Global prayer and praise for children and youth

For 24 hours, on the weekend of April 13 – 14, 2014, there is a worldwide call for all children, youth, and families to unite in prayer and worship of Jesus our Lord. Local communities are invited to gather together to pray, knowing that they are joining countless others around the world. With the various networks involved, there is an abundance of resources for children in the area of worship and prayer. Different ministries that participate in the Global Prayer and Praise event will be invited to share their link on the website for others to use as a resource. The heart of Global Prayer & Praise is to go beyond this day into the future with a renewed vision for the children of the world. We will also use this event as a building block for the World Youth Prayer Assembly in 2016 and future partnerships focused on children.

Praise:

God for this worldwide call for prayer by children and youth, that it will be a real foundation for the future. (1Cor.3:11)

North Africa: Unprecedented revival breaks out

CBN reports that a Christian revival is touching the northernmost reaches of Africa. In a region once hostile to the Gospel, tens of thousands of Muslims are now following Jesus. Said Tino Qahoush, a graduate of Regent University and filmmaker who has travelled to the Mideast: what God is doing in North Africa, all the way from actually Mauritania to Libya is unprecedented in the history of missions. I have the privilege of recording testimonies and listening to firsthand stories of men and women, of all ages where they can be sitting in a room and see the presence of God appear to them in reality, like a vision. In fact, said Pastor Salah, pastor of one of the largest churches in Algeria, where every new Christian in his church comes from a Muslim background, ‘We never thought the Algerian church would grow so big.’

Praise:

God for the move of the Spirit that brings revival. (Jn.3:34)

Methodists welcome UK ratification of Arms Trade Treaty

Leaders of the Methodist Church in Britain have welcomed the UK Government's ratification of the Arms Trade Treaty on 2 April 2014. The President of the Methodist Conference, the Rev Ruth Gee, said that the move was a ‘legal milestone that should help to protect those who are abused and oppressed. The Arms Trade Treaty has come about because, across the world, people have made their voices heard,’ said Ms Gee. ‘They have spoken against the obscenity of the sale of arms to governments or groups who abuse rights and kill civilians. It's over ten years since the Methodist Conference called on the UK Government to support a global Arms Trade Treaty. We are convinced that trade and economic exchange must be grounded on the principles of justice and the dignity of every individual which lies at the heart of the Christian faith.’

Pray:

that the Arms Trade Treaty will be honoured by governments and that it will make a difference in the future safety of many people. (Mt.26:52)

Lonely and living with cancer

It has been ascertained that 22 per cent of people living with cancer in the UK (estimated at 400,000 people) also encounter loneliness on a regular basis as a result of their condition. Those most likely to feel lonely are those where the disease is advanced, spread or relapsed; are living alone; and/or have made a change to their working life. The ongoing effect is that many people in this situation find themselves to be housebound and unable to feed themselves properly. Ciarán Devane, the Chief Executive of Macmillan Cancer Support, commented: ‘Loneliness is blighting the lives of hundreds of thousands of cancer patients in the UK. It's hard enough for people being hit with the devastating news that they have cancer, without having to suffer the additional effects that being lonely brings.

Pray:

for those people coping with cancer who find themselves alone and lonely. (Heb.13:1-2)

Supermarket 'Bogof' deals criticised over food waste

Supermarkets have been urged to end ‘buy one get one free’ (Bogof) deals to cut the ‘morally repugnant’ amount of food being thrown away by shoppers. A report by the House of Lords European Union Committee says 15m tonnes of food is wasted in the UK each year. Retailers are also told to behave more responsibly with farmers and avoid cancelling orders at the last minute. The peers also criticised the EU's ‘fragmented and untargeted’ attempts to tackle the problem. More surplus food should be passed to charities and food banks, the committee said. The amount of food discarded by consumers in industrialised nations is equivalent to nearly the entire level of net food production of sub-Saharan Africa, the committee said. Committee chairwoman Baroness Scott of Needham Market said food waste was ‘not only morally repugnant, but it has serious economic and environmental implications.’

Pray:

for everyone to take action to reduce food waste. (1Co.8:8)

Church must take the risk of identifying with the poor

The Church must take the risk of siding with the poor and vulnerable in society, otherwise it risks "ignoring God", the Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby said last Sunday as he and Cardinal Vincent Nichols launched their week of prayer for Christian social action. Archbishop Justin and Cardinal Nichols, the Roman Catholic Archbishop of Westminster, were visiting a Roman Catholic centre for refugees and asylum seekers, housed in a former Methodist church in Haringey, north London. During the afternoon the two Archbishops met with volunteers, guests and community members, shared in a time of prayer and gave short reflections on the day's Bible readings. In his talk, Archbishop Justin said the example of Jesus demonstrated that ‘there’s never been a moment in human history when to take the side of those who are weak and poor is popular.’

Pray:

for all Christians to respond to the Archbishop and hear and respond to the voice of the poor. (Pr.19:17)

NI: Third bid to redefine marriage

The Northern Ireland Assembly is to debate redefining marriage at the end of the month, despite the Assembly having twice rejected similar proposals. Four MLAs have tabled a motion for debate, saying the Province needs to be in line with the rest of the UK. But MLAs defeated two previous attempts to introduce same-sex marriage, once last year and once in 2012. The private member’s motion, tabled by three Sinn Fein MLAs and one Green Party MLA, calls on the Minister of Finance and Personnel to introduce gay marriage legislation. Speaking in reaction to the first gay marriages in England last weekend, David Smyth, public policy officer at Evangelical Alliance Northern Ireland, said: ‘While Saturday was a day of celebration for some, it was a concerning day for many. Christian opposition to same-sex marriage was never just about protecting churches. It’s always been about the wellbeing and welfare of family and communities for generations to come.’

Pray:

for the debate in the Assembly on redefining marriage. (Heb.13:4)

Gay marriage backlash forces Mozilla CEO to quit

The CEO of Mozilla, which operates the internet browser Firefox, has stepped down after being criticised for supporting traditional marriage. Brendan Eich, who co-founded Mozilla and created the JavaScript computer language, was appointed to the post less than two weeks ago. He had previously given around £600 to a Californian campaign to support marriage between one man and one woman. Yesterday Eich stepped down from his role, with Mozilla’s Executive Chairwoman saying the business had not ‘stayed true to ourselves’. Mozilla had faced criticism over the appointment, with some employees taking to Twitter to call for him to step down. One online dating website branded him an ‘enemy’ and encouraged its users not to browse with Firefox. Author Andrew Sullivan, who is homosexual, said however the backlash ‘disgusted him’ and wondered if Eich will ‘now be forced to walk through the streets in shame’.

Pray:

that Brendan will continue to stand firm by his beliefs and his support of marriage will be a powerful witness. (1Tim.6:12)

Government considers new ‘emotional cruelty’ law

The government is considering whether to make ‘emotional cruelty’ to children a criminal offence for the first time in England and Wales. Dubbed the ‘Cinderella Law’, the planned legislation follows a campaign by the charity, Action for Children, and will be announced in the Queen’s Speech in June. Under the proposals, a parent who is found guilty of an offence could face imprisonment for up to 10 years. NSPCC spokesman, Alan Wardle, said the current law, written in 1933 ‘at a time when neglect was understood as children who haven’t been washed or fed’, focussed on physical neglect. ‘There was no understanding, as there is now, of the real harm that emotional neglect and abuse can cause to children,’ he said. But family care activist, Erin Pizzey, said she feared the new laws could turn every parent into a suspect.

Pray:

that the Government will find wise counsel as it makes decisions on this controversial legislation over emotional neglect. (Ez.4:22a)o

Ukraine: Key four-way crisis talks announced

Senior officials from the EU, Russia, the US and Ukraine are to meet next week to discuss the worsening situation in Ukraine. It will be the first four-way meeting since the crisis erupted. EU foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton will join US Secretary of State John Kerry, his Russian counterpart Sergei Lavrov and Ukraine's Foreign Minister Andriy Deshchytsia. Russia annexed Crimea in February and has troops massed along the border. Kiev and the US accuse Moscow of fomenting unrest in the mainly Russian-speaking east of the country as a pretext to possibly seizing more territory - a claim strongly refuted by Russia. Moscow has so far refused to recognise the new authorities in Kiev following the ousting of pro-Russian President Viktor Yanukovych in February. The exact time and place of next week's talks were not made clear although an EU official confirmed they would be in Europe.

Pray:

that this proposed meeting will bring about a reconciliation within the nation of Ukraine. (Ps.133:1)

Russia: Church liquidated as authorities target Christian projects

Churches and Christian organisations in Russia that are engaged in educational, social and charitable work are facing harassment from the authorities. One church has been liquidated for alleged illegal non-religious educational activity. St Petersburg’s Harvest Pentecostal Church’s appeal against its closure was rejected by Russia’s Supreme Court. The court upheld a ruling that the church had been conducting general (non-religious) educational work, which, as a religious organisation, it was not licensed to do. The church had been subjected to an unannounced inspection by officials purportedly checking ‘extremist’ activity. It was fined for minor violations of fire and sanitary regulations, and the pastor was later summoned to attend the liquidation hearing. A case was brought against Harvest Church because, the Prosecutor’s Office said, its premises were ‘equipped as classrooms with school desks and chairs and shelves with educational literature’ St Petersburg City Court ruled that the church was running an 'eksternat', an external/home schooling programme.

Pray:

that the current harassment of Christian churches and organisations will be stopped and believers protected.

Syria: Residents flee Christian town after militants kill 80

Aid workers remain concerned over dozens of mainly elderly Christians in north-west Syria, after Islamic militants overran a Christian town, killing some 80 people, and forcing thousands of local residents to flee. At least 13 Christians were beheaded, churches were desecrated and homes looted, said the Barnabas Fund, which supports Christians in heavily Islamic nations. ‘Militants from the al-Qaeda terror group linked al-Nusra Front and groups Sham al-Islam and Ansar al-Sham attacked Kessab on the Turkish border early on Friday March 23,’ Barnabas Fund told BosNewsLife in a statement. ‘Around 3,000 Armenian Christian residents fled for their lives, taking refuge in neighbouring Latakia and Bassit.’ However, ‘a dozen or so families with members too elderly to leave remained in Kessab and were subsequently taken hostage,’ Barnabas Fund said. Of those who fled, some relatives were reportedly staying with relatives and friends, but many Christians were seen sheltering in over-crowded church buildings.

Pray:

for all believers that God will protect them and bring peace to all those who are victimised. (Ps.32:7)

China: Thousands of Christians form human shield to protect church

Thousands of Christians have formed a human shield around a newly constructed church in Zhejiang province in China after authorities earlier this week threatened to demolish the building. The Sanjiang Christian Church reportedly cost more than $4.8 million to construct and was built over a six-year period in Wenzhou, one of China's most Christianized cities. Friday evening, the Telegraph reported that hundreds of Christians, including elderly and disabled church members, had stationed themselves inside the church to block access to demolition teams during the night. ‘I slept here last night and I will do the same again tonight. We pulled two pews together so it was quite all right. We feel at peace and fearless when we are with our God,’ He Hongying, an 81-year-old church member, told the Telegraph. Many of the Christians forming the human shield have expressed their determination to remain at the church until authorities back down.

Pray:

for all the believers who are protecting their Church from demolition. (Ps.41:2)

Pakistan: Christian couple sentenced to death

A Pakistani court sentenced an impoverished Christian couple to death for ‘blasphemy against Islam’ on Friday, April 4, just days after another Christian was told he would be executed on similar charges, an advocacy official involved in the case told BosNewsLife. Shafaqat Emmanuel, a crippled 38-year-old Christian man, and his wife Shagufta Kausar, 42, ‘were crying after being told they would be executed by hanging,’ said Farrukh H. Saif, executive director of the Pakistan-based World Vision In Progress (WVIP) rights group. Saif said WVIP and its international partner Rescue Christians, who provided lawyers to the couple, would appeal against the sentence as early as Monday, April 7. The devoted Christians were accused by Muslims of sending blasphemous text messages with a mobile phone, charges they strongly deny. ‘Both have no real education. They can't send text messages in English,’ Saif explained.

Pray:

that the sentence against this couple will be refuted. (Job.5:8)

Syria: Homs priest killed by assassins

Frans van der Lugt, a Jesuit priest who refused to leave the embattled city of Homs, Syria, in solidarity with the few Christians still living there, was killed by assassins on Monday in his garden. Known among the people as Abouna Francis, the native Dutchman had worked in Syria for more than 40 years. He was 75. ‘Father Frans was apparently killed by targeted headshots. We have received a phone report from a Christian who was with him in the Old City,’ reported Aid to the Church in Need, a Catholic agency, in an April 7 statement that cited another Jesuit in Syria, Rev. Ziad Hillal. Independent news accounts reported that van der Lugt was forcibly removed from his house and pulled into his garden, where he was shot twice through the head. The son of a banker, Van der Lugt arrived in the Middle East in 1966.

Pray:

for God’s protection around the remaining Christians in Homs and pray for peace. (Ps.122:7)

Nigeria: Militants kill 1,500 already this year

Islamic uprisings in Nigeria have caused at least 1,500 deaths this year alone as attacks on unarmed civilians become more commonplace, according to CBN News. ‘The international community cannot continue to look the other way in the face of extra-judicial executions, attacks on civilians, and other crimes under international law being committed on a mass scale,’ said Netsanet Belay, Amnesty International director for Africa. The Associated Press reported that the number of killings since the start of 2014 equalled the total killed from 2010 to the middle of 2013. The latest attack killed three police officers and two soldiers as Islamists burned military barracks to the ground and destroyed a cell tower in Yobe.

Pray:

against the ongoing terrorist activities and executions. (Ps.109:28)

West Africa: Ebola outbreak among 'most challenging'

The World Health Organization (WHO) says the ongoing Ebola outbreak in West Africa is ‘one of the most challenging’ outbreaks of the virus it has ever faced. WHO Assistant Director-General Keiji Fukuda says it could take four more months to contain the outbreak, which has resulted in more than 110 deaths. Guinea remains the centre of the outbreak, with 157 suspected or confirmed cases of Ebola. Another 21 cases are suspected or confirmed in Liberia. During a Tuesday news conference in Geneva, Fukuda said the current outbreak is especially challenging because it is spread over a wide area. The outbreak began in Guinea's forested southeastern region in February, before spreading across the border into Liberia. Health officials are also investigating suspected cases in Mali and Sierra Leone. Ebola is spread through contact with bodily fluids. The virus can cause haemorrhagic fever, leading to symptoms that can include muscle pain, vomiting, unstoppable bleeding and organ failure.

Pray:

for those who are trying to tackle this Ebola outbreak and that ways will be found to bring healing, (Ps.103:3)

Afghanistan: Taliban attack on Christian-run day-care centre

Taliban militants attempted to attack a Christian-run day-care centre in Kabul, saying it was ‘a church used to convert Muslims to Christianity’. The assailants, however, mistakenly targeted the next-door building, which houses workers with a US government-sponsored project that runs agricultural and de-mining programmes throughout the country. All five Taliban attackers, including one suicide bomber, were killed in the raid on the heavily secured compound on 28 March. Two Afghan civilians, one of them a young girl, died in the crossfire.The day-care centre is used by expatriates; it is said to hold Christian services on certain days.

Pray:

for the people of Afghanistan as they take responsibility for their own government and have to deal with the Taliban. (Ps.28:4)