I confessed here last week that in the pursuit of the mission of returning KINGDOMPeople magazine to the news stand in its print format, one of its core visions had all but been confined to the implied rather than the direct. I confessed that it took the arrival of Bro Cyprian Agbazue’s two books and the introduction of the ministry of International Foundation for Church Unity (IFCU) to point out this grave error.
But, as I mentioned in closing, it didn’t end with IFCU. There was something else, indeed other things happening at the global level, which served to jolt me to the realisation that the Church Unity issue is not on God’s back burner. It is important to Him and He continues to raise instruments for the pursuit of this all-important goal everywhere each with specific assignments.
As you read this, for instance, the third annual One Prayer initiative, brainchild of the fast-growing and innovative LifeChurch.tv in Oklahoma City , USA , is well underway across the globe. About 130 churches with a combined congregation of nearly 750,000 drawn from across denominational lines in 25 countries, including Nigeria , are this month participating in the unity-triggering initiative.
Derived from the question, “if God would answer 'one prayer' for the church at large, what would you pray," One Prayer goes further to lead the church to ponder another question: “what if we became the answer to the Lord Jesus’ prayer in John 17:20-24, that we would be one? That, according to Pastor Craig, was how One Prayer, initiated in 2008, became an opportunity to see what can be accomplished when the Church works together.
And what have seen in the two years since it started was God working in amazing ways. The organisers say, “millions of believers around the world have united to pray, learn, and love others.” And that has given them the impetus to look forward to another wonderful year. Continuing, the LifeChurch.tv helmsman said, “God has worked in amazing ways each year, and we can't wait to see what He does during One Prayer 2010.”
In the event, these servants of God have galvanised their congregations since June 6, to “come together for four weeks as we learn more about our Creator and go out into the world to share, serve and give…sharing teaching, training, resources, and, most importantly, God’s love with the world…and learning and growing as a global body of believers” exploring this year’s teaching theme”...’Unstoppable’
Explaining the theme, Craig said, “When the Church unites, it's unstoppable... unstoppable grace, unstoppable compassion, unstoppable evangelism, unstoppable love, unstoppable generosity, unstoppable truth, unstoppable hope...”
This is the message being preached throughout the period from several perspectives by several minsters from several parts of the world. In a kind of pulpit swap, participating churches are being ministered to by video by about 60 ministers from outside their own home church, possibly from outside their denomination, country or even continent, thus hopefully breaking denominational barriers and uniting believers.
In one of the messages, Craig Groeschel, senior pastor of the programme originators, LifeChurch.tv, lamented that the divisions among Christians, manifesting in churches competing for larger attendance numbers, fighting over worship style, and increase in rising number of denominations around the world, must be “breaking the heart of God”.
I wonder, he said, “if God ever looks at all of His churches, all the Christian churches all over the world, and asks, ‘Why can't you guys come together? Why are you so divided when my Son Jesus prayed 'Father, make them one.’''
Continuing, he said the series was born more out of repentance than a passion for unity, out of his desire not to be competitive against other believers and to instead be united. “Unity”, he said, “begins with recognizing ‘one enemy’ – Satan, and not the church down the street or in another denomination.”
In a chat with Christian Post earlier this month, Bobby Gruenewald, a pastor at LifeChurch.tv, further explained the goal of this aspect of the vision: "When we share teaching, we have the opportunity to learn as a global body of believers…It's incredible to think that a message recorded in Australia can change a life in Costa Rica or that a pastor in a small American town can influence people in Ghana, Guatemala, and points in between…As we freely share resources during One Prayer, it also helps foster a spirit of generosity between churches."
In his own a message being beamed to hundreds of congregations throughout June, Pastor Groeschel is challenging believers to unstoppable courage. His words: "God is going to call some of you to increase your risk and decrease your security and live by faith, Normal people rarely live by faith. Normal people always have excuses of why they can't do this or that. Normal people rarely ever face their fears. Normal people live with regrets…Those with unstoppable courage do not look at their fears, but rather look at God who says all things are possible.”
“One Prayer” is however, not just about messages and teachings. As senior pastor Craig puts it, having one heart and one purpose is also a powerful unity tool. “What would happen if we the Church across the world united and took all the resources that God has given us, he asked. And then answered, “Within a week, starvation could be eliminated, every person could have access to drinking water, poverty could be eradicated, and the world could not only know the name of Jesus, but they could see him if we became one. By Sunday, the world would worship like never before as they have come to know the glory, power and love of Jesus through his followers.”
That’s why over the last two years, participants in the initiative were galvanised to help support the planting of over 1,600 new churches in India , Cambodia , China and Sudan . And for One Prayer 2010, churches are being encouraged to spread God's love by giving to an organisation or cause they're passionate about. That’s not all, they hope to make lasting impact by collecting a special offering to help support the planting of 500 new churches in Cambodia , India , Sudan and China .
The unity train is moving globally and Nigeria is involved, thanks to Ikeja-based Newbirth Ministries International led by Bishop Francis Anunobi, and Pastor Yemi and Bimbo Ojelade’s Global Impact Church located in Surulere, Lagos. (CONTINUES)
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