YWAM 50 Days of Prayer from Easter Till Pentecost Focuses on Omega Zones
On March 27th, Easter Sunday, "YWAMers" around the world will begin the biggest prayer event YWAM has ever done. For the 50 days from Easter to Pentecost, over 15,000 people, says Lynn Green, YWAM's International Chairperson, will "embark on a journey" to renew their calling and pioneer places where there is not yet a YWAM mission base.
A prayer guide for the 50 days has been sent out to "all operating locations" with recommendations for each day (www.50days.net). Examples of themes include "Enter with Thanksgiving," "Fruit That Lasts," "More Faith, Please!" and "Giving Up Our Rights". Each of the themes is headlined with a verse from scripture and a short passage of explanation to enhance meditation (50 Days of Prayer guidebook).
Besides the prayer guide, YWAM has designed a website where members can log their prayers as well as read others' feedback. The website will feature a clickable map of the world where one can find all the prayer topics for any of the regions, and "…see the map of the world lit up with our prayers," the website states.
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Though Easter is still 2 weeks away, prayer topics have already been posted. One person posted a prayer for the "rate of malnutrition in children 0-36 months," apparently to decrease.
The first prayer for Quebec, Canada reads: "I pray that you will send revival to Quebec! Come Holy Spirit, and free us from our spirit of relativity and tolerance and shine your Light, your Truth and your Grace in our hearts. Release the creativity and joy-of-living of the Quebecois so that the kingdom of God will advance and that what is willed in heaven will descend to earth and happen in our province and among our people. God, you are great!!! To you be all the glory!!! Amen."
Prayers are organized according to "omega zones," allowing prayers to be more specific to that particular region. As the prayers are logged for each of the more than 4379 Omega Zones, the world literally lights up as parts of the map turn from black to white, allowing people to view the efforts of their collective prayers on-screen.
When asked why YWAM has chosen omega zones as the geographic unit for prayer as opposed to nations or states, Brian Bishop in the International Communications office said, "This is an initiative of YWAM to focus more attention on areas that need to be reached. It is a new way of looking at the world."
"It doesn't neglect any part of the world, but it does focus more attention on the least reached areas of the world," he said.
There is also a "4K eMap" where all of the omega zones are shown and all kinds of information about the zone is listed (i.e. population infected with AIDS, literacy rate, life expectancy, etc.).
Currently, the website is in English, but in the next couple of weeks, it's expected that Spanish, Portuguese, French and Korean will be added, states Lynn Green.
"The word of the Lord has been too rare in YWAM over recent years, but that is changing!" states Lynn Green. "Recent Global Leadership Team meetings have been led by the Spirit in refreshing and unifying ways."
It was during the August 2004 meeting that the leadership fasted for one day of each of the weeks of a 40 day period of prayer and fasting.
"We all sensed the Lord was calling the mission to 50 days for prayer and fasting, from Easter (March 27, 2005) to Pentecost (May 15, 2005)," states Green.
YWAM invites all to fast with the leadership on the special days of Easter, Ascension Day (May 5), and Pentecost during the 50 Days of Prayer.
Their "first priority" is to "re-align" with "words God has spoken to [YWAM] over the years," which have become their "foundational values." Although YWAM "long[s] to hear him speak new and creative words," they must "first let his words from the past judge and purify [their] hearts." Asking for "forgiveness" when they have failed to obey, YWAM will also "re-align" their "relationships with one another."
"I invite you to join the whole YWAM family to usher in a new era of God's blessing and fruitfulness," states Green on the 50 Days of Prayer site.
