Prayer Alert News: UK, Europe, and Worldwide

Vicar of Baghdad ‘led’ to Alderney

Children at the first Bible holiday club for a long time on Alderney heard the story of Moses from Canon Andrew White, the ‘Vicar of Baghdad’. He said God put the island on his heart while he was in Jerusalem. The next day he met a lady who grew up on Alderney, which he took as confirmation that he should visit. He visited a children’s Bible holiday club run by several churches, and spoke to 26 children. ‘He’s such a humble, inspiring man,’ said Lisa Adams, a home-schooling mum of four, who helped organise the club. While there he prayed at the site of Lager Sylt, one of four Alderney Nazi labour camps for French Jews who died there under a five-year German occupation. ‘I never even knew this tragedy happened on my doorstep,’ he wrote on Facebook. ‘This land still needs repentance, restoration and healing.’

Praise:

God for Canon White’s visit and prayers for restoration and healing. May more people pray for revival on Alderney and the Channel Islands. (Psalm 30:1)

White House Bible study group

In 2010 Capitol Ministries began a Bible study for representatives, which now has almost fifty members. When four of the group were elected to the Senate, they asked for a senators’ Bible class, which began in 2015. Two months after Donald Trump took office, the same process led to a group for cabinet members. Trump started appointing to his cabinet all the men who were in the House and Senate bible study, men who were known to be believers. Unlike secular media, Christians noticed that the appointees had something in common – they were strong in Christ. Jeff Sessions (former health secretary), Tom Price, and others then started a cabinet Bible study. For the first time in 100 years, the US Cabinet has a Bible study group.

Praise:

God for these busy people who find time in hectic schedules to study His Word. (Hebrews 4:12)

London: The Turning update

In February we praised God for the growth of The Turning since launching in 2016. In the coming weeks the vision will be shared at various locations across London. Organisers are working with denominations and city leaders in a vision for equipping believers in London to share the Gospel and disciple those who respond over the next three years. Their first step is running envisioning events for people to hear the story of how this outpouring of God’s grace landed in Reading, and hear Pastor Jonathan Oloyede share the vision of bringing the vision to London – and what that means for London churches. The first such event will be in Tottenham on 28 April, followed by ones at City Gates Church, Ilford and New Life Christian Centre, Stonebridge Park. Various meetings will then be held across London on following days.

Pray:

for God to protect the organisers, and for many Churches to catch the vision and call. (Joshua 1:3)

Scotland: The Turning continues

The vision for The Turning is to equip every church member to be confident in sharing their faith – to start that simple conversation that could lead to someone encountering the saving grace and love of Jesus Christ. At the February envisioning meetings in Aberdeen, Inverness, Edinburgh, and Glasgow, 320 leaders and team members heard Pastor Yinka share the vision and history of The Turning. He returned with a small team to Scotland from 17 to 19 April for a second round of meetings for leaders who learnt more about what is involved in preparing for, holding, and, very importantly, following up a Turning mission. They also discussed what should happen in the months that follow, so that they can sustain an ongoing outreach in each community.

Pray:

for God to inspire and equip the leaders working together for local August missions. (Joshua 1:6a)

Guernsey: Christian leaders oppose assisted suicide

41 Guernsey church leaders wrote an open letter opposing introducing assisted suicide. Their letter said, ‘We believe the proposal to introduce a legal provision for assisted dying to be misplaced and dangerous for us as a community, particularly for the most vulnerable in our island. We believe the States of Guernsey should focus on the care of vulnerable people, support hospice care, increase mental health provision, and care well for those with age-related dementia. As a community we need to celebrate and support all of life, and not actively seek to terminate life. We fully support the care that our wonderful nurses, doctors, specialists and those in the caring professions provide on the island.’ The signatories include a hospice chairman and members of the Catholic, Anglican and Methodist churches. If the measure is passed by its parliament, the island will be the first place in the British Isles to legalise assisted suicide. Guernsey is a largely self-governing British Crown dependency.

Pray:

for God to silence Dignitas offerings of ‘know-how’ to legalising assisted dying. (Psalm 143:12)

Knife crime: overcoming evil with good

An increasing number of teenagers are carrying knives to school; some are fearful of being stabbed or being told to stab someone else. Children as young as eleven carry knives. When asked why, some said, ‘it’s to protect ourselves: stab first or risk getting stabbed yourself’, and ‘once you’re caught up in this way of life, it’s hard to get out.’ There are government initiatives tackling knife crime: tougher policing, mental health support, education, youth activities. But there’s never enough money or manpower to make real differences to complex problems. Each new solution barely scratches the surface. Above all, our young people need Jesus, love, kindness, time and security as part of God’s family. Pray for the growth of the ‘knife crime and forgiveness’ course run by London City Mission in schools. Pray for Christian outreach into the darker places of our communities.

Pray:

for the parents and families experiencing trauma and grief from knife crimes, and for churches to be on the streets with the gospel message of love, peace, reconciliation and hope. (1 Samuel 2:9)

Northern Ireland: women of faith and the peace process

Many believe that the Northern Ireland peace process is ‘tarnished’. The ‘Peace People’ are well-known in Northern Ireland, but other groups of Catholic and Protestant women are not. At recent seminars in Belfast, Catholic, Presbyterian, Methodist and Church of Ireland women recorded experiences of the ‘Troubles’ and how women of faith are ahead of their time in developing approaches to repairing the harms of today caused by the conflicts of yesterday. They gave innovative examples of ecumenical activism and community living that defied and transcended sectarianism, including the secret back-channel talks between politicians from different Backgrounds, critical in bringing about a cessation of the violence. We can pray for the continued work of ‘Cornerstone,’ a live-in, praying Community for reconciliation who network with other groups to be a ‘presence’ in their communities; and for ‘Widows Against Violence Empowered’ (WAVE), who help women traumatised after tragedy.

Pray:

for all those working and praying to end the remnant of conflict and lay foundations for a just and equal post-conflict society. (Proverbs 29:11)

Labour party and anti-Semitism

Speaking during the House of Commons debate, Labour MP Luciana Berger said that after she spoke out about anti-semitism, people have accused her of being a ‘paid-up Israeli operative’, a traitor, and an ‘absolute parasite’, and told her to ‘get out of the country and go back to Israel’. A new survey of 1,500 people by the Independent newspaper revealed almost two-thirds of them believe Jeremy Corbyn’s Labour party has a problem with racism or religious prejudice. A majority believed Mr Corbyn had handled anti-semitism claims badly. The party has been subject to protests from the Jewish community, and Israel’s Labour Party has severed ties with the leader’s office. Labour’s Ruth Smeeth, who has received many abusive messages (such as ‘Hang yourself you Zionist filth, you’re a cancer of humanity’. She said it was truly heartbreaking that she had to stand in Parliament Square to protest against the anti-semitism that was ‘engulfing’ parts of the party.

Pray:

for anti-Semitism to be challenged and eradicated across our nations. (Psalm 31:18)

Trypraying resource for Churches

In 2018 Churches in towns, villages and cities are trying a risky, whole-church activity that has us all praying and getting into conversations of worth. Try praying, a seven-day prayer guide for people who wouldn’t darken a church door, is available as a booklet or a smartphone app. Many people who would not consider themselves religious do pray. ‘Trypraying’ is written for them. It is a simple challenge, in accessible language, to try praying for seven days and see what happens. It includes short stories of answers to prayer. There are things to do each day and a short prayer to pray. It is not a preach, but it does help people to open their lives to their Maker and find His influence and truth. It explains clearly the good news of Jesus, and anyone who works their way through the booklet runs the risk of becoming a Christian.

Pray:

for Christians to see the opportunity and have conversations about faith with friends and neighbours as they pray for them to come to faith. (Acts 5:20b)

Islam does not belong to Germany

In his first interview since taking over the position of interior minister, Horst Seehofer said, ‘Islam does not belong to Germany’, and he has committed to an immigration policy with a ‘master plan’ to accelerate deportations. His statements brought criticism from Angela Merkel. Seehofer said Germany was moulded in Christianity, traditionally resting on Sundays, holding Christian festivities and rites – Holy Week, Pentecost and Christmas. He promised to put a heavy hand on migrants committing crimes, and accelerate the deportation of migrants whose asylum applications are denied, adding, ‘There must be an agreement in all of Germany to stop consenting to areas of exclusion’. Exclusion zones are communities living outside the law in cities where the state has lost control over delinquent migrant gangs. Native Germans, including the police, are afraid to enter them. The high number of migrants has generated many more questions regarding internal security.

Pray:

for order and security in the areas where large numbers of immigrants live. (Job 5:8,9)

Switzerland: Congo aid conference

The Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) boycotted a UN donor conference in Geneva that was seeking to raise £1.2bn for the country. Over 13 million Congolese need humanitarian aid. It is a catastrophic humanitarian crisis. Aid agencies say 4.5 million people have been forced from their homes by violence, hunger and instability. Tens of thousands of Congolese have sought refuge in western Uganda. DRC is rich in mineral and other resources, but is affected by armed conflicts, corruption and a political crisis. In the past two years, more people have been displaced in DRC than in any other country. Many believe the international community is ignoring the crisis, where two million children are at risk of starvation.

Pray:

for Geneva’s efforts to succeed in supporting the Congolese in spite of the boycott. (Ps.40:17)

North Korea: positives to pray for

CIA Director Mike Pompeo recently made a top-secret visit to North Korea as an envoy for President Trump and met that country’s leader, Kim Jong-un. The extraordinary meeting between one of Trump’s most trusted emissaries and the head of a rogue state was part of an effort to lay the groundwork for direct talks between Trump and Kim about North Korea’s nuclear weapons programme. On 18 April respected international media outlets reported that South Korea is considering replacing the current armistice with a formal peace treaty with North Korea. This announcement as South Korean president Moon Jae-in prepared to meet Kim Jong-un on 27 April. Negotiating a peace treaty that replaces the armistice would depend on Pyongyang abandoning its nuclear ambitions. See also

Pray:

for hope and trust to replace security fears, and for positive expectations in all meetings. (Psalm 47:8)

Gaza border: third Friday of protests

Please continue to pray over the Gaza border. In the third Friday of protests, 10,000-15,000 Palestinians took part in violent riots in different locations along the border, and again tried to cross the barrier; they intend to continue every Friday until 14 May. They threw Molotov cocktails and explosives at Israeli soldiers. Over 100 Palestinians were hurt and one man killed. They tried to use kites to fly Molotov cocktails toward Israel Defence Forces (IDF) troops, and were photographed placing an explosive device on the fence. On one side of the border there are watchtowers and anti-terror barriers: on the other, a tent city of Palestinian protesters. Meanwhile the IDF exposed and neutralised a fifth underground Hamas tunnel running from northern Gaza into southern Israel. It was connected to an intricate network of tunnels running through Gaza. See also

Pray:

for planned peaceful protests and marches to be free of Hamas operatives. (Psalm 147:14)

Canada: ‘we’re not making fun of Jesus’

Christian satire website Babylon Bee was called ‘fake news’ by Facebook, but their comical take on Christian culture has a deeper purpose. They aim to make Bible believers think. ‘We want to make clear we’re not making fun of Christianity, per se, and we’re not making fun of Jesus or the Bible or the gospel,’ head writer Kyle Mann said on a podcast. ‘What we’re making fun of is a Christian culture that builds around those things and the biblical message.’ He and other members of the Bee team are looking to make a deeper point with their satire. ‘Good satire should really make you laugh,’ he said. ‘And then it should make you think.’ The goal is to help Christians think through whether they have created idols or erred in their handling of issues. They want Christians to recognise in their spirit that some Christian culture is unnecessary, but Jesus and the Bible are eternal foundations to build faith upon.

Pray:

for God to bless new faith expressions with inspired Christian spiritual growth. (Acts 28:31)

Syria: praying for the future

There are signs that things can improve from now on, as chief participants in Syria’s war are keen to stabilise the conflict. The latest chemical attack and international accusations come in the midst of questions that we can pray into: How long will the US remain in Syria? -Will Turkey keep advancing its own territorial control? What happens in all the territory IS has lost, now a genuine ceasefire is in place? We can pray for a diplomatic and further ceasefire process by Russia, Iran and Turkey to achieve security in the region. In north-west Syria, Turkish forces and allies overran Afrin in March after Kurdish YPG unexpectedly withdrew and joined an exodus of 150,000 civilians. Please pray for the precarious situation of the 137,000 civilians who fled and are now in villages abandoned by IS. They face hunger, sickness, and mines left by the terrorists.

Pray:

for the needs of Syrians to be considered more important than territorial control. (Isaiah 35:1)

Turkey: pastor facing 35-year sentence

16 April was pastor Andrew Brunson’s first day in court answering espionage charges. He pastors a small Protestant church, and is accused of supporting the attempted 2016 coup to overthrow president Erdogan by aligning himself with terrorist organisations. If convicted, the 50-year-old faces 35 years in prison. ‘I was never involved in any illegal activities,’ the American Pastor told the court in Turkish, the language he speaks fluently after 23 years in the country. After the hearing, instead of being returned to the prison he had recently been held in, he was taken to an overcrowded, extremely grim prison. The USA said prosecutors have no case against the pastor. He is accused of ‘the supposed crime of Christianisation’. Brunson’s Turkish lawyer told Reuters that prosecutors interpret the pastor’s religious work as ‘aiding terror organisations; there is evidence revealing that he was arrested due to his faith.’

Pray:

for Pastor Andrew and his family; his next court appearance is in three weeks. (Isaiah 5:16)

Iraq: legislative elections due 12 May

With the defeat of IS and Kurdish independence ambitions thwarted, many see a positive mood in Iraq. Yet major obstacles of corruption, sectarianism, and nepotism limit Iraq’s capacity to recover from war and destruction. As soon as campaigning began on 14 April for parliamentary elections, people pulled down pictures of fighters killed in combat and replaced the images with their own posters, causing major controversy. The following day a car bomb targeted an election candidate in Kirkuk, killing one and wounding eleven. Iraq elections have typically been accompanied by violence since the removal of Saddam Hussein. 7,000 candidates have registered to stand for 329 parliamentary seats, in the fourth election since 2003. Iraq is the 12th most corrupt country in the world. On 15 April the US defence secretary accused Iran of funnelling money into Iraq to sway election outcomes, calling it part of a broader pattern of destabilising Iranian actions across the Middle East. See also

Pray:

for God to destroy international interference or actions intended to sway elections. (Isaiah 5:23)

Kazakhstan: state demands personal data

In another invasion into Christian freedom of religion, a Kazakh regional religious affairs department has demanded the personal data of everyone under 18 who attends Christian meetings for worship. It was not sent to Muslims. The department instructed locally-registered Christian communities to submit by 10 April full names, ages, place of study and personal state-assigned numbers of anyone under the age of 18 who met for Christian worship. The information was needed for ‘monitoring’. Darkhan Kalatayev is the new religion and civil society minister. Under him religious leaders risk prosecution if people under 18 attend worship against the wishes a parent or guardian. Prosecutions have been brought even in cases where neither parent has told a religious leader of their objections to such a person attending a meeting.

Pray:

for Kazakh authorities, under international pressure, to end illegal rulings. (Proverbs 14:5,6)

Global: praying for the persecuted

Since Jesus laid down His life, tens of millions of Christians have become martyrs. When mission agencies and the media tell us about Christian persecution, we can become overwhelmed and not know where to start or what to pray. The New Testament was written to persecuted believers, and is filled with examples of how to pray for Christians under attack. Here are examples from Ephesians to inspire our prayers: – may believers know the hope God gives (1:18); – for the Holy Spirit’s strengthening (3:16); – may persecuted believers know how much God loves them (3:17); – may they would know how to share the gospel (6:19) and fearlessly tell others about Jesus (6:20). We can also pray that believers have access to a Bible, and for God’s anointing and inspiration for mission agencies and translators who produce and distribute the Bible in different languages. See also Open Doors resource on prayer by clicking the ‘More’ button.

Pray:

for believers who have been rejected by family and friends to be powerfully aware of God’s presence. May He give them the courage to remain safely in their homeland. (Ephesians 6:10,12)