Lausanne World Pulse – Second Annual Global Day of Prayer Seeks to Unite Millions Worldwide
By Bob Bakke
May 2006
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Karachi, India |
On Pentecost Sunday, 4 June, Christians from over two hundred nations will approximate the day foreseen by Habakkuk when “the earth will be filled with the knowledge of the glory of the Lord, as the waters cover the sea” (Habakkuk 2:14). This will day be the second annual Global Day of Prayer (GDOP).
Last year, the GDOP had its gravitational center in the non-Western world and its main offices were located in Cape Town, South Africa. An estimated 200 million participants from 156 nations met at ten thousand venues (small villages and major stadiums) worldwide to pray. There were also four international telecasts (Taipei, Taiwan; Jakarta, Indonesia; Cape Town-Cairo, Egypt; and Dallas, Texas, USA). The GDOP, which is under the theological umbrella of the Apostle’s Creed, has encouraged remarkable partnerships. Stories abound of prayer unity between Protestant and historic churches. During the last GDOP Charismatic, Evangelical and Orthodox Christians in Cairo helped comprise an effort among all seventeen denominations of Egypt; the first time this had occurred. Similar phenomena were reported in other places around the world.
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Overview of the Global Day of Prayer
Some may think the Global Day of Prayer is an event. It is not. It is an annual, five-year, 101-day process, the fountainhead of which is Pentecost. It creates allies among pastors, churches, marketplace leaders and civil servants. It unites the worlds of churches, non-profit organizations, businesses and government. The GDOP gives local church leaders a vision of transformation and multiplication by using the book of Acts and a “10.1.90” model.
10.1.90 Model Defined
In Acts 1 the disciples prayed for ten days between The Ascension and Pentecost. In Acts 2:1, when the Holy Spirit came, the whole city took notice. In Acts 2:42ff, those transformed by the Holy Spirit into a global Church (i.e. from “every nation”) proceeded to transform the city of Jerusalem. The first Church did this through praying in unity and with fervency, planting churches, creating intimate fellowship (small groups), remaining devoted to truth (discipleship), sharing their possessions, giving to the poor, filling the streets with awe and wonder and adding to their number those saved (evangelism).
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Dr. Bob Bakke is executive director of the Global Day of Prayer North America, under the auspices of the National Prayer Committee. He is also a member of the International Prayer Council and the executive producer of the North American broadcast originating from Dallas, Texas, USA. |