Celebration for the Nations 2011 Report

The LORD is my strength and my song, and he has become my salvation; this is my God, and I will praise him, my father's God, and I will exalt him. The LORD is a man of war; the LORD is his name. (Exodus 15:2-3).

This was the song of thanksgiving and triumph that the Israelites sang as the Lord delivered them from slavery and brought them into their inheritance.

The Lord became their strength, their song and their salvation. Isn’t this our prayer for Wales, and for the nations? Prophetically we worship and allow the Lord who is our Song, to express himself. He has been doing that again this year, and many beautiful things have happened.

Thank you to all of you who came, those who prayed, those who helped make the whole thing happen, from the cooks to the worship leaders. A big thank you especially to Christiane, Ally, Christine in Wales and Mi Sook and Dong Ho from Revival Korea who worked tirelessly co-ordinating everything.

Cymanfa Ganu
It was beautiful to see Bethel Chapel in Llanelli full of worshippers from so many different denominations and nations as we worshipped the Lord in a traditional Welsh singing festival called a Cymanfa Ganu. Many Welsh people who came were deeply touched by the worship in their own language and format. The Llanelli Mayoral Party (representing the Town Council) were able to join us, and were also moved by the proceedings. People are asking us to have another Cymanfa next year. Next year we hope to have choirs coming from Mizoram and Manipur too.

We are so grateful for new relationships made with Welsh-speaking churches and for the input from Burry Port Male Voice Choir.

Youth Night
Another first for this year’s Celebration were the Rap and DJ artists who we invited for the youth. Though some Christians were initially shocked by this form of worship, those who did come saw how biblically-based it was. The Rap in particular drew in local youngsters from the nearby park. Some who came stayed all evening.

Tribe, the youth team from Swansea came and added their LIFE to the evening aw well as the Open Air. They had been praying for North Korea! It seems to be something the Lord is doing by his Spirit in Welsh young people at the moment. A number of local young people came and asked me how they could get information to pray for North Korea too. The wells are opening. Wales and North Korea are linked by the 1904/7 Revival and will be linked again!

Worship and Salvation
As we worship the Lord, and lift up his name, he draws people to himself. They need then to hear this wonderful gospel that they have been drawn to, and they need discipling, but barriers are broken as we worship. We saw that again this year, and in greater numbers than before. Some young people made commitments to the Lord in Llanelli, as well as a couple of older ones and we have heard that the young people are hungry to know more of the Lord.

Others made a profession of faith during the placements. The team in Bridgend told of a lady who was a lesbian who gave them a key. She told them that they had unlocked her heart, and now Jesus could come and live there.

Many others heard testimonies and something of the gospel message, or received some literature like the Why Jesus?’ booklet. Let’s continue to pray for them.

Fruitfulness and Unity
This year the Lord has consistently spoken to us about fruitfulness and unity. We found that we had representatives from the Isaiah 19 highway nations, Egypt, Israel and Assyria (we had Iranians with us; Iran was part of the old Assyrian Empire). They prayed and blessed each other. Egypt and Iran blessing Israel and Israel blessing them! We then prayed for them to fulfil the prophetic word, that they would be a blessing in the midst of the earth. They in turn prayed for us, as we represented all nations.

The Welsh Revival of 1904 touched what could be seen as the 4 corners of the world (if you put Jerusalem in the centre of the map). However, it was blocked by the First World War before the gospel could go back in power to the Middle East and surrounding nations. As we unblock the wells, the Lord wants to see living water come again to these nations too. It is significant that worshippers from the Middle East are now joining Celebration in larger numbers.

Egypt being a blessing in the nations
In last year’s Celebration a vision for building an Egyptian mission movement was released to an Egyptian man. This year he came with a small team. In their placement time they went to various cities, sharing the gospel with Muslims living in the UK and giving out bibles, tracts and DVDs. Hundreds of Muslims have received the word of life. One veiled woman had prayed that morning that she might receive a bible. She was handed one in the afternoon! They found Muslim men and women thirsting for truth. Another lady they spoke to had just become a Muslim 5 days before. She received a bible with interest.

In a Welsh city, an Arab meeting has now started, launched by what this team were able to do.

Unity illustrated
It was wonderful to have the flags of many of the nations that were (or have been) represented ... glad we were able to get an Iranian one by the end of the time! Sorry about the Afghan one ... next year we will have one. One Voice dance team led us on a march down the main shopping street in Llanelli Town Centre. Drums, horns and flags waving made for quite a sight and sound, but more than that, it was declaration that as Christians we are one body, though many nations.

Unity demonstrated
One young man from Afghanistan wanted to show his thankfulness to God and the Korean missionaries who gave themselves for his nation. In 2007 during our first Celebration, 2 Korean missionaries were martyred in Afghanistan. This young man found a Korean lady who had served in Afghanistan for several years, and he said that he would like to wash her feet publicly. As he did so, two Korean leaders jumped onto the stage and began to wash his feet.

He, maybe like Peter with the Lord, fought them as he felt he did not deserve this blessing. As he finally submitted to their love, he body was wracked with sobs. It was such a demonstration of Jesus’ love that we gave a call for those who wanted to take his gospel to the nations as missionaries, loving even if it meant death. Maybe 50 or more responded.

Media
This year we were asked if we wanted to make a TV programme about Celebration for Gospel TV. We were given a grant of half the money to produce it, and commissioned Paul Chillington to film for us. Please pray for him and Robin Rees, as they edit the hours of film they took. We will let you know when it is going to be aired.

BBC Radio Wales came and recorded their All things considered programme at Celebration this year. It was broadcast on Sunday 31st July, but you can still listen to it on the BBC Wales website (http://www.bbc.co.uk/podcasts/series/atc) . We are getting some positive feedback from it.

It seems that the Lord is choosing this time to lift our profile a little. Pray that Jesus, and no one else, will be glorified.

40 days of prayer and fasting for the UK
A group from Mizoram has entered into 40 days of prayer and fasting that started the first day of the Celebration, 22nd July. They are receiving many revelations for Britain and carrying a deep cry in their heart for repentance.

2012 and 2013
These are the final two years of Celebration for the Nations. Let’s keep on worshipping and seeking the Lord. Let’s be open to whatever way he may lead us.
If you feel that the Lord is prompting you to be part of the team preparing for the final two years, please get in touch. Don’t worry if you don’t feel qualified, the calling is more important than your skills. The Lord has his way of anointing us weak ones!
We are praying for at least three people from February until the summer in Wales, and one from June to work with Pastor Hong Jong Lee in London.

Can a nation be changed?
We are working with our great Lord Jesus for nothing short of transformation of our nations.

Peter, a man the Lord used to turn the world upside down, tells us his secret. He took hold of the promises of God for his life and so become a partaker in the divine nature (2 Peter 1:4)!

Though he was just an ordinary man, he walked with and in God. So, God moved through him bringing thousands to repentance, speaking with great authority before the rulers of his day, leading a diverse and baby church of many thousands, healing and delivering people from all their diseases. Peter learnt to be who God had created him to be. He was willing to die rather than be false to the One who had called him.

The first Pentecost was the result of two things:

• The finished work of Jesus on the Cross
• The obedience and faith of 120 people.

The Lord is waiting and longing to transform our societies. We have seen from the recent riots in the UK how family breakdown is shaking the structure of our society.
People are ripe for a revelation of the power and love of God. The Lord has done his part. He is waiting for us to do ours; to take hold of his very great and precious promises, and walk in his divine nature.

The work of God is to believe! To believe is to act in faith. Let us be true to our glorious Lord who has called us to his own glory and excellence. As we each obey our Lord, rejecting this world and daily taking up our Cross, the streams of life will flow and join with many from all around the world. The deserts will be transformed again. We sing because we know that we are part of his glorious army, and he has already won the victory by that greatest of weapons: LOVE.
In Jesus love,

Gail (for the Celebration for the Nations leadership team)
Dates Celebration for the Nations in Wales: 20th-27th July 2012
19th-26th July 2013