DRC: new Ebola outbreak
28 Apr 2022
On 23 April WHO reported an outbreak of Ebola in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). A patient aged 31 began experiencing symptoms on 5 April. He was sick for over a week before going to a local health facility. On 21 April he was admitted to an Ebola treatment centre but died that day. Recognising the symptoms, health workers submitted samples to test for Ebola. Now there are investigations to determine the source of the outbreak. The disease has had a two-week head start and medics are playing catch-up. The positive news is that the health authorities have more experience than anyone else in the world at controlling Ebola outbreaks quickly. By 27 April everyone had been inoculated in the province’s capital city, and over 230 Ebola contacts had been identified and monitored. Three vaccination teams will soon reach those at highest risk. See
Global: anti-Semitism in worldwide surge
28 Apr 2022
A study by Tel Aviv University found anti-Semitic incidents dramatically increased across the world last year. The USA, Canada, Germany, Australia and the UK experienced the sharpest rise fuelled by radical left- and right-wing political movements and incitement on social media. The report's release coincides with Israel's Holocaust Remembrance Day, 28 April, commemorating the six million Jews murdered by Nazi Germany across Europe during World War Two. It is based on the analysis of dozens of studies from around the world, as well as information from law enforcement bodies, media, and Jewish organisations. Anti-Jewish hate crimes in New York and Los Angeles were almost twice that of the previous year. In France, anti-Semitic incidents increased by almost 75%. The gravest concern is the dark web, which shelters extremists. Anti-Semitic content is freely and openly spread, but is only accessible through special illegal browsing software.
Turkey: devastating blow’ for human rights
28 Apr 2022
On 25 April Turkish philanthropist and human rights activist Osman Kavala was found guilty of attempting to overthrow the government and sentenced to life without possibility of parole. He had spent the last 4½ years in prison without being convicted. The sentence is the most severe to be given. He will be in solitary confinement for the rest of his life. He said, ‘The aggravated life sentence demanded against me is an assassination that cannot be explained through legal reasons.’ Human Rights Watch said the sentence was ‘the worst possible outcome to this show trial’. Amnesty International said, ‘We have witnessed a travesty of justice of spectacular proportions. This verdict deals a devastating blow not only to Osman Kavala but to everyone who believes in justice and human rights activism in Turkey and beyond. The decision defies all logic. Prosecuting authorities have repeatedly failed to provide any evidence that substantiates the baseless charges. We call for his immediate release as he appeals these draconian verdicts.’ See
India: another pastor tortured in police custody
28 Apr 2022
Last week a Christian pastor was arrested on false charges of conversion activities in Uttar Pradesh and tortured for 24 hours. ‘I could not walk out of the police station. My two legs were swollen badly. There was so much pain. I could not move from one place to the other. Whenever there was a phone call about my arrest, the police increased the intensity of lashes with the belt and sticks. They beat me on three occasions while demanding I say “Jai Sriram” (Glory to Lord Rama).’ Local sources said the pastor and his family were visiting relatives and worshipping with them when a police van arrived after a neighbour complained. The police abused the family and arrested the pastor and his uncle. They took turns physically torturing them at the police station. At midnight his uncle was released when officers learned he was not a Christian.
In March the anti-Taliban group NRF started preparing a 2022 spring offensive against the Taliban government. Meanwhile tensions with Pakistan are high due to Pakistan security forces being targeted from Afghanistan. Islamabad has accused Kabul of doing little to stop this. Taliban-affiliated fighters (TTP and ISIL) have for years been operating along the porous border between the two countries, carrying out numerous attacks inside Pakistan. Now Pakistan’s air raids inside Afghanistan in response to the killing of its soldiers have raised tensions even higher. On 27 April the Taliban warned Islamabad of ‘consequences’ after nearly 50 people had been killed by Pakistani air raids in the border provinces. Pakistan has not confirmed being responsible for the raids, but Afghan residents have protested in the streets saying those killed were civilians. IS affiliates have also carried out attacks inside Afghanistan, posing a major security threat to Taliban rule.
Australia, for almost a decade, has called the nations of the world to join in 6 days of prayer and fasting for the United States of America. This year will be from 30 April – 5 May 2021.
May 5 is America’s National Day of Prayer http://www.nationaldayofprayer.org
The theme is “EXALT THE LORD WHO HAS ESTABLISHED US.” Colossians 2:6-7
April 30 is America’s National Day of Repentance http://www.dayofrepentance1.org
Promo YouTube Video: https://youtu.be/tToauKY3FdQ
The National Day of Prayer is a vital part of America’s heritage, as is the USA Day of Repentance. The first national call to prayer was in 1775 when the Continental Congress asked the colonies to pray for wisdom in forming a nation.
Kym Farnik the Prayer Coordinator said, ““Both America and Australia desperately need to experience an Awakening to Christ. It is significant that this call to have communion Daily is in the month of May. This month also celebrates Go20, a call for the Christians of the world to pray and share the Gospel with 5 people in the month of May. The simple goal is to reach a billion people with God’s love. Let us pray for the release of the gospel.”
Kurt Mahlburg features editor with the Canberra Declaration said, “We believe it is critical for us to continue to pray for America. All our respective nations including Australia and America, are at the point of moral and economic collapse despite the fact that our Western world as such was built on Judea-Christian Foundations. America with all its faults is still a bastion of hope for the Gospel and a strong tower for the free world.”
Warwick Marsh an Australia Faith & Family advocate said, “Pray & Fast between the 30 April – 5 May as you feel led, but our main call is to ask individual believers all over the world to have communion each day of May 2022 and pray for revival, repentance & transformation for America. The celebration of the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ through communion as a prayer of intercession exerts great power in the realm of the spirit. Now is the time to celebrate Jesus for America.”
Kym Farnik: 61 438 014 007
Kurt Mahlburg now in USA: +1 (310) 985-4763.
Warwick Marsh: 61 418 225 212
https://www.gomovement.world/en
www.canberradeclaration.org.au
ALMIGHTY GOD
FATHER, SON AND HOLY SPIRIT,
You alone are holy and righteous.
We gather with believers all over the world,
to humble ourselves before You,
to pray, to seek your Face and to turn from our wicked ways,
to intercede for the lost, the hopeless, the helpless and the world.
Lord, have mercy on us.
OUR FATHER IN HEAVEN,
Thank You for loving the world so much
that You gave Your only Son, Jesus Christ,
to die on the cross for our sins
so that we could be reconciled to You
and adopted into your Family.
Lord, have mercy on us.
Let your Kingdom be established in every nation of the world,
Your will be done through the transformation
among peoples of all tribes and languages,
so that righteousness and justice will prevail.
We call on You for the salvation of the unsaved, for the unreached
and for those who have never heard about Jesus Christ, our Lord.
May Your Name be great, from the rising of the sun to its setting.
FATHER OF MERCY AND GRACE,
We have sinned.
Our world is gripped by the power of sin.
Our hearts are grieved by injustice, hatred and violence.
We are shamed by oppression, racism, corruption,
rape, theft and bloodshed in our land.
We mourn all loss of life in murder, abortion, war and terrorism.
Lord, have mercy on us, forgive our sins and heal our land.
LORD JESUS CHRIST,
You destroyed sin, conquered death and defeated Satan.
Deliver us from demonic oppression and from the scourge
of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Deliver us from demonically-inspired financial,
religious and ideological systems,
from poverty, slavery and tyranny.
Remove the veil of darkness that covers the peoples.
Restrain the evil that promotes violence and death.
Lord, have mercy on us and deliver us from evil.
HOLY SPIRIT, SPIRIT OF GRACE, SPIRIT OF TRUTH,
Anoint us to bring healing to the sick, deliverance
to the oppressed and to comfort those who mourn.
Strengthen those who care for the sick and grant
wisdom for a cure for the COVID-19 virus.
Fill us with love and compassion
for the homeless, the hungry, the orphans,
the elderly and the marginalized.
Lord, have mercy on us and heal our diseases.
LORD JESUS CHRIST,
Head of the Church,
we confess that our homes are broken and our churches divided.
Our lives are polluted by selfishness, greed, idolatry
and sexual perversions.
We draw near to You for forgiveness, healing and restoration.
We need wisdom and insight for the global financial crisis
and how to use the resources of the Earth for the well-being of all.
KING OF GLORY,
Come and finish Your work in our cities,
our peoples and our nations.
Lord of the Harvest send forth laborers to
every unreached people group on the
earth. Father would you give your Son the
nations as his inheritance.
From all continents and islands, we cry:
Lift up your heads, O you gates!
Be lifted up ancient doors
so that the King of glory may come in!
Come fill the earth with the knowledge of Your glory
as the waters cover the sea.
The Spirit and the Bride say:
Amen! Come Lord Jesus!
(by Bekele Shanko)
WHY GLOBAL CHURCH PLANTING DAY?
The New Testament church was born in the second chapter of the book of Acts, a day that can be considered as the birthday of the global church. It was a special day and a part of God’s eternal plan. The disciples of Jesus who received the power of the Holy Spirit, as well as the God-fearing Jews who had come to Jerusalem from all over the world to celebrate the day of Pentecost, had witnessed the birth of the church on that day. However, two significant things had happened prior to the church’s birthday, during the 50 days between the Resurrection and Pentecost.
First, during the period of 40 days between his resurrection and ascension, Jesus presented himself to his disciples with many convincing proofs that he was alive. That means the death and resurrection of Jesus and repentance for the forgiveness of sins was proclaimed with clarity and conviction. Jesus also preached about the kingdom of God, turning the attention of his disciples to what was more important, unifying and eternal. Second, during the ten days after Jesus’ ascension, the disciples prayed in unity and anticipation for the coming of the promised Holy Spirit.
As part of our commitment to celebrate the birth, the life and the ministry of the church on earth, what if the body of Christ were to intentionally use a day like the one in Acts 2 as a Global Day of Church Planting? This doesn’t mean that we should only plant churches on that day. But if we were to set aside a day in which the body of Christ could prioritize and strategically think about church planting, it would give us a sense of unified vision, purpose and priority, as well as opportunities to collaborate with one another.
Therefore, the Global Church Planting Day is a vision to celebrate the birth of the Bride of Jesus by inspiring and equipping churches to start churches and groups in places and among peoples who do not have one. The 50 days between Resurrection and Pentecost could be used in the same way Jesus used to birth his church – 40 days of focusing on God’s kingdom, preaching the Good News and training church planters, followed by 10 days of concerted global prayer. Then on the Global Church Planting Day, each church plants at least one church.
Circumstances may hinder some churches from starting new churches or missional communities on that day or week, but we pray and hope that many churches could. You can imagine how many churches could be planted around the world even if 10 percent of local churches were able to implement this vision. Moreover, to ensure growth, sustainability and multiplication of the newly started churches and groups, continuous evangelism, discipleship and coaching of church planters would need to continue beyond that special day.
WHEN IS THE NEXT GLOBAL CHURCH PLANTING DAY?
The Global Church Planting Day of 2022 is on May 29, 2022. We know that the day of Pentecost for this year falls on June 5, 2022, and this day is variable from year to year. With strategic input from the World Evangelical Alliance, a decision was made to make the last Sunday of May each year a Global Church Planting Day.
This also perfectly coincides with the vision and activities of the GO Movement and the GO Decade to mobilize believers globally to share the Good News with people around us. In a sense, the Global Church Planting Day will be a culmination of all the evangelistic activities done in the month of May, and it will enable us to integrate evangelism, discipleship, and church planting.
HOW DO WE LEVERAGE EXISTING PLATFORMS AND EVENTS?
As we pray, plan, and prepare to implement the vision of the Global Church Planting Day, we must recognize the many significant existing factors that can help accelerate the work we are going to do. These factors include:
- The examples of unity, prayer, and expectation the disciples modeled for us in Acts 1: 12-26.
- The importance of focusing on the kingdom of God, the teaching and the training that Jesus demonstrated during the 40 days after his resurrection (Acts 1: 1-3).
- The growing unity and spirit of collaboration already taking place in the body of Christ.
- Easter weekend, during which many congregations see increased church attendance that can be maximized toward starting new churches and groups.
- The activities and results of the GO Movement and the body of Christ that mobilizes believers for evangelism during the month of May.
- Global prayer movements that inspire, unite and connect millions of believers around the world to pray for world evangelization from Passover to Pentecost.
WHAT ARE THE NECESSARY STEPS WE NEED TO TAKE BETWEEN NOW AND THE GCPD?
Prior to April 10, 2022 – Every local church can develop plans to start at least one church. The plan may include identifying priority places and peoples in which new churches are needed; recruiting, training and supporting church planters, and mobilizing believers to pray and support the work of church planting.
April 10, 2022 –Launch the journey of 50 days and train church planters.
40 days after April 10 – Small groups and congregations study together a 40-day purpose-driven curriculum designed to unite our hearts and focus our attention.
Modeling and mobilizing prayer – Prayer Movement Networks, prayer groups and church congregations pray and mobilize prayer.
May 29, 2022 – Global Church Planting Day. This day can be used to celebrate the birth of the New Testament Church in Acts 2, to praise God for what he has done through the month of evangelism through the efforts of the GO Movement, and to launch new churches and groups.
Beyond May 29, 2022 – Church-planting-movement networks, local churches, and church denominations continue to train and coach church planters for sustainable church planting and multiplication.
WHO ARE IMPORTANT PARTNERS?
The GO Movement
- World Evangelical Alliance
- Finishing The Task (FTT)
- GACX
- GCM
- JesusFilm
- Church denominations, mission agencies and local congregations
April 10, 2022: training of church planters begins
May 29, 2022: Next Global Church Planting Day