Worldwide Prayer Meeting
Prayer Focus - Australia Territory
The Twelve Apostles - Australia
The old song proclaims and we hope your heart sings it as well:
My hope is built on nothing less,
Than Jesus’ blood and righteousness,
I dare not trust the sweetest frame,
But wholly lean on Jesus’ name.
Chorus
On Christ, the solid Rock, I stand;
All other ground is sinking sand,
All other ground is sinking sand.
-Edward Mote
Prayer
Oh, dear Lord, I find that You are provide the solid ground where I can stand! So much is uncertain. I remember things I thought would never change and people I thought would always be there but then I found it wasn’t so. But You have been there. You remain when everything else is washed away. It’s not that people meant to fail or leave but circumstances change. I have changed. The whole world has changed. I need to know that I am secure in You. As long as I stand on You, lean on You, trust in You and do not lean on my own understanding, my way is secure. Hold my hand, dear Lord. Keep me steady when everything is shaking. Help me not to get cocky when things are smooth. Let me be like the wise man who built his house on the rock. Because You are that Rock. I love You, Lord. I praise You for keeping me. In Jesus’ name. Amen.
The Melbourne Staff Band shares this composition by Roger Trigg was written for the Centenary Celebrations of the Preston Citadel Band, inspired by the words of the classic hymn ‘O God our help in ages past.’
Background of the
Australia Territory
Australia was occupied for unknown years by the Aboriginal peoples. It is the only country that is also a continent, historically the driest one on Earth. Its ecology is very fragile and only through vigilance by the government and the citizens can it be protected.
It was colonized by the British and functions as an autonomous federal parliamentary democracy within the British Commonwealth. Australia has a market economy balanced between services, mining, agricultural exports, industry, and tourism. People here enjoy a high standard of living with a very strong middle class, although poverty has been increasing since 2000. Sustained immigration has resulted in 30% of Australians being born overseas.
There is complete freedom of religion. Historically Christian, that has diminished sharply since the Second World War with those claiming no religion being the second highest category of belief. Also, with the many immigrants there has been a sharp rise in those following Islam, Buddhism, and other beliefs. Overall, there has been a growing negative view of Christianity by the majority population who would favor a pick-and-choose spirituality that conforms to their personal views of sexuality and morality.
The Salvation Army: Two Christian Mission converts – John Gore and Edward Saunders – pioneered The Salvation Army operations on September 5, 1880, in Adelaide. The first officers sent to Australia were Captain and Mrs. Sutherland, who took up their responsibilities in February 1881. In 1921, the work was divided into two territories – Eastern and Southern – with headquarters in Sydney and Melbourne. On December 1, 2018, the two territories combined to form the Australia Territory with headquarters in Melbourne.
Facts, Stats and Leadership of
the Australia Territory
- Total population to fish and disciple: 27,384,000
- 668 officers, 58 auxiliary-captains, 14 envoys, 14 cadets
- 908 retired officers
- 287 corps, 17 outposts
- 12,336 senior soldiers
- 3,944 adherents
- 1,635 junior soldiers
Leadership
Territorial Commander – Commissioner Miriam Gluyas
Chief Secretary – Colonel Winsome Merrett
Prayer Requests for the
Australia Territory
- For our rallying cry to become our reality: ‘Jesus-centered, Spirit led, Hope revealed’.
- That God would give us wisdom and the most effective ways to live the rallying cry out, from all of our mission expressions and sites.
- For the right leaders to rise up and to be raised up and tapped on the shoulder.
- That we live out who we are, in what we believe and who we are.
- For new ways of being and doing church to rise up across the nation.
- The Israel/Palestine conflict, and the impact this is having in our Australian communities.
- Ongoing guidance as The Salvation Army Australia responds to a country that refers to itself as ‘post-Christian’.
- For a greater witness of who Jesus Christ is, to one another and our community.
- For salvation to be our greatest hope and prayer, from people to the planet.
- For deeper commitment to and seeking of discernment, so we can know God’s will, offer God thanksgiving and follow God’s plan.
- Our A Year of Prayer national prayer initiative: that all Salvationists may embrace this, praying together, for each other, for our movement and for our nation.
- For greater unity: That we may be known for the love we have for one another.
- For integrated mission.
- That we would value the learnings of our young people and incorporate these into our movement’s future and present direction: willing to be uncomfortable, willing to try and fail, and making faith integral to all our plans and action.
USA Southern Territory
Prayer Requests
- Major Tammy Vick, Command Secretary for Production & Property, ARC Command
- Personnel Department
- Ross Wheeler, Capital Renewal Plan Manager, Property
- Karen Croft, Administrative Assistant, Personnel
- Terrance McGuire-Span, Lead Accounting Clerk, Finance
- Major Anita Caldwell, Director of Curriculum, EBC
- Cadet Susan Garland
- Captain Michael Good, Divisional Candidates’ Secretary, Alabama, Louisiana and Mississippi Division
- Commissioner Jolene Hodder, National Program Secretary, NHQ
- Lt. Colonels Dean & Pam Hinson, officers, soldiers, employees and volunteers of the Arkansas & Oklahoma Division
- Advisory Boards
- Anonymous prayer request for the homeless and downtrodden, that they might be led to find redemption in Christ; asking prayer for families who lost loved ones during the night, that God would comfort them and that the ones who died were prepared to meet God.
Something to Consider
About 30 years ago I had my first experience of preaching in another country, to a totally different culture while being translated. I thought I was ready. I was clueless as to how clueless I was.
Our host officers took us to a town where none of the roads had signs and one street looked like the next. Somehow, we found the corps where it became clear that we were forced onto the corps officer by his divisional commander and though polite, he was barely so. He was to be my translator.
I had not been prepared for, nor did I think to ask ahead of time how meetings unfolded. In my ignorance, I thought it would be just like home. I was off balance as there was one surprise after another. I looked at my notes for my message and realized that it wasn’t going to work. In a panic, I looked through scribbled notes in the margin of my Bible for something that might be more appropriate and thought I had found something but still, I was very uneasy.
When I got up to speak, I shared a greeting in the people’s language. The translator said (I learned later), “Oh, and now he’s going to pretend to speak in our language.” I stumbled through my message, trying to stop where you’re supposed to for translation, sweating bullets and when finished finally sitting down in a heap. I felt like a total and complete failure. My assessment was too kind. It was worse than that.
When the invitation was given, there was one, then another, then others. I knew full well it had nothing to do with what I said. This was God at work. Paul reminds us, “For since in the wisdom of God the world through its wisdom did not know Him, God was pleased through the foolishness of what was preached to save those who believe” (1 Corinthians 1:21).
Friends, I provided the foolishness. God provided the salvation. And really, it has always been that way.
Benediction
May God keep you in His grace, remind you of His love and gently guide your steps this day. Amen.
We praise God with Lauren Daigle as she sings, “How Great Thou Art”