| 2nd
June, 2006
DAVID ADAMS
From Jordan in the Middle East to Jamaica in the Caribbean,
from the former Soviet republic of Tajikistan to the African
nation of Tunisia and the Pacific island nation of Fiji, millions
of Christians from around the globe will gather together on
Pentecost Sunday to simultaneously lift their voices in prayer
to God.
Following on from the success of last year’s
Global Day of Prayer - in which more than 200 million Christians
gathered together in 156 countries - it has been suggested
that this year’s day - which could see even greater
numbers involved - could be the largest ever prayer gathering
in human history.
The Global Day of Prayer traces its origins back to July,
2000, when, inspired by a video showing what had happened
in Cali, Colombia, after pastors had started praying together
for their town, South African businessman Graham Power received
a vision from God.
“We’re
trusting that in 2006 on June 4th, Pentecost Sunday,
that we’re believing all 220 nations in the
world will join and...that we will see all nations
and all continents joining in this second Global Day
of Prayer," says Graham Power.
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Power’s
vision - and a “follow-up” vision he received
in early 2002 - instructed him to hire Cape Town’s Newland
Rugby Stadium and gather Christians from all denominations
for a day of repentance and prayer. They also entailed challenging
Christians in other South African provinces to do the same
and then taking the message to the other nations of Africa
and eventually, the entire world.
The idea took hold and the following year, 45,000 people filled
the Cape Town stadium to repent before God. In 2002, eight
stadiums and 350,000 people were involved and a year after
that it was 2.5 million people in 130 stadiums.
In 2004 more than 22 million people gathered at sites across
Africa and, following an invitation from Africa to join them,
last year the first Global Day of Prayer was held.
While it’s estimated that as many as 200 million people
were involved in the day last year, even bigger crowds are
expected this year. According to organisers, Christians from
as many as 178 nations indicating they were taking part.
Speaking to radio station UCB Europe earlier this year, Power
said that “just to have seen how God has leapfrogged
this thing way beyond one’s wildest dreams or expectations
has just been so exciting to see”.
“We’re trusting that in 2006 on June 4th, Pentecost
Sunday, that we’re believing all 220 nations in the
world will join and...that we will see all nations and all
continents joining in this second Global Day of Prayer.”
As well as the day itself, Christians have been encouraged
to spend the preceding 10 days in prayer and follow it up
with 90 days of “community blessing”.
Power told UCB radio that during the 90 day period, pastors
and ministers are being encouraged to “take hands with
the business community” and tackle the needs of the
local area, whether there are poverty, employment or AIDS-related
or simply cleaning up graffiti.
In Australia last year, prayer was held at more than 140 different
venues across the country. This year those venues include
Uluru where Christians from all denominations are expected
to gather to prayer for Australia.
Power said he believed that what the world saw last year during
the Global Day of Prayer initiative “is just the start”.
“Africa, the ‘Dark Continent’, is due to
become the light of the world as impossible (as that sounds)...”
he said. “That vision that God brought so clearly showed
that Africa, through a spiritual revival starting at the south...would
be a light to the world."
For more information, visit globaldayofprayer.com
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