Prayer Requests
Please pray for this specific needs from scholars, graduated scholars, staff, board members, and supporters of John Stott Ministries and Langham Partnership International.
January 2011
Thank you for your prayers for the work of Langham Preaching around the world. Here are some items for prayer and thanksgiving this week.
Spain: several evangelical leaders in Spain are keen to encourage Biblical preaching in their context, and have invited Langham to work with them in developing some training. Please pray for LP facilitator Mark Meynell who goes to Barcelona this Tuesday and Wednesday for line-up discussions, planning for the launch of a new LP programme later this year. Please pray for good decisions regarding the best way to develop a movement that will serve the country.
Bolivia: LP regional coordinator Igor Améstegui has written to say that the Latin American Consultation for LP facilitators went extremely well last week, and the 14 facilitators were encouraged in their work and returned home with renewed enthusiasm for the ministry. In addition, the filming of a documentary about the work of Langham Preaching has progressed well, and this past weekend included the filming of the preachers club in San Pedro prison in La Paz. The believers there had prayed and fasted every Friday for the past 5 weeks for the filming initiative which LP has undertaken – we thank God for their faithful commitment to Him, even in the context of prison life.
Myanmar: we have been praying for the past two weeks for two training events in Myanmar. The first event was for Anglican pastors from 5 of the 6 provinces, and 80 participants attended. LP facilitator Paul Barker has asked: ‘Please pray as we try to strategise to be more effective for future years, and pray for some local people to be more committed to local leadership for these seminars.’ The second event was last week, with 44 pastors from different denominations. Please pray for the 6 preachers clubs which were set up, that they would continue to meet despite the demanding circumstances. Give thanks for the faithful work of the local coordinating teams and the several facilitators for both events, including the partnership with our colleagues from Crosslinks, who managed the training despite several late changes in the training teams due to the sad illness and death of close relatives.
West Africa: colleagues in the LP movement in Nigeria encourage us to pray for Christians as they face persecution in several regions of the country, specially in the north. Friends in Ghana have asked the Langham family around the world to pray for peace and stability for the nation during the upcoming extended election campaign. Such issues impact the life and mission of the churches and the well-being of society, so please pray for the Lord’s over-ruling.
Thank you for your prayers!
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Thank you for your prayers for the work of Langham Preaching around the world. Here are some items for prayer and thanksgiving this week.
Bolivia: this week a strategic event is taking place in Cochabamba, led by LP coordinator for Latin America, Igor Améstegui. ‘From Monday 16 to Friday 20 we will be meeting with 14 facilitators who help us in preaching and teaching at the different seminars we organize across the continent. This meeting is key to strengthening the links of fellowship, to review our approach to training, to learn from one another, and to plan the large cross-continental meeting for the coordinators of the escuelitas due to take place next year. Please pray that, with the Lord's guidance, we can obtain these goals.’
Bolivia: at the same time as the Consultation, two colleagues from the UK are filming a DVD this week about the work of Langham Preaching, both in Cochabamba and La Paz. Please pray for script editor Ronald Clements and Mezza the cameraman, as well as Igor and Eduardo who, in the midst of a busy Consultation, will also be travelling with the team and interviewing many participants in the LP work in Latin America.
Myanmar: this week the second of two preaching training events takes place in Yangon. From today through to Friday pastors from several different denominations are meeting for a level 1 event. Please pray for the local coordinator, Peter Thein, and for LP facilitators David & Rosemary Harley and Andy Lines. Another event is also taking place for pastors in Sittwe, led by our Crosslinks partners, James Leggett and Joel Edwards. Preparations have not been easy for these events, so please pray for the Spirit to be at work in the midst of the various challenges.
India: give thanks for an excellent programme last week in North East India. LP facilitators Paul Windsor and Geoff New report on very positive results amongst the 50 participants gathered from Assam, Nagaland, Meghalaya, Manipur and Tripura. Some pastors, some working with UESI (IFES), and some lay preachers, the training so far has clearly been making a significant impact on their commitment to the Bible and their preaching, and plans are underway for the next level as well as for longer term training clusters in the states across this strategic area. Please pray for Asangla Ao and A K Lama in their work to nurture the preaching movement.
Democratic Republic of Congo: this past weekend the LP country coordinator, bishop Muhindo Isesomo, was invited by the the Baptist church to preach at the ceremonies of baptism in Butembo. This was a lovely expression of fellowship across denominations, as Isesomo, an Anglican bishop, preached for the Baptist churches. He sent the message last night: The service went very well - there were 5642 people at the service, 1467 repented and 191 were baptized. This action has been good for people from other churches to see how we are all one in Christ.’ Please pray for these many new believers, and for the work of Isesomo and LP in encouraging the pastors in their teaching.
London, UK: today some members of the Langham Programme Team have important planning meetings: please pray for wisdom as we look at the best ways of developing the ministry.
Carlisle, UK: next Sunday Jonathan is speaking at Hebron Evangelical church and leading a short seminar on ‘A rough guide to preaching’.
Thank you for your prayers!
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Happy New Year to all our readers! Thank you for your prayers for the work of Langham Preaching around the world. Here are some items for prayer and thanksgiving this week.
Trinidad & Tobago: the team here is quick off the mark, with a level 1 and 3 seminar starting tomorrow, Tuesday, through to Friday evening. Some 80 pastors are signed up for the two tracks. Please pray for the 3 LP facilitators, Las Newman, Anthony Oliver, and Greg Scharf, and also for the hard-working local team, specially the coordinators Angela Shirley and Ruthann Ramcharan.
North East India: an extended programme this week, running from January 6-14, includes a short level 1 and then the main level 2 seminar. Please pray for the two LP facilitators, Paul Windsor and Geoff New, travelling this week from New Zealand, and for Asangla Ao, the country coordinator looking after the local plans.
Myanmar: next week sees the first of two events for pastors and preachers in this demanding country. For two successive weeks there will be preaching training for pastors from different denominations. Please pray for the team as they travel there next weekend, for ease of border crossing and quick adjustment to the time zones, and please pray for the local teams who are organising the events in Yangon. More news next week!
Democratic Republic of Congo: give thanks for the many preaching opportunities over Christmas. Country coordinator Muhindo Isesomo has sent the following message: ‘During Christmas week we met in the preachers club (16 pastors), and we prepared the sermon together. On Christmas day we sent people to different parishes to preach that message from Luke 2:8-20. And yesterday we met again to prepare another message for next Sunday, and I have exchanged pastors to different churches. We are very grateful to LP for having trained us in how to prepare together. This is also helping church members to be well equipped by the word of God.’
Langham Preaching is one of three Langham programmes, the others being Langham Literature and Langham Scholars. This month the small staff team in the UK is re-structuring in order to manage the work of the programmes in a more integrated way. We would be glad of your prayers for changing job descriptions, closer working partnerships, and the possibility of finding some more help as workloads increase.
January 2012
Literature
The Library Grant forms and new Literature catalogue will be sent to our member colleges in the coming weeks. Please pray that the books they select will not only reach them safely but also be a great blessing to their students.
Please pray for the continued writing and editing of the South Asia Bible Commentary and the Latin American Bible Commentary - both are progressing well. Please pray for the editorial teams as their workload is very heavy at this time.
Preaching
Preaching programmes this month will be taking place in: Trinidad & Tobago (Levels 1 and 3 for 80 pastors); Croatia (a new initiative, as LP runs a programme for students at the theological seminary in Osijek); North East India (an extended event from January 6-14); and Myanmar (two events this month, including the launch of a new programme for pastors from various denominations).
A strategic meeting for the whole of Latin America takes place in Bolivia (January 16-20), as Langham Preaching facilitators from different countries meet in order to plan for the future.
Scholars
Please pray for Vladimir Ubeivolc from Moldova, who has his PhD oral examination at the International Baptist Theological Seminary in Prague on 27th January, 2012.
Pray for 3 former Langham Scholars who will be in the UK between January and May for periods of post-doctoral study. Each will be ‘Visiting Majority World Scholar in residence’at a theological college, able to do some writing and research but also helping to internationalise the outlook of the colleges where they are staying. The scholars in residence are:
Mwita Akiri (Tanzania) at Ridley Hall, Cambridge
Armand Barus (Indonesia) at Wycliffe Hall, Oxford
Ermias Mamo (Ethiopia) at the International Christian College, Glasgow.
Thank you for your prayers!
Margaret Lamb, Programme prayer secretary
