Displaying items by tag: United Kingdom

Our country is in crisis. Our whole future is in question. Britain - once a Godly nation - has now turned away from God. Brexit and the authority of the Bible have divided church and state. You are invited to a Day of Prayer on 26 January at the SSE Arena, Wembley. We can change Britain through the power of united prayer. Intercessions will be led by David Hathaway, Clifford Hill, Rev Betty King, Andrea Williams, Lou Engle, Bishop John Francis, Pastor Nims Obunge, Rachel Hickson, Rev Yemi Adedeji, Pastor Tobi Adeboyega, James Aladiran, Apostle Elijah Chanak, and others. For information and tickets click the ‘More’ button. For other upcoming events, including prayer and fasting from 14 to 16 January for the Brexit vote in Parliament on the 15th, go to

Most of us in the UK recognise that we live in a big, complex world with lots going on in the global church that we are not aware of or we do not quite understand. We also know that God desires His people to pray for His will to be done, and His kingdom to come, on earth as it is in heaven. Often we don’t quite know how to put these two together. That conundrum is why Lausanne and Operation World have put together a step in the right direction. Prayer Alert is delighted to announce that their project, long in the making,is now live. They have produced a free weekly church bulletin insert that is aimed at exposing church members to how God is at work around the world, and encouraging them to pray for the needs of the nations. A sample and more information about the resource here.

The next stage of Universal Credit rollout will be scaled back, amid concerns it has made an estimated 3.2 million households worse off. It has also run over budget, is years behind schedule, and is said to have forced claimants into destitution and in some cases even prostitution. Others say they have been left to rely on foodbanks. The Trussell Trust, which runs national foodbanks, said it welcomed the news but added, ‘It will come too late for the thousands making new UC claims over the coming year. As an urgent priority, the 5+ week wait for a first payment must end’. When she started as work and pensions secretary, Amber Rudd, said she would listen ‘very carefully’ to concerns. She admitted the system could be better, and promised to ‘learn from errors’ and adjust the system where needed. See also

On 9 January Asher Samson, from Birmingham, was deported to Pakistan, despite last-minute attempts to convince the authorities that his case warranted a judicial review because the proper procedures had not been followed. Mr Samson came to the UK in 2004 to continue theology training in order to become a pastor. He decided to apply for asylum here after being beaten and threatened with execution by Islamic extremists during visits to Pakistan. A friend from his church writes, ‘He has no close family there, and rightly fears for his life. We can only pray; though on one level that seems so little, we know it is the most effective thing to do.’

The NFU has a new strapline for 2019: ‘UK – a nation united by food’, underpinned by four pillars: Moral Imperative, Standards and Integrity, Health and Nutrition, and Respecting Nature. Excellent aspirations, but without acknowledging the Lord they are just nice ideas. Pray that God will cause our farmers and those in related industries to run to Jesus and trust Him for clarity and purpose. Pray for reconciliation, firstly between God and man, then amongst people, and finally in restoration for God’s creation (Isaiah 55:6). Bovine tuberculosis continues to devastate many herds of cattle across Britain. Controlling the epidemic is hugely controversial: the role badgers play in spreading the disease, and the effectiveness of badger culling, are hotly contested. Pray for understanding between different interest groups, and that new solutions currently being developed will be implemented effectively and help reconcile farming and food production, animal welfare and care for creation.

Justin Welby has told the Lords that if Parliament fails to back a deal with Brussels, it will have shown itself to be ‘unfit for the job’. He warned that a no-deal Brexit could hit the ‘poorest and most vulnerable’ communities the hardest, and MPs have a ‘duty to build a compromise, even if it is unwelcome to some’. He urged MPs to show leadership and put the interests of their constituents first: ‘Parliamentarians must be able to look back at this time and say honestly to the people of this country that we put them, their choices, their welfare and their communities above the politics and ideology that can seem so all-consuming here in Westminster.’

Joel Edwards received a CBE for tackling poverty and injustice. Mervyn Thomas, founder and chief executive of CSW, was made a CMG, for working for religious freedom and advocacy on behalf of persecuted Christians globally. Stephen Addison received an OBE for services to young people in London; he founded Box Up Crime after leaving gang life behind. Gary Streeter, an MP since 1997, is the chairman of Christians in Parliament, mentors younger MPs, and is about to be knighted. Rev Paula Vennells received a CBE for services to the Post Office and charity. Margaret Atkinson received the MBE for services to the church and community in Huddersfield, and Rev Janet Lesley Jackson received an OBE for services to bereaved families.

Foreign secretary Jeremy Hunt has asked the Bishop of Truro to review the plight of persecuted Christians worldwide. The bishop will look at government efforts to help the 215 million Christians who faced discrimination and violence last year. Officials say violence against Christians is rising dramatically, with an average of 250 killed every month. The review will map the persecution of Christians in key countries in the Middle East, Africa, and Asia. Mr Hunt said the UK ‘must do more. So often, the persecution of Christians is an early warning sign of the persecution of every minority.’ He added, ‘Britain has long championed international religious freedom.’ The review, due to be completed by Easter, will analyse current Government support and offer ambitious policy recommendations.

Home secretary Sajid Javid is under increasing pressure to deal with the rising number of migrants crossing the Channel. As some MPs call on him to deploy the Royal Navy, he insists that there is ‘no easy answer’ to what he called a ‘major incident’ unfolding off the south coast. Over 220 people have attempted the crossing in small boats since November 2018. Many of them are university-educated Iranians or Syrians. People-smugglers tell migrants they must enter the UK before ‘borders shut properly’ after Brexit. One refugee group said that most of those trying to cross are Kurds: see https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-29702440 Kent Refugee Action Network said the Kurds could have genuine asylum claims, adding, ‘The Government needs to find a way to process their claims in France instead and then transfer them.’ Pray for UK and French authorities to share intelligence and work on a humane solution.

The bishop of Dover, Rt Rev Trevor Wilmott, has urged greater compassion in the migration debate as new figures revealed an influx of lone child refugees among the boatloads of people crossing the Channel. In an appeal to the home secretary, he said, ‘It is crucial that we remember we are dealing with human beings here. We have been celebrating the season of hope and goodwill as we remember Christ’s birth: let’s not forget so soon that every person is precious.’ The rising number of boat crossings has prompted an increase in unaccompanied child refugees to levels not recorded since the Calais migrant camp was dismantled. One specialist facility caring for unaccompanied minors in Kent is caring for over twice the usual number.