March for Jesus
Encyclopedia
March for Jesus is an annual interdenominational event in which Christians march through towns and cities.
March for Jesus began as City March in London
in 1987. It emerged out of 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 united 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 marched for Jesus.
Although the founding organisation disbanded after the 2000 march, March for Jesus continues in many countries in multiple and varied initiatives. In the USA, Jesus Day is the day that many thousands of people gather to pray and march in the name of Jesus.
March for Jesus resurfaced in Canada in Calgary, AB when in 2010 Artur Pawlowski the lead pastor of Street Church Ministries International and Jim Blake National Chairman of Concerned Christians Canada Inc. teamed up with a solid core of non-denominational believers to restore the March for Jesus back to Canada, after 10 years of absence. The March in 2010 began with a gathering in Millennium Park (Calgary) with prayer and a chain cutting ceremony officiated by then Alderman Ric McIver
and Mayor of Truro Nova Scotia
Bill Mills. The march with some 4,000-5,000 attendees progressed through the historic core of downtown on Stephen Avenue Mall making a few stops along the way for prayer and edification including a historic stop in front of the home of the former Calgary Prophetic Bible Institute, run by evangelist, and later Alberta’s first Social Credit Premier William Aberhart
, the march then continued and finished at Olympic Plaza.
March for Jesus began as City March in London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
in 1987. It emerged out of the friendship of three church groups: Pioneer, led by Gerald Coates
Gerald Coates
Gerald Coates is the founder of Pioneer, a Christian community established to "develop new churches across the UK and engage in mission globally." The Pioneer network is a neocharismatic group of evangelical churches. It is part of the British New Church Movement and can also be described as...
; Ichthus
Ichthus Christian Fellowship
Ichthus Christian Fellowship is a neocharismatic Christian church movement and Apostolic network based in London, United Kingdom. It is part of the British New Church Movement and has links with other BNCM leaders and movements, especially Gerald Coates of Pioneer Network.-History:Ichthus...
led by Roger Forster; and Youth with a Mission led by Lynn Green. Together with the worship leader Graham Kendrick
Graham Kendrick
Graham Kendrick is a prolific British Christian singer-songwriter and worship leader. He is the son of a Baptist pastor. He now lives in Croydon and is a former member of Ichthus Christian Fellowship...
, 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 united 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 marched for Jesus.
Although the founding organisation disbanded after the 2000 march, March for Jesus continues in many countries in multiple and varied initiatives. In the USA, Jesus Day is the day that many thousands of people gather to pray and march in the name of Jesus.
March for Jesus resurfaced in Canada in Calgary, AB when in 2010 Artur Pawlowski the lead pastor of Street Church Ministries International and Jim Blake National Chairman of Concerned Christians Canada Inc. teamed up with a solid core of non-denominational believers to restore the March for Jesus back to Canada, after 10 years of absence. The March in 2010 began with a gathering in Millennium Park (Calgary) with prayer and a chain cutting ceremony officiated by then Alderman Ric McIver
Ric McIver
Ric McIver is municipal politician and businessman from Calgary, Alberta, Canada. He is a former alderman for Ward 12 on the Calgary City Council. McIver held his post from his election in October 2001 until his run for mayor in October 2010...
and Mayor of Truro Nova Scotia
Truro
Truro is a city and civil parish in Cornwall, England, United Kingdom. The city is the centre for administration, leisure and retail in Cornwall, with a population recorded in the 2001 census of 17,431. Truro urban statistical area, which includes parts of surrounding parishes, has a 2001 census...
Bill Mills. The march with some 4,000-5,000 attendees progressed through the historic core of downtown on Stephen Avenue Mall making a few stops along the way for prayer and edification including a historic stop in front of the home of the former Calgary Prophetic Bible Institute, run by evangelist, and later Alberta’s first Social Credit Premier William Aberhart
William Aberhart
William Aberhart , also known as Bible Bill for his outspoken Baptist views, was a Canadian politician and the seventh Premier of Alberta between 1935 and 1943. The Social Credit party believed the reason for the depression was that people did not have enough money to spend, so the government...
, the march then continued and finished at Olympic Plaza.
Further reading
- Graham Kendrick, Gerald Coates, Roger Forster and Lynne Green with Catherine Butcher, March for Jesus (Eastbourne: Kingsway, 1992)
- Graham Kendrick Public Praise (Altamonte Springs: Creation House, 1992)