The Australian Prayer Network is believed to be the largest prayer network in Australia. It is linked internationally to numerous national and international networks of prayer across the world. In Australia we have approximately 7000 registered members representing Churches of all Christian denominations, prayer groups and individual intercessors in every State and Territory of the nation. We believe the “hidden” membership, that is those who are members of the Churches and prayer groups represented in our network, runs into tens of thousands more.
Fourfold Aims of the Prayer Network
- To see spiritual renewal and revival of the Church and spiritual and social transformation of the Nation.
- To help the Church to more effectively accept spiritual responsibility for the community in which it ministers, both at a local and national level.
- To train and equip balanced leadership in the area of Prayer, Intercession, Strategic Level Prayer and local and national Mapping and Research initiatives.
- To mobilise the praying people of Australia as an effective, ongoing and credible support for the ministry of the Church, and to see the spiritual and social transformation of our Nation by the power of God released through prayer.
The APN ministers in a number of areas. Our most public ministry is the email prayer news update service we provide of which you are or can be a recipient. These are compiled from our worldwide sources of Christian news and the linkages we have with the prayer movement throughout the world. You can be, or are, one of more than 6,400 direct recipients of our emails, however as our distribution list includes media outlets and numerous other Networks the number who actually receive our prayer news updates probably runs into many thousands more. To join the prayer news update service, you need to join the APN.
The APN seeks to be both prophetic and practical in all that it does. We encourage our members to stand in the gap in prayer and intercession for our nation. From time to time we undertake strategic prayer assignments related to matters and issues that affect our nation. An example of this has been the leadership given in British/Australian reconciliation, Vietnam War reconciliation, Tasmanian/Mainland reconciliation, as well as calling the Church and Nation to prolonged seasons of prayer for the breaking of the recent drought, and at the time of Federal Elections. We also work with Churches in cities and communities where specific issues are identified needing a measure of strategic prayer that requires outside assistance.
Teaching and training in matters of prayer, intercession and spiritual warfare are provided both through our own national leadership team and also visiting ministries from within Australia and overseas whose visits are facilitated from time to time by the APN. Seminars and Conferences on the above subjects can be requested by Churches. Our leaders are often sought after to speak at conferences, seminars and to Churches etc giving the broader picture that we are privileged to see as a national ministry, of what God is doing in our nation.
We seek to have a prophetic voice on major issues affecting our nation by representing the voice of the Intercessors into the public arena. We do this through written articles and public statements. We also work closely with other national organisations and ministries to bring a united voice on issues of concern to the Christian constituency we represent, to the decision makers within our nation. We are committed to attend gatherings in Parliament House Canberra as a means of representing the views of our members to, and building relationships with, those serving in our Federal Parliament.
The services of our ministry are always provided free of upfront financial commitment. This ensures we are available to respond to invitations and undertake initiatives (subject to prayerful confirmation) right across the country, being able to go to places that would otherwise not be able to afford a national ministry such as ours. We cover our own ministry expenses however with a budget of considerable proportion we of course are heavily reliant on the generous giving of our members through love offerings in response to our ministry, and at the prompting of the Lord, to cover those expenses.
I trust this has given you something of an understanding of what lies behind this ministry and an appreciation that you can become a partner in a God given calling to see this Nation transformed in every way through prayer and the power of God that it releases.
Brian Pickering
National Coordinator
Australian Prayer Network.