On February 18–27, eight South American countries will participate in the 10 Days of Prayer campaign, which will include new elements this year. The Adventist South American News Agency (ASN) spoke with Pastor Josanan Alves, director of the Christian Stewardship department of the Adventist Church in South America and one of the coordinators of this initiative. Alves commented on how the initiative will be conducted, despite the COVID-19 pandemic.
What will be the emphasis of this spiritual project for this year?
This year, it will be on the role of the family during the end time. We will study how the family should prepare for the last moments of Earth's history. We will not speak only of prophetic events, but also practical preparation of each member of the family, and this practice is related to the communion, relationship, and mission of each person.
This project takes place in the midst of a pandemic that continues to devastate the world. Will this prevent prayer meetings? What is the idea or what will be the dynamics of the 10 Days of Prayer for this year?
We really started the year with the challenge of continuing the pandemic. We advise each region to establish rules according to the guidelines of the health agencies therein. Where possible, the plan is that on the first Sabbath of the program, February 20, the church will have a day of fasting and a vigil, and during the rest of the program, each member is praying and laboring for at least five family members who have not yet surrendered their lives to Christ through baptism. Every day, the ten-day prayer magazine will present a missionary challenge that must be done to serve the family members for whom we are praying. On the last Sabbath, February 27, the whole church should participate in a beautiful program for family members who will be invited to be there.
What are the novelties that the prayer project brings?
During the 10 Days of Prayer, the church will receive a new version of the 7me app, in which we will be able to form prayer groups with our families, small groups, prayer units, friends, etc. The app will have a space in which these groups can be formed, and we will be able to know the requests of people in our group and pray for them. We need to make sure prayer is not a one-time event during the ten days, and this app allows us to remain involved with prayer after that period.
Every year, the Adventist Church always promotes ten hours of fasting. How will this schedule work this year?
In 2021, the day of the fast will be the first Sabbath, not the last, as we did in previous years, because on the last Sabbath, a beautiful program will be offered to the non-Adventist family members of the church members. However, the first Sabbath of fasting must be a very special program, focused on moments of testimony, prayer, and crying for the presence of the Holy Spirit in our lives. On the 10 Days page, there are several materials and guidelines that can help with theFebruary 20 program.
How important is it that our readers participate in this prayer day?
I really like a quote from the book Steps to Christ, in which Ellen White says we should look for every opportunity to go where we pray, and those who really seek fellowship with God will be seen in prayer meetings. This is an opportunity, in a year as difficult as the one in which we are living, to seek the strength and security of the Lord through individual and collective fellowship. I hope the whole church will start a strong revival-and-reformation movement in all families.
This article was originally published on the South American Division’s Portuguese news site