The first-ever Global Day of Prayer for Media is being hailed as “a remarkable success” and “a strong 24-hour live prayer experience” after hundreds of Christians around the globe engaged within the event on Sunday.
More than 2,000 people joined within the live-streamed prayer marathon, logging on from over 25 countries – with the Philippines registering the very best viewership.
More than 180 men and women involved in media took part within the event, explaining their role and setting out their passion to share the Christian gospel through media in all its forms. Each led prayers with many contributing Bible verses of encouragement.
Christians in media from countries including the US, UK, Australia, New Zealand and Argentina took turns to wish for the media landscape.
There were greater than 14,000 page hits on the event website, www.prayformedia.com, throughout the event.
Among those backing the Global Day of Prayer was Archbishop of York Stephen Cottrell. In a video message posted on social media, he invited Christians “to affix me in praying for the media and people often putting their lives on the road to inform the stories that have to be told.”
The day of prayer was the brainchild of co-operation between Christians in Media UK, Christian Media and Art Australia, the Christian Broadcasting Association of New Zealand, and the Hollywood Prayer Network, of the United States.
Following the Day of Prayer, a spokesperson for Christians in Media UKÂ said the event was “a remarkable success, creating a strong 24-hour live prayer experience that united viewers and believers from around the globe”.
“The overwhelmingly positive feedback reaffirms the necessity and desire for a prayer-focused gathering dedicated to the media, arts, and entertainment industries,” they said.
“We consider that is only the start of a strong tradition, and we’re already feeling a renewed excitement to explore the opportunity of hosting this event again next yr.”
Rev Peter Crumpler is a Church of England minister in St Albans, Herts, UK, and a former communications director with the CofE. He was amongst those from the UK leading prayers throughout the event.
