On July 4, all over the South Pacific, people of our faith are having a special Sabbath of prayer. This Sabbath of prayer was called for by the presidents of the four unions and the SPD officers to keep the spiritual momentum experienced at the South Pacific for Christ launch in May. It also shows the willingness of all the unions to support one another in their disciple-making efforts through prayer.
In July and August, the Trans Pacific Union is holding public evangelistic meetings in its 11 nations. We are claiming Psalm 2:8: “Ask of me, and I will give the nations as your inheritance, the ends of the earth as your possession.” Jesus is the rightful King of these nations and of the whole earth. Through prayer, we who in Eden gave the earth’s rulership to the enemy, are asking for Jesus to take it back.
South Pacific for Christ is not just a slogan; it is a prayer and a vision. We want to see our families, neighbours and communities respond to the grace and mercy of Jesus and become part of His kingdom. Each year until 2029, the South Pacific will focus on a different union for support in disciple-making and prayer: 2027 New Zealand Pacific, 2028 Australia, 2029 Papua New Guinea.
As you receive this Record on July 4, Pam and I are in Buala, Isabel, Solomon Islands. We are at one of the 300-plus sites in the country, where dozens of preachers have come from Papua New Guinea, Australia, New Zealand, China and the rest of the Pacific. The public meetings start tomorrow evening (July 5). Adventists have been serving their communities through acts of kindness, 10,000 Toes health checks and interventions, small-group Bible studies, Discovery Bible Reading and more. They have faithfully prepared the soil, planted the seed of the gospel and nurtured growing interest—it is now a time for decisions.
Some of you are praying in groups in your church; others have joined in the live Zoom prayer meeting that started when Sabbath began in our Division at Invercargill, New Zealand (3pm Friday, July 3, AEST) and concludes in Nuku’alofa, Tonga (3:15pm Sunday, July 5, AEST). For more information see southpacificforchrist.org. Some are praying personally. Whatever the setting, let’s keep this orchestra of prayer ascending to God’s throne, where grace and mercy for all abound (Hebrews 4:16).
