Iraq: b) Iran’s influence
Iraq’s parliament will select the president on 25 September, then elect a prime minister, and that will eventually lead a new government. On 15 September Mohammed al-Halbousi was elected as speaker. He had previously had a good relationship with the USA which, with Iran, were the first countries to congratulate him on his new post. However, his first two statements to parliament denounced US sanctions against Iran and invited senior Iranians to visit Baghdad. Pray for the networking of leaders at home and abroad in the weeks leading up to the election of a prime minister - the most important and influential position in the government, and therefore requiring a broad agreement among multiple political parties.
Praying for the media
Love it or hate it, the media plays a vital role in our lives. At its best, media gives a voice to the voiceless, holds the powerful to account, and highlights unjust practices while entertaining us and keeping us informed.
As Christians, we affirm and support the media’s vital role in our society. We promote the highest standards in the media and give our backing to the vast majority of people working in media as they strive for integrity and truth.
From national newspapers to local radio, from websites to specialist publications, from TV networks to blogs, all have a valuable role to play. A thriving global, and national, media matters to all of us. We want to know about our world, its celebrations, its problems, and its joys, and we need a thriving media to help us engage with it.
First established in 1967 as the Churches Advisory Council for Local Broadcasting (CACLB), the MediaNet helped to coordinate, and develop, the churches response to shape, and create, religion programming for local BBC radio stations across the UK. Today, the MediaNet’s primary mission purpose is to support, encourage and inspire Christians who work in, and with, media. This is expressed through an extensive programme of online and offline activities including an annual Church and Media conference, regional gatherings, blogs, stories, a regular newsletter, a monthly podcast, and a prayer service.
- Please pray for honest, reliable, and accurate journalism and programming. In a world where there are claims, counter-claims, and disagreements, we need people of integrity in the media committed to being truthful and fair in all they do, and in the output, they write, produce and create.
- Pray for people in traditional and non-traditional media, who care deeply about what is going wrong in society; who have Jesus's heart for the poor and the dispossessed; that want to see change and are able to make content that shines a light on what's going on.
- Pray for leadership in newsrooms, production companies and on location, who can change the work culture within the media, and for Christians in all positions to help influence that change; to stop the exploitation of younger, and in particular, female staff.
- Pray for Christians working in media to shine for God and become increasingly more influential; for effective discipleship of young Christians who are looking to build a career in, or will be working with, media; for young people looking into a career in media to receive the right support and advice.
On the 4th November, later this year, we invite church leaders and church communities to set aside time in their meetings to pray for their local and national media, and for those who serve our Lord in the media workplace.
Our hope, our prayer is to see Christians working in, and with, UK media, flourish and become key influencers: to see the life-affirming Gospel message of faith, hope and love increasingly reflected in the UK media content; to see more and more stories of transformation.
Steve Cox
Chair, Church & Media Network
Scotland - It's Time to Turn
On Thursday evening, 23rd August, hundreds of Christians from a wide variety of churches gathered in Aberdeen, Edinburgh, and Glasgow for the first of the ‘Encounter’ meetings to launch The Turning – Scotland.
Many of you reading this will be aware of the impact of The Turning in England and beyond since June 2016. Around a year ago several Scottish leaders began to discuss and pray about bringing The Turning to Scotland. In February and April, Pastor Yinka from Reading led Pastors’ Envisioning and Pastors’ Training gatherings in 4 cities, 3 of which decided to plan for August missions this year. Details can be found at: www.theturning.eu/Scotland
Over 10 days in Edinburgh & Glasgow (7 days in Aberdeen) teams working together in unity (As One!) have spread out in each city centre to share the Gospel in one-to-one conversations. Over 250 signed up to take part in Edinburgh, over 100 in Glasgow and around 65 in Aberdeen.
There was a great sense of anticipation at the launch gatherings and, if the experience of the towns and cities that have hosted The Turning in England, Wales and France over the past 2 years is anything to go by, we can expect many hundreds to come to faith in Jesus, together with healings and other miracles as the teams step out in faith and pray with those they meet.
The vision of The Turning is nothing less than the re-evangelising and the discipling of the nation with the Church working together ‘As One!’. While the state of parts of the Church is a cause for concern, there is another side to the story. For those hearing the call of the Spirit, in whom Jesus’ prayer in John 17 resonates, there is an increasing desire and willingness to come together, to work together ‘as one’ for the sake of the Gospel, the sake of the Kingdom.
The Church in Scotland has been called the ‘sleeping giant’. That giant is now stirring! In many areas new churches are being planted out from existing ones, missional communities are being established in new estates, there are more regular joint churches prayer events as well as many other joint initiatives.
There is a shift occurring and it is time for the church – the ‘ekklesia’ – the ‘gathered ones with authority’– to rise up and take back the ground that has been stolen – to recapture that ground and hold it for the Kingdom of God. Scotland – it’s Time to Turn back to God!
Please pray for all involved in these missions, thanking God for the excellent response and for the teams from Reading, England that have given of their time to work with and encourage us (for many this will be stepping out of their comfort zones!). Pray also for a rich harvest and that the follow-up and ongoing discipleship will be thorough and excellent. Pray that from this start, a momentum will gather, equipping the church to share the Gospel throughout Scotland!
Alistair Barton
Director, Pray for Scotland
Mission Academy Live
HOPE are delighted by the number of churches using Mission Academy Live with their young people, and they are excited by the opportunity to recruit and train 60 more young evangelists in the coming year. Mission Academy Live, in ten innovative video-based sessions, aims to empower young people as missional disciples within a small group context. With a focus on peer-to-peer evangelism, each session provides an understanding of today's contemporary context, with teaching, discussion, and testimony, all leading to a practical response. Through accountable relationships, this first-of-its-kind evangelism and discipleship tool encourages young people to be intentional, authentic, united, and obedient to the call and command of Christ to ‘go,and make disciples’.
