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We are pleased to bring you IPC Connections for April 2020.

These are unprecedented times. All but 18 nations of the world are currently confronting the covid-19 coronavirus pandemic. At the time of writing, there are over a million recorded cases and nearly 60,000 deaths. It is having massive health, social, economic and political impact.  The virus does not discriminate.  We are seeing some healthy younger people taken seriously ill and succumbing to the virus as well as a significant proportion of older and more vulnerable patients. 

The pandemic is affecting the Christian Church globally but we are heartened to observe that it is responding positively in lots of ways. It is continuing to share the message of hope that we all have in Jesus that overcomes fear.  As well as making a strong humanitarian response in many countries, the Church is adapting the way it meets - with many gathering online.  Our friend and colleague, Bennie Mostert from Jericho Walls, South Africa was just this week sharing with fellow ministry leaders about organised and spontaneous prayer mushrooming across South Africa with believers of all ages coming together and meeting online.  We are aware that this is happening in many other nations across Africa and the world too.  

Many Christian conferences and events that had to be cancelled have moved online to great effect!  The Watchmen Conference led by David Demian in South Korea met this last week with over 150,000 people from many nations clicking onto the online zoom meeting.  Watch it HERE.   We are invited to join a follow-up meeting entitled ‘Passover – Holy Alignment’ on 7th April.  Details HERE and more info below.

We are pleased to confirm that GO 2020 is still taking place in May 2020. Many hundreds of thousands of people around the world will share Christ amid the crisis. The principle remains the same: Every Believer is a Witness! But we will focus on online and media Gospel sharing.  Visit the Go2020 website for more and See the article below.

Watch the GO 2020 Video  |  Download the Brochure  |  Download the April Prayer Guide

A number of you were unable to join the IPC’s ‘GO2020 & Coronavirus’ Global Prayer Call this last week (Sun 29 March), due to a few technical hitches.  It was a good gathering with intercessors of all ages praying from every continent! We have edited the video of the meeting so you can watch what happened HERE.

In this edition of IPC Connections, we are bringing a number of important and perhaps sobering articles to pray into.  But we open with three editorial articles from IPC Colleagues which we trust will build you up and encourage you. 

Firstly, a video from Dr Jason Hubbard, our Executive Coordinator entitled 'Our Response to the Coronavirus pandemic' in which he shares a message of hope and assurance as he encourages us to faithfully pray in agreement and unity in the Lord's name and to expect great things.  May God's Kingdom be advanced amidst the challenges of this season that we are in. 

Let's individually and corporately renew our commitment to repentance and 'extraordinary prayer'. Please do take time to watch and listen to this powerful twenty minute message.

Secondly, Dr Leslie Keegel, global chairman of the Foursquare Church movement and a senior leader in the IPC, shares a prophetic word for the time that we are in entitled 'Just Stay Calm'. Let's take time to reflect and be encouraged by this dramatic vision that brings a fresh perspective on our current global situation that is prophetically pointing to a time of great harvest.  

The third editorial article is from our IPC colleague and West Africa Coordinator, Austen Ukachi on the theme of ‘Faith in Times of Adversity’. He writes as someone who knows the challenges of Africa intimately. Let's lock shields with our fellow believers, some of whom are facing unimaginable situations and stand against the powers of darkness and the covid-19 virus (Eph 6: 16-18).  Our God is an awesome God - Amen!

May we express grateful thanks to Andy Page and the IPC Editorial Team who put this email together each month.

Wishing you His continued blessings,

Jason Hubbard - Executive Coordinator
John D Robb – Chairman - International Prayer Connect

International Prayer Connections is produced and distributed freely each month to inform God's praying people around the world. We are grateful to those who have given generously to enable this to happen and continue to need such support for this and our other transformational prayer initiatives.

If you can make a gift towards our costs by giving to our funding arm, the Transformation Prayer Foundation, we would appreciate it. Please click here.

In the first of our three special Editorial features, Dr Jason Hubbard, IPC's Executive Coordinator shares a message of hope and assurance as he encourages us to faithfully pray in agreement and unity in the Lord's name. 

‘May the Lamb who was slain receive the due reward for His suffering!’

As we meditate on the Lamb of Glory, Let's individually and corporately renew our commitment to repentance and 'extraordinary prayer'.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FIyEidHUDK4&t=909s  (20 Minutes)

Faith is one weapon we must use against the fear of COVID-19. Many ask, can faith in God work at this time when COVID-19 is devastating the world? The answer is a big, Yes. Faith in God can make a difference whether we survive this time of adversity or not. Fear kills, but faith keeps alive. The well known Biblical adage, “the just shall live by faith” is very much relevant now. Faith can make a difference between matters of life and death, between our ability to survive or not. In times of adversity, like we face presently, faith  distinguishes those who inherit the promises of God and those who do not. Faith in God gives us strength in the inner man. Like Proverb 18:14 state, “The will to live sustains you when you’re sick, but depression crushes courage and leaves you unable to cope” (TPT).

The most extreme conditions of COVID-19 is not above God’s power and control, therefore trusting God who knows all things, and has all power to control all things, strengthens us. Faith in God, however, does not preclude us from  complying with the rules of social distancing and personal hygiene that is being recommended by medical experts. Times of adversity like COVID-19 don’t last, but those who have faith in God, outlive adversities.

Faith is the assurance that what God says in his word shall come to pass in any situation of adversity. For instance, Isaiah 43:2 says, “When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; And through the rivers, they shall not overflow you. When you walk through the fire, you shall not be burned, Nor shall the flame scorch you” (Isaiah 43:2 NKJV). Again in Ephesians 6:16, Paul commands us to use the shield of faith to quench the fiery darts of Satan. This means, that when Satan assails us with coronavirus, by faith we can reject it from harming us.

Exercising faith against the destructive power of COVID-19 may seem stupid to the carnal mind, but let us not forget that even from Bible times, faith in God has always worked for those who believe in Him. Think of those who don’t have access to medical facilities, or those who face extreme situations between life and death. All they can do is cling on to God in faith. In this time of COVID-19, we are seeing the best of medical practices inadequate, and in some cases fail outrightly.  So, why doubt the intervention of God; why doubt the ability of faith in God to rescue man?

Speaking about the importance of faith, Jesus said, “Have faith in God. For assuredly, I say to you, whoever says to this mountain, ‘Be removed and be cast into the sea,’ and does not doubt in his heart, but believes that those things he says will be done, he will have whatever he says. Therefore I say to you, whatever things you ask when you pray, believe that you receive them, and you will have them” (Mark 11:22-24 NKJV). The key word is in verse 24, which states that whatever things you ask when you pray to God, we can receive them, provided we believe.

David’s attitude in time of adversity is one of persevering faith, “Yet I am confident I will see the Lord’s goodness while I am here in the land of the living. Wait patiently for the Lord. Be brave and courageous. Yes, wait patiently for the Lord” (Psalms 27:13-14 NLT). We cannot afford to do otherwise now that we face COVID-19.

Pastor Austen Ukachi
IPC Leadership Team / IPC West Africa Coordinator
Contact: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Global case counts of COVID-19 quietly clicked past 1 million 2^nd April afternoon on the Johns Hopkins tracking map, revealing the disease’s startling speed and reach since it emerged 4 months ago.  

The pandemic is afflicting countries unevenly as the US muffed its early response, while China acted with strong-armed efficiency, and many others are yet to be tested.

Global Highlights

The US: Though the novel coronavirus has emerged in all 50 states, the media focus has zeroed in on New York, which has more than 92,000 cases. That will likely change in the coming days as new hotspots emerge, according to Scientific American.

The American South is at special risk with high numbers of cases per capita. Albany, Georgia has 13 per 10,000 people, for example. And, as  Bloomberg News points out, the region already has some of the poorest health indicators in the country (4 of 5 states with highest diabetes rates) and a lack of health care access that includes shuttered rural hospitals. Of the 239 coronavirus deaths in New Orleans, “40% had diabetes, 25% were obese and 21% had heart problems,” Bloomberg reports.

Africa: WHO has announced that new COVID-19 cases are being reported in Africa at a dramatically accelerating pace as the number topped this week, according to The Citizen (Tanzania). Another worrying sign: Cases are beginning to emerge outside capitals and other large cities. The coronavirus has been detected across South Africa, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, and Senegal.

Also: Very few of the more than 300 clinical trials that are underway to seek a COVID-19 treatment are in Africa, Nature reports. The Drugs for Neglected Diseases initiative is part of the new COVID-19 Clinical Research Coalition seeking to remedy this.

More: 

South Africa: Though the country has the most cases (1,462) on the continent, President Cyril Ramaphosa and Health Minister Zweli Mkhize are being lauded for leading an effective and efficient battle against COVID-19, according to the BBC. However, the response also has included rounding up 1,000 homeless men and forcing them into a sports stadium in Pretoria, CNN International reports.  

Ecuador: Officials in Guayaquil report more than 400 deaths in recent days as morgues have been overwhelmed and some bodies have been wrapped in plastic and left on street. UPI

Indonesia: The 170 COVID-19 deaths reported in recent weeks have surpassed nearly 2 decades of bird flu deaths. The Jakarta Post

North Korea: Assertions that the country is coronavirus-free has been viewed skeptically. The Guardian 

Reporting from Johns Hopkins University: https://www.globalhealthnow.org/2020-04/1-million

Further data on Europe and the world: https://www.ecdc.europa.eu/en/geographical-distribution-2019-ncov-cases

BBC news article about the 18 countries who don’t have Covid-19 at the time of writing: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-52120439

Pray: Lord God, the One who has Almighty power, we agree according to your promise in Matthew 18:18-20 that this virus will be stopped in its tracks. That the medical researchers will get a download from Heaven on how to quickly develop a vaccine to counteract COVID-19 and a cure for those who have become infected.

We also agree in prayer, asking that the Body of Christ worldwide will rise up in love and boldness, trusting in your blood to cover and protect us and throwing off fear, so that we can be available to serve, bless, and bear witness to those around us who are terrified and depressed at being infected.

Let us seize this unprecedented opportunity to make you known to those without hope in Christ!

Thank you for your promise that surely, you will be with us "always, even to the very end of the age”  so that we can carry on with the mission you have given us for our world (Matthew 28:20).

Join in Online Prayers:

World Prayer Centre, Birmingham, UK – Virtual House of Prayer
iHop Kansas Prayer Room
247 Prayer Coronavirus Prayer Room 

Praying for Unreached People Groups (UPGs) wholistically and in light of Covid-19 - Since 2018, The Extraordinary Prayer Task Force has focused on increasing prayer for UPGs through collaboration amongst leaders of church movements, mission movements & prayer movements. We meet on Zoom every two months, with our next global call April 20th from 9-11am US Central daylight time focused on praying wholistically for UPGs from the perspective of discipling nations. We will pray in light of Covid-19 outbreak, and also considering major spheres including healthcare, government, education, media and family as we pray for specific UPGs. If you're a leader of a prayer network and interested in joining the discussion, please contact David Sengupta (This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.) for more information on how to connect to the April 20th call. Mention IPC.

Additional Prayer Resources for Coronavirus

A CHRISTIAN PERSPECTIVE ON COVID-19 By Dr Ruth Valerio and Gideon Heugh (Tear Fund)
A coronavirus prayer from Pete Greig
19 Things to Do in response to Coronavirus
Prophecy Today UK’s Responses to Coronavirus
PrayerCast Video and Prayer Briefing
Operation World's Covid-19 Prayers for the Nations and Prayer Calendar

Certainly our good Lord is using Covid -19 to bring great outcomes in the Latin American nations.

As the epicentre of the corona virus pandemic moved from China to the USA, Europe, Latin American countries started to prepare for an outbreak.  In a context of global emergency, not only the Body of Christ have called and cried out to God for help, but many presidents and politicians in our continent have also been outspoken about the need to “Pray and Fast“ as the only/ultimate hope against the deadly pandemic.

After President Donald Trump called for a National Day of prayer for the United States on March 15th, a wave for National Prayer & Fasting had been convoked by the Presidents of our nations on the following dates:

• March 18th President of El Salvador Nayib Bukele.
• March 18th President of Honduras Juan Orlando Hernández.
• March 20th President of Paraguay Mario Abdo Benitez.
• March 21th President of Guatemala Alejandro Giammattei.
• March 21th President of Bolivia Janine Añez.
• March 21st President of Argentina Alberto Fernandez.
• March 23rd President of Panamá Laurentino Cortizo.

Suddenly we have started listening on the TV news & radio from the mouth of the State leaders : “May God bless Guatemala" (Giammattei) “May God bless Brazil” (Bolsanaro). Hallelujah!

Former Guatemalan President Jimmy Morales expressed publicly “In these moments, we people of Guatemala should be united, leaving aside the eternal political division, we should pray continually. I confess that, during my government, the prayers of millions gave us strength and victory in times of crisis”.  Morales shared the Bible verse from Ephesians 6:18: “And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the Lord’s people”.  

The President of El Salvador, Nayib Bukele, “This is a secular state that allows freedom of worship, but there are many believers. I want to ask them to pray and together ask God that he helps us to overcome this virus”. “We are going to face a tribulation, but I am sure that with the help of God we will be able to go ahead. Those who don’t believe in God, feel released of this”, the President said, “but for those who believe, I ask you to bow our heads and let’s pray and ask God for our country”. After these words, all members of the government and the Republic in the room prayed together.   (Enfoque Evangélico Marzo 18,2020)

PARAGUAY: “TOGETHER IN PRAYER” In Paraguay, the highest political authority also called to pray for protection. “I hope the whole people can spend time in family, in unity. We should not forget the spiritual field. One family together in prayer”, said the President of the nation, Mario Abdo Benítez. “The power of prayer, I am sure, will protect the nation. God will protect Paraguay and will continue to bless this country”. (March 18,2020 / Enfoque evangélico)

2 Chronicles 7:13-14 “When I shut up the heavens so that there is no rain, or command locusts to devour the land or send a plague among my people, 14 if my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and I will forgive their sin and will heal their land.

In the midst of the shaken of the nations, we say THANK YOU LORD for giving us the opportunity to return our hearts to you, to prayer, fasting, for going back to your word, experiencing revival in our living rooms, experience what family was supposed to be .. Mathew 12:21 “In his name the nations will put their hope”. We surrender to you Jesus!

Rev 11:15 NLT “The world has now become the Kingdom of our Lord and of his Christ, and he will reign forever and ever.” Amen

Judith Yanira González - Executive Team
International Prayer Council
CLAMOR
+1 (480) 529-5399 direct
www.clamor.global

As coronavirus ravages the world, many are now watching Wuhan slowly emerging from 2 months complete lockdown - cautiously with masks and gloves moving about.

The world is now in an extraordinary and precarious situation watching what happens in Wuhan for a glimpse of what might lie in store for the rest of us.

Will there be a second coronavirus wave in Wuhan? Almost inevitably yes but how big a wave and are hospitals better prepared.

How will the Chinese government respond to this second wave after mismanagement and misinformation of the first outbreak? Will they keep damaging information secret.

A recent report on the number of ash urns stacked at Wuhan funeral homes put the true death toll over 40,000 not the official 2,500 deaths.

Pray for transparency in communication and sharing of strategies in China and across the nations in order to craft effective responses to unfamiliar challenges.

Pray for competence in the next phase based on honest experience and heaven’s wisdom (Job 6:24)

More at: https://www.gzeromedia.com/watching-wuhan-but-can-you-believe-your-eyes
(Thanks to www.Prayer-Alert.net)

GO 2020 takes place with Social Distancing

The Corona-Pandemic is impacting the world in a short time. Many people are in fear and crisis. Also, church life is impacted. In many countries it is no longer possible to meet in a service. It is time to sincerely pray for God’s intervention, protection and a new openness to the Gospel.

But it’s also time to take a stand: A fearful world needs a bold and courageous church. It’s time to share the hope and peace that can only be found in Jesus Christ!

PRAY for the world,
CARE for the people,
SHARE the Gospel.

GO 2020 is still taking place in May 2020. Share Christ amid the crisis.

The principle remains the same: Every Believer is a Witness! But we focus on online and media Gospel sharing.

Please respect the corona guidelines of your government concerning social distancing. We don't want to put people in risk to get sick. There are many good ways you can still share the Gospel.

We invite every believer to pray for he’s friends, colleagues, neighbors, to practically care about their needs and to share the Gospel and the personal testimony to them. In times of social distancing this can be done by phone, email, on social media etc.

Everyone can reach at least 5 people with the Gospel!

To mobilize and train we invite ministries and denominations to do online mobilization and training. You can use www.zoom.us, Skype, Youtube Livestream, WhatsApp, phone etc.  Whatever works best in your locality.

Let’s share HOPE beyond fear – NOW more than ever!

The brochures can also be used to give others the vision of Go 2020 (some translations and more resources are available at www.go2020.world/prayer

All through 2020, a series of 40-day prayer guides will help us pray daily for those still unreached and for the harvest to be brought in.  April theme is LABORERS for the HARVEST:

Download the GO2020 Global Daily Prayer Guides HERE www.ipcprayer.org/go2020

Do join us and hundreds of thousands of believers around the world for an online global Prayer Meeting on 1^st May 2020 between 10am and 6pm Pacific Time!

Prayer Room Link: www.ihopkc.org/prayerroom/  

Download the flyer: http://ipcprayer.org/images/GO2020%20Flyer%20Web.pdf 

More info and sign up HERE www.go2020.world 

John Robb, Chairman, International Prayer Council
& Go 2020 Prayer Mobilization Task Force

Get your copy of this amazing story of love and courage! - published by Joel News

About this mini e-book

In the light of the current COVID-19 outbreak, how can Christians respond effectively in times of crisis? Church history can teach us an important lesson - to keep calm, to care for others, and to focus on God’s Kingdom.

How was this in the early church? In the first centuries the tiny Christian church didn't grew as exponentially as some house churches in China today. Their average growth was around 40% per decade (4% per year). But there were two periods in which this catalyzed: during two devastating epidemics with a 30% mortality rate. Today's coronavirus is actually a minor concern compared to that. The way the early Christians responded to this existential crisis made all the difference. They became contagious themselves.

Interested to read the whole story? We compiled it for you in a mini e-book (pdf) that you can download. And yes, you can freely distribute it to others who might be blessed or challenged by this amazing story of love and courage.

Church history can teach us an important lesson - to keep calm, to care for others, and to focus on God’s purposes.

Download the E-Book HERE

Get involved with the amazing work of Global Media Outreach!

Our world as we know it has changed overnight.

The coronavirus pandemic has now reached every state in the United States and almost every nation around the world. In addition to posing public health challenges, the outbreak has prompted mass closures of schools and businesses; urging millions of people to go take shelter inside their homes. Fear and chaos are running rampant all around us.

Where do people find hope during this pandemic?

Since our founding in 2004, almost 2 billion people have seen the Gospel through Global Media Outreach. Over the last year, we have expanded our capacity to reach 6 times the people we are reaching today. We don’t need additional office overhead or infrastructure.

We simply need funding to purchase more ads to reach more people. With the coronavirus outbreak, it proves that the time for digital evangelism is now fully upon us.

We're all in this together

As millions find themselves in isolation, they only have one place to find answers: the internet. Only by working together can we make sure people find Jesus. The time to share the Gospel with them is now.

Since the outbreak of COVID-19, there's been seen an influx of people come to our sites–doubling our online traffic. Our volunteer Online Missionaries are working overtime to answer questions such as: “How can I overcome fear? and “Why is this virus happening?”

As a result, many are joining us and are investing in reaching even more people worldwide! Through a series of social media campaigns, we’re making the message of salvation accessible to those who are overwhelmed with fear and need hope during this crisis.

What do the COVID-19 Gospel presentations look like?  SEE HERE

There are many factors that go into running social media campaigns and creating culturally-relevant Gospel presentations. Here are a few examples of the end result:

Over the past 15 years, God has faithfully prepared Global Media Outreach for such a time as this. Now is the time for the body of Christ to be light amidst all the darkness surround our world.  We do not know how long the door to reach multitudes at their point of need will remain open. Will you join us in sharing Jesus online during this pandemic?

Here are 2 important ways you can make a difference:

1. First and foremost, you can PRAY. Prayer makes a difference – it makes all the difference.

You can pray for those who have yet to hear the Good News that Jesus has overcome fear and death and through Him is the only way to true, eternal life.

You can pray for more workers in the field – all Christians everywhere - to share the Gospel. It is our privilege and responsibility to tell others of the hope that we have experienced and how they can know God through a relationship with His son.

You can pray for Global Media Outreach to be even more effective in reaching into the most difficult parts of the world, reaching people everywhere at their point of need with Christ, our hope of glory.

You can pray for more volunteer online missionaries to be available and willing to address difficult questions and direct anxious seekers to the Prince of Peace.

You can pray for more donations to come and extend our Gospel outreach. We have the capacity to reach up to 2 million people per day – we just need financial resources.

2. Volunteer

Join the frontlines. Make this time of isolation count for the Lord. Become a volunteer Online Missionary and share your faith with the lost.

Global Media Outreach
www.globalmediaoutreach.com

As the impact of coronavirus increases we hear of ‘tsunami waves’ of patients filling hospitals, however there is also a ‘tsunami of prayer’ flooding the nation. Many are saying that we are probably experiencing a level of sustained prayer not seen since WW2. Our homes, home groups, prayer groups, and church congregations are meeting online to pray. There are reports coming from Scotland that home groups who used to meet weekly or fortnightly are now praying together online every evening; churches are holding online morning or evening prayer sessions, with attendance two or three times higher than their usual prayer meetings. Church leaders are experimenting with connecting in new and innovative ways to pray. Globally there is united prayer being generated across every time zone See