Europe - What's Next?Scot Bower - 24 Sep 2010

Earlier this year  24-7 announced a season of prayer for the continent of Europe. Since then, each week, we've been banging the drum and announcing a call to pray specifically for God to move again in this 'The Prodigal Continent'. We've heard from friends all over Europe in our Euro Voices Season and we've sent out weekly prayer guides for each and every nation as well as hosting a non-stop prayer sign up facility.

Six months passes so quickly! Back in March we launched this season in Macedonia and last weekend in Edinburgh the (1st) season came to a conclusion. We believe very strongly though that this was just the 1st season, one of many to come, just the first bang of the drum to call the nations and this generation to pray for Europe.

I'm often reminded when I pray for this continent of the Old Testament Civil Servant Nehemiah:

I was in the palace complex at Susa. Hanani, one of my brothers, had just arrived from Judah with some fellow Jews. I asked them about the conditions among the Jews there who had survived the exile, and about Jerusalem.
They told me, "The exile survivors who are left there in the province are in bad shape. Conditions are appalling. The wall of Jerusalem is still rubble; the city gates are still cinders. When I heard this, I sat down and wept. I mourned for days, fasting and praying before the God-of-Heaven. - Nehemiah 1:1-4 (The Message)

Nehemiah saw the state of Jerusalem and began by praying 24-7. Just as we've seen the state of Europe and prayed a season of non-stop prayer. But he didn't stop there and we won't either! The prayer doesn't stop and the acts that follow the prayer haven't even begun.

Over the next weeks and months we're going to continue to pray with a focus on Europe and we're going to continue to listen and expect God to release strategy. We're already buzzing with excitement about what might happen in the near future, (the recently announced 24-7 Mission Fund is just one example of how we expect our prayer to flow into Mission and Justice). We're also beginning to plan short term mission teams as well as developing our relationship with some amazing mission partners.

All that is to say 'Don't Stop!' This really is just the first beat of a drum. Keep praying and keep believing for this continent. That we are seeing the first Post-Christian continent is daunting but it's also tremendously exciting; there are so many possibilities open to us today.

And please keep talking to each other, keep connected and let us know what you think God is saying. Has he given you strategy, would you appreciate a short term team to help you next summer? Let us know, email [email protected]