March for Jesus

March for Jesus in 2012 in Strasbourg, France

March for Jesus is an annual interdenominational event in which Christians march through towns and cities.

History

The original March for Jesus took place in Melbourne, Australia in 1983. It was the brainchild of Roger Marks, the Victorian Secretary of the Festival of Light. He was assisted by the Maranatha Christian Church led by Mark McClimens. Approximately 7,000 took part and the March finished at the Myer Music Bowl with a victory celebration. Guest soloist was Esther King and guest speakers were Harry Westwood and Brian Willisdorf. Everyone who attended was asked to bring a banner that focused on Jesus. The March made the evening TV news and it mentioned the vast display of banners.

The March for Jesus in the United Kingdom began as a City March in London in 1987. It emerged from the friendship of three church groups: Pioneer, led by Gerald Coates; Ichthus led by Roger Forster; and Youth with a Mission led by Lynn Green. Together with the worship leader Graham Kendrick, they led a movement which over the next three years spread across the UK, Europe and North America, and finally across the world. Hundreds of smaller marches emerged in its wake.

In 1994 the first Global March for Jesus covered every time zone and involved over ten million Christians from over 170 nations. It is estimated that, by the final Global March for Jesus on 10 June 2000, over 60 million people in 180 nations had taken part in the March for Jesus.[1]

Although the founding organisation disbanded after the 2000 march,[2] March for Jesus continues in many countries in multiple and varied initiatives. In the United States, Jesus Day[3] is the day that many thousands of people gather to pray and march in the name of Jesus.

So much of what happens in the church goes on behind closed doors. The once powerful, visible church has become virtually invisible. I have a vision for the church becoming visible again - the 'bride on display' if you will. It's time for the bride of Christ to quit hiding and show herself.

- Graham Kendrick, C. Peter Wagner Churches That Pray: How Prayer Can Help Revitalize Your Congregation and Break Down the Walls Between Your Church and Your Community (Ventura, Regal, 1993) 150

Further reading

Wikimedia Commons has media related to March for Jesus.

References

  1. ↑ How March for Jesus Started
  2. ↑ Ediger, Gerald C. (2004). "The Proto-Genesis of the March for Jesus movement, 1970–87". Journal of Pentecostal Theology. 12 (2): 247–275. doi:10.1177/096673690401200204.
  3. ↑ March for Jesus USA


This article is issued from Wikipedia - version of the 7/7/2016. The text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution/Share Alike but additional terms may apply for the media files.