Challenges Encountered within the Spheres Part 1

We recently commenced a research to find out the challenges that are being encountered within the Spheres of Influence in cities and regions across the world. We asked people “What are the Challenges that are affecting the Spheres of Influence in your city, in your region?” 

Below are some of the initial responses we have received. More are posted in Part 2.

From Australia

Dr Lachlan Dunjey – Sphere of Health and Science – Australia

The Battle for Medicine

“Traditional” medicine is under attack on many inter-related fronts perhaps broadly represented in summary by these specific but interrelated front lines.

Liberty of Conscience in Medicine

The exercise of conscience is foundational to good medicine. It underlies every aspect of good medical practice, to make good patient care our first concern and to practice medicine safely and effectively. See http://www.conscienceinmedicine.net.au/

Liberty of conscience lies at the very heart of our integrity. It is conscience that must compel doctors to refuse to participate in treatments they believe to be un-ethical or that they consider not to be in the best interests of patients.

But this is at risk even from within the profession “If people are not prepared to offer legally permitted, efficient, and beneficial care to a patient because it conflicts with their values, they should not be doctors” Professor Julian Savulescu, Oxford Uehiro Centre for Practical Ethics, BMJ 2006;332:294-297 February 4.

For further discussion including doctors not being able to access training places in various disciplines see http://www.medicinewithoutmorality.info/wp-content/uploads/downloads/2011/09/Liberty-of-Conscience.pdf

Informed Consent

Truly informed consent is being suppressed by those of particular ideology, particularly with respect to abortion – the mounting evidence for the breast cancer connection, Post-Abortion Syndrome and pre-term birth with its many consequences including cerebral palsy cannot be so easily dismissed. Our liberty to tell truth is at risk.

Doctors as “providers of medical services”

Turning doctors into mere service providers of medical services on demand instead of doctors with conscience, with the traditional doctor/patient relationship being replaced by a service-provider/consumer contract, providing all that is legal whether or not it is consistent with their ethical base. To sacrifice conscience and be concerned only with service provision is to destroy the heart and soul of medicine. For fuller discussion see http://www.medicinewithoutmorality.info/wp-content/uploads/downloads/2011/09/Notre-Dame-Law-and-Ethics.pdf

Law of the State overriding medical ethics.

Governments may legislate to permit certain practices or procedures but governments must never force doctors to violate their conscience by compulsory engagement in such practices or procedures – as indeed has happened with Section 8 of the Victorian 2008 legalisation of abortion compelling doctors to refer to another doctor for abortion.

The Independence of the medical profession is critical – belief in practice as enshrined in the international covenants of the UDHR and ICCPR and non-derogable, that cannot be overridden even in national emergency (article 4 ICCPR).

When legal code supersedes moral code, the slope of a culture’s decline is steep and swift. J. Scott Ries, MD

Medical codes of conduct must never be subject to degradation by government. Permission becomes Compulsion.

Life – it’s definition, when does it begin and when does it become of value?

Human life has intrinsic value and worth in all states of dependence and disability from conception to life’s natural end, the need for the definition being highlighted by

• Euthanasia and physician assisted suicide: euphemistically described as MAiD (Medical Aid in Dying); a fundamental shift in medicine turning healers into killers; confusing the problem of suffering with the life of the person, to kill the pain but not the person with it;
  Unrestricted even for the non-dying; even for existential distress in teenagers,
  Economic strangulation of palliative care services; funding limited for patients seeking palliative care but funding given for assisted suicide.
  Community expectation for the sick and elderly to take up this option; see article by Dr David van Gend of 7 July, ‘Did Granny jump, or was she pushed?’ Euthanasia is a threshold too far.
  Giving state approval for suicide as a valid option; weakening of national strategies against suicide
• Abortion: the continuing push for legalisation with no restriction on time, method or reason (even de-selection of a female twin).
  Routine pre-natal diagnosis with implied embryo selection or abortion of the “defective” (even compulsory). Already parents who do not agree to have their babies “de-selected” are labelled “genetic outlaws” and face the accusation “how dare you bring this financial impost on the community.”
  With the sinister creation of a list of “defects” that are not “worthy” of life.
  Including Down Syndrome to the point of genocide of that happy and educable group of people. See Karen Gaffney https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HwxjoBQdn0s&vl=en
  Promotion of Infanticide as “post-birth abortion” before the onset of “self-awareness” as being equivalent to abortion and therefore OK.
• Research and experimentation at frontiers of science
  Destructive embryo research for the sake of the living including stem-cell research
  Designer babies to provide cells for siblings
  Cloning for the sake of cell and even organ provision for living siblings or other relatives, even the clone parent
  Other genetic manipulation including three-parent families; genome editing (genetic modification); hybrids – mixing of animal and human genes; cyborgs – mixing of organic and inorganic

Medical Board of Australia

And now, astonishingly and unexpectedly, the MBA with its threatened clamping down (Draft Code 2018) of free speech by doctors and Good Medical Practice being subject to “cultural beliefs” and transgender and identity ideology. These changes would add penalty to perceived breaches relating to any of the above threats to the future of medicine and free debate or expression of views on these threats. Is the MBA itself now into unprofessional conduct in the sense of sabotaging Good Medicine? At least now it has reversed its policy to list complaints against doctors even when the complaints have been found to be without substance. Watch this space.

Transgender ideology and child abuse

The mutual exclusivity of the two “affirming” pathways of approach to the young child wishing to transgender i.e. affirming and reassuring of birth sex vs affirming of feeling sex, and only one of them can be child abuse as declared.

This is highlighted by – also possibly in contravention of international codes regarding human experimentation – the willingness of doctors to use treatments with known and unknown deleterious long-term effects e.g. the use of hormones or even radical disfiguring surgery to amputate normal breasts or genitalia. (Further highlighted by reports in USA of mastectomies in thirteen-year-old girls.)

The transgender argument is gaining momentum in the medical community as illustrated by the inclusion in the Medical Journal of Australia 6 August 2018 Volume 209 No 3 of the Consensus Statement by the Australian and New Zealand Professional association for Transgender Health that states “practices attempting to change a person’s gender identity to be more aligned with their sex assigned at birth… lack efficacy, are considered unethical, and may cause lasting damage…”.

This is a clear ethical divide in which it is essential for medicine, not activists, to be decisive and authoritative.

Liberty to tell truth that is not “politically correct”

Related to many of the above and sometimes labelled as “hate speech” and discrimination. Includes truth in informed consent; any promotion of children being preferentially brought up with biological mother and father; medical risks of promiscuity and homosexuality; premature sexualisation of our children; specific risks of anal intercourse including to our young when presented as a “contraceptive” measure in school “respectful relationships”.

Mal Prior

Issues of Concern in the Australian Capital Territory Feb 2019

• Family – Work family balance -Increase in single parent families – Financial pressures
• Church (Ecclesia) – Less tangible unity and cooperation than previously – Progressive theology undermining biblical worldview in some entities
• Government and the Military- -Volatile federal government, need to more members of character. Progressive territory government with social experiment aptitudes
• Law and Justice – Major centre for procurement of pornography. Bike gangs relocated from NSW and USA affecting drug trade, violence etc
• Religion and Philosophy – Strong rationalist humanist cohort in city leadership – Pro gay lobby etc
• Education – Progressive policies in government schools, Safe Schools agenda being pushed harder than in any state except Victoria – Gender bending instruction
• Health and Science – Full term abortion legalised.

Dr Jeffrey Camm

The Problems we face in Australia in 2019

• Family – With the liberalisation of family law, with the allowance by governments, for teenagers to leave home and get Centrelink payments, or worse still, divorce their parents, the scriptures teaching that “parents train up their children in the ways of the Lord” is being skilfully eroded.
• Church (Ecclesia) – The modern-day church leadership in Australia are not prepared to speak out on important issues, which go against God’s word, and because of this weakness, have allowed laws to be passed in this nation, which defile the land, in accordance with Leviticus chapter 19.
  When was the last time (if ever) that a church leader has been charged and put in prison for confronting the government of Biblical issues?
  When was an Australian church leader martyred inside of Australia for standing up for Jesus? NEVER! Remember, that Judgement will first begin inside the church!
• Government and the Military – The Government in Australia is moving on the road of corruption and moral decay, towards the abyss. If the church does not fulfil its role, then the nation will be overrun and subjected to outside religious and spiritual forces.
• Trade and Finance (Business) – We no longer have a major manufacturing industry. We used to make steel and other prime metals from our natural resources, but now it is all exported and we have to import the manufactured product, sometimes of inferior quality. All of our cars, buses, trucks, trains, aircrafts, ships, and military hardware are all imported. We are now a nation at the mercy of external governmental, political, and business pressures.
• Law and Justice – Laws are on the books, but the judges are too lenient, with “soft sentencing” of convicted criminals, making a mockery out of justice system.
  Political pressure says that we cannot identify suspected criminals by their race, religious, or ethnic identity, which is becoming a joke, as we see gangs of youths “of African appearance” openly harass citizens on the streets in Melbourne and the police sit by with the hands behind their backs.
• Religion and Philosophy – We see an emergence of a “false church” rising up in Australia, where it is OK to have Gay & Lesbian ordained priests/pastors, in clear contradiction to God’s word.
  “Sin”, “Hell”, and “Repentance” and not taught often enough. Very few churches have had detailed teachings from the Book of Daniel, or Revelation, to point the church to the times and the seasons we are now experiencing, especially what is happening in Israel.
• Education – Safe Schools Program is spiritually “unsafe for young children”, and should not be implemented in schools in its present format, where it discusses transgender issues.
• Charity and Not for Profit Welfare – Church charity organisations should not rely on government funding, because it allows the governments to exert undue pressure on church organisation to implement “non-Christian” issues, or lose their funding.
• Health and Science – We are living longer, but the government is not preparing enough skilled workers to care for the ageing in their homes.
  We have had many interesting and useful inventions and discoveries in Australia but sadly, the government has not capitalised on them and these inventions have been developed overseas, instead of right here in Australia.
• Media and Entertainment – Violence and Soft porn is now “legal” and it is de-sensitising the youth, with resultant increases in these crimes.
• Sport and Recreation – There is plenty of facilities for these events, but we still are one of the most obese nations on earth, with the resultant medical repercussions

Fr Guy Carlson (retired Jesuit priest) – Australia

I am a priest half way into my 92nd year and my ‘ministry’ for the past seven years has been to pray, so your letter was very welcome. I have learnt to make thanksgiving a large part of my prayer and when I pray for particular problems, I pray for those causing the problem as well as for the victims or sufferers.

• Family: Domestic violence – perpetrators and victims. Children: abusers and abused. Bullying. Too much electronic and screen time and not enough exercise. Child safety.
• Church: self-image in the light of child-abuse. Hierarchical control instead of community is its big problem.
• Govt. & Military: The culture of power and control instead of service.
• Trade & Finance: Lack of integrity – profits before service. The worship of wealth.
• Law and Justice: The need for rehabilitation rather than punishment. Community protection.
• Religion & Philosophy: Development of a world view that sees humanity as one and discourages every form of isolationist policy (America first!)
• Education: person centred and not using people as means to an end v.g. jobs, the economy etc.
• Charity: integrity of the institutions handling other peoples’ money. A spirit of generosity and compassion.
• Health and science: Thanksgiving for the work of doctors, nurses, hospital staff and research centres.
• Media & Entertainment: greater respect for truth and decency.
• Sport & Recreation: resist the corruption created by money and betting. Stadiums draw far more people than do churches, so prayers for those watching games need our prayers too.

Jacqueline Donaldson – Blacktown, NSW Australia

In Blacktown the issues are

• Education: Lack of Education beyond High School
• Family: Families in Public Housing, in Ward 5 alone there are 11 suburbs of Public Housing creating a concentration of families struggling without fathers, with addictions, recently released from gaol and mental illnesses. Unemployment, especially amongst young people, and generational unemployment
• Business: Blacktown has a GDP higher than many small countries but there is a great inequality in the distribution of that wealth.
• Law and order is an issue in the area of petty crimes, break and enter, personal theft, domestic violence. There is also a problem with young people and the police, they are often stopped just for walking down the street. There seems to be a mutual disrespect between these two groups.

Heather Jones – Lake Macquarie, NSW Australia

Prayers for The spheres of Health, Employment, Family, and Welfare are the primary ones for people here.

Kerry Graf – Nimmitabel, NSW Australia

• Family – A large presence of LGBTQ people…Many single feminists with focus on careers meaning broken families
• Church (Ecclesia) some good churches but many small ones not connected to the larger body of Christ. It would be great to see more unity between all of these churches. Some ethnic groups, eg various African nations, Korean, Philippino meet together with each other but not really connected to the church at large. Somewhat apathetic. Events like the national day of prayer and fasting can be woefully and pitifully attended!
• Government and the Military – not an issue that can be seen from an outsider’s perspective but a lot of bad behaviours go on in parliament and behind closed doors. I happen to know at least one of the politicians who has to travel to Canberra a lot meets with another woman while his wife is at home. I’m sure this is probably multiplied amongst the politicians since they have to be in Canberra so many weeks of the year.
• Trade and Finance (Business) – Very prosperous city but also very caught up with large government and left oriented politically.
• Law and Justice – Seems OK but police tend to side with LGBTQ when they come to disrupt our Christian political demonstrations
• Religion and Philosophy – Most people that I have worked with are either atheist or silent about their faith
• The Arts – Mostly pushing the limits against godliness, otherwise very well funded and patronised
• Education – depends on the school but from my experience full of leftist, anti-Christian teachers. Some teachers openly mock Christianity and speak badly of the church. A few good Christian schools however.
• Health and Science – seems very well represented for such a small city
• Media and Entertainment – Media is appallingly biased and slanted with an unsympathetic view of Christianity (Canberra Times). ABC Radio Station has a huge 666 on its wall (due to its frequency though I think it’s naive to assume that it was a randomly allocated number. A good Christian station though run by dedicated Christians.
• Sport and Recreation – Cricket is a huge drawcard for people from outside to come to Canberra. Personally I wish the sports were held on Saturdays so that they would not clash with church.

Michelle Thomas – Newcastle, NSW Australia

• Family – We are praying for restoration in families. For men to rise up. Pray against abortion. Pray for Families in a Godly order
• Law – justice and Government
• Witchcraft in Government – Police forces.
• Churches – Let go of control and let God move. Regional strongholds. Pray against Serpent spirit.
• Media – Addiction to computer games

(Name withheld) – NSW

Within our area of Galston, Arcadia, Glenorie, Dural, NSW Australia

• Family … separation / divorce / extramarital affairs … fatherlessness, break down in marriage
• Church (Ecclesia) … relevance / focus / lack of unity
• Religion and Philosophy … pluralism / blending of beliefs
• Education … struggle to fulfil opportunities within primary schools with religious education
• Health and Science … high levels of anxiety, depression especially among the youth
• Sport and Recreation … division

Greg Levett – Northern Beaches, NSW Australia

The only challenges I see would be the same regardless of spheres and that is that the body of Christ has been sleeping and is only just starting to awaken. What is needed is more prayer and fire & hunger in the hearts of believers…and that can only be achieved with more prayer

Rod Cocking – Maroubra, NSW Australia

• Family – Both parents working & under significant pressure
• Church – (Ecclesia) Influenced by culture
• Government and the Military – Aggressive left wing ideology
• Law and Justice – Freedom of speech & religion
• Religion and Philosophy – False doctrine
• Education – Threats to SRE
• Media and Entertainment – Increasingly immoral worldviews portrayed

Leeanne Butcher – Care Team Coordinator, Australian Anti Ice Campaign

Web: www.australianantiicecampaign.org.au https://www.facebook.com/australianantiicecampaign

• Family: Break down due to dysfunction caused by alcohol and drugs. When family members reach out to us for help due to a loved one in addiction, it is a real challenge to teach them and have them come together united in not enabling their drug addicted loved one. Those in addiction have to come to their own realization of needing help to change due to consequences of their addiction.
• Church (Ecclesia): Needs to do more reaching out in the community. Jesus came to set the captives free. He came for the down-trodden, the sick and the needy. To reach them we as a church need to be seen in the community as doing what the early church in the Book of Acts were doing.
• Trade and Finance (Business): Need to put more emphasis on helping charities that are working in a pro-active manner in helping the needy.
• Education: there is little emphasis on education and awareness which could lower the statistics of Ice addiction
• Charity and Not for Profit Welfare: We, as a Not For profit organisation struggle to pay overheads such as rent. We have evidence based experience that what we do works yet government bodies are not willing to help us financially.

David Louie – Sydney, NSW Australia

The biggest challenges for Christians having influence is shrinking back. We need to step up with boldness and speak plainly and honestly about our faith in whatever sphere we find ourselves in – but it needs to start in our everyday conversations. We won’t be able to speak up against injustice and evil if we can’t speak openly and honestly about what we do on Sunday, or how a Bible passage spoke to us or transformed an area of our lives.

For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of love, power and a sound mind.

Everyday people always ask the question “How’s life treating you?” My honest response is “Life treats me terrible, but God treats me good. Every good thing I have in life is from God.” which then flows into a directed God conversation.

We don’t have to have all the answers, although I believe we have the majority of them covered. People aren’t looking to me for all the answers, but they are looking for people who are unashamed, honest and bold enough to speak about their failings and in the same breath speak of Gods redeeming grace.

I’d encourage fellow believers to bolder in their declaration and confession of their faith. When we do it lights a flame and shines a light on the work God is doing in our lives. It’s personal and the person is able to speak with authority. It also encourages other Christians to speak up and support others. The Holy Spirit convicts and causes people to move towards the purposes of God.

Judy May – Australia

I am deeply concerned about the move by the LGBT people to promote to teachers, books for children that have in their content, the promotion of homosexuality. They also want it included in the English curriculum. Please consider placing this on the intercessory prayer network.
Love and God bless you.

Ps Justin Lippiatt – Queensland

The regional and rural areas are usually hard places to establish churches and ministries, especially where the local churches frown upon “external influences” or challenges to the status quo. These smaller Christian communities are generally suspicious of sheep rustling and can often be at odds with the establishment of new ministries and the planting of churches. Smaller towns can be termed as “graveyards for pastors” especially those filled with enthusiasm and drive. It doesn’t take long before the Spirit of Religion and the Spirit of Discouragement join forces with the “Pharisees” to ensure no Christ-like, Spirit-filled change takes place.

Local and State Government leaders are part of the regional community and often held in high esteem. They know certainly that there is a large proportion of the constituency that is “Christian”, and count on their votes. However, apathy and complacency on behalf of the Church have allowed minorities to have a louder voice and so policy ends up being driven by appeasing the minorities.

Business is localised and prefers local traders. External companies like Bunnings or Coles are welcomed on one hand but despised on the other for “driving” small businesses out.

Alcohol consumption is extremely high, and drug abuse is critical especially affecting those who on the breadline. Smaller towns and cities are targets for drug dealers because they can offer an “escape” from the perceived smallness of their lives and their impoverished welfare-dependent “lot in life”.

Charities and NFP’s are well supported but funding is minimal, so effectiveness is limited.

Teenage pregnancy is high, whether it is welcomed or not. Marriage is no longer seen as the appropriate sanctified union it used to be. It is often the case that “partners” form the blended family union, often with children from multiple prior relationships.

V.S. – Melbourne, Victoria

The challenges confronting Melbourne:

• Church: A compromising Church that does not propagate Truth.
• Health and Science being corrupted by pseudo statistics that promote a culture of death, gender confusion, abortion, and climate politics.
• Education is relegated to disseminating point 2.
• Media that is antagonistic against The Christian Faith and Jesus Christ.

From Overseas

Dr Sami Mouwakdie – Beirut, Lebanon

I’ll associate one challenge for each chapter you mentioned above:

• Family – Divorce
• Church – Renovation
• Government – Corruption
• Business – Charity
• Justice – seeking justice of the Lord
• Education – Tuition, Holy Spirit, bullying
• Health – Humanism, Charity, consciousness
• Media – Ethics
• Entertainment – Ethics, cheapness

Joel Martin – South of Sudan, Africa

First of all greeting to you in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, Amen

• Family: they’re is many families much out from their houses into street with their children seeking for food and good place .
• Church: there is lukewarmness in other churches, the devil is attacking other church with spirit of laziness , spirit of Adultery . and between the leaders of the church some of them didn’t have desire to serve the Lord because of misunderstanding between them.
• Government and the Military: there is disagree between the leaders of the government .
• Trade and Financial ( business) It’s very worst ,it’s big challenge here in my country . the people are suffering because the prices in the markets are going up every day, We living by God’s grace.
• Education: Education is not good because there is no support for the teachers . The teachers refuses to teach the students at schools, in special schools the fees is too high for some families can’t pay it .

Mindi Palm

www.mindipalm.com

Here are some areas of prayer in the context of abortion.

• Family – family units are broken and people are more isolated than ever, but praying that expecting mothers would deny the ill advice to have an abortion and choose life, alternative choices such as adoption, foster care, strength in the family unit, love for babies and children (not contempt).
• Church (Ecclesia) – the Church would stand up and speak the truth when millions of unborn babies are killed from early term right up to the time just before birth. Enough is enough, no more standing at the sidelines watching. Speak up and pray.
• Law and Justice abortion law, reform and policy. 50 years ago, abortion was up to a certain time, ie. “Heartbeat Law” now it’s anytime for any reason. An abomination to innocent lives that do not get empowerment, freedom and “women’s rights” – they do not get a say as to whether they live or die
• Charity and Not for Profit Welfare – organizations that support mothers, babies, unplanned pregnancies, NFPs that speak out against abortion, offer alternative choices, counseling and support.
• Health and Science – the medical world, though very advanced and beneficial in terms of vaccine, medicine has made it “normal” and “acceptable” for patients to believe abortion is the best choice. Words like “viable” are used to mask the deception, that a baby isn’t a valuable life until it’s born. And even if an abortion fails and the baby is born, it’s (legally) allowed to be left to die.

Gayle Anderson – Former Hospital Chaplain, USA

• Family – Broken Families: Many young adults living with parents and not working
• Church (Ecclesia) – Little Healthiness. In the Mormon community, and little good to see in the Protestant churches, a lot of dysfunction and false teaching.
• Government and the Military – Major Corruption, Injustice
• Trade and Finance (Business) – Unemployment
• Law and Justice – Injustice
• Religion and Philosophy – In the Mormon area, major drug issues
• Education- K- Junior and high school major bullying issues and other problems
• Charity and Not for Profit Welfare – Large numbers on some form of Government assistance. Dependence on Food Banks which are drying.(up)
• Health and Science- Medical largely unavailable except an hour away. No public Transport, dependant on personal vehicle or other people’s help

Valerie Howe – Springfield, Missouri Area, USA

• Family – sextrafficking and drug addiction
• Church – pornography and lack of confrontation of sin and pastors who preach that we are all a mess and so there’s no power in the resurrection. People witnessing for Jesus.
• Government and the military – Inability to work for the people
• Trade and finance – lack of integrity and the overwhelming debt and greed and coveting.
• Law and justice – Police officers and sheriffs and deputies to be treated with respect. Laws for the unborn and elderly to protect life. Judges who live and administer the law with respect.
• Religion and philosophy – New age philosophy in the church ie the god inside us is we ourselves instead of God is God.
• The Arts – using art forms to disparage the Name of Jesus.
• Education – propaganda is the public schools, violence and profanity.
• Charity and not for profit welfare – volunteers and financing.
• Health and Science – life of the unborn and elderly. Science to save and protect life. Also strange diseases.
• Media and Entertainment – pornography and sexual promiscuity. Divorce among actors. Influence of families and kids. More Christian films.
• Sport and Recreation – becoming like gods above God.

Apostle Dr. J. Robinson DrPH, DMin, PhD, MPH, MA – Senior Pastor – Dayton, Ohio, USA

www.abundantseason.wixsite.com/abundantseason

• The Family, as God intended (Husband, Wife, children and generations before and after to break generational curses and strongholds)
• The Church – Pray for true order, obedience, salvation, and true deliverance to serve in the Body of Christ. Pray against the spirit of pride, Jezebel, Ahab, and Judas and the spirit of opposition.Pray for financial increase for the church for Kingdom building. Pray for new Christians and those rededicating their lives to Christ to be still to learn and be faithful and commitment to knowing Christ and growing in Christ to spiritually mature to build disciples.
• Education – Pray for reform in the educational systems where technology is moving faster than the curriculum and by the time students graduate from high school or college the academic achievement especially at the college level maybe obsolete. We have to improve our ability to disseminate and captivate new learning capabilities in the classroom or even on-line. Pray for the safety of students. Pray against mass shootings and gun violence. Pray for new gun laws especially int he United States of America.
• Finances – Pray for jobs, careers, and financial streams to open up in the body of Christ, in our countries. Pray that all financial corruption and greed will be exposed.
• Entertainment/Arts – Pray that Christians become more powerful in this Sphere of Influence to spread the Word of Jesus Christ through entertainment and the arts
• Legal System – Pray for Christians that are incarcerated and for them to reform, be released and serving Jesus Christ.
• Health Systems: My background is also health and wellness. Continue to pray for Christians to take care of their health. Pray for our health and wellness program at the church (We provide wellness classes and assessments). We provide recovery classes for those with addictions (smoking, drinking, illegal drugs including marijuana). Pray for our grant funding for our programming to help our community and even new research in the field.) Also pray for my book (currently sold out) to be disseminated to the nations to help women: “Being a Happy Healthy Holy Woman” and I also have a book on prayer (12 Weapons of Spiritual Warfare). Pray that one day I will get an invitation to Australia to share and present the Word of God, and my health and wellness research.
• Charity/Not for Profit: Pray for our Not-for-Profit: “American Fitness Health & Wellness Institute”. We provided over 250 book bags last year and all the school supplies to help the students, including all school supplies, toiletries, hot meals, and ever kid and parent were prayed over to blessed them for the new school year and a hedge of protection over them so that no demon from hell could get to them or their school in Jesus name.

Thank you for asking! Thank you for praying in Jesus name

Pastor James V. Potter, Ph.D., Psy.D. – PMI Founder and Prelate, USA

Family and Church – The greatest issues continue to be God’s family – both our biological and church families. The greatest problem is rivalry and competition rather than mutual support and cooperation.

Victor S. Madzaiakapita Ph.D. – Regional Vice President for West & Southern Africa Regional Service Team – Living Water International

• Family – The devil is attacking families so that there are many divorces which impact on the church and the future generation (the children). We need to pray so that marriages and families can be strengthened in Christ. Children are not growing in the Lord within their homes because the television and computers or cell phones have taken over.
• Church (Ecclesia) – The Church is under attack in that we have now some elders who are sent by the evil one to confuse the church and we need to pray for protection of the Pastors and the whole church so that there can be a spirit of discernment as they appoint leaders
• Government and the Military – Though democracy was proposed with good intentions, there is a lot of cheating that one wonders if democracy is indeed taking place in many nations. We need to pray for the current governments so that they can focus on the welfare of their people in addition to growing economies. In terms of military there is need to pray that they indeed stop the raping of women in some parts of the world and focus on their jobs.
• Trade and Finance (Business) – There is a lot of cheating taking place in business where greed rules now. We need to pray for men and women of God that can stand and show that it is possible to operate in this environment without being corrupt
• Law and Justice – We have a serious problem that there is no more justice. Those who have money buy justice and the judgements are in their favour even though the truth is not like that. We need to pray for faithful children of God to occupy the roles in the Law and justice offices
• Religion and Philosophy – Religion is no longer popular and it is seen as if it is for the poor. We need to pray against that.
• The Arts – Many artists start well but for them to become very popular they sell their souls to the devil. We need to pray for the spirit of God to rule in this area and let God shine in what THEY DO.
• Education – This is one of the major areas where the devil has attacked different nations. Remove religion and teach children while they are young some religions or faith and give them a chance to
• Charity and Not for Profit Welfare – While many at first were interested to start Not for Profit and help the orphans and Vulnerable, many now are enriching themselves out of the money received for the orphans and vulnerable children. Some good donors who have been duped by such people, have decided to support helping and yet this is important. We pray that they find the right people who have the heart of God to help his people.
• Health and Science – There are many diseases that emanate from our sinful nature. We need to pray that we can stand against the devil and not be attacked by such diseases. Our eating habits have also led to diseases. Science instead of being a means to an end has now become the way to worship. We need to repent.
• Media and Entertainment – This is worse and it is indeed rocking marriages, churches, schools etc. There is need to pray that Churches can disciple their people so that they can understand what is good media and entertainment.
• Sport and Recreation – sports has become a god to some people. There is need to pray against that spirit.

Brendan Roach – Founder and CEO, Axx

www.axx.global

Challenges in the domain of Arts – We are working in the media and training space. There is great need for a godly voice in this space which are attempting to be. Your prayer are appreciated

Richard Elliott – Founder and Overseer, River of Revival Ministries

River of Revival Ministries is a global missions’ organization comprised of over 10,000 churches in Africa and Asia.

Last year I asked a similar question of our leaders, prompted by Holy Spirit. The answer was a bit different from what I expected. However it was expressed by most.
The answer we received was this: “Marginalization of the things of the Kingdom of God.”
I know leaders among a wide variety of church denominations and worship styles.
Marginalization IS the biggest challenge to expanding the Kingdom to these varied friends and leaders. Mainly, we believe, because it affects mindset.
Many differing reasons, many different strategies, but all aimed at marginalizing the church, the things of God and the core values embraced by genuine Christ followers.
Hope this is useful. Am not certain it fits what you are looking for. I only have what Holy Spirit gives us. Keep passionately loving and radically following Jesus.

Sharon L Bryant – Thailand

The focus of our ministry (Christian Volunteers in Thailand) is to share the love and grace of God with Thai children while teaching them the basics of the English language. Thailand lags far behind its neighbors in its fluency in English and this hurts its ability to participate in a global economy, hurting the prospects of all of its people. Our volunteers are professionals who come from many different nations, but they are all committed Christians.
Our greatest challenge: How can we be the most faithful reflection of Jesus Christ, showing his love to all, while dealing with the challenges of living and working in a country so different from our own native land?

From Rev. Prince O. Obi – Founder and Senior Pastor, The Lord’s Portion Intercessory Ministry, Inc. – Jacob Town, Paynesville, Monrovia, Liberia

Calvary greetings in the name of our soon coming King, Jesus Christ.
Our nation Liberia is located in West Africa, boundaries Guinea, Ivory Coast and Sierra Leone. The Nation capital is called Monrovia. We are kindly asking for Prayers in this eleven areas challenges that are affecting the below spheres of influence in Monrovia and Liberia as a whole.

• Family – Most of our families living in Monrovia and Liberia as a whole are living below poverty line less than one dollars a day because of the effect of 14 years of civil war in Liberia that totally damage our economy making our nation and citizens one of the poorest in the world. Even do our government is trying it’s best to provide basic amenities and employment for our citizens but 80 to 90 percent of our citizen are living below poverty line.
• Church – 65% to 70% of our citizens are professing to be Christians, even do there are some other religions, the most church goers are mainly the poor, this leaving the church depending on overseas for support. Because of the poverty level in the church some of our local Pentecostals and other denomination’s that do not have foreign support engage in all activities that are not scriptural to make some incomes. Please pray for our churches because they are suffering; please pray for the unity in the body of Christ.
• Trade and Finance (Business) – The economy of our nation is in the hand of the foreigners, all the mega businesses in our nations is owned by foreigners, especially the Lebanese and Indians, because of lack of finances to compete with the foreigners, our citizen engages in small businesses for survival.
• Law and Justice – The cost of getting justice in our court is too costly, most time the poor abandon their cases because of lack of money to pursue it. Some of our lawyers and judges are corrupt. They only give justice to the one that have money to give to them. Please pray for our justice system, it need overhauling.
• Religion and philosophy – our nation is a religious country that everyone will always identified with one religion or other 65 to 75% of our population are professing to be Christians but there are two major religion which is Islam and traditional religions, sometime some people who professing to be Christians are also seen practicing traditional religion and it’s cults in rural areas, it is very common practices.
• The Art – Since after the civil war which ended in 2003, the art industry is not growing because of lack of support but most of our youth talented in the areas of arts but nothing to help them to comes to light. Much work needs to be done in the areas of art to improve the lives of our youth. Please pray for us.
• Education – Education sectors in our nation is lacking behind because of lack of modern infrastructural school building and modern laboratory and library. Some schools in our nation do not even have laboratory, literary and computer lab but still have up to 12 grade students which are senior secondary school level. Our education sectors need upgrading, please pray for us.
• Charity & Not for profit welfare – since after the war, our nation have benefited much from charity / not for profit welfare organization especially from areas of safe drinking water and upgrading of some schools mainly from rural areas but our local charity / Not for Profit organization depends on the foreign partners to carry all their activities.
• Health and Science – Our Health sectors is still lacking behind after we survived from deadly Ebola crisis that hit our country in 2014 and claimed thousands of lives. We need improvement in this sector because most of our citizens die for curable, sicknesses and diseases because of lack of modern equipments and drugs in our hospitals and clinics.
• Media and Entertainment – In our nation the most leading media is internets sources, less than half our populations of 4 millions are connected to facebooks and others listen to radios, Newspaper for source of information, but our local radios stations are still lacking to upgrade their transmission so most of our people listens to BBC, CNN and other international medians for information. Entertainment industry is still in infant’s level, sometime nothing is heard about them.
• Sport & Recreation – Liberia as a nation have produced one of the most talented man in the areas of Football and now he is the President of our nation H.E. George M. Weah but we are still lacking behind amongst our West Africa neighbors in the areas of sport because of lack of funding everybody depends on government to do all, but our government is the limited in many areas because is the highest employer in our nation about 80% of employees are working for the government.

Please we need your prayers in this areas.
Thanks and Remain Blessed.

Rev. Jan Wessels (MTh) – International Director, FAITH2SHARE – Oxford, England

We miss is mission work, missionaries, evangelists, Gods Mission, Global Missions, Integral Mission. Church is really very general. If you want to catch it in one word, you could use: Gods Mission or Global Missions.
One of the challenges is the increasing pressure on Christians in an increasing number of countries and regions. Also supporting them is becoming more difficult as money-transfers are so much regulated and personal support is limited because of increasing visa requirements. This is going to influence the flow of resources to less fortunate areas. Ephesians 6:18-20