Update: As I work with a number of different teams here at World Prayer Centre, at More than Gold, at Hope, Prayer For Today, Global Day of Prayer, Prayer Forum, etc., it is exciting to see how the prayer strategy is developing in the lead up to 2012; how HOPE is resourcing its constituency in prayer; and how God has created wonderful trust between different churches, organisations and ministries all planning for years of prayer in 2012 + all that is emerging in 2013 and 2014 - I get a real sense in my spirit that our Father is up to something. That 'something' is very profound as He knocks on the door of our planning with the aim of getting our attention off the programme and focussed afresh on Jesus.
More than Gold - the organisation working to co-ordinate the churches response to the Olympic and Paralympic Games through hospitality, service and mission (undergirded by prayer) has seen some wonderful answers to prayer.
A time to shine - a call to pray for communities and nations (Isaiah 60:1-5). There will be 4 seasons of prayer during 2012 in which all will be invited - whether linked with More than Gold or not - to pray locally and link nationally in this unique season:
1. Shine for the New Year 31.12.11-8.1.12
2. Shine as the flame travels* - prayer and blessing travelling around 210 locations at each place the Olympic torch stops for 70 days**
3. Shine during the Games (both Olympic and Paralympics).
4. Shine forever - continuing the momentum of prayer and mission
*I will be in touch with leaders in For England - Together shortly to share more fully the prophetic background and invitation to join in Shine as the flame travels
** We are praying over what needs to take place prayerwise during the Paralympic torch relay.
http://www.morethangold.org.uk/your-church/prayer/
• Over 1750 church reps (Gold Champions) are in place and it is exciting to see how many churches are engaging in how to use the Games as a mission opportunity.
• All of the 23 programme teams are now in place and making plans to deliver resources to help churches run holiday clubs, sports academies, community festivals, deliver hospitality, welcome mission teams, accommodate athlete's families, recruit Games Pastors (who will be used in transport hubs in SE England)
Update: As I work with a number of different teams here at World Prayer Centre, at More than Gold, at Hope, Prayer For Today, Global Day of Prayer, Prayer Forum, etc., it is exciting to see how the prayer strategy is developing in the lead up to 2012; how HOPE is resourcing its constituency in prayer; and how God has created wonderful trust between different churches, organisations and ministries all planning for years of prayer in 2012 + all that is emerging in 2013 and 2014 - I get a real sense in my spirit that our Father is up to something. That 'something' is very profound as He knocks on the door of our planning with the aim of getting our attention off the programme and focussed afresh on Jesus.
More than Gold - the organisation working to co-ordinate the churches response to the Olympic and Paralympic Games through hospitality, service and mission (undergirded by prayer) has seen some wonderful answers to prayer.
A time to shine - a call to pray for communities and nations (Isaiah 60:1-5). There will be 4 seasons of prayer during 2012 in which all will be invited - whether linked with More than Gold or not - to pray locally and link nationally in this unique season:
1. Shine for the New Year 31.12.11-8.1.12
2. Shine as the flame travels* - prayer and blessing travelling around 210 locations at each place the Olympic torch stops for 70 days**
3. Shine during the Games (both Olympic and Paralympics).
4. Shine forever - continuing the momentum of prayer and mission
*I will be in touch with leaders in For England - Together shortly to share more fully the prophetic background and invitation to join in Shine as the flame travels
** We are praying over what needs to take place prayerwise during the Paralympic torch relay.
http://www.morethangold.org.uk/your-church/prayer/
• Over 1750 church reps (Gold Champions) are in place and it is exciting to see how many churches are engaging in how to use the Games as a mission opportunity.
• All of the 23 programme teams are now in place and making plans to deliver resources to help churches run holiday clubs, sports academies, community festivals, deliver hospitality, welcome mission teams, accommodate athlete's families, recruit Games Pastors (who will be used in transport hubs in SE England)
Military can lead on moral values and ethics
Former head of the army said Britain is losing its moral compass to such a degree that the armed forces can no longer rely on young recruits to behave in a way once expected. General Lord Dannatt, a committed Christian, has previously expressed concern about British society, suggesting that many members of the armed forces lacked moral values when they joined up. Speaking in a lecture sponsored by Theos, a thinktank he said now the military can teach society about the importance of ethics and morality. ‘In the past it was often assumed that young men and women coming into the armed forces would have absorbed an understanding of the core values and standards of behaviour required from their family or from within their wider community. Such a presumption, he adds, cannot be made now.
Pray: that ethics and morality will become central to our forces and to our nation. (Jas.1:21)
More: http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/2011/nov/08/military-moral-values-ethics-dannatt
Watchdog moves to curb sexualised songs on radio
Media watchdog Ofcom is clamping down on radio broadcasters which flout rules meant to protect children from inappropriate music lyrics. Ofcom is concerned about a number of cases where ‘offensive language was broadcast, some at times when children were particularly likely to have been listening’. The watchdog has met with the radio industry and plans to publish guidance ‘by the end of the year to clarify the rules in the broadcasting code’. The move comes as it is revealed the Government is to look at putting cinema-style age classifications on music videos. Although current radio rules ban inappropriate or offensive material when children may be listening, Ofcom says they are being flouted.
Pray: that these moves by Ofcom and the Government to curb inappropriate material being broadcast will be successful. (Ps.139:24)
Tax plea to Chancellor
Church representatives delivered a letter to Chancellor George Osborne on Monday asking the Government to tackle tax avoidance in order to ‘close the gap’ between the rich and the poor in the UK. Among the signatories was the President of the Methodist Conference, the Rev Leo Osborn. While welcoming the Coalition Government’s commitment to protect the poorest and most vulnerable people from the impact of the current spending cuts, Church leaders said they were concerned that the cuts were nevertheless having a ‘severe impact’ on many of the people they worked with on a daily basis. ‘In this climate, as Churches, Christian organisations and individual Christians, we are increasingly concerned about the impact that tax avoidance and tax evasion are having on the public purse,’ they said.
Pray: that tax avoidance will be tackled by the Chancellor and Government. (2Cor.8:13)
G20 seeks stronger IMF to fight debt crisis
Leaders of the world's most powerful economies have agreed to increase the resources of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) in order to help alleviate the debt crisis that threatens to spread across Europe. Despite the consensus, leaders struggled to reach concrete plans on how to do so, as the G20 summit, which has largely been overshadowed by euro-zone efforts to tackle the Greek debt crisis, concluded in the French resort of Cannes last Friday. ‘It's important that the IMF sees its resources reinforced,’ European Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso told reporters. Al Jazeera's Jacky Rowland, reporting from Cannes, said the summit's final communiqué stressed ‘desirable trends and tendencies rather than measurable objective’. She continued: ‘There was a lot of talk about slogans such as strong, sustainable growth, but it was rather thin on actual detail about how this would be achieved.’
Pray: for the world as it tackles the economic problems and that the rich will learn generosity and not be governed by greed. (Pro.28:25)
More: http://english.aljazeera.net/news/europe/2011/11/201111464940325870.html
G20 seeks stronger IMF to fight debt crisis
Leaders of the world's most powerful economies have agreed to increase the resources of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) in order to help alleviate the debt crisis that threatens to spread across Europe. Despite the consensus, leaders struggled to reach concrete plans on how to do so, as the G20 summit, which has largely been overshadowed by euro-zone efforts to tackle the Greek debt crisis, concluded in the French resort of Cannes last Friday. ‘It's important that the IMF sees its resources reinforced,’ European Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso told reporters. Al Jazeera's Jacky Rowland, reporting from Cannes, said the summit's final communiqué stressed ‘desirable trends and tendencies rather than measurable objective’. She continued: ‘There was a lot of talk about slogans such as strong, sustainable growth, but it was rather thin on actual detail about how this would be achieved.’
Pray: for the world as it tackles the economic problems and that the rich will learn generosity and not be governed by greed. (Pro.28:25)
More: http://english.aljazeera.net/news/europe/2011/11/201111464940325870.html
Azerbaijan to tighten restrictions on religious literature
By mid-November, Azerbaijan's parliament will have adopted stricter amendments for those who produce or distribute religious literature. Heftier fines and long prison sentences will now be the punishment for those who do not submit their religious literature to compulsory state censorship before producing or distributing it, according to Voice of the Martyrs, Canada. Prison sentences will be as long as five years, and fines will be as high as nine years' official minimum wages, reports Forum 18 News. The new restrictions come just months after an amendment made to Azerbaijan's Religion Law. In June, the nation invoked a requirement for all religious communities that 50 adults must state that they are founders in order for the group to apply for registration. The law tightens its grip around religious necks each time an amendment is added, keeping Azerbaijan in the top 25 Most Persecuted countries in the world.
Pray: that these restrictions would not hinder the spread of Christian materials and the Gospel. (2Th.3:1)
Afghanistan/Pakistan: Christian NGOs are targeted
A brother in India received from a reliable source information issued on 17th October warning that the Taliban will be especially targeting Christian NGOs, organizations and believers. Please continue to pray for divine protection for all God’s people throughout this region. Pray for signs and wonders, for a Spirit of Revelation for those who are so blindly bent on hatred and persecution.
Pray: the Lord will give His people every place where they set their feet, that no one will be able to stand against the purposes of God in the region. (Jos.1:2-6)
Iran: Authorities attempt to corrupt Christianity
Iran is spending large amounts of money to counteract and confuse the Christianity that is spreading among Iranian youth. Haghighat-e-sabz-e-Gilan was formed to ‘identify religious teachings about both Islam and Christianity’ and to be ‘responsive to religious questions.’ The office of Culture and Islamic Guidance of Gilan province’s concern for the youth prompted a series of conferences ‘The Journey from Christianity to Islam’ with speeches by converts from Christianity to Islam. They are also establishing an Islamic internet radio station called ‘Voice of Christ’ with the intention of deceptively using Christ’s name to fight against Christianity. The station will answer questions about Christianity and targets Farsi speaking countries of Iran, Afghanistan and Tajikistan. The programmes will be broadcast in the Gilaki dialect (dialect of the people of Gilan) and the Taleshi dialect (the local language of the people in northwest Iran).
Pray: that not one Gilaki, Taleshi or Farsi speaking searcher will be deceived and for seekers to hear the truth through Christian broadcasts. (Ps.119:17-19)