Euro Voices - Czech RepublicScot Bower - 14 May 2010
We head to the very heart of Europe this week as we visit the Czech Republic and hear from Czech 24-7 Prayer champion Daniel Raška. Daniel has an infectious personality and a vision to see Prayer Rooms spread all over his country, he writes:
The Czech Republic is sometimes called ‘The heart of Europe’ and is a land to which the Moravian church (and the Herrnhuters) can trace their roots. Now, 21 years after “The ‘Velvet revolution’ and the fall of communism, the Czech Republic has become a land like any other “western” country. It is a kingdom of comfort, with new shopping malls and secular values.
In one month Czechs will go to the polls and vote for a new government to lead the country. Honestly, for me, it's a choice between little evil or just evil. The political campaign is disgusting and sadly that represents the character of our leaders.
But it is not all bad, there are many people who want to see change and the Czech 24-7 Prayer movement is a part of that. There are 16 Czech towns where Christians from different churches have set up Prayer Rooms to pray for repentance and revival of the Czech church, praying for our neighbours, our towns and cities. This year we ran almost 4 months of continual prayer from town to town. Some ran just 3 days, some 3 weeks.
We have also started to translate Red Moon Rising into Czech. Almost all of the Prayer Rooms here started because of Red Moon Rising and we intend to publish in our own language in July 2010. We are fund raising to cover the costs (8,632 euro) and we have already collected 1,100 euro. Right now we are looking for testimonies and Czech stories which we want to compile and include when we publish the book.
If you have any Czech stories to contribute or want to get in touch with Daniel regarding the publishing of Red Moon Rising you can contact him by email.
Daniel asks us to stand with the churches in the Czech Republic and join them in prayer for:
- Honesty in society, in business and among politicians
- More employment opportunities
- Election in May 2010
- Courage for christian believers
- Communicability and positive influence of church
- Rising of moral leaders
- Strength for young Christians to obey God's word and to be good example for secular population
- Gift of prayer
- Czech government
- Revival among young people in eastern Bohemia
- Planting of new local churches
- Process of translating Red Moon Rising
Daniel has also asked that we pray for each of the towns who are taking part in seasons of 24-7 Prayer in the Czech Republic:
- Český Těšín
- Opava
- Vsetín
- Třinec
- Kladno
- Ústí nad Labem
- Šumpersko
- Bruntál
- Vysoké Mýto
To join with Christians all over the world in praying for the prodigal continent of Europe visit our new website 24-7prayer.eu where you can sign up to pray, for weekly newsletters and prayer resources. You might also like to read Ian Nicholson's article Restoring the Romance or watch our excellent European Prayer video.
If you've missed our earlier posts in the European Voices series you can catch up: