What is a gospel movement?

A church planting movement (CPM) or disciple making movement (DMM) can be defined as “the multiplication of disciples making disciples and leaders developing leaders, resulting in indigenous churches planting churches which begin to spread rapidly through a people group or population segment.” Click here to read more about gospel movements.

Declare a Promise

Deut 10:18 “He defends the cause of the fatherless and the widow, and he loves the foreigner residing among you, giving them food and clothing“

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Lord, we declare over Lebanon’s refugees and foreigners: you defend their cause; you care about their plight; you respond to their cries for justice; and you reach down from heaven to act. You are the God of the refugee, a safe haven, a strong tower. And you stand with those whose backs are up against the wall.

Today’s Movement Theme: TARGETED PRAYER

Bonafide gospel movements cross ethnic, religious, and class lines. And within movements there tends to be targeted prayer for particular ethnic groups and marginalized communities. Today, we will pray for one such group: our Palestinian brothers and sisters living in Lebanon as refugees.

While it is impossible to accurately distill this complex situation into a few sentences, here is an attempt: Palestinians came to Lebanon in different waves beginning in 1949. Once they fled their homes, they were barred by the Israelis from returning. But Lebanon never ‘absorbed’ them into Lebanese society; they insisted that Palestine, and not Lebanon, must be their rightful home. Consequently, Palestinians are stuck living out brutal cycles of poverty and systemic marginalization: they cannot work white-collar jobs, get passports to travel, vote, defend themselves institutionally from Lebanese exploitation, or return home to Palestine. They are stuck in between.

The situation is quite dire, and some of the worst living conditions in Lebanon can be found in the 12 Palestinian refugee camps.

While estimates on the Palestinian population in Lebanon vary widely, it seems safe to put the number somewhere between 300,000 and 500,000 persons.

Dreams and Visions

Acts 10:30-33 Cornelius replied, “Four days ago I was praying in my house about this same time, three o’clock in the afternoon. Suddenly, a man in dazzling clothes was standing in front of me. He told me, ‘Cornelius, your prayer has been heard, and your gifts to the poor have been noticed by God! Now send messengers to Joppa, and summon a man named Simon Peter. He is staying in the home of Simon, a tanner who lives near the seashore.’ So I sent for you at once, and it was good of you to come. Now we are all here, waiting before God to hear the message the Lord has given you.”

  1. Ask: for open visions to be released in the Palestinian camps
  2. Ask: for workers to find those who’ve already had dreams or visions
  3. Ask: for heads of household–men of influence–to open their communities to the word of the Lord

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Extremism

Gal 1:13, 23-34 You know what I was like when I followed the Jewish religion—how I violently persecuted God’s church. I did my best to destroy it. [But eventually the churches could testify:] “The one who used to persecute us is now preaching the very faith he tried to destroy!”

  1. Pray that extremists and violent zealots would encounter the King of Peace, Jesus, and would follow him in self-donating love
  2. Pray that a spirit of peace would be released over the camps, causing even the most extremist of communities to change its ways
  3. Pray for Apostle Pauls to be raised up from among the Palestinian camps, that they could offer their people an alternative story, an alternative purpose

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Sabra and Chatila

This is largely considered the most dilapidated, dangerous, and dehumanizing area in all of Lebanon. Drugs are rampant. Gangs rule the neighborhoods. Lebanese police and army do not enter. There’s no empty or green spaces, no safe electricity, no clean or sufficient water. Brothels and sex trafficking abound. Violence breaks out regularly. It is truly an area of profound chaos and brutality.

  1. Intercede for God’s miraculous intervention and blessing in this community
  2. Intercede for workers who wish to access this community, that they would be protected and led by Jesus
  3. Intercede for those living under the bondage of addictions, the fear of gang rule, or the dehumanization of trafficking

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Economic Creativity and Prosperity

The economic difficulties for Palestinian populations are difficult to capture in language. Let’s pray for God to do something more than we could ask or imagine!

  1. Pray for creative new business ideas among Palestinians
  2. Pray for favor with Lebanese government and protection from discrimination
  3. Pray for microfinance and business trainings to help people reimagine the possibilities they have
  4. Pray for economic blessing

No Place Left

Each day, we pray for various regions of Lebanon, believing in faith that a disciple making movement will touch each and every community throughout the nation.

Today, pray by name for the 12 Palestinian Refugee Camps of Lebanon.

Sabra and Chatila – Rashidieh – Burj El Barajneh – Ein El Helweh – Beddawi – Burj El Shemali – Miyeh Miyeh – El Buss – Wavel – Mar Elias – Nahr El Bared – Dbayeh