Neighbourhood Prayer Network

The aim of the Neighbourhood Prayer Network is to see every street in the UK covered in Christian prayer. Over one thousand streets have been registered for prayer to date! Rebekah Brettle, Founder and National Director said. ‘As we reached this milestone, I could not help but think that the only number that matters is one. One person, praying, week after week, maybe even year after year believing that on their one street, prayer can make a difference’. The Network's hope is to encourage as many Christians as possible, to not only pray, but get to know their neighbours. Most of us do not know our neighbours living on our own street. There are approximately 260,000 streets in the UK, and the aim is to see Christians taking responsibility for each street in prayer. Will you please help spread this vision where you live? Click on their logo or our website.

Praise:

God for the first thousand and pray for many more to take up the challenge. (2Cor.7:15)

4.5 Million online decisions for Christ

Frenchman Eric Célérier heads up Jesus.net, an internet evangelism movement he founded over seven years ago and that now involves more than 100 people from 20 countries. Jesus.net is best known for the websites Knowing God and Peace With God. Since the movement started, Célérier has seen more than 36.8 million people click on one of the Jesus.net websites that deliver a gospel presentation through video format. More than 4.5 million people have indicated they prayed to receive Christ and roughly 25 per-cent of those have filled out a personal information form, which has been used to send discipleship material as well as help new believers get plugged into a local church. A network of 330 churches has signed on to help new Christians grow in their faith. You might want to check out the fascinating Google Earth map with real-time decisions for Christ in 3D. Every minute three people come to Christ.

Praise:

God for the many thousands of decisions for Christ every day. (Joel.3:14)

Unemployed not just statistics, says Justin Welby

Justin Welby, the Bishop of Durham, described unemployment as a ‘tragedy’ with parallels to losses on the battlefield, which wears down ‘all but the bravest and toughest’. His comments come amid controversy in some quarters over George Osborne’s depiction of some benefit claimants as people lying in bed while their ‘striver’ neighbours go to work. He also issued a series of stinging criticisms of Government policy, accusing it of giving the North East of England a ‘grossly unequal’ share of some building funds in an 'out of sight out of mind' attitude. The comments came in a highly unusual form for a bishop – as he took over as a newspaper editor for the day. Bishop Welby, who becomes Archbishop next month, spent the day guest editing the Northern Echo, which is based in his Durham diocese, focusing on efforts to combat unemployment.

Pray:

for all those who face the devastating effects of unemployment. (Ecc.3:13)

Contraceptive culture usurps parental consent

As Britain continues to have the highest rate of teenage pregnancies in Western Europe, school children under the age of consent are being given the pill without the consent of their parents. In hundreds of state secondary schools across the country condoms are also being offered to pupils under 16 years old (the legal age of consent). And if they express an interest, girls are referred for contraceptive injections and implants. School nurses providing advice and referrals - without the consent of parents - is seen as the only way to reach the most at-risk girls. In one case a 14-year-old girl with a headache was refused an aspirin by the school nurse because parental consent was required, yet she was offered a confidential service on contraception. Policy is set in education authorities, but the confidential service is already offered in areas including Bristol, Berkshire, Peterborough, West Midlands, Northumbria and County Durham.

Pray:

for authorities and parents to recognise their roles and for them to work together to support teenagers. (Gal.5:19)

Bishop regrets prison closures

The Bishop of Portsmouth has said he is 'uncomfortable' with the closure of two prisons in his diocese. The Right Rev Christopher Foster has promised support for prisoners and staff at Kingston Prison in Portsmouth and Camp Hill Prison on the Isle of Wight. The Government announced this week that Kingston, Camp Hill and several other prisons across England would be closing on economic grounds. The Ministry of Justice is planning to replace the facilities with a new 'super prison' holding more than 2,000 prisoners. Bishop Foster, who has visited the prisons in person, said: ‘I admit to feeling uncomfortable at closing prisons purely on ‘economic’ grounds.' For me, the bigger question is whether prisons are doing their job in terms of social justice. 'Are they able to rehabilitate prisoners so that they are better educated, understand the impact of their crimes and want to turn their lives around?'

Pray:

for the prison service, inmates and staff. Pray that any changes will support the criminal justice system and improve re-offending rates. (Ps.142:7)

Christian duty to cut food waste, says charity

A charity that runs foodbanks across the UK says Christians should be more responsible when it comes to buying food to stop wastage. The Trussell Trust's comments came after a report revealed that an average family wastes nearly £500 a year on food that ends up in the bin - despite it being perfectly fine to eat. The research by the Institution of Mechanical Engineers, 'Global Food: Waste Not, Want Not', says across the world people throw away half the food that's produced. Adrian Curtis, Foodbank Network Director for the Trussell Trust said it's an issue we all need to consider carefully. Wasting food doesn't only mean you lose the product but you're also wasting precious resources including land, water and energy. Ten per cent of rich countries' greenhouse gas emissions come from growing food that is never eaten. The report also warns that this issue needs to be tackled as the population grows.

Pray:

for a comprehensive global response to the problem of food wastage. (Pr.23:20-21)

Gay marriage: Catholics plan wave of 'grassroots' protests

Worshippers in London on Sunday added their signatures to new petitions against David Cameron’s plans while one charity launched an online campaign to encourage Catholics to lobby their MPs. Last week more than 1,000 priests – a quarter of all Catholic clergy in England and Wales – signed a letter to The Daily Telegraph arguing that the change could open the door to new discrimination against Christians. These moves signal the start of a string of new ‘grassroots’ protests organised independently of the Church hierarchy in the run-up to the publication of the Government’s Equal marriage Bill, due at the end of this month. Meanwhile evangelical Christians from Britain travelled to Paris to observe a mass protest by Christians and Muslims against President Francois Hollande’s plans for same-sex marriage in France. Organisers said that 800,000 people converged around the Eiffel Tower for a demonstration attended by Jean-Francois Cope, the leader of the centre-right UMP party.

Pray:

for the success of these protests and that the petitions will have the desired effect. (1Cor.12:2)

Northern Ireland: Peace rally against latest violence

Around 1,500 protesters held a peace rally at Belfast City Hall on Sunday in reaction to Northern Ireland’s 40th night of violence. The protest took place hours after 29 police officers were injured during the latest sectarian clashes in east Belfast. Loyalist anger has built over several weeks following restrictions on the use of the union (or British) flags at official buildings. Police say paramilitary groups are behind some of the violence. The organisers of Sunday’s peace rally said protesters were speaking for ‘the silent majority’.‘What you’ve seen on TV over the last weeks has nothing to do with what we want for this country or for our children,’ said one man. ‘We don’t want to go back in time and the peace march was a really positive atmosphere of everybody coming together just to make that statement,’ said another protester. (See also 02-2013)

Pray:

that these protests will bring a breakthrough leading to a sensible resolution to this situation. (Ps.120:6)

Persecuted church inspires faith among young Christians

Open Doors and Youth for Christ have teamed up to create an exciting new resource for youth groups. My Heart Bleeds looks at the plight of persecuted Christians around the world and the valuable lessons that can be learned about staying in faith through tough times. The resource is broken down into six lifestyle sessions looking at what it means to follow Jesus through the inspiring lens of the persecuted church. The resource, available for a donation of £10, contains teaching material, activity discussion ideas, games and film clips for use with each session theme. National Director of Youth for Christ, Gavin Calver said ‘This is a deeply challenging resource that will have a huge impact on young people throughout Britain.’ Jonny Goodchild, Open Doors youth spokesman, said: ‘My Heart Bleeds is a way of taking seriously our responsibility to stand with the suffering.’

Pray:

for the success of this new resource leading to a wider understanding of persecution and its causes. (Job.28:12)

European Court judgments send wrong message

Tuesday’s judgments on religious liberty have sent out the wrong message about the position of religious faith in Britain today, Theos, the religion and society think tank, has said. Of the four discrimination cases, only one, Nadeia Eweida, was ruled for the Christian in question. The other three – nurse, Shirley Chaplin; marriage counsellor, Gary McFarlane; and registrar Lillian Ladele – all lost. Although each case has mitigating details, and there was a dissenting judgment in Ladele’s case, the general impression is that the default position is a narrow interpretation of the right to manifest religion. Elizabeth Oldfield, Director of Theos said: ‘Disputes around freedom of religious belief and manifestation are an inevitable part of living in a free and diverse society. However, it seems as if the courts are erring on the side of limiting rather than accommodating religious freedom’

Pray:

that, with the results of these cases sending mixed messages, God will give us wisdom on how to pray. (Eph.3:12)

Church on the Streets in Greece

A co-founder of Church on the Streets in Greece Malcolm Bradshaw is working with other Christians to feed the destitute in Athens. Unemployment in Greece has spiralled in the last year, with more than half of young people out of work. The things that were once considered basics are now luxuries, says the Rev Jimoh Adebayo. He and his church are helping to run a soup kitchen in central Athens that is feeding around 700 people each day. Church on the Street was set up four years ago to assist destitute migrants but after the country plunged into economic crisis, more and more Greeks are lining up for the free lunch. Malcolm Bradshaw, of the Anglican Church in Greece, a co-founder of the project, estimates that around a third of the recipients are Greek. ‘The situation is very dire,’ says Rev Jimoh, who pastors Faith Apostolos Ministries, a Pentecostal church in Athens.

Pray:

for the Church as it reaches out into the community to help those in need. (2Cor.9:12)

NIGERIA: President says Islamists won't stop godly worship

The president of Nigeria said: ‘The Church is one of the main targets’ of terrorist attacks by the radical Islamic group Boko Haram. ‘If the idea of Boko Haram is to stop Nigerians from worshipping God, they will not succeed,’ President Goodluck Jonathan told parishioners at a church in Nigeria's capital Sunday. Gunmen suspected of belonging to Boko Harem have attacked a Nigerian village in the last week. They rounded up men, women, and children and killed at least 15. The Christian Association of Nigerian-Americans has been urging the United States to label Boko Haram a foreign terrorist organization, a move that could hurt its funding and support. However, while US State Department is considering the request, so far, the Department hasn't decided if labelling the group that way is the most effective way to deal with them. Boko Haram is blamed for killing nearly 800 people in 2012 alone, according to the Associated Press.

Pray:

that the prayers of God’s people will hold back those that worship other gods. (Ps.81:9)

Mali: Hope rises with international military intervention

Christians had enjoyed widespread freedoms in Malian society, including allowing foreign Christian missionaries into the country. But the situation dramatically changed with the 2012 capture of the northern part of the country by Tuareg separatist rebels and Islamist fighters. However, French troops have launched a military operation aiming at stopping the advance of Islamists from their bases in the north to the South. The French intervention started on Friday, Jan 11 with air strikes, and had enabled the Malian troops to regain control of the central town of Konna, occupied by Islamists the day before. Since then, French warplanes have been bombing Islamists’ positions in Timbuktu, Gao and elsewhere in the North. Military authorities said France would double its commitment of troops to the country to about 1,500. More than half of Mali has been controlled by rebel groups, some with links to al-Qaeda, since April 2012. Many of the displaced Christians are anxious because they don’t know whether some of their family members are alive or dead.

Pray:

that the French intervention will not cause Malion citizens to suffer but rather allow Mali to return to peaceful cohabitation between various religious groups. (Eph.12:13-14)

Iran: Pastor Irani will not survive another five years in prison

Pastor Benham Irani is severely ill in jail in Iran – and he shouldn’t be in prison in the first place. As you read this, Pastor Irani is bleeding severely from acute stomach ulcers and colon complications, can barely walk and has problems with his vision. The brutal beatings he’s received from prison authorities and other inmates have resulted in horrific injuries, and he urgently needs medical help and of course our prayers.

Pray:

for God’s healing hand to be upon him and protect him from further harm. (Ps.5:11)

Colombia: Murdered evangelist’s widow also killed after threats

Four months after guerrillas of the National Liberation Army (ELN) sent a murdered evangelist's wife their first demand to abandon her home in northeast Colombia's volatile Arauca department, the militants made good on their threats, report sources close to Open Doors, a ministry to persecuted Christians. On Monday, Jan 7th 2013, as the family's pastor finished an evening devotional in the home of widow Alicia Castilla, assassins entered the home and opened fire on her with pistols, killing her instantly in front of her three children and her father. An Open Door's worker who cannot be named for security reasons told World Watch Monitor that before leaving the home, the guerrillas told Castilla's son, 18-year-old Hernán, that the rest of the family had three days to leave the region. After that, the killers warned, they would return and one by one kill other family members.

Pray:

for God’s people in Colombia that God will protect them and confuse the enemy. (Ps.12:7)

Haiti: Help still needed after three years

After the powerful earthquake that devastated much of Haiti, a priest has pleaded with people in the UK to remember the plight of Haitians. Saturday marked the three-year anniversary, but Father Francois Kawas says many thousands of people are still living in camps. Father Kawas is the founder of The Centre for Research, Reflection, Training and Social Action and was in the UK last week to meet representatives of the UK Government and partner aid agencies Christian Aid, Progressio and CAFOD. His latest visit was made to ‘help people in the UK not to forget Haiti’, he says. ‘Haiti still needs the solidarity of your people. It’s very important for us.’ Despite billions of dollars in donations to help get Haiti back on its feet, Father Kawas laments what he sees as the poor management and coordination of funds, and says that much of the money is not gettng into the hands of Haitians.

Pray:

that the funds given will be released to meet the needs of those afflicted. Pray that corruption and poor management would not prevail. (Ps.10.14)

Central African Republic: Pastors request prayer

The situation in the Central African Republic (CAR) is ‘precarious’ according to national Baptist leaders. Singa-Gbazia Nicolas Aime Simplice, president of the Association of Baptist Churches of the CAR, requested ‘urgent prayer’ last week as rebels continued to challenge CAR President Francois Bozizé's leadership. The rebels now control ‘over 75 percent of the nation.’ According to the Baptist World Alliance, Simplice says many citizens have been displaced by the fighting and Baptist churches have been badly damaged or destroyed. Other church leaders have also called for negotiations between Islamist rebels and government forces, denouncing the violence against civilians.

Pray:

for Christians across the nation to be protected and used by God to bring life and not death. (Jn.17:12a)

India: Attacked Christians in fear of returning home

After Hindu nationalists in Maharashtra State attacked Christians two weeks ago because they refused to honour a tribal deity – violence that led many to flee their homes – the extremists yesterday assaulted remaining Christians as they met for worship. As police stood by watching, about 100 club-bearing Hindu extremists disrupted worship at the house of Ravindra Shankar Ander in Tamsai village, Thane District. The extremists did not use their wooden clubs as they did in the attack two week's ago. More than 100 Christians from the area are afraid to return to their homes after Hindu extremists on Dec 30 beat worshippers with wooden clubs for refusing to contribute to the festival for the tribal deity. Men and women said to belong to Hindu nationalist groups in Tamsai village stormed the worship service of the Yehovah Prathana Group Tamsai congregation in Tamsai.

Pray:

that God's people will not fear but trust in the His protection. (Ex.15:2)