Religious Liberty Prayer Bulletin | RLPB 185 | Wed 14 Nov 2012

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ERITREA: CHRISTIAN PRISONERS & REFUGEES SUFFERING UNIMAGINABLY
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by Elizabeth Kendal

Eritrea, in the Horn of Africa on the Red Sea coast, has one of the most
brutally repressive dictatorships in the world. The population is equally
divided between Christians (90 percent Eritrean Orthodox) who live mostly
in the highlands and Muslims who live mostly in the coastal lowlands.
Eritrea won its independence from Ethiopia in 1991 and Isayas Afewerki has
been the president since independence was declared and internationally
recognised in 1993. In 2001, in the wake of a two-year border war with
Ethiopia (1998-2000), Afewerki began cracking down hard on anything that
could be viewed as a threat to national unity. He cancelled elections and
closed all independent media. Opposition figures – politicians, activists
and journalists – were removed, mostly to underground ‘secret prisons’ for
the ‘disappeared’.

In May 2002, reportedly at the behest of the Eritrean Orthodox Church
(EOC), the government began cracking down on ‘foreign’ and ‘non-
traditional’ religion. A Biblical revival and renewal movement had
exploded within the EOC. While some priests accommodated or even embraced
the movement, others resisted, forcing those desiring a more evangelical
Christianity to leave the EOC for Protestant fellowships. The exodus has
caused great angst in the hierarchy of the EOC. Now only state-sanctioned
Muslim, Eritrean Orthodox, Roman Catholic and Mekane Yesus (Evangelical
Lutheran) denominations are legal and worshipping in a Protestant
fellowship is a criminal offence. However, by mid-2005 the authorities
were oppressing the EOC as well, specifically those EOC priests supportive
of the renewal movement and protesting religious persecution. When EOC
head, Patriarch Abune Antonios, complained about the persecution of his
priests, Afewerki had him deposed, placed under house arrest and replaced
with a government administrator.

By the end of 2010 an estimated 3000 Eritrean Christians of all
denominations (mostly Protestant) were incarcerated purely for their
faith; today the number is estimated at around 1500. Whilst most prisoners
are held in shipping containers in desert camps, some are kept in
underground cells. The conditions are inhumane: children and the elderly
are amongst the prisoners sharing skin diseases, dysentery and other
horrors in confined, unventilated spaces. Torture is routine. Amnesty
International has reported on the tortures suffered by Christian
prisoners. Several Christians have died in custody and others have
perished in the desert trying to escape.

Because Eritrea has no independent media, news of persecution is difficult
to obtain for it must be leaked at great personal risk. Open Doors (OD)
reports that on 30 October a Christian by the name of Adris Ali Mohammed
(31), a Muslim convert from the town of Tesenai, died in custody. Adris
had spent almost two years in a suffocating dungeon located in Eritrea’s
Aderset Military Camp, where some 100 Christians are believed to be
detained. According to sources, Adris had stood firm through two years of
terrible suffering and systematic torture aimed at forcing him to renounce
his faith. According to OD, ‘Military officials secretly buried Adris
outside the camp.’

The repression has created a refugee crisis with many Christians amongst
them. In July The Guardian reported that the Eritrea military runs a
business kidnapping Eritrean refugees out of refugee camps in Sudan and
trafficking them into the Sinai where they are sold to Bedouin gangs ‘who
use starvation, electrocution, rape and murder to extort up to $40,000
from relatives in the Eritrean diaspora for their release’. According to
Strategic Policy magazine (4, 2012) Maj-Gen. Tekle ‘Manjus’ Kiflai has
been identified as the ‘co-ordinator of the human smuggling operation’
which reportedly serves as ‘a major revenue source for the PFDJ’, the
ruling People’s Front for Democracy and Justice. This very powerful Maj-
Gen. Tekle, an ethnic ‘Christian’, is rumoured to be a possible successor
to Afewerki. Eritrea also funds, arms and trains anti-Ethiopian forces
across the region, as well as rebels fighting against the Government of
South Sudan.

But change is looming. For many years Afewerki had been funded and propped
up by Gadhafi (Libya) and Mubarak (Egypt). With these two backers now
removed, Eritrea’s principal ally is US-allied, Islamist Qatar which is
fully occupied trying to orchestrate regime change in Damascus, Syria.
Furthermore, Afewerki is so unwell that when he disappeared in March,
rumours circulated that he had died. Eventually he quelled those rumours
by making an appearance on State TV on 29 April. Afewerki allegedly has a
liver complaint for which he has received medical treatment in Qatar.
Whilst Eritrea is ripe for change, the rot runs deep.

PLEASE PRAY SPECIFICALLY THAT GOD WILL –

* interpose himself in Eritrea to bring deep and radical change; may he
bring judgment on all who trade in suffering and terror and bring an
end to belligerence and repression. May he open the door to a new era
of justice, liberty and peace, to his glory.

‘In my distress I called upon the LORD   . . .   and my cry to him reached
his ears. Then the earth reeled and rocked; the foundations also of the
mountains trembled and quaked, because he was angry. He rescued me,
because he delighted in me.’ (Psalm 18:6,7,19b ESV)

* have mercy on his sorely persecuted Church. Lord, comfort and protect
them, sustaining them in body and soul, especially prisoners and
refugees. Lord, provide all their needs, fanning their faith into flame
so they may not lose hope; may their trust be in you.

* redeem this era of intensive persecution by refining and unifying the
Eritrean Church and use their stories of faithfulness to soften the
hearts and open the eyes of multitudes.

~~~~

SUMMARY TO USE IN BULLETINS UNABLE TO RUN THE WHOLE ARTICLE
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CHRISTIAN PRISONERS & REFUGEES SUFFERING UNIMAGINABLY IN ERITREA

Eritrea has one of the most brutal dictatorships worldwide and the
repression has created a refugee crisis. Since May 2002 Christians have
been severely persecuted and an estimated 1500 are suffering torture and
appalling prison conditions today, simply for their faith. With no
independent media, news is extremely difficult to obtain. Open Doors
reports that on 30 October a Christian Muslim convert, Adris Ali Mohammed
(31), died in custody after two years of systematic torture aimed at
forcing him to renounce his faith. Christians in refugee camps are no
safer as the Eritrean military runs a lucrative operation on behalf of the
government, trafficking them to Bedouin gangs in the Sinai. Please pray
for Eritrean Christians and that God will effect deep and radical change
in Eritrea.

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To view this RLPB with hyperlinks, visit the Religious Liberty Prayer
Bulletin blog at  http://rlprayerbulletin.blogspot.com

For Critical Prayer Requests (CPR) for the nations see
http://criticalprayerrequests.blogspot.com.au/

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We suggest that churches and fellowships using the above Summary might
also provide a copy of the listed prayer points to be used in their
worship by people who are leading in prayer.

For more information, updates and helpful links see Elizabeth Kendal’s
blog ‘Religious Liberty Monitoring’ <http://elizabethkendal.blogspot.com>.

Previous RLPBs may be viewed at <http://rlprayerbulletin.blogspot.com/>.

This RLPB was written for the Australian Evangelical Alliance Religious
Liberty Commission (AEA RLC) by Elizabeth Kendal, an international
religious liberty analyst and advocate, and a member of the AEA RLC team.

Elizabeth is Adjunct Research Fellow in the Centre for the Study of Islam
and Other Faiths at the Melbourne School of Theology.

If this bulletin was forwarded to you, you may receive future weekly
issues direct by sending a blank email to <[email protected]>.

AUSTRALIAN   PRAYER   NETWORK   NEWSLETTER

• SYRIAN BELIEVERS SPREADING THE GOSPEL IN THE MIDST OF UNSPEAKABLE HORROR
• PASTOR SAYS STORM CONNECTED CHURCHES WITH PEOPLE
• EGYPTIAN CHRISTIAN YOUTH GATHER IN DESERT TO WORSHIP JESUS
• CHURCHES ILL-EQUIPPED TO FIGHT TRADITIONAL MARRIAGE BATTLE
• NINE CHURCHES CLOSED DOWN IN ACEH INDONESIA
• COPTIC CHRISTIANS FLEE PERSECUTION IN EGYPT

SYRIAN BELIEVERS SPREADING THE GOSPEL IN THE MIDST OF UNSPEAKABLE HORROR

Nightly we see the images on television of a country at war with itself. The Believers in Damascus have been busy since the start of the conflict, meeting the needs of suffering people and empowering workers to spread the Gospel. It is very hard to count the number of internally displaced people within Syria’s borders, but many Christians have fled their communities and are gathering together for safety. Many have fled to other countries but the border is being watched and even crossing through the wilderness at night can be deadly. One local minister told of his story of helping several families escape the violence.

He reports: “Last night I received a phone call to get some families out of Syria because they were in danger,” he says. “Their village had been looted and burned. They had escaped with nothing but their lives. They had gathered near the border of Lebanon, but couldn’t cross because the road was guarded.This has been a normal practice of both the government soldiers and the rebels. As they approach a village, the people know they need to flee or get killed. There is no police protection because all who are loyal to the government are busy fighting.   The rebels approached the village and began to kill anyone they found, whether children or adults. These extremists are killing people like crazy.

“They killed hundreds in this village alone. They stole anything of value they could find and then burned everything to the ground. Many of these families were involved with our ministry. At 2 a.m. I drove north to the border of Syria. The Believers were waiting for me on the other side and we communicated using our cell phones. They were stuck in Syria with roving mobs of fighters looking for people to kill and to steal from. Since the road out of Syria was blocked, they did not know what to do or how to cross the border into Lebanon. I snuck into Syria through private roads and walked until I finally found them. We had to go way out of our way because we could not go on the regular route.

“I took the families and started heading back to Lebanon. Suddenly we started hearing gunshots and began running. I looked around and saw one of the Christian brothers on the ground. He instantly died with his three-year-old daughter in his arms. I picked up his little girl and started running as fast as I could. I started praying with all my might, shouting, ‘Lord! Please, we need You!’   As I finished praying, I felt something burning on my left arm. After three hours of running and walking, we finally reached our destination and I was able check my wound. Praise God, it was a small wound. The bullet had just grazed my arm. Praise God for His protection again and again.
Today I went back to see their village. Everything had been stolen and the houses burnt to the ground. Hundreds of Syrian refugees have come to us for help. We must take care of them but how? “I am doing my best. Whatever we have, we share. I am praying. This is all I can do. Please continue to pray for these refugee families. They have left everything behind. Pray for the marauding mobs as they aimlessly kill and steal. Each side is fighting for their brand of Islam and they need the Lord. Pray for the Believers in Syria. Their only protection and security is the Lord. They are in grave danger in Syria, but there is no place for them in Lebanon, Jordon, Turkey or Iraq.

Source: Christian Aid Mission

PASTOR SAYS STORM CONNECTED CHURCHES WITH PEOPLE

Hurricane Sandy, which killed almost 100 people on the American East Coast,also brought with it opportunities for churches to connect with people intheir communities, according to one church planter on Long Island, N.Y. Mostof the response has been “friend-to-friend, neighbour-to-neighbour, likeloaning your car to somebody who doesn’t have gasoline,” pastor SterlingEdwards said.   “People have opened their doors to let other people take ashower if they don’t have power,” Edwards said, adding that people who dohave electricity have provided meals for those who don’t. On one street,extension cords were run from one house to another as people with powerlooked after people without.

Edwards moved from Texas 6 years ago to plant a church in New York where heremains pastor. A missions team from a Church in Houston was in New Yorkbefore the storm hit to help with fall festivals at Edward’s church. Theteam tried to get out of town before the storm but ended up having to stay.”They have displayed a tremendous heart, tremendous attitude,” Edwards said.The Church, which is only a few months old, meets in a former Anglicanchurch. That facility did not lose power during the storm. “We set up atable outside the church and passed out candy to the kids,” Edwards said.”We passed out coffee and chocolate chip cookies to the parents to reach outto them.

The storm coinciding with Halloween caused more people to be out on the streets, giving Edwards and the church members opportunities to talk with them and meet needs. “God has a way of using these events to break us out of our normalcy and cause us to look to Him for help,” Edwards said. “I think this has helped us be identified as a church that genuinely cares for people and loves people.” Edwards went on,     “Several members of the Church have had one or more feet of water in their homes.”   One was a groom who was to be married at the church on November 2.   “They were going to be married in like three hours when the storm struck,” he said.

“Their house was one of the houses that was devastated. They had just moved her stuff into his house last week. They’ve got a foot of water, so the majority of their stuff is ruined.” Just doing this wedding has really put things into a perspective of being a part of this community.” Our goal, he said, is to get the message of the Gospel out to nearby residents, and as tragic as the hurricane has been, it has turned into a way to do that. “I feel like I’ve been given a really unique seat to see a lot of things happen. We’re really excited about it,” Edwards said of the promise of seeing lives changed.

Meanwhile In New Jersey, three feeding kitchens were opened by Churches at Rutgers University and in Hammonton, serving up to 75,000 meals a day. At a separate site in Waretown, New Jersey a crew of 30 volunteers served 15,000 meals a day. Volunteers from Churches in unaffected areas of America drove for more than 26 hours to assist with the recovery efforts. Initial plans call for the volunteers to be on site for one week, with extended deployment to be evaluated during that timeframe. When given an opportunity it shows how far the Church can rise to meet human need, something however that God expects of His children every day, not just after a natural disaster.

Source: Baptist Press

EGYPTIAN CHRISTIAN YOUTH GATHER IN DESERT TO WORSHIP JESUS

Followers of Jesus in Egypt have faced major challenges on their journey of faith in 2012. Increased persecution, the election of a Muslim Brotherhood president, the death of the Coptic Orthodox Church pope and thousands fleeing their homeland in fear of an uncertain future.   But there have been rays of the light breaking through the gloom. Last month 10,000 Christian young people came from across Egypt for 3 days to worship the Lord and to seek God’s blessing on their country. The worshippers, ranging from 13 to 30, gathered from 10 a.m. until 8 p.m. each evening. Many travelled hundreds of miles to the worship site in the middle of the desert north of Cairo.

“To sit and worship with over 10,000 young people, listen to powerful and challenging messages and pray for God’s powerful presence in our lives; is hard to describe in words,” said one Christian leader. ” The wonderful fact is that these young people came from all over Egypt. About 3,000 of them came all the way from many cities located in southern Egypt. They were accommodated in conference facilities available nearby. As for the remaining 7,000, they had to come all the way, every day, in about 130 buses from Cairo and Alexandria, and then ride back home again every evening.” According to the church leader, another 2 million followed the event on Internet and live satellite transmission.
The three-day event was called “One Thing.” The theme of the meetings was taken from Psalm 27:4: “One thing I ask from the Lord, this only do I seek: that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, to gaze on the beauty of the Lord and to seek him in his temple.” “The worship was loud, the lights attractive, and the entire setting quite impressive,” said the leader. “However, what was really more impressive and touching were the tears coming down the cheeks of boys and girls, and the genuine shouts of the name of the Lord that echoed across the desert proclaiming that Father God was the Lord and Master of a generation of Christian youth in Egypt.

“Imagine the empowering, heavenly force that those crowds of young people have taken back with them as they flooded back into their cities, towns and villages all across Egypt, assured that God the Holy Spirit is Himself living within them, determined to make them a blessing for the nation.” Jerry Dykstra, media relations director for Open Doors USA said, “I am sure there was some danger involved regarding security issues for this huge event. We can learn so much from our fellow Christians who face persecution and an uncertain future,” Dykstra says. “Pray to the Lord that He will continue to strengthen Christians in Egypt and give them boldness and courage.”

Source: Charisma News

CHURCHES ILL-EQUIPPED TO FIGHT TRADITIONAL MARRIAGE BATTLE

Why should marriage be defined only as a union between a man and a woman? In 2003, Chuck Colson, founder of Prison Fellowship, was part of an effort to pass a constitutional amendment to that effect. Colson at that time discussed why it was so important to understand   the implications if society were to broaden its definition of marriage. He said “Marriage, as an institution is basically for procreation. Same-sex marriage, therefore, is an oxymoron – there is no such thing. It is two people coming together for recreation, not for procreation. Procreation can only happen between a man and a woman. Every society has recognized this, going back to the beginning of recorded history. ”

Societies recognize it is in their self-interest to preserve marriage and to give it a distinct status under the law. Marriage civilizes and propagates the human race. It is where children are raised and learn the ways of right and wrong. Their consciences are informed in the family. Some people may argue that no one has the right to stop them from doing their own thing in a consenting relationship? I wonder however if that person would really believe you should do your own thing if it involves incest or polygamy. Is that person really saying that there is no place where you draw the line on sexual behaviour? I don’t think so. There are reasonable boundaries that the law tends to protect. ”

My argument would be that society’s survival depends on the family. And the institution of the family is in deep trouble. So you have a serious question about whether this society can continue. There is a very telling statistic that appeared in Development and Psychopathology. Researchers found that in the inner city, 6% of kids from intact families became delinquent, while 90%of those from single-parent families became delinquent. How well are churches dealing with this issue? I don’t think most churches understand the precarious legal situation we are in, where we are going to have families either be heterosexual or homosexual – it will be a matter of choice.

When that happens, everything begins to unravel. It will be hard to convince people that homosexuality is a sin if it is legally recognized for marriage. There will be serious implications for the church in terms of being able to preach the authority of Scripture. Pastors need to teach their congregations about the dangers of what happens when the family fractures. I say to pastors, “The ship is sinking. We’re not going to have any society left if we don’t protect the marriage bond. The homosexual movement is trying to unravel it. You’ve got to stop it and talk about it openly and honestly. I think this is the No. 1 domestic issue facing America today and I don’t see how pastors can ignore it.”{

Source: Charisma News

NINE CHURCHES CLOSED DOWN IN ACEH INDONESIA

Officials in a province of Indonesia under strict Islamic law have closed down nine ‘illegal’ churches in response to pressure from Islamist groups. The authorities in Banda Aceh city forced leaders of the nine churches to sign statements agreeing to close their buildings. Six Buddhist temples were also forced to close. Aceh province, of which Banda Aceh is the capital, has been under Sharia (Islamic law) since 2001.The churches affected were branded illegal for not having official permits – despite the fact that at least one of them had submitted an application to register officially.

Officials warn they will continue to monitor these ‘banned’ congregations to ensure they do not resume their activities. Church members have been encouraged to join officially registered churches. Meanwhile in West Java, a congregation forced to meet in the open air for years due to Islamic opposition has been issued with a ministerial decree that it must relocate.The Yasmin Protestant Church, has firmly rejected the decree. It is again calling on officials to respect a 2010 ruling by the Supreme Court that its building permit should be reinstated. It points out that there is strong opposition to the church’s proposed move in the neighbourhood three miles away to which it would be relocated.
Please pray:

*   asking God to be with all those congregations affected by closures in Banda Aceh. Pray that they will find ways to find fellowship and worship God together.

*   specifically that the stand-off between the Yasmin Protestant Church and officials in West Java will be resolved so that the congregation can worship in freedom in its own building.

*   asking for grace to be extended to the Church in Indonesia as it battles continuing Muslim opposition, particularly in the outlying parts of the nation.

Source: Release International

COPTIC CHRISTIANS FLEE PERSECUTION IN EGYPT

Recently, Islamic radicals distributed threatening leaflets to Christian homes and businesses throughout Rafah. The flyers stated that Rafah was “an Islamic Emirate” and commanded all Christians to leave within 48 hours, or they would experience violent attacks against themselves, their churches, and their shops. Two days later, masked gunmen riding a motorcycle opened fire on a Christian grocery store. While the shop was damaged, no one was injured. In addition, they desecrated Christian churches and property with graffiti slogans such as, “Islam is truth” and “don’t come back.”
A Coptic priest in nearby al-Arish, said Christians decided to leave, “out of fear for their lives.” Prominent Egyptians condemned the mandatory evictions. Ishaq Ibrahim of the Egyptian Initiative for Personal Rights said it was “another episode in a series of assaults on the lives and properties of Christian citizens.” The National Council for Human Rights described the situation as “not only against the basic concepts of human rights, but a direct threat to the state and the stability of Egyptian society.” Egypt’s new Islamist president, Mohamed Mursi, pledged to restore order, however Coptic Christians are questioning their place in Egypt and are concerned for their safety and ability to live freely.
Please pray:

*       for the Lord to surround Christian Believers in Rafah with the security and comfort of His presence, and to deliver them from the hands of their persecutors. Pray for God to give church leaders wisdom and discernment as they confront severe persecution.

*       for the government to pursue justice and stop their indifference to the plight of the Church in Rafah. Pray that the families who have fled Rafah in search of safety, that the Lord would keep watch over them and  provide for all their needs.

*       for the families that remain in Rafah despite the threat of violence. Pray for the Holy Spirit to give encouragement and shield them from harm. Pray for the damaged Christian churches and properties to be fully  restored.

Source: Windows International Network

Have you visited our Web site?  Australian Prayer Network

PRAY FOR THE UNITED  STATES OF  AMERICA

At time of writing 90 people have been reported dead across the 15 states hit by superstorm Sandy last Monday. More bodies are being found as police and fire-fighters continue their lifesaving mission, going block-by-block and   door-to-door in the areas devastated by the storm. With about 650,000 people still without power in New York, Mayor Michael Bloomberg said the city would start handing out food and water and that National Guard and police would go into high-rise buildings to help the elderly. He said the death toll from the storm will likely continue to rise. The Con Edison power company said some customers would have to wait until November 11 before electricity is restored.

Pray too for the  elections being held  this week  across America. Pray that the outcome would reflect God’s perfect  will for America at this point in  its spiritual journey and that those who have and will take a stand for righteousness will be elected and that those who oppose God’s purposes will be defeated.

• A CRY FROM INSIDE SYRIA
• PRISON SEMINARIANS UNDER STUDY
• A LATE-BLOOMING ARAB SPRING IN JORDAN
• AMERICANS LOSING TOUCH WITH TRADITIONAL RELIGIOUS DENOMINATIONS
• INTERNATIONAL WEEK OF PRAYER FOR THE PERSECUTED CHURCH
• THE EMERGING PRAYER MOVEMENT FOR THE NEXT GENERATION

A CRY FROM INSIDE SYRIA

Editor’s note:   The following are the contents of a letter received from a Christian in Syria which has been released by the Evangelical Alliance to encourage prayer for the situation in that country.

Dear friends,

My people are hurting. Not even in our wildest dreams did we imagine the violence that is sweeping across the country now. For many years Syria enjoyed peace and stability in the heart of the unstable Middle East. We were a safe haven for our neighbours. We received displaced people and refugees from other countries like Lebanon, Iraq, Sudan, and even from Somalia and other far away areas. Yet now the violence pushed the host people out of their homes, fleeing for their lives. Many are displaced internally and many others are external refugees living in the most humiliating circumstances, deprived of even shelter, clean water, power, food, and medical care.

Millions have been forced out of their homes and with their children are living in public parks or in the wilderness. Others are not sure if theywill see the light of a new day. Tens of thousands of families lost loved ones: a child, a father, a mother, or a husband. Hundreds have died for lack of medical care. Thousands of children go to bed terrified of the sound of shelling. Hundreds of thousands are in camps in neighbouring countries. I can cry like Nehemiah because the walls of our cities are burnt and the people are in great trouble and disgrace; the only good news is that the church is helping relieve some of the suffering, and the Lord is surely opening hearts to receive the gospel.

We thank God because the Church is united across the country in prayer…Thank God we are the Church of the living God. We are here in this country at such a time in history not just to mourn, though mourning is certainly proper. We are here for a divine reason; we trust and rely on our sovereign, loving Lord. We believe that we are in the midst of a spiritual war. In this country there are many who are much more effective than us militarily, politically, economically and socially, but none have the privilege of being effective in this spiritual battle like we are. We thank God because the Church is united across the country in prayer 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

We are praying for the glory of God to dwell in the Church, for an end to the bloodshed, for peace in the country, for keeping the Church’s faithful witness, to reach out to the suffering, to share the divine cure of the gospel, to speak the word of the Lord in all boldness. Each lost soul is, to us, an eternal loss. We pray that the evil powers of darkness will be defeated in our land, the values of false religion will be exposed for what they are and despised and rejected, and for many souls to come to know the love and forgiveness of Christ and to enjoy his saving grace. The Church is also active in relief work.

While revenge, power and hatred are the highest values in the sectarian political fight, by God’s grace we are sowing the seeds of love and forgiveness. The Church is reaching the suffering with the love of Christ. As the Church we must uphold biblical values and keep our spiritual focus whilst our communities are deeply divided along sectarian lines and severely polarised politically. Yet, counting on the Lord’s power by the Holy Spirit, we know that we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us. We have adopted the motto of a Lebanese pastor who lived through the heat of the civil war in his country: “Our loyalty is to Christ, our submission is to the laws of the land, and our love is to all.”

While we can see and sense the evil powers spreading a dark cloud over the country, closing the door for the light of hope, we still trust our all-sovereign God “who always leads us in triumphal procession in Christ”.We see darkness covers the earth and thick darkness is over the peoples, but the Lord rises upon His church and His glory appears over it. We deeply appreciate the prayers of God’s people everywhere; it is a rare time where the Church in Syria is feeling the true oneness of the body of Christ all over the globe. For this, we thank the Lord, for it is a great encouragementto us.
Please pray:

*   for peace in Syria and an end to bloodshed. Pray also for God’s rich mercies on the suffering people and for safety and protection for the churches and wisdom and vision for church leaders.

*   asking God to empower the Church to reach out to the suffering, to share the divine cure of the gospel, and to speak the word of the Lord in all boldness.

*   that the Lord would send wise, God-fearing counsellors to the decision-makers in all parties in the country.

Source: Evangelical Alliance

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PRISON SEMINARIANS UNDER STUDY

Nearly 80 inmates have become seminary students at a Texas maximum security prison in a program committed to sending “field ministers” to other prisons.” Seminaries in maximum security prisons are designed to rehabilitate prisoners and transform the prison environment itself,” said Byron Johnson, director of Baylor University’s Institute for Studies of Religion (ISR). “We are studying that proposition. If voluntary participation in prison seminaries is found to be effective, it could fundamentally change the way we think about corrections,” he said.   “Darrington Bible College”, run bythe South Western Baptist Theological Seminary) is housed at the DarringtonPrison in Rosharon, Texas.

Darrington Bible College was commenced with 39 prisoners a year ago. The prison houses more than 5,000 prisoners, with about 4,000 of those serving life sentences. It was known as one of America’s most violent prisons,” Johnson said. “The seminary, hospice, and re-entry programs however have gone a long way in dramatically changing the prison’s reputation.” If such a program existed in a prison in which most prisoners had a chance at parole, sceptics might consider it a ploy to impress the parole board,” Johnson said. “But in this case, the vast majority doesn’t have a chance of getting out.” He called the program “a fascinating correctional experiment”.

Is there evidence of the success of a seminary based in a prison? “Research suggests offenders can and do change. Sung Joon Jang, Ph.D., an associate professor of sociology at Baylor, said that social science research “is helping us understand that religious conversions can play an important role in the process of long-term change and reform. Offenders who straighten out their lives often experience an event that was pivotal in bringing them out of a criminal lifestyle.” Johnson has published studies on the role of religion in prisons and states that “religious instruction can provide a bridge to other faith-motivated networks and resources that can prove instrumental in reshaping an offender’s life.

Without these networks, prisoners will not mature in their faith or have a mentor to hold them accountable, nor have access to support networks that exist in so many congregations. Faith-motivated people in these networks help address such issues as housing and employment,   for ex-prisoners. Helping prisoners rewrite their life narrative can be a powerful and redemptive thing, giving them hope and purpose in starting a new life, while helping them come to grips with their past lifestyle,” Jang said. Evidence shows that inmates completing faith-based prison programs are “significantly less likely to return to prison than comparable inmates who did not participate in such a program.”

These faith-based programs incorporate education, religious instruction, vocational training, and mentoring. Other prison ministries like Kairos, Alpha, and Prison Fellowship operate in a similar way in hundreds of prisons globally. The most intriguing component of the Darrington seminary is their commitment to send their graduates out as “Field Ministers” to the other prisons, Johnson said. The Darrington Seminary has approval from the Texas Department of Criminal Justice to commence this pattern. “This will mean the gradual influence of the Seminary graduates will permeate all the prisons in Texas.” Johnson said.

Source: Baylor University

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A LATE-BLOOMING ARAB SPRING IN JORDAN

In Jordan, real democracy would, ipso facto, result in a Palestinian state. As was the case in Iraq and Syria, Jordan is dominated by a minority. While in multi-racial, pluralistic Iraq and Syria, the divisions are sectarian, in Jordan the divisions are tribal. In Iraq, a Sunni minority dominated a Shi’ite majority: a situation established by the British. In Syria, an Alawite minority has dominated a Sunni majority: a situation established by the French. In Jordan, which is officially 92% Sunni Muslim, a Bedouin (“East Banker”) minority dominates a Palestinian (“West Banker”) majority: a situation created by mass migration.

And within the dominant minority in Jordan, the Hashemite monarchy represents merely one tribe amongst many — and a “foreign”/ outsider, British-transplanted tribe at that. The Hashemites are an Arab tribe emanating from the Hejaz / Red Sea region of what is now Saudi Arabia. During World War One, Lawrence of Arabia convinced the Hashemites to rise up against their Ottoman overlords. After the war, Britain rewarded its Hashemite allies with kingdoms in Iraq, Trans-Jordan and the Hejaz. Hashemite rule over the Hejaz ended in 1925 when the Saudis conquered and annexed the territory into their own kingdom, thereby seizing control of Islam’s holiest and most lucrative sites.

In Iraq, Hashemite rule ended in 1958, when the monarchy was overthrown in a military coup. Only in Jordan has Hashemite rule survived. If the Palestinians are able to exploit the window of opportunity afforded them by the “Arab Spring,” then a Palestinian state might be not far off — albeit one that retains a Hashemite king as a powerless figurehead. Much depends on whether the West decides to “champion democracy” in Jordan (as it supposedly did in Egypt and Libya) or give tacit support to violent repression (as it clearly did in Bahrain). What a Palestinian Jordan might mean for local Christians and for Israel is unclear.

A report published in the latest edition of the Middle East Quarterly, entitled “Jordon is Palestinian”, explains the situation well. The author, Mudar Zahran is a Jordanian of Palestinian decent. Zahran is extremely positive about the prospects of a peaceful and prosperous Palestinian State in Jordan. What is uncertain, however, is whether those who would eventually hold power in a Palestinian Jordan would share his position. Doubtless Palestinians would be profoundly divided. For certain, many would be overjoyed to be able to get on with their lives free of the shackle of”refugee” status. However, there would also be plenty of belligerent Islamists keen to ruin everything for everyone.

Source: Jerusalem Post

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AMERICANS LOSING TOUCH WITH TRADITIONAL RELIGIOUS DENOMINATIONS

One-fifth of U.S. adults say they are not part of a traditional religious denomination, new data from the Pew Research Centre shows, evidence of an unprecedented reshuffling of Americans’ spiritual identities that is shaking up fields from charity to politics. But despite their nickname, the “nones”are far from godless. Many pray, believe in God and have regular spiritual routines. Their numbers have increased dramatically over the past two decades, according to the study. About 19.6% of Americans say they are “nothing in particular,” agnostic or atheist, up from about 8% in 1990. One-third of adults under 30 say the same.

For the first time, Pew also reported that the number of Americans identifying themselves as Protestant dipped below half, at 48%. But the United States is still very traditional when it comes to religion, with 79% of Americans identifying with an established faith group. Experts have been tracking unaffiliated Americans since their numbers began rising, but new studies are adding details to the portrait. Members can be found in all educational and income groups, but they skew heavily in one direction politically: 68% lean toward the Democratic Party. That makes the “nones,”at 24%, the largest Democratic faith constituency, with black Protestants at 16% and white mainline Protestants at 14%.

By comparison, white evangelicals make up 34% of the Republican base. The study presents a stark map of how political and religious polarization has merged in recent decades. Congregations used to be a blend of political affiliations, but that’s generally not the case any more. Sociologists have shown that Americans are more likely to pick their place of worship by their politics, not vice versa. Some said the study and its data on younger generations forecast more polarization. Americans have been fleeing institutions in general, Putnam wrote in his best selling book “Bowling Alone,” about the decline of such institutions as hobby clubs and alumni associations.

The culture is also more secular, with prayer in schools and the closing of businesses on Sundays fading along with traditional religious norms on marriage and sex. For the presidential campaigns, the data reflect a simple fact on the ground. Three-quarters of unaffiliated voters voted for Obama in 2008. Today, the unaffiliated break like this: 65% for Obama, 27% for Republican nominee Mitt Romney. As Americans go to the polls this week pray for revival in this nation. Pray for His hand to be stretched out over this land to redeem it. Proclaim His Lordship over her leaders and governmental affairs and for the new elected President.

Source: Intercessors for America

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INTERNATIONAL WEEK OF PRAYER FOR THE PERSECUTED CHURCH

The International Days of Prayer (IDOP) for the persecuted will run from Sunday 4 November to Sunday 11 November, 2012. IDOP 2012 is your opportunity to pray and discover the extraordinary faith found through the lives of persecuted Christians in the body of Christ. To further equip you to pray for those around the world who are persecuted for their belief in Christ, Open Doors has created the IDOP 2012 Prayer Pack. This downloadable pack contains everything you need, including prayer resources and directions you can follow to share IDOP with others. Please download your IDOP 2012 Prayer Pack from Open Doors Australia at  http://www.opendoors.org.au/

“If we want to leave an indelible mark on the world, there is no more powerful way to do it than by joining in God’s purposes through prayer. Our Prayers can go where we cannot. While many things may seem impossible from a human standpoint, in the realm of prayer there are no impossibilities.” says Brother Andrew. Whether we join in prayer with thousands of Christians around the world as part of a large congregation, small prayer group or even as an individual, this is our opportunity to stand together with those who share our faith, but not our freedom. It doesn’t matter how or when we pray;it matters only that we do it!

Source: Open Doors Australia

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THE EMERGING PRAYER MOVEMENT FOR THE NEXT GENERATION

Over the last two decades we have seen an explosion of prayer around the globe that is unprecedented in history. “An exciting phenomenon over the last few years has been the growth of prayer awareness amongst the younger generation. For many years the prayer movement has been perceived as an ‘older generation’ movement. It was with the birth of IHOP in the USA and the 24-7 Prayer movement in the UK, both in 1999, that a new focus and momentum on the youth in prayer was developed. It was an expression of prayer that spread like wildfire.   It was creative, free, built on relationships, with a three-fold focus: prayer, mission and justice.

It epitomized the spirit of a generation that is looking for something that is ‘real’, a place of intimacy with the Father that ultimately expresses itself in a lifestyle of compassionate action and reaching out to the lost. Today, children and young people are gathering in 24-7 prayer rooms in almost every nation on the face of the earth. Typical to this generation, there is no formal network linking these different movements. This is a generation that doesn’t like to be bound by structures, formal meetings and big conferences. Rather it is known for its informal networking: tribes gather and share their stories, and a global family is forming in a way that is unprecedented through pilgrimage and the internet.

Source: International Prayer Council

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