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A British evangelist who shot to fame after holding a nine-month revival in America is holding meetings in the UK next month. Nathan Morris, who runs Shake The Nations Ministries, ran the Bay of the Holy Spirit Revival in Mobile, Alabama, alongside Pastor John Kilpatrick and worship leader Lydia Stanley. The Revival, which lasted from July 2010 until April this year, saw thousands travel from all over the world and there were reports of many notable miracles. Now, former drug user Nathan Morris, who hails from south Yorkshire, is back in Britain, preaching at New Life Church in Hull from September 16 to 18 and Bethshan Church, Newcastle, from September 23 to 25. Large numbers are expected to travel from all parts of the UK to attend the meetings. Nathan, 32, recently tweeted: ‘Join with me in prayer that God will pour out His Spirit in the upcoming UK meetings.’
Pray: for Nathan at that the Holy Spirit will touch many during the coming meetings. (Ac.2:28)
Western Europe has become a region of ‘empty nominalism’ and ‘confused spirituality’ said the chairman of the evangelical Keswick Convention. Dr. Jonathan Lamb told this year’s convention that while millions of people in Western Europe define themselves as Christian, they regard themselves as Christian only by nationality, culture, and as a result of family ties to the faith, or tradition. He said the spiritual landscape closer to home could be characterized by a ‘dry orthodoxy’, which he explained as Christians who are committed to the evangelical faith but whose life ‘has been drained of its spiritual vibrancy’. Others outside the church fold appear to be caught up in a kind of ‘confused spirituality’. Dr. Don Carson, research professor of the New Testament, cautioned Christians about the dangers of pursuing spirituality, for its own sake without any reference to Christ and Jonathan Stephens, Principal of the Wales Evangelical School of Theology, reminded Christians that the key to Christ-centred renewal could be found in returning to Scriptures. Pray: for Christ and His Gospel always to be at the heart of our Christian lives. (Ro.1:16)
Following a ‘postcard campaign’ by the Catholic Church in Scotland, (See Prayer Alert 45-2011) evangelical church leaders have followed suit by making the Scottish Government aware that they strongly oppose any move to bring in full homosexual ‘marriage’. Over 70 leaders signed a joint letter which was sent to First Minister Alex Salmond, urging him to maintain the definition of marriage as between one man and one woman. When the Scottish Government launched a consultation on the matter, it assured church leaders that they would not be forced to conduct marriage ceremonies for same sex couples. However, widespread concerns still remain amongst Scottish church leaders over the impact of redefining marriage. There is a very real risk of definition-creep. If marriage is redefined who is to say that, for example, polygamy should not be legalised?
Pray: as pressure increases that the Government would listen to the advice the Church is giving. (Heb.13:4)
School children are being taught about euthanasia using a video that includes demonstrations by a notorious assisted suicide campaigner nicknamed Dr Death. Pupils as young as 14 are being shown the 20-minute film which features Dr Philip Nitschke showing the machine that is used to deliver lethal injections. There is also footage of him giving workshops on assisted suicide methods. Psychologists have warned that the film could encourage vulnerable teenagers to end their lives. Earlier this week the BBC was accused of being a ‘cheerleader for assisted suicide’ after filming a documentary that showed a man killing himself at a Dignitas clinic in Switzerland. See link Dr Nitschke, the founder of the pro-euthanasia group Exit International, caused controversy two years ago as he arrived to give his first UK suicide workshops. In them he demonstrates devices people can use to end their lives - including an ‘exit bag’, drugs from Mexico, and ‘peaceful pills.’ Pray: that the showing of this video and other material to school children will be blocked. (Job.3:20-23)
An aid minister has accused the EU of squandering hundreds of millions of pounds of British taxpayers’ cash on countries that are too wealthy to need help. Alan Duncan said that while he shared the public’s anger over the massive spending, the UK was being ‘forced’ to hand over huge amounts of money – but then has no say over how it is spent. One sixth of Britain’s aid budget – some £1.4billion – goes straight into EU coffers. Much is spent in relatively rich nations such as Barbados, Iceland, China and Brazil; which the UK refuses to fund directly. Some £800,000 of the EU aid budget is going on a water park and tourist complex being built in Morocco by the French owners of Center Parcs. The cash is being spent to ensure L’Oasis de Noria, on the outskirts of Marrakesh, is ‘environmentally friendly’.
Pray: for action to ensure our aid budget directly helps the truly needy and vulnerable around the world. (1Jn.3:17-18)
More: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2210751/EU-squanders-aid-millions-says-minister--years.html
Internet pornography is “warping” children’s understanding of sex and leading them to mimic “aggressive, harmful and dangerous” behaviour, Esther Rantzen has warned. Miss Rantzen, the founder of ChildLine, says the number of youngsters ringing the helpline who have “been deeply alarmed by watching pornography has shot up by 34 per cent in the past year”. She said: “We received 641 calls from children who had been exposed to sexually indecent material — more than 50 a month. The stuff our callers see is horrifying, and has stayed in their memories, haunting and frightening them”, the former That’s Life presenter added. The stark warning comes amidst a Government consultation on protecting children online. Miss Rantzen backs an ‘opt-in’ system which would automatically block adult content. Those who wanted to view such materials would be required to contact their Internet service provider.
Pray: for much tighter regulation of the way that such materials can be accessed. (Ro.12:2)
More: http://www.christian.org.uk/news/esther-rantzen-kids-are-haunted-by-internet-porn/
Essex parishioners without a vicar for 16 months have taken to YouTube in the hope of filling the vacancy. The villages of Woodham Ferrers and Bicknacre have had no vicar since the Rev Mary Cottee retired in June 2011. After receiving no interest in the post, parishioners made their own video appealing for applicants. Churchwarden Nick Kitchen said: ‘We're looking for somebody with enthusiasm who is flexible and willing to get involved in the community.’ The video, posted on YouTube, features a cardboard cut-out vicar officiating at a wedding, a baptism and a school assembly. The parish has two churches, St Andrew's in Bicknacre and St Mary's in Woodham Ferrers. Currently it has to ‘borrow’ retired clergy and vicars from neighbouring parishes to officiate at some of its services, with volunteers organising other events. So far, only five people have downloaded an application form for the job but nobody has yet returned it.
Pray: for God to raise up people to lead churches and congregations wherever they are needed. (Eph.4:11-12)
More: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-essex-19929905
The equality commission’s commitment to protect religious liberty in the workplace has been put in doubt by one of its own commissioners. Angela Mason claims the commission will break its promise to support the principle of ‘reasonable adjustment’ for the religious beliefs of staff in the workplace. She was formerly head of homosexual activist group Stonewall and currently sits as a commissioner on the Equality and Human Rights Commission. Last month the commission issued a public statement saying it would intervene in four religious liberty cases going to the European Court of Human Rights. Yesterday homosexual news website, Pink News, reported Angela Mason saying: ‘The commission has already decided not to put forward ‘reasonable adjustment’ arguments if we do continue with our intervention.’ putting the commission’s commitment to religious liberty in doubt. Her comments have been welcomed by Stonewall, but the commission has not formally responded.
Pray: that the Equality Commission will not be so swayed and will honour its commitment to reasonable adjustment. (Ps.106:3)
More: http://www.christian.org.uk/news/equality-commissioner-well-backtrack-on-religious-liberty/
Christians have reacted with a mixture of disappointment and alarm after an equality quango appeared to backtrack on its pledge to support Christians this week. In July the Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) stated, ‘reasonable accommodation’ of religious beliefs was ‘needed’ after applying to intervene in four cases involving religious discrimination in the workplace that have come before the European Court of Human Rights. The organisation has now been given leave to intervene in the cases but announced this week that it will no longer be arguing for reasonable accommodation indicating it would be willing to intervene in cases involving public displays of faith in the workplace but not in cases involving employees with regards to their views on same-sex relations. In the face of the latest U-turn the Evangelical Alliance and CARE have expressed their deep disappointment and concern.
Pray: for the Evangelical Alliance, CARE and noticeable public opinions to be heard and acted upon. (Ps.11:7)
Lib Dem Equalities Minister Lynne Featherstone wants teachers, nurses and policemen, among others, to have to disclose their sexuality. She said that all public sector organisations should consider sending ‘diversity monitoring forms’ to staff to prove that they are treating all sections of society fairly. In June 2009, Ms Featherstone said that public sector employees who face a conflict between their job and their conscience should get another career. ‘On the execution of public duty, it is important that we make it clear here and now that carrying out public services cannot be a matter of conscience.’ This could mean that those identified as having a religious background that may hold certain moral views may potentially have restricted access to many public service jobs. Critics have also questioned how intrusive such questioning is.
Pray: that the Government comes to recognise the Big Brother nature of such damaging ideas. (Jas.2:4)