A few photographs from the World Prayer Assembly stadium event in Jakarta Indonesia

There are about 100 thousand people gathered in the Jakarta Stadium tonight for the World Prayer Assembly stadium prayer gathering- amazingly there are another 373 stadium gatherings throughout Indonesia at the same time. It is estimated that about 9 million people have gathered for prayer tonight across this nation. It is always a wonderful experience to pray together with so many people from all over the world!

Our broadcast will be seen by a few more million people across the world tonight and another 400 million people when we rebroadcast this event on Pentecost Sunday, 27 May 2012 (which is also the Global Day of Prayer).

We set up a studio to do interviews with parter ear organizations in prayer, ethics, justice and mission work across the world. Here are a few pictures of some friends doing their interviews among them Jason Mandryk from Operation World, Pete Greig from 24-7 prayer, and a host of others.

It is so great to share in this event with so many great friends! I will have the joy of highlighting the work of our Ethics campaign (Unashamedly Ethical - http://www.unashamedlyethical.com), and our corruption and poverty campaign (EXPOSED - Shining a light on corruption - http://www.exposed2013.com) in a 10 minute interview at the end of our broadcast this evening.

A reminder to live as a servant

I struggle to serve. I frequently pray that I would serve others with much more grace and intensity - I seldom get it right! Yet, I know this is the way of Jesus - kenosis leads to theosis (self emptying love is an aspect of the character of Christ).

This quote encouraged me in my quiet time this morning:

To weep with those who weep, to accept the role of a servant, to give up anger when we have a right to be angry — to do these things is to acquire the character of a person who fits in with Jesus Christ.

- Cornelius Plantinga, Jr. (via mshedden)

At the World Prayer Assembly in Jakarta this year I experienced that great inner dichotomy between love of self and love of others. I am far too quick to want to 'get things done', to be involved in organizing and orchestrating events and situations. I am far too slow to listen, to wait, to be unseen, and to truly serve.

Today I pray that God would continue to transform my character and make me more like Jesus.