opposition from local authorities. "This year’s Evangelical Alliance Advent Prayer Guide, which focuses on bringing a new vision of respect to Britain, is the most popular ever and, with 46,000 sold," said the EAUK, a platform representing one million evangelical Christians in the UK.
"The growing demand for this evangelical prayer guide challenges the view of many local councils who believe people increasingly want ‘Christ’ taken out of Christmas, so as not to cause offence to religious minorities and secularists," the EAUK told BosNewsLife.
POLICE PRAYERS
The A5 sized guide, which encourages prayer for police, asylum seekers and the environment, retails at about $3, 20 for 10 copies.
"We are delighted that the Advent Prayer Guide is selling so well. The fact that sales are increasing indicates that people are hungry to bring the heart of the gospel into Christmas, not take it out," said Allen Moxham, EAUK’s Associate Director of Communications.
"We thought the Advent Prayer Initiative, which has been going since 2000, had reached its height in 2004, revealing a clear increase in a desire and need for prayer across our nation, and across our world. But this year’s sales have exceeded expectations again."
KEY VALUE
This is the sixth year the EAUK produced an Advent Prayer Guide to focus prayer on a key value in society, organizers said. 2005 "focuses on respect and offers pointers on how to show greater respect to, among others, ‘non-Christians’, ‘Disabled people’ ‘Politicians’ and ‘Other races’," the EAUK said.
The guide supplies daily Bible readings, reflections on key Biblical figures, and prayer points from November 27 through December 24. The guide is sent to EAUK members, including churches, and being sold by the Christian Publicity Organization (CPO), the group said.
It comes at a time of concern among Christian organizations about anti-hatred legislation which they fear would limit Christians in sharing their faith openly with non-Christians and people of different religions. (With reports from the United Kingdom and BosNewsLife Research).
