Displaying items by tag: Praise

Migrant communities from West Africa and India are renewing and revitalising Manchester churches. As many of them work at hospitals, Fr Paul Hutchins has added a mid-week service to make attendance easier for people working at weekends. He also encourages members to shape the worship, bringing hymns and prayers from their churches of origin, helping them feel as at home as possible. He says, ‘Five years ago we had sparks of promise as a multicultural congregation, but in a short space of time we have seen huge increases in new worshippers from Ghana, Nigeria, and South India.’ Three churches in the diocese have seen huge boosts to their congregations, mostly thanks to the families which have migrated to the area.

Illinois pastor Robby Dawkins recently shared on Facebook a photo of him praying for a former Taliban leader in Afghanistan. It was a powerful moment which quickly went viral. ‘This (now former) Taliban leader attended our training in Afghanistan. He was so hit by the Holy Spirit’s power that he crumpled to the ground when I laid hands on him and prayed.’ People are praising God for encountering a leader of the Taliban, as Afghan Christians have been through brutal persecution by the group. ‘Several there said this guy would normally kill us if it wasn’t for the impact Jesus made on him, transforming his entire life.’ Afghanistan needs Jesus today more than ever: let us continue to pray for revival in the nation.

In an Instagram testimony a young lady testified before the congregation about a miracle she witnessed in a street outreach. One Friday night, she and her team were in the street to worship God, preach the Gospel and lead people to Christ. But after the outreach finished they noticed a commotion. Police were surrounding a lifeless lady on the street. One of their team members felt a conviction from the Holy Spirit that they needed to pray for resurrection. So, they went closer and began praying for the lady, who still had no pulse. She had been dead for ten minutes already, but they began to declare life for her. At first nothing happened, but they didn’t give up. They kept praying. A few minutes later, the lady’s eyes opened. It was a miracle. She began to breathe again.

Generation Z grew up with iPads and iPhones. They are connected to technology. American Survey Centre calls 1/3rd of this age group 'religious nones' (no religious affiliation). A summer camp leader says, ‘It’s essential we preach and teach the Bible, sharing the love of God to them when they're young - before the world has a chance to beat them up, chew them up and spit them out.’ This year, 3,000+ campers accepted Jesus as their personal saviour at Crossroads Summer Camp. The camp leader attributed this surge in salvations to the goodness of God compared to what the world has to offer. The Crossroads leader said,‘I think they've seen the materialism of our world. The ideologies that are being shoved down their throats. They're all empty. When they feel the presence of God, when they taste and see that the Lord is good, nothing else will satisfy them.’

On 29th July, Kingdom Impact Vision International (KIVI), the London Prayer and Worship Festival brought together hundreds of Christians from several denominations to intercede for revival in the UK, to worship and evangelise in Trafalgar Square. The event was preceded by evangelistic outreach in various surrounding areas. Gospel Singer Noel Robison led worship as well as performances from the Neema Choir from Uganda and the Spanish Community Choir. KIVI Ministries has organised similar events in towns across the UK, such as Margate, Walsall and Birmingham. They will also be joining Franklin Graham's evangelistic event in London on 26th August.

Rising tensions between China and Taiwan have reached a critical juncture. Taiwan faces almost daily Chinese military harassment. As concerns rise, Taiwan's Christians are taking to their knees. A prayer movement has united believers across Taiwan, inspiring 40,000+ revival prayer groups, including participants from China's underground churches. Each group has about 5 members, so the current total is about 200,000 participants. People meet 24/7 to pray for revival, unity, repentance, and protection over Taiwan, trusting that, through prayer, miracles happen, and a pathway to peace can be found. Rev. Peter Yang has pastored and planted churches in Taiwan since 1978 and he's never seen the kind of unity now on display. ‘Every day, every week, I join pastors from other churches, other denominations, and we pray for our cities, for our nation, for other countries. It's amazing, it's clearly God's doing. Unity will be the legacy of this movement.’

Richard Harvey attended the prestigious Winchester School. Although he was Jewish he regularly attended chapel services. Richard debated with his Christian friends, but Christ’s resurrection was a stumbling block - until, while discussing it, Richard saw an empty tomb. He was interested in what it meant to believe in Jesus and studied theology at university, but he was pulled in two directions: his Jewish friends wanted him to return to Judaism and Christians suggested he wasn’t a Jew now. When he studied church history he wondered, ‘Whatever happened to the first Jewish Christians? Why did they disappear? How can they reappear today?’ God called him to be an answer to his questions. He became an evangelist with Jews for Jesus and later for the Church’s Ministry among Jewish people (CMJ). Today he is involved with the British Messianic Jewish Alliance and lectures at All Nations Bible College, preparing missionaries for service overseas.

The Local Pantry network is saving money for and improving the health of their communities. Pantries are small shops serving local neighbourhoods. Members pay a few pounds weekly and choose ten items worth many times more. They eat more fresh fruit and vegetables and are trying and enjoying new foods. Their finances have improved, and it helps them reduce food waste. Members also say their health has improved significantly. On 18 July the 100th pantry opened, in Kent. Churches host or support 47 of the 100, and the network has reached 90,000 people. Churches are ideal hosts, with physical space, local links, a well-known location, potential volunteers, and a desire to see positive change. Portsmouth’s Baptist Church closed its foodbank and opened a pantry instead. Inspired by its success, a Southsea Church of England did the same, as did two other local organisations, including an Elim Church community group.

An event inspired by the Jesus Revolution film depicting  a time in the 60s and 70s when young people turned to Christ in droves was recreated on 2 July. Thousands of people lined the stony pathways leading to California’s Pirates Cove beach to be baptised. Then the queue slowed down as an older gentleman took longer to descend the stairs to publicly express his commitment to the Lord. It was a moment the 85-year-old atheist’s family thought would never happen. Yet his eternal decision was confirmed as he joined a massive baptism of 4,166 people, and may this older man’s story remind us to never stop praying for the lost.

Video footage of Tabitha Nazir Gill, a Christian nurse, being beaten up by colleagues went viral in 2021 after she was accused of breaking Pakistan’s penal code by insulting Mohammed, a crime which carries the death sentence. She went into hiding as police investigations continued. Later she said, ‘The mob wanted to kill me but I kept praying to Jesus and I opened my eyes and  felt I saw angels. From that moment I knew that I would be saved. I am thankful to Jesus Christ, my Lord and my God, for giving me my freedom. Jesus is mighty to save.’ She thanked God for those who had secured her safe passage out of Pakistan, including ‘the miracle’ of being granted an immigrant visa to a new country in the West, which cannot be disclosed for safety reasons.