Contact: Stephen Jenks, 716-759-1058
MEDIA ADVISORY, Oct. 4 /Christian Newswire/ -- At a time when division seems to reign in nations, in politics, and between religions, millions of Christians joined in both prayer and in their deeds on October 3rd for the sake of Jerusalem and all of her people, during the 9th Annual Day of Prayer for the Peace of Jerusalem (www.daytopray.com).
Churches from over 175 nations, including underground Christian churches from seven primarily Muslim countries and mainland China, joined in prayer on this day for God's peace, His purposes, and His blessing to be on Jerusalem and her many people groups. According to the New York office of Eagles' Wings, the prayer initiative's sponsor, groups of believers in Tanzania even took twenty-four-hour shifts – without food or water – in order to fast and pray for peace for God's Holy Land and her people – Jew and Arab alike -during the thirty days leading up to October 3rd.
A special Jerusalem gathering was televised live globally on GOD TV, from the Tayelet Haas Promenade overlooking the Old City. Led by Rev. Dr. Robert Stearns, founder of Eagles' Wings and co-chairman of the Day of Prayer for the Peace of Jerusalem, those who addressed the local audience of hundreds and the global audience of millions, included Jerusalem's Mayor Nir Barkat; Dr. Michael Little, president of the Christian Broadcasting Network; Rabbi Dr. Shlomo Riskin, chief rabbi of Efrat; Knesset member Yoel Hasson; and other international leaders from the Christian, Jewish, and Arab communities.
Rev. Dr. Robert Stearns declared: "We are not gathered here as a religious experience; we are gathered here because we believe that prayer makes a difference...Where man's peace plans fail, God's peace plans come to pass...Today a generation past the Holocaust, the Church of Jesus Christ will not be silent. We will lift our voices in the United Nations, in the European Union, in our churches, in the universities, in the White House, and we will lift our voices in the four corners of the earth...It's time for God's people to not just hear the shofar...but be the shofar!"
Jerusalem's Mayor Nir Barkat told the crowd and TV audience, "The best way to pray for Israel is to pray in Israel, and today, more than ever, your solidarity is extremely important to us." Rabbi Riskin also expressed his gratitude for Christian support, "I thank you because you are truly our brothers and sisters of Abraham." Representing the next generation, a young Christian Israeli Arab, Emil Haloum, asked G-d in both English and Arabic, "Lord, let Jerusalem be a role model for all the cities of the Middle East…let the peace of Jerusalem become a reality, not a dream."
In one of the highlights of the evening, Dr. Stearns presented a financial gift from the Christian community to feed many Israelis – both Jewish and Arab - who live below the poverty line including children, elderly Holocaust survivors, new immigrants from persecuted areas, and families caught in the political strife of the Middle East who lack even one hot meal a day. This effort challenged both individual believers and churches alike, to add practical action to their prayers for Jerusalem by feeding Israeli's most needy. (www.daytopray.com/feedisrael.aspx).
In addition to the individual church services, college campus gatherings, and regional prayer rallies, a "virtual prayer room" was created by the Day of Prayer for the Peace of Jerusalem's 24-hour prayer call. Throughout the entire day, believers from 32 states and several nations called in to unite in spirit and to pray in their native languages for God to bless mightily the city that He calls His own in Scripture.
The Day of Prayer for the Peace of Jerusalem is a global, grassroots prayer movement occurring on the first Sunday of every October, connecting the Christian and Hebrew calendars. It involves tens of millions of believers and is endorsed by over 1,200 prominent Christian leaders worldwide, including Jack Hayford, Paul Cedar, Dick Eastman, Ron Luce, Kay Arthur, John Hagee, Jane Hansen Hoyt, K.P. Yohannan, T. D Jakes, Ravi Zacharias, Mosy Madugba, Kenneth Copeland, Samuel Rodriguez, Joyce Meyer, Lance Wallnau, Larry Stockstill, Bishop Charles Scott, Newsboys, Thomas Wang, Sunday Adelaja, and many more.
