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1. WEB SITE UPDATE & DEMOGRAPHICS
~Visit http://www.nppn.org ...
>Check out our new web based Prayer Requests for Pastors and Cities!
>Look for our new Feedback and Web Roundtable sections
>Take the NPPN Survey
>Download (and distribute) one of our 40 E'zine articles
>Pray for one of our 525 Pastors' Prayer Groups
~Demographic notes from NPPN web site
The most recent 150 new subscribers to the NPPN are:
Pastor 65
Prayer Leader 20
Intercessor 28
Lay Person 12
Other 22
From:
Australia 1
Cameroon 1
Canada 4 Colombia
1
Croatia (local name: Hrvatska) 1
Egypt 1 Germany
2
Ghana 2 Japan
1
Namibia 1
Netherlands 1
Philippines 1 Taiwan
1
United Kingdom 1
United States Minor Outlying Islands 1
United States of America 124
~Log-On ... Sign-In ... Link-Up
___________________________________________________>>>
2. NEW ~ EMAIL US
YOUR PPG PHOTO.... ---> straka1@usexpress.net
Email a photo of your PPG - it may go up on our web site!
___________________________________________________>>>
* CORRECTION
>From: <info@mappingcenter.org>
Please direct your churches to http://www.mappingcenter.org/jabez for
the jabez book-all lower case. We have received many emails of those
trying to go to the site unsuccessfully. If it is not all lower case,
the link will not work. Thank you and God bless!
Luke Smith, Mapping Center for Evangelism and Church Growth
P.O. Box 4425, Olathe, KS 66063-4425
___________________________________________________>>>
* REMINDER
Pastor Phil is away from email until May 2nd, then he leaves for DC to meet
with the National Prayer Committee... Emergency? Call 847-514-0786 and leave
your phone number on his voice mail
___________________________________________________>>>
3. PORTLAND, OR: FIRST NATIONS PPG??
>From: Wanbli@aol.com
A group of us have banded together to launch a new First Nations Fellowship in
the Portland Metro area. We are meeting the second Friday evening of the
month. Our vision is to reach the nearly 20,000 Native people in the
area with a Biblically based, credible, and culturally appropriate witness for
Jesus Christ and to raise up mature leaders that reflects the socio/cultural
values of the people. We know our people are a community based, relationally
oriented community. Our fellowship will strive to reflect this realty. We will
not be a purpose-driven, program oriented church. To do this we are working to
develop a "church service liturgy" that emphasizes the centrality of
Jesus Christ and His Word that is distinctly Native in structure, style, and
philosophy. In part this mean utilizing native music/worship, sharing a meal,
prayer, telling stories, encouraging attending the local pow-wows, learning
the languages, craft-making and including the children. Already a group of
Native believers in Virginia and Phoenix are wanting me to help them develop a
similar urban native church model. Pray for us as we seek the Lord for wisdom
and direction. I believe many people,
Native and non-Native alike, are looking for a church just like this. After
only our second gathering nearly 50 people attended.
Richard Twiss, President, Wiconi International
PO Box 5246 Vancouver, WA 98668
360-546-1867 www.wiconi.com
___________________________________________________>>>
4. RALEIGH, CARY, APEX, NC: SUMMIT + NEW PPG
>From: Deyssler@aol.com
Hi Phil! We are very glad The Lord has given us a
beautiful time with about 110 pastors from the cities of Raleigh, Cary and
others in our prayer summit for this area of NC. We have a new group of
pastors praying together in the city of Apex, North Carolina! Praise be the
Lord!
--->NPPNote: Please log your new PPG info onto our NPPN PPG Directory
so that others in your area can connect with you for prayer - http://www.nppn.org
___________________________________________________>>>
5. UNITY MUST NOT IMPERIL THEOLOGICAL INTEGRITY
>From: "Crosswalk.com" <newsletters@crosswalk.com>
>By Michael Foust
LOUISVILLE, Ky. (BP)--Unity among Christians can be achieved, but it should
never come at the expense of moral purity or theological integrity, Timothy
George said at Southern Baptist Theological Seminary.
George, dean of Samford University's Beeson Divinity School in Birmingham,
Ala., was on Southern's Louisville, Ky., campus to take part in an academic
conference, "Southern Baptists in the New Millennium: Identity,
Orthodoxy, and Cooperation," that debated the identity and role of
Southern Baptists in the 21st century. He also preached in chapel Feb. 27,
using 1 Corinthians to illustrate what should and should not be the basis for
Christian unity.
"We do not purchase true unity in Christ at the expense of moral
purity," George said, noting that the apostle Paul "has a lot to say
not only about unity but about purity, about holiness, about the fact that
we're called to be saints."
Concerning theological integrity, George said, "There are some people in
the ecumenical movement and elsewhere who would say, 'We need to forget about
all this doctrine, all this theology stuff. Just focus on the environment or
focus on some good social cause.' ... That is not the way to true biblical
unity. We do not purchase biblical unity at the expense of theological
integrity."
George pointed out that Jesus himself illustrates this point in John 17:19
when he prays to the Father regarding believers, "I sanctify Myself for
them, so they also may be sanctified by the truth" (HCSB). In verse 21
Jesus prays that all Christians "may be one."
The model for Christian unity can be found in the words of Paul in 1
Corinthians, George said. It is there where Paul argues that true unity can
only be accomplished by focusing on the gospel, the love of Christ and the
grace of God, George said.
"The way to true unity is always focused on the gospel of Jesus
Christ," he said. "That's why Paul in Galatians is so concerned
about not betraying the gospel. He says in the strongest language used
anywhere in the New Testament that if anyone betrays the gospel
and preaches a different gospel, that person will be condemned by God.
"This [the gospel] is where we begin. This is where we take our stand.
This we cannot negotiate. This we cannot compromise. ... It is a gospel that
leads to and produces and brings a unity in Christ."
George said that unity must be accompanied by love -- the type of love
stressed in 1 Corinthians 13.
"It's not just human love," he said. "It's not just butterfly,
puppy love. It's the love that comes from Christ, the love that Jesus had for
us that led him to the cross, where he shed his
blood and died for us so that we could be saved through faith in him."
The third essential element to unity, George said, is an appreciation of and
thankfulness for God's grace.
"The way to unity is the way of grace, sovereign grace, amazing
grace," he said. "It is only by Christ, the undivided Christ, that I
have come to know Jesus, that I have come to have eternal life, that I have
come to share a fellowship with brothers and sisters."
Few, if any, of these elements existed at the problem-riddled church in
Corinth, George said.
"What does Paul say to the warring factions in Corinth?" he asked.
"He says, 'Come down from your wisdom. Come down from your conceit. Come
down from your pride and condescension. If you want to sail under the Pauline
flag, ... come down here to the cross."
Similarities between the church at Corinth and today's Christian church are
apparent, George said.
"What does Jesus think when he looks down on us -- on our personal
rivalries, on our dividing into parties like these people in Corinth?" he
asked. "I think his heart must break. I'm
sure the Holy Spirit is grieved ."
George concluded by asking, "Wouldn't it be wonderful if ... instead of
only talking about the church of the undivided Christ, we could talk about the
Christ of the undivided church? We can't do that now. And, if you ask me, I
think we probably will never be able to say that perfectly and completely this
side of the parousia, when the church will be presented [as] the bride to the
bridegroom, without spot, without wrinkle on that great day.
"We're not there yet, but in the meantime we can remember what Paul is
saying to the Corinthians and is saying to us, 'The way to unity is the way of
the gospel. It is the way of love. It is the way of grace.' We do not get
there by compromising our purity, our integrity, our diversity. We get there
by focusing again on our unity and the one who purchased our redemption with
his own blood on the cross."
News from ReligionToday is Copyrighted by Crosswalk.com.
http://www.crosswalk.com
___________________________________________________>>>
6. LEADERS, FOLLOWERS, RESPECT...
>From: Biblicalwm@aol.com
Exalted Leaders by Jim Spradlin
Leaders want the respect of those who follow them.
But can a leader continue to guide a group of people when he has
lost their respect?
Only a few leaders have a lifelong record of
popularity. Joshua was one who did. God chose him to lead
Israel and carry out His plans after the death of Moses. Besides
giving Joshua this position of leadership, the Lord caused caused the
Israelites to respect and honor him. On the very day they crossed
the Jordan, God "exalted Joshua in the sight of all Israel" (4:14).
Throughout his life, Joshua held unusual respect in the eyes of
the Israelites, for he was used by God to bring about the fulfillment of
many great promises.
Many people work hard to gain that kind of respect and
success. Some try to procure it through illusion, power grabs, lies, and
the like. These methods can make it appear as if they are in
control, but their very efforts demonstrate they are not. The
curtains always come apart and expose such a leader for what he is: a
little person, inside and out.
But does a leader necessarily have to have the respect
of his people? No, for there are times when good leaders lose
respect without warrant and yet continue to lead. There are even times
when close friends attack and even betray leaders, some to the point of death.
Isaiah says that Christ "was despised, and we did not esteem
Him" (Isa. 53:3). Jesus carried out His atonement in the midst of
ridicule. His close friends shunned Him in cowardice, yet He fulfilled
His mission with complete victory. They did not come around
instantly, but slowly, even after His resurrection.
Jesus' example should be an encouragement to us, for doing
good is indeed wearisome in a world of misfits. Those closest to
us can cease to respect us, even actively work against us. It is then
that a leader must decide whether he will capitulate to God or to man -- and
that is only if the situation is clear. Conflict is often gray, for as
Proverbs 27:6 says,
"Faithful are the wounds of a friend, but the kisses of an enemy are
deceitful."
The loss of the ability to lead by one called to lead is
extremely painful. Ostracism by friends may be more painful than death
itself, as many psalms make clear. But the God-gifted leader knows these
things from personal experience. He goes forward in spite of the risks
to himself, determined to do God's will though losing respect from those he
loves most. The leader who can make it through this kind of dark night
is the one who knows he is but a servant under the Lord's authority and must
please Him alone.
Wise leaders have at least a few wise followers. Wise
followers will follow wise leaders. But first, there must be a Joshua,
who fears God rather than man.
eRefreshment is a weekly encouragement specifically for those in
vocational ministry, church leadership, and their families. It is
provided free from Biblical Wellness Ministries - Raleigh, NC (USA).
___________________________________________________>>>
7. CONVERSATION ~
BUILDING A CHURCH FILLED WITH "RAVING FANS"
>From: draperX7@aol.com
>From: NewChurchSpecialties@birch.net
I found this piece interesting but would add the Luke 5 importance of
regenerated sinners being the ones that rave to others. I encourage you from
this piece to continue to learn about the people God has called you to reach.
I believe God is calling your church into existence because there are
specific people He is calling you to make disciples among and they are not
being reached by surrounding existing churches. Search them out and discover
how you might meet their felt needs to that you may have the privilege of
meeting their real needs - namely a relationship with Jesus.
Be of good cheer! Keith Draper
Ken Blanchard, author of the One Minute Manager, has
written a book entitled, "Raving Fans - A Revolutionary Approach to
Customer Service." This is not a religious book, it's a business book.
But the application to what every NewStart, ReStart or ReFocusing leader
needs to develop in their church is very powerful. An adaptation
of Blanchard's three secrets to developing "raving fans" is as
follows:
1. DECIDE on a very clear vision.
Have a very clear picture, a clear vision of where you
believe God is leading. This clear future that you envision must be
centered on people, people Jesus loved enough to die for. Your
ministry focus group (MFG) and your vision must come together. These are
the people God has called you to serve.
2. DISCOVER what your ministry focus group needs.
Discover what the people God has called you to serve,
want and need. Continue to develop your vision by filling in the
gaps from your church being a learning organization. Keep on learning all the
time! You will not discover the needs of your ministry focus group all
at once, this will only come to you in small nuggets. Every person you
connect with, has a different focus and need, a bit. Fit the
meeting of these needs into your vision. If you meet people's needs, you
will never lack a crowd! For those people who you can't satisfy,
you must quickly learn to emotionally let them go.
3. DELIVER what your ministry focus group needs -- plus one percent!
After you discover what the people from your
ministry focus people want and need, then deliver that, plus one percent! The
rule of one percent is to just keep on consistently improving what you do, one
percent at a time. Go the extra mile in your ministry and in your
servanthood, and you will never lack for a crowd of "raving
fans!" Let your attitude be, "If we need to improve our church
in some way, please tell us! If we do a great job of serving you, please
tell someone else! We really do want you a "raving fan"
of our church! This kind of attitude is the first step in building a NS,
RS or RF church where people "love the church" as Jesus did
(Ephesians 5:25).
Larry McKain, Executive Director, New Church Specialties
http://www.NewChurchSpecialties.org
816-746-6468
___________________________________________________>>>
8 NEW ENGLAND: 25 PASTORS & PRAYER LEADERS
BRAVE BLIZZARD
>From: necprayer@cs.com
Report on Boston Pastors Prayer Summit
Braving the blizzard of 2001, about 25 pastors and prayer leaders came
together in Sharon Massachusetts at the salvation army retreat center to meet
with the Lord and one another All seemed to agree that God had brought a new
sense of unity and purpose to the Boston region through the summit. We
are grateful to Pastor Gary Hamm from Virginia who the Lord used greatly to
lead us. Every one seemed to feel that there would be a greatly expanded
prayer movement and unity among the pastors in the near future. Many
different churches and ethnic groups were represented in spite of the weather.
Claiming our Communities for Christ
Rev. Bob Beckett, pastor of Hemmett, California who told his amazing story in
the Transformation video, will be joining us for this conference. New
England Concerts of Prayer will also be holding a School of Prayer at the
conference as well. There will be three nights of worship and
praise; two days of seminars and workshops cosponsored by the Boston Southwest
Association of TABCOM and the Commission on Evangelism. April 3-5, 2001
Dorchester Temple 670 Washington Street, Dorchester, Massachusetts. For more
information call Rev. Liliana Da Valle at 617-325-5743.
___________________________________________________>>>
9. VOTAW, TX: POPULATION 860
>From: praytx@aol.com
>By: Alice Patterson, Director of Pray Texas
Isaiah 60 is the passage of Scripture that the Lord
has given the pastors of the part of this rural area that makes up West Hardin
School District northeast of Houston. Verse 22 says, "The smallest
one will become a thousand, and the least one a mighty nation. I, the
Lord, will hasten it in its time." Things are on the fast track in
this out-of-the-way community in Texas. Isaiah 60:1-2 is becoming a
reality. "Arise, shine, for your light has come, and the glory of
the Lord has risen upon you. For behold, darkness will cover the earth,
and deep darkness the peoples, but the Lord will rise upon you, and His glory
will appear upon you." Let me tell you he story, related to me by
Pastor Dean Love.
Votaw, Texas, population 860 is a part of West Hardin
School District along with the small communities of Saratoga, Thicket, and
Batson in the Piney Woods of East Texas. Dean Love served as Assistant
Pastor and Youth Pastor for eight years at Votaw Assembly of God before the
Lord called him to Lukfin. "I believe the Lord moved me to Lufkin
for two years so that I could meet Pastor Simon Purvis and pray with the
pastors there." Pastor Dean was introduced to the concept of
uniting together to reach a city through Pastor Simon and the phenomenal
things that God is doing in Lufkin. That story will come later.
When the Pastor of Votaw Assembly of God retired, he
invited Dean back to his former church to pastor. The influence and
anointing for community transformation that Pastor Dean had experienced in
Lufkin went back with him. Shortly after Dean moved back to Votaw in
July, he showed his congregation the Transformations video on a Sunday night.
"The people were stirred," he said. After the video was
over they targeted drug and alcohol abuse with intense prayer. Drug
addition and alcoholism are the two biggest problems in the area. There
was a methamphetamine lab in Votaw that serviced the entire area. On
Tuesday after they prayed on Sunday, the wife of the man who cooked up the
drugs came into their prayer meeting and wanted to be saved! On Saturday
the husband came to receive salvation. The congregation had NO CONTACT
with the couple except to pray! Since then the lab has shut down, and
the lady is going into jails to minister the power of a transformed life.
Pastor Dean Love wanted the pastors of the area to see
the Transformations video, so he asked if he could show it at their
Ministerial Alliance meeting. Baptist, Assemblies of God, Methodist, and
several other denominational pastors watched the video together and "were
fired up." They decided to come together for a time of prayer and
community meetings beginning with a drive around the boundary of the school
district in September.
The eight pastors who signed a covenant fasted on
Wednesday and then prayed all night together after their midweek services
ended. They started out sharing, then prayed all night and enjoyed
breakfast together at sunrise. The all night prayer continued from
September through December. "You can't imagine what God did in our
relationships. It's wonderful," Dean exclaimed. On December 31,
2000, they held a Watch Night beginning at 8:00 p.m. and ending with a
community potluck dinner in the school cafeteria.
They held a community-wide revival for the first seven
nights of 2001 with a different pastor preaching every night. The choir
made up of singers from the whole community had met for practice and prayer
each week prior to the meetings. Each of the first four nights, one
segment of the Transformations video was shown.
At first people were a little uncomfortable.
They would look around the auditorium tentatively. The people knew
that others went to different churches, but they had hardly even spoken to
each other before, so it was a little tense at first. But by Friday
night there was just a handful of people left in their seats at the end of the
meeting. Most were at the altar worshiping and praying fervently
together for their communities. After the revival, which nobody wanted
to end, people from the churches were writing the pastors begging them to not
let this end and giving them ideas of ways to continue.
A community-wide singing and picnic is planned for
later in the spring, but the results from their time together are seen every
week. One pastor who had been praying with the others pleaded for prayer
for his dead church. He said, "We need prayer. People come
here ready to go home." The next Sunday after the revival people
were still coming to the altar at 12:00 p.m., thirty minutes after their usual
closing time.
The churches are growing with people receiving the
Lord. Pastor Dean's church has TRIPLED in size. Fully one-fourth
of the congregation is made up of ex-drug addicts and ex-alcoholics. The
congregation is making preparations for a facility to house drug addicts and
alcoholics while they receive ministry.
Pastor Dean's director for the program one year ago
was living on the streets of New York, dressed like a woman, strung out on
crack, and spiraling downhill. He has since been set free and is
ministering the power of grace of God to others. They're beginning a
program to reach out to homosexuals as well.
All of this has happened since July in a tiny
community that dared to not only watch a video and receive encouragement, but
to put in practice what they saw and heard. Pastor Dean said,
"Things are happening so fast. The Lord has pushed us through doors
that we didn't think we were ready for. But these people who are getting
saved need intense ministry. The Lord is leading us to build a facility
that will serve the community to meet the needs of those on drugs and alcohol.
The Lord is giving them favor with judges and District Attorneys.
They're sending people to them to be helped. The testimony of
Votaw is not just unity and prayer, but it's joining together to meet the
needs of the hurting and bound in their area. God is bringing to pass
the Scriptures in Isaiah 60 as the Lord's light shines on the darkness in the
community and the smallest one becomes a thousand. To God be the glory
To contact Pastor Dean Love, you may log on his website at www.VotawLighthouse.org or
call Votaw Assembly of God at 936-274-5689.
Pray Texas, 808 Tower Drive, Suite 8, Odessa, Texas 79761
Pray Texas is a servant ministry encouraging, connecting, and equipping
leaders to mobilize cooperative, strategic prayer initiatives. Our
funding comes entirely from individuals who have been nudged by the Holy
spirit to plant financial seed into this vision to reach the entire state of
Texas. Your gifts are tax-deductible and greatly appreciated.
___________________________________________________>>>
10, POST-TRAUMATIC STRESS: A CALL FOR PPGs
>From: "Thomas Fischer" <tfischer@journey.com>
Recently I read the comment that "pastors only have one turn-around
church in their bones." Whether it is true or not is, perhaps, still to
be decided. Nevertheless, those who have experienced the pain of trying to
make a turn-around ministry happen often experience things they may not ever
expected. The resulting consequences are not only seen in their ministry; they
are also seen in themselves.
Ministry Health article 328 "Post-Traumatic Stress: The Pastoral
Experience" describes the effects of the sometimes unexpected--and
catastrophic--experiences in life and ministry. The article is printed below
and is also available on-line at: http://ministryhealth.net/mh_articles/328_ptsd_pastoral_experience.html
(One of 10 practical suggestions--)
Connect with proven brothers and sisters in Christ.
Not all that long ago it appears that pastors were connected as a supportive
brotherhood in Christ. Today, it appears that each pastor and ministry is an
island unto itself. Such separation is not healthy. If the church is to be
"like a mighty army," it must fashion itself as an army.
One of the key aspects of the army is trust and camaraderie. Unless soldiers
know that the soldier next to them will give up their life, if necessary, to
save them, they will become demoralized, fearful, and unable to fight.
Who are the brothers and sisters in ministry that you can connect to that you
totally trust? Who are the ones that will go in the trenches and fight for and
with you? Are they in denominational leadership? Are they in other
congregations of the same denomination? Are they in other denominations?
Wherever they are, seek them out. They are the lifeblood of your vision, vigor
and vitality for ministry.
Thomas F. Fischer, Copyright © 1997-2001 Ministry Health, LLC http://ministryhealth.net
--->NPPNote: You may find them at: http://www.nppn.org/ppg/
___________________________________________________>>>
11. GRAND TIME FOR GRAND RAPIDS PASTORS
>From: "Peter J. Zwier, DDS, MAGD" <pzwier@pathwaynet.com>
Dear pastors,
Last week and incredible love and unity was created by God in a very diverse
group of pastor's and leaders of different denominations, races and ages.
We spent 4 days together with no agenda other than praying to God, and
hearing from Him..His Presence was so very powerful and His ministry among us
was sa very deep.. He gave us some very important direction for where we are
to go next in displaying love and unity as the body of Christ in greater Grand
Rapids, as well as reaching the majority of people in this area who are lost.
We experienced something so powerful for our city that we do not want it to
end. We desire to see the circle enlarge to include you. Most of
you have prayed together with us in the past.
Would you please consider coming to Pastor John Vega's Bethel church @ 832
Grandville Ave. on Wed. March 21 from 7-11am? We desire to continue to
seek God together and deepen our love for one another. Serving the
pastor's in facilitating this process, Pete
___________________________________________________>>>
12. TWIN CITIES: 120 PASTORS REGISTERED; 230 SHOW-UP
>From: Ramona Rickard [mailto:ramona_rickard@worldnet.att.net]
Dear Friends at NPPN,
Cities Church, a gathering of Pastors, Intercessors, and believers in the Twin
City Metroplex of Minneapolis/St. Paul, Minnesota met for prayer last Friday,
March 9th to pray for spiritual awakening as we have for the past two years.
We meet at four locations, one on each different Friday of the month. The Lord
has sovereignly chosen to pour out His Spirit in our midst right where this
incredible unity amongst the Pastors and Churches began, on the 6th
anniversary weekend of Revival. It was in 1995 that this very powerful
outpouring, a visitation of God's manifest presence broke out. It was 26 weeks
with ten meetings each week, where people from all across Minnesota and nearly
every state in the union, as well as people from many foreign countries came
to bathe in the awesome presence of the Living God! Most notable among the
wonders that the Lord did in our midst was to bind the hearts of the pastors
together.
This January 120 pastors registered for the Pastor's
Luncheon and more than 230 showed up! These conferences have drawn us together
to help us focus on God's plan and purpose for our region. Two weeks ago many
of the Pastors that serve on the steering committee were among the 84 Pastors,
their spouses and marketplace people who went to San Jose' California for a
City Reacher's Summit.
Check our web page for more up to date information on
what God is doing in the Twin Cities: http://www.Rezzchurch.org
___________________________________________________>>>
13. CONVERSATION ~
PASTOR: TOUGHEST JOB IN THE WORLD?
>From: Newsletter@LeadershipJournal.net
>By: Marshall Shelley
Every pastor has gotten the question. Sometimes it's direct: "So what
exactly does a pastor do?" Other times it comes indirectly: "Would
you be willing to ?(fill in the blank)?"
A couple weeks ago, I heard a beautifully succinct summation of pastoring. I
was worshiping with a congregation made up mostly of twenty-somethings who had
not been raised in church. As the service began, the pastor introduced himself
and his calling.
"My name is Tom," he said. "I'm a pastor here. It's my job to
pray for you, whether you're a Christian or not, and to talk with you about
Jesus, whether you're a Christian or not. That's what I do."
It's just that simple, and it's just that complicated. Because talking about
Jesus leads us into all aspects of life. And when we pray for people, the
deeper, unresolved parts of their lives
inevitably surface. It has always been this way.
Around A.D. 400, famous North African bishop Augustine described a pastor's
job: "Disturbers are to be rebuked, the low-spirited to be encouraged,
the infirm to be supported, objectors confuted, the treacherous guarded
against, the unskilled taught, the lazy aroused, the contentious restrained,
the haughty repressed, litigants pacified, the poor relieved, the oppressed
liberated, the good approved, the evil borne with, and all are to be
loved."
How's that for a job description!
In fact, a vice president of human resources for Motorola once told me,
"Pastors have more transferable skills than they realize."
Especially supervising volunteers. "If you can describe
your experience working with volunteers, you'd be surprised how
quickly that gets the attention of [hiring] managers."
So, the next time someone asks you what you do, just give them
the ABC's of the pastor's task. A pastor is ?
Ambassador, advocate, administrator, baptizer, building usage
consultant, confidante, confronter, community builder, discussion
leader, encourager, emotional baggage handler, funeral companion,
grace giver, grounds inspector, historian, interpreter, justice
seeker, knowledge dispenser, latent gift discoverer, mediator,
missionary, nurturer, organizer, opportunity spotter, public
speaker, problem solver, questioner, quarterback, reviewer,
Robert's Ruler, spokesperson, spiritual director, teacher,
trainer, unifier, utility player, volunteer coordinator, vision
caster, wedding ceremony presider, X-traordinary ingenuity with
limited resources (like figuring out a way to use the letter X),
youth advocate, yule celebrator, zeal stoker, zoo keeper (okay,
so it just seems that way).
To read more about the simplicity and complexity of ministering
in the name of Jesus, read our latest issue of Leadership at
http://ChristianityToday.com/le/2000/004
Marshall Shelley is editor of Leadership journal. To reply, write
Newsletter@LeadershipJournal.net.
Copyright (c) 2001, ChristianityToday.com, Christianity Today
International. All rights reserved.
___________________________________________________>>>
14. NEW ENGLAND: PRAYER LINK BULLETIN
>From: NECPrayer@cs.com
World Wide Request For England:
Many people around the world prayed for the USA elections. Many in the
UK
joined in that time of prayer. It is time to return the favor. The
potential
date for upcoming elections is in early May this year. Please begin
praying
for Godly leadership for England.
Massachusetts: Dorchester:
Bishop Thompson is teaching his (free) 3 day prayer training, Lord, Teach Us
to Pray, beginning March 14-17 at Greenwood Memorial United Methodist Church
in Dorchester from 7-9PM. The church is at 400 (or so) Washington
Street,
just down the street from Codman Square and across from the Ella J. Baker
house (#411). The telephone number is 617-825-5692.
Massachusetts: Salem and National
Reminder of the Pastors and leadership in Salem who are asking for a Solemn
Assembly during lent which starts Ash Wednesday and ends on Easter. The
focus during this time is praying for Salem to be a city of peace (for which
the name Salem is derived) and to be a mission sending city of revival.
The
first international missionaries left from Salem, heading to Burma, led by
Adoniram Judson in 1809, making Salem the birthplace of international
missions. Please help in fasting and praying during this season of Lent.
Maybe could be combined with prayer for our President George W. Bush daily
while he is in office. It is so crucial to keep him lifted up in all the
daily decisions he must make concerning our country.
Massachusetts:Dorchester:
Claiming our Communities for Christ
Rev. Bob Beckett, pastor of Hemmett, California who told his amazing story in
the Transformation video, will be joining us for this conference. New
England Concerts of Prayer will also be holding a School of Prayer at the
conference as well. There will be three nights of worship and
praise; two
days of seminars and workshops cosponsored by the Boston Southwest
Association of TABCOM and the Commission on Evangelism. April 3-5, 2001
Dorchester Temple 670 Washington Street Dorchester, Massachusetts. For more
information call Rev. Liliana Da Valle at 617-325-5743
___________________________________________________>>>
15. CONVERSATION ~
RESPONSE TO "REVIVAL ANTICIPATION FATIGUE"
>From: Usprayercenter@cs.com
Thanks for the article re: Revival Anticipation Fatigue. Tony, you
are quite right about our point of view.
I have made a parallel journey to yours. I can still
remember the first "national prayer conference" I attended. I flew
to California with an absolute confidence that that meeting would trigger a
revival that would sweep the nation. Of course, it didn't. In fact, the people
across the street from the venue didn't had no idea we were in town!
One of the issues I've wrestled with is the issue of
the prophetic. I teach all over the nation. Quite often, when I arrive, the
pastor/leader will tell me on the way to the motel... "We had prophet /
prophetess so-and-so here last year. God told him/her that revival is going to
begin here in our city and will begin to burn (like the old Bonanza television
opening) out and across America." I've heard it in cities in Oregon,
Florida, Texas, New York, Arizona, Etc.
I used to think that none of it was true. I'm
beginning to think that all of it is true. Could it be that the coming revival
in America will not begin in a single place, but multiple places? Could it be
that God's strategy is to so diversify it that Satan cannot muster his forces
to adequately stop it? More than that, is it possible that the coming revival
has come? Are we experiencing it in its infancy?
I do believe that many of us are infected with
revival. The problem is that we are not contagious yet! But if not, are we
willing to wait, as you've suggested? We are microwave Christians. As Dutch
Sheets says, "God's not into microwaving, He's into marinating!"
One important question we should ask is..."Will I
invest my life without any expectation of personally seeing the results?"
The verse that convicts me so thoroughly at this point is "These all died
in faith, NOT HAVING RECEIVED the promises, but having seen them afar off, and
were persuaded of them, and embraced them, and confessed that they were
strangers and pilgrims on the earth."
Contrary to a lot of teaching today, I don't think my
kids are "the Joshua generation." I believe we are. Joshua was no
kid when he led the people into the Promised Land. He had marched in the
desert with Moses for years. He knew all the mistakes that they had made.
I believe we are the generation who has marched around the mountain
again and again and are well aware of what doesn't work, what doesn't bring
the presence of the Lord. We are the ones who must accomplish the transition.
However, we may not be the ones who experience the result, except by faith.
Another issue that relates to your article is the
issue of prayer producing revival. I believe that God has told me that we
cannot wrestle revival from a reluctant God through prayer. Our praying is not
some bartering currency with which we buy revival. We cannot pray enough
to put God in our debt...so He owes us. In fact, as my friend Steve Meeks has
said, "revival is not a goal to achieve...rather it is a gift to
receive." Eddie
Eddie Smith, US Prayer Center, Houston, TX
(713) 466-4009
http://www.usprayercenter.org
___________________________________________________>>>
16. METROLINA PASTORS' PRAYER SUMMIT
>From: "Bob Lowman, Jr." <drbob@viafamily.com>
Metrolina Pastors' Prayer Summit
Monday-Thursday, April 23-26, 2001
White Oak Conference Center
As we prepare to host our fifth annual Pastors' Prayer
Summit next month, we encourage every pastor in the area to prayerfully
consider joining us for this powerful time of prayer and worship, building
relationships with one another as we build our relationships with God.
A summit is a four day life changing worship
experience attended by a diversity of Christian leaders whose singular purpose
is to seek God, His Kingdom, and His righteousness with the expectation that
He will guide them through a humbling, healing, uniting process that will
qualify them for the blessing of God.
The summit speaker: The Holy Spirit. There is no
set agenda. We pray and respond to the leading of the Holy Spirit.
Participants are pastors from the Metrolina area of NC & SC. The
summit begins as we prepare to depart on Monday at 9:30 am. The travel
time is part of the 4 day experience. We will return on Thursday by 3
pm. The gathering is informal, so dress casually. Bring your Bible,
personal items, and a heart hungry for the Lord.
Do you need to get away and draw near to the
Lord afresh? This is a wonderful opportunity to do so! Do you need
brothers in Christ, fellow pastors and ministers who can gather around you in
prayerful support? This is the place to be on April 23-26!
Cost: $230, which includes transportation, 3
nights lodging, all meals, materials and programming costs. A
nonrefundable $50 deposit by April 1st will secure your registration. If
you need financial assistance, scholarships are available. These are
limited, so make your request as soon as possible. How can you register?
Complete the registration below and mail it with your deposit or the
full amount to Metrolina Pastors' Prayer Summit, PO Box 472784, Charlotte NC
28247. Make check payable to FBC, Weddington. For more information, call
704.846.6770 or 704.737.7770.
--------------
Metrolina Prayer Summit Registration Form:
Name:
Pastoral/Staff Position:
Home address:
City/State/Zip:
Home phone:
Church:
Church address:
City/State/Zip:
E-mail:
Amount due: $230.00
Amount enclosed: $
*$50 deposit required
Balance due upon arrival: $
___________________________________________________>>>
17. SPOKANE, OR: SURF OVER
>From: Bob Garrett <bgarrett1@juno.com>
Check out http://www.missionspokane.org/apologetic/
to see what is happening there.
Bob Garrett
751 N 114 St Omaha, NE 68154-1515 / 402.431.0115
___________________________________________________>>>
18. CORPUS CHRISTI, TX: NEW PPG - INTERESTED?
>From: "Michael Wessendorf" <mawessendorf@msn.com>
My wife put a cut out of your add for N. P. P.
N. so I took a look at your web sight. It was great and I saw a lot of
good information, and ideals for prayer.
There are none of your prayer groups meetings in
my area, so I would be interested in receiving information on starting one in
Corpus Christi TX.
I am a pastor and am starting a church in Corpus
Christi called The Glorious Church. As we come to the place of having
services, after words I would like to begin a pastors prayer group here.
Prayer is a big part of this Churches vision.
I encourage you to never let go of your vision,
for there is more with us then there is against us.
Keep Looking Unto Jesus, Pastor Michael A Wessendorf
--->NPPNote: Pastor, please register yourself as the contact for a
new PPG in Corpus Christi so that others who check the directory can find you.
Also, please look over the articles we posted on starting a PPG at: http://www.nppn.org
___________________________________________________>>>
19. BALLARD COUNTY, KY: PASTORS' PRAYER SUMMIT
>From: "Jim Roper" <jdroper@brtc.net>
First of all, thanks so much for your wonderful NPPN: it has really been a
God-send to me as a pastor desirous of leading his people into the exciting
adventure of biblical prayer.
My reason for writing is this: God has laid it on my heart to organize a
Pastors Prayer Summit for Ballard County, where we live, here in western
Kentucky. I am a United Methodist pastor, and about 4 years ago I was
impressed by God to go deeper into this thing called prayer. Out of that
4-year study, with much prayer and grace, I have been impressed to play a role
in uniting clergy of all denominations into concerts of prayer and praise,
especially intercessory prayer for our young people. My question, then,
is, simply, how do we get started? Does NPPN have any materials or
suggestions for interesting clergy in this activity?
I'd appreciate any help you could give me on this! Thanks!
In Christ, Rev. Jim Roper
Pastor, Kevil-New Liberty United Methodist Parish
POB 318, Kevil KY 42053-0318 / Phone: 866-John316
--->NPPPNote: Jim, the Lord used International Renewal Ministries in
Portland to launch PPSummits over a decade ago; they now facilitate IRM Prayer
Summits around the world! Their office and web site can also assist you:
http://www.multnomah.edu
I have had several opportunities to lead/facilitate pastors in prayer
and would also be glad to assist you.
Please add yourself as an area contact on our PPG web site: http://www.nppn.org/ppg/ then
send the NPPN a report of your progress.
___________________________________________________>>>
20. EL PASO, TX: 1900 AT MAYOR'S PRAYER LUNCHEON
>From: EPFJ@aol.com [mailto:EPFJ@aol.com]
On March 21 El Paso celebrated it's second annual Mayor's Prayer Luncheon with
1900 people attending. The guest speaker was Luis Palau. This
year's theme was, "WWJD as Mayor of El Paso?" The mayor and 11
others, including the Chief of Police, shared briefly on this provocative
subject.
During Hour for Jesus on Palm Sunday from 2-3 p.m., El Pasoans from 53
churches will distribute 100,000 doorknob hangers inviting neighbors to attend
Easter services. A free Jesus video will be given to all who respond.
The purpose is to add new families to participating churches. This outreach
was entirely funded by business leaders.
If anyone would like a copy of the Mayor's Prayer Luncheon program and Hour
for Jesus doorknob hanger, send your mailing address to epfj@aol.com.
Preparing 1,000,000 for Jesus!
Barney Field, El Paso for Jesus, Executive Director
___________________________________________________>>>
21. HEART OF ATLANTA NETWORK
> http://www.heartofatlanta.com
At Heart of Atlanta Network We View:
.This city as a gift of God and seek to celebrate this gift in ways which
embrace the sacred in the midst of the daily life of the city.
.The work done in the city as God's work--if it serves others, empowers
others, makes the city more beautiful, healthier, safer, or is more effective
in adding meaning and value to human life individually, within families or
communities.
.Community as God's prayer for a broken society. Come-unity is the direction
where solutions are found to our cities' problems.
.The church as the body of Christ and its members are all ministers of God
gifted by the Spirit and deployed for ministry throughout the structure of the
city.
.The city as the church's greatest challenge and seek to serve the church by
learning how to confront the challenges of secularism, diversity, loss of
meaning, hopelessness, and other destructive dynamics of urbanization.
At Heart of Atlanta Network We Value:
.The city of Atlanta as the place of God's calling and as a potential parable
of God's purposes.
.Persons as reflectors of God's image and as potential partners with God in
accomplishing God's purposes.
.The church as the spiritual body of Christ in the city. As the spirit is to
the body, so is the church to the city.
.Reconciliation as the primary calling of the Christian gospel and Jesus
Christ as the initiator and agent of its realization.
.Community as the context of God's activity and the avenues through which
God's purposes are realized.
.Empowerment through the Holy Spirit as the source for new life and new hope
in this city, both individually and corporately.
Celebrating the city as a gift of God and the gospel as the love and power of
God through:
* Worship
* Festivals
* Concerts
* Share groups
* Dramas
* Art shows
* Prayer Networks
Community Building through:
* Intentional participation in the life of the downtown communities
* Developing networks of people in the city systems and vocational
affinity groups
* Needs/concerns based on strategy and action groups
* Internet web pages
* Welcoming new residents and businesses into the community
Educating through:
* Issue Forums
* Seminars/workshops
* Internships
* Research projects on faith and urban living
* Reading/resource center
* Prayer and meditation room
* Bible studies
* Theological discussion groups
Empowering through:
* Prayer as a power source
* Prayer as problem solving
* Witnessing about Christ as the empowering presence
* Dinner forums for sharing faith
* Seasonal holiday outreach events
* Vocation and faith consulting
___________________________________________________>>>
*BONUS:
ONE WEEK SABBATICAL OFFER FOR PASTORS
>From: "Denny Cochran" <dcochran@cedarlymi.com>
For the last four years, God has used Cedarly Pastor Retreats to strengthen
over 2,000 pastors in their professional and personal lives at its original
site in Wisconsin.
Cedarlys vision of a revived Christian Church led by strengthened full-time
pastors who have been thrust into the presence of God is now being expanded
into Michigan. One-week sabbaticals provide an abundance of solitude in
a restful setting for self-directed relationship building with the Lord for
pastors individually or with their spouses.
Available dates for the Michigan inaugural year are:
May 6-11 Jun 10-15
Aug 12-17
Sep16-21
Oct 14-19
May 13-18 Jun 17-22
Aug 19-24
Sep 23-28
Oct 21-26
May 20-25 Jul 8-13
Aug 26-31
Sep 30-Oct 5 Oct 28-Nov 2
Jun 3-8
Jul
22-27 Sep 9-14
Oct 7-12
Nov 4-9
Pastors and pastor advocates see our web page at www.cedarly.org <http://www.cedarly.org/>
, contact us by e-mail at dcochran@cedarlymi.net
or call us at 616-874-3045.
___________________________________________________>>>
** NATION PRAYS BILLY GRAHAM'S PRAYER AT 12:30EST
Our Father and Our God,
We praise You for Your goodness to our nation,
giving us blessings far beyond what we deserve. Yet we know all is not right
with America. We deeply need a moral and spiritual renewal to help us meet the
many problems we face.
Convict us of sin. Help us to turn to You in
repentance and faith. Set our feet on the path of Your righteousness and
peace. We pray today for our nation's leaders. Give them the wisdom to
know what is right, and the courage to do it.
You have said, "Blessed is the nation whose God
is the Lord." May this be a new era for America, as we humble ourselves
and acknowledge You alone as our Savior and Lord.
This we pray in your holy name, Amen.
=============================================================
Phil Miglioratti ~ National Pastors'
Prayer Network / US
1130 Randville Drive, Palatine, IL 60074
847-991-0153 847-358-9337(fax)
http://www.nppn.org email: phil@nppn.org
Register your PPG: http://www.nppn.org/ppg/
Sheila Straka ~ Intercession: sheila@nppn.org
Chuck Straka ~ Web Master
Adam Shields ~ Tech Support
--->Unless clearly identified as "Personal To _____" or
"Confidential" all information and
comments sent to phil@nppn.org will be considered for use in a future NPPN
Update.
--->Send all Email attachments as "text" (rather than in a
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--->Copyright 2001. However, permission is granted to freely redistribute
to those who
will partner in praying for and sharing the Gospel of Jesus Christ with
everyone in our
nation and beyond.
--->Opinions reflect the views of each author or respondent, not the NPPN
or any other person or organization
=============================================================