Open Doors Announces Worldwide Youth Prayer Initiative
by Allie Martin
January 27, 2005
(AgapePress) - Young Christians worldwide are being encouraged to take part in a massive prayer effort for the persecuted Church. On March 4 and 5, Underground, the youth outreach of Open Doors, will sponsor "Shockwave," a 48-hour prayer event that will take place in special chat rooms and prayer meetings around the world.
Jeff Shreve, Underground coordinator for Open Doors, says this global prayer meeting presents a unique opportunity for young people to show their concern for others and commitment to Christ. Jesus told His followers the world would know them as Christians by their love, and He would know them as His disciples by their obedience to His commandments, Shreve says. "And so much of His commandments have to do with our own relating to one another. When we're as blessed as we are here in our nation, we need to be particularly concerned for those who are not as well off, and especially for those who are being persecuted."
Shockwave will begin in New Zealand and work its way across the time zones, covering the globe with prayer for the estimated 200 million people in the persecuted Church worldwide. The 24-hour prayer chain is meant to spark interest and raise awareness about these believers in oppressed nations who lack religious freedom face anti-Christian hostility and persecution for their religious beliefs.
The number-one thing the ministry hopes to see happen through the international event, Shreve says, is that "young people will get involved through prayer and that God will bring forth some change into this world to help those who are suffering -- those who are at a loss -- and just help the persecuted Christians." As for himself, he adds, "Foremost, what I want to see happen is for young people to see what's going on among persecuted Christians and get involved to help."
The youth outreach of the California-based Open Doors ministry has sponsored Shockwave for three years now. Last year youth from 15 nations participated in the worldwide prayer initiative, praying for Christians prisoners like Indonesian pastor Rinaldy Daminik, who was released in November, a year in advance of his originally scheduled release date. He credits the prayers of believers around the world both for his early release and his ability to remain strong while in prison.
Shreve calls Shockwave "a global phenomenon" that provides opportunity for masses of young people from many different places, races, and cultural backgrounds to come together with one mind and one global vision "to pray and see God act in their world and build up his Church."
The Underground coordinator says people can take part in the scheduled global intercession either individually in groups. Participants can access the Shockwave message board and chat area by going to the Open Doors USA Underground site or to odshockwave.org. Specific prayer requests from suffering believers will be posted on the Underground website.
Allie Martin, a regular contributor to AgapePress, is a reporter for American Family Radio News, which can be heard online.
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