AUSTRALIAN PRAYER NETWORK NEWSLETTER

* INTERNATIONAL DAY OF PRAYER FOR THE PERSECUTED CHURCH SUNDAY 9th NOVEMBER

* CHRISTIANS GATHER IN IRAQ TO PRAY FOR THEIR NATION

* TEENAGERS SOME OF THE MOST SPIRITUALLY ACTIVE IN AMERICA

* UN SECRETARY SAYS CHRISTIANS ARE GOOD ALLIES IN THE FIGHT AGAINST POVERTY

* GOD BLESSES PHILIPPINE TRIBE THAT PRACTICES SACRIFICIAL GIVING

* CHINA SHUTS DOWN CHRISTIAN LINKED BUSINESSES

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INTERNATIONAL DAY OF PRAYER FOR THE PERSECUTED CHURCH SUNDAY 9th NOVEMBER

Christians across the world are being invited to pray for over 100 million suffering Christians during the International Day of Prayer for the Persecuted Church (IDOP) on Sunday, November 9th. During that day churches around the world, will focus on prayer and support for our brothers and sisters who are being persecuted for their faith in Jesus Christ. IDOP is one of the largest prayer events in the world and has heightened awareness of persecuted Christians since its inception in 1996.

“The International Day of Prayer for the Persecuted Church presents a tremendous opportunity for millions of people to make a difference in the lives of those being persecuted for their faith in countries like North Korea, Iran, Iraq, China, India and many more,” says Open Doors USA President/CEO Carl Moeller. “Persecuted Believers have asked us who live in freedom to pray for them—always their number one request. And on November 9th we have the opportunity to collectively lift our petitions to the Lord on their behalf.”

Pray for believers in such restrictive countries as: • North Korea: Last month the United States removed North Korea from its list of state sponsors of terrorism. The 2008 Open Doors World Watch List ranked North Korea as the top violator of religious rights for the sixth year in a row. The U.N. investigator on human rights, Vitit Muntarbhorn said last week North Korea is using public executions to intimidate its citizens and has imposed restrictions on long distance calls to block the spread of news about rising food shortages in the reclusive nation. Many Christians have been beaten, tortured or killed because of their religious beliefs and thousands are in political prisons.• Iran: Without international pressure there is little to stop the Iranian government from ratifying a bill that will make “apostasy,” or leaving Islam, a capital crime, say human rights groups and experts. On September 9th the Iranian parliament approved a new penal code by a vote of 196-7 calling for a mandatory death sentence. The Christian and Baha’i communities of Iran are most likely to be affected by this decision. Islam is the official religion in Iran, ranked No. 3 on the Open Doors World Watch List.• Iraq: At this time 10,000 Christians have left Mosul because of the escalating terrorism specifically targeting Christians. A local contact of Open Doors says that the number of families fleeing Mosul has reached 2,000 in the past week. Terrorists dressed like policemen recently asked a Christian for his identification card. When the ID showed he was a Christian, he was shot right on the spot.” At least 15 Christians have been killed in Mosul in the past month.• India: Violence against the Christian community in Orissa has claimed the lives of at least 60 people in the last two months. More than 18,000 have been injured while around 4,500 houses and churches have been destroyed. The violence, which has spread to at least 14 districts of Orissa, has left more than 50,000 people homeless.

Source: Open Doors

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CHRISTIANS GATHER IN IRAQ TO PRAY FOR THEIR NATION

There was a prevailing spirit of joy as Christians in Iraq recently attended the fourth national prayer conference held in Iraq. There was a real hunger for Iraqi believers to join hands and pray together. With 618 attendees, it was the largest and most comprehensive gathering of evangelical Christians held in Iraq in recent years. Most of the country’s evangelical congregations were represented at the conference by a pastor or church leader. Around 50 Kurdish believers attended, and even 10 believers from a Shia background.

The main purpose of the prayer conference was intercession for the nation of Iraq. There are few places where Christians face more challenges. In two cities, established Catholic churches petitioned the government to deny permission for two new evangelical churches to be built. In addition, many believers still choose to leave the country due to economic and political instability. But this prayer conference has stood as a beacon of hope for Iraqi Christians. The speakers focused on Isaiah 66 and Ezekiel 22:30, and particularly on the role and importance of Intercession and how to inherit the Kingdom of God.

A special testimony was given by a man from Mosul. Just before the conference last year, the man, who was not a believer, was kidnapped. His family asked the conference to pray for his safe return. After three days he was able to escape. His family told him about the prayer request, and an elder of a local church visited him to share the Word of God. The man is now a believer, Also attending the Conference was a man from Najaf who has been a Christian for two years, but was forced from his hometown after converting. He told how he was overwhelmed by the spirit of joy, love, and acceptance at the conference.

Please continue to pray for Iraq. • Pray for the safety of Iraqi believers.

• Pray for the city of Mosul, where over 2,800 Christian families have been forced to flee their homes in the face of direct threats. Pray that the Lord would deliver these families from harm, and provide for their physical and spiritual needs.

• Pray for unity among the believers in Iraq, that God would bring them together and heal there differences in order to further His Kingdom.

• Pray that the Lord will continue to encourage His followers in Iraq, and that they would continue to spread His Word.

• Pray that the Spirit of God would penetrate the spiritual darkness that is in Iraq, and that besets His people from all sides.

Source: From within Iraq. Withheld for security reasons

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TEENAGERS SOME OF THE MOST SPIRITUALLY ACTIVE IN AMERICA

Compared to American adults, teenagers are more likely to report engagement in corporate forms of worship and spiritual expression – such as attending church, as well as participating in small groups, youth groups, and Sunday school. However, young people are less likely than their parents to pray (72% of teens, 83% of adults) or read the Bible in a typical week (31% of teens, 41% of adults). The study also explored teenagers’ expectations of church. The most common elements sought by young people were “to worship or make a connection with God” (45% described this as very important) and “to better understand what I believe” (42%). About one-third of teens said they wanted “to spend time with close friends” (34%), “to get encouraged or inspired” (34%), or “to volunteer to help others” (30%).

When asked to choose between a church that teaches the traditions and background of their faith or a church that teaches how their faith should influence everyday decisions and lifestyle, most teenagers preferred the latter (39% versus 16%). However, the research raises caution that teenagers’ prodigious appetites for spiritual activity may be waning. Since a decade ago, teenagers are less likely to pray (down from 81% in the mid-nineties), to attend worship services (down from 53%), and to read from the Bible on their own time (down from 37%).

Source: The Barna Group

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UN SECRETARY SAYS CHRISTIANS ARE GOOD ALLIES IN THE FIGHT AGAINST POVERTY

United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon says Christians are good allies in the fight to end global poverty. He said that from his earliest days as a boy in South Korea, he dreamed of working for the United Nations. He wanted to make a difference in the world. Mr. Ban Ki-moon was speaking at a meeting convened by Micah Challenge USA and the National Association of Evangelicals (NAE) to educate and inform evangelical opinion makers about the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), and emphasize the significance of the MDGs and their potential of making a lasting impact on poverty.

During his speech to hundreds of Christian leaders from the Global North and South, the UN head described Christians around the world as “good allies” in the fight against poverty. The Secretary-General continued, “Faith has always been at the heart of the United Nations. We are a little younger than the National Association of Evangelicals. At our founding in 1945, 42 non-governmental organizations were involved in the creation of the new United Nations. Fourteen of those were faith-based. Today, 4000 non-governmental organizations are accredited to the United Nations-400 of them faith-based.”

“The United Nations can, and must, do better. That is why I recently established the MDG Africa Steering Group-to generate fresh thinking and mobilize the political will to effect real change. We need the National Association of Evangelicals, Micah Challenge and others in the faith community.” Ki-moon said. During the meeting leaders were told about the eight UN Millennium Development Goals (MDGs)-promises made by world leaders in the year 2000 to alleviate poverty by 2015.

Source: Assist News

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GOD BLESSES PHILIPPINE TRIBE THAT PRACTICES SACRIFICIAL GIVING

Chris and Lynne Strange are missionaries to the Banwaon tribe in the Philippines. Last year, even though the Banwaons had little food themselves, the Stranges said the tribe gave what they had to some neighbouring villages who had less than them and were suffering from cholera. It was a sacrificial act that could have cost them their own lives. When people around the world heard of it, they made donations to the Banwaons so that they would not starve to death.

Now, according to a report from New Tribes Mission, just about a year later, the Banwaons are reaping an abundant harvest. “The Lord has blessed them this year with an abundant harvest and we are hearing that some of them have had to build new rice storage buildings, because their current building is too small,” said Chris Strange. The main Banwaon chief gave thanks to the Lord for His provision and the generosity of his brothers and sisters in Christ.

Source: New Tribes Mission

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CHINA SHUTS DOWN CHRISTIAN LINKED BUSINESSES

Two businesses have been shut down by Chinese officials for alleged involvement in Christian activity, and an American Christian businessman has had his visa revoked. Authorities revoked the licenses of the two businesses under accusations of converting Muslims, distributing religious material, and conducting “infiltration activities” according to the China Aid Association. The citizen’s visa was revoked by China for “illegal proselytizing,” or trying to convert someone to the Christian faith. China bans all open proselytizing and worship outside of the Communist-approved church.

Source: Intercessors Network

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