Prayer leaders and intercessors have been preparing for the 2012 Summer Olympics in London by participating in seven years of prayer and praise around the coasts of Scotland, England, and Wales. One young man completed a prayer walk of the entire coast of Great Britain, and other intercessors have walked and prayed along their parts of the coast and rivers. The Lydia prayer movement has raised up a “spiritual coastguard,” and many prayer centers have been started along the coast—all in preparation for the Olympics.

Many of the prayers have centered on the nations coming to the UK for the Games, with the desire that all will experience an encounter with God and a blessing upon their nations. Already the prayer movement has received great favor from the Olympic organizers. This includes being asked to provide more than 1,000 Game pastors to welcome people as they arrive at ports, airports, and stations. The police force has invited the Church to help with many of the policing challenges, and the Salvation Army was awarded the contract to provide water to all athletes in all events.

More than Gold (a charity set up to coordinate the Christian response to the Games) has been equipping more than 3,000 churches throughout the country to provide service, mission, and hospitality. All main Christian denominations and more than 80 organizations are working together. Many churches, prayer groups, and Houses of Prayer will provide a continuous canopy of prayer and praise during both the Olympics and the Paralympic Games.

You can connect with this prayer movement by going to morethangold.org.uk. Prayer resources are available on the website.

BRIAN MILLS and JANE HOLLOWAY are part of the Prayer Forum of British Isles and Ireland.

(c) 2012 Prayer Connect magazine.  To subscribe to Prayer Connect, click here.