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Last week, a 64-year-old electrician, Colin Atkinson, was threatened with a disciplinary hearing because he displayed a palm cross on the dashboard of his van. Mr Atkinson hadn't wanted to upset anybody. He had given witness to his faith, in this modest way, for 15 years without anyone complaining. Alas, one person took offence, and that was enough. (See Prayer Alert 16-2011) Thankfully, common sense prevailed, and Wakefield and District Housing, Mr Atkinson's employer, agreed to let him keep the cross on his dashboard. But the case – and the reaction to it – demonstrates once again the power of the cross, and the hold this symbol has on people's imagination. Even people who never go to church understand, at some level, that the cross represents something holy. It draws us out of the everyday world and into the divine and it is at the heart of the mystery of Easter.
Praise: God that common sense has prevailed. (Ps.94:8)
More: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/comment/telegraph-view/8470164/The-power-of-the-cross-endures.html
Did you know that over one third of prisons in the United Kingdom currently run an evangelistic Alpha course? This ministry - Alpha for Prisons - has the vision to give every man and woman in prison the opportunity to come to know Christ through participating in the course and to transform society through the establishment of prison ministries. Prison Fellowship England & Wales, through its volunteers, works for the restoration of the lives of prisoners and victims, and their families. PF is a volunteer-led organisation with a small team of paid staff. There are over 1,700 volunteers throughout England and Wales who pray for prisoners, run Sycamore Tree courses, co-ordinate Angel Tree, write letters to prisoners and have various other roles to support Prison Chaplaincy. Over the past years Alpha for Prisons has also taken off in Africa.
Praise: God for all the volunteers bringing new life to those in prison. (Ac.5:20)
Richard Desmond's channel buys rights to series watched by more than 13 million viewers on History Channel. It is better known for Celebrity Big Brother and documentaries featuring very long trucks, but Channel 5 will also be home this autumn to a sweeping 10-hour epic, The Bible. A big-budget glossy epic, The Bible was a surprise ratings hit in the US this Easter with more than 13 million viewers on The History Channel, one of its biggest-ever shows. Producers claimed during the making of the show that it had been struck by mysterious omens which indicated the ‘hand of God’, including a sudden swarm of snakes. It remains to be seen whether it works any ratings miracles for Channel 5. The Bible, devotes five hours to the Old Testament and five hours to the New, with a mix of live action and computer generated imagery. It is billed as a production that ‘tries to stay true to the spirit of the book’. (See also Prayer Alert 13-2013)
Praise: God and pray that the response to this series will have the same result when it is shown on our TV. (Ro.8:31)
More: http://www.guardian.co.uk/media/2013/apr/08/channel-5-the-bible
Over the last 6 weeks, more than 3,700 Christians in the UK have attended the From Eden to Eternity tour, a drama that brings the story of the Bible to life in a little over an hour. As the impact of the drama still resonates in the UK, the influence of the tour is spreading. Wycliffe Bible Translators in the UK asked the Saltmine Theatre Company to produce this show to remind UK Christians of the value of the Bible. During May and June it toured 27 venues across England. After two successful years, plans are already in place to tour From Eden to Eternity again next year. If you would be interested in having the event at your church in March 2011, contact This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. Review highlights of the tour can be seen at www.eden2eternity.org and there's still an opportunity to sponsor the translation of a scripture verse. Praise: God for the message of His Word that speaks to all who hear it. (1Jn.2:5) More: http://www.wycliffe.org.uk/wycliffe/connected/from-eden-to-eternity.html
Now that spring is here, thousands of children across Russia and her neighbouring countries are eagerly anticipating the summer that follows, and with it - more than 300 Christian summer camps that Slavic Gospel Association partners help make possible each year. Next to Christmas, summer camp season is perhaps the most important time of the year for reaching needy children with the Gospel. Children from believing families invite their unbelieving friends to camp, churches invite unbelieving families in their neighbourhoods to allow their children to attend, and children who attended the previous year are eager to spread the word. Only eternity will reveal how many boys and girls first encountered the living Saviour at a summer camp in Russia.
Praise: God in advance for the 2013 camp season; as it nears ask God to provide the resources needed to reach as many children as possible. (Ps.136:1)
More: http://www.sga.org/2013/04/thank-you-for-our-children/
A report in Mission Network News has described how a group of Thai orphans at the Vision Beyond Borders (VBB) Children's Home witnessed the power of prayer when their orphanage was threatened with fire. According to the report, on March 19, as fires raced toward the Children's Home, workers sent out urgent prayer requests by e-mail and then moved the children to the top of a hill for safety. At the top of the hill, a staff member reportedly encouraged the kids to start worshipping and praying to God. Though Thailand is in the midst of their dry season, the report noted, they trusted God to send rain. Just before the orphanage was surrounded, the sound of thunder was heard and ‘less than an hour later it began sprinkling, then pouring, until the fires were extinguished.’
Praise: God that the children will use the miracle as a testimony to the power of Christ in their lives and that they will boldly share Christ with the people of their community. (Is.43:12)
More: http://www.breakingchristiannews.com/articles/display_art.html?ID=7718
80,000 residents in Thailand is a popular tourist destination. In a town that is predominantly Buddhist, a Christian radio station was set up through the collaborative efforts of Thailand Christian Radio Network, seven local churches and HCJB (an organization that tries to reach people through the airwaves and through healthcare). Local residents built the radio station on land provided by a Christian primary school. This largely Buddhist town will now be able to hear the gospel of salvation through Jesus Christ on a Frequency Modulation (FM) station.
Praise: God for the Christian radio station through which many people will hear the Gospel of Christ. Pray that God will work in the hearts and minds of people so they will accept Him as Saviour.
More: http://www.globalprayerwatch.org/
f you are a reader of Prayer Alert I'm sure that you have heard about what's going on in Cwmbran, Wales. See Prayer Alert 19-20-22&25. Let me encourage you to watch this video on the’ More’ link of testimony to the amazing things that God is doing.
Praise: God for His continued blessing on the people in south Wales and long may it continue, (Ps.85:6)
A proposal requesting that information about the benefits of sexual abstinence be included in sex education has passed its first vote in the House of Commons. The ‘Ten Minute Rule’ bill was put forward by MP Nadine Dorries. The bill requested: ‘That leave be given to bring in a Bill to require schools to provide certain additional sex education to girls aged between 13 and 16; that they must include information and advice on the benefits of abstinence from sexual activity; and for connected purposes.’ The bill comes in the light of high teenage pregnancy rates and amidst concerns that the sexualisation of Britain’s young people has been largely responsible for this state of affairs. Dorries urged the ‘normalisation’ of abstinence in schools and highlighted the relational, psychological and social benefits of a sex education programme that incorporated teaching on abstinence. The bill was passed however; the proposals are unlikely to become law without the Government’s backing. Praise: that this bill will receive continued support and will become law. (Pr.23:16)
A Barna Group study has revealed that New Yorkers are more ‘spiritually active’ today than they were immediately following the attacks of 9/11. As reported in the Christian Post, the new study says following an initial lapse, the faith of New Yorkers—‘faith’ meaning going to church, reading the Bible, praying, etc. - began to increase ‘significantly’ after September 2004. ‘Most of the change in spiritual behaviour seems to have happened since the middle of the last decade. Church participation in the New York market especially has shifted most since 2004,’ said David Kinnaman, Barna Group president. According to the report, another interesting statistic coming out of the study shows that the percentage of New York's residents who qualify as born again Christians surged from 20 percent in the late 1990s to 32 percent today. ‘The research shows that spiritual change can and does happen, even in large population centres like the New York media market,’ said Barna.
Praise: God for this growth in adversity of new believers. (1Pet.5:8-10)
More: http://www.breakingchristiannews.com/articles/display_art.html?ID=9288