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ACKNOWLEDGMENTS AND CONTRIBUTING RESOURCES
Contributing Authors: Colin Fibiger unitedsa@mweb.co.za, Steve Lincoln slcongas@hotmail.com, Monika Nel joel2v1@worldonline.co.za, Alison Papenfus eap@icon.co.za, Pertru Prinsloo saip@cis.co.za, Teresa Seputis ts@godspeak.net, Steve Swart steveswart@yebo.co.za
EDITOR:Teresa Seputis

Prayer-School Prayer Practicum

Targeting South Africa

Week 7 Prayer Target

Hosted By Colin Fibiger

Prayer Target: Unity of the Body in South Africa

If we truly seek to honor Christ we must seek to honor His wishes. With the cross pending and a pre-knowledge of suffering, He remained with one thought in His mind "That they may be one as You and I are one" As followers of Christ, we then too, regardless of other pressures and callings, must have this thought in our minds.

The Church In Every Country Needs Unity

Roots Of Disunity In South Africa

Steps to Rebuilding The Unity

PECLA - A Revisiting Of SACLA 1979
1979 was a watershed year and the faint beginnings of unity for the Church in South Africa. Leadership from all denominations gathered together to find a common vision and a common policy statement. The last few years have seen the first saplings rise from those seeds and pockets of unity amongst the churches have sprung forth. Of particular note is the formation of PECLA, an Eastern Cape based Christian Leadership Assembly with the vision of Town, City, Provincial and Countrywide eldership. An eldership that would provide our nation with a common vision and action plan to fulfill our work in unity. Much work has been done and God's hand has been ever present, and success here, would provide a working model and hope for the rest of the country. In Port Elizabeth's "black" areas for example, thirteen of the fifteen predominant black grouping came together under one roof in September last year and declared their commitment to unity. This is absolutely historical and a powerful testimony of God's intervention.

Other Ministries In The Field Of Unification

United Christian Action - The most active activist group in SA and geared to gather Christians nationwide around a common belief and goal. They are totally non-denominational based and appeal to all sincere Christian's sense of duty.

Africa Enterprise - Under the leadership of Michael Cassidy, they have long been involved in the peace process in SA, the unification of the Body and the training of leadership, all outside of denominational boundaries. Have run many successful bridge building workshops, breaking down ingrained color prejudices.

United Christian Ministries - An inter-denominational ministry that focuses on establishing projects, ministries and promoting rallies etc. It raises funds for a creche and placing the creche under the care of more than one church. It establishes participatory feeding schemes: ten people adopt a family, with all ten from different denominations. It maintains a policy of remaining in the background, coercing and prompting unity, but never taking the forefront or limelight, so as to remain a non-threat to other organizations or denominations.

NUPSA - Network for United Prayer in South Africa. Without doubt one of the most important ministries of our day, they publish a monthly prayer guideline to the nation gathering the brethren together in prayer and establishing a spiritual unity.

CAN - Christian Action Network. With the motto, "Together we CAN", this ministry is new and hopes to step beyond the "membership" base of organizations such as UCA etc. It uses an Email and Fax network towards the goal of providing Christians with an up to date action newsletter.

Prayer

Our heavenly Father. We come to You as Your children and in the name of Jesus Christ. With the knowledge that in His name all things are possible. We say Amen to Your Son's prayer for unity and rebuke satan in his deception. He is a defeated enemy and we place this matter and the hearts of Your people in South Africa in Your hands that You may fulfill this prayer in our nation.

We pray today that You would place in every one of Your children's hearts the same thoughts of Christ "That we may be as one". We ask for an understanding in each one of Your appointed that You would place in their hearts a knowledge of the reason for the appointment, so that we may come to the unity of the faith.

We lift the leadership up to You that they may seek the holy anointing required by You, an anointing of unity. May that anointing flow from them over Your people that they, through unity may find a more intimate relationship with both You and Your Son, Jesus Christ. That Your people may have a deeper knowledge of You.

May Your people in South Africa have renewed hearts and minds whereby they see that the essence of their faith in Christ is in love, his great commandment : and that in unity that love is perfected. That Your people would have the courage to distance themselves from the lies of the enemy and rebuke every form of separation in Your body.

We come against the paternalism that exists in the Church. Your Word tells us that we are all equal. Embed that in their hearts. We come against denominationalism. We are to be knit together in love. one strand and one body. We come against the fruits of apartheid. Our freedom is in You and we ask Your restoring hand upon what the locusts have eaten in Your body.

Dear Father, we lift every organization and individual up to You that seeks and strives for the unity that You seek. Strengthen them and give them courage to face the church. Empower them to have the right words at the right time that hearts may be touched and a new vision be placed in their hearts. A vision that seeks only to give You glory and to see Your Church as one, raised up to it's rightful place. A lamp unto the world.

Amen


-- © GodSpeak International 2000 --
-- Do not republish without written permission from <copyright@godspeak.org> --

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