| JOEL-NEWS-INTERNATIONAL-435 * 31 MARCH 2003 * WWW.JOELNEWS.ORG IN THIS EDITION: JN435-1. TYPICALLY GOD: God guards against muggers JN435-2. PRAYER FOCUS: Hope for Sorani Kurds in Iraq JN435-3. NEWS BRIEF: War in Iraq stirs Americans to pray JN435-4. NEWS BRIEF: Repentance in Taiwan JN435-5. RESOURCE: Churches on the cutting edge JN435-6. RESOURCE: John Noble about the future of the Church --- GODLY WORD - At Joel News we regularly receive prophetic impressions from readers. The thread in last week's words was: God will use the current crisis in the world (that will likely get worse) to get us out of our comfort zones, prayerlessness and denominationalism. We have to focus on Jesus as never before. It doesn't matter whether we have a Christian tradition or structure, the only thing that matters is the living presence of Christ in our lives. --- JN435-1. TYPICALLY GOD: God guards against muggers The crime rate in Durban, South Africa, is very high, so the entire crew of OM's ship Doulos were warned to only leave the ship in large groups. One of their short-term staff didn't hear the warning, and walked alone in the harbour area one evening. He was attacked by a gang and robbed. They even wanted his clothes. He silently cried out to God for help. Suddenly, one of the gang asked him if he was a Christian. He told them that he was, and that he worked on the Doulos. The gang gave him everything back, apologised, and even accompanied him back to the ship, so that nothing would happen to him on the way! Source: OM News --- JN435-2. PRAYER FOCUS: Hope for Sorani Kurds in Iraq Recently, a believer visited the Sorani Kurds in their homeland and saw firsthand the precarious position of the people: protected from Saddam only by the U.S. no-fly zone, stifled by 10 years of sanctions, and diminished by the "brain drain" of their best people leaving their homeland. From a human standpoint, it seems hopeless, and the despair can be seen in many eyes. The Enemy wants to steal peace in this region, to destroy lives, and to kill hope. In Christ, however, there is hope: hope of fullness of life here on earth as well as everlasting life. Ask God to send his messengers with the good news of hope in Christ Jesus. Pray that multitudes of Sorani Kurds would personally discover this hope and bring glory to God's name. Source: Advance --- JN435-3. NEWS BRIEF: War in Iraq stirs Americans to pray According to a recent poll conducted by FOX News and Opinion Dynamics, a great majority of Americans are dealing with the military attack on Iraq by turning to prayer. When asked if they had prayed for peace in recent weeks, 81% said they had. This reliance on prayer was echoed by President Bush last week in a nationally televised press conference when Bush acknowledged, "I pray for peace. I pray daily. I pray for guidance and wisdom and strength. If we commit our troops I would pray for their safety, and I would pray for the safety of innocent Iraqi lives, as well." Americans are not only praying for peace in the Gulf region, they are also supporting the President in great number by offering prayers on his behalf. Sixty-one percent of those asked said that they had prayed for President Bush in recent weeks. This reliance on prayer was gratefully acknowledged by President Bush in a nationally televised press conference, "There are thousands of people who pray for me that I'll never see and be able to thank. But it's a humbling experience to think that people I will never have met have lifted me and my family up in prayer. And for that I'm grateful. It's been a comforting feeling to know that is true." Many of those who are praying for the President are doing so through the influence of The Presidential Prayer Team, a website dedicated to mobilise prayer for Bush. The site also includes a link to sign-up to adopt a service person and pray for that person as well. LINK: http://www.presidentialprayerteam.org --- JN435-4. NEWS BRIEF: Repentance in Taiwan "In Taiwan, 28th February 2003 was a day of national repentance," reports Egyptian doctor David Demian, now living in Canada. He attended the event with a group of Canadian Christians. Between 15,000 and 20,000 people from various denominations and people groups gathered in Lingko Stadium, Taipei, to pray for their nation for 12 hours. Pastor Nathaniel Chow called on the Taiwanese Christians to repent. David Demian pointed out that only prayer with a passion born of desperation would move God to act. Pastor Andrew Ko had visited 25 Taiwanese cities before the prayer meeting, calling on Christians to rediscover their passion for Taiwan. Pastor Brian Liu challenged them to "deal with the idols in their own hearts and churches before considering the idols in the nation." "Thousands, in tearful desperation, asked God to forgive the idolatry in the church and turn his face again to Taiwan," writes Demian. LINK: http://www.watchmen.org --- JN435-5. RESOURCE: Churches on the cutting edge Every day we hear of churches, large and small, that are doing something new, something simple that changes people's lives with the power of the gospel. Such churches inspire our spirits, stir our creative juices, and motivate us to take action. Christianity Today published just five examples, and their ideas aren't copyrighted. LINK: http://makeashorterlink.com/?M2EA22904 --- JN435-6. RESOURCE: John Noble about the future of the Church John Noble was deeply involved in the early roots of the 'New Church' movement in the United Kingdom and still functions in an apostolic role in the Pioneer Network and beyond. Huw Lewis of Jesus Magazine talked with him about the impact the charismatic movement and the New Churches have had on the Church generally over the last 30-40 years. But the main focus of this interview is the future of the Church as expressed in John Noble's recently published book 'The Shaking'. Issues covered in this interview are: unity in the Church, breaking out of the Church ghettos into the community, new models of how to be the family of God, postmodernism, breaking down racial barriers, the ministry of reconciliation, creativity, the growth of apostolic streams, the growth of the Church in the two-thirds world, poverty, community living and women in leadership. LINK: http://www.jesus.org.uk/talking/noble.html --- 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. Editors: Branko Bjelajac, Alex ten Cate and Marc van der Woude. You can contact the editorial office at joel-news@xs4all.nl. Joel News International is distributed weekly by e-mail on the basis of an annual donation. For more information see http://www.joelnews.org/donation-jni.htm#options. Has this bulletin been forwarded to you? Then subscribe directly by sending an empty e-mail to: subscribe-joel-news-international@xc.org. |
(c) Copyright 1997-2003 Joel News
