AUSTRALIAN PRAYER NETWORK NEWSLETTER

BRITAIN LAUNCHES WAR ON MULTICULTURALISM

ETHIOPIANS COME TO CHRIST IN DROVES AFTER WATCHING JESUS FILM

HOW GOD CHANGED ONE AMERICAN COMMUNITY THROUGH PRAYER

TRIBAL GENERATION MOVEMENT SEEKS TO REACH A NEW GENERATION WITH THE GOSPEL

BBC GIVES GREEN LIGHT TO MOCK JESUS

RUSSIA MOVES TO CURTAIL HIGH ABORTION RATE

BRITAIN LAUNCHES WAR ON MULTICULTURALISM

The British government has unveiled a new “integration strategy” designed to “champion a united British identity.” The new policy will require immigrants to the United Kingdom to learn English and adhere to “mainstream” British culture and values such as democracy and the rule of law. The measures represent a continuation of recent efforts by the government to reverse decades of state-sponsored multicultural policies that have allowed Muslim immigrants to avoid integration and establish a parallel society in Britain. The government says it will also reform laws on immigration and settlement by increasing the requirements on those who want to settle in Britain.

“We will robustly challenge behaviours and views which run counter to our shared values such as democracy, rule of law, equality of opportunity and treatment, freedom of speech and the rights of all men and women to live free from persecution of any kind. We will marginalize and challenge extremists who seek to undermine our society and we will neither engage with nor fund such organizations.  ¢â‚¬Å“The document continues: “The long-term presence of a highly diverse population is generally an indicator of good integration. But this can be undermined and even reversed by a range of factors, for example if groups within the local community work and socialize separately.”

Those entering the United Kingdom to work, study or marry will be required to demonstrate an ability to speak English, and those wishing to remain permanently or seek British citizenship will be required to demonstrate their knowledge of language and life within the United Kingdom. The new strategy also promotes the teaching of British history and culture in schools and encourages the flying of flags in public places. In addition, the government says it will work to restore the Christian faith to the centre of public life in Britain. Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government Eric Pickles, says the new measures represent a frontal attack on existing multicultural policies.

Pickles went on: “The previous Labour Government encouraged different cultures to live separate lives, apart from each other and the mainstream. Political correctness replaced common sense. People were left afraid to express legitimate concerns and frustrations. We need a new approach. Pickles continued: “It’s sad to see how, in recent years, the idea of tolerance has become twisted. A few people, a handful of activists, have insisted that it isn’t enough simply to celebrate the beliefs of minority communities; they want to disown the traditions and heritage of the majority, including the Christian faith and the English language.”

The new strategy comes after British Prime Minister David Cameron repudiated Britain ¢â‚¬â„¢s long-standing policy of multiculturalism, declaring it to be a failure and responsible for fostering Islamist extremism. Cameron said: “Under the doctrine of state multiculturalism, we have encouraged different cultures to live separate lives, apart from each other and apart from the mainstream. We have tolerated these segregated communities behaving in ways that run completely counter to our values. This hands-off tolerance has only served to reinforce the sense that not enough is shared and this leaves some young Muslims feeling rootless and can lead them to adopt extremist ideology.

Cameron said a two-pronged approach was needed to neuter the threat of radical Islam: confronting extremist ideology and, instead of encouraging people to live apart, promoting a clear sense of shared national identity. Cameron said: “Frankly, we need a lot less of the passive tolerance of recent years and a much more active, muscular liberalism. A passively tolerant society says to its citizens as long as you obey the law we will just leave you alone. But I believe a genuinely liberal country does much more; it believes in certain values and actively promotes them. Freedom of speech, freedom of worship, democracy, the rule of law, equal rights regardless of race, sex or sexuality.

It says to its citizens, this is what defines us as a society: to belong here is to believe in these things.” In October 2011 Cameron announced wide-ranging reforms aimed at cracking down on illegal immigration and visa fraud in order to “reclaim our borders and send illegal immigrants home.” Cameron said that in future, immigrants applying for visas to live in Britain must show that they can speak English, and prove they have the financial resources to support themselves while in the country. On the spiralling problem of illegal immigration, particularly from Muslim countries, Cameron also urged Britons to report suspected illegal immigrants so they can be deported.

Cameron said those applying for a British passport would be required to pass a British history exam. Migrants wanting to settle in Britain have been required to take a Citizenship Test since 2005. But that test was reduced to a laughing stock when the previous government ruled that immigrants should not be required to learn British history because there was too much of it and “it would not be fair.” Instead, applicants were asked questions about equal rights, discrimination and on how to claim social welfare benefits from the state. Cameron said: “We’re going to change the citizenship test. There is now a whole chapter in the citizenship handbook on British history.

Despite its efforts to reverse multiculturalism, the British government faces an uphill battle. The day after the government announced its new integration strategy, the Office for National Statistics revealed that in some inner-city areas, more than three-quarters of infants are now being born into immigrant families. Migration Watch UK, a think tank that focuses on immigration and asylum issues, said: “These extraordinary figures illustrate the huge and rapid change that is taking place in London. They illustrate the way in which London is being changed beyond recognition and on a scale and at a speed that makes successful integration so much more difficult.”

Source: Intercessors Network

ETHIOPIANS COME TO CHRIST IN DROVES AFTER WATCHING JESUS FILM

Extreme hunger due to famine in Ethiopia has not distracted from people’s spiritual hunger. An urgent desire for God’s Word in the East African nation is not only keeping one ministry leaps ahead of their goals, but is causing the Gospel to spread like wildfire. Ethiopia has a long history of undervaluing its women, says Ethiopia ministry director for JESUS Film Project, Damtew. Yet, the JESUS Film movie “Magdalena: Released from Shame” is an adaptation of the “JESUS” film that speaks directly to this overlooked group. As the JESUS Film project has started to show the film, they’ve been unable to stop its progress.

“Women are being healed at showings as they watch. Demons scream out and are then cast out,” says Damtew. “It’s just so amazing.” The progress is staggering. The JESUS Film Project team in Ethiopia had planned to train 100 women to set up and show “JESUS” and “Magdalena: Released from Shame” in a three-year period. But the demand for the films grew so high so fast, that in only six months, the team has trained 564 women. The team has trained and equipped 900 leaders to disciple new believers using the “Reflection of Hope” Bible Study series that accompanies the “Magdalena: Released from Shame” film.

If anything, the number of trainees is too small. The response to the film has been astronomical. Women can’t get enough of hearing how Christ loves them. Damtew says women really do feel as if they are being released from their shame, as well as being released from illnesses, demons, and other strongholds. At this point, the biggest challenge is equipping these leaders with DVDs and equipment to show the films. The Jesus Film Project hopes to bring 10,000 women together for training and mobilizing in order to respond to the demand for the film. The best way to equip these women is through mini backpacks that include small projectors and other resources to show the film.

The backpacks are especially vital because they are mobile and allow people to watch the films in their own homes. Many prefer to watch the films in private due to security concerns. Although nearly a fifth of Ethiopia is made up of evangelical Christians according to the Joshua Project, the nation remains a target for persecution. Sharing the Gospel can sometimes be dangerous, but it is well worth the risk with such an evident hunger for it. Pray for more and more to come to Christ in Ethiopia via these films, and pray that JESUS Film Project would be able to keep up with the work.

Source: Mission Network News

HOW GOD CHANGED ONE AMERICAN COMMUNITY THROUGH PRAYER

This week, the former mayor of Elk River, Minnesota, Stephanie Klinzing, told of how in her town God moved and is still moving in a mighty way. The results are remarkably tangible. Teen suicides went from highest in the nation (per capita) to zero. Drug mills were exposed and torn down, and prayer became a normal part of town council meetings. The town of Elk River has had such a heavy outpouring of the Spirit that visitors take notice, often compelled to repent, confess, and respond to the Holy Spirit. In fact, Klinzing’s desire is that if a visitor would ask anyone on the street what is different about Elk River, the immediate answer would be that it is the Spirit of the Lord.

How do we make our towns into one of those places we read about? Some might expect that it was started as a large undertaking led by many churches and pastors, fuelled by a large conference or stadium event, and infused with leaders from outside their town to coach them into revival. Not even close. It began with a small group of regular people praying. The small group decided to commit to praying each week for Elk River, whether it was one person in attendance praying or a group of 20-30. No matter what, they reserved a day each week to pray. They sought forgiveness for the sins of the town – for things that happened on the land even hundreds of years ago.

If they knew about a violation, atrocity, or stronghold in a certain area (like teen suicide), they repented and prayed about it. In a group of no more than 40 people meeting each week, they saw transformation occur in a matter of a few years. They attribute much of the fruit to the foundation laid by another small group that prayed for Elk River some 40 years previous. The point is that it didn’t take action from a large number of people, participation from every church, or even the blessing of community leaders for this miracle to take place. How encouraging!

While many communities wait for “just the right people” to participate, or “just the right climate” to happen before praying for transformation, I think God wants us to dive right in with what we have. A small group, a variety of backgrounds, or even an unclear agenda, is no barrier for God. He is simply looking for people who ask Him to reveal areas to pray about, and He is quick to respond. The point is that any of us can be a part of transformation in our own communities – we just need a willingness to start, a repentant spirit, and a commitment to continue until God breaks through.

Source: Intercessors for America

TRIBAL GENERATION MOVEMENT SEEKS TO REACH A NEW GENERATION WITH THE GOSPEL

Joao Paulo Dutra of the Tribal Generation Movement tells of an exciting venture that is reaching a new generation with the Gospel. He says “We live in a society that is desperate for someone to follow. Today we have economic crises and a globalized world that needs new methods to evangelize. The methods used by the church even a few years ago doesn ¢â‚¬â„¢t work today. The apostle Paul said in the Bible that he has done everything, to everyone, so somehow, some of them could be saved. Understanding this, the Movement Tribal Generation has born. Tribal Generation is not a church and the movement itself does not plant Churches. We are simply a platform that connects ministries all over Latin America.

We have spread now to other continents, working with new groups to reach the emergent generation, called tribes. Through this network of churches and ministries, we learn how to empower and accomplish the Great Commission. We have worked hard training leaders who then plant churches that can reach the post-modern cultures. Tribal Generation was started in 2001 at a meeting called to discuss what was happening with emergent cultures around the globe. Since then, God has put a strong desire in our hearts to see a movement among the emergent generation in Latin America. So the vision spread throughout Brazil. God has now raised other ministries that are working together with this vision in other places.

After a lot of hard work, many meetings, gatherings and courses, we now have teams working in Brazil, Colombia, Chile, Venezuela, Paraguay, Peru, Ecuador, Bolivia, Mexico, and Cuba planting new churches. Something that started small has become something bigger. The main focus nowadays of Tribal Generation is to teach new leaders how to plant these new churches. That is why we have the Church Planter ¢â‚¬â„¢s School, where 14 different modules, like Ecclesiology, History, Music, Evangelism, Counter-culture, Urban Missions and others, can be learnt. As a result, teams all over Latin America have been trained, new churches have been planted, reaching those who have never had the opportunity to be reached.

We are talking about hippies, undergrounds, heavymetal, punks, hip-hop, gothic, clubbers, youth, all a different tribe, being reached by the same love of Jesus that we have experienced. We raised up 24/7 prayer rooms all over Latin America through which we teach our youth, leaders and partners, how to pray for God ¢â‚¬â„¢s direction for our generation. Our desire is to change our generation and also leave a legacy for the next generations. We believe only the love of Jesus can change our generation. We are talking about people tired of religion, tired of rules. We must be the prophets to the new generation, bringing God ¢â‚¬â„¢s direction for our days.

Source: Intercessors Network

BBC GIVES GREEN LIGHT TO MOCK JESUS

There has been a perceived bias against Christians in the Western media, but now it’s more than perceived. According to head of the BBC Mark Thompson the BBC would never mock Mohammed like it mocks Jesus. He admitted the religious bias suggesting that mocking Mohammed might have the “emotional force” of “grotesque child pornography.” But he claims Jesus is fair game because Christianity has broad shoulders and fewer ties to ethnicity. That’s not sitting well with Christians worldwide, especially evangelist Sammy Tippit. Tippit says it sets a dangerous precedent to mock any religion. “I think that type of attitude and philosophy prepares people for persecution.”

Tippit believes that media bias in Rwanda prepared that nation for genocide and allowing Jesus to be mocked is not right: “If it continues, it could be very bad for Christians, not just in the Western world, but all over because the BCC has its tentacles all through the world.” Tippit is calling for the BBC to stop its unethical practice before someone gets hurt. Tippit says “I think it’s proper to call for repentance among those who are doing that. The media is very powerful today. There are a lot of people who will believe what they see on that tube, so we need to speak out about these things.”

Source: Mission Network News

RUSSIA MOVES TO CURTAIL HIGH ABORTION RATE

The Russian government has cut off funding for most late-term abortions in a move that may signal more restrictions to come. Previously, Russians could receive government-funded abortions after the first twelve weeks of pregnancy in cases of rape, when a woman had been deprived of parental rights by a court, imprisonment of the woman, or death or disability of her husband. The only conditions that remain is rape, or if a woman is suffering from a life-threatening illness during the pregnancy, according to Russian media sources. The decision represents another step towards restrictions on abortion that have long been sought by the current government.

Source: LifeSiteNews

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