MPs back equality changes to stop Christians being sacked

Greater protection for the marriage beliefs of Christians has gained the overwhelming support of MPs. MPs voted 86 to 31 in favour of amending the Equality Act to protect ‘conscientious beliefs on marriage’. The proposal was contained within a Ten Minute Rule Bill moved by Conservative MP Edward Leigh. The vote comes a week before the second reading of the Government’s Same-Sex Marriage Bill. Mr Leigh said that the bill as it currently stands does not offer adequate protection to Christians and others who hold to a traditional understanding of marriage. He wants the bill changed to ensure that they are not penalised for their views. MPs were reminded of the recent case involving Adrian Smith, who was demoted and received a pay cut for saying on his personal Facebook page that gay marriage in churches was ‘an equality too far’.

Praise:

God for this development supporting God-given marriage. (Ps.5:11)

Russia: Kingdom of God in the Burger King

Jesus said that the harvest is ripe and ready, but the workers are few. For Danish evangelist Torben Søndergaard this means that wherever he goes, he expects God to heal and save people, and draw them into his Kingdom. So why would atheist students in Moscow’s Burger King not be able to experience God’s healing? Check out this video http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t4We2hGLQXA to see what happened. Torben reports: ‘It was an incredible day we’ll never forget. We saw 40-50 people being healed in less than two hours.’

Praise:

God for the power of His healing touch. (Pr.16:24)

NATIONAL DAY OF PRAYER FOR MARRIAGE – SUNDAY 3 FEBRUARY

Please will you pray earnestly as we enter a crucial period in the campaign to defend the true meaning of marriage? And can you encourage your church to join our National Day of Prayer for Marriage on Sunday 3 February? Any day now, we expect the Government to introduce its Bill which seeks to redefine marriage. The Government may very well go on a charm offensive, telling the media that people who believe in traditional marriage have nothing to worry about. But we know that’s not the case. European judges have recently shown that people who believe in traditional marriage can be forced out of their jobs. On Tuesday 5 Feb, we expect MPs to have the first opportunity to debate and vote on the Bill. We don’t need an outright win at this stage – so don’t worry if the Bill passes this first hurdle – but it is important that as many MPs as possible vote ‘no’.

Pray:

that marriage will not be redefined, and that real marriage will be promoted in society for the good of all. (Mt.18:19-20)

100 major charities launch campaign to tackle hunger trap

Hunger and malnutrition in childhood will trap almost a billion young people in poverty by 2025, according to a major new campaign, launched last week by Britain's leading development charities and faith groups. 'Enough Food for Everyone IF' is the largest coalition of its kind in the UK since Make Poverty History in 2005. The group warns that in a world where there is enough food for everyone, the scandal of children growing up hungry also imposes a grave economic burden on the developing world, costing £78 billion over the next 15 years. The campaign, launched at Somerset House, London and across the UK, calls on Prime Minister David Cameron to use the UK's G8 presidency in 2013 to take action on the root causes of the hunger crisis in the poorest countries. The 'IF' movement challenges the Prime Minister to tackle 4 big IFs to help there to be enough food for everyone.

Pray:

that once again Britain will lead the world in tackling hunger in developing countries. (1Jn.3:17)

Whistleblower attacks 'appalling' care

A patient who was left to starve, being bullied and mismanaged are among the allegations being made by a senior NHS clinician in Gloucestershire. The whistleblower has criticised the county's NHS Trust claiming his concerns have fallen on deaf ears. ‘I think it has now reached a point where people don't care anymore,’ said the senior member of staff who wants to remain anonymous. The NHS Trust has defended itself against all the allegations being made. The clinician, who works at Gloucestershire Royal Hospital and Cheltenham General Hospital, said he was ‘fearful’ for both hospitals claiming they were ‘hopelessly mismanaged’. On one occasion, he said a patient who came to the theatre ‘looked emaciated’ and said the nurses were ‘too busy’ to feed the individual. He said the patient could not feed himself/herself because of a broken arm and could not use the other arm because of a stroke.

Pray:

for the management of the NHS Trust that all charges will be cleared up and patients receive full care. (Ps.8:4)

Savings needed to meet future demand for resources

Governments need to spark a lightweight revolution in the way things are made so the world can keep up with the demand for resources, say scientists. They say homes will have to be built with less cement, cars with less steel, and gadgets with less plastic. And it will need to be done in a way that radically cuts emissions from producing the materials, they add. These are among the conclusions presented in the journal Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society. The journal tackles the dual problem created by the increased demand for goods as people grow richer and population increases, coupled with the threat of climate change. It warns that unless demand for materials from UK primary industry is reduced, Britain will need the equivalent of a four-fold increase in nuclear power or a 40-fold increase in wind power to meet its target of a 80% reduction in carbon emissions by 2050 from pre-industrial levels.

Pray:

that we will manage the resources provided by God in a responsible way. (Gen.1:28)

Air Cadets to remove 'God' from promise

The Air Cadet Organisation has announced its intention to provide an alternative ‘non-religious’ oath for new members that excludes any references to God, reports Christian Concern for our Nation. Currently each recruit promises ‘to be a good citizen and to do my duty to God and the Queen, my country and my flag.’ The announcement follows pressure from the British Humanist Association (BHA) and United Kingdom Armed Forces Humanist Association (UKAFHA) to offer an alternative oath. Andrea Williams, chief executive of Christian Concern, said: ‘Behind the effort to secularise some of Britain’s most established institutions is the assumption that Christian faith is somehow divisive and damaging. This is plainly not the case when a youth organisation like the Air Cadets has 41,000 young people as members. Making the promise as it stands doesn’t harm anyone. It’s a good thing and recognises that principles like faithfulness, loyalty and service flow from a Christian worldview.’

Pray:

for the vast majority, if not all, of new cadets to choose to promise allegiance to God. (Jn.1:12)

Churches unite for tax justice

Church leaders from across the denominations are calling for political action to end tax evasion. In a letter to Yorkshire MPs and MEPs, they say that tax dodging is allowing some to get richer while others are kept in poverty. The church leaders want the UK to take a lead in promoting tax transparency and ensure companies and individuals are not able to avoid tax through legal loopholes. The call coincides with Poverty and Homeless Action Week and comes just days after a coalition of development organisations launched the IF campaign (see 100 Christian above) to end hunger around the world. Christian Aid estimates that tax dodging by multinational companies is costing developing countries at least $160 billion a year – more than the global aid budget. Signatories of the letter urged our politicians to take action to ensure multinational corporations pay their rightful share of tax in the countries where they operate.

Pray:

that our politicians would take action to end tax evasion and use their influence in multinational companies. (Mt.27:17)

Homeless sign up for Recovery College

An innovative college for homeless people in London, the first of its kind in the country, is attracting hundreds of students. Recovery College, set up in Southwark by St Mungo's charity, is providing courses which improve practical skills and help to rebuild confidence. There are no charges, no entry requirements and students help to design and deliver the course ranging from help with literacy and music to raising self-esteem. There are courses for tough lives on the streets - overdose awareness, first aid and how to feed yourself on a small budget. They include what volunteers can offer, such as singing lessons arranged through the Guildhall School of Music. Each night the charity looks after about 1,700 people in London and the South East of England - and most of these will previously have been sleeping rough. Cold weather brings homelessness into sharper focus. The makeshift bedding around the warmth of buildings seems more brutal and isolated as temperatures fall.

Pray:

that this initiative will lead to many needy being equipped for life beyond homelessness. (Ps.9:18)

Russia/Eurasia: Religious freedom the focus of briefing in Washington

Religious freedom is waning in the former Soviet Union and Eurasia. You've heard the stories. Churches liquidated, fathers arrested for holding a prayer meeting, pastors arrested for not registering the church, and families restricted to owning just one Bible. As a result of these alarming trends, Russian Ministries in cooperation with its global partners is sponsoring a briefing on religious freedom issues in Former Soviet Union/Eurasia, with a focus on causes of suppression of religious freedom President of Russian Ministries Sergey Rakhuba says, ‘This briefing is to create more awareness and to mobilize the global community so that policies are developed and pressure is created on governments in the countries of the Former Soviet Union to give more freedom to the churches and leaders there.’

Pray:

that the pressure on governments in former Soviet Union/Eurasia will lead to freedom for the oppressed. (Ps.9:9)

Violent extremism Europe's top security threat

Violent extremism, which is at its highest level in Europe since World War II, is becoming the continent's top security threat, the European Union's executive body has said. In a speech on the eve of talks on how to detect and prevent extremism, the EU's commissioner for home affairs Cecilia Malmstroem urged the EU 'to stand up and protect our values that are now being challenged in many countries in Europe'. She said that 'there has been a growth of extremism, xenophobia, anti-Semitism, hatred and nationalism'. According to News 24, she added that 'not since World War II have extreme and populist forces had so much influence on the national parliaments as they have today. In some countries even neo-Nazis have been elected'. She said that if the trend continues, next year's European elections might further strengthen these forces, threatening the entire European project.

Pray:

against this growing trend of extremism across Europe. (2Sam.22:3)

Malaysia: Threat to burn Bibles - Sultan’s ban on word ‘Allah’

A threat this week to burn Bibles in the Malay language is the latest in a series of attacks on the Christian faith in Malaysia. A note sent to a Christian priest in Butterworth on Tuesday, 22nd January 2013 said a Bible-burning pesta or festival would take place in the town’s public park on Sunday 27th January. Butterworth is sited on the mainland across from the tourist island resort of Penang. The note, written in Malay, ends with a sinister warning in English: ‘Let’s teach ‘em a lesson.’ The Police have been informed of the threat. Whether the threat materialised is uncertain but it has had the desired effect of adding to the despair of Malaysian Christians. A fortnight ago defying practice and convention in the country the Sultan of the State of Selangor forbade Christians to use the word ‘Allah’ which has been used in Bibles in the Malay language and Christian litany for more than 400 years.

Pray:

that the threat against the Word of God will be halted. (Neh.4:9)

Pakistan: Blasphemy appeal for Pakistani Christian adjourned

Younis Masih, a Pakistani Christian, who was sentenced to death for alleged blasphemy – he had asked some Muslims to ‘turn down the music’ of a Muslim religious song - and has been suffering in prison for more than seven years, has had his appeal against the death sentence adjourned until February. Mr Masih, who suffered a serious heart attack on January 8, 2013, was in court on January 23, 2013, and one eye-witness, Mr Sardar Mushtaq Gill, an advocate with the Legal Evangelical Association Development (LEAD) team later told Wilson Chowdhry of the British Christian Pakistani Association, about the intimidation that occurred in the courtroom during the hearing. ‘When the call for arguments was made, there were about 40 Muslims present wearing black turbans and were makings gestures and comments with intent to cause fear and apprehension,’ he said.

Pray:

that the appeal against Younis would lead to His freedom and release from any further suffering. (2Tim.1:8)

Iran: Ayatollahs make anti-Christian comments

Since the 1979 Islamic Revolution in Iran, influential figures of the Islamic regime, especially Ayatollahs affiliated with the regime, have frequently tried to provoke government and security authorities to take action against Christians by making negative comments. According to a story by the Iranian Christian news agency Mohabat News, some Ayatollahs have made anti-Christian remarks because one of the greatest concerns of the Islamic clerics in Iran is the growth of Christianity in the county. Mohabat News said by so doing the Ayatollahs hope to decrease the growth of both Christianity and house churches in Iran. According to Mohabat News, in a statement, Ayatollah Noor-Allah Tabarsi, the Friday Prayer Imam in Sari, defamed Christianity and called today’s Christians ‘a shame for Christianity.’ Mohabat News said that Tabarsi, who is also the Supreme Leader's representative in Mazandaran province, claimed that all the corruption in the West was due to the inappropriate application of Christianity.

Pray:

for Christians in Iran that they would be protected against the extremes of the Islamic regime.

Egypt: Army chief warns of 'state collapse' amid crisis

Egypt's armed forces chief has warned the current political crisis ‘could lead to a collapse of the state’. General Abdul Fattah al-Sisi, in comments posted on the military's Facebook page, said such a collapse could ‘threaten future generations’. He made his statement following a large military deployment in three cities along the Suez Canal where a State of Emergency has been declared. More than 50 people have died in days of protests and violence. In response, President Mohammed Morsi has cut short a planned European trip. On Monday night, thousands of people in Port Said, Ismailyah and Suez - where some of the worst unrest has been - ignored a night-time curfew imposed by Mr Morsi and took to the streets. Thousands were again on the streets of Port Said on Tuesday for the latest funerals of those killed, with mourners calling for the downfall of the president. This Friday marks two years since the first fire of the January 25 Egyptian revolution.

Pray:

that the projected unrest for this weekend would not take place and that further unrest ceases.

Israel: Palestinians attack Israeli bus in Jerusalem

A series of Palestinian attacks against Israelis occurred in and around Jerusalem over the weekend, a clear reminder that the tension-wracked capital remains ready to explode despite relative calm in recent months. On Sunday evening, a bus travelling from Jerusalem to a Jewish community just north of the city was damaged in a Palestinian stone-throwing attack. Because the stones managed to penetrate the bullet-proof glass, it was at first reported as a shooting attack. Also on the outskirts of Jerusalem, Israeli security forces in at least three separate incidents caught would-be Arab assailants in possession of pipe bombs. Israeli security officials have noted a significant rise in the number of attacks in and around Jerusalem in recent months, both armed attacks and ‘popular’ attacks, which means the assailants use Molotov cocktails and stones instead of guns and knives.

Pray:

for the peace of Jerusalem and that all would live together in peace. (Rom.12:18)

Yemen: Forgotten Christians

When one thinks of Yemen - the impoverished Arab country that begat Osama bin Laden, and is cushioned between Saudi Arabia and Somalia, (with the Bay of Aden between) two of the absolute most radical Muslim nations - one seldom thinks of Christians, primarily because they are practically nonexistent in such an inhospitable environment. Most tallies, in fact, suggest that Yemen's entire non-Muslim population is less than one percent. A new Arabic report , however, discusses the existence of Christians in Yemen, and their plight - one that should be familiar by now, given the situation wherever Christian minorities live under a Muslim majority. Unofficial statistics suggest that there are some 2,500 indigenous Christians in the nation, practicing their faith underground even as hostile tribes surround them. According to human rights activist, Abdul Razzaq al-Azazi, ‘Christians in Yemen cannot practice their religion nor can they go to church freely. Society would work on having them enter Islam.’

Pray:

for our brothers and sisters in Christ that they would be protected from hostile beliefs. (Lk.2:14)

South Korea: Christians hear call to be peacemakers

The head of the World Council of Churches has used a visit to South Korea to appeal to the country’s Christians to be peacemakers. The Rev Dr Olav Fykse Tveit challenged Christians to believe God’s promise of peace in Psalm 85 ‘God will speak peace to his people’ despite the divide between South and North Korea for the last 60 years. ‘Peace is something radical, something that has to be told and has to be believed, so that it may become possible,’ he said. ‘The Korean people have been longing for a final peace to be settled, a peace that can bring life together, make life together in peace on this peninsula possible again.' He reflected on the global need for peacemakers in light of the fighting in Syria, and recently between Israel and Palestine. ‘We live in a time when life is threatened, when injustices in the world are a reality, even a threatening reality,’ he said.

Pray:

for the promises of God’s peace to be manifest through His people, (Ps.85:8)