JoelNews

CHILDREN IN PRAYER DVD From across the globe we received requests for the 'Children in prayer' DVD that features today's amazing prayer movement among children and teenagers. We still have DVD's in stock, so make sure to get your copy! More information here: http://us1.campaign-archive2.com/?u=5138667adad5222600bae0e66&id=8e6d5cbefc

What's cooler than a million euro in profit? Changing a million lives.

JNI - The status of church planting in Europe

One of the most exciting developments globally is the emerging prayer movement among children and teenagers. In many nations God is pouring out his Spirit of intercession on a new generation, leading to changed lives and a dramatic advance of his Kingdom in new places. Joel News International has been chronicling these stories from around the globe of what might well be the most remarkable prayer awakening of the church in recorded history. A number of encouraging stories of how God uses children and teenagers in prayer is recorded by Media Village Productions on an inspiring high-quality DVD. This month we send this DVD as a present to everyone who supports this movement with a special donation. We have only a limited number of copies available and send them on a first come, first serve basis. You can wire a contribution fast and secure on our website: http://www.joelnews.org (button sign up/donate). Then as a confirmation send an e-mail to our Service Desk at service [at] joelnews.org with your full postal address, so we can send it to you straight away. If you have any questions, don't hesitate to contact us.

"I belong to a church that throws parties for prostitutes at 3 in the morning." A funny and provoking story by Tony Campolo. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DRBM_YY_YX0

A vet in the Middle East leads people to the Lord as a result of doing surgery on their camels! Love it.

JNI - Church at 3AM among the prostitutes.

Some readers can't access our website http://t.co/gSiUUHJl. Are there more people who encountered this?

JNI - Practices of a new Jesus movement

From now on the Joel News story of the week will be published automatically out of Mailchimp. It's more convenient and the design is much nicer. You recognize it by the Joel News logo. :-)

JNI - The 50 countries where Christians face most persecution

JNI - The 50 countries where Christians face most persecution - http://t.co/saeULxHR

Suffering from Euro depression? Check out this data visualization of the amazing progress in world health in 200 years. http://t.co/zk59r6cE

In Europe young people are turning the tide of unbelief by planting new faith communities. This grassroots movement has a current annual growth of 22% and many people come to Christ from a secular background. Through Simple Church Europe we support the training and coaching 600 young church planters in Europe and the Middle East, an investment $ 150 or € 120 per participant. Consider joining this harvest force by making a contribution at www.joelnews.org

"We're not here to compete with one another, we're here to complete one another." #JohnMaxwell

The highest and most beautiful things in life are not to be heard about, nor read about, nor seen, but are to be lived. - S. Kierkegaard

Story of the week: THE MUSLIM DAUGHTER WHO FOUND HER HEAVENLY FATHER Sophia, the daughter of a Muslim Pakistani father and a Roman Catholic mother, grew up in the industrial heartland of West Yorkshire, England. Before her parents married, Sophia’s mother accepted her fiancee’s strict requirement that their children be raised under Islam. However, from an early age, Sophia sensed something missing in her visits to the mosque. “There was a vacuum of God’s presence,” she says. One day a friend in high school invited Sophia to a Christian church. She went without telling her father, and experienced something completely new. “I felt the Spirit of God for the first time,” she says. She left the church wanting to know more about Jesus. When she visited the home of her Christian friends, she saw an environment that was strikingly different. “I saw grace, peace, and mercy lived-out.” Her father was furious when he heard about it. “If you ever question Islam, you will be out on the street!” This left Sophia initially confused, but later someone gave here a Bible with 1st John heavily marked. “I was floored that the word ‘love’ and ‘God’ were in the same sentence,” she says. “Could this be a God who is relational… who loves me?” She surrendered her life to Jesus and told the surprised onlookers she wanted to be baptized immediately. For the first time, Sophia felt approval from her heavenly Father as an adopted daughter, part of a kingdom and a story bigger than herself.

The top 10 religion stories in 2011 according to American journalists: 1. The death of Osama bin Laden. 2. Congressional hearings on the civil rights of American Muslims. 3. Catholic Bishop Robert Finn's abuse of a child. 4. Catholic Church introduces a new translation of the Roman Missal. 5. Presbyterian Church allows ordination of partnered gay people. 6. Pope John Paul II beatified. 7. Harold Camping predicts the end of the world. 8. Rob Bell publishes controversial book Love Wins. 9. The Personhood Initiative fails in Mississippi. 10. Celebration of the 400th anniversary of the King James Version. The lack of relevant cutting edge stories on the advance of God's Kingdom, even in the Christian press, is the reason why we publish Joel News International.

Simple church planter Torben Sondergaard shares what God is doing in Denmark. http://t.co/UhAMIfsC

Story of the week: THE AFRICAN BOOK OF ACTS When Volahavana was ten years old, God began to reveal himself to her through dreams. Every night a tall man robed in white would wash her feet and dry them with a towel. At that time she didn't realize this man was Jesus. Years later, one of Volahavana's step-sisters fell ill, being possessed by an evil spirit. Volahavana was busy lighting the fire for cooking, when a voice suddenly ordered her to get up and put her arms around the girl. The demons yelled: “We are going to leave, because the One who is stronger than we are is coming.” The young girl was completely healed and came back to her senses. The following evening, Jesus appeared to Volahavana: “Get up, preach the Good News to the whole world. Chase the demons out. Commit yourself and do not delay. The time has come for the Son of man to be glorified in the Matitanana and Ambohibe tribes. I have chosen you for this mission. I command you to carry it out.” Volahavana initially hesitated, saying she was still young, but when she submitted, the power of God came over her, which led to a revival that impacted Madagascar. Volahavana's story is one of many chronicled in the Dictionary of African Christian Biography, also called 'the African Book of Acts'. The growth of the church in Africa is among the most astonishing religious phenomena of the twentieth century.