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California ordered a ban on indoor singing in places of worship, so a worship leader and an outreach ministry leader have proclaimed that ‘the Church has left the building.’ Sean Feucht, who recently led a crowd of nearly 1,000 in worship songs facing the ocean in Huntington Beach, said they were going out on the bridge between church and community: ‘We’re going to meet in parks. We’re not restricted to the four walls. We can still be the church even if we’re not in our buildings.’ A newspaper article supports the claim of ‘revival’ with its headline, In Huntington Beach, a revival with church at the ocean’s edge, photos of baptism, and testimony from attenders. An Instagram video post captured by this reporter shows Feucht leading the crowd at the event: see
Praise: God for crowds being baptised in the ocean, and foe secular media cover of worship. (Psalm 148:13)
More: godreports.com/2020/07/when-churches-cant-meet-indoors-will-god-bring-revival-outdoors/ |
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Christians in Japan belong to a minority religion. Less than 1% of the population claim Christian affiliation, although 50 -70% are married in Christian ceremonies. 253,000 Japanese are deaf and although there is a Japanese sign language in Buddhism, it has been difficult for Christian outreach to this minority group without a Bible for them. Since the 1990s Wycliffe Bible Translators have been working to bring the Bible to Japanese deaf people. They have finished Daniel, and are now working on Ezra. Once translations are complete, videos will be recorded for the deaf community. A Wycliffe missionary said, ‘We really want to see God’s Word made available to each heart language, so that there is no language barrier between individuals anywhere in the world and the revelation that God has given us through His Word.’
Praise: God for the researchers and translators bringing the Bible to deaf people, and ask Him to give wisdom and inspiration to Christian evangelists speaking Japanese sign language among Buddhists. (John 3:34)
More: vision.org.au/radio/news/translators-work-on-bible-for-deaf-people-in-japan/ |
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Wearing face masks in shops creates massive communication barriers for deaf people who lip-read. The group Deaf Connect have produced cards which deaf people can carry round, asking people to remove their masks when they are speaking to them. Action on Hearing Loss is advising the general public to remove their masks, make sure they face the person they are speaking to and recommend speech-to-text apps. Janice Silo from Signs of God told Premier Christian Radio that lip-reading people wearing masks is impossible. She said, ‘Sometimes we ask people to write things down and they behave as if that is beneath them. Like they’d never heard of paper and pencil before! But writing stuff down is really useful. Also, when coronavirus is finished and we don’t have to wear masks any more, please continue what you’ve been doing, being patient and writing stuff down.’
Pray: for more people to be ‘deaf aware’ and patient with all who have a disability. (Proverbs 19:11a)
More: premierchristian.news/en/news/article/advice-from-a-deaf-christian-about-how-to-communicate-now-masks-are-mandatory |
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A Christian ministry has been targeted by activists because it offers help to people who want to move away from same-sex attraction or behaviours. Core Issues Trust (CIT) is a non-profit Christian ministry that supports men and women voluntarily seeking change in sexual preference and expression. Led by Mike Davidson, the group has received abusive calls and messages, and been dropped by multiple service providers since being targeted through a social media campaign. It has now heard from Barclays Bank that its accounts are closed. Barclays is a top-ranking employer on Stonewall’s list. The Christian Legal Centre is supporting CIT as it seeks to resolve these issues. CIT said, ‘The term “conversion therapy” is being used as a catch-all phrase to discredit any help that people may provide to those with mixed sexual attractions who prefer their heterosexual side. This could include a listening ear, formal counselling or spiritual support.’
Pray: for God to protect and provide justice to this Biblically faithful Christian ministry. (Psalm 9:16)
More: christianconcern.com/news/christian-ministry-harassed-and-facing-bank-account-closure/ |
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The Archbishop of Canterbury has launched Together in Unity to support Anglican communities suffering from the pandemic. The unprecedented and devastating effect of coronavirus on global communities already impacted by conflict, natural disaster, and famine means they are ill-equipped to implement even the most basic hygiene and sanitation measures. Hospitals and clinics are without critical supplies, and lockdown measures have brought wages down to zero. Funds raised through the UK appeal will be distributed to coronavirus-response projects. Also, in the UK people have been making thousands of scrubs and walking miles to raise money for Hospitals. But Asian Christian hospitals have no such support and no government funding. People walk for days or travel on hot overcrowded trains to clinics, but lockdown and widespread fear of the virus has led many people to skip treatments at missionary clinics and hospitals that depend on income from routine treatments to pay staff. See
Pray: for overstretched and overworked medics struggling to provide much needed care at home and abroad. (Hebrews 13:16)
More: www.churchtimes.co.uk/articles/2020/31-july/news/uk/help-the-communion-fight-covid-19-welby-asks-in-new-appeal |
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Over 200 police officers unleashed dawn raids at homes across Oxfordshire. Two men and three women, all from the Wantage area, were arrested on suspicion of modern slavery, money laundering, and tax evasion. After searching cars, sheds, and homes, the officers found expensive jewellery, large quantities of cash, and a suspected stolen JCB. Ten people were charged with drug supply offences following a series of county lines warrants executed by specialist crime officers in Enfield, Haringey, Croydon, Essex and Thames Valley. The warrants were the culmination of a 13-month long investigation targeting drug supply and associated violent crime in Norwich, and took place on Tuesday 28 July at residential addresses across London and surrounding counties. During the manhunt, officers found a number of vulnerable people affected by the organised crime network. Safeguarding measures are being implemented. See also
Pray: for God’s wisdom and protection over the many ongoing investigations into slavery, drugs, money laundering, robbery and tax evasion. (Deut. 13:14)
More: news.met.police.uk/news/ten-charged-in-county-lines-warrants-operation-408025 |
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Pilgrim’s Friends Society, which runs Christian care homes, said the government has been worse than neglectful in its care for elderly people for years. Successive governments have put the prospect of good social care plans in the ‘too difficult to do’ basket. The society was responding to a report which stated that the Government ignored care homes during the coronavirus pandemic. The evaluation of the readiness of the NHS and care homes for the Covid-19 crisis found they were just about able to cope, but it was a different story for adult social care. The report said, ‘Years of inattention, funding cuts and delayed reforms were compounded by slow, inconsistent and at times negligent government approaches to giving the support needed during the pandemic: discharging 25,000 patients from hospitals into care homes without making sure all were first tested for Covid-19, and continuing the patient moves even after it was realised that people could transfer the virus without ever having symptoms.’
Pray: for God to influence the decisions made by policy-makers for elderly care. (Jeremiah 29:11)
More: premierchristian.news/en/news/article/god-has-a-plan-for-each-person-right-until-the-end-of-their-lives-christian-charity-responds-to-govt-neglect-of-care-homes |
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Pastor Fred Drummond gave his church leaders a list of programmes the congregation participated in and asked them to write down why they did these things. Many could not remember why certain programmes had started: not that they were bad, but people had been doing them for so long that they had forgotten their original purpose. Fred said, ‘I think these activities had been the passion of someone in leadership in the past. They had gone well at the start and people liked them – but then they just became part of the furniture. They are valued and take energy and capacity to maintain, but are they still fit for purpose? Having chatted to a variety of leaders of different ages, I found how quickly our thinking can become dominated by such programmes and activities. We keep the plates spinning as best we can because we know people like them, and we begin to use up more and more resources in order to sustain them.’
Pray: for this new season of locked-down church to bring a new season of outreach activity by the body of Christ. (Psalm 4:7)
More: www.eauk.org/news-and-views/values-or-praxis |
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The restrictions of lockdown fostered a community spirit in Britain, with feelings of solidarity and togetherness. However a campaign called Together, which includes the NHS, charities, media groups and employers among its founders, says this sense of togetherness is beginning to fragment and fray. It is organising a national public consultation on how to avoid new community divisions opening up. Analysis of the polling of 2,000 adults during May-June has led to the warning, ‘There’s a risk that past divides are re-emerging as society starts to re-open. The shared experience of lockdown made many people feel more connected to their neighbours and local community. Now that sense of togetherness is starting to fray, but people would rather we kept hold of it.’ There are expected to be challenging months ahead.
Pray: for communities to maintain the neighbourhood spirit of unity that was shown in the ‘clap for carers’, as we enter further stages and strategies to fight the pandemic. (Matthew 6:13)
More: www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-53584856 |
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Sergei Furgal, governor of the far eastern city of Khabarovsk, was interrogated and ordered to be held in jail for two months. Thousands of demonstrators have been gathering in the streets for three weekends to show their anger over the Kremlin’s replacement of this popular regional governor. The sustained demonstrations represent a growing challenge for Putin, who is viewed as having a role in sparking the regional crisis after he fired Furgal. Many have called for his resignation. Others chanted ‘Disgrace’ and denounced the acting governor appointed by Putin. According to protest leaders and independent journalists, over 50,000 people demonstrated in Khabarovsk, which would make it the largest anti-government protest there since the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991. Protesters see criminal charges raised against Furgal before his dismissal as unsubstantiated. They are demanding he stand trial at home instead of in Moscow, where he has been transferred.
Pray: for daily protests that peak at weekends to remain peaceful and within coronavirus restrictions. May God’s peace and justice cover the region. (Psalm 37:37)
More: www.voanews.com/east-asia-pacific/anti-putin-protests-russias-far-east-gather-steam |
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Brexit talks have stalled over a series of key issues; neither the UK and EU has shown any willingness to make concessions. The future of British fisheries has remained one bone of contention since the start of the talks, as the EU continues to demand access to UK waters at the end of the transition period. Tim Bale, the deputy-director of the UK in a Changing Europe think tank, suggested Boris Johnson is unlikely to give in to EU demands because of their ‘symbolic’ importance. It’s all about the slogan that won the referendum, ‘Take back control’.
Pray: for Europe to release its hold on fishing rights in the waters surrounding the UK. (Isaiah 41:10)
More: www.express.co.uk/news/uk/1314928/Brexit-news-Boris-Johnson-UK-EU-fisheries-trade-negotiations-Michel-Barnier-latest |
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On Monday 3 August, at 7pm (UK) / 2pm (EDT) / 11am (PDT), intercessors are gathering for an hour to pray for vulnerable children around the world. Participants will hear some updates from Viva Together for Children’s partner networks to inform their prayers and praise, before breaking into small groups to intercede together. May many hundreds gather to plead with one heart and one mind for the situations that desperately require prayers at present, with the coronavirus affecting the whole world in many different ways. Now is the time to gather and pray with one heart and mind. To find out more about Viva and the prayer hour, click on the ‘More’ link.
Pray: for God to develop and expand the Viva movement of prayer for vulnerable children across 22 nations. May His Kingdom work be inspired by His Spirit. (Matthew 21:22)
More: www.viva.org/pray/ |
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Following an attempted cross-border attack on 27 July by Hezbollah, Benjamin Netanyahu and defence minister Benny Gantz addressed the nation, threatening the Lebanese terror group and its host nations with a decisive counter-strike. ‘Hezbollah is playing with fire. Any attack against us will be met with great strength,’ said Netanyahu. Lowering his face mask, Gantz also addressed reporters, stating, ‘Israel is determined to prevent any threat to our sovereignty, our soldiers, and of course our citizens.’ They spoke after Hezbollah operatives tried to breach the Israel-Lebanon border, exchanging fire with IDF troops during an hour-long stand-off. We can pray, according to Psalm 44, for God to deliver His people from their oppressors, and put to shame those who hate Israel. May Israel praise God all day long and give thanks for ever.
Pray: for God to anoint Israeli leaders to be wise and discerning in every battle against their neighbours and the coronavirus. (Deuteronomy 1:13)
More: worldisraelnews.com/hezbollah-is-playing-with-fire-netanyahu-warns-after-terror-group-attacks-in-north/ |
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Last week you prayed for South Asia’s humanitarian crisis with 9.6 million people affected by monsoon floods (three times more deaths than last year). This week floods took a turn for the worse in Nepal. In China relentless heavy rains have pummelled areas for a month. Yangtze River areas are overwhelmed, causing anxiety along the world’s largest hydroelectric power plant, the 2.3-km Three Gorges Dam Already, 40 million people have been uprooted and 400+ rivers have overflowed. The dam, 300 km west of Wuhan, threatens to flood the first city to have been hit by coronavirus. In Texas, Hurricane Hanna has left some areas ‘totally under water’ and knocked out power across a region already reeling from a surge in coronavirus cases. Pray for communities with strained health care systems caused by coronavirus now airlifting patients to larger cities or areas away from floods.
Pray: for God to comfort those suffering loss of land, homes and businesses, and to strengthen those repairing roads, power lines and rescuing elderly, frail and sick in the midst of disasters. (Psalm 44:26)
More: forecast.weather.gov/wwamap/wwatxtget.php?cwa=usa&wwa=Flood%20Warning |
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Since the 1960s, there has been considerable growth of conversions from Islam to Christianity. Most of these conversions have been to forms of evangelical or Pentecostal Christianity, and some converts claim to remain in some way both Muslims and followers of Jesus. Pray for the continued growth of mission agencies taking the good news to those who have not heard it. Muslim-background missionaries are vibrant Christians even though most of them are hated by their home countries and Muslim leaders, and are ostracised, beaten, and murdered by their families and neighbours: see Pray for God to continue to strengthen the endurance of new Christians as they evangelise, preach and demonstrate God’s love into the darkest corners of Islam. Converts from Islam face insurmountable questions on an almost daily basis, such as ‘I have more than one wife, what do I do?’ or ‘How can I support myself now my family has rejected me?’ See
Pray: for God to bring kindness, acceptance and salvation to the communities of tension and unbelief where Muslim background Christians are threatened and rejected. (Zechariah 7:9)
More: www.mem.org/new-believers |
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The National Council of Churches has called on all Christians across Australia to set aside Sunday 2 August as a day of prayer, worship and optional fasting, as the state of Victoria in particular continues to battle with the pandemic. The council’s president, Bishop Philip Huggins, said in a letter to member churches, ‘We all know the impact of the pandemic here and overseas, including on some of our own loved ones. At our council meeting this week, we directors all shared our vivid and poignant current reflections. What we can offer again now are our prayers together. Hence this encouragement to you all. It is comforting when we know we are all praying together to our Saviour. From our various traditions, there are prayer resources, ancient and contemporary, which we have been offering already.’
Pray: for God to encourage Christians to meet together on 2 August, or to spend time before Him in private devotion. (Romans 8:35)
More: ausprayernet.org.au/day-of-prayer-for-the-coronavirus-pandemic/ |
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Florida’s hurricane season also has the complication of coronavirus this year. Two million residents live in evacuation zones with 82 permanent shelters provided, but after months of instructions to stay home and observe social distancing, will residents evacuate and risk an atmosphere conducive for virus transferral? Tropical Storm Isaias is approaching, so coronavirus testing centres have closed. When the mayor puts out the evacuation order, will the risk of catching coronavirus keep people from leaving homes in areas where they should get out? Pray for successful distancing preparations in shelters, and for the spirit of fear to be replaced with serenity. In Paraguay, violent protests broke out after the government put part of the country back into lockdown. Shops were looted and lorries set on fire, and a number of police were injured. Paraguay borders Brazil, the country with the second-highest number of infections worldwide, and is heavily reliant on cross-border trade. Pray for Latin Americans facing poverty violence and sickness.
Pray: for the millions facing the pandemic and tropical storms to experience an outpouring of active positive concern for their community and themselves, resulting in God’s way forward being followed. (Matthew 22:39)
More: www.bbc.co.uk/news/live/world-europe-53591028 |
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At least twelve well-known political opposition figures, veterans, and lawmaker activists have been barred from running in the legislative council elections; the government warned that more hopefuls, including further lawmakers, could still be banned. Hong Kong’s pastors are in the spiritual trenches of this growing fight. More than one million Christians are choosing between the ‘blue’ pro-government camp and the ‘yellow’ opposition. Most young churchgoers support the pro-democracy protests. Pray for God to protect and show the pastors His way forward, as they lead the church through the current struggles. Pray for young protesters facing moral dilemmas: ‘As a Christian, violence is wrong, so can I throw bricks? An oppressive government is also wrong, shall I break laws to protest against injustice?’
Pray: for the international community to prompt Hong Kong to uphold honest fair politics without political censorship or restriction of freedom of speech. (Psalm 45:4)
More: www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/politics/article/3095327/hong-kong-elections-12-opposition-candidates-disqualified |
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Prayer Alert is produced in partnership with
The World Prayer Centre, Cornerstone House, 5 Ethel Street, Birmingham, B2 4BG, England.
The views expressed in Prayer Alert and on our website are those of the authors, organisations and websites named, and are not necessarily those of the Prayer Alert Editorial Team, the Prayer Alert Steering Group or the World Prayer Centre or any of its employees or trustees. While we try to ensure that the information we provide is correct, mistakes do occur and we cannot guarantee the accuracy of our material. If you do notice any mistakes then please let us know.
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