Love Your Neighbor - The Essence of Prayer-Care-Share

Can We Make Neighborly Love a Reality?
by Lori Baynard

“In our quest to make neighborly love a reality, we have, in addition to the inspiring example of the Good Samaritan, the magnanimous life of our Christ to guide us. His altruism was universal, for he thought of all men, even publicans and sinners, as brothers. His altruism was dangerous, for he willingly traveled hazardous roads in a cause he knew was right. His altruism was excessive, for he choose to die on Calvary, history’s most magnificent expression to the obedience to the unenforceable.”
- Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

Americans celebrated Independence Day over the weekend, commemorating the signing of the Declaration of Independence on July 4, 1776, a document that established some of the fundamental beliefs upon which our country was founded. These beliefs include the conviction that all men are created equal and that all men possess a number of God-given and unassailable rights, including the rights to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.

America has defended its freedoms in many wars and has survived numerous external threats that sought its annihilation. Along with these freedoms comes a enormous responsibility, because “to whom much is given, much is required” (Luke 12:48). While most of us are aware of the manifold threats to our nation from without, most of us are ignoring a significant threat that is seeking to destroy us from within—sin. “While righteousness exalts a nation, sin is a reproach against any nation” (Prov. 14:34).

There are laundry lists of favorite sins that we as the faith community love to address. Sexual sins are among our favorites: We have heard them preached against, argued about in the public square, and widely debated in our courts and in our public policies. While we can debate ad nauseam whether adulterous governors should resign from public life or whether gay people should marry, I can’t help but wonder whether we are failing to deal with one of the most deadly sins of all, our failure to love our neighbors as ourselves. Read more.

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SHARE ~ Utilizing the Internet to Impact our Cities

Internet Evangelism Day

IE Day is an initiaive of the Internet Evangelism Coalition, based at the Billy Graham Center, Wheaton
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

NEW SPEAKER PANEL LAUNCHED
Internet Evangelism Day has a panel of speakers available for conferences, Bible College modules, or ministry consultations. They can address a wide range of digital ministry topics, in a number of countries.
www.internetevangelismday.com/speaker.php


BIBLE COLLEGE TRAINING
Internet Evangelism Day has released a suggested curriculum for digital ministry, that Bible Colleges and seminaries may consider using or adapting to their own needs:
www.internetevangelismday.com/curriculum.php


BUILDING INFORMAL NETWORKS FOR DIGITAL EVANGELISM
In several countries and regions of the world, informal networks of ministries are dramatically enhancing overall fruitfulness. When web evangelism teams combine with radio and literature ministry and local church networks, there is huge crossover synergy for effective evangelism and followup of inquirers. It is a model that will work in any country.
www.internetevangelismday.com/building-networks.php


USING POPULAR CULTURE
Suppose God sent you a letter. And in it, He offered you a gift - a simple evangelistic approach similar to the parables that Jesus used. Something that would engage with people’s interests, and employ a common language and experience. Would you want to use it?

Internet Evangelism Day is convinced that this is exactly God's heart, and that He does indeed offer us a resource which is grossly under-used for ministry: contemporary culture – the world of film, TV, music, theater and books.
www.internetevangelismday.com/popular-culture.php


CHURCH WEBSITES THAT REACH OUTSIDERS
In the last year, over 500 churches have used Internet Evangelism Day's church website self-assessment tool and received the free evaluation report that this provides. Each report provides a comprehensive list of suggestions for action that will enable a church's website to better engage with outsiders in their community.
www.internetevangelismday.com/church-site-design.php


FOOTNOTE: short URLs
For use in print, you can shorten these URLs thus:
www.internetevangelismday.com/speaker.php = InternetEvangelismDay.com/speaker
www.internetevangelismday.com/building-networks.php = InternetEvangelismDay.com/connect
www.internetevangelismday.com/curriculum.php = InternetEvangelismDay.com/curriculum
www.internetevangelismday.com/popular-culture.php = InternetEvangelismDay.com/popular
www.internetevangelismday.com/church-site-design.php = InternetEvangelismDay.com/design

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SHARE ~ Showing & Teling the Gospel in Cities

	Evangelism Connection	view as web page JULY 2009
	Evangelism news from the Mission America Coalition

The whole Church taking the whole gospel to the whole nation - and to the world.

Table of Contents
Chairman's Letter | Collaborative Calendar | Evangelism News | News & Trends | Tools to Use

El Paso Surges with Prayer, Bible Reading

LC2C city leader Barney Field, El Paso for Jesus, had a vision for round-the-clock prayer for the city, and in June The El Paso 24/7 Prayer Vision launched with 168 intercessors from 28 churches participating. Intercessors pray in one-hour time slots from their homes or wherever they are, covering the city in non-stop prayer. Also in El Paso, in May the local LC2C initiative coordinated a "Read through the New Testament" campaign at the Mayor's Prayer Luncheon. More than 1,000 of the 1,500 present signed up on the spot to commit to read through the New Testament using a bookmark developed by Barney. The Mayor of El Paso endorsed the bookmark and encouraged those in attendance to join him.

More info

Ivy Jungle Network Reaches Collegians

The Ivy Jungle Network serves church-based college ministers, para-church campus workers and college and university ===>Click headline for complete E-letter . . .

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Inner~View #69: Mittelberg on the Prayer-Care-Share Adventure

Phil Miglioratti interviewed Mark Mittelberg, co-author (with Lee Strobel)
of The Unexpected Adventure

Phil ~ You've written several books on evangelism but The Unexpected Adventure is different ...



Mark ~ That’s true – this book is all about motivation! The other works I’ve done, especially the Becoming a Contagious Christian book and training course, have been more systematic in trying to prepare Christians to share their faith from A to Z – starting with how to build a relationship with a non-believer all the way through to how to lead him or her in a prayer of commitment to Christ.

I think there’s still a vital role for that kind of training, but Lee Strobel and I realized that nothing fires people up for outreach like real-life stories of ordinary Christians taking small, everyday risks to share their faith with others. Stories are the jet-fuel for evangelism! So in this new book we tell 42 of them, and lay them out in a 6-week devotional format, with short, practical, “doable” lessons drawn from each story to inspire our readers to get in on the adventure themselves. 


Phil ~ With all the books available on personal witnessing and cutting edge training on sharing our faith, research indicates the Church is not growing, even falling behind population growth. Has the culture we live in changed so much that we need a fundamentally different approach; a paradigm shift in how and even when we explain the gospel?

Mark ~ There’s a lot of debate on that. I think our culture has become more secular as well as more relativistic. The secular part means that many people don’t share our beliefs or assumptions, nor do they understand our language — so we need to explain ourselves more thoroughly, and be willing to back up and explain and defend our assumptions (yes, we believe the Bible is the Word of God – but why?), and put our answers in words that people can actually understand. As Colossians 4:5 says, it’s important to: “Be wise in the way you act toward outsiders; make the most of every opportunity.”

The relativistic aspect of our culture means that we often need to defend the notion of truth itself before presenting what we actually believe is true. I try to do this in my previous book, Choosing Your Faith, where I explain that things aren’t true just because we believe them – including Christianity. Rather, something is already true, and we need to discover what it is and then respond accordingly (and I lay out twenty reasons why we can trust that Christianity is true).

That said, I think people are more the same than they are different. And while I think we need to work to be clear and relevant in what we say, I mostly think we need to make sure we come out and say it – namely the Gospel message, which according to Romans 10:13 is still “the power of God unto salvation to everyone who believes.” Call me old-fashioned, but I believe that many times our evangelistic efforts fall short not because we’re not trying something new, but because we fail to tell the message that is old but life-changing: that Jesus died for sinners – people like us, and like everyone we know! 


Phil ~ What does it mean to "enroll in the adventure?"

Mark ~ That’s a phrase I use in the first story I tell in The Unexpected Adventure. It means finally saying a full “yes” to God – expressing our willingness to follow him completely, including into the exhilarating unknown of talking with others about Him. I believe it’s God’s desire for every one of us as Christians to enroll in that thrilling adventure – and that our spiritual life will be at its richest only when we’re active in fulfilling the evangelistic purpose. 


Phil ~ Talk about the adventure of:

Mark ~
• Prayer: praying for lost people –
There are many things we can and should pray for – but prayer for people who are far from God can be done with the greatest level of confidence because evangelism is God’s idea, and the Holy Spirit is the ultimate evangelist. So when we pray for lost friends and family we’re completely aligning ourselves with God’s purposes and the mission he’s given us — and our churches. So pray – and then get ready for some action! [Click here for a sample Prayer Adventure]

• Care: blessing neighbors and neighborhoods –
This one has a double thrill: the immediate blessing of meeting the needs of others in ways that serve them and evoke their appreciation, and the longer-range spiritual blessing of seeing how our acts of service can begin to open up their hearts to the love and truth of the One we serve. [Click here for a sample Care Adventure]

• Share: helping seekers find and follow Christ –
This flows naturally from the first two. It’s ironic that this is the one that many Christians are afraid of, because it’s the most rewarding thing we can possibly do. When you Care for someone today, you might get a Thank You tomorrow. But when you Share and help lead someone to faith in Christ, you can be assured of their deep gratitude and thanks for all of eternity – and not just from them, but from all the people they in turn reach for Christ! [Click here for a sample Share Adventure]


Phil ~ How should we rethink vocabulary? How do terms useful in discipleship become barriers in evangelism?

Mark ~ Paul said: “I become all things to all people so that by all means I might reach some” (1 Cor. 9:22). I think that included putting spiritual concepts into ordinary language that everyday folks could understand and respond to. This is vital to effective outreach. When we send a missionary oversees, one of the first and foremost things they study is the language of the people they want to reach. We need to do the same thing – because we’re all called to be missionaries to the person next door or down the hall at work or at school. What’s the best way to learn to do this? Hang out with non-Christians, and be a good student of how they talk and what words and phrases get through to them. 


Phil ~ How would you respond to a coworker or friend who asked "Mark, I'm confused. So many denominations and interpretations ... what is the gospel anyway?"

Mark ~ I think the differences between denominations are overplayed – at least among the ones that hold to the teaching and authority of the Bible. Generally wherever the authority of Scripture is intact there is also a consensus on the central teachings of the faith. Put another way, Biblical “denominations” share the common “denominators” of the one eternal triune God, Jesus as the Son of God in human flesh, the death of Jesus on the cross to pay for the sins of the world, the need to trust in Jesus for his salvation and new life, etc. These things are agreed upon, and most of our denominational differences are trivial by comparison. 


Phil ~ Agree or disagree ... Many excellent resources that are designed to train believers in sharing their faith, mistakenly bypass the pastors and leaders of the church. We must also equip pastors and leaders in how to create an adventure-culture that leads to a praying-caring-sharing lifestyle ...

Mark ~ I agree; unless we help pastors and church leaders first own and model evangelistic values, then their churches will never reflect them to a great degree, either – which is a pretty good description of many churches today. It’s “Speed of the leader; speed of the team.” That’s why, for instance, I wrote and recently updated my book, Becoming a Contagious Church – to help leaders LIVE evangelistic values (that’s Stage 1 of the book’s central message: the 6-Stage Process for helping your church become highly effective in evangelism), as well as know how to instill those values throughout the churches they lead. 


Phil ~ What are key action steps you'd recommend to pastors who want to develop adventurous disciples who live and speak about their faith?

Mark ~ Set the example yourself. Don’t pretend you have the gift of evangelism if you don’t (most pastors do not). Just admit that this area is a challenge for you – and then show the folks you lead the ways you’re facing that challenge! Tell them your success stories and your stories of failure and embarrassment (as Lee and I do in The Unexpected Adventure!). The successes will inspire your people; the failures will endear them to you and make them more willing to try and fail and try again – all the while learning, growing in confidence, and increasingly being used by God to reach others.

On a very practical note, consider doing what many churches are already starting: have your entire congregation read through The Unexpected Adventure at the same time. That way they’ll all be getting the same input and encouragement, and they can compare notes in groups and classes concerning how they’re applying what they learn. If you act fast, the summer is a great time to have people do the readings – while they’re traveling and dispersed on vacation. Or the Fall is a good time, leading up to the evangelistic opportunities afforded by Thanksgiving and Christmas, or in the Spring leading up to Easter. Thankfully, our publisher (Zondervan) has gotten behind this vision, and is offering cases of books for half price (see ordering info at
www.theunexpectedadventure.com ), making it affordable for your members (and if you recoup that discounted amount from them it won’t take anything out of your church budgets – and everybody wins!). 


Phil ~ Mark, please write a prayer each reader can pray with you; for their own life and for their congregation ... 


Mark ~ LORD, please help us as leaders and the churches we serve remember why we’re here – to reach as many people as possible for Christ. It seems like a daunting task in a world that often doesn’t want to hear it – but thank you that you assure us of your presence, help, and power as we bring the Gospel to people you love and of whom you assure us you don’t want “anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance.” Help us to remember this, and to live like it. Give us the courage and the tenacity to set the example, and then help us inspire the rest of our churches to get on board with the mission Christ gave all of us – going into our worlds and reaching people for Him. Make us fruitful, LORD, and we’ll celebrate and thank you throughout eternity. In Jesus’ Name, Amen. 

===>Click here to access The Unexpected Adventure

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SHARE ~ Does Our Explanation of the Gospel Confront M.T.D.?

>>>Note: [These are my comments]

Moralistic Therapeutic Deism…MTD…

(what American kids believe regardless of their professed belief system…or non-belief)

· God created & watches over the world (from a distance) [How much emphasis do we place on an indwelling Holy Spirit?]

· God wants people to be good [Are we more upset at, motivated by, non-believers immorality than their Christless immortality?]

· God wants us to be happy [Are contemporary sermons, sorry, messages, more psychological than biblical?}

· God is needed mostly to solve our problems [What does our prayer request list look like?]

· Good people go to heaven [ Do we understand the difference between forgiven for sin and forgiveness for sins?]

While there are some differences by ethnicity in this study, it remains to be seen if these are normative or simply a result of the first round of interviews.

Soul Searching by Christian Smith

National Study of Youth and Religion, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

(919) 918-5294 / website: http://www.youthandreligion.org/ email: youthandreligion@unc.edu

>>>Note: With thanks to Forrest Turpin of the Christian Educators Association International, an important ministry to students and schools. ===>Click the healdine to access information on how this ninistry can impact your community . . .

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Coaching Resources

>>>Note: Dr. Gary Collins has a very helpful article on coaching:

• What is coaching?
• Why would anyone (or a Lead Team) want a coach?
• How does coaching differ from counseling?
• What do coaches do to help others?
• What happens in coaching? ===>Click headline to access this article ...
  

COACH SHARES LESSONS LEARNED
Hats off to Gary Collins for sharing lots of key principles so unselfishly at...
http://www.garyrcollins.com

You can read newsletters on "Building Better Teams," "Getting ThroughTransitions," "Improving Communication," and many many more. In fact, you can even subscribe so you get these via email roughly once a week. We also appreciate Team Expansion's new full-time Business as Missions specialist ("Allan") for this tip!

Comment on this item at ... http://www.brigada.org/2009/05/03_1774

"For a free subscription to Brigada's weekly missions publication, write brigada-today-subscribe@googlegroups.com and/or visit Brigada on the web at www.brigada.org"

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PRAYER ~ The Best Resource We’re Not Using

Prayer: The Best Resource We’re Not Using

A pastor shares how his church did away with programs and got back on their knees to tap the ultimate resource–the enabling power of God.

By Joshua Choonmin Kang translated by Joseph Byoungchul Jun

Every morning, just as the sun is rising, I kneel in prayer with thousands of my church members. During this time of daybreak prayer, the Holy Spirit imbues my faith and spirit with joy and allows me to receive and experience the love of God. Prayer is essential to me as I discern God’s plan for my ministry. As the senior pastor of 4,100-member Oriental Mission Church (OMC; omc.org) in Los Angeles, I rely daily on the wellspring of God’s power that comes through prayer. Through our prayer ministries, I believe we are using the most powerful instrument for soul-saving evangelism, because what this generation needs most is not programs or strategies for successful evangelism, but the prayers of a righteous Church.===>Click headline t access complete article . . .

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SHARE ~ Lee Strobel: "We have to adapt"

The Changing Face of Apologetics
Lee Strobel doesn't think the traditional methods work anymore.
Interview by Stan Guthrie

How have evangelism and apologetics changed?

They have become more relational, more story-driven. Josh McDowell would go on college campuses and describe why to trust the Bible. And people would come to faith in droves. Then they stopped coming to faith in so many numbers, and he didn't know why. And now he takes a story approach. "You know," he says, "I was the son of the town drunk. This is how it affected my life and my relationship with [my dad]. This is what prompted me to seek spiritually. This is the evidence I found. This is how my life was changed. This is how I reconciled with my father." So it becomes a story.

That's what my ministry is about. I tell my story: I was an atheist. I scoffed. My wife became a Christian. It prompted me to investigate. Here's the evidence I found, how I received Christ, the difference it's made. It's a story. And I found that in postmodern America, people often are willing to engage on the level of story.

I'm excited about the huge trend of believers starting small groups and inviting nonbelievers to join them. The Alpha Course is taking this approach. A ministry on the East Coast, Neighborhood Bible Studies, was just kind of floundering. They have a new leader, Mary Schaller. Her vision is 25,000 groups, which have a new name, Q Place, in the next six years. We started these kinds of groups at Willow Creek. At one point, we had 1,100 nonbelievers in these groups. We found that if nonbelievers join one of these groups and stay with it, 80 percent come to faith.===>Click headline to access complete article . . .

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Live Interview with Phil Miglioratti on Community Transformation

Austin Arise! Radio. Transforming Revival Radio with Benjamin & Barbara

Austin Arise! Radio Interviews Phil Miglioratti this Sunday @ 8PM CST (9 eastern, 7 mountain, 6 pacific) on FM 99.3 & 98.5 Tune in this Sunday, June 21 at 8:00PM as we interview Phil Miglioratti, pastor, city-reacher, and prayer facilitator, on Austin Arise! Transforming Revival Radio with Benjamin Anyacho & Barbara Bucklin, The Word, FM 99.3 and 98.5, Teaching and Talk for Austin and central Texas. Theme: So there was great joy in that city. Is "joy" the secret to city impact and community transformation? Acts 8:8 Listen on line: www.kixl.com or www.Austinarise.org Time: Sundays at 8:00PM CST (9 eastern, 7 mountain, 6 pacific) Call in: 512-637-WORD (9673) What is Austin Arise! Transforming Revival Radio & TV? We hear a sound of abundance of rain! Austin Arise! is chronicling signs of spiritual awakening and transforming revival in Austin area. Blessing the city through the media gate. Sharing stories of genuine kingdom collaborations and strategic partnerships in Austin area. Attending to prayer requests, raising awareness of prayer needs in our communities since July 1, 2007. Watch out for upcoming interviews in the coming weeks with Dr. J. Doug Stringer, Francis Frangipane, and others . Simply put: We are at a tipping point of a transforming revival in Austin area! Best regards, Benjamin Anyacho & Barbara Bucklin (co-hosts) 512-538-4544 512-261-3091 contact@austinarise.org www.AustinArise.org Sunday June 21: Austin Arise Radio! Special guest: Phil Miglioratti Phil serves nationally as a National Facilitator with the Cities and Communities ministry of the Mission America Coalition, coordinates the 17 Loving Our Communities to Christ partner cities and has been national convener for the City Impact Roundtable (http://www.cityreaching.com). In his hometown, he networks community transformation ministries at One Great City) National Pastors' Prayer Network (http://www.nppn.org) Church Prayer Leaders Network (http://www.prayerleader.com) Praying Pastor (http:// www.prayingpastor.com)

Sunday June 28: Austin Arise Radio! Special guest: Dr. J. Doug Stinger. Dr. J. Doug Stringer is founder and president of Turning Point Ministries International, which birthed an international movement known as Somebody Cares, a network of organizations impacting their communities through unified grassroots efforts. Doug began identifying community needs through his work in the inner-city of Houston, Texas in 1981. The collaborative network has grown rapidly and now impacts cities around the world. Sunday July: Austin Arise Radio! Special guest: Francis Frangipane. Pastor Francis Frangipane is one of my all-time favorite Christian writers. He rightly divides the Word and his wisdom abounds; his humble spirit is found in the essence of his writings. Terrific author of 16 books "I know of few prophetic voices to the body of Christ that match the consistency of wisdom and balance of truth that Francis Frangipane represents. His pastor's heart and biblical solidity flavor his writing and nourish souls unto health while calling us all to God's purposes in this present hour. " Jack W. Hayford, President, International Foursquare Church, Chancellor, The King's College and Seminary Pastor Francis' new book: When the Many are One

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CARE ~ Serving Christ By Enriching the Campus

ASSIST News Service (ANS) - PO Box 609, Lake Forest, CA 92609-0609 USA
Visit our web site at: www.assistnews.net -- E-mail: assistnews@aol.com

Organization of the Year @ Campus of the Year
Their vision statement is "Serving Christ by Enriching the Campus"

By Gordon Govier, Special to ASSIST News Service

MADISON, WI (ANS) -- Scott Yeager wasn't trying to win any awards. He was trying to engage Roanoke College students with the gospel by showing them examples of unconditional love.

"People have their own presuppositions about what Christianity is," he said. "We're trying to dispel bad notions but also be true to what Christ is calling us to do. So I tell students to be involved in the Bible, be involved in our chapter, be involved in discipleship relationships, and be active in another organization as well. Be the face and voice of Christ and the InterVarsity chapter in that group."

The chapter's vision statement is "Serving Christ by Enriching the Campus." So when Scott is asked to be the caller for the highly popular bingo games in the campus gym, he gladly says yes. "If we're being asked to do something, we go do it," he said. "It's a great way to meet people. InterVarsity has a reputation for being available to help out when help is needed."

A number of chapter members work in the admissions office, help out in the campus center, and give campus tours. When the Sigma Chi fraternity had its letters stolen, InterVarsity helped replace them. When the sororities had their bid night (to decide on new members), InterVarsity offered to feed their leaders a spaghetti dinner.

But on bid night, the chapter ended up feeding not just sorority leaders but sorority members too, in what Scott described as a real feeding-of-the-5,000 moment. Instead of dinner for 80, it turned into dinner for 300. "And yet, we had a huge pan of spaghetti left over. I don't know how this worked out, but it worked out. Thank you God."

"He has tirelessly and enthusiastically initiated relationships with people from every conceivable part of Roanoke College," said Joe Ho, InterVarsity's Shenandoah area director and Scott's supervisor. "Those relationships, combined with Scott's spontaneous desire to be of service, have been the cornerstone of InterVarsity becoming a ministry that enriches the campus."

The Rev. Paul Henrickson, Roanoke's Dean of the Chapel, also supervises Scott and calls him a valuable colleague. "We strive to have a coherent campus ministry presence on this campus - as the second oldest Lutheran College in the U.S.," he said. "Scott brings high energy, creativity, and a deep personal faith to the ministry here."

The Roanoke campus, in the Shenandoah mountains of Virginia, has a lot going on. The school has an unusually robust calendar of social and academic activities for its 2,000 students, which is why the readers of Campus Activities Magazine voted Roanoke the 2009 Campus of the Year, beating out Ohio State, Boston University, and a lot of other larger schools.

It takes a unique organization to stand out on a busy campus. And this year InterVarsity did stand out, winning the Roanoke students' vote for Organization of the Year (in a tie-vote with another organization).

One of the pay-offs for being a high profile organization came near the end of the school year one year ago. A student, writing a sociology paper on how groups are organized, made an appointment to talk with Scott about InterVarsity's organizational structure.

"She interviewed me, and I answered all of her questions," he recalled. "And then I said, ' I've got a few questions for you.' I talked to her about Jesus a little bit and she became interested. Two weeks later she came to Rockbridge, our chapter camp, and accepted Jesus as her savior." This spring there was a one-year spiritual birthday celebration at Rockbridge for that student.

Scott said that he enjoys working on campus. "Winning the award reminded me that Jesus is still at work," he said. "It's not about me, I'm here to be used by him."

Several other InterVarsity chapters have also won recent recognition:

Organization of the Year at Rutgers University

Organization of the Year at Massachusetts College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences

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Gordon Govier is a veteran journalist currently working as a web editor for InterVarsity Christian Fellowship, at www.intervarsity.org. You can contact him at ggovier@intervarsity.org.

---

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LC2C Prayer Connections

Dear LC2C Prayer Leaders....please forward to your teams for their prayers ... appreciate your efforts on behalf of LC2C ... God Bless ... Pat Allen

LC2C Prayer Connections
June 2009


El Paso,Las Cruces and Juarez, Glenn Weber:

El Paso, Texas (Barney Field, Lori Huffman) Juarez, Mexico (Pedro Hernandez), Las Cruces, New Mexico (Maria Silva Sutton and Pat Shannon)

Glenn Weber (LC2C Region Prayer Leader):

1. Thank the Lord for the El Paso 24/7 Prayer Vision He has given Barney Field (El Paso for Jesus). El Paso 24/7 Prayer was launched on June 1st. 28 Churches and 168 intercessors are participating

24 hours a day/7 days a week prayers (1 hour time slots for each intercessor) are going up from/ and for our communities to our Loving Father in Heaven. Intercessors can pray in their homes, or wherever they want.

God is blessing this Prayer Surge, and so far it is going great. Please ask the Holy Spirit to keep on giving long-term perseverance in prayer and success.

2. Pray for God's direction and confirmation for Pedro & Rachel Hernandez and their family as the Lord transitions them in moving from Juarez, Mexico to another mission place. They need the Lord's specific confirmation in their family lives, and children's schools and jobs.

3. Ask our Father in Heaven to draw each lost person in our communities to Jesus as Savior, Lord and Best Friend.

Jesus says, "No one can come to Me unless the Father who sent Me draws them to Me, and at the last day I will raise them up." John 6:44

4. Ask Jesus to give each of His followers and all churches in our communites His compassion, urgency and vision for lost individuals.

Jesus says, "The Son of Man came to seek and save those who ae lost." Luke 19:10

5. Ask the Holy Spirit to help us fulfill the Lord's Heavenly Vision for our earthly mission - to seek and to save the lost.


Fox Valley IL. Tony Danhelka:

1. A Mini-Pastors & Intercessors Prayer Summit in Elgin on July 7th.
2. Celebrate the Children in Aurora on August 15th
3. Celebrate Jesus Together in Aurora on August 16th.
4. Various Alpha initiatives all summer.
5. Please pray a special grace and peace as Tony's wife Donna has doctor's appointments to check out possible lumps. Since she is a breast cancer survivor they are concerned. Please pray these amount to nothing and she continues to recover as she still has nausea and side effects from treatments. And at the same time Tony's cousin and his wife arrived on June 15th from the Czech Republic to visit for 11 days. "He knows 5% English and I know 1/10 of 1% Czech. I have interpreters arranged to help me. One of Donna's best friends and fellow intercessor, Jan Rideout, has volunteered to go with Donna to Mayo in Minnesota in my place for the week. But I feel terrible that I can not be there with Donna this time. I am certain that my cousins tickets are non-refundable and this is a trip of a life-time for he and his wife."

Coachella Valley California:

• --PRAISE GOD for the remarkable participation we had for the “Launching Luncheon” for the Festival of Faith. We were praying for 120 pastors and Christian leaders to attend. The Lord graciously provided nearly 240. It was a moving and powerful time as we shared the vision for the Festival and as pastor/evangelist Mike MacIntosh spoke to us.
• --PRAISE GOD for the growing number of pastors, para-church leaders and marketplace leaders who are participating in the LOV Movement.
• --PLEASE PRAY for the preparations for the Festival of Life scheduled for April of 2010. Pray also for the number of even and outreaches that will be taking place in the months leading up to and following the large public meetings.
• --PLEASE PRAY the LOV Facilitation Team along with the Festival of Life regional teams, fund raising committee and the prayer, care and share ministry teams as we prayerfully prepare for the Festival.

Charlotte, NC, Karla Lowman:

Praise the Lord for several NDP events in Charlotte and many of our churches open for prayer!

2009 Global Day of Prayer Event – OVERWHELMING SUCCESS!

Thanks to all who helped to support this major prayer movement across the world on Sunday, May 31, 2009 at ZHOP-Charlotte.

GOD WAS REALLY IN THE HOUSE!

Special thanks to –
· Kirk, Greg and the ZHOP worship team – you really ushered in the presence of God and made this event awesome. The participation level by the guests was astounding, as well! From the attendees dancing in front during worship to the “rapid fire” segment, it was amazing.

· Bishop Jackson and the Bethel Outreach Choir – you really gave the event a “heavenly fragrance” through the anointed songs.

· All the pastors and leaders that took part in the World Prayer segment – that was the icing on the cake and to experience the prayer unity as we prayed for the world was powerful!

· The many regional clergy leaders that helped us promote this event through their churches and attended the event with their congregations, and other ministries that promoted the event through their support groups.

· Annette Williams and Susan Ramirez for their exceptional support to pull this event off.

Let’s see what God would have us do for Pentecost Sunday 2010!
Brenda Jackson, Director, Regional Operations, Charlotte Awake


Praise the Lord for beginning meetings with Champions who will herald the call of the prayer, care, share lifestyle in the Charlotte area churches!

Pray that as they continue to meet each 1st Tuesday of the month (next meeting July 7th)- the Lord will anoint and empower these Champions from our churches to move forward with lifestlye, friendship evangelism! For the Glory of the Lord Jesus Christ and for the salvation of the lost in our communities and families! Pray for Mary Lance Sisk and Jill Milligan as they facilitate these meetings.

Pray for healing and strength for Bob Sisk as he continues to undergo chemo treatments.

Pray for Rev. Barabara Peacock and Debbye Graafsma as they lead our city wide prayer time Friday June 12th at 2nd Fridays' for Praying Women as we connect with ZHOP - Charlotte in raising 1000 intercessors to content for the Glory of the Lord in our city. "Do it Lord - we are praying. Do it that Your glory may be seen."


Santa Rosa,CA, Harry Skandera:

Praise the Lord:

A 10 day fast was called to start on May 28, 2009

May – 30, more churches are involved, broader scope generationally, more married couples,

Art has been helped / Atmosphere in the room changed as there is much more expectation and faith in the people.

There are more spirit-charged “moments” / much prayer targeted into unbelief; and there is spontaneous repentance

We then sense a vision for that which is greater than ourselves / Less “them” more “us” as we continue to pray

On the faith issue, repentance has been around ‘Priorities’ – putting aside “lesser things”(More kingdom minded, less individual minded)

We are maturing in our ability to bless and release…

On Wednesday night – wooing of the older generation, revelation of a major stronghold in the church;

“by not eating, I’m breaking idolatry in my life, ‘ personal comfort’,

1. Generations represented every night, 2 or 3 generations, usually three.

2. “Hearing from the floor” People resonating with revelational thoughts, words,

3. Arts released as a “editorial cartoon” of what was transacting between heaven and earth.

4. Written confessions, either on a white board or piece of paper helped people express their “innermost parts.”

5. “Release” is a key word to us as more understanding is received, more is able to be received in particular areas such as:

a) Generational faith for families and in the church; i.e. family callings renewed in fresh ways.

b) Release for the gathering of men in the fall.

We anticipate more times of corporate prayer and fasting in the near future for the city !


Phil Miglioratti -

• Cedar Rapids - Pray for all who heard the gospel at the citywide weekend Healing the Heartland Festival
• Newton - Pray for an ongoing unity among pastors as a fruit of their Prayer Summit
• Fox Valley - Ask for new connections with pastors through a day of prayer and a citywide celebration
• Coaches meet in July to design a framework for implementing prayer-care-share in local churches
• For funding to continue our work in 17 (and more!) cities

Pat Allen:

Please pray for the LC2C Coaches who work along side the city reaching teams for protection, provision and the presence of the Lord in their lives...increased wisdom and discernment as they minister.....all the resources they need be given them in order that they are able to fulfill the ministry they have been called to!

• Bill Berry
• Copi Valdiviez
• Dennis Fuqua
• Howard Boyd
• Jarvis Ward
• Jim Overholt
• John Quam
• Larry DeWitt
• Paul Cedar
• Phil Miglioratti
• Tom White

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Macro Prayer-Care-Share Festival in Cedar Rapids

6:00pm - Ten neighborhood BBQs are to be open for business across the city of Cedar Rapids to begin a weekend prayer-care-share festival

5:59pm - Overcast-throughout-the-day clouds begin drizzling, then, raining. Really raining.

6:01pm - Dallas Anderson and Charles Daugherty and Phil (along with others in the prayer tent) pray up a storm (sorry for the pun), asking, of course, for God to stop the rain because if it keeps raining NO ONE will come to the BBQs! We have enough sense to pray, nevertheless, "we give thanks in all circumstances" (but not happily).

9:00pm - BBQs are scheduled to close

Not all the reports are in but:

• One was completely "rained out" ... only 300 were served ...
• 650 at another
  
• A third was "packed out" with "people standing and talking the rain"
• The one held in a tree nursery building (because all that town's public spaces were destroyed in last year's flood) was filled
• A homeless woman was ministered to at another ...
  
• Conservative estimate: 3,000

Maybe God SENT the rain so we wouldn't run out of food!

Tomorrow's schedule for your prayers?

http://healingcr.com/

Cedar Rapids is loving their communities to Christ!

Phil

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Video Clip for Prayer-Care-Share

Bishop Larry Jackson of Charlotte Alive! Bishop Larry Jackson shares his excitement on how Prayer-Care-Share has ignited his church.
©

Click headline for a 3:20 video clip ...


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Agree or Disagree?

If you want to put yourself in a position where legions of angels stand ready to bless what you are trying to do, then get in step with the unity of God.

The primary catalyst for revival. We often have the mistaken concept that unity is the result of revival. I propose to you that unity is the cause of revival. When we pursue unity, we create the framework necessary for God to send revival. I am concerned when many of the crusades have thousands of conversions, but we never see the new converts enter a church again. This would not take place if there were true unity in the body of Christ.

Tommy Tenny===>Click headline for access to complete article . . . 

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Culture Change ~ Spiritual Makeover: USA Edition

A spiritual makeover is already taking place in America.

George Barna revealed that about 7% of adults attend a house church in a typical month, which is a seven-fold increase in the past decade. In addition, about half as many people now rely upon marketplace ministries for spiritual experiences as attend a conventional church service during a given month, and millions of adults are becoming increasingly reliant upon faith-based media – such as television, radio, and the Internet – for religious experience and expression. Put together, this represents a massive realignment of religious behavior over the past decade. ===>Click headline to access the complete article . . .

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Culture Change ~ Begin with a Right Definition of "Church"

What is the Church?

Related
• Some Churches Have 'It,' Some Don't
• Missional Church Movement - The Next Big Thing?
• Piper, Driscoll Stay Passionate for Mission amid Criticisms

Surprisingly, not many Christians seem to be able to offer a straight answer.

With new tools and technology opening up so many new expressions of church, such as video venues and church on the Internet, the question seems to have gotten lost and fewer people are left with a clear answer.

"It dawned on me," said Mark Driscoll, a well-known and controversial pastor, during a conference on the local church Thursday. "We live in an age when in some ways ecclesiology is being redefined."

From a sacred building in historic times to a personal relationship with Jesus Christ in the modern era and now to "some sort of authentic community" in the postmodern era, the definition of Church has hardly been clear.

Even among pastors he came across recently, Driscoll, who is preaching pastor at Mars Hill Church in Seattle, said he has not heard a "clear, functional, working, biblical, historical, rooted, theological definition of the Church."

A lot of times, some ministers are caught up in "looking for a new trick, a new tactic, a new angle" to being the church, Driscoll noted during the Advance conference in Durham, N.C.

But, what is the Church?

To answer the question, Driscoll offered first looking at Jesus, who is the head of the Church.

"If you start by looking at the Church you'll be very confused. If you start by looking at Jesus and the Holy Spirit and the Church that comes in the wake of Jesus and the Holy Spirit, I think the Church will make a lot more sense."

Jesus, he explained, was clearly a man on a mission. Sent by the Father, Jesus came humbly, went to the cross, rose, and reconciled people back to God.

"Church is Jesus' people by the power of the Holy Spirit," Driscoll said.

Offering a more complete answer from the pages of his latest book, Vintage Church, Driscoll defined the local church as "a community of regenerated believers who confess Jesus Christ as Lord. In obedience to Scripture they organize under qualified leadership, gather regularly for preaching and worship, observe the biblical sacraments of baptism and communion, and are unified by the spirit, are disciplined for holiness, and scattered to fulfill the Great Commandment and the Great Commission as missionaries to the world for God's glory and their joy."

The long definition contains eight elements to being the Church.===>Click headline for complete article...

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Macro Prayer ~ Festival Prayer Tent

Healing the Heartland Prayer Vigil Guide

Ephesians 6:18 “Pray in the Spirit at all times and on every occasion. Stay alert and be persistent in your prayers for all of God’s holy people.”

Thank you for serving the city! Three people must pray in the tent at all times. Group leaders will arrive 20 minutes early and stay 10 minutes after for smooth transition. A Prayer Tent Supervisor will be available at all times to serve you. Your focus is intercessory prayer---praying for the festival at the Spirit’s leading and for emerging issues shared by other Festival leaders. We will be receiving prayer requests from the general public in boxes outside the tent and at the Festival Information Booth. The Prayer Tent supervisor will share these requests with your leader. Though our focus is not praying with persons, it is possible the Spirit may lead a person to come for a caring prayer. No person will be turned away so the Supervisor may ask one of you to stand with them outside the tent as the Supervisor prays briefly for that person-- who may fill out a response card if they want a church to follow up on their need.

The following prayer outline is only suggestive. Your group is free to pray as your leader sees fit. Copies of Pray for the City and Global Day of Prayer booklets are also available as an aid. In this outline, the hours are divided into 20 minute segments. The group leader begins by reading the passage aloud. Most of these passages are called apostolic prayers(prayers by New Testament leaders)and are all printed on the back page. We also suggest each group read aloud and “pray through” a particular chapter from the Gospel of John that corresponds to your groups slot number posted at the front of the tent. There are 21 group slots in the 69 hour prayer vigil and 21 chapters in John! (For example, Group #1 will pray for the truths in John 1. Note that this chapter reading come in Hour 2.) Let everyone pray as led by the Spirit for anything in each Scripture as it applies to the Festival. Feel free to use music or use no music. Feel free to rest in the Lord in silent prayer. As time permits pray for other items the Lord puts on your hearts.

Thank you so much!

Pastor Dick Speight Lead Supervisor 319-213-5683

Patricia Daugherty Supervisor ?

Pastor Will Jackson Supervisor 319-270-0304

Pastor Caleb Plumb Supervisor 319-431-5964

Come Holy Spirit, heal the Heartland!

Hour 1 Themes

Jude vs.24-25 Praise Him! Enter in to free prayers of praise.

1 Timothy 2:1-6 For all people, rulers, many to be saved, many to know His truth.

Philippians 1:9-11 Thanks for each other, overflowing love, and being Christ-like.

Hour 2 Themes

John Chapter/Slot # Pray aloud for the truths of your particular chapter to fill the Festival.

Ephesians 1:15-20 The Spirit of wisdom and revelation to move in all hearts.

Acts 4:29-30 Bold preaching of the Gospel, healing, and signs and wonders.

Hour 3 Themes

Ephesians 3:14-21 For power to experience, and grow, in the love of Christ

Colossians 1:9-13 For wisdom, fruitfulness, patient endurance, and joy.

Philemon vs. 6-7 For generosity and refreshing kindness to spread beyond the Festival!

Hour 1 Scriptures

Jude vs.24-25 “Now to Him who is able to keep you from stumbling, And to present you faultless before the presence of his glory with exceeding joy, to God our Savior, who alone is wise, be glory and majesty, dominion and power, both now and forever. Amen.

1 Timothy 2;1-6 “Therefore I exhort first of all that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks be made for all men, for kings and all who are in authority, that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and reverence. For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Savior, who desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth. For there is one God and one Mediator between God and men the Man Christ Jesus, who gave Himself a ransom for all, to be testified in due time.”

Phil. 1:9-11 “And this I pray, that your love may abound still more and more in knowledge and all discernment, that you may approve the things that are excellent, that you may be sincere and without offense till the day of Christ, being filled with the fruits of righteousness which are by Jesus Christ, to the glory and praise of God.”

Hour 2 Scriptures

John Chapter # corresponding to your Group Slot # posted at the tent.

Ephesians 1:15-20 “Therefore I also, after I heard of your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love for all the saints, do not cease to give thanks for you, making mention of you in my prayers: that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give to you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of Him, the eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that you may know what is the hope of His calling, what are the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints, and what is the exceeding greatness of His power toward us who believe, according to the working of His mighty power which He worked in Christ when He raised Him from the dead and seated Him at His right hand in the heavenly places,”

Acts 4:29-30 “Now, Lord, look on their threats, and grant to Your servants that with all boldness they may speak Your word, by stretching out Your hand to heal, and that signs and wonders may be done through the name of Your holy Servant Jesus.”

Hour 3 Scriptures

Ephesians 3:14-21“For this reason I bow my knees to the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, from whom the whole family in heaven and earth is named, that He would grant you, according to the riches of His glory, to be strengthened with might through His Spirit in the inner man, that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith; that you, being rooted and grounded in love, may be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the width and length and depth and height—to know the love of Christ which passes knowledge; that you may be filled with all the fullness of God. Now to Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us,to Him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus to all generations, forever and ever. Amen.”

Colossians 1:9-13 “ For this reason we also, since the day we heard it, do not cease to pray for you, and to ask that you may be filled with the knowledge of His will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding; that you may walk worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing Him, being fruitful in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God;¹ strengthened with all might, according to His glorious power, for all patience and longsuffering with joy; giving thanks to the Father who has qualified us to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in the light. He has delivered us from the power of darkness and conveyed us into the kingdom of the Son of His love,”

Philemon vs. 6-7 “And I am praying that you will put into action the generosity that comes from your faith as you understand and experience all the good things we have in Christ. Your love has given me much joy and comfort, my brother, for your kindness has often refreshed the hearts of God’s people.”

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PRAYER ~ 14,276 and counting ...

http://www.call2fall.com/declaration

Call 2 Fall
July 5, 2009
Find out more

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Culture Change: A Denominational Issue

Can Marketing Save Denominations?

We often highlight churches or ministries relying on creative marketing tactics to generate community buzz, garner media attention or attract new faces. Now leaders of entire denominations are looking to marketing to solve some ever-growing problems.

After seeing a 25 percent decline in an already aging membership, the United Methodist Church recently launched a $20 million marketing initiative to stop the bleeding—and promote a "24-7 experience" of church life. Over the next four years, the "Rethink Church" campaign will attempt to attract younger members by advertising various ways Methodist churches can play a part of everyday community life, from developing youth sports leagues to helping out with inner-city ministry.

"The under-35 generation thinks church is a judgmental, hypocritical, insular place," says Jamie Dunham, chief planning officer for the marketing firm that designed the United Methodist campaign. "So our question is: What if church can change the world with a journey?" For younger generations, that journey is all about learning how to daily apply personal faith in a community context, says pastor Larry Hollon, who also serves as chief communications executive for the United Methodist Church. "The megachurch folks learned that they have to address people where they are in their daily lives, and that's not in the sanctuary," Hollon says. "The Methodist Church is beginning to recall that that is who we are as well."

Other denominations are realizing this too—and responding in similar fashion. The Evangelical Lutheran Church in America spent more than $1.2 million in the last two years on a branding campaign called "God's Work, Our Hands," which focuses on ways its churches can help empower a younger generation of potential members to "change the world" with everyday faith in action. Meanwhile, the Episcopal Church recently launched an online campaign with a Web site (iamepiscopalian.org) inviting believers to upload videos of their testimonies and explain their faith.

All three sects are part of a steady, decades-long trend among mainline Protestant churches that has seen congregational numbers dip almost 6 percent in the last 18 years. That—combined with the rise of nondenominational churches from fewer than 200,000 to 8 million—has church observers questioning whether denominations can have the same impact in today's à la carte spiritual climate.

"Mainline Protestantism can offer to people who are skeptical of tradition ... something more progressive," said Clemson University professor Laura Olson, who specializes in religion. "By and large, mainline Protestantism is progressive politically and theologically. They have really strong, powerful roots in social justice issues. That's their strongest card they have to play. It's got that going for it, but its worship style has always been pretty conventional. People who grew up in mainline Protestantism, who maybe aren't aware of the progressivism there, may be turned off by the worship style." [usnews.com, 6/3/09; AP, 6/2/09]

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Great Joy In Our Cities

.
So there was great joy in that city. Acts 8:8

I receive a daily Bible reading e-note from the American Bible Society and as I read this today, it struck me that the city had great joy because of the people-ministry the Apostle Philip was doing. Yes, as an evangelist he could not help but preach and proclaim the eternal message of the Gospel ... but ... he also served the practical needs of the listeners.

More will respond the the eternal dimension of the gospel when we pay more attention to the personal-practical-financial-relational dimensions of their ;ives.

Acts 8:⁴The believers who were scattered went everywhere, preaching the message.⁵Philip went to the principal city in Samaria and preached the Messiah to the people there.⁶The crowds paid close attention to what Philip said, as they listened to him and saw the miracles that he performed.⁷Evil spirits came out from many people with a loud cry, and many paralyzed and lame people were healed.⁸So there was great joy in that city.

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College Students' Strategy to Saturate Their Campus

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Organization of the Year @ Campus of the Year
Their vision statement is "Serving Christ by Enriching the Campus"

By Gordon Govier, Special to ASSIST News Service

MADISON, WI (ANS) -- Scott Yeager wasn't trying to win any awards. He was trying to engage Roanoke College students with the gospel by showing them examples of unconditional love.

"People have their own presuppositions about what Christianity is," he said. "We're trying to dispel bad notions but also be true to what Christ is calling us to do. So I tell students to be involved in the Bible, be involved in our chapter, be involved in discipleship relationships, and be active in another organization as well. Be the face and voice of Christ and the InterVarsity chapter in that group."

The chapter's vision statement is "Serving Christ by Enriching the Campus." So when Scott is asked to be the caller for the highly popular bingo games in the campus gym, he gladly says yes. "If we're being asked to do something, we go do it," he said. "It's a great way to meet people. InterVarsity has a reputation for being available to help out when help is needed."

A number of chapter members work in the admissions office, help out in the campus center, and give campus tours. When the Sigma Chi fraternity had its letters stolen, InterVarsity helped replace them. When the sororities had their bid night (to decide on new members), InterVarsity offered to feed their leaders a spaghetti dinner.

But on bid night, the chapter ended up feeding not just sorority leaders but sorority members too, in what Scott described as a real feeding-of-the-5,000 moment. Instead of dinner for 80, it turned into dinner for 300. "And yet, we had a huge pan of spaghetti left over. I don't know how this worked out, but it worked out. Thank you God."

"He has tirelessly and enthusiastically initiated relationships with people from every conceivable part of Roanoke College," said Joe Ho, InterVarsity's Shenandoah area director and Scott's supervisor. "Those relationships, combined with Scott's spontaneous desire to be of service, have been the cornerstone of InterVarsity becoming a ministry that enriches the campus."

The Rev. Paul Henrickson, Roanoke's Dean of the Chapel, also supervises Scott and calls him a valuable colleague. "We strive to have a coherent campus ministry presence on this campus - as the second oldest Lutheran College in the U.S.," he said. "Scott brings high energy, creativity, and a deep personal faith to the ministry here."

The Roanoke campus, in the Shenandoah mountains of Virginia, has a lot going on. The school has an unusually robust calendar of social and academic activities for its 2,000 students, which is why the readers of Campus Activities Magazine voted Roanoke the 2009 Campus of the Year, beating out Ohio State, Boston University, and a lot of other larger schools.

It takes a unique organization to stand out on a busy campus. And this year InterVarsity did stand out, winning the Roanoke students' vote for Organization of the Year (in a tie-vote with another organization).

One of the pay-offs for being a high profile organization came near the end of the school year one year ago. A student, writing a sociology paper on how groups are organized, made an appointment to talk with Scott about InterVarsity's organizational structure.

"She interviewed me, and I answered all of her questions," he recalled. "And then I said, ' I've got a few questions for you.' I talked to her about Jesus a little bit and she became interested. Two weeks later she came to Rockbridge, our chapter camp, and accepted Jesus as her savior." This spring there was a one-year spiritual birthday celebration at Rockbridge for that student.

Scott said that he enjoys working on campus. "Winning the award reminded me that Jesus is still at work," he said. "It's not about me, I'm here to be used by him."

Several other InterVarsity chapters have also won recent recognition:

Organization of the Year at Rutgers University

Organization of the Year at Massachusetts College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences

---

Gordon Govier is a veteran journalist currently working as a web editor for InterVarsity Christian Fellowship, at www.intervarsity.org. You can contact him at ggovier@intervarsity.org.

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City Faith Survey ~ Exclusinve Interview

The New City Faith Survey

Phil Miglioratti interviewed Eric Welch

Phil ~ Eric, before you came to your role in the Mission America Coalition, you were fully invested in marketplace. Tell us what you did and how it prepared you to work with networks and partnerships.

Eric ~ I worked for Boston Scientific Corporation in a corporate position of knowledge management and innovation strategy. Our company had 40 different groups doing very similar work, and we recognized that there were advantages to encouraging relationships and developing systems for collaborative work. We developed a system of relational networks, online forums, and summit meetings to encourage these interactions. Each year there were a growing number of stories where collaboration worked. This work prepared me for many of the practical, cultural, and relational aspects of helping to facilitate collaboration.


Phil ~ Marketplace ministries are exploding. Worklife ministry is getting more and more attention. Why is this happening and what are the implications to citywide movements, especially those led by pastors?

Eric ~ God is clearly moving in the marketplace. The current economy, internet capabilities, a growing influence of marketplace ministries, and mobilization of marketplace leaders are part of the equation, but the bigger factor seems to be God's timing.

A number of citywide movements already involve key marketplace leaders in their leadership, however I believe more citywide movements should consider adopting this practice. It may also be helpful to encourage involvement from leaders in multiple domains of society -- Business, Healthcare, Social Service, Education, Arts & Entertainment, Sports, Family, Government, Media, and Religion. The key implication is more influence in the local community - more points of light coming together for a larger impact for the Glory of God.

There are some very strong relationships between pastors and marketplace leaders, however there are also many uncomfortable relationships between pastors and marketplace leaders. I recommend Kent Humphrey's book "Shepherding Horses" on this subject. It makes for a great shared reading between pastor and marketplace leaders in their congregation. This book helps each feel comfortable with many of their respective feelings, as well as help get past some of the roadblocks.

In Charlotte [an LC2City], a group of local and national marketplace ministries have come together (in cooperation with the Charlotte Awake cityreaching network) to pilot a Marketplace Ministry Network. The objective of this network is to provide an environment for local leaders to work together toward personal and community transformation by:

1. Encouraging the value of work calling (the value of the work itself & the ministry opportunity it provides)
2. Increasing awareness of and participation in worklife ministries in Charlotte
3. Increasing awareness of and participation in the Charlotte Awake cityreaching network for collaboration in Christ

Phil ~ Many leaders and pastors in our LC2C cities know very little about the MAC Ministry Networks ... give us an idea of how they function and their benefit to city/community impact.

Eric ~ These ministry networks can really be leveraged by a cityreaching movement. A list of these networks is given on the Mission America Coalition website. These networks help facilitate connection and collaboration in specific affinity or strategic areas. These are great networks to encourage local leaders to connect to for building local affinity groups or finding resources. Examples of these networks include the National Network of Youth Ministries, National Prayer Committee, Association of Marriage & Family Ministries, Ethnic America Network, Christian Legal Society, Prison Ministry Network, National Coalition of Men's Ministries, etc. Many of these national networks are already connected to people in their geographical areas and would be very interested in helping to encourage local connections. These networks are great places for individuals to connect with others in areas of passion that the Lord has laid on their heart. Benefits include more resources, more relationships, and more mobilization! (Please feel free to contact me for more information at eric@missionamerica.org.) ===>Click headline above for more detailed information . . .

Phil ~ I remember one of our phone conversations as you were just beginning to bring pastors together for prayer ...

Eric ~ I began by asking a simple question: Are pastors, ministry leaders, and marketplace leaders getting together in our community to pray and explore collaboration opportunities? There was one group getting together in the NW area of our city (about 45 minutes away from my home in the Fort Lauderdale metro area). I began meeting with this group, and after a while, I was moved to encourage a small group of leaders to get together for this purpose locally in the SW area of our county. We later discovered another group of leaders praying in the SE area of our county (about 30 minutes away from us). These regional groups are great for prayer, building trust, and exploring collaboration opportunities, as led by the Holy Spirit. Our group is still a small group, seeking the Lord together, acknowledging our individually distinct missions, and united in the love of Jesus for our community. As I talk to leaders in other cities, many of them recognize prayer among pastors and other leaders as one of the primary origins of citywide movements.


Phil ~ Our LC2C Team has had many discussions on how to measure city transformation. One of our action steps was to establish a task force that resulted in the City Faith Survey.
Talk about:

Eric ~

• The purpose: Why does a city movement need a survey like this?
  

It provides a snapshot of the spiritual condition of the people in the city. We have all heard the national statistics, but what are the statistics in your city? What were they last year, and what will they be next year? This can be great catalyst and context for local connection, prayer, and collaboration.

• The process: How is information gathered?
  

For participating cities, 1000 self-identifying Christians in that city will be surveyed randomly by telephone (by the Gallup Faith organization). Each respondent will answer 30 questions related to their faith. The results will be compiled and given to the leaders of the participating city movement.

• The price: What is the commitment from the LC2C city and the cost?
  

We are looking for 5 cities to begin a pilot. The cost of the survey is $21,500 per city. Mission America Coalition will be collecting these funds and serving as a coordinator for this initiative, however, all of this amount will go directly to the Gallup Faith organization, which will be facilitating the survey. As local city network leaders consider being involved in this City Faith Survey initiative, potential sources of funding to consider may be a group of churches and ministries, local business leaders, local foundations, or a combination of these. (More information can be obtained by contacting Phil Miglioratti at phil@missionamerica.org.)

Phil ~ As you see more and more city movements and networks in action, what are the strengths and the weaknesses of collaborative evangelism?

Eric ~ I believe strengths of collaborative networks include providing an environment for demonstrating a Phil 2:1-4 type of humility, love, and unity; an opportunity to build trust relationships grounded in Jesus Christ; an opportunity to seek God together; an opportunity to communicate and find opportunities for praying together, caring together, and/or sharing Christ together as the Holy Spirit leads; an opportunity to build bridges between local churches, servant ministries, businesses, and the other domains of society; an opportunity for positive peer pressure for sharing the love of Jesus Christ in a winsome way; and the simple recognition in the community of the presence of such a network to facilitate an environment of unity in Christ.

Weaknesses are related to temptations, however they are only weaknesses if the temptations are given into. Examples include the temptation to have the network do too much in its own name too soon; temptation to rely too much upon a few leaders; temptation to inadvertently isolate those who have not yet felt led to be involved; and temptation to lose focus on the basics of prayer and unity in Christ because it may not seem to some like enough is being accomplished.

Phil ~ Eric, please write a prayer we can pray with you toward the advancing of God's kingdom in our cities . . .

Eric ~ Lord, we praise you for your mighty power, amazing grace, and your passionate love for all. We thank you for the many affinity networks and citywide movements that are leading the way in demonstrating many different ways to collaborate in Jesus' name. We pray for a growing number of humble hearts coming together to seek You together in communities across our nation and world. We pray for many movements led by many leaders in all domains of society, united in prayer, and led by the Holy Spirit. We pray for a growing number of trusting relationships among local church, ministry, and marketplace leaders in cities. We pray for a growing recognition among non-believers in our communities that we are coming together and that we are showing Your love in Jesus' name. May they see You and come to know Your love for them. We pray that all hearts would grow closer to You, and would be mobilized in a lifestyle of praying for, caring for, and sharing Christ with those around us. We pray these things in Jesus' name. Amen.

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RESOURCE ~ Better communication for collaboration

I was talking with Mike Simon of Simon Solutions today about Charity Tracker software (http://www.charitytracker.net).

It's clear that many groups that are serving the poor throughout the state of Alabama are using it and developing greater effectiveness in their services because of it.

What would happen if a few of the LC2C cities took a serious look at whether it might be effective in their cities as well?

The cost on Charity Tracker is minimal, ($15.00/month per church or organization). And one organization can have the license with multiple users. To me it seems like a no brainer for communities where there is a network of providers serving the poor. The vision of an army of saints working with city governments; this is what GoodCities combined with Charity Tracker are currently engaging in. GoodCities works with congregations to expand the social capital and build the capacity of the church for serving the city, while Charity Tracker gives us an accountable service system that is distributed and decentralized. In addition, we will work with a variety of funding sources, social service agencies, and churches to help the church pick up services the government can no longer afford due to budget cut backs.

Glenn Barth, GoodCities

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

CharityTracker is a great way for faith-based and community leaders to jump-start and sustain better communication and collaboration for collective action.

Hundreds of organizations in 180 cities now use CharityTracker to keep track of the people they love and serve. CharityTracker is a secure, web-based communication network that enables churches, non-profits, and government agencies work together in meeting people's needs.

CharityTracker community networks make it easy for care providers to:

• Securely share valuable information with each other.
• Prevent duplication of services - saving thousands of dollars.
• Broadcast area-wide bulletins and alerts in real-time.
• Identify opportunities to serve and mobilize resources, instantly.
• Recognize the need for intervention.
• Encourage cooperation and more participation for greater results. In a time when we all need to do more with less, it's important that the right resources get into the right hands. CharityTracker helps increase levels of accountability and efficiency, making it easier for care providers to work together and measure their impact.

For faith-based and community leaders, CharityTracker provides a simple way for care providers to come together on common ground and increase the caring power of their community.


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Inner~View #67: Connecting People & Community

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Phil Miglioratti interviewed Stan Dobbs of Apartment Life


Phil ~ Give us a quick background to what gave birth to the Apartment Life ministry.

Stan ~ I worked in the computer industry for many years before sensing a call to full-time ministry. During seminary I got exposed to the idea of apartment ministry while on staff at First Baptist Church in Euless (D/FW area) and immediately fell in love with it. For city-reachers apartments are absolutely strategic. While about half the population of our major cities live in apartments - less than 5% are connected to a church (compared to 35% of homeowners). What was most interesting was that the apartment industry desperately needed help with the human side of their business. Most apartment owners do a good job operating the apartments but have difficulty with meeting the deeper needs of residents. Hence the average resident turnover in the industry is about 75%. We saw an amazing opportunity to meet a business need and at the same time position Christians in apartment communities to minister to residents, share the gospel and connect residents to the church.



Phil ~ What is the mission of Apartment Life?

Stan ~ Our vision is Christian Outreach for Every Apartment Community. We empower local churches to more effectively reach their surrounding apartment communities.



Phil ~ God has given you a unique strategy - Tell us how it works?

Stan ~ Apartment Life partners with apartment owners and local churches to place Christian teams (married couple/family or two single adults) into apartment communities to help owners create a sense of community and care for residents. These "CARES Teams" receive a rent-free apartment and do things that flow naturally out of the Christian life - welcoming new residents, planning social events, and caring for residents and staff. CARES Teams become the hub of community life, and these relationships form the foundation for sharing the gospel and connecting residents to church.

After seven years of growth, documented spiritual results, mature church and apartment industry partnerships, and a proven financial model, God has positioned Apartment Life to help churches and city-reachers penetrate the vast apartment communities across the country with the gospel. Over 60,000 people have been impacted for Christ to date - and Apartment Life is just scratching the surface of the spiritual potential!


Phil ~ How can a city movement, such as Loving Our Communities to Christ, employ the Apartment Life strategy?

Stan ~ Apartment Life is actively seeking partnership opportunities to expand into new cities. Using a type of "franchise" model, a city movement could adopt Apartment Life as one of their foundational strategies. Because Apartment Life has an integrated business model which covers our costs, the main local investment required is to supply leadership.


Phil ~ Talk about:

Stan ~

• The role of Prayer Apartment Life ministry ... Each CARES team enlists at least 10 prayer partners who commit to pray regularly for them and their community. Each month these prayer partners get specific prayer request reports from the CARES team. We set aside one Friday morning each month for ministry-wide prayer to cover our staff, CARES teams and the residents we serve.
• The opportunities to Care and Share ... The power of the ministry is that CARES teams are privileged to be at the center of community life. They are the first to welcome newcomers, plan all social events, and provide support in time of need. The opportunities to care and share flow naturally yet intentionally out of their life in community. CARES teams submit spiritual reports each month that highlight spiritual victories.
• Church Planting? The CARES Program is totally synergistic with church planting and we have had many planters serve as CARES Teams. CARES provides church planters with two distinct benefits: 1) a platform to organically and quickly develop a large number of new relationships in the community and 2) rent-free housing. Several planters have commented that they have been able to quickly develop relationships with a large number of unchurched neighbors by serving in CARES.
• Cost to the local leadership team Each city supplies their own leadership which would be their main investment in launching Apartment Life. Each apartment community and CARES Team pay Apartment Life a monthly fee which cover our costs.

Phil ~ How can an LC2City explore a partnership with Apartment Life?

Stan ~ We are excited about the potential to partner with LC2C city reaching movements to accelerate their efforts using the Apartment Life model. Anyone interested in discussing a partnership can email Kiley Haught at kileyhaught@apartmentlife.org or call 877.785.2963


Phil ~ Stan, please write a prayer for the people in apartment communities across our nation - one we will pray along with you ...

Stan ~ Lord would you continue to grant us wisdom and favor as we seek to be faithful to your call to empower the Church to reach apartment communities with the gospel. Protect us from sin that can distract and from the good that may keep us from the best. Give us your eyes and heart to how best to partner with your Body to be more effective in unity.


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PRAYER ~ A Prayed-for-Community

What would it mean if Bloomington-Normal was a

Prayed-for-Community?

Adapted from the work of Phil Miglioratti of the National Pastors' Prayer Network.

A Prayed-for-City is a place

• Where the pastors pray together
• Each congregation prays together
• A Citywide Prayer Network is established
• Every church has a contact person for the Citywide Prayer Network
• Every pastor is prayed for
• Every church
• Every local ministry
• Every social agency
• Every campus ministry
• Each college campus – ISU, IWU, Heartland, Lincoln
• Every politician...mayors, city council members
• An intercessor is assigned to pray for
• Every school
• Every teacher
• At every level of education
• Every hospital, doctor, medical worker is prayed for
• Every police officer, fireman, and emergency worker has an intercessor
• Every judge has an intercessor assigned
• Every street is prayed over (prayer-walked)
• Every house
• Every park
• Every business
• Every dorm
• Every city church effort/activity has an intercessory component
• There are community prayer efforts that cross church walls and denominational boundaries
• There are established prayer chains, prayer circles, and prayer point persons in each church and ministry
• Citywide seasons of prayer occur
• Prayer summits are held for specific roles/purposes (pastors prayer summit, intercessory prayer summit, youth prayer summit, student ministries prayer summit)
• There are prayer equipping centers where biblical prayer is taught and modeled
• Specialized prayer teams for
• Times of cleansing and returning to holiness
• Solemn assemblies
• Cleansing prayer for every violent crime
• City, state, national, world needs and catastrophes
• Houses of prayer and prayer retreat locations are established
• We are regularly voicing prayers for broken marriages and relationships, for prodigals, and for troubled youth
• Prayers for church unity and for the restoration of those who have been “hurt” by church
• Prayers for the ministry of reconciliation of people to God and of believers to one another
• Concerts of prayer
• Prayer for missions and those sent out for missionary work to other cities and nations
• And prayer for each surrounding small, rural community

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SHARE ~ Eight Reasons to Use Questions When You Share Your Faith

The goal behind our Answering with Questions series is to teach Christians how to defend the faith, not by arguing doctrine, but by simply asking the right questions like Jesus did. The advantages to using this method are numerous and difficult to overstate:

1. You do not have to become an expert in the field of evolution, for example, to hold your own against an atheistic college professor. You simply need the right questions.
2. Knowing the right questions allows you maintain control the discussion; and it puts all the pressure on the false teacher to prove his or her position.
3. If posed with humility, it is non-confrontational.
4. Since you are not arguing or debating, you can ask questions without getting emotional.
5. It is very effective.
6. It’s fun to help people discover the truth for themselves.
7. It causes people to think.
8. It’s what Jesus did. And, He is the greatest teacher who ever taught.

===>Click headline to order books from this series . . .

Voice in the Wilderness Ministries

9757 Squire Lane, Belvidere, IL 61008
Ph./Fax 815-547-0765
Email Jesus@safeplace.net
web www.voice-wilderness.org

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SHARE ~ The Sounds of Summer

The Sounds of Summer By Ken Glassmeyer

Summer is a symphony of sounds. It could be the sounds of birds singing, children playing, fireworks, the crashing crescendo of a summer thunderstorm, or the solid sound of a base hit up the gap at the ball park. When I think of summer I can't help but to think of one of my favorite bands, Chicago. Their music embodies all that is great about summer: Of course my favorite song is the Mitzvah Waltz. Did you know that the Hebrew word Mitzvah, actually means doing an act of kindness in God's name? In fact, the tradition holds that you worship and connect with God best, when you love those around you! YARD SPRUCE UP Nothing announces the start of summer like the soft droning buzz of lawnmowers and powered yard tools. I love this sound—the only summer sound that is better is listening Marty Brennaman call a ball game on the radio while sitting with friends around a campfire. This is a great outreach that you can put together with any small group or just a group of friends looking to have fun on Saturday morning. You are going to need special transportation and equipment. That means you need a SUV with a hitch and trailer or a couple of pickup trucks. Gather your shared supplies and load up several lawnmowers, plenty of gasoline, a trimmer, a few rakes, some coolers filled with ice and water or Gatorade and if you have the budget some mulch and bulk flats of annuals. Don’t forget to bring some trash bags and a broom or blower to clean up after you cut and rake. Pick a neighborhood nearby that has the right demographic. There are some folks very particular about their landscaping and they are either fanatics themselves or they hire gardening engineers to cultivate a manicured lawn. These are not the people you want to try to serve, you may end up doing more harm than good for the kingdom if you “butcher” their lawn. You are looking for lawns that have been neglected. Whenever we have done this in the past, we have often discovered heartbreaking stories inside the homes of these sad looking lawns. Very rarely, when we have spent time in prayer before hitting the road and asked God to show us the home to go to, have we found a yard that was unkempt willfully. There is usually a story, and coming to this home to serve the family inside usually causes us to connect in a profound way and learn that story—which leads to an intense kingdom opportunity. Get past the idea that the yard is messy because the people are just lazy. I can’t count the number of times I ended up praying for a man or woman inside who began crying once we spruced up their lawn because they used to love working in the yard until their health or financial crisis struck the family and they were no longer able to maintain the once beautiful home. One little hint: As one person rings the doorbell have others start up the lawnmowers and getting poised on the sidewalk ready to work—it is difficult to refuse the offer of a free lawn service when a friendly bunch of people are chomping at the bit to give the outside of their home a free make over. Don’t forget to invite the family out for a cool drink to watch you guys work, and never forget to ask them to let you pray for them. You will be surprised at how few people will turn you down. BASKETBALL COURT RENEWAL Another one of my favorite summer sounds is the cacophony of a pick-up basketball game on a basketball court in a park. The sound of squeaking shoes, the rhythm of the bouncing ball, and of course the snap of the net from a perfect shot is music to my ears. I used to like it more when I could actually join the game before my health problems, but I am getting better at sitting back and watching. Sadly this is an endangered species. In the poor economy many metro park systems and civic organizations no longer have the funding to keep up even the suburban parks, let alone the rougher inner city courts that are under the constant attack of vandalism and graffiti. You want to make friends with the kids and young adults of neighborhood? Go fix up their court! This is very easy to do. First, look for a public basketball court that needs to be cleaned up. Start by sweeping up broken glass and picking up the litter. If you have a budget and want to go for some WOW! factor, replace the backboards and repaint the court with bright court colors and line markings. Nets, even those made of chain, don't last very long on public courts. Stop at Sporting Goods store and buy a few replacement nets. While you are at it, pick up a few multi-surface basketballs, air pumps, and needles to give away to people. If you have a few athletes in your group, it is very effective to then invite folks to join you for a quick game. After a few moments, take a break and open up the coolers full of ice cold Gatorade. Another way to make a great splash is to shoot free highlight videos of players showing off their ball handling and shooting skills and give them away--especially if you can edit and dubb music to these and duplicate DVD's from the footage. In fact, there is a huge urban industry called "AND ONE" dedicated to crazy highlight basketball videos. Viola! You will be surrounded by friends, and you will soon learn the secret of really getting into the neighborhood and connecting with everyone there with these kids as your willing guides. Ken Glassmeyer is the Editor of Serve! Magazine. He has been doing SE outreach in the midwest for over twenty years. He currently leads a "not-so-small" group bible study in his community. Ken is the author of a number of PDF guides available at Kindness Resources including the latest: "Tactical Kindness" You can contact Kindness Resources for more information on having him come to your church to coach, speak or consult.

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PRAYER ~ Learning to Pray While You Pray

Interview with John Franklin, national prayer leader and author

Note>>

• Everyone who makes a contribution to the National Pastors' Prayer Network (tax-deduction allowable for gift beyond cost of book and postage)receives a free copy of John's new book.
  
• 
  
• Click here or send your gift to: National Pastors’ Prayer Network, 1130 Randville Drive 1D, Palatine, IL 60074

Phil ~ Your website begins with "America is morally imploding before our very eyes." What is your perspective on the times and seasons of our culture and how is that impacting your teaching and writing ministry?

John ~ Jeremiah 18:7-11 declares, “If at any time I announce that a nation or kingdom is to be uprooted, torn down and destroyed, 8 and if that nation I warned repents of its evil, then I will relent and not inflict on it the disaster I had planned. 9 And if at another time I announce that a nation or kingdom is to be built up and planted, 10 and if it does evil in my sight and does not obey me, then I will reconsider the good I had intended to do for it. 11 “Now therefore say to the people of Judah and those living in Jerusalem, ‘This is what the Lord says: Look! I am preparing a disaster for you and devising a plan against you. So turn from your evil ways, each one of you, and reform your ways and your actions.’ (NIV)

Given our increasing wickedness, what other conclusion is there, save we had better wake up before it’s too late. I sense a very strong burden to teach regarding revival, the fear of God, our accountability to Him as Christians and a nation, the hope if we repent, the certainty of judgment that awaits us if we do not.

Phil ~ What prompted you to write your latest book, Walking With God?

John ~ – After speaking to thousands of prayer leaders and people in the pew over the last 12 years, I concluded the majority of Christians do not know how to practically connect with God in prayer. The vast majority do not know how to answer basic questions such as:
1. What does it take to connect with God in prayer?
2. How do you hear God’s voice?
3. What are the hindrances to prayer?
4. What does it take to keep your heart steadfast in a love relationship with the living God?

I wrote the book to give basic prayer principles in a format that teaches a lifestyle habit for walking with God.

Phil ~ The subtitle, 30 Days to Change Your Prayer Life, might sound typical for prayer guides but you have incorporated several interesting features ... Please explain:

John ~ The features I’m about to explain spring from three beliefs.
1. People learn best by doing mixed with understanding.
2. Simplicity creates better learning than complexity.
3. Repetition in following a God-centered format creates the greatest likelihood for learning how to pray.

Here are the features:
1. The book is organized around 30 days of training exercises. I called them training exercises instead of devotionals because I wanted people to know they were to learn a lifestyle habit – not merely have a devotional thought for the day.

2. Each training exercise follows a standardized God-centered format. I did this so that learning could be reinforced through repetition.
3. The 30 training exercises are organized by seven themes of what the reader should be learning and doing in prayer.
4. Before the reader starts, they read a brief explanation as to what the three keys to dynamic prayer are in order to give them a reference point for knowing what they’re looking for when they pray.

Three Keys
I recognize that the three keys I teach are not all there is to prayer. But I believe this trio is indispensable to understand anything else. The three keys are:
1. Understanding the nature of Prayer – Prayer is the communication aspect of how I conducted my relationship with God – not primarily about getting from God.
2. Understanding and practicing three foundations – Those foundations are 1) Practicing prayer as a relationship with God. Our desire for God determines whether or not we’ll walk with Him. 2) Praying consistently about your kingdom purpose – What did God talk to the great saints in the Bible about? More times than not it related to their assignment. If someone tries to conduct their prayer life with God by having one on one warm fuzzy sessions, they will not find Him consistently. 3) A Biblical mind-set – in order to connect our minds must be saturated with Scripture. This leads to a God-centeredness, repentance, a clean heart, and asking in line with the desires of God’s heart.
3. Understanding that God has initiated a training process in your life through prayer – Most people start prayer without any sense that God is taking them somewhere. They do not view themselves as kingdom agents whom God is developing to be ever increasingly of greater and greater use in that kingdom. A prayer life will result in personal growth as a kingdom servant.

Seven Themes
The 30 training exercises are organized into seven themes. The purpose of the themes is to highlight ways God wants to train you. The themes are:
1. The three foundations of prayer (training exercises 1-3).
2. God trains you (training exercises 4-10).
3. Begin prayer by focusing on God (training exercises 11-13).
4. Respond from the heart (training exercises 14-20).
5. Seek first the kingdom (training exercises 21-28).
6. Present your request (training exercise 29).
7. Close in joy (training exercise 30).

Thirty Exercises
Each exercise follow a format. I studied every prayer meeting in the Bible to identify what the Bible format for prayer is. I discovered that all prayer meetings begin with focusing on God, then there was a heart response of the people. After that the format varied. I The format I chose begins with focusing on God and responding from the heart. The next three elements correspond to what Jesus taught in the Lord’s prayer. The format for the 30 training exercises is:
-Focus on God
-Respond from the heart
-Seek first the kingdom
-Present your requests
-Close in joy
Notice that the format and themes 2-7 are the same. Again I’m trying to use repetition, simplicity, and reinforcement.

Phil~ I noticed the daily exercises are not all internally focused. Topics include a new mind-set, society, the nations ...

John ~ Yes. That’s because the majority of prayers in the Bible were for the advance of the kingdom. Matthew 6:7-8 tells us not to pray like pagans. The basic nature of pagan prayer is that they pray for earthly provision and think they will be heard for their many words. Instead Jesus tell us our Father already knows what we have need of before we pray. So we ought to pray this way, “Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven” (Mt. 6:10). He concludes the chapter by reiterating we’re not to be like pagans all worried and uptight about earthly provisions for our life (Mt. 25-32), but instead to “Seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you” (Mt. 6:33).

Starting prayer with God instead of our request, taking time to respond from the heart in relationship to Him, and seeking first the kingdom, are the three most violated Biblical practices of prayer that I know of in our day.

Phil ~ The daily format follows five principles taken from the Lord's Prayer ...

John ~ Yes. I mentioned it earlier, but to clarify:
• Focus on God – Our Father which art in heaven
• Respond from the heart – Hallowed by Thy name
• Seek First the Kingdom – Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven
• Present Your Requests – Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors. And do not lead us into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one.
• Close in joy - For Yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen.

Phil ~ The book concludes with a section of your Thoughts on Revival. Why is that relevant to someone embarking on a path to change their prayer life?

John ~ Because our prayer life is oriented to God. If revival is on His heart, then that ought to be on my heart. Prayer is not primarily about my wants, my wishes, and my heart. Rather it’s about His wants, His wishes, and His heart. Second, if I’m going to pray about this matter intelligently, I need to know how God goes about revival and the things associated with it. So this final section does not teach one how to pray like the 30 training exercises, but impacts prayer by helping the reader know about God’s heart in an area of vital interest.

Phil ~ "God intends to use his people as agents of mercy during judgment." Most authors focus on judgment, and ignore mercy, or on mercy, and minimize judgment. Why is that and how is that dangerous for the Church?

John ~ Historically, the church has focused on one truth of God to the minimization of others. In our day we emphasize the love, mercy, compassion, kindness and grace of God without adequate understanding of His holiness, justice, wrath, vengeance, fear, and accountability. The reason for this in American Christianity is because we are influenced by the Humanism of the 20th century. We tend to think that anything causing human suffering must be the worst sort of injustice; therefore, God couldn’t cause suffering or really inflict wrath to any significant degree.. It has taken me about 10 years to understand the holiness and love of God so that they are no longer in conflict in my thinking.

This is dangerous in our day because we have lost the fear of God. When we no longer have a concept of a holy God who can be provoked to wrath, then we lose any real sense of accountability for sin. If “By fear of the Lord one departs from evil” (Prov. 16:6), and we are no longer departing, then it can only mean we no longer fear the Lord. We evidently have taught mercy and grace in such a way that the majority does not sense the impending wrath of God against sin. Until this happens, we cannot have a national revival. And that must happen first in the church. Judgment begins with us (1 Peter 4:17).

Phil ~ How can this guide be used by prayer leaders (pastors and/or prayer coordinators) to involve nominal pray-ers in the lifestyle of dynamic praying?

John ~ In general the best way to involve nominal pray-ers is to call them to prayer around a central focus for a set amount of time. This book could be used toward this end, for example, by a church going into a building program, a mission team preparing for their trip, or VBS workers seeking God’s favor on their endeavors. In the section of the format Seek First The Kingdom, the central focus of the church or group could be plugged in. Once someone has practical training and a reference point, they will be more likely to become involved in a lifestyle of dynamic praying. I’ve made this book cost effective for churches and groups so that they can do this easily - only $4 a copy when bought in bulk.

Phil ~ John, please write a prayer you hope each one of us reading this will pray; for ourselves and for those we shepherd.

John ~ Father, would you grant that the eyes of our heart may be enlightened to know the character and nature of your Son, to be conformed to His image, to walk with You as He did, especially in this our day when we stand in desperate need of revival. May each pastor and leader have the grace to wisely shepherd Your flock, to turn them from the propensity toward self-centeredness, to see themselves as servants of the Living God, denying self so they may be agents of righteousness for Christ’s sake.


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LC2C - Prayer Aert

LC2C Prayer Alert !!
May 2009

Phoenix,AZ., Linda Gross:

• Prayer for the Arizona Community Impact Roundtable (AZ CIR) scheduled for September 2009:
• Pray for finalizing logistics of venue, speakers, program and web site.
• Pray for Dr. Glenn Barth of GoodCities who will serve as the CIR moderator, for Ben Sanders of Community Ministries who is the local planner, and Jamie Brook of Arrowhead Conferences and Events who is handling hotel. For wisdom, discernment, and favor in planning and promoting the event.
• Pray for Christian leaders to enthusiastically partner with us in making this a catalytic and strategic moment in the spiritual life of Arizona.

El Paso/Texas (Barney Field, Laurie Huffman); Juarez, Mexico (Pedro Hernandez) and Las Cruces, New Mexico (Maria Silva Sutton) Leaders of Loving Our Communities to Christ - Glenn Weber, LC2C Prayer Leader -

Please pray for:

• Global health, and against the Hii-Ni (Swine Flu) influenza pandemic
• Global Day of Prayer on May 31( Pentecost Sunday)..
  
• Praise God for Mayor's Prayer Luncheon Thursday, May 7 at El Paso Convention Center (about 1500 attending). Mayor John Cook is a very committed follower of our Lord Jesus, having committed his mayorship and the City of El Paso to the Lordship of Jesus, and he is a man of prayer. PTL!!!_ Barney Field meets with the Mayor weekly in his City Hall office to study and pray through the New Testament. Pastor's and intercessors also meet monthly with El Paso's Mayor in his City Hall offices overlooking downtown El Paso/Juarez to pray for our communities. PTL!!!
• Telethon fundraising for Christian Television, Channel 38
• Awaking of the Body of Christ
• Our transition as family (Pedro Hernandez) in the ministry,(the perfect time of God)
• New connections (Pedro Hernandez) with the Christian Intl. México Prayer Network,(www.ciméxico.org)
• The next America/Mexico Borderwide Strategic Prayer Summit and gathering of Prayer Leaders in El Paso June 1 & 2 with prayer leaders from 4 states.
• Leaders and all in authority for the Lord to open doors in taking Character First! to all 7 major spheres of society influence in the El Pas/Juarez/Las Cruces Region.
  

Love Fox Valley LC2C Prayer News,Tony Danhelka:

Thanks for your prayers for our Chicagoland – Love Fox Valley Region. We do appreciate it.

1. Praise God for National Day of Prayer Activities… I sure was kept busy today driving around the Fox River Valley regions Nation Day of Prayer events sponsored by Love Fox Valley. It was a beautiful sunny day here and good crowds came out for the planned events.

2. April 26th was Motorcycle Sunday… Hundreds of bikers showed up in pouring rain. The heart of the day was Pastor Randy Schoof's Blessing prayer. All the Christians in the group spread out to every biker. Randy was on the stage. He asked each biker to raise their hand high into the air. Get this.... 'They all did it!!!' Fantastic. Randy prayed one of the most anointed Biker Prayer I have ever heard and they kept their hand up through it all. Each biker got a 'Hope for the Highway' New Testament, cleanup clothe and a very creative tract that explains knowing Christ from the Christian Motorcyclists Association. The bikers sure took Randy's prayer very seriously and appreciated our 'laying hands' on their bikes. Praise God!

3. Love Fox Valley Logo was created and approved!!!! Praise God…

4. Praising Him for Chicagoland Mulinde Fast & Prayer… God called strategic Networkers, Pastors, Market Place Ministers and Intercessors to come together Sunday March 22 at 7PM through Thursday night March 26 at 7PM at Riverwoods Christian Center in St. Charles, IL. It was an urgent time to Fast to better hear God, Feast on His presence and Focus our travailing prayer. Pastor John Mulinde (Transformation Video’s) came from Kampala, Uganda, East Africa has a unique call on his life to facilitate such a four day season. John and his partner, Pastor Mark Daniels, from Kissimmee, FL have been used of God to see break-through in various Ugandan and US Cities. We believe a great movement began in the heavenlies over our region as a result of this fast. Praise God.

5. Tony Personally… My wife Donna is ‘not’ doing well in these days of recovery from cancer. It has been a very challenging 3 years. She still has almost daily nausea and great fatigue. The Chicagoland Intercessors (from 11 of the largest churches in Chicago) want Donna back in leadership of them. She is just too weak to do it effectively. We just returned from another 4 day consultation with Morning Star near Charlotte. Donna spent all four days in our Conference bedroom very sick with an upper respiratory infection. We continue to need great wisdom to know how to best serve her through her extended time of post cancer recovery. www.caringbridge.org/visit/donnadanhelka

PS The above photo was taken at our recent retirement banquet from Riverwoods Christian Center that we helped found 33 years ago. Bless ya, tony & LFV Team

Love Fox Valley… Let’s Go!

Cedar Rapids IA Charles Daugherty:

• Praise the Lord for a terrific National Day of Prayer meeting in our city! May God bless all those attending and answer their prayers !!

• Please pray for next month's Healing the Heartland Festival, June 12 - 14th ! The Heartland Festival will help connect the local church to the greater effort of healing from last year's devastating floods. A year ago Cedar Rapids experienced a major flood that displaced16, 000 people from their homes and 3/4's of those still have not been able to return to their homes and still live elsewhere. There is still much restoration and repairs needed both in buildings...homes...businesses....as well as in the lives of our people.

• For more info check out www.servethecity.org

Pat Allen LC2C Prayer Coordinator:

• Please pray refreshing protection and provision for each LC2C City Leader and team.

• Please pray for the LC2C Coaches who work alongside the city teams and provide "coaching" to them. The coaches and their cities include:

Dallas Anderson, Bill Berry and Copi Valdiviez Coach Team members
Larry Dewitt - San Bernardino
Dennis Fuqua - Boise & Gray's Harbor
Jim Overholt - Fresno
Tom White - Santa Rosa, Tuscaloosa, Corvallis
Howard Boyd - Thomasville, Branson, Charlotte
John Quam - Phoenix
Paul Cedar - Coachella Valley
Jarvis Ward - El Paso, Charleston
Phil Miglioratti LC2C Coordinator - Newton, Fox Valley, Cedar Rapids


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SHARE ~ Transformation, Not Decision

Big-Picture Evangelism

A new tool that emphasizes transformation and not just decision.

Interview with James Choung is director of InterVarsity Christian Christian Fellowship's San Diego Division

His book True Story: A Christianity Worth Believing In (IVP, 2008) introduces an evangelistic tool called "The Big Story."

The four-circle diagram explains the gospel in four phrases: designed for good, damaged by evil, restored for better, and sent together to heal. LeadingOutreach.com asked Choung about his diagram and why he believes the church must share a broader gospel message.

How are the four circles of "The Big Story" different from The Four Spiritual Laws?

The Four Spiritual Laws was a great tool a generation ago. It was really an attempt to help nominal Christians. It was an invitation back into a relationship with God through Jesus, but it seemed to make everything about the individual. "The Big Story" tries instead to recapture a more communal, social focus. It also emphasizes transformation more than decision and the "mission life" more than just the afterlife.

We hope that, through these shifts, "The Big Story" will capture a larger picture of what the Bible is saying, what Jesus is saying. We're trying to present the biblical worldview in as simple a way as possible.

Is there a danger of shortchanging the atonement in this diagram?
===>Click headline to access complete interview . . .

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* Become part of the Mission America Coalition ~ Visit: http://www.MissionAmerica.org