“Thank you for standing together in solidarity with your global Baptist sisters!” THE DAY OF PRAYER STORY Are we women who do the Day of Prayer? groups, currently seven Continental Unions Or, are we women of prayer? Day of Prayer connecting women from 156 countries with began as women in Europe emerged from translations of the program into over 80 World War II. Women, who had been on languages. opposite sides of the battle, realized they had work to do in order to tear down walls the Today we continue to see division in our divisiveness of war had been erected. Pain world. Walls are built through war zones and and atrocities had led to feelings of anger polarization in theology, politics, cultures, and these women knew only God could ethnicities, and economic statuses. We, dismantle these emotional barriers and bring as Baptist Women, continue to call each reconciliation. These women were women of other to break down walls in love, expressed prayer. They came together, wrapped their through prayer. When we come together, we arms around each other through prayer, and stand with each other at the foot of the cross, the walls came tumbling down. holding hands as we look up to our Saviour to bring healing and hope in a troubled and Since that eventful period, the Day of Prayer broken world. Day of Prayer is our biggest, movement among Baptist women has most earth-shattering, ground-breaking grown. Observances now reach women in opportunity to dispel the darkness and love nearly every country where there are Baptist the world and each other on a massive scale. PRAYER MATTERS Our voices are rising up to God with come together to shake the world and dispel thousands upon thousands of our sisters’. forces of darkness. God hears. God answers. Let’s continue to 2 TABLE OF CONTENTS 04 05 Getting Creative Bible Study 06 07 History of the baptist Women’s Day of Prayer Projects world day of prayer 08 09 10 Asia Baptist Women’s Union Baptist Women of North Baptist Women of the America Pacifc 11 12 13 Baptist Women’s Union of Caribbean Baptist Women’s European Baptist Women Africa Union United 14 15 16 Baptist Women’s Union of Oferings and Donations Back Cover - Global BWA Women Latin America and Baptist World Alliance Baptist World Alliance Women See bwawd.org/DOP-Extras for promotional poster, planning guide, photos for use with power 405 N. Washington Street point, the LIFE theme song sound track, history of Day of Prayer, videos and other resources. Falls Church, VA 22046 Tel: +1 (703) 790-8980, Ext. 16 For a deeper understanding of the global reach of Day of Prayer, be sure to check out facebook.com/ [email protected] BWAWomenDepartment/ especially on and following the Day of Prayer. There you will see photos of some of the www.bwawd.org thousands of our global sisters who participate in this experience along with you. 3 GETTING CREATIVE Culture is always changing and there are so many ways we can adapt ›› Remote Prayer Times: to carry out and broaden our reach as women of prayer. Let’s think It’s not always possible to meet in person. There are ways to work with creatively of ways we can bring more women into our worldwide that. prayer circle. Let’s try new ways of experiencing our Day of Prayer and make it possible for more women to attend than ever before! • Text Prayer Groups: Gather a group together and commit to pray at a particular time Here are some ideas: and text each other prayer needs. Or, have one of the group ›› Traditional Prayer Events members text the others with a prayer from the guide or a Bible Conventional occasions that occur at church and various public text for refection. spaces. For planning ideas for a conventional church meeting, see: bwawd.org/planning-tips • Email Prayer Groups Set up an email group and send each other prayer requests or ›› Private Prayer Gatherings write out prayers via email. Intimate events, which are hosted in small locations, such as homes, libraries, or cofee shops. • WhatsApp or Skype Utilize video calling to facilitate as close to an in-person ›› Prayer in Public Spaces gathering as possible. Open prayer tables or booths in public sites, such a college campuses, subway stations, or street corners, etc. where hosts ofer prayer for As you discover creative ways to pray together even from afar, please anyone who wants it throughout the day. share your ideas so we can pass them on to others. Contact us at [email protected]. ›› Praying Throughout the Year Encourage one another to take prayer requests home and continue to For a multitude of other creative ways to experience your time of pray over them during the following year. prayer, please visit bwawd.org/Creative-Day-of-Prayer. ›› Prayer Walking Along with your time of prayer, consider taking up an ofering so you Set up prayer rooms in your church and ofer a variety of prayer can participate in the life-giving ministries that are supported by Day stations representing the Continental Unions. Place prayer requests of Prayer Ofering on your continent and on the global scale. For more from each continent around each station and have people move from on how these oferings are used, see www.bwawd.org/oferings. station to station praying for the concerns mentioned. 4 LIVING TO THE FULL IN JESUS’ SHEEPFOLD A BIBLE STUDY ON JOHN 10, 1-18 A sheepfold run by an imposter he may have been inspired by the disunity of Christians. There were those who came These shepherds ‘steal, kill, and destroy’ the to Christ from a Jewish background, and sheep (10:10). It is hard for the sheep to listen those who came from a Gentile background to them (10:8) because they know that God’s (comp. Eph. 2:11-13). The difculties in the voice is diferent; life and love do not hurt and church also resulted from nationalism – both cause pain. Life is not found in places where Jewish and Greek. But Christ has come not you are abused and locked away in a narrow ‘for the nation only, but to gather into one place, unable to live. Jesus is a diferent the dispersed children of God’ (11:52). There kind of shepherd. With him, the sheep are is only one shepherd for the whole fock – ‘saved’ (10:9) from the constant fear of their whatever their human sheepfolds and door- self-installed and abusive shepherds. Life in keepers. The sheep are identifed when they Ksenija Magda, BWA Women PRESIDENT 2015-2020 Jesus’ sheepfold is diferent. By entering it, hear the shepherd’s voice and are drawn in by the sheep are saved, but they are not enslaved him (10:16). Therefore, ‘there will be one fock’ In July, a new president was elected for BWA by the walls of the sheep fold; Jesus is their as there is ‘one shepherd’ of them all (comp. Women for the 2020-2025 term. We welcome door. They can ‘come in and go out and fnd Eph. 2:14-22). Karen Wilson from Australia to her new role. pasture’ (10:9). This is a picture of having To learn more about Karen, please see the place to come home, but it is also a picture of The church has been divided. Some of this short biography on our website. freedom, of going out and exploring, fnding division is necessary, as we are bound to our new pastures to feed on and life bursting with place and often have no opportunity to see I want to take this opportunity to thank you joy: ‘I came that they may have life, and have much else. But sometimes we create division for the privilege of serving you over the last it abundantly’ (10:10). Jesus is the door to where Jesus wants unity. Life to the full only fve years. It has been a joy to meet so many of both shelter and freedom. you around the world. I want to leave you with comes when we recognize that God is not confned just to the people who look and act this challenge from the Word. A sheepfold run by such an imposter, as like us, or who belong to our own church. Those described previously, is easily recognized by who belong to Christ are called to go out and 1. Who Owns the Sheep? Or, the Freedom of its narrowness. It does not exist for the sheep, know that there are ‘other folds,’ and they also God’s Children. but to further the pride and power of the false belong to Christ. If they belong to him, they shepherds. The metaphor of God’s people as wandering must belong to us, if we are Christ’s. The apostle Paul uses the picture of the Body of Christ for the sheep without a shepherd in John 10:1-18 is Think and evaluate your church whole church, not just for the local community. from Isaiah 53:7. With it, Jesus means frst to experience. Is it a safe place where you When we connect, resources fow and all of us reproach of the leaders of Israel of his own can fnd shelter? Is it an open place where experience that amazing life. time about their bad leadership. Jesus tells you can explore the freedom and fullness them that they are not only blind (9:40), but of life? Give thanks to God for the good Share your experiences of the global they are also ‘thieves and bandits’ (10:1) who ‘doorkeepers’ of your church, of people who church.