Prime Minister urged to support Christian cases
Christian Concern has launched a new campaign this Easter, urging Prime Minister David Cameron to back up his recent words of support for the Christian faith with some ‘solid action’. Last week,the Prime Minister held a private ‘Easter Reception’ at Downing Street, where he told a gathering of senior church leaders that the nation needed Christian values and also that he supported a ‘fight back’ against rising secularism. Mr Cameron told attendees: ‘I think there's something of a fight-back going on, and we should welcome that. The values of the Bible, the values of Christianity are the values that we need.’ However, critics have noted that this does not align with the recent Government submission to the European Court of
Human Rights, which backs the rulings against four Christians in their freedom of belief and conscience cases that are currently before the European Court.
Pray: for our Prime Minister and his government that they would recognise the importance of the Christian faith. (Tit.1:13)
My hand was healed by God says Tory MP
‘Not Ashamed of the Cross’ campaign is urging the Government to support historic Christian values in Europe while 400,000+ signed the Coalition for Marriage petition asking the Government to support historic Christian values at home. In 2012 Christians in Parliament need our prayers more than ever. On Easter Sunday former Government Minister Gary Streeter gave his testimony in a national newspaper, ‘My hand was healed by God, as he challenged The Advertising Standards Authority’s (ASA) stance against Healing on the Streets claim that God heals today being unfounded and breaking the law. 'My wife put her hand on my back and prayed for me and job done.' He also asked ASA if they would rebuke football fans who prayed for Fabrice Muamba. We can praise God for Mr Streeter’s challenge and pray for more Christians in positions of authority to speak out when Christian truths are challenged by our policymakers.
Pray: for Christians in the Government to stay true to Christian ethics and for the Prime Minister to act on his words, ‘Britain needs the values of the Bible more than ever.’ (Jas.2:17)
Concern at Stoke-on-Trent council’s move to scrap prayers
A council in Staffordshire is facing criticism after it ditched the saying of prayers at the beginning of its meetings. The move comes despite the Government writing to all local councils in England telling them that new laws restore their power to hold prayers at official meetings. The original case was brought against Bideford Council by the National Secular Society, after councillor and atheist Clive Bone complained about the prayers (See Prayer Alert 07 & 08-2012) Bideford town council has decided not to reinstate their prayer meetings due to concerns that new Government powers to protect the practice are not strong enough. A church minister usually leads the prayers at Stoke-on-Trent City Council, but following a ‘compromise’ move, people who want to pray at council meetings must now do so separately 15 minutes beforehand. The move has provoked criticism from The Daily Express newspaper which said in an editorial: ‘The role of Christianity in our national life does not threaten freedom but bolsters it’.
Pray: that prayers within council meetings will continue to be recognised as central and that the recent judgement will be strengthened. (Ps.9:19)
More: http://www.christian.org.uk/news/concern-at-council%E2%80%99s-move-to-scrap-prayers/
Concern at Stoke-on-Trent council’s move to scrap prayers
A council in Staffordshire is facing criticism after it ditched the saying of prayers at the beginning of its meetings. The move comes despite the Government writing to all local councils in England telling them that new laws restore their power to hold prayers at official meetings. The original case was brought against Bideford Council by the National Secular Society, after councillor and atheist Clive Bone complained about the prayers (See Prayer Alert 07 & 08-2012) Bideford town council has decided not to reinstate their prayer meetings due to concerns that new Government powers to protect the practice are not strong enough. A church minister usually leads the prayers at Stoke-on-Trent City Council, but following a ‘compromise’ move, people who want to pray at council meetings must now do so separately 15 minutes beforehand. The move has provoked criticism from The Daily Express newspaper which said in an editorial: ‘The role of Christianity in our national life does not threaten freedom but bolsters it’.
Pray: that prayers within council meetings will continue to be recognised as central and that the recent judgement will be strengthened. (Ps.9:19)
More: http://www.christian.org.uk/news/concern-at-council%E2%80%99s-move-to-scrap-prayers/
Turkey’s religious freedom record slides
Sentiment against Christians in Turkey has persisted long enough for a US religious rights monitor to recommend it as a ‘Country of Particular Concern,’ and pastor Orhan Picaklar knows such anti-Christian hostility first-hand. Picaklar, of Agape Church in Samsun, lives in the Black Sea region where Christians live under increasing pressure. He has seen his building attacked and his family and congregation threatened. Picaklar said. 'We have been here for 10 years, and people here still treat us like cursed enemies'. Picaklar’s son received death threats on Facebook. A man caused minor damage to Picaklar’s church building last month, the latest in a series of aggressions that has led the church to file charges after long declining to do so. Police called Picaklar in the middle of the night on March 4 because a young man had disturbed neighbours near the church building. Neighbours heard the suspect, yelling, ‘Corrupt, perverted Christians, we are going to bring this church down on your heads, get lost,’ among other threats, Picaklar said.
Pray: for pastor Picaklar and others like him as they lead the church in places of hostility. (Ps.5:11)
More: http://www.opendoorsuk.org/news/stories/index.php?newsitem=1&date=09apr2012&country=turkey
Turkey’s religious freedom record slides
Sentiment against Christians in Turkey has persisted long enough for a US religious rights monitor to recommend it as a ‘Country of Particular Concern,’ and pastor Orhan Picaklar knows such anti-Christian hostility first-hand. Picaklar, of Agape Church in Samsun, lives in the Black Sea region where Christians live under increasing pressure. He has seen his building attacked and his family and congregation threatened. Picaklar said. 'We have been here for 10 years, and people here still treat us like cursed enemies'. Picaklar’s son received death threats on Facebook. A man caused minor damage to Picaklar’s church building last month, the latest in a series of aggressions that has led the church to file charges after long declining to do so. Police called Picaklar in the middle of the night on March 4 because a young man had disturbed neighbours near the church building. Neighbours heard the suspect, yelling, ‘Corrupt, perverted Christians, we are going to bring this church down on your heads, get lost,’ among other threats, Picaklar said.
Pray: for pastor Picaklar and others like him as they lead the church in places of hostility. (Ps.5:11)
More: http://www.opendoorsuk.org/news/stories/index.php?newsitem=1&date=09apr2012&country=turkey
Russia: An affiliated Saddleback Church to open in Moscow
During a meeting with the leaders of the Associated Russian Union of Christians of Evangelical-Pentecostal Faith, Tom Holladay, one of the pastors of the Saddleback Church led by Rick Warren, stated that Moscow together with 12 other world cities had been chosen for the creation an affiliated Saddleback Church, reports Christian Telegraph in reference to the Union Press Centre. The Christian leaders discussed Rick Warren’s future visit to Moscow scheduled for this summer. Pastor Tom Holladay noted that, according to Warren’s vision, their main task is to find Christian leaders within the culture where a Church is being created and then support them. More than 400,000 pastors from different parts of the world have already been trained in the Saddleback Church’s training centre. Also, the Church will be focused on covering non-believers. ‘We seek to find new people,’ underlined Pastor Holladay.
Pray: that the Saddleback training programme will bless Moscow and other cities in building the church. (1Cor.3:10)
Russia: An affiliated Saddleback Church to open in Moscow
During a meeting with the leaders of the Associated Russian Union of Christians of Evangelical-Pentecostal Faith, Tom Holladay, one of the pastors of the Saddleback Church led by Rick Warren, stated that Moscow together with 12 other world cities had been chosen for the creation an affiliated Saddleback Church, reports Christian Telegraph in reference to the Union Press Centre. The Christian leaders discussed Rick Warren’s future visit to Moscow scheduled for this summer. Pastor Tom Holladay noted that, according to Warren’s vision, their main task is to find Christian leaders within the culture where a Church is being created and then support them. More than 400,000 pastors from different parts of the world have already been trained in the Saddleback Church’s training centre. Also, the Church will be focused on covering non-believers. ‘We seek to find new people,’ underlined Pastor Holladay.
Pray: that the Saddleback training programme will bless Moscow and other cities in building the church. (1Cor.3:10)
“Nobel Peace Prize winner Aung San Suu Kyi was one of 43 members of the National League for Democracy party elected to Burma’s parliament on April 1. Her party swept the elections, only failing to win one of the 44 seats it contested. But the elections filled just 7 percent of the seats in parliament with 25 percent of the seats filled by the military as required by Burma’s constitution. Aung San Suu Kyi and her supporters are railing against the military’s role in politics, and the United States has announced that while it will lift some sanctions on Burma, it will keep the most significant ones in place until Burma implements more meaningful reform. Can pressure from inside the government combined with pressure from the West bring Burma closer to becoming a democratic state?”
www.Lignet.com
Let’s rejoice at this answered prayer for Burma and its freedom from political repression. Pray for strong and steady progress towards political and religious freedom as well as for the end of ethnic conflict and true reconciliation among all the people of this land.
We are now just two months from the World Prayer Assembly. Your prayers have been a sustaining and encouraging force for us. We know that without your support in this way, we could be dead meat in the spiritual battle that rages against us and this “once in a generation” gathering of praying people from around the world.
Here are some key issues for the last weeks before the WPA:
1. That those God wants to come to Jakarta will respond to His voice and register in the next month. The deadline is April 14. Pray that they will come from every nation and region of the world- adults, youth and children.
2. We are hoping to raise additional funding to help up people with subsidies for their accommodations and ground transport and some with partial travel help. Please pray that donors will respond now and provide all that is needed.
3. Pray for the many speakers, facilitators and worship teams that they will be anointed and prepared to play their part at the WPA. We want to follow a new/old paradigm of letting the Lord guide and speak as He did in Acts 13 to the five leaders at Antioch. Pray that we may have special wisdom and sensitivity to know how to do this effectively in both the plenary and track sessions.
4. The Indonesian national committee needs our prayer as they seek to bring together the very challenging and detailed logistics- hotels and other accommodations, ground transport involving many buses and program details. It is a huge undertaking; please pray for them regularly.
5. The May 17 national stadium event will link the 100,000 participants live to over 350 cities within Indonesia with an estimated audience of 5 million and then many millions of others throughout the world through satellite TV and Internet streaming. Please pray for an anointed, powerful program that is being developed now and for excellent collaboration with Christian and secular media outlets.
6. We all need His protection both physically and spiritually as we move into these last weeks and during the WPA as well. The evil one wants to hinder such a global prayer tsunami from happening, of course, and we must not underestimate his resolve to disrupt it. Pray for unity, love and humility among the Indonesian committee and our international coordination team.
7. Finally, pray that the WPA will be used of God to fulfill His purposes and to be a vehicle for world revival and breakthrough in mission. Here is below is a word that Leslie Keegel, one of our IPC colleagues, gave to us during a planning session a few weeks ago. Let’s pray accordingly.
Thanks so much for standing with us for the final push to the WPA.
Yours in Christ,
John Robb (on behalf of the WPA International Coordination Team)