Page 9 - Good News June 2008 paper

he Paarl Gymnasium in the Cape has an They might give him or her some chocolate, buy
inspiring approach to bad behaviour. The them a cup of coffee or even befriend them.
Tschool has over 600 students, of which Eventually the problem student is swamped
around 400 participate in one of the 70 student- with kindness and prayer.
led Christian small groups or cell groups. He or she is then invited to an evangelism
When the school was asked how they approach adventure camp where the message of Jesus is
challenging personalities, their response was presented.
surprising: "We gather our intercessory team Whether they make a commitment to follow Him
which is made up of a cross-section of the cell or not, the relationships they've formed con-
groups and give them the name of the student. tinue to grow and many become members of the
We then mobilize every group leader to connect cell groups they have connected with."
with the student by showing small acts of Source: Nadine Arendse, 24-7prayer, South
kindness. Africa, JNI 642.

global consultation will take place in The participants will also meet and pray with over
Chennai, India, 2-7 July 2008, for networks 2 000 Indian children affiliated with the Royal Kids
Aand movements that mobilize and equip Ministry of Father Anton Cruz. Many of them were
children to pray. It will be held under the auspices of discarded as the 'trashes of society' and have now
the International Prayer Council, a global network of become the 'treasures of heaven'. They are being
prayer ministries. An estimated 200 - 250 adult and educated by Father Anton and his colleagues to
child prayer leaders from many regions of the world serve the Lord in various careers, and, in the
will participate to hear from God together, share meantime, the children run the whole Prayer
what He is doing through the rapidly developing Ministry with 24-7 intercession for the nations as a
Children Prayer Movements, and learn about new major focus.
resources and methodologies. Source: John Robb, IPC, JNI 642

n his ministry as a tent worker bishop neglected power to change the heart of our
Peter Sekhonyane from Orange Farms, nation."
ISouth Africa, had been coming across On 1 April this year Sekhonyane launched
hundreds if not thousands of children the 'Children In Prayer Ministry' in Orange
wherever he went. But often he rebuked Farms. Pamphlets were typed and
them and chased them away instead of delivered from house to house by the
accepting their help in setting up the tent children themselves, announcing the day
and the sound system before meetings. and time of the launch. But one day before
"During the day we would hire somebody the launch 83 kids turned up at the venue,
to look after the tent and chase these kids some with their mothers, because they
away," Sekhonyane says. "You see, they were so eager to join.
had nothing to do. To them the tent was a From 1 April to 30 April, there were 12
good mountain to climb and slide down places in Orange Farms where a total
from. It was a time for them to break bottles number of 1 513 children were taught to
and experiment as to how sharp the broken pray. Every day the figures increased. "You
bottle was against the tent ropes. Many need to see this!" Sekhonyane reports.
times we found the tent down on the "Now they do prayer-walking, home visits,
ground, brought down by these 'jobless pick up prayer requests, and in childlike
mighty warriors'." faith pray over these requests. Parents and
Then one day Father Anton Cruz from pastors testify of the change in their
Chennai, India (Refer to previous article), children. Today I took the Police Super-
came to minister. intendent to some of these places and she
"This was an unforgettable experience for was just speechless. Let us not leave the
me," shares Sekhonyane. "God used this children out, because we need them now
man to really open my eyes to see that God more than ever!"
will use these children as raw, unused and Source: Peter Sekhonyane, JNI642

ames Duncan, preaching with great gregation, except one man, fell prostrate
unction and power, was asked what upon the floor, and voiced their agony
Jwas the secret of such powerful under conviction of sin, in such loud
preaching. "The secret," he said, was outcries that the preacher was forced to
"thirteen hours of consecutive prayer." stop preaching.
When asked the secret of his spiritual Of "Uncle" John Vassar, the Tract Society
power, Charles Spurgeon said: "Knee colporteur, his pastor said: "He absolutely
work! Knee work!" prayed day and night - prayed about
Livingston of Shotts, on two different everything, prayed for almost everything,
occasions, preached with such power that prayed with almost everybody he met.
in each service 500 people were converted. "He prayed when he went out and when he
Both sermons were preceded by a night of came in. He prayed before every religious
prayer. service, and then prayed all the way
Charles Finney, after spending a day in the through it. I have occupied the same room
woods in prayer and fasting, preached that with him night after night and rarely went to
night to a phenomenally irreligious con- sleep without hearing him in prayer, or
gregation. The sermon was accompanied awoke without finding him in prayer."
by such Divine Power that the whole con- - Selected