From north to south, east to west, Africa faces enormous challenges and presents equally enormous opportunities. In recent years leaders from the South Sea Islands have followed a vision to see the ‘Welcoming of the King of Glory’ into each continent; last year they came to Europe and combined their visit with the European Trumpet Call in Romania. This year brothers and sisters from several countries, together with representatives of the Khoi, the indigenous people of South Africa, went to the most southerly tip of Africa, Cape Agulhas, for Trumpet Call South Africa. They stood on the shore where the Indian Ocean meets the Atlantic Ocean. The roar of the wind and seas added to the stones on the prayer altar built there over the years as they declared the Sovereignty of Christ, laid a red carpet on the beach, broke bread and in worship and praise welcomed the King.

This Sunday is a special opportunity to focus prayer on regions of the world that are home to the majority of the world’s Muslims, Hindus and Buddhists; the majority of the world’s least-reached people groups; the poorest of the poor; 45 of the 50 nations where Christians are most persecuted. This happens every year on the first Sunday of October. People are invited to celebrate and pray in their homes, in small groups, large groups, at Church and anywhere where Christians gather to seek the Lord, because the 10/40 Window is the ‘final frontier’ of world missions in order to finish the task given to the Church. Pray for powerful intercession this weekend to inspire more people to continue praying beyond October using nation profiles and prayer points. Pray for more Christians to learn about how to get involved in reaching the people of the 10/40 Window.

Satanists from the Satanic Temple (TST) intend to open ‘After-School With Satan’ clubs. The Washington Post and other press outlets reported TST chapters petitioning nine school districts to allow them to preach Satanism in elementary school facilities after school by forming after-school Satan Clubs. They want to plant seeds of Satanism in children, to influence them to accept Satan and evil from an early age. The Satanists are focusing only on children aged 5-12. Satanism is held to be a religion by some US courts. Satanists are using wrong legality to attack the country’s most impressionable citizens, young children. Local residents are being asked to urge these nine school districts to do everything in their power to oppose and resist the satanic onslaught. In August the Tucson Arizona Area School District successfully rejected TST’s application for an After-School Satan Club; other school districts could also pass similar policies to reject the applications.

Both International Business Times and Russia Today have joined The Sun and Daily Mirror in reporting that British special forces are secretly training ‘New Syrian Army’ (NSA) rebels in Jordan. IB Times says the aim of the Marine commandos and SAS is to equip and empower the US-backed NSA to fight IS. Those who join the NSA are supposed to sign a pledge only to fight IS and not the Syrian Army. But the media are saying, ‘Don’t let us be surprised if they turn their fire on Syrian regular forces.’ Recently, US-led aircraft attacked a Syrian army unit, resulting in 62 deaths. According to the Independent, the Ministry of Defence confirmed British jets were involved in killing 62 sons, husbands and fathers. Previous attempts by the US to train Syrian rebels met with disaster. The Pentagon spent $500 million training just five men in 2015 and rebels handed vehicles and ammunition over to extremists. The programme was shut down.

The arrest of a Christian teenager in Pakistan for liking an ‘inappropriate’ photograph on Facebook has been widely condemned. The British Pakistani Christian Association said words cannot express the insanity, the depravity of this situation. Nabeel Masih, 16, is accused of blasphemy charges for clicking the ‘like’ button under an image of the Kaaba in Mecca, one of the holiest sites in Islam. A Muslim alerted officers to the post saying he found it insulting to his religion, police said. The teenager has been held in custody ahead of a trial. If found guilty, he could face the death penalty. The British Pakistani Christian Association chairman Wilson Chowdhry said, ‘If this kind of thing is sanctioned by the government then the Pakistani government has taken leave of all moral sense, and any semblance of protection for its Christian and minority citizens.’ See:

IS hostage Kayla Mueller's faith was so bold, so raw, so refreshing that 20/20 investigated her Christianity for an episode on the modern-day Stephen. A fellow-hostage (from Doctors without Borders) said, ‘She was always considerate of others, even though she herself was in a very difficult situation. She was always concerned for other prisoners. She never stopped caring for others.’ Kayla was kidnapped by IS in 2013. They told her parents she was alive in 2014, but then airstrikes hit. Her death was announced in 2015. Despite rape, torture and further unthinkable abuse, Mueller's fellow hostages say she refused to deny Christ and even witnessed to Islamic State executioner, Jihadi John. The 20/20 episode premièred last week and is available at

‘You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good to accomplish what is now being done, the saving of many lives.’ (Genesis 50:20) In the two months since Rev Jacques Hamel was brutally slain at the altar of his parish by an IS sympathiser, church attendance has increased in the town, said Archbishop Dominique Lebrun. He said that on a psychological level there is fear, but on a deep level in the soul, there is strength. ‘I do not think Jesus said it is stupid to be afraid, or there is no reason to be afraid. No, Jesus said, have the courage to be afraid.’ Pope Francis called the priest ‘blessed’, the step preceding sainthood.

The BBC has seen draft plans which propose ward closures, cuts in bed numbers and changes to A&E and GP care in 44 areas. The plans, which are due to be signed off next month, are being drawn up by local health and social care leaders. Many remain unpublished even though up to 20% of beds may be closed. The role of community hospitals is being questioned, and the number of mental health inpatient sites could be reduced. There have been no consultations on the plans so far. NHS England needs to find £22bn in efficiency savings by 2020-21 while improving patient care at the same time. Pray for the think tanks which need to make ‘fundamental changes’. Pray for openness to public and political scrutiny, which so far has been lacking. In the past there has been reluctance from political leaders to address the way things are organised in the NHS.

On Monday Hinde Street Methodist Church in London opened a life-sized copy of a border control point of the separation barrier between Israel and Palestine. Visitors walked through a checkpoint accompanied by photography, sound, testimony and eyewitness accounts. It is one of many events taking place in churches around the country as part of World Week for Peace in Palestine and Israel organised by the World Council of Churches. It is described as a week of advocacy and action supporting ‘an end to occupation’. While peace between Israelis and Palestinians is something Christians are actively praying for, resources provided in support of the week are biased against Israel and fail to present Israel’s position on why the security barrier is needed. Also this week, on Wednesday, the UN held the International Day of Peace. Its purpose is to recognise those working to end conflict and promote peace and positive change.

Michael Russell, the Scottish minister negotiating with the UK Government ahead of Brexit, has said he hopes to win the argument on staying in the single market. In a joint statement with Mr Davis, the UK Brexit minister, he said, ‘While we clearly come from very different standpoints, we both recognise that a good working relationship is vital.’ Meanwhile The Economist reported, ‘The grittiest part of the Brexit negotiations will be over trade. Brexiteers correctly argue there’s no need for a trade deal to trade, but without a comprehensive free-trade deal with the EU, British exporters could face tariffs and non-tariff barriers, where it currently faces neither.’ We can pray for our nations to be aligned and connected for trade according to God’s design, purpose and blessing, and for ministers and civil servants to carry God’s vision and plans. We can pray life and blessing over all key trading links, old and new, and for doors which God desires to open to be supernaturally opened. See also: