Wars & rumors of war

Foreign Policy online has an article they published before the new year signaling a number of hotspots around the world that are on the brink of war, or could easily be pushed that way.

Across the globe today, you'll find almost three dozen raging conflicts, from the valleys of Afghanistan to the jungles of the Democratic Republic of the Congo to the streets of Kashmir. But what are the next crises that might erupt in 2011? Here are a few worrisome spots that make our list. 

1. Côte d'Ivoire
2. Colombia
3. Zimbabwe
4. Iraq
5. Venezuela
6. Sudan
7. Mexico
8. Guatemala
9. Haiti
10. Tajikistan
11. Pakistan
12. Somalia
13. Lebanon
14. Nigeria
15. Guinea
16. Democratic Republic of the Congo

Thankful for the relative peace in which we dwell (despite living in a secular state), but also praying that the Prince of peace will come and bring His kingdom and set everything right.

Prayer Bootcamp for Urban Mission

Back in November, my wife and I had the opportunity to attend the "Prayer Bootcamp for Urban Mission" in Vancouver put on by our Grace Church Planting Network. Justine Hwang & Pastor John Smed led the bootcamp. John writes,

"The secret to effective prayer is to connect the gospel to prayer and prayer to mission. This is the essential character of Jesus’ prayer. The upward priority of worship, the kingdom values of preaching grace and doing justice, and the inward practices of forgiveness and spiritual warfare are all contained in the Lord’s Prayer. This workshop is applied prayer. We put Christ’s teaching into immediate action as we pray together for each others’ churches and cities. The outcome of this workshop is ‘prayer trainers’. With prayer resources and instruments in hand, participants put into practice what is learned."

Here is a short video highlighting that project.



Grace prayer from Peter Jordan on Vimeo.
John & Justine are looking to expand this ministry.   We would definitely endorse the bootcamp.

I need to start my days like this...

From Pastor Scotty Smith's blog:

Most gracious Father, I dare not take on today's agenda without immersing my heart in the extraordinary good news and supply of the gospel.  For I already feel a busy cluttered-spirit rearing its ugly head inside of me... wrangling over everything I need to get done and everyone I need to see.  The control-meister in me is plotting orphan-like strategies just to make it through today.  In short, I really need the gospel today. 

Read the rest here.  

Is God Silent?

I've been reading Paul Miller's excellent book, A Praying Life:  Connecting with God in a Distracting World, which is stuffed with great insights & quotes.  Here's just one of them....

"Sometimes when we say 'God is silent,' what's really going on is that he hasn't told the story the way we wanted it told.  He will be silent when we want him to fill in the blanks of the story we are creating.  But with his own stories, the ones we live in, he is seldom silent."  

I'm almost finished with this book (& give it top scores), but this book is not finished with me. A friend of mine said that this is not simply the best book on prayer out there, but one of the best books on the Christian life. I have to concur.

On prayer...

From Pastor Scotty Smith's blog:

Jesus, there’s no way I’m going to engage with Paul’s admonition to devote myself to prayer if I’m not increasingly aware of your devotion to me in the gospel.

Read his whole prayer here.

The Olympics in China are over, but our prayers must not cease...

Filed Under: "Never Forget"
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For the past several weeks, the eyes of the world have been on the Olympics in China. By all accounts, China did a good job of putting on a good show for the world. But behind the scenes, we must never forget that China is one of the world's biggest violators of human rights, and one of the biggest persecutors of Christ's Church.

Voice of the Martyrs has done a great job highlighting persecution in China (as well as many other sites).

Rev. David Cassidy says "Remember...

...that the Chinese Government oppresses and actively persecutes Christians,

...it takes about one dollar for us to produce a Chinese language Bible, but it takes almost a year's income for a Chinese believer to purchase a Bible produced in the only factory in the country where their production is allowed,

...that there are some 300 million believers in China, a Church almost as large as the entire population of the United States,

...that every sermon in every 'official' church is recorded for government monitors to examine, and subjects such as 'eternal life' may not be proclaimed in those sermons,

...that while the world celebrates gold medals in Beijing, Chinese Christian men and women suffer for the crown of life in prisons across the country.

PRAY FOR CHINA!"

Click here to see some suggestions by Mark Altrogge on how to pray for the persecuted Church in China.