Displaying items by tag: Global

Thursday, 28 April 2022 22:37

Global: anti-Semitism in worldwide surge

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.

Published in Worldwide
Thursday, 21 April 2022 20:42

Media and mission

By 2018 there were 5 billion mobile phone users and over 4 billion using the internet. Desert nomads can watch videos pre-loaded onto their mobile phones. This revolution in communications is increasing the spread of the gospel. Networking tools are being used in astonishing ways. Isolated Muslims who have heard of Jesus or dreamt of a man in dazzling white speaking to them have started to seek Christ via social networking. A project to do this drew over a thousand responses in just one southeast Asian country. When the idea was repeated in the Middle East, the response overwhelmed the available resources. One observer reports that thanks to messaging apps, untold numbers of groups are emerging daily who encourage one another in the Word even in places where the gospel cannot legally go. Pray for creativity and wisdom to make the most of every mission opportunity that presents itself.

Published in Worldwide
Friday, 08 April 2022 04:09

Global: Ramadan began on 2nd April

Pray for Christians in the Muslim world during the month of Ramadan when Muslims will fast from food and drink during daylight, pray, do acts of charity and give alms. Most Muslims observe Ramadan peacefully, but it creates problems for Christians in Islamic environments. In theory, non-Muslims are not required to fast because it is a form of Islamic worship and one of the five pillars of Islam. However, Christians and other religious minorities in Muslim-majority countries can feel pressured into joining in the severe fast. They will probably be unable to eat in public, creating difficulties for those working outside the home. The month of Ramadan is especially hard for secret believers who converted from Islam but have not told their Muslim families for fear of persecution and even death. They must make the month-long extra commitment to Islamic observance, or risk showing that they have apostatized from Islam.

Published in Worldwide
Friday, 08 April 2022 04:05

Global: Pray for healthcare

With millions of deaths and hundreds of millions of recorded cases around the world, the pandemic has been an enormous global health challenge. Covid restrictions erased all recent reductions in poverty. In 2020 the number of very poor rose. Loneliness, fear, grief, money worries, idleness and overwork caused a 25% increase in anxiety and depression. Pray for the restoration and rebuilding of lives. Pray that the churches worldwide will be ‘like a shelter from the wind and a refuge from the storm’ and for God’s Kingdom to advance. Pray for Churches to make the most of new post-Covid opportunities. Covid normalised video-conferencing for billions and has multiplied opportunities to learn and pray together. Praise God for the Global Fund for Malaria, TB and HIV. Deaths from malaria have dropped 60% since 2000, and HIV is no longer among the ten leading causes of death. Pray for the continued fight against preventable diseases.

Published in Worldwide
Thursday, 17 March 2022 21:20

A call to churches to help orphans

The World Evangelical Alliance (WEA) and World Without Orphans (WWO) are calling on churches to help in a crisis. The ‘Lancet Child and adolescent health modelling report’, by national and international government and non government organisations, estimates that over seven million children globally have lost a parent or caregiver due to Covid-19. They estimate that for every person killed by Covid, one child is orphaned or loses a caregiver. That equates to one child every six seconds facing a heightened risk of lifelong adversity unless given support in time. Rev Dr Rebecca Goropevsek said, ‘We encourage church leaders to read the report and prayerfully consider how the pandemic has affected families and children in their own context and what support they can offer. Pray for families that are safe and nurturing to adopt and foster orphans; and for communities to protect vulnerable children from adversity and violence.

Published in Worldwide
Thursday, 10 March 2022 20:38

Global: Shell and Russian crude oil

Five days after Shell announced it is ending all joint ventures with the Russian energy company Gazprom, on 6 March it admitted having bought Russian crude oil at a discounted price. It said there was no alternative crude supplies which would reach Europe in time. On March 8th Shell said, ‘We are acutely aware that our decision last week to purchase a cargo of Russian crude oil to be refined into products like petrol and diesel - despite being made with security of supplies at the forefront of our thinking - was not the right one and we are sorry.’ The business says it will immediately stop all spot purchases of Russian crude oil and will shut its service stations, aviation fuel and lubricants operations in Russia. It says its withdrawal from other associations with Russia will be done ‘in a phased manner, aligned with new government guidance’. They said Russian oil profits will be used to help Ukrainians. See

Published in Worldwide
Thursday, 10 March 2022 20:35

Global: women and girls

8 March was International Women’s Day. Genesis 1:27 says God created both men and women in His image, yet women disproportionately suffer injustice. Operation World statistics report, ‘Women account for two thirds of the world’s poorest citizens. Nearly two thirds of illiterate people are women, and this proportion has stayed the same for two decades. Globally, women are paid less than men. A cultural preference for male babies has led to 30 million or more deaths of unborn or baby girls, mostly in India and China. This fuels the growth of trafficking of women as brides or sex slaves.’ In 1945 the UN Charter was the first international agreement to affirm the principle of equality between women and men. The UN celebrated its first official International Women's Day during International Women’s Year in 1975. Nearly fifty years later, women still don’t fully participate in political, cultural and economic arenas in many nations and cultures. Globally, this still needs to be addressed.

Published in Worldwide
Thursday, 10 March 2022 20:17

World: food marooned in Ukraine

The prospect of Ukraine’s wheat harvests being marooned by war has already sent wheat prices to record highs. If the crops cannot leave the country, global food shortages are likely. Ukraine is one of the world’s great breadbaskets. It is the top producer of sunflower seeds, its black-earth fields yield large oilseed crops, they export 12% of the world’s wheat and 17% of its corn. However the war has done grave damage to Ukraine’s infrastructure. Russian missiles have ruined airports, roads still existing have militarised checkpoints, and few companies want to send trucks across land borders already choked with refugees. Previously Ukraine’s sea ports exported 200,000 tonnes of wheat a day. Now the best it is likely to attain through transloading operations at every one of its western border crossings - Romania, Slovakia, Poland and Hungary - is ‘under 20,000 tonnes a day, altogether’.

Published in Worldwide
Thursday, 24 February 2022 20:45

Global: business as mission

God gives some the vocation of serving Him by running a business. Kingdom businesses are businesses with God's perspectives. The world is hungry for thousands of new businesses to be created, and places where the gospel is least well-known often have the highest unemployment and the deepest poverty. Countries which close the door to missionaries often open it wide for business people. Kingdom businesses are an essential part of seeing God’s Kingdom impact every sphere of society. Pray that the Lord will call workers into the harvest field from among business entrepreneurs and professionals in the Church. Pray for essential business skills and resources to be released in greater number for global mission and to address the most pressing economic, social, environmental and spiritual needs: fighting poverty, freeing slaves, providing for communities, creating good jobs, and bringing the gospel to the ends of the earth. Pray for more resources to provide support for mentoring, training, startup, member care, prayer, and knowledge-sharing networks.

Published in Worldwide
Thursday, 17 February 2022 21:26

Message from Help the Persecuted

A missionary’s message: ‘There is much happening right now. Persecution and hardships abound, yet our Mighty Lord reigns over it all! One member of our team and his young family have been receiving threatening messages due to their ministry work, and we have had to relocate them to a new city. Pray with us that they will remain safe and be able to continue their work for the Lord. Another team member was arrested crossing a border between Jordan and Lebanon. Pray with us for favour before the judge and for a quick resolution to the false charges. Despite these hardships, our team has also reported many praises of how God has been at work. A sewing workshop will take place this week to train persecuted women, providing skills to help sustain them and their families. We praise God for this opportunity to serve these women and offer training, hope and a way forward with dignity.’

Published in Worldwide