A selection of the week's happenings for your prayers.
Society & Politics
- Faith groups challenge Relationships and Sex Education (RSE): Members of major faith groups have set up a website opposing the Government’s controversial new RSE guidelines which could see compulsory lessons on LGBTQ+ lifestyles for children as young as four. The guidelines will be debated soon in the House of Lords. Read more here and here.
- Home-schooled children to be registered: The Education Secretary has announced plans to register and monitor home-schooled children, amid fears that many are being given a ‘solely religious education’ at unregistered faith schools. Read more here and here.
- Home Secretary orders review into Christian asylum seeker case: Sajid Javid has admitted that it was “totally unacceptable” for an Iranian Christian asylum-seeker to be denied entry into the UK through the use of Bible quotes by the Home Office, ostensibly to prove that Christianity is not a peaceful religion. Read more here.
World Scene
- Britain, France and Germany seek Iran report: The three countries have petitioned the UN Secretary-General to investigate Iran’s recent ballistic activity, considering it ‘inconsistent’ with the terms of the 2015 nuclear deal. Read more here.
- Republicans push for vote on ‘Born Alive’ bill: The bill would illegalise infanticide by requiring infants who survive abortions to receive vital medical care. The Republican Party has filed a petition to bypass the Democrat-controlled House, which so far has shut down 25 attempts to bring the bill to the floor for a vote. Read more here.
- Russia suspends theological seminaries: Two prominent seminaries in the country, one Baptist and the other Pentecostal, have been ordered to stop taking students as part of a broader governmental crack-down on faith groups. Read more here.
- Chinese offered rewards to inform on believers: The Chinese Government is now offering cash rewards to citizens who inform on believers and underground churches. Read more here.
Israel & Middle East
- Israel goes to the polls: This coming Tuesday, 9 April, Israelis will be voting in their General Election, in what has become a two-horse race between incumbent Benjamin Netanyahu (Likud) and ex-IDF Chief of Staff Benny Gantz (Blue and White alliance). For primers on the election, read more here. For Messianic perspectives, click here and here.
- Seal found in City of David: A 6th Century BC clay seal bearing the name of one of King Josiah’s aides (named in 2 Kings 23:11) has been unearthed underneath a car park in Jerusalem, within the City of David National Park. Read more here and here.
- Palestinians fleeing Lebanon: While the international media has been obsessed with the Gaza border protests, Palestinians facing discrimination and impoverishment in Lebanon have been trying to draw attention to their plight. Read more here.
Events
- National Day of Prayer: Thursday 11 April 2019. Join the National Call to Prayer group rally in Parliament Square from 7-8pm. Prayer meetings are also happening around the country. Find out more here.
- The Christian Response to Relationships and Sex Education: 23 April 2019 (Romsey, Hampshire) and 8 May 2019 (Rochester, Kent). Two evening events with Tim Vince, director of Christian Education Europe. Register for free (Kent only) by clicking here. Email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. for more information.
Recommended Sources
At Prophecy Today UK we are aware that the world is moving very quickly and it is difficult to keep up with all the latest developments – especially when the material circulated by our mainstream media is increasingly far from reality and definitely not devoted to a biblical perspective!
Though we are not a news service, we want to help keep you informed by passing on updates and reports as we are led. This will be a selective, not an exhaustive, round-up, which we hope will be helpful for your prayers. Click here to browse our News archive.
We recommend the following news services for regular updates from a Christian perspective:
- Christian Concern (UK)
- Christian Institute (UK)
- JNN News (Barry and Batya Segal, Israel)
- Worthy News (Israel)
- Family Watch International
- Barnabas Fund
- Kehila News (Israel)
For regular news briefings about Israel, the Jewish News Syndicate is also recommended.
