Over 1000 pray in KC:UK yearTheresa Stone - 5 Jan 2012

A hum of happy voices and a sense of expectation filled the air as Pete Grieg and Bill Cahusac welcomed over 1000 people to HTB Brompton Road to welcome in the launch of Kingdom Come 2012, a year of prayer across the UK and Ireland. Party poppers and balloons were in plentiful supply to count down the seconds to midnight!

Ben Cantelon opened the evening with ‘How Great Thou Art,’ when children, students, young and old, lifted the name of Jesus high. Searching questions were asked of those gathered as we considered all that 2011 had meant for us, the church, and the world…

A spontaneous testimony sharing session began and hearts were touched as we heard how God has answered prayer in 2011.

“What is the one thing you want to give thanks for?”

A man called Phil shared how prisoners had wanted to do The Alpha Course in prison in Sierra Leone but couldn’t get permission. After praying a group of people went to the Ministry to ask permission. Following an amazing set of God incidences the man who saw them said that he prayed they would be able to do Alpha Courses in all the prisons in Sierra Leone, and so the group were given permission to go in and many lives were transformed as a result!

One lady who attends at HTB Brompton Road shared that she had been involved in the fashion industry and after being initially unsure what to do about her heart for the industry has now set up a prayer for the fashion industry group. The prayer group now has over 260 people in it who are interceding for key people involved in New York fashion week.

Another story sharer took a risk and told the crowd that in 2004 she had been diagnosed with something that used to be referred to as ‘multiple personality disorder,’ after abuse. In March 2011, God healed her 100 per cent. The stories kept coming as another lady said she has had a skin condition for the last fourteen years that prevented her from going out in the daylight. This year someone prayed for her and she was healed. She says:

“Every promise of God is true. Believe it!”

Jo had spent months of 2011 considering taking his own life after relationships had broken down in his life. After being diagnosed with depression he had gone into a forest to commit suicide, but after having a moment of clarity and praying the Lord’s Prayer, God met him where he was and he went home. Jo shared that even though life is still hard ,things are not as difficult as they were and his train of thought that God wasn’t watching him has been broken. A word was given that Jo was going to be used by God to bind up broken hearts.

Stephen, who is not from a Christian family, went to Tanzania in the summer of 2011 through University, and fell ill with Dengue fever. Six hours after Stephen prayed a desperate and lonely prayer he woke up the next day with nothing wrong.

As the crowd gathered to watch a set of slides showing news events of 2011, we saw how the world had been changed by continued global economic crisis, uprisings and conflict across the Arab world, the killing of Osama Bin Laden, America’s withdrawal from Iraq, rioting across the UK, the exposure of corruption in media circles and much more. The Governor of the Bank of England confessed that he doesn’t know what to do.

We are looking to God to help us to love the lonely, and turn hearts, heal the sick and transform broken minds in 2012. So with the launch of KC:IRL, and as Revelation Church in Chichester begin their prayer week at the very bottom of the UK today while a prayer group in the most Northerly parts of Scotland, Caithness and Thurso take up the prayer banner, lets join them by asking God’s Kingdom to Come and his will to be done, on earth, as it is in heaven.

Pete Greig closed the evening by sharing that people can find their own ways to get involved in KC:UK by running a 24-7 prayer room, a prayer and worship night event, a prayer walk, a prayer staking trip, or simply by praying the Lord’s Prayer Daily with the resources in the KC: ToolBox, all they have to do is check out the website: www.alpha.org/kingdomcome, click through to the KC:Toolbox, register online, and encourage others by passing on their stories of how God moves to the team!

We look forward to ten daily Kingdom Come podcasts featuring Pete Greig, Sila Lee, Tim Hughes and others, being released in late January to help us pray, and some fantastic evening events held at HTB, Brompton Road called KC: London, on 26th January, 29th March and 28th June 2012. Come along to one of those from 7:30-9:30pm, and be inspired for what you can organise in your own town and city.