Europe’s drought and cost of living
Rivers drying up and farmland parched: Europe’s water scarcity is affecting lives and businesses. Scientists warn the current European drought could become its worst in over 500 years. Water scarcity has hit 60% of the continent from Italy to the UK. An unusually dry winter and scorching summer heat reduced rivers to rivulets. The historic water reserve lows have forced governments to restrict supplies, seriously affecting many sectors from agriculture to shipping. In July heatwaves shaved 0.5% off Europe’s annual GDP. Wildfires destroyed crops across Italy, Greece, France, and Spain, and energy prices are up because of the war in Ukraine. The Global Commission on Adaptation said an estimated investment of $800m in climate programmes could save poor nations up to $16bn every year.
Turkey / Israel: full diplomatic ties restored
Israel and Turkey have announced the return of full diplomatic ties between the two nations, including the reinstatement of ambassadors and consulate generals. This constitutes an important asset for regional stability and very important economic news for Israelis. Their relationship had deteriorated over the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, and Erdogan has been a harsh critic of Israel in its conflict with the Palestinians. Turkey has also hosted several Hamas leaders, which further strained relations between the two nations. Many believe Erdogan’s wish to renew these relations is a result of Turkey's economy floundering and his popularity dipping as a result.
Iran: Baha’i persecution
Over 200 security forces entered Roshankouh village in northern Iran to demolish houses and farms belonging to members of the Baha’i faith. They blocked the roads leading to the village and arrested anyone who tried to stop them. They confiscated mobile phones and warned locals not to take photos or videos of them using heavy construction machinery to demolish buildings. Since early June, Iran has intensified its systematic campaign to suppress the religious minority, raiding households, shutting down businesses, arresting many, and putting Baha’i on trial, including three of the former leaders of the community. 50 Baha’i homes were demolished in the same province; the authorities confiscated the assets of 27 Baha’i families who had lived there for several generations, claiming that the money they earned was ‘unlawfully earned’. 20+ Baha'i businesses were closed in July. Very little Christian love and witness to them exists, although some Persian Christians have begun to reach out to them.
USA / South Korea military exercises
In recent years, the United States and South Korea have cancelled some of their regular drills and reduced others to computer simulations, to create space for diplomacy and allay Covid-19 concerns. But after North Korea dismissed South Korean president Yoon Suk Yeol's offer to exchange denuclearisation steps and economic benefits, the USA and South Korea began their biggest combined military training in years on 22 August, heightening their defence posture against the growing North Korean nuclear threat. The Ulchi Freedom Shield exercises, which will continue until 1 September, include aircraft, warships, tanks, and potentially tens of thousands of troops. They could draw anger from Pyongyang, which has pushed its weapons testing activity to a record pace this year while repeatedly threatening conflicts with Seoul and Washington amid a prolonged stalemate in diplomacy. Some say North Korea sees the exercises as rehearsals for an invasion.
As we came together, millions of hours of worship, prayer and intercession rose up before the Lord like incense as we cried out to the Lord on behalf of the salvation of multitudes in the nations. We desperately asked the Lord of the Harvest to hurl forth laborers to the remaining unreached people groups, asking every believer to be a witness. We prayed for an increased number of churches to be planted in 24 of the most unreached Muslim cities in the world. This resulted in millions coming to Christ, and thousands of churches being planted around the world, all for the Glory of the Lamb!
Global Jesus Fast – Thousands of believers around the world participated in a 40 day Daniel Fast, with a focus on ‘Beholding the Lamb,’ and praying in agreement for a mighty harvest of souls in the nations, including the salvation of unbelieving jews around the world!
One Miracle Night - During Ramadan we saw 43,000hrs of committed prayer (people committing to 15 minutes of day with specific Bible-based prayer points on behalf of unreached Muslims peoples and cities throughout the Middle East.
May 1st Go Pray - We launched a global prayer broadcast through God-TV calling the nations to pray for evangelism and church planting during the month of May (Go Movement)!
World Prayer Assembly 2.0 - 500,000 from 101 nations gathered virtually in watch parties to pray for a New wave of the Knowledge of the Glory of the Lamb to cover the earth as the waters cover the sea (Hab. 2:14). We shared together in a special time of communion at the Lord’s table and came together as family from different regions of the world. The Indonesia’s followed this with up adopting 100 of the remaining unreached frontier people groups around the world and prayer walked 257 Indonesian cities on June 27th!
GO Month Report – With the vision, “Every believer a witness: Everyone can reach Someone and Together we can reach the World for Christ,” over 50 million people came to Christ during the month of month. Many of the world largest denominations participated together this year including the Assembly of God and the Baptist world, with a strong emphasis and focus this year in Africa! Over 500 people were water baptized in one location in Chad!
