Christians from around world meet in world’s most populous Muslim nation

INDONESIA (CHARISMANEWS) Indonesia’s largest sporting arena became one big giant prayer house on May 17. The event was televised across the world’s most populous Muslim country.

Christians began praying the moment they entered the stadium.

The event was part of five days of prayer and discussion for evangelical Church leaders from over 60 countries who assembled in Jakarta, the capital of Indonesia, for the World Prayer Assembly.

“Prayer can change everything in this nation, and that’s why I came tonight with my family, believing for God to do the impossible,” one woman said.

“I walked in tonight and I asked God to make this a turning point in the history of our nation,” an Indonesian man said.

In between prayers for the nation and the world, participants worshipped and listened to speakers encourage them to walk closer with God. The official estimate is that more than 100,000 Indonesians turned out to pray at the Jakarta National Stadium.

Believers in 378 other Indonesian cities met at the same time in their homes, churches and around television screens.

“More than 2.5 million Christians in the country in Indonesia will pray and cry out to God, asking him to send his Holy Spirit to the nation,” Dr Bambang Widjaya of World Prayer Assembly told CBN News.

CBN Indonesia helped facilitate the stadium prayer rally, joining leaders from various denominations and global ministries in calling for greater unity among churches. “There is tremendous power in unity,” Enoch Adeboye, pastor of Redeemed Christian Church of God, told CBN News.

It’s that unity that organisers say will bring lasting spiritual change to the country.

— George Thomas/CBN News Sr. Reporter