AUSTRALIAN PRAYER NETWORK NEWSLETTER * CHINA REACHES AN OFFICIAL FIGURE OF 130 MILLION CHRISTIANS * REPORT ON ASIAN REGIONAL PRAYER SUMMIT * KIWIS STAND UNITED IN PRAYER AT SOLEMN ASSEMBLY * INCREASING NUMBER OF DOCTORS IN THE UK REFUSING TO PERFORM ABORTIONS * AFRICAN CLERIC SAYS CHURCH HAS A PROPHETIC ROLE AND MUST NOT REMAIN SILENT * MILITANT BUDDHISTS SEEK TO ELIMINATE CHRISTIANITY IN LAOS ----------------------------------------------- CHINA REACHES AN OFFICIAL FIGURE OF 130 MILLION CHRISTIANS China's top religious official Yie Xiaowen has rejected decades of ambivalence toward religion by declaring that "religion is one of the important social forces from which China draws strength." He also admitted that the number of Christians in China has reached 130 million, including some 20 million Catholics! The Chinese government has intentionally understated the number of Christians for decades in a futile effort to downplay the continued miraculous growth and impact of the church. House church believers have never been recognized or counted. This announcement through the official Chinese news agency is significant. Dr. Bob Fu, President of China Aid Association, writing about this latest official revelation said, "The unprecedented growth has happened under ceaseless persecution. We pray that China will realize true religious freedom soon." All across China evangelistic outreaches are touching the lives of thousands of people. New converts have an ever-growing need for Bibles to strengthen and guide them. Amity Press has printed 40 million Bibles since its inception. Many other agencies are printing Bibles for China and circulating them through the house churches where the need is so urgent. A Chinese Christian said that reading the Bible is like eating rice. You have to do it every day!" There are some urgent challenges confronting the Church in China today: With the lessening of persecution in many places, and the rising income and prosperity of the nation, many Chinese leaders are calling for renewed vigilance against the inroads of materialism and the fatal spiritual devastation that results from comfort and ease. Another urgent need is for trained workers to disciple the estimated 7-10,000 new converts a day! Without disciplining, these new converts are subject to deception by the ever-present cults, both home-grown and foreign. The third request is for more Bibles. Although Bibles are permitted to be printed in China by Amity Press, the 2 million they are able to print each year does not begin to meet the urgent demand. At present the government does not look with favour on Bibles being imported or even printed within the country except by this one approved outlet at Amity Press. There are many pastors and leaders in prison because they were involved in printing and distributing Bibles that were printed in Hong Kong or other unapproved locations. A new phenomenon is quietly developing on the university campuses across the nation. The astounding growth of Christianity has begun to penetrate many of the largest and most prestigious campuses of the nation. There are now more than 30 vibrant Christian fellowships meeting openly on campuses and being led by professors and student leaders. These are the new "house churches" of China that are sprouting up all over the country. This has great promise for the future of the nation as more and more future leaders pledge their allegiance to Jesus Christ. One of the most impressive ministries going on in China today is the training of a host of cross-cultural workers to carry the gospel from China through the Muslim countries of the 10/40 Window back to Jerusalem. It has been frequently reported that the Chinese Church desires to raise up 100,000 such workers. It is actually happening quietly and without fanfare in many training centres both inside and outside China. If you are called to pray for China visit http://www.churchinchina.com/ This website is a great source of information. There are twelve sections with pertinent and challenging information, making it one of the most comprehensive web sites for China news and information. Source: Evangelism Explosion International ----------------------------------------------- REPORT ON ASIAN REGIONAL PRAYER SUMMIT Key leaders of prayer ministries from most of the countries of South Asia gathered in the city of Siliguri just to the north of Calcutta, India. Encouraging reports were given of wonderful breakthroughs through prayer but also agonizing news of continued turmoil, suffering and need in this heavily populated region of the world. In India, a national network now links many Christian leaders and ministries for increasingly well organized, informed, united prayer. Large numbers are coming to Christ with churches and house fellowships being multiplied in most parts of the country. Bihar, once the most corrupt and backward of all India's states, has moved to the number three spot in development with new roads and infrastructure being added and progress being made in removing corruption. It is no accident that a strong prayer network has united Christ's people to pray in this state over the last few years. 4500 believers recently met there to fast and pray in over 100 degree heat. Nepal is now no longer a Hindu kingdom. It has become a democratic nation. Bangladesh has a "good government" after much prayer by many churches. 30 prayer conferences held this year have brought intercessors together across the nation of Bangladesh. After hearing such reports, one participant joyfully declared, "This is God's time for South Asia!" There were however also reports about some heart-breaking situations. Sri Lanka needs a prayer breakthrough as conflict worsens between the Tamil Tiger rebels and the Sinhalese-dominated government. Afghanistan and Pakistan have growing movements of Islamic radicals that have brought violence, instability and lack of security to these nations. Bhutan asked for prayer for the breaking down of spiritual strongholds gripping the people, monks and government and for the multiplication of house churches. The situation in Burma was reported on with the request that people pray that the military regime will give way to democracy and freedom for its people. One of the highlights of the Summit were the several orphan girls who came to pray for the leaders. These poor, rural girls have become powerful intercessors and mighty agents of His transformation. Could it be that part of the prophecy of Joel quoted by Peter in Acts 2 is being fulfilled in our time through the rise of the Children in Prayer movement? Source: John Robb - International Prayer Council ----------------------------------------------- KIWIS STAND UNITED IN PRAYER AT SOLEMN ASSEMBLY Some 125 people drawn from the different regions of New Zealand gathered in Wellington New Zealand for that nation's recently held Solemn Assembly. Organiser Adrian Watts said he was delighted with the number that attended. "I had visualized 300, but when I thought about it, 120 was also symbolic, as that was the number who waited for the Holy Spirit in the Upper Room at Pentecost. Mr. Watts said those who came had a real heart to pray for the nation. The event was held in Wellington, it being the seat of Government for New Zealand. The group spent time praying over a number of issues, including Maori issues and the abortion situation in New Zealand. Intercessors for New Zealand co-ordinator Brian Caughley said the event was perhaps the beginning of a new move. "I was very encouraged particularly by the vision of little fires of prayer springing up all over the nation," he said. "That is where I see this going." Mr. Caughley added that he was concerned about the absence of pastors and church leaders at the Solemn Assembly. "I wondered if we have lost contact with church leadership," he said, adding that he hoped many more would attend future events. Mr. Watts said he already had people asking him when the next assembly would be held. Mr. Watts concurs with Mr. Caughley that the establishment of small local prayer events are probably what will happen next. "For years I had a wrong view of revival," he said. "I thought God would come down and everyone would fall on their faces. Now I see it as something God will do that we won't expect. It will involve individual people being released, one by one, into their purpose in God - person by person, street by street. I don't think revival in New Zealand will be cantered on any one ministry or event." Source: Challenge Weekly, New Zealand ----------------------------------------------- INCREASING NUMBER OF DOCTORS IN THE UK REFUSING TO PERFORM ABORTIONS An increasing number of doctors in the U.K. are refusing to carry out abortions, with The Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists saying there has been a big rise in the number of doctors who are "conscientious objectors." Josephine Quintavalle, of the pro-life group Alive and Kicking, is quoted as saying: "We welcome this development. There is sensitivity in this country that there are too many abortions, and this obviously will impact doctors. We should be working together to make abortions rare." Julia Millington of the Pro-Life Alliance agreed, saying: "We have been hearing for some time now that young doctors, in particular, do not want to work in this field. Those choosing to go into medicine presumably do so because they want to cure sickness and disease, not end the lives of innocent human beings." Source: BBC News ----------------------------------------------- AFRICAN CLERIC SAYS CHURCH HAS A PROPHETIC ROLE AND MUST NOT REMAIN SILENT Zimbabwean Roman Catholic Archbishop Pius Ncube has not forgotten the massacres of the 1980s when 20,000 people were killed. With this in mind, President Robert Mugabe's crackdown in Zimbabwe, has made the Archbishop ready to give up his life to save his country. "The Church has a prophetic role to speak the truth when no-one else dares to," the Archbishop said. "Many people in my nation are too depressed to go on living. Mugabe is mad for power and he will cling to it even if it means destroying the economy and Zimbabwe. Mugabe is an evil man, a bully and a murderer. I will not be bullied or bought by him. I accept that it may mean that I lose my life." As a young priest, Ncube witnessed the suffering surrounding the massacres in the 1980's and was desperate to speak out, but his church superiors stopped him, and now he is "determined not to watch in silence again." Source: BBC ----------------------------------------------- MILITANT BUDDHISTS SEEK TO ELIMINATE CHRISTIANITY IN LAOS Officials in a remote village in the Asian nation's central region are seeking to evict Christians who refuse to renounce their faith. Nakoon Christians have been worshiping underground in fear of arrest and imprisonment. After learning that authorities had recognized Christianity, the 46 Christians in 10 families in Nakoon village began to be open in their Christian meetings. Community leaders however are now pressuring the Christians to abandon their religion or leave the village. Reports are also coming out of Laos that government agents are arresting Christian believers who are never heard from again. Two Christian men were taken from their farms in southern Laos and imprisoned. People close to the families said no charges were filed and no information had been released about the health or location of the men. In north-central Laos police arrested a man. His wife and 12-year-old son were not allowed to speak with him before he was taken away. Efforts to locate him have been unsuccessful. Additionally, other Christians arrested in similar incidents were never found alive. Source: 10/40 Window Prayer Network
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