.money.for.peacekeeping.pm.told/31697.htm
Irish Inter Faith Workshop
A Workshop on Inter Faith Engagement will be held this weekend, in the Chapel of St Columbanus in NUI Galway. Organized by the Church of Ireland’s Inter Faith Working Group, the workshop will be based around the Porvoo Communion’s study guide, ‘Keys to Inter Faith Engagement’. The Porvoo Communion is a communion of thirteen mainly northern European Anglican and Lutheran Churches, including the Church of Ireland. The aim of the ‘Keys’ document, and of the Workshop, is to enable people to consider the situation where they live with their neighbours from different faith communities, and to support and develop inter faith dialogue. The Workshop will be led by Canon Andrew Wingate. The founding Director of the St Philip’s Centre for Study and Engagement in Leicester, he is now a consultant and teacher in the area of inter faith relations, particularly in Scandinavia. He was a member of the group which prepared ‘Keys to Inter Faith Engagement’.
Pray: for all those attending the workshop and for inter-faith engagement in Galway and elsewhere. (Jude 3)
More: http://ireland.anglican.org/news/4479
One in five British children still living below the poverty line
One in five British children are living below the poverty line, with almost half under the threshold in some areas, according to new research from the Child Poverty Action Group (CPAG) and the End Child Poverty coalition. Manchester Central is designated the poorest area, with 47 per cent of children living in poverty, followed by Belfast West and Glasgow North East on 43 per cent. Areas of Liverpool and Middlesbrough also had four in 10 children living in poverty in 2012. Children are classified as being in poverty if they live in families on out-of-work benefits or in-work tax credits where their reported income is less than 60 per cent of median income. The new figures show eight areas of large cities have more than 40 per cent of children in this category, down from 19 in 2011. They also reveal the wide disparity across Britain and within regions
Pray: for the most vulnerable in our society who are least protected from the ongoing austerity measures. (Pr.19:17)
More: http://www.ekklesia.co.uk/node/18051
Mexico/US: Drug cartels
For decades Mexico has been scarred by struggles among drug cartels for control over the lucrative drug trade to the US. The conflict has left 70,000 dead since 2007, paralyzed whole cities with fear and spawned a culture of corruption reaching the upper levels of the Mexican state. The rape by suspected drug gangs last week of six Spanish women vacationing in Acapulco has heightened fear and questions government control of crime. It didn't help that at the same time as the rape of the Spanish holiday makers, Mexico's minister of tourism was in Spain, attempting to promote tourism. This is Mexico's moment, was her theme.
Pray: 2013 would be Mexico’s moment for the government and police to overcome the evil vicious drug war violence. (2Sa.23:3-4 & 6-7)
Egypt: Church destroyed & ‘reconciliation’ a sham
Christians and rights activists expressed frustration over spreading anti-Christian violence in Egypt after another Church was destroyed by Muslims in an attack that slightly injured several believers. Hundreds threw stones then set fire to 20 year old St. Georgas Coptic Church which ministered to 200 families. Local Muslims claimed the church was ‘illegal’ and needed demolishing because of its close location to a largely Muslim neighbourhood. Recently ‘reconciliation’ meetings were arranged over similar persecution attacks. These are traditional forms of conflict resolution arranged by authorities to ease tensions between Muslims and Christians. An independent advocacy group said ‘The rights of Christians, which are now practically nonexistent in Egypt, are all but taken from them at compulsory reconciliation meetings. By their very nature meetings are used to excuse those responsible for attacks and shift blame onto victims, contributing to Egypt’s climate of impunity and encouraging further assaults.’
Pray: Egyptian officials would fairly and honestly investigate attacks on Christians and Church buildings. (Mt.16:18)
More: http://vineoflife.net/2013/02/19/egypt-christians-tense-after-muslim-mob-destroys-church/
Algeria: Sentences Christian for evangelism
An Algerian court fined a former Muslim who converted converted to Christianity for evangelism in a case that activists warned would further undermine religious freedom in Algeria. The ruling could negatively impact the case of Siagh Krimo who is appealing against a five-year prison term for giving a Christian CD to a neighbour, warned International Christian Concern, a major advocacy group. ‘Once again Algeria's courts have enforced a law that by its very nature is used to prosecute anyone who does not adhere to the religion of Islam.’ said ICC's regional manager. According to Wikipedia ‘Christianity is the fastest growing religion in Algeria, and while the practice and expression of other faiths is guaranteed by law, the same legal framework tends to restrict Christians insofar as overt proselytising is concerned. Christian converts may be investigated and searched by the authorities.’ There are an estimated 30,000 devoted Christians in the heavily Islamic nation.
Pray: God’s protection and encouragement for those practicing their faith and evangelising in Algeria and other Muslim countries. (Ps.121:7)
More: http://www.bosnewslife.com/26482-algeria-sentences-christian-for-evangelism
China: Persecution rising
Last year a three-phase plan to eradicate unregistered house churches began (See Prayer Alert 17-2012). Since then persecution has risen by 42%. 442 of the arrests were clergy. The three-phase approach arose because the government sees house churches as a hostile group of dissenters. The government intends to force Christians to join the official Three-Self Patriotic Movement (TSPM) church system. In last year’s first phase the state secretly investigated house churches across the country and created files on them. This was followed by a wave of crackdowns on house churches which has continued into 2013 as part of the second phase. Some house churches have registered to avoid arrests and harassment, but most object to TSPM theological beliefs and state controls. The number of Protestant house-church Christians has been estimated at between 45 million and 60 million.
Pray: against the tactics of banning and sealing churches, may there be a tsunami of Christian evangelism and conversion in China. (Is.11:9)
Turkey: Syrian Orthodox Christians targeted and kidnapped
In a poor gypsy neighbourhood of Istanbul sits a Syrian Orthodox refugee. He worked as a dentist in Aleppo until lack of food, electricity, water, and constant fear of sniper-fire and kidnapping of Christians made life too dangerous. Living in an unheated house and keeping their voices down for fear of attracting police attention, 20 Syrian Orthodox Christians bundle up in winter jackets, drink Turkish coffee and discuss the dangers of fleeing war-torn Syria and illegally crossing the border into Turkey. The middle-aged dentist says in fluent English that friends and relatives were kidnapped by criminal groups operating freely due to the removal of central government control. The refugee paid $6,000 to a smuggler to help him leave and cross the border while under gunfire from an unknown group. He cannot get legal employment in Turkey and works occasionally translating from Arabic to Turkish.
Pray: for the thousands of ‘forgotten’ Syrian Orthodox Christians uprooted from their homes now living in poverty and fear. May they know God’s provision and protection. (Deut.3:16)
More: http://morningstarnews.org/2013/02/christians-in-syria-targeted-for-kidnapping/