Published on Operation World (http://www.operationworld.org)
Dec 04: United Kingdom, England, Ireland, Northern
United Kingdom
United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland
Europe
See Prayer Information
Geography
Area: 244,110 sq kmTwo main islands: Britain and the northeast of Ireland. A union of four countries: England 103,400 sq km, Scotland 78,800 sq km, Wales 20,800 sq km, Northern Ireland 14,100 sq km. Also three small autonomous states that are dependencies of the British Crown: Isle of Man 588 sq km (in the Irish Sea); Channel Islands 194 sq km (Guernsey, Jersey).
Population: 62,129,818 Annual Growth: 0.54%
Capital: London
Urbanites: 90.1%
HDI Rank: 21 of 182 (UN Human Development Reports 2009)
Peoples
Peoples: 105 (28% unreached) All peoplesUnreached Peoples Prayer Card
Official language: English; in Wales both English and Welsh. English is the primary language of 400 million in the world, as well as the major language of international communication for over 1.4 billion Languages: 15 All languages
Religion
Largest Religion: Christian| Religion | Pop % | Ann Gr | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Christians | 37,066,649 | 59.66 | -0.8 |
| Evangelicals | 5,490,130 | 8.8 | 0.0 |
Challenge for Prayer
Immigration remains a massive challenge, but is also an utter necessity and an unavoidable reality. The seat of British Empire now draws many from the far reaches of its former domains – and beyond. There are an estimated 600,000 to 900,000 illegal immigrants in the UK. Fully 70% of net population growth in the next 25 years is anticipated to be from immigration; in some boroughs and towns more babies are born to immigrants than to citizens. Pray with an eye toward:a) A core identity and purpose for Britain. Without a cultural centre or core set of values around which to build a multi-cultural society, disintegration and division will triumph. Pray for Britain to regain a sense of what makes it Britain; pray that these values would celebrate and reflect what God rejoices in.
b) Integration. Unwillingness or inability to adjust to life in the UK and lack of support and welcome for many immigrants all contribute to the creation of ethnic ghettoes.
c) Criminal and terrorist threats. Immigrants tend to suffer lower rates of employment and education, and higher rates of poverty and crime. They are much more vulnerable to exploitation by human traffickers, crime lords and religious fanatics. The number of people who enter the UK with the intention of criminal or terrorist activity is of course unknown, but it is far too many nonetheless. Pray for all who intend to exploit, disrupt or destroy to be thwarted by the authorities.
d) Christian and mission impact. Immigration, a trend reviled by reactionaries, also brings great blessing to these shores. Christian immigrants have staved off even greater declines in mainline churches and brought new life to many recent movements. “Reverse mission” is an undeniable trend, with around 1,500 Christian missionaries coming into the UK from the Americas, Africa and Asia. Immigration has also brought many unevangelized peoples right onto the doorstep of gospel-oriented churches. Thank God for these twin blessings; pray that both might be fully utilized to see new churches planted, new peoples reached and Jesus glorified.
For an additional 16 Challenges for Prayer see Operation World book, CD-ROM, or DVD-ROM.
More Information
The Operation World book, CD-ROM, and DVD-ROM provide far more information and fuel for prayer for the people of United Kingdom.England
United Kingdom
See Prayer Information
Geography
Area: 130,400 sq kmPeoples
Religion
PrayercastChallenge for Prayer
London is one of the world’s hub cities for finance, travel, politics, culture and such. The spiritual life of London also has global impact. As the destination of a high proportion of the inflow of migrants over the last 50 years, London has a strong claim to be the world’s most international city. Pray for these:a) Church life in London, in many senses, is rich and vibrant. The percentage of Londoners (especially 20- and 30-somethings) who attend church is higher than the national average. London’s churches are on average twice as large, more diverse and more engaged in outreach and projects of many kinds. London offers a host of vibrant church options – large Pentecostal churches (especially among Africans), flagship churches (such as Kensington Temple, Holy Trinity Brompton, All Souls and Hillsong), charismatic networks with large numbers of smaller congregations (Pioneer, Ichthus, New Frontiers) and even house church networks. Even so, in London, the majority are unchurched, other religions are assertive and growing and churches would be in notable decline were it not for London’s many church-going immigrants.
b) Ethnic minorities, increasingly, are becoming the majority in many boroughs. In London, over 50 nationalities have communities of over 10,000 people, and every nationality in the world is represented in some number. Nearly 60% of church-goers in London are ethnic minorities. These provide incredible opportunities for witness and evangelism of otherwise unreached people groups.
For an additional 2 Challenges for Prayer see Operation World book, CD-ROM, or DVD-ROM.
More Information
The Operation World book, CD-ROM, and DVD-ROM provide far more information and fuel for prayer for the people of England.Ireland, Northern
Europe
See Prayer Information
PrayercastChallenge for Prayer
Segregation and sectarianism remain, despite the prevalent peace. Separate confessions, separate churches, separate schools, separated communities keep Ulster a divided land. Pray that both Catholics and Protestants may take initiative in instigating reconciliation. Northern Ireland’s history has long been used as an example of religion’s destructive influence; pray that it may become a testimony of faith’s power to heal and restore.For an additional 3 Challenges for Prayer see Operation World book, CD-ROM, or DVD-ROM.
