NPPN GLOBAL NETWORK - International Prayer Council

PRAYER CONNECTIONS:
February/March 2006
Newsletter of the International Prayer Council
“Globalising Prayer, Transforming our World”

IN THIS EDITION
1. The IPC Wants To
2. Please Tell Us
3. Great News!
4. Calendar
5. Websites Worth Visiting
6. From the GDOP Youth Office
7. Youth and Children's Prayer Networks
8. Global Day of Prayer for Lebanon
9. Global Day of Prayer for Burma 2006
10 International Day of Prayer for the Persecuted Church
11. Praying Through the Window 8
12. Global Day of Prayer 2006
13. To Contact Us

1. THE IPC WANTS TO
The International Prayer Council wants to CONNECT prayer leaders in every region of the WORLD in order to:
ÿ Help Develop mechanisms for continued relationships
ÿ Help Organize an annual Global Day of Prayer on Pentecost Sunday
ÿ Multiply - Spawn new international networks
ÿ Strengthen and help to develop regional prayer networks
ÿ Plan jointly a second World Prayer Assembly in 2009
ÿ Build relationships between prayer leaders
ÿ Celebrate the wonders of God together

2. PLEASE TELL US

The focus of Prayer Connections is to keep prayer leaders and regional liaisons informed on what is happening worldwide in the prayer movement. This newsletter wants to assist you to be informed about prayer events, but also wants to create a network where we can work together in reaching our goal of bringing in the harvest.
It is only possible to be of such help if we receive information on what is happening in your region. Please send the prayer news of your region and news of conferences and networking seminars to Nita van der Merwe office@ipcprayer.org.

3. GREAT NEWS!
1. The World Wide Day of Prayer for Children at Risk
The World Wide Day of Prayer for Children at Risk took place on 4 June 2005, involving hundreds of thousands of people in over 90 countries. Here are a few examples of prayer events that happened around the world:
A prayer march of 2,500 children for children at risk took place in the city of San Salvador, El Salvador 4 June 2005. In Cape Town a “Compassion Day” was held which included practical service to ministries for children at risk, and an afternoon of prayer for these children. The prayers of a group in Singapore, who focused their prayers on the cancellation of the poorest countries’ debts, were answered when $40 billion of debt had been cancelled by the G8 leaders! www.viva.org/wwdp Praise God for those that answered the call to pray and for children at risk across the world.
2. Five Encouraging Developments Worldwide

Often the best news doesn't make it into the newspapers. At the start of 2006, Joel News International lists a simple top-5 of what we consider the most encouraging developments at this moment. Looking at what God is doing worldwide, we see:

1. an unprecedented growth of the prayer movement world
-wide;
2. God's Spirit being poured out in many places, marked by
conversion and miracles;

3. many new partnerships and networks are being formed
on a city-, nation-and even continental level, linking prayer, saturation church planting and frontline missions;
4. more and more Christians, churches and ministries are engaging in a transformational process to bring godly change to their societies;
5. radically simple and innovative forms of church are springing up in many places, reaching the unreached.
Source: www.joelnews.org
Free 2-month trial subscription at www.joelnews.org or
www.subscribe.htm
3. 2006 Is First-Ever Swiss Year-Of-Prayer
Following an initiative by youth prayer movement 24-7prayer, churches in Switzerland committed to a first-ever year of non-stop prayer. "We have two major goals for this year," says prayer mobiliser Susanna Rychiger, who runs the Swiss 24-7 base in Thun. "First, we want to establish 24-7 long term in Switzerland. And second, we want to see a network of relationships built on community and prayer that will carry on into our future." Churches are praying together and praying for one another. www.ch06.ch

4. CALENDAR

DATE EVENT DETAILS
5 February 2006 Global Day to Pray for Lebanon www.Pray4Lebanon.blogspot.com

27 February to 1 March 2006 Heaven to Earth Intimacy and Warfare. Swanwick Prayer Conference www.worldprayer.org.uk
12 March 2006 Global Day of Prayer for Burma www.prayforburma.org
25 – 29 April
2006 Azusa Revival Centennial www.azusastreet100.net
25 May 30KD Challenge in schools and campuses www.globaldayofprayer.com

25 May –
3 June 2006 – 10 Days of Day and Night Prayer www.globaldayofprayer.com

25 May –
3 June 2006 10 Days of Prayer in Boiler Rooms www.globaldayofprayer.com

2 June 2006
30KD Challenge in schools and campuses www.globaldayofprayer.com

3 June 2006
Day of Compassion Outreaches in Communities and Kids Games www.globaldayofprayer.com

4 June 2006 GLOBAL DAY OF PRAYER
Focus on the World Day of Prayer for Children at Risk www.globaldayofprayer.com

4 June 2006
“90 Days of Blessing” or Community outreach start www.globaldayofprayer.com

5 June 2006 ff
Challenge the youth to live the PEACE principles as part of 90 Days of Blessings www.globaldayofprayer.com

20 – 24 Sept 2006 IPC Prayer Leader Summit www.ipcprayer.org

26 – 30 Sept
2006 Global Prayer Summit for Children in Malaysia tamilla_palmer@wvi.org
23 Sept –
22 Oct 2006 Muslim Prayer Focus www.30-days.net

Oct 2006 Pray Through the Window www.win1040.com

9 – 13 Oct 2006
Asian Summit On The 10/40 Window in Kota Kinabalu, Malaysia www.win1040.com
www.worldprayer.org.uk
20 – 21 Oct 2006
South Asian Regional Prayer Conference, in Hyderabad. www.win1040.com
www.worldprayer.org.uk
23 – 24 Oct 2006 Consultation on Spiritual Strongholds in Hyderabad. www.win1040.com
www.worldprayer.org.uk
25 – 28 Oct 2006 Transform World Conference lena@nlfcambodia.org
14 Nov 2006 International Day of Prayer for the Persecuted Church www.idop.org www.worldevangelicalalliance.com


5. WEBSITES WORTH VISITING
Have a look at these great new websites!
www.islamlighthouse.com
www.capn.info
www.pcftn.org
www.svm2.net
www.cpnsa.co.za
www.ethne.net
www.extremeprayer.com
www.kidspray.org.au

6. FROM THE GDOP YOUTH OFFICE
In 2005, during the 10 Days of day and night prayer, preceding the Global Day of Prayer, even more young people participated by doing the 30 Second Kneel Down Challenge, praying together in Boiler Rooms and doing A Whole Night for the Whole World on the evening before Pentecost Sunday. And on the Day of Prayer itself younger faces could be seen at all the gatherings.

In 2006 we really want to build on this momentum and have therefore put out a strategy to involve even more young people. Our dream is to see a new generation of prayer warriors who will live transformation in their communities through a lifestyle of prayer.

We have also partnered with Viva Children’s Network and will mobilize young people to reach out to the youth in their communities with a Day of Compassion. On the Global Day of Prayer on 4 June 2006, Christians all over the globe will also focus their prayers on Viva’s Worldwide Day of Prayer for Children at Risk.

Herewith the strategy for 2006 as decided on by the GDOP planning team:

Step 1:
25 May 30KD Challenge in schools and campuses
10 Days of Prayer in Boiler Rooms start, as well as L-10-T Lifestyle of Prayer
Step 2:
25 May - 10 Days of Prayer in Boiler Rooms and L-10-T
3 June Lifestyle of Prayer
Step 3:
2 June 30KD Challenge in schools and campuses
Step 4:
3 June Day of Compassion outreaches in communities and Kids Games
Step 5:
4 June Join the GDOP event in your area/region. Organize a youth prayer event to flow spontaneously out of the GDOP event. Focus on the World Day of Prayer for Children at Risk
Step 6:
5 June ff Challenge the youth to live the PEACE-plan principles as part of the 90 Days of Blessing and continue Days of Compassion

A very informative website www.globaldayofprayer.com contains a youth link with all the needed information. Here you can also register your youth group’s participation for the 2006 process.

Our contact details at the Global Day of Prayer Office are be:
Tel: +27-21-856-3130
Fax: +27-21-856-1174
E-mail: etienne@globaldayofprayer.com
Website: www.globaldayofprayer.com

We urgently need your help, not only to involve the youth of your community, but to bring us into contact with more youth leaders from your nation and all over the globe. Please be so kind to register your youth group’s participation, but also to submit the names and contact details of more youth leaders to us.

Please reply to etienne@globaldayofprayer.com

7. YOUTH AND CHILDREN’S PRAYER NETWORKS
We are urgently looking for contacts with leaders of youth and children’s prayer networks all over the world. This will enable us to broaden the prayer network across generations in every single nation of the world, but it will also help us to involve youth and children in the many prayer initiatives throughout the globe e.g. Praying through the Window, GDOP, etc. Please help us to establish definite children’s and youth global networks in order to give more momentum to prayer amongst a generation passionately seeking the opportunity to change their destiny through prayer. Please send all information to: office@ipcprayer.com

8. GLOBAL DAY OF PRAYER FOR LEBANON
Lebanon has been, and is, going through many changes and a very difficult time politically.

After 30 years of its presence in Lebanon, the Syrian army left the country, being the answer to thousands of prayers. A result of this withdrawal, however, is that 18 different denominations are fighting for authority. This is in addition to the stress of the struggle between the Muslim Sunni and Shiite in Iraq that is affecting them as well in negative ways.

They say that every 20 years Lebanon goes through a war, but this time there is a difference. There is now a church in Lebanon willing to stand up against another war, and who is asking for all around the world to unite in prayer, praying for the peace of Lebanon. Lebanon is the only country in the Middle East that has a Christian President through its Constitution, the only country that has the freedom to worship, to evangelize, to build churches, and to teach and equip believers. It is because of these things that it is believed that Lebanon has a strategic place in the Middle East.

They have appointed Sunday, February, 5th 2006 to be a global day to pray for Lebanon and are asking the church all around the globe to stand with them on this day. The need is great and they believe that this day will shape the history of Lebanon forever.

Please click here for more information to log on the special web designed for this day: www.Pray4Lebanon.blogspot.com

9. GLOBAL DAY OF PRAYER FOR BURMA 2006
March 12th, 2006 is the Global Day of Prayer for Burma. It is a
special opportunity to unite for concerted prayer and action on behalf of those from Burma who have been oppressed.

Please visit www.prayforburma.org to download the Global Day of Prayer booklet. It contains the latest information and photos about the situation facing internally displaced people, personal testimonies and ways you can respond.

10. INTERNATIONAL DAY OF PRAYER FOR THE PERSECUTED CHURCH
According to organizers of IDOP -- the International Day of Prayer for the Persecuted Church -- more than 200 million men, women and children in more than 60 countries face discrimination, persecution and even death for their Christian faith. The 2006 IDOP takes place on Sunday November 14th. Prayer has always been the strongest weapon used by the followers of Christ in all situations. This year, Christians in over 100 countries will join in prayer to strengthen those who are persecuted for their faith and to comfort those who are overcoming the great losses wrought by the Southeast Asian tsunami, Hurricanes Katrina and Rita, and the 7.6-magnitude earthquake in South Asia. The goals of IDOP are three-fold: increase awareness of the persecuted church worldwide, lead in prayer on behalf of the persecuted church, promote ongoing and appropriate action on behalf of the persecuted church. www.idop.org or www.worldevangelicalalliance.com

11. PRAYING THROUGH THE WINDOW 8
There are numerous Christians in the 10/40 Window who are being punished by tyrannical governments and terrorist groups because they refuse to deny that Jesus Christ is their Lord and personal Saviour. The purpose of mobilising massive numbers of Christians to pray for the Persecuted Church in the 10/40 Window, is to bring awareness of their inhumane suffering and raise up advocates who will hold democratic governments accountable to speak out and put an end to the international human rights violations and horrific crimes against humanity that occur on a daily basis. Daily prayer points can be found at www.win1040.com
Praying through the Window 8 will continue until Sept 2007.

12. GLOBAL DAY OF PRAYER 2006
On 15 May 2005 more than 200 million Christians in 156 nations united in a day of repentance and prayer for the world. Christians came together in large stadiums, open fields, market squares, churches and other public venues to pray. It was broadcast by hundreds of radio and TV stations around the world.
The Global Day of Prayer will be on 4 June 2006. Many prayer networks, Christian organisations and prayer leaders support this initiative. Christians all over the world are invited to take hands in a Global Day of Prayer. This initiative will continue for the next five years, until 2010. Every year on Pentecost Sunday there will be a Global Day of Prayer. The two key verses that are guiding our planning around the Global Day of Prayer, are 2 Chron.7:14 "If my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and will heal their land" and Hab.2:14 "For the earth will be filled with the knowledge of the glory of the Lord, as the waters cover the sea."

There is a simple threefold strategy:

1. 10 Days of day-and-night prayer from Ascension Day till the Saturday before Pentecost Sunday.
2. A global day of repentance & prayer on Pentecost Sunday
3. 90 Days of "community blessing"
10 Days of Day and Night Prayer
25 May – 3 June 2006 – Like the Early Church in Acts 1, we encourage all local congregations, communities, cities and regions to spend 10 days in prayer leading up to Pentecost Sunday, 4 June 2006. In all countries around the world Christians will be encouraged to spend these 10 days in Day-and-Night (24-7) prayer, asking God for a fresh outpouring of His Spirit, the salvation of the lost, the unreached and the healing of the nations.
Youth – Youth around the globe will be challenged to start the 10 Days of day and night prayer with an initiative called the “30Kd Challenge” where all believing students are challenged to join in prayer for 30 minutes in their schools and campuses on Ascension Day 25 May. The challenge will be repeated on 2 June 2005. Adding to this youth will be challenged to join the 10 Days of prayer in Boiler Rooms where they can express themselves in vibrant and creative ways, interceding for their generation around the globe. A further challenge during the 10 Days of day and night prayer is to live the L-10-T lifestyle of prayer evangelism wherever they hang out. These 10 days will really be an opportunity for the youth to make a difference in their communities in their own unique ways.
Global Day of Repentance & Prayer
4 June 2006 - Towns and cities unite in repentance & prayer at stadiums, churches, market squares, etc. In "closed" countries Creative Christians will make a way to pray together. Many television, radio and Internet services around the world will broadcast these prayer gatherings.
Youth - On 4 June the Youth will be challenged to join with all generations around the globe in a Global Day of Repentance & Prayer in their respective communities. This year Viva Network will join in the Global Day of Prayer through their World Day of Prayer for Children at Risk. Where possible, these events must flow into a youth prayer event where young people can express themselves through prayer and worship in their own unique way, but it must not be a separate event.
90 Days of “Blessings”
“90 Days of Blessing” or Community outreach after 4 June 2006. Churches, communities and cities are encouraged to reach out to their neighbors and the community with acts of blessing and deeds of love. This will include practical help and support for the poor and needy, job creation, community development, literacy training, caring for the sick, etc. - being salt, light and hope for a broken and needy world.
Youth – Already on 3 June youth around the globe will be challenged to partake in a Global Day of Compassion, reaching out in their communities in any given way the Lord leads them. This is an opportunity to live what we are praying. After 4 June the youth globally will be challenged to live the principles of the PEACE-plan, partake in different compassion days and live the L-10-T lifestyle of prayer. Actually the challenge is to be Jesus’ hands and feet for the next 364 days of the year.
NB: Some communities will see their way open to get involved in the day of prayer on 4 June only, others will pray for ten days and be involved in the day of prayer and some others will feel ready to get involved in the whole threefold strategy. Do what ever is possible in your own community.
There is an amazing movement of prayer around the globe and for at least the next 5 years there will be a Global Day of Prayer on Pentecost Sunday. Here are the dates for the
Global Day of Repentance & Prayer events

YEAR 10 DAYS OF PRAYER GLOBAL DAY OF PRAYER 90 DAYS OF BLESSING
2006 25 May – 3 June 4 June – Pentecost Sunday 5 June – 2 September
2007 17 – 26 May 27 May – Pentecost Sunday 28 May –
25 August
2008 1 – 10 May 11 May – Pentecost Sunday 12 May – 9 August
2009 21 – 30 May 31 May – Pentecost Sunday 1 June – 30 August
2010 13 – 22 May 23 May – Pentecost Sunday 24 May – 21 August
How you can get involved
• Please register your town/city’s participation at www.globaldayofprayer.com
• Make this process known throughout your whole organisation and/or church network and encourage them to join in prayer.
• Contact key individuals and tell them about GDOP. Encourage them to consider making GDOP known in their constituencies. Even if you can take 10 minutes to forward this letter to 5 or 10 key people that you are in contact with, it will make a major difference.
• If you have a website, would you not consider putting a link on your home page to the Global Day of Prayer website www.globaldayofprayer.com?
• Visit the Global Day of Prayer website for more information. We have 10 Day guides available with suggestions on how to mobilise the 10 days of day and night prayer, prayer pointers for the 10 days and simple prayer guidelines. This is available in various languages. You will also find other helpful resources on the websites such as: a concise PowerPoint presentation and a number of sample documents on how to mobilise such a day of prayer in your community.
• Everyone is involved in a local congregation. Get your own local church involved. Ask your local church and/or denomination to put a link to the Global Day of Prayer website.
• When attending conferences, ask for an opportunity to tell about the Global Day of Prayer. An excellent video is available that will be of much help and is already available. E-mail your request to info@globaldayofprayer.com to order the video. People in the USA, Europe and other parts of the world with access to broadband internet can get access to and download these videos through the Global Day of Prayer website.
• If you have a prayer letter, newsletter or Christian magazine, consider an article on the Global Day of Prayer. If you have access to Christian radio or television, ask for an interview and make this known.
• If you have a story to tell about how your town or city is mobilizing for the Global Day of Prayer, send it to us. We will post many of them on the website so that others will be encouraged and learn from you.
• A Global day of prayer info CD with all the information is available and can be ordered at registration from info@globaldayofprayer.com
For More Information Please Contact
Global Day of Prayer
info@globaldayofprayer.com / www.globaldayofprayer.com Dawie Spangenberg – info@globaldayofprayer.com
Etienne Piek – youth@globaldayofprayer.com
Bob Bakke – rbakke@globaldayofprayer.com

Graham Power, John Robb, Dawie Spangenberg, Bob Bakke, Etienne Piek and Bennie Mostert
(On behalf of Global Day of Prayer)


13. TO CONTACT US

office@ipcprayer.org
Tel: +27 12 365 3213
Fax: +27 12 365 3214