Sudan: pastor detained in December is released

Rev Kwa Shamaal, head of missions for the Sudanese Church of Christ (SCOC), was arrested on 18 December. From 21 December he was allowed home daily from midnight to 8 am, then required to report to the office of the National Intelligence and Security Services (NISS), where he was held from 8 am until midnight daily. But now he has been released from this obligation and can go free. His colleague, Rev Hassan Abdelrahim Tawor, SCOC vice-moderator, is still in detention 24/7 without charges. NISS officials were said to have been upset with the pastors for telling others that Christians faced persecution in Sudan, and the two pastors were arrested from their respective homes at the same hour. No charges were brought against them, although officials objected to their Christian activities.

Praise:

God for Rev Kwa’s release and continue to pray fervently for the release of Rev Hassan and for other Christians jailed in Sudan. (Ps.6:9)

Trafficked woman finds new hope

Unable to cope after her husband was imprisoned in North Korea, Min-Hee escaped to China. There, abandoned, alone and frightened for her life, she fell prey to human traffickers and was forced into marriage to avoid starvation. Tragically, her story is not unusual. Many desperate, starving North Korean women are sold into marriage or prostitution. But Jesus is still able to heal and to save. Min-hee says, ‘After three years, I finally joined some other ladies at a Bible study group meeting. Previously I had a negative idea about Christianity. But the other North Korean women in my village told me their lives had changed a lot since attending those meetings. There I heard the good news of Jesus Christ for the first time, and I totally opened my mind to accept Jesus Christ as my Saviour. I regretted that I had not visited these Bible studies earlier.’ Now Min-hee is learning what it is to follow Jesus, even in her circumstances.

Praise:

for God to protect and encourage those reaching out to North Koreans, and for the safety of new believers like Min-Hee. May their new faith grow. (Ps.116:1)

Official prayers for Queen's 90th birthday

The Queen has a strong Christian faith and in recent years has displayed it more openly. In June she will become Britain's longest-reigning monarch, and her 90th birthday is on 21 April. The country is expecting to celebrate these events with special church services and street parties. Two prayers approved by the Queen herself have been published by the Church of England, to be used in services marking these national celebrations. The modern version of one says, ‘Heavenly Father, as we celebrate the 90th birthday of Her Majesty the Queen, receive our heartfelt thanks for all that You have given her in these 90 years and for all that she has given to her people. Continue, we pray, Your loving purposes in her, and as You gather us together in celebration, unite us also in love and service to one another; through Jesus Christ our Lord.’ Two graces have also been published for use at the start of more local celebrations such as street parties.

Pray:

for God to give wisdom to all those preparing celebrations. Pray for God to protect the celebrations from terror attacks and continue to give Her Majesty strength. (Ps.5:11)

Gay cake appeal postponed

There is a potential conflict between Northern Ireland and European law on discrimination as the attorney general has halted a gay cake appeal hearing. The appeal was made by Ashers Baking Company, a Christian-run bakery who refused to bake a cake embellished with a pro-gay marriage slogan. But it was adjourned on Wednesday, following an intervention by Northern Ireland’s attorney general, John Larkin QC, raising legal issues regarding discrimination and equality legislation. He made a last-minute request to make representations in the case about any potential conflict between Northern Ireland’s strict equality legislation and European human rights laws. The case has been rescheduled for 9 May and will involve arguments about whether or not the local attorney general can become involved in the case, and also about the compatibility of the regulations with European human rights law.

Pray:

for Daniel McArthur, general manager of Ashers, and their legal team, the Christian Institute, to experience God’s leading and directing. (Ps.119:105)

An EU referendum

The EU referendum is likely to be four months away. Some say the Prime Minister is depriving the Out campaign of time to organise themselves into a credible opposition. Others say an early date is to limit the potential for unexpected events - an economic crisis, terrorist attack, Brussels scandal. Whatever the reason, there is now a draft agreement between the UK and the EU which will be presented to EU members, paving the way for an early vote. Less than a third of Conservative MPs and as few as five cabinet members will endorse withdrawal. Theresa May’s support for Cameron’s deal leaves Boris Johnson as the only front-rank Conservative who could yet oppose him. Tory MPs on both sides speak of their desire to avoid a rerun of the 1990s Maastricht debates when the prospect of election defeat encouraged rebellion.

Pray:

for God to lead all decision-makers through honest negotiations and decisions and protection against deception, intended or otherwise. (Ps.77:19)

Netflix introduces televangelist shows

Alongside programmes like ‘Orange Is the New Black’ and ‘House of Cards’, Netflix now offers users another type of content - Christian sermons. The online video streaming service has added lectures by four popular Christian pastors. Many believe that some of the most powerful sermons only reach as far as the church door and do not touch the public. Preachers using Netflix to share the love of God hope to bring Christianity to the popular media in whatever forms technology provides, saying that Jesus was the most creative communicator in history and that we should take a page from his instruction-book and be the most creative entity in the universe.

Pray:

against predictions that the sermon series will only attract Christians, and for God to use this marketplace effectively to reach those who never go to church. (2 Cor.10:13)

Age UK faces probe over energy ‘deals’

Age UK has warned that pensioners are struggling to heat their homes, but it appears that the charity earns £6million a year promoting expensive energy deals. Energy regulators will investigate claims that Age UK unfairly pushed pensioners into taking out more expensive energy tariffs with E-ON on a rate that was £245 a year more expensive than the cheapest available. Last year, more than 150,000 customers were on the higher rate. In return for promoting the rate E-ON gave Age UK a commission of £10 per customer. The charity ‘strongly rejects’ the interpretation of figures. While it is perfectly legal to accept commissions, the regulator takes a harsh line on any hint that customers have been misled.

Pray:

for energy companies to treat consumers fairly when they are marketing and selling energy. (Ps.17:1a)

Care for creation is 'inextricably part of responsibility to the poor'

‘Caring for the environment is not an optional extra’, the former Archbishop of Canterbury Lord Williams said at the launch of a scheme to encourage churches to prioritise green concerns. He said that looking after God’s creation was inextricably part of all Christians’ responsibility to their brothers and sisters worldwide, especially those living in poverty. The Eco Church initiative is backed by the Church of England, the Methodist Church, the United Reformed Church, Christian Aid, Tearfund and others who question whether we want to pass on a liveable world to our children and grandchildren. Some in the Church would argue that they could not afford the time or money to consider ecological concerns. Lord Williams’s response is that we cannot afford not to. The Eco Church website provides a survey to see how environmentally aware churches are in areas of worship, teaching, buildings, land, community and lifestyle. See also

Pray:

for an awakening to protecting God’s world as a gospel imperative. (Ps.19:1,2)

UN panel rules Assange should be allowed to go free

Wikileaks founder Julian Assange was arrested in 2010 under a Swedish-issued European arrest warrant for the crime of rape. He claimed asylum inside the Ecuadorian embassy, after the UK Supreme Court ruled that he should be deported to Sweden on charges of sexual molestation. Today, a UN panel has stated that Assange is being arbitrarily detained; he should be allowed to go free and compensated. However, the Foreign Office say that the panel’s ruling is not binding, and it intends to contest it formally. Previous such rulings have gone against countries with some of the world's worst human rights records, such as Saudi Arabia, Myanmar and Egypt. So this decision against Sweden and Britain in favour of Mr Assange is controversial.

Pray:

for justice and honesty to triumph through international legal actions. (Amos 5:15a)

Europol - public information on IS

A Europol document released last week stated that investigations indicate IS is going global with the possibility of attacks against member states of the EU in the near future. IS has developed an external action command trained for special-forces-style attacks in the international environment. IS terrorist cells currently operating in the EU are largely domestic and/or locally based. Recruitment and radicalisation is being done through social elements of peer pressure and role modelling. Suicide bombers see themselves more as heroes than as religious martyrs. A significant portion of foreign fighters have been diagnosed with mental problems prior to joining IS, and a large proportion have criminal records. An increasing phenomenon is Islamist ‘brotherhood gatherings’, similar to ‘Bible camps’ - a relatively new concept for Muslims.

Pray:

for God to inspire all agencies and governments as they gather intelligence (1Tim.2:1-2)

Italy: protests and debates on same-sex unions

Thousands of people rallied in Rome on Saturday against a proposed bill giving gay couples legal recognition and adoption rights. Organisers estimated that two million had attended from across Italy for the ‘Family Day’ rally, which featured conga-dancing Catholic priests. Last Thursday parliament began considering proposals to give heterosexual and homosexual partnerships rights, including being allowed to adopt each other’s children and to inherit their partner's pensions. Last week, Pope Francis entered the debate, defending traditional marriage as ‘the family God wants’. Hence this rally was named ‘Family Day’ as opposed to rallies across Italy last week demanding legal recognition for same-sex couples. Italy is the last major Western nation not to give legal recognition to same-sex couples. Many of those attending the rally held up banners saying ‘It is wrong even if it becomes law’. See also

Pray:

for the Italian parliament, which is expected to vote on the proposals later this month. (Ps.78:1)

Global: many harvest workers needed to serve across cultures

Across the nations, people are crossing barriers to proclaim the crucified and risen Christ and are expressing His love and compassion among those who live and die without Him. SIM is just one of many mission agencies. Originally known as Sudan Inland Mission, in the 1980s SIM joined other mission agencies and became known as ‘Serving in Mission’ .It has 4,000+ workers in 70+ countries serving God among many diverse people groups in every continent. These workers are an international community of seventy nationalities, in a wide variety of career fields. Please pray for more peoples with a variety of skills and who love Jesus to be willing to use their skills on a ministry team in a foreign country. Pray for more Christ-centred churches to be birthed. Pray for those working together with established churches to fulfil God’s mission across cultures locally and globally.

Pray:

for a witness to Christ's love where He is least known, to fulfil the vision of a redeemed Church from all tribes, languages, peoples and nations. (Mt.9:37)

Global: steps taken to eradicate Zika-carrying mosquitoes

The Zika virus, already common in parts of Africa and Asia and linked with hundreds of severe birth defects, is now spreading with alarming speed in the Americas. The World Health Organisation (WHO) has now declared this an international public health emergency ‘of alarming proportions’, requiring a coordinated international response. Brazil’s president Dilma Rousseff has issued a decree allowing public officials to enter abandoned or empty homes, by force if necessary, to eradicate the breeding grounds of the Aedes mosquito (which carries the virus). The officials will carry out educational campaigns and create public guidelines. They will target the mosquito breeding grounds in the north-eastern states, whose governors attended a teleconference with the president on Friday, along with the governors of Rio de Janeiro and São Paulo states. After the teleconference Rousseff admitted that Brazil is ‘losing the fight against Aedes’ but vowed that it will not lose the war.

Pray:

for there to be no limits to the resources that the Brazilian and other governments make available in the fight against Zika. (Mt.6:26)

India: steps taken to develop vaccine for Zika virus

Amid the scare over the mosquito-borne Zika virus, which has been declared an international public health emergency by WHO, scientists in Hyderabad say they have developed not one but two vaccines, using a live Zika virus imported officially. This is claimed to be the world's first vaccine for the virus, which is spreading rapidly in Latin America. WHO officials have expressed concern that Zika could hit Africa and Asia as well. Dr Krishna Ella, chairman and MD of Bharat Biotech Ltd, said, ‘On Zika, we were probably the first vaccine company in the world to file a vaccine candidate patent (about nine months ago).’ Dr Soumya Swaminathan, director general of the Indian Council of Medical Research, said that they would investigate the feasibility of taking it forward and that the vaccine could be a good example of a 'Made in India' product.

Pray:

for God to be working in and through all processes to develop a vaccine and cure. (Mt.6:10)

China: conflicting signals

Legally registered churches are under attack while illegal house churches are being invited into official dialogue. Is China heading for another Mao-era persecution or opening up to religious freedom? With conflicting signals across a range of social, economic and political issues, nothing is certain. There is, however, reason for optimism: the gospel is alive and something must happen. Gu Yuese has served as the senior pastor at China’s largest government-approved Protestant church, a megachurch with ten thousand members. He has also held a leadership role in China’s state-approved denomination, the Three-Self Patriotic Movement (TSPM). In January the TSPM and China Christian Council forcibly removed Gu from his Church in a move to ‘move one step closer towards the proper self-construction and management of church locations’ and sort out the relationship between the province and the two municipal Christian organisations. Gu was arrested and sent to a ‘black’ jail (a facility falling outside the established penal system) where he is undergoing a criminal investigation.

Pray:

for Gu and his wife, Zhou Lian Mei, who has also been arrested. Pray for the Lord to turn these conflicts into Christian growth in China. (Ps.118:7)

World horrified as scores of children massacred

Last weekend, Boko Haram burned children alive in Nigeria, and IS bombed schoolchildren in Syria. Homes were reduced to piles of ashes and left smouldering in the Nigerian village of Dalori following a Boko Haram rampage. For four hours heavily armed gunmen and at least three suicide bombers attacked, setting much of the village aflame. Children were burned alive in their huts. Two nearby refugee camps were also attacked. Nigerian army troops arrived, but were outmanned and outgunned by terrorists. 3,000 miles away, IS detonated two suicide car bombs in a neighbourhood south of Damascus protected by Hezbollah. As people gathered to help dead and injured children, an IS terrorist wearing a suicide vest set off another blast. 45 were killed and 110 wounded.

Pray:

for the Syrian peace talks to resume, and for all those contesting terror in Nigeria. (Ps.118:5)

Egypt: Christian students on trial for insulting Islam

Three Christian students went on trial yesterday in Egypt for allegedly insulting Islam. A thirty-second video, filmed by their teacher, showed one student kneeling to pray while reciting verses from the Qu’ran and two others standing behind him laughing. One student ran his hand under the praying student’s chin, as if beheading him. At the time of writing this article, the outcome of the trial is not yet known; however, the teacher has already been sentenced to three years in prison. Coptic Christians have long complained of the injustices they have suffered in this predominantly Muslim country. Christians make up 10% of Egypt’s population. Egypt’s president Abdel-Fattah el-Sissi has vowed to crack down on extremism and to get rid of harsh blasphemy laws, but such blasphemy charges have increased in recent months.

Pray:

for God to preserve and increase the Christian heritage in Egypt. Pray for these and other persecuted Christians, and for the families of those martyred for their faith. (Mt.10:22)

Syria: churches responding to atrocities

Christians are facing atrocities not only from the so-called Islamic State but also 45 other different terrorist groups in Syria ;some are linked with Al-Qaeda. Since 2011 it has been clear that terrorist groups have wanted to take over and create an ‘Islamic state’. Their actions affect Muslims and the infrastructure of society as well as Christians, but Christians are worst affected. Churches were not prepared to deal with persecution or oppression and did not know how to respond, but they are catching up rapidly. At least five church networks in Syria are very involved with humanitarian aid to both Christians and non-Christians in their areas. Caring for people of other faiths was not a priority before, but now social action and evangelism are going hand in hand. Most churches are now reaching out with aid and education services for the displaced, the poor and those impacted by war. Social action is becoming a priority.

Pray:

for the Holy Spirit to sweep across Syria’s churches with social action revival. (Is.60:15)