Displaying items by tag: Reformation

31 October 2017 marks 500 years since Martin Luther rebelled against the Catholic Church with his 95 theses - the beginning of the Reformation. Today,Germany is in a tense period politically as Angela Merkel, representing the CDU/CSU ‘party-union’, negotiates a coalition agreement with the FDP and Greens to form a new federal government for the next four years. Meanwhile the political challenges from the EU need her attention. A Watchmen Team International prayer letter request is, ‘As we remember and celebrate the 500th anniversary of the Lutheran Reformation in Germany, let us continue to pray for a “new reformation” and spiritual revival in Germany and in Europe, and indeed in all our nations.’ Much has been lost in Europe and Germany because of unbelief and rejection of God. We cannot be restored by a political party or ideology: we need humble repentance before God, prayer for His solutions, and faith in His saving power. Let us station ourselves as intercessors on the ramparts like Habakkuk and trust in God’s promises.

The streets of Kiev were filled with songs of praise and thanksgiving from 500,000 evangelical Ukrainian Christians who had gathered to celebrate the 500th anniversary of the Reformation. People travelled from all four provinces to celebrate and thank God for the freedom to worship, to preach the Gospel in their country, and to celebrate His faithfulness to His Church. The gathering took place after Ukrainian president Petro Poroshenko signed an order recognising the anniversary of the Reformation.

Unprecedented evangelical unity across the UK will run from April to October with 100,000+ Christians taking part in '17:21'. The initiative is named after Jesus prayer in John 17:21: 'May they all be one that the world might believe'. Christian groups, conferences and festivals will read the same Bible reading, prayer of commitment, and declaration of a shared life in Christ, and play the same worship song. Malcolm Duncan, representing Spring Harvest, added, 'The 17:21 initiative calls all of us who stand under the shadow of the Cross to link arms in the great responsibility that God has given us – presenting a living Saviour to a dying world. I have been humbled and thrilled to be part of this call to the festivals, conventions and Bible weeks in the United Kingdom to declare that we are united by far more than what divides us. May God take us beyond structural and mechanistic unity and give us the boldness and courage to stand together for Christ.' The initiative comes in the year of the 500th anniversary of the Reformation.

As we remember the 500th anniversary of the Reformation, we need to make every effort to overcome the division in the Church that followed the Reformation. In the churches in Germany and Europe there is a growing consciousness that the body of Christ can only reflect Christ and be a powerful and effective witness in society when working in unity. We need to look for our identity as Christians in denominations and the differences between us, but in Christ. Following on from their joint word for 2017, ‘Healing of memories - witnessing to Jesus Christ’, the German Bishops’ Conference and the Protestant Church of Germany have made an open invitation to a central repentance and reconciliation service in the Michaeliskirche in Hildesheim on 11 March. What Christians have caused in suffering and injury to one another in the 500 years of separation will be confessed and mutually forgiven. Unity of the body of Christ also needs alignment with God’s word to stand against the misappropriation of the gospel to support ungodly policies.

2017 is a year of promise. It is 500 years since the reformation that shook the world and reshaped history. It is seventy years since Smith Wigglesworth’s prophecy: ‘When the Word and the Spirit come together, there will be the biggest movement of the Holy Spirit that the nation, and indeed the world, has ever seen. There will begin a missionary move to the ends of the earth.’ It is fifty years since Jean Darnell’s prophecy of renewal in the Church which would spread outside, resulting in a public awakening; she said there would be so many conversions that it would actually change the character of the nation of Britain and determine the future move of God in Europe. Please pray for these prophecies to be fulfilled. Pray that 2017 will be a year when God mobilises His Church. Pray for His presence wherever you live, go deeper into His Word, and wait expectantly for the Holy Spirit to work mightily in each one of us and all whom we meet. Our prayer is the prayer of the Welsh revival, ‘More, Lord!’ - and then “Even more!’