Hundreds of millions of Christians around the world are expected to come together in prayer on Pentecost Sunday, May 31, for the annual Global Day of Prayer.Individuals from 220 nations will gather in local churches, stadiums and other venues for the fifth annual event that crosses denominational lines and cultural barriers.
While participants are encouraged to pray for their own nation, event organizers also request prayers for issues such as the unreached people of the world, children who are at risk for various reasons, and the persecuted church, among other topics.
Last year an estimated 500 million Christians participated in GDOP.
The massive global prayer event began as a local prayer event in Cape Town, South Africa in 2001. The event quickly expanded throughout Africa in subsequent years, and in 2005 Christians from 156 of the 220 nations of the world united in prayer.
Last year, 210 countries participated in the day of prayer, and this year all 220 countries are registered to hold some kind of prayer event.
In addition to having Christians in every country participate in GDOP, this year will also be the first time a live webcast of the Pentecost Prayer Service from Jerusalem will be streamed online.
www.IPrayTv.com hopes to connect Christians worldwide to the Holy Land on Pentecost with this effort. Viewers can watch the feed online at the group’s web site for free.
[By Ethan Cole, Christian Post Reporter]
