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JOEL-NEWS-INTERNATIONAL-408 * 20 AUGUST 2002 * WWW.JOELNEWS.ORG

IN THIS EDITION:

JN408-1. TYPICALLY GOD: Multiplication of money
JN408-2. PRAYER FOCUS: Young prayer leaders in Europe
JN408-3. PRAYER FOCUS: Young intercessors in Colombia
JN408-4. KINGDOM DEVELOPMENT: Postmodern expressions of Church (2)
JN408-5. RESOURCE: The shaping of Europe and other columns

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JN408-1. TYPICALLY GOD: Multiplication of money

Annika Winzeler lives in Schaffhausen, Switzerland, and has not been a Christian for long. She tells of the following event during her first days as a Christian: "Eighteen months ago, when God showed me that he really exists, I was going through a difficult time. I had just moved out from home, and was having trouble making ends meet. I often didn't know whether I would be able to eat.

"One day, I stood in the supermarket, hungry and wondering what I could afford for lunch. I emptied my purse into my hand to count my money - it wasn't much, 1 Franc 30 (about 85 Dollar cents). I counted it again and again. That wouldn't buy me much for lunch. I wandered down the aisles, looking at what I would have liked for lunch - a bread roll, yoghurt, an apple and something to drink, in total 2 Francs 10 (about 1.50 Dollar). But maybe Jesus could help me, as he had helped others! I had read something about fish and bread, so asked Jesus for help: 'You fed so many people with only a little bread and a few fish. Couldn't you help me?'

"Nothing happened - no angel appeared to help me shop, and no voice from heaven telling me how I could fill my stomach. I was very disappointed. Could it be that I was mistaken, that Jesus didn't exist, wasn't alive? Was everything just my imagination? Then my life wouldn't change as I had thought it would. So I decided to buy my lunch with the 1 Franc 30 I had. I counted the money again, to be sure - but it was suddenly no longer 1 Franc 30, but exactly the amount I needed to buy what I wanted for lunch! The money had multiplied in my hand."

Source: Annika Winzeler through Friday Fax

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JN408-2. PRAYER FOCUS: Young prayer leaders in Europe

All over Europe God is pouring out His Spirit of prayer on young people. In some nations youth prayer movements have emerged on a national level. In other nations young people who are on fire for Jesus started all kinds of local and regional initiatives. This new wave of prayer is marked by an intense hunger to know God and see Him move in revival power, by prophetic worship and all kinds of creative forms, by networking based on friendship.

From 23 to 26 August about 50 young prayer leaders from several nations in Europe will gather in Herrnhut, Germany (the birth place of the Moravian revival) for an event called 'Connect Europe'. The purpose of this gathering is three-fold:

1. To connect young prayer leaders (under 35) in Europe with a calling for their nation and/or the whole continent.
2. To pray for Europe and discern Gods plans for the emerging generation.
3. To identify key people who can play a trans-national role in mobilizing their generation in prayer, and encourage them.

The organisers believe it's a 'kairos' time for the birth of youth prayer movements all over Europe. Let's stand with them in prayer: that the Lord will accomplish all that is on His agenda and that the Holy Spirit will move mightily. The gathering will be held in Saxony, the area of Germany that is currently suffering severe floodings. Let's also pray for Gods Kingdom to come to this area.

LINK: http://www.joelnews.nl/connecteurope.htm

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JN408-3. PRAYER FOCUS: Young intercessors in Colombia

In the weekend of 24 and 25 August 20,000 young people in Colombia will surround their nation in camps of 50 each to intercede, proclaim God's righteousness, and consecrate themselves to work for change in their nation. This daring prayer event was born out of the vision of a young man, Diego, when he was fasting and praying for his nation. It's an encouraging example of what can happen when young leaders pursue their calling and mobilize their generation to prayer. Let's pray for their protection and the raising up an army of reconcilers and reconstructors for a new Colombia.

Source: Joel News

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JN408-4. KINGDOM DEVELOPMENT: Postmodern expressions of Church (2)

To communicate to our generation, the Church needs to understand postmodern thinking, learn to express biblical truth in new terms and find structures that appeal to the postmodern way of life. In his book 'Postmodern Pilgrims: First Century Passion for the 21st Century World' Leonard Sweet sums up the change from modernism to postmodernism by the four letters E-P-I-C:

EXPERIENTIAL - From Rational to Experiential. Modernism emphasizes reason and observation. Postmodernism emphasizes revelation and experience.

PARTICIPATORY - From Representative to Participatory. Modernism says, "We need our leaders to make decisions for us." Postmodernism says, "We want to make our own decisions and to have multiple choices."

IMAGE-DRIVEN - From Word-based to Image-driven. Modernism emphasizes words and propositional truth. Postmodernism emphasizes images and the power of metaphor.

CONNECTED - From Individual to Individual-Communal. Modernism emphasizes the individual. Postmodernism emphasizes the individual in community.

Sweet suggests that ministry in the twenty-first century has more in common with the first century than with the modern world that is collapsing all around us.

LINK: http://www.covenantbookstore.com/pospil.html

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JN408-5. RESOURCE: The shaping of Europe and other columns

Every week Jeff Fountain, European director of YWAM, publishes a 'word' to the YWAM community. These columns are great reading, giving insight in important developments in missions and society.

On his website Jeff also presents excerpts and summaries of ten chapters from a book he hopes to finish somewhere before the Second Coming. The working title is 'Brave New Europe - Who Will Shape It?' Part one of the book describes Europe in a time of megashift in worldviews - perhaps towards a new paganism - as the remaining 'baggage' of Christendom is jettisoned. Part two unpacks ten imperatives necessary to recover faith, hope and vision for Europe's future.

LINK: http://www.ywameurope.org/news/word.asp

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COLOPHON

Joel News International is a leading special interest bulletin on prayer, church growth and revival. We offer a keen selection of the most encouraging news reports, the most challenging developments and the best resources from over 100 reliable sources in six continents. Joel News International is a great help and time-saver for thousands of Christian leaders and intercessors in over 120 nations.

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