AUSTRALIAN PRAYER NETWORK NEWSLETTER

* PRAYER AND WORSHIP REPLACES FOOTBALL IN WEST HAM STADIUM

* CHURCHES SURPRISED AT IMPACT OF MINISTRY FOR CHILDREN OF
DIVORCE

* A WONDERFUL TESTIMONY FROM KENYA OF GOD’S PROVISION IN THE
MIDST OF POVERTY

* ENORMOUS MINERAL DISCOVERY IN AFGHANISTAN

* U.S.A. LEGAL GROUP TAKES ACTION TO PROTECT CHRISTIANS

* LATE NIGHT PATROLS TO HELP PARTY GOERS IN ENGLAND

* MUSLIMS IN PAKISTAN KIDNAP AND RAPE CHRISTIAN GIRL

* MICROSOFT TO BAN SEXUALLY EXPLICIT APPLICATIONS ON WINDOWS
PHONE 7

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PRAYER AND WORSHIP
REPLACES FOOTBALL IN WEST HAM STADIUM

As the constant humming sound of trumpets are heard in stadiums
across South Africa during the world cup, worship and fervent prayers
echoed around West Ham stadium as part of a day of prayer for London.
“We stand on turf consecrated to the beautiful game at the beginning
of the World Cup and as Christians we celebrate the beautiful life
through the power of the Holy Spirit,” said the Bishop of Barking Rt
Revd David Hawkins from the stage. He added: “We thank you for
coming to pray in unity for the transformation of our city and
nation.
I congratulate you who have come today because you could be home
watching the world cup,” said London Mayor Boris Johnson. Referring
to England’s disappointing start to the world cup he said “I believe
passionately that the Christian message is that you can come back if
you don’t get the best start in life, because there are people to
help you. That’s what Christianity means to me and that’s what
Christian groups do all over London.” The crowd of 10,000 stretched
out their hands to pray for the Mayor to know wisdom to lead in such
uncertain times.
In between prayers for a wide range of issues from government, youth,
the persecuted Church, Gospel artists and worship leaders
including Graham Kendrick led times of celebration and worship, with
dancers waving colourful flags from around the world. Convener
Jonathan Oloyede, said: “This is a time to unite across denominations
and cultures and different ages. When we gather in Wembley Stadium
next year, it will be a watershed to tip the nation into her destiny.
This nation belongs to Christ and can only be transformed by prayer,
unity and evangelism.”
“Today the Church has driven a stake into the ground and we have
drawn a line and said in the Spirit that this nation belongs to
Jesus. I believe the unity of the Church is powerful and significant
as we march towards a national day of prayer at Wembley stadium in
2011.” GDOP London, which is a movement of daily prayer, is urging
one million Christians in Britain to pray the Lord’s Prayer at 12
noon every day. It is also encouraging all churches and networks to
be part of 500 days of prayer for the UK starting Sunday August 1,
2010 until December 31, 2011.

Source: ASSIST News
Service

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CHURCHES SURPRISED
AT IMPACT OF MINISTRY FOR CHILDREN OF DIVORCE

Churches across America are reaching out to help children whose
parents are separated or divorced. A recent survey reveals that the
divorce rate for born again Christians is 32%, statistically
identical to the 33% figure among non-born again adults. Churches are
offering a ministry program to help children heal from their parents’
separation or divorce. The resulting impact on the churches has been
surprising. The DivorceCare for Kids (DC4K) weekly, lay-driven
ministry program is having a powerful effect on children and their
parents, but surprisingly, also on the church itself.
Greg Stanford, at the Church of Christ in Wichita Falls, says church
members have become more proactive in wanting to help families
outside the church. There is a new awareness and new compassion for
divorced families, not only in our church but in our community,” he
said. DC4K has been found to grow churches, introduce people to
Christ, help decrease behaviour issues and lessen staff counselling
loads. The number of children attending DC4K from outside the church
excites church leaders, because when children come to church, their
parents come too.
As more people attend the church, more hear the Gospel message. Every
child in DC4K learns about Christ’s love through the modelling of
group leaders, Scripture songs, games, prayers and activity books.
Sunday school teachers and children’s ministers have reported fewer
disruptions and behaviour issues by children who struggled
previously, but who now attend DC4K. And parents have reported that,
after their children participate in DC4K, their children do better in
school, communicate better and express their emotions in a healthier
manner.
Pastors and church staff who often struggle to meet the many needs in
a church body on their own are thankful for this lay-led program.
Stanford praises the comprehensive, yet easy-to-use, training
materials and lessons. “We have team members that are teachers, some
are bankers, some are firemen. All of our team members have been able
to pick up a lesson plan, read through it and lead the session
without any problems,” Stanford said.

Source: ASSIST News
Service

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A WONDERFUL
TESTIMONY FROM KENYA OF GOD’S PROVISION IN THE MIDST OF
POVERTY

 ¢â‚¬Å“I used to spend my days at the market, searching for odd jobs and
begging for food, ¢â‚¬  says Catherine Amina, 18, of Ndithini, Kenya.  ¢â‚¬ My
dream was to start a sewing business. I fulfilled my dream after my
youth working group lent me money to start a tailoring and
dressmaking shop. Since then I have invested some of my profits into
animal husbandry, and I now have two cows, six goats and twenty-two
chickens from which I sell eggs and chicks. My businesses are a big
success.
 ¢â‚¬Å“With this money I am now able to care for my three sisters and my
grandparents, and to pay the school fees for one of my sisters so she
can achieve her dream of becoming a doctor and starting a hospital in
our village. I have also been able to employ an additional tailor in
my shop, and to offer apprenticeships to two of my youth working
group members. I now have a new dream to expand my business and start
a second shop in Mbusyani. ¢â‚¬ 
Catherine Amina ¢â‚¬â„¢s story is possible as a result of the Giving Hope
program which assists child-headed households in Rwanda, Kenya,
Tanzania, Uganda, and Mozambique. Through the program, young people
orphaned by HIV and AIDS, or by war or genocide, are empowered to
continue their education, grow food, make items to sell or start
small businesses.

Source: Church World
Service

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ENORMOUS MINERAL
DISCOVERY IN AFGHANISTAN

The Pentagon has announced that Afghanistan holds up to $1 trillion
worth of untapped mineral deposits which could transform the $12
billion economy of the war-torn and poverty-stricken nation. It could
however also be a negative according to U.S. officials. The deposits
include huge amounts of iron, copper, gold, cobalt and other metals
like lithium but observers caution that it remains to be seen what
the effect will be. Officials are hopeful that mining will become the
base of the Afghan economy, which is currently dependent on opium
production and narcotics trafficking.
Some experts say the announcement is far too premature, because the
actual recoverable amount could vary wildly from estimates and cannot
be accessed whilst Afghanistan is a war zone. And while the mining
possibilities could transform the Afghan economy, it also opens
Afghanistan up to the possibility of abuse by giant corporations and
an increased intensity in the Taliban’s fight for control of the
country and its resources. Pray that the mineral deposits in
Afghanistan will eventually raise the standard of living and help
stabilize the nation, not plunge it further into war.

Source: Intercessors for
America

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U.S.A. LEGAL GROUP
TAKES ACTION TO PROTECT CHRISTIANS

Officials in Minnesota, at the urging of the Alliance Defence Fund
(ADF), reversed a policy banning religious meetings at its public
library. As a result letters have gone from ADF to more than 150
other government jurisdictions asking them also to correct policies
that target the religious content of community activities. The
organization says government officials “frequently refuse or restrict
Christian activities when they attempt to reserve facilities
otherwise open to the public at schools, parks, and community
centres, a practice routinely determined to be unconstitutional by
the courts.”
“I think it’s finally come to a head,” said ADF senior legal counsel
Joel Oster. “The Supreme Court in 2001 sealed the deal on this issue.
It should not be litigated anymore. Christians shouldn’t be excluded
and restricted from using public meeting rooms and other facilities
simply because they plan to express a Christian viewpoint,” added
Oster. “The Constitution prohibits the government from deciding who
can and cannot use space based upon which viewpoints are being
discussed during those meetings. Public officials can’t give
preferential treatment to some views over others.”

Source:
WorldNetDaily

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LATE NIGHT PATROLS
TO HELP PARTY GOERS IN ENGLAND

Churchgoers in Dorset, England, are taking to the streets in early
morning patrols to help rowdy clubbers. Uniformed volunteers will
roam Weymouth town centre between 10pm and 4am every Friday and
Saturday night assisting everyone from assault victims to those too
drunk to find their way home. Rev Jim Thorneycroft of the United
Reformed Church is setting up the street pastor scheme with Rev Tony
Stephens of St Andrew’s Church.”This is not about being do-gooders  ¢â‚¬“
the last thing we want to do is bang people on the head with big
Bibles,” Thorneycroft said.
“This is about Christians putting their money where their mouth is
and giving practical help.” Street pastors will help by
administering first aid or chatting to those who were lonely. Street
pastors will range in age from 18 to 70 and will come from all
Christian denominations. Working in teams of four they will
report regularly to a central base. Some 24 volunteers have already
come forward to start training. Topics covered will include first
aid, mental and sexual health, domestic violence, drug and alcohol
abuse and homelessness. Dorset Police said the force was supporting
the idea.

Source: Council for World
Mission

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MUSLIMS IN
PAKISTAN KIDNAP AND RAPE CHRISTIAN GIRL

Five Muslims have kidnapped and raped a Christian girl after
threatening to kill her unless her father allowed one of them to
marry her. Lazarus Masih said one of his three daughters, 14, was
kidnapped on May 29 by five men. Police recovered her on June 6 in a
raid on the home where she was being held, though the suspects
escaped. Family members said the suspects took her to a house near
Islamabad, where they gave her a drug that rendered her unconscious,
and raped her. A medical report confirmed that she was given drugs
and raped.
 ¢â‚¬Å“They threatened that if I didn’t let her marry one of them they
would kill her, ¢â‚¬  Masih said.  ¢â‚¬Å“One of them said,  ¢â‚¬ËœWe attended an
Islamic religious convention, and the speaker said if you marry a
non-Muslim or rape a non-Muslim girl, you will get 70 virgins in
heaven. ¢â‚¬  Devastated family members said the girl remained frightened
and was not speaking to anyone.  ¢â‚¬Å“It is such a shame that religious
leaders teach inhuman acts, ¢â‚¬  said the Rev. John Gill of Shamsabad
Catholic Church.  ¢â‚¬Å“This incident has ruined the life of an innocent
child. ¢â‚¬ 

Source: Compass Direct
News

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MICROSOFT TO BAN
SEXUALLY EXPLICIT APPLICATIONS ON WINDOWS PHONE 7

Following Apple’s lead in trying to keep pornography off its iPad and
iPhone products, Microsoft has announced a new policies for the
Windows Phone 7 that will not allow porn or sexually suggestive
content. The application certification requirements for Windows Phone
7 program developers states that Microsoft will no longer allow
content such as “Images that are sexually suggestive or provocative,
Content that generally falls under the category of pornography, or
Content that a reasonable person would consider to be adult or
borderline adult content.”
In February, Apple began blocking “adult” applications and sexually
suggestive screen shots from its online stores in response to
“numerous complaints from our customers about this type of content.”
In May, Apple CEO Steve Jobs said his company would not be a party to
the pornography industry and hoped that the iPad and iPhone
revolution would help create a porn-free world. “We do believe we
have a moral responsibility to keep porn off the iPhone.”

Source:
LifeSiteNews.com

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