With a focus on progress, peace and accelerating the Great Commission, the 2022 Prayer Day for the Black World will take place on Zoom on Saturday, May 28th, beginning at 8 a.m. The event will be held as part of this year’s celebration of Africa Liberation Week that begins on May 25th.
Pastors, ministers and evangelists from the U.S., the Caribbean and African countries including Ghana, Liberia, NIgeria, Togo and Kenya will participate in the prayer conference.
Organized by the Chicago-based Africa Resurrection and Restoration Ministries (ARRM), this year’s event will be the third prayer conference since its inception in 2020.
A spokesperson says this year’s prayer day is necessitated by threats to world peace and stability in Africa and Ukraine that impede the work of evangelism. It will also provide spiritual support for the proposed African Union-Caribbean Community partnership and pray for food sufficiency in Africa amid reports of an impending famine and starvation.
“With the success of the first prayer day against COVID-19 in Africa and fostering unity among our people at the second event, this year we will offer prayers to God to bless plans for black world renaissance,” said Dr. Nicholas Okaijah-Thompson, ARRM’s Minister/Director.
“As part of this year’s program, we will pray for peace and stability in the world, especially in Ukraine, and Africa amid ethnic conflicts and new coups due to failure to combat Islamic insurgents.”
Okaijah-Thompson deplored the silence of the Christian community on these issues adding, “We don’t wait for change; we will make it happen with God’s help.”
Rev. James Sheldou of Liberia, who participated actively in the past two prayer days, expressed readiness for the third prayer day. Sheldou, who is the pastor of the Living Sacrifice Church, spoke against the high rate of corruption and unrest on the continent, and called for prayers for the whole of Africa. He recalled that “when the children of Israel cried out to God, He answered and granted them freedom and prosperity.”
Prayers will also be offered for the Caribbean, Black Americans and the proposed U.S. – Africa Ministers Conference. The ministerial body will aim at accelerating evangelism, holding monthly, quarterly and annual prayer meetings and helping address the problems of black people.
Rev. Dr. Kofi-Noonoo, president of the Council of Ghanaian Churches and senior pastor of the Ebenezer United Church, Rev. Charlene Johnson of Ohio and author of “God’s Problem”, and Rev. Ernest Baker, ARRM’s chairperson and senior pastor of the New Hope Christian Missionary Church, presided over the last two annual sessions. Rev. Baker has served on evangelistic missions to some African countries including Nigeria and Benin.
At the first prayer day conference, Rev. Dr. George Kugblenu, Ghana’s ex- Ambassador to Algeria and church associate pastor in South Carolina, delivered the inaugural keynote address. Rev. Dr. Joseph Rhoney of the Moody Bible Institute and president of Ministry One gave the main address at last year’s event.
Okaijah-Thompson hoped the third annual prayer conference would herald regular collective prayer sessions among black people to expedite the work of salvation, progress and stability. Thompson, also the general secretary of the Council of Ghanaian Churches, is the author of a forthcoming book entitled, “Born to Witness.”
Zoom information about the Third Annual Prayer Day for the Black World will be available later. Issues relating to the prayer day can be addressed to [email protected].
