Being A Watchman

One of the very clear aspects of World Prayer Centre’s ministry is that of being a watchman.

At our “Standing in the Gap” conference in 2014, Malcolm Duncan spoke powerfully about God’s desire for a Watchman Generation and how we need a fresh understanding of God’s watchman strategy. Some of the guidelines that Malcolm laid out are:

> Watchmen serve out of love for their community and church. The role of watchmen has been undermined by those who have served from an agenda and a sense of superiority – this is not the servant attitude God looks for

> The watchmen listen to God’s heart – they are attuned to His love, grace, and forgiveness

> Watchmen are humble, alert, available – they watch what is going on.

Watchmen warn – they must have credibility and good relationships with others if those warnings are to be heard and responded to

> They warn those who sin – Ezekiel 3:17 – calling the wicked to turn –they must be clear, they are accountable to God for a message that is difficult to deliver – but comes from love.

> In Isaiah 21 the watchman announces what he sees – he does not add to it, or interpret it

In these fast changing times God has a heart for our towns, cities and communities – often we are naïve about the dangers, therefore we cannot give the warnings. The key area of growth within the church is young people – it is also the key battleground – with horrendous tales of bullying, kidnapping, assaults, sexual predators, poor parenting, domestic violence. We need watchmen – who see, understand, and stir us to pray in this and other areas. We believe God is calling forth compassionate, alert and aware watchmen.

Warning……. Watchmen at Work

Birmingham UK skyline

Ezekiel 33 gives a clear warning to the watchmen – if the trumpet is not blown to warn people the watchman will be held accountable for any deaths.

The watchman’s task is to watch – and then encourage and challenge people to act. Some watchmen have a call to protect their local community – others a wider calling. Rees Howells, the famous intercessor and his college students prayed daily throughout World War Two but his call went much further in the war’s critical stages.

In May 1940 the British Army faced annihilation on the beaches of Dunkirk. The King issued a national call to prayer and as many know the German tanks halted, the Channel became a millpond and 480,000 were rescued in small boats and returned to England. The warning was heard and the nation saved.

In the 1970’s I had a mentor from the Potteries called Bill – he loved the people of Northern Ireland and acted as a watchmen in the troubles. He gained credibility with the Police who gave him a special call sign – and when he called with a God given warning they evacuated places before the bombs went off or the shootings could happen.
Watchmen have a burden to pray protection on the place they are stewarding (it could be their local community, or their nation). As they pray, God will lay scriptures on their hearts. They also read widely – credible newspapers, the internet, commentators and books. They may go on prayer walks. They broaden their understanding (e.g. many are currently reading widely about Muslims and their beliefs; others will be monitoring the political situation in the UK, others watching the changing economic climate globally).

Blowing the trumpet is a risky business – what happens if it is wrong – if we have misread the situation? What happens if no one listens? Ezekiel 33 makes it clear – how people respond is up to them, our job is to blow the trumpet.

Sound the AlarmThis is a time of many warnings – of danger from terrorists, of severe economic collapse, of God’s judgement on nations and situations. We can become very concerned, but all watchmen are subject to God – He is the ultimate watchman. Psalm 121 tell us “He who watches over will not slumber; indeed he who watches over Israel will neither slumber nor sleep”. God has called forth watchmen at this time – but ultimately it is up to all of us to weigh up the warnings and ask – is this God’s voice to us at this time. He warns us for a serious purpose – to lead to repentance, prayer, practical action. Our conference in March focuses on being in the presence – in these dangerous times we need to be listening, and responding – and for some of us the call will be to blow the trumpet of warning.

Steve Botham….. Trustee

Rhythm of Prayer

The Prayer Room in *Cornerstone House is in regular use and as a team, we gather to pray on most weekdays.

We invite you to come and draw aside and spend some time away from the hustle and bustle of busy lives in prayer, worship and reflection. Please see the dates below for the next few months – we hold these days once a month and would encourage you to join us. We also pray for a nation each day – details can be found here – please stand with us on behalf of a nation each day and see God in action as we pray.

We look forward to seeing you!

*cornerstone House is situated on Ethel Street, just off New Street, B2 4BG

JUNE

Daily prayer For a Specific Nation

Monday 22 June Two weeks before ‘Trumpet Call.” Keep praying, keep seeking, keep listening and keep worshiping and come and pray for this momentous Day of Prayer on 4 July.

JULY

Daily prayer For a Specific Nation

Monday 20 July In the follow on from Trumpet Call and as the nations seek to work together in this United Kingdom and following the General Election. Come and listen, come and worship, come and pray.

Come for our WPC Days of Prayer

At World Prayer Centre, prayer underpins everything that we do. We live and breathe prayer! We recognise that when we pray it changes things, both in the physical and spiritual realms.

Our regular rhythm of prayer consists of two Days of Prayer each month. One at Birmingham Christian Centre on a Saturday and one in the Prayer room at our offices. These days are a gathering of people from across the UK and consist of worship, prayer, encouragement and equipping people to learn more about what God is doing, locally, nationally and around the world. We pray for issues affecting our nation but we also pray around the world.

Why not come and join us on our prayer journey? It’s a great day to connect with other Christians with a heart for prayer and intercession. The days run from 10.30am to 3.00pm. You can find the dates on the events calendar (link) but here’s the next ones coming up…

MONDAY 20 JULY – WPC PRAYER ROOM

A day of prayer, worship, contemplation, declaring of scripture and seeking God in the heart of the City in the heart of the nation.

SATURDAY 12 SEPTEMBER – BIRMINGHAM CHRISTIAN CENTRE

A day to pray for our children, young people and young adults as the new academic year starts.

The world is changing.

Evidence of globalisation is all around us.

While to many the world seems out of control, God is fully in command of all that is happening, and is consistently and surely working out His purposes. And He is calling His Church to take up its global mandate with renewed vision and purpose.

The World Prayer Centre is part of the new thing that God is doing around the world. As the Church begins to strategise and think globally, so we must pray globally. A united and consistent flow of strategic prayer is needed now:

• to open the way for us to reach the remaining peoples of the world who have not yet heard the good news of Jesus
• to equip the church to reach out with love and grace to a hurting society
• to enable us to meet, with the authority of Christ, the challenges and opportunities of national and international power structures
• to strengthen the Church to meet its end-time calling

The Centre, as seen in a vision by Project Director Ian Cole, is yet to be built, but even now there is a growing tide of prayer across the world which the World Prayer Centre will join in facilitating in due course.

Download the Vision brochure (A5 size pdf file)

In June 1992, God gave Ian Cole what he describes as a vision. Over a three day period details of a building and its ministry became very clear. Prior to and during this time, Ian had been reading through the story of Nehemiah in the Bible and through Isaiah, particularly chapters 56 – 58.

THE BUILDING

The building was to be a place of prayer and mission in the heart of the UK. Out of both Scripture readings and his personal journey, it became clear to Ian that there were to be four foundations stones to the Centre:

1. PRAYER
2. MISSION & SOCIAL ACTION
3. THE BLESSING & ENCOURAGMENT OF FAMILY LIFE
4. HELPING MARGINALISED PEOPLE

At the heart of the building is a large globe; the building contains a large prayer auditorium; separate prayer rooms for each continent of the world; individual prayer rooms; a 24/7 prayer room; a prayer training school. It also includes a Family Centre with action zones, learning areas, play areas and a leisure pool. There is a theatre for presentation of Christian life and witness in many forms and a strategic centre for global communications. Restaurants, book shop, coffee shops and an information centre are also included. Around the outer edge of the building is a boulevard of nations; attached to the centre is accommodation for visitors and around the centre there will be gardens and quiet areas. Plans can be seen on the World Prayer Centre web site here.

THE JOURNEY

Over the last 15 years the vision has remained strong. Even at times of doubt and uncertainty God has kept reminding us of His promise that this vision is a Heaven to Earth promise. In other words, there would come a time when we would know that it was right; just as Abraham and Sarah knew when Isaac would be born, so we would know the right time to plant the seed and see the building come into being.

In 1992 Ian was leading the work of Cornerstone Christian Charity involved in word and action in communities around the Midlands area. At the same time, Ian was also involved in a prayer ministry – Prayer for Revival – led by Rev Bob Dunnett.

In 1997, Ian left working for Cornerstone Christian Charity, and together with his wife Pauline set up April ’97 Trust to support them personally in the development of the vision. The World Prayer Centre was registered as a charity, Trustees were appointed and the ministry began to develop. Over the years, friends have joined us and helped us carry the vision for a time and then moved on.

THE MINISTRY

Today, we have a team involved in regional, national and international prayer and worship ministry. The World Prayer Centre is linked to many initiatives, serving Prayer, Mission, Social Action, Family Life and Marginalised People. These include The International Prayer Council, Global Day of Prayer, The Prayer Association of the British Isles & Ireland, Redeeming our Communities and Hope08. The team also leads small and large prayer events and conferences and sends Prayer Teams, around the UK and overseas. In remaining true to our foundational vision, the Trustees agreed that we would tithe 10% of undesignated gifts received. As a result of this, The World Prayer Centre has blessed those involved in prayer, mission, family and the marginalised in many places around the world and in the UK. In this entire journey, we have begun to understand that we are part of a worldwide prayer army that God is raising up the size of which has not been seen in the history of the church. We realise that a building 15 years ago was not the right time; but that when the promise given 15 years ago crosses God’s timing, the resources for the land and the building would be released. We humbly submit that we believe we are approaching that moment.

THE NEXT STEP

Have the plans changed over the years? In principle, no. However, our architect now tells us that the design of sustainable, climate enhancing buildings has so moved on that we want this building to have the smallest carbon footprint possible. We have been given (subject to planning) an area of land within the Birmingham boundary that will enable us to build a “Global Centre for Prayer in a sustainable community.” We await the necessary finance to see the plans set in motion and the building completed.

The World Prayer Centre, Birmingham will, as far as we know, be the largest permanent prayer centre in the world, and a project quite beyond anything the UK church has been called to in recent years. The fact that God has placed it in the UK is something to celebrate, and we believe it will be a blessing to the whole nation.

Read the Vision here.

A strategic information hub

Equipped with the latest global communications technology, the World Prayer Centre will gather and disseminate strategic prayer information from around the world. Churches, prayer groups and individuals will be able to focus on strategic prayer needs and targets, both for the church itself and for its global commission. The World Prayer Centre will be a centre of excellence, and a place that many will want to visit. Its attractive steel and glass structure will house a huge range of resources and amenities.

A place for prayer

Prayer facilities at the new centre will include:

• a 4000-seater dished prayer auditorium
• dedicated prayer rooms for each continent of the world, plus rooms for Israel and the UK
• 86 individual private prayer rooms
• a chapel for visitors’ use

A place for the family

Families will be able to use the purpose-built family centre, young people’s action zone and day care facilities. In addition, there will be a leisure pool, a well-equipped fitness room and a variety of restaurant facilities. Families of all kinds will benefit from the support and positive encouragement which are part of the very fabric of the World Prayer Centre.