National
Pastors' Prayer
Network
CITY
CONNECTIONS - 01/18/2003
...Pastors' Prayer Groups Serving Every
Neighborhood & Community in America
...Citywide Pastors and Intercessors Partnerships
...Prayer Networks Focused On Community
Transformation
...Serving The
Prayer~Care~Share Strategy
...A
Global Network of National Pastors' Prayer Networks
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I N T H I S
U P D A T E ... and for our
prayers:
* A NOTE FROM PASTOR
PHIL
1. WHY WE NEED PASTORS’ PRAYER GROUPS
2. CHARLOTTE, NC: PRAYER SUMMIT
FACILITATORS
3. PPG MEMO...
4. PPG CONVERSATION STARTER
5. TAMPA BAY: LET’S PRAY
6. HOUSTON: THREE PRIORITIES
7. LA PRAYER IMPACT CENTER & NEWSPAPER
8. CHICAGO: SOUTH SUBURBAN HOUSE OF PRAYER
9. CHARLESTON, WV: CARE IN ACTION
10. SELMA, AL: "HUGE SUCCESS!"
~ ~ ~ ~
* A NOTE FROM PASTOR PHIL
Please allow me to brag, not so
much on myself (though I am certainly not beyond that!) but on the NPPN and how
God is using our working together for the glory of God's Kingdom. Your
prayers and participation make a difference! May the words below encourage you
in your work of inviting Pastors to the place of prayer,
Phil
>From: An NPPN Member --
"I want to say thanks and commend you for the
article I just read on prayer in NPPN: Pastor's Strategies for Mobilizing Men to
Pray. It is as good as anything I've seen and wish we could get it to every
pastor in America. I spoke in the prayer meeting at Brooklyn Tab last Tuesday
evening and what a prayer meeting!!!! They did not get there overnight,
but something caused them to become the praying church they are today. The
strategy offered in the article certainly speaks to that. If I had my pastoral
days to do over again, I certainly believe I would do better in the area of
prayer. I have ordered 5 copies of the book. You
are much appreciated and loved, my dear brother..."
___________________________________________________>>>
>From: "Paul Dozeman" <pdoze@cityrestoration.org>
A Pastors’ Prayer Cluster is a gathering of pastoral leaders who shepherd
congregations in a city and who pray individually and together, especially for
reconciliation, repentance, revival, and social change in their city and region.
It’s not another ministerial meeting, not a new program, and not just another
organization of pastors that has gathered because it’s "the thing to
do."
A Pastors’ Prayer Cluster has a definite focus and purpose:
Unity is commanded in John 17:22-23 so that the world will know God sent Jesus
and will understand that God loves them. (See also Philippians 2:1-4 and
Jeremiah 29:7.)
Necessary for implementing the vision of Thy Kingdom Come.
Churches should complement each other and not compete with each other.
No one church has all the gifts, resources, and ministries to "win the
city" on its own, but in unity all of the city’s churches can make an
impact for Christ.
The purpose of the Pastors’ Prayer Cluster is to join pastors from all
cultures and denominations in a city to seek God and unite to pray for divine
intervention in the Church (the church of the city) and society. In unity they
can plan common city-wide events to carry out the Great Commission, the Great
Commandment, and the Cultural Mandate.
No city will ever be able to start and sustain a city-wide vision without having
pastors on board. And pastors are not likely to be on board unless they are
thinking and praying together. Pastors’ Prayer Clusters are usually the start
of pastors’ coming together and beginning to work together. Their involvement
is absolutely crucial to the success of a city-wide prayer and restoration
ministry.
Partnering of pastors in prayer gives birth to life-giving ways to communicate
the hope of Christ, resulting in ministry outreaches, faith-based ministries,
programs and kingdom-building activities. These will have a positive impact in
and on the community.
The process in Pastors’ Prayer Clusters is based on and saturated with prayer.
The result is relational and functional unity among pastors as they focus on the
pains and problems of their city and on working toward common goals to address
those pains and problems. No longer ministering to needs in isolation from one
another, pastors serve together in unity and collaboration.
Since the Pastors’ Prayer Cluster meeting is a prayer-focused gathering, 95
percent of the time should be spent in prayer . . .
for each other.
for the city.
for those who are lost.
Relationships. Pastors discover that the Lord has called them
together to pray so that they might begin to love one another by listening,
encouraging, exhorting, and praying with and for one another (relational unity).
Renewal—between themselves and God.
Restoration—between one another.
Ministry (functional unity). Pastors find themselves drawn to gather people
together for activities such as saturating the city with Lighthouses, Concerts
of Prayer, worship and praise, feeding the hungry, prayerwalking, Restoration
Advocates Round Tables, and so on.
Reconciliation—between the church and the non-Christian community.
Reclamation (restoration)—of what Satan is possessing.
Revival.
These results happen through prayer. That’s the reason for meeting. These
results are not the focus—prayer is—but they are a benefit.
Pastor’s Prayer Clusters should promote and inform pastors in the city about
city-wide events and encourage their participation. Pastors’ Prayer Clusters
should start other clusters. Ideally there should be a cluster within a few
miles of every pastor.
Ways to demonstrate unity:
Attend the weekly Pastors’ Prayer Cluster in your neighborhood.
Send a note each week to another church with an encouraging word or blessing.
Send a few intercessors to another church on a Sunday morning to pray in their
parking lot, pray with their pastor before the service, or pray through their
worship service.
Place a list of pastors and churches in your area in your prayer room or
dedicate a prayer station for other pastors and churches in your city.
During your worship service pray for other churches, new church starts, and
world missions.
Join with other congregations for city-wide prayer and worship.
Ideas/suggestions for events:
Solemn Assembly—First Sunday in January (a time of
confessing past and present sins and seeking reconciliation)
Seek God for the City—Ash Wednesday to Palm Sunday
(using Steve Hawthorne’s book)
Food drive—April
National Day of Prayer—First Thursday in May
Solemn Assembly—First Sunday in July (real
independence)
Convoy of Hope—Late summer
Food drive—October
Other activities:
Evangelistic events during Easter and Christmas
Gospel distribution
Prayerwalking the city boundaries
Public 24-7 prayer room for the city
Revival retreat (48 hours of praying for personal
revival and city-wide revival. A call back to holiness, letting God have
absolute authority in our lives.)
Spiritual mapping
Anyone can take the initiative to begin a Pastors’ Prayer Cluster.
If you are not a pastor, don’t let that stop you from being proactive and
beginning to get pastors together. Your role is to bring pastors together, give
initial leadership, and then turn over the leadership to a pastor.
If you are a pastor, your initial role is similar. Invite other pastors, give
initial leadership, and be available as the group decides on your level of
involvement.
If you want to start a Pastors’ Prayer Cluster, first you must pray! Ask God
how he wants to use you to gather pastors so that pastors in your city may pray
with humility and in unity, seeking God’s authority and strategy, to do his
ministry and declare victory to everyone in your city and region. Then keep on
praying.
Second, ask the Lord to identify intercessors who will work with you to make
this a . . .
prayer-birthed strategy.
prayer-based ministry.
prayed-saturated activity.
Then invite pastors to pray with you. Pastors should consider meeting together .
. .
to pray for each other and their city or region.
to build relationships—personally and professionally.
to deepen their fellowship with God and with one
another.
City Restoration Ministries has prepared a free document, Starting a Pastors’
Prayer Cluster. This piece talks about . . .
responsibilities for someone starting a Pastors’
Prayer Cluster
suggestions for starting a Pastors’ Prayer Cluster
the invitation
examples of a season of prayer
Paul W. Dozeman
P.O. Box 193, Hudsonville, MI 49426
616-667-9710
616-667-2703 (FAX)
http: //ww.cityrestoration.org
___________________________________________________>>>
>From: "Dennis Fuqua" <DennisF@multnomah.edu>
Do you have a desire to be better equipped to lead your congregation in prayer?
Have you been impacted by a Pastors' Prayer Summit feel called to assist
others in a similar experience? Is your summit experience making a
difference in your congregation? Do you want to be better equipped to
facilitate in a Prayer Summit setting?
International Renewal Ministries will be conducting a training/equipping time
for Prayer Summit facilitators. It will take place in Charlotte, N.C. Jan
20-22, 2003. The registration cost, including materials is just
$99.00. Doug Small (Alive Ministries and IRM's SE Rep.) and Dennis Fuqua
(Executive Director of IRM) will be the presenters. If you would you like
to be refreshed by being with other experienced facilitators, gleaning and
growing together in His presence, you are invited and urged to join us.
Contact Doug at dougsmall@aliveministries.org
for registration information.
Dennis
http://www.prayersummits.net
503.251.6455
___________________________________________________>>>
Send us a 3 -5 sentence emessage to encourage the other 700 PPG's across the
nation. Click on phil@nppn.org
Or, take a moment to review / revise your contact information...
___________________________________________________>>>
>From: Yarberrys4Prayer@aol.com
>Reply-To: "Kary Wilkinson" <kary@elijahlist.com>
--->NPPNote: Of course not everyone will agree with
everything contained in the article below, it is well suited for a
followed-by-prayer discussion of the role and authority of the Pastor...
THE PASTOR by Rick Joyner
-----------------------------
NOT A SINGLE PERSON IN THE
NEW TESTAMENT CALLED A PASTOR
------------------------------
Last week we discussed that there were over twenty people in the New Testament
who are referred to as apostles, only a couple who are referred to as prophets,
and only one who is called an evangelist—Philip. We do not have a single
person in the New Testament who is called a pastor. This verse, Ephesians 4:11,
is the only place in the New Testament where this ministry is even mentioned.
This leads us to a very important question. How did this ministry, which is only
listed one time with no definition, and not a single New Testament example of it
given, come to so dominate the ministry of the church?
First, we should not immediately conclude that this is wrong or at least
entirely wrong. Even though we do not have an explicit example of this ministry
in the New Testament, we have an implicit one in the Lord Himself, just as we do
all of the ministries. Leading and guiding the flock is basic to how the Lord
shepherds His flock, which He does primarily through those He has given this
ministry to.
--------------------------
PASTOR MEANS "A SHEPHERD"
--------------------------
The Greek word translated "pastor" here is "poimen," which
is defined as "a shepherd, one who tends herds or flocks," not merely
one who feeds them. Tending speaks of protecting them from predators, keeping
them healthy, examining their pastures for any noxious vegetation, as well as
providing them with pure water to drink. All of these are likewise the
responsibility of this ministry in the church.
---------------------------------------
ELDERS ARE ALSO INSTRUCTED TO SHEPHERD
---------------------------------------
It should also be noted that the elders were instructed to shepherd the flock of
God, as we see in Acts 20:28-30:
"Be on guard for yourselves and for all the flock, among which the Holy
Spirit has made you overseers, to shepherd the church of God which He purchased
with His own blood."
"I know that after my departure savage wolves will come in among you, not
sparing the flock; and from among your own selves men will arise, speaking
perverse things, to draw away the disciples after them."
--------------------------------------
INSTRUCTION IS TO THE "ELDERS," PLURAL
--------------------------------------
This instruction is given to the "elders," plural. Not once in the New
Testament do we see just one person being called "the pastor." It
seems obvious that this was always intended to be a team effort. This should not
be construed as meaning that elders or pastors are supposed to be co- equal in
authority or leadership. In fact, the New Testament pattern for leadership is
that one normally leads the team, such as Peter, and then as James did in
Jerusalem. Even so, there is nonetheless a team of elders and apostles in every
case. No one man can be everything to the flock of God that shepherding
requires. Those who are under a single person who tries to be all things to
everyone are inevitably poorly cared for sheep.
---------------------------------------
UNREALISTIC EXPECTATIONS PUT ON PASTORS
----------------------------------------
Nevertheless, pastors are constantly bombarded by such foolish notions as
"my life, (my children or my ministry...) would not be in such bad shape if
we had a better pastor!" The unrealistic expectations put on pastors can be
not only unrealistic, but sadistic and cruel. Even the greatest pastor is not
God, and no pastor is here to take God's place in our life.
Even so, the Lord gave us the metaphor of sheep and shepherds because the
characteristics of them are similar. A good shepherd, like the Lord, is not a
hireling who is just doing a job, but is one who so loves the sheep that they
will lay down their own lives for them. They will also want them to always have
the best pastures, the best water, and be vigilant to insure their protection.
---------------------------------------
CROSS BREEDING BEST FOR HEALTHY FLOCKS
---------------------------------------
One of the most basic requirements for a healthy flock is cross breeding with
other flocks. Any flock that does not cross breed with other flocks will get
weaker with each succeeding generation. The same is true in the church. If we do
not have fellowship and interchange with other believers and churches that are
different from ours, we will become continually weaker instead of stronger.
Therefore shepherds that are possessive or fearful of other churches and
ministries will probably do more long-term damage to their own flock than any
problems that they could have encountered by interchange with others.
--------------------------------------------------------
THERE ARE RECOGNIZED SPHERES OF AUTHORITY IN THE CHURCH
--------------------------------------------------------
We also see in the New Testament that apostles called themselves elders.
However, this should not be construed that they considered themselves elders of
the local churches, but were in a broader sphere of authority in the church.
There are spheres of authority and levels of authority in the church that we
need to recognize and stay within from both directions.
What I mean by staying within our spheres of authority from both directions is
that even if you are an apostle over a whole movement, and therefore have
shepherding responsibilities over it, what is delegated to elders or other
leaders on the local level should not be interfered with unless it is by their
request. That is why such a large number of the epistles in the New Testament
were actually letters written in response to letters with questions from the
churches.
I Corinthians 11:3 states that "...Christ is the head of every man..."
----------------------
"IF I WERE AN APOSTLE"
----------------------
If I were an apostle, there are some things in a man's life that are his
business and I would not interfere with. I would not interfere in his marriage
or family unless there were serious transgressions that were affecting others in
the church, etc. In that case I would not hesitate to use my authority for the
sake of the man, his family, or the church. Even so, as much as possible all
spiritual authority should be exercised with the utmost respect for each other.
True authority releases others into greater authority by giving them more
responsibility. True spiritual authority is always trying to bring those under
authority to the place of maturity and wisdom so that they no longer need our
authority, but have their own. Even the King of kings said that it was expedient
for Him to go away for His disciples so the Spirit could come directly to them.
This was the best way for them to grow up into Him. There is a point at which
spiritual shepherding breaks down the metaphor of sheep and shepherds. The fact
is that we should be seeking to turn all of our sheep into shepherds. That is
why this is an "equipping" ministry.
-----------------------------------------------------
A PROPHET'S JOB IS NOT JUST TO PROPHESY BUT TO EQUIP
-----------------------------------------------------
As we also discussed in relation to the other equipping ministries, they are all
called to equip the saints who are to do the work of the ministry. A prophet's
job is not just to prophesy, but also to equip the saints to know the Lord's
voice for themselves, and to be used by Him to prophesy. An evangelist does not
just preach the gospel himself, but they equip the church to preach the gospel
and to have a burden for the lost. The same is true of the pastor ministry—it
is given to help all believers carry the shepherding heart of the Lord to at
least some degree. We should all be able to discern when a brother or sister is
in trouble, and to know how to help them.
Another basic element that we must keep in mind in relation to the pastor is
that the most basic foundation of this ministry is not love for the sheep, but
rather love for the Lord. We must love the sheep of course, but we will love
them wrongly if we do not love the Lord even more. That is what the Lord tried
to impart to Peter in John 21:15-17:
So when they had finished breakfast, Jesus said to Simon Peter, "Simon, son
of John, do you love Me more than these?" He said to Him, "Yes, Lord;
You know that I love You." He said to him, "Tend My lambs."
He said to him again a second time, "Simon, son of John, do you love
Me?" He said to Him, "Yes, Lord; You know that I love You." He
said to him, "Shepherd My sheep."
He said to him the third time, "Simon, son of John, do you love Me?"
Peter was grieved because He said to him the third time, "Do you love
Me?" And he said to Him," Lord, You know all things; You know that I
love You. "Jesus said to him," Tend My sheep.
---------------------------------------
WHAT YOU WILL DO IF YOU LOVE THE LORD
---------------------------------------
Here we see Peter being told that if he loved the Lord he would 1) tend His
lambs, 2) shepherd His sheep, and 3) tend His sheep. It begins with the young
ones, and emphasizes both shepherding and tending the sheep. We will do all of
this if we love Him.
© MorningStar Publications Inc. All rights reserved http://www.morningstarministries.org/
___________________________________________________>>>
>From: Prayusasf@aol.com
TAMPA BAY AREA, LET'S PRAY!
Prayer is so much more powerful when the body of Christ comes together in unity
and one accord. Prayer is the most powerful force in the universe, when we
use it. All of these prayer and worship services will be held at the
Royalty Theatre, 405 Cleveland Street, Clearwater. There will be different
worship groups and pastors to lead each evening. All times will be from 7:00 PM
until 9:00 PM
February 4 - Prayer for
the USA and our Armed Forces
March 3
- Praise, worship and dance to the Lord
March 27 - Praise,
worship and prayer
April 11 -
Praise, worship and dance to the Lord
April 24
- Praise, worship and prayer
May 1
- National Day of Prayer
Tampa Bay Area evening service
These events are sponsored by Pray U.S.A.! and the Royalty Theatre.
For more information, please contact:
Bill and Pam Malone, Pray U.S.A.!
727-524-7729 E-Mail: Prayusasf@aol.com
www.Letsprayusa.org
Starting in February - WEEKLY PRAYER AND WORSHIP MEETING
There will be an ongoing prayer meeting at the Royalty Theatre each Tuesday from
12 noon until 1:00 PM. Jerry Brandt will be leading worship. Please
join us each week!
Contact:: Jerry Brandt Action Evangelism
813-814-0675 Cell 813-598-6130
E-Mail: jbrandt4him@hotmail.com
Socrates Charos Royalty Theatre
727-441-8868
http://www.Royaltytheatre.org
___________________________________________________>>>
>From: "Jim Herrington" <jhmh@swbell.net>
In the early days of our work, we attempted to plow the field and plant
the seeds of city reaching in this massive city. Then virtually no one
knew the term city-reaching. Today that has changed dramatically. Four years
later we are in a new season. Enough of the field has been plowed and
seeds planted that our team is turning its attention to nurturing the growth and
development of those seeds. We believe that effective models of churches
working together with the various sectors of their community to produce real
impact will be more effective in the long run than continuing to plant more
seeds. So, at this season in our ministry we are clearly focused on three
priorities
PRIORITY ONE: 12 pilot projects where pastoral prayer groups are leading
their communities to a city-reaching congress. You’ll remember
that a congress is simply a gathering of believers in a community for the
purpose of making decisions about working together. In this gathering
Christian pastors, business leaders, educators, law enforcement leaders and
those from other sectors of the community jointly assess the needs of the
community and agree to work together to meet those needs. Six of our pilot
project groups have committed to holding a congress by December 2003 and six by
December 2004. I believe that several of these pilot projects will succeed, and
from them the church in Houston will have one or more working examples of the
power and impact of a unified Church working together strategically to reach it’s
community. I salute those who are leading the way in these efforts –
risking new ways of doing things and helping all the church to learn and grow in
ministry effectiveness.
PRIORITY TWO: We are developing a comprehensive diagnostic map (needs
assessment) for the city. In partnership with several other key groups in
the city, we are assessing the strength of the church and identifying the places
of deepest need. This information will be broadly disseminated to the
church so that it can respond effectively. Like the people of Israel
seeking to occupy the Promised Land, we are spying out the land so that we can
possess it in the Lord’s strength. A preliminary report should be
available in May 2003 and a final report by the end of the year.
PRIORITY THREE: We are working with a broad range of prayer leaders in the
Church to mobilize prayer at the broadest and deepest levels. Unified
prayer is a primary key to transformation, and this effort represents dramatic
progress in Houston’s city-reaching movement. Currently more than 180
leaders of intercessory prayer networks have been identified and are being
united in relationship. 2,000,000 intercessors from Indonesia have united to
pray for Houston as well. By going to www.HoustonPrays.org
<http://www.houstonprays.org/> , you can learn of the strategic prayer
concerns that believers across the city are praying. We believe this will
have significant impact on churches and ministries across the city.
As this year draws to a close, God has made a couple of things very clear to me.
First, though there is growing intellectual understanding of the
city-reaching principles, we don't yet have a deep commitment to implementation
of those principles at a citywide level. The three priorities on which
Mission Houston is working - as important as they are - are not the whole.
Church planting, compassion ministries, and leadership development are
essential to the city reaching effort as well. Many relationships still
need to be developed and many divisions in the body still need healing. Various
groups and individuals are working collegially but independently on various
components of the overall city-reaching process. It is our hope that the
research project will help us capture a sense of the urgency of the task…that
the pilot projects will encourage faith that this can actually be done…and
that the prayer mobilization will encourage and empower our work – and the
work of so many others in whom the vision of city reaching and community
transformation has been planted. Second, we must persevere. Though
the work is challenging and the needs are at times overwhelming, for the sake of
the Kingdom – for the sake of the lost – for the sake of our own obedience
to the commands of Christ – and ultimately for the sake of His glory, we must
press on.
Join us in giving thanks for the opportunity. Please pray diligently for our
work. And, if God leads you to do so, after you have tithed to your local
congregation, please consider making an end of the year gift to our work.
"I thank you Lord for this jewel of a city! Help us to grow in our
capacity to weep over its brokenness. Give favor to every effort being
made to see your body come together in unity to take the whole gospel to the
whole city. Thank you for the privilege of living in this era. We
long to see our city transformed."
Blessings, Jim Herrington
Mission Houston, 308 Bomar, Houston, TX 77006
713-822-6362
___________________________________________________>>>
Praying the Bible: The Book of Prayers
Wesley & Stacey Campbell
A great book for prayer meeting facilitators!
$14.99 list - To receive the Special NPPN Discount, call:
1-800-4GOSPEL
Order Code = NPPN
"What a wonderful and timely book! For years I’ve longed to see a
compilation of practical, biblical prayers set forth in a simple way to teach
believers how to pray the Bible. No prayer is more powerful than that which
pleads God’s promises. This marvelous book is clearly a heaven-sent answer in
response to that deep desire."
Dr. Dick Eastman - International President, Every Home
For Christ
>From: "Ca. Pastors' Prayer Network" <prayunceasingly@juno.com>
The Strategic Prayer Strike Center has a new name change.
>>> The L.A. Prayer Impact Center.
The L.A. Prayer Impact Center has a vision to inform, mobilize, train and
connect ministries throughout the Great L.A. Region.
The Prayer Center is connecting ministries to people and people to
ministry to reach the greater L.A. Region through a move of the Holy Spirit
utilizing the web/internet, radio, and a regional newspaper, prayer pastoral and
intercessory events, training and more.
The prayer center will resume prayer training beginning March, on the 3rd
Saturday of each month . These equipping days will run from 10:am to 4:pm lunch
included
With real equipping tools for practical ministries with personal hands on,
with ministry professionals.
Training days will include:
Corporate and Federal Filings for Non-profit
Corporations for those who take ministry seriously.
How to use free internet tools
How to use the web and build a website, create an
email communication base, connect to large search engines to your ministry and
events.
Creating Power point presentations and more
Practical grant writing.
The How to of ministry
Practical operation Guidelines
Finding Money for Ministry
Creating ministry publications
The How to do practical ministry.
Church ministry and para-church ministry
Ministry Ethics
The prayer center will also sponsor a leadership retreat in May 2003 and a
pastors, leaders, and intercessory prayer summit in August 2003 co sponsored by
ministries throughout California. Consider A pastoral or intercessory retreat at
the L.A. Impact Center Call for rates and availability. Connect with us at:
The L.A. Prayer Impact Center
US Center for World Missions, 1608 E. Elizabeth
St., Pasadena, Ca.
(626) 296-7600
prayunceasingly@juno.com
Real Life and Times - L.A. Regional Connection News Paper
Pick-up a free monthly copy at your nearest Christian Book Store, Bible School,
Seminary, University, and many southland churches.
12 issues, 16 - 24 pages delivered to your door.
$19.95 per year any where in the U.S.A. or Canada.
Inside: Real Life and Times
L.A. Feature Magazine:
Local, regional, national and world reports.
What Believers Need to Know ~ A biblical prospective of current judicial,
political, educational, and government policies and ballot legislation.
A Biblical prospective to Christian Daily Living.
Help aids and guides to finance, where to get the best deals, technology, gift
and home ideas, the Internet, coupons and much more.
The Hollywood Prayer Digest ~ How to pray for the entertainment industry
Bible Commentaries with Pastor Rick Wright and others,
Pastoral teaching helps.
In Review - Books, Entertainment and Great Places to Eat
Pray LA
The L.A. 'To Go Event Calendar - A monthly, 'How to pray for L.A.' prayer
calendar.
Pastoral and Intercessory Strategies for City Reaching,
A special prayer event calendar.
The Editorial Roundtable
Letters and concerns from our readers.
Reach us at:
Real Life and Times
Email us at: RLAT@HisPowerPortal.com
L.A. Prayer Impact Center ~ Townsend M9B
1608 E. Howard St., Pasadena, CA 91104
Phone: (626) 296-7600
Subscribe: CaPastorsPrayerNetwork-subscribe@MyInJesus.com
___________________________________________________>>>
>From: Pagaprayerhouse@aol.com
We're in the midst of an answer to prayer and a miracle.
If you're in the area, and can make it join us at the PAGA House of Prayer this
(9/6/02) or any 1st Friday, at 7 pm for our regular 1st Friday Prayer for
Pastors and Churches in the region. If you can't make it please pray for
us and with us as we stretch toward the mark to:
PROVIDE A PRAYER SHIELD FOR REGION (South Suburban Chicagoland)
Initiate Regular, sustained Prayer & worship in Prayer
Ctr.
Cover Pastors and their churches in prayer
Build a Network of local Church Prayer Coordinators
and intercessors
Pray for The Lost, and to the Lord of the Harvest for
Laborers to pull in the harvest in the region
Contact us – We can email you a brochure which gives a little more information
on our goals & plans.
We are beginning to build a database of Pastors & Churches in our region.
As the Spirit leads you, please forward names of Pastors and Churches in
our region so we can add them to our database.
In His Service, Cheryl Dorsey
Director/Facilitator
Email: Pagaprayerhouse@aol.com
___________________________________________________>>>
>From: "Pastor Ron Thaxton" <praywv@churchinthecity.com>
The final statistics of our Christmas Toy Store
which ran five days this year: 470 families served representing 1,045 children.
More than $73,000 in toys were given away. We saw 42 parents give
their hearts to Jesus for the first time and another 19 rededicating their lives
to the Lord. Praise God for a bountiful harvest. And there is still
about $1500 worth of toys to help if we have any needs in the final couple of
days before Christmas. We were also able to help another church in our
area provide Christmas gifts for about 100 children at a Christmas party.
I am completely blown away as I consider that last
Saturday we were completely out of toys and money. God provided beyond
what we could have even considered possible --- about $20,000 in about 48 hours.
We bought the toys we needed and still have money left over to use next
year. Even more we built relationships with so many people that we will
have many more opportunities to lead people to Christ in the coming months.
Two families who did not make decisions have agreed to meet with me in
January to talk some more.
Among the salvations, was a children's teacher at the
local Unitarian/Universalist church. She told us yesterday that she would
live up to her commitment to teach this Sunday before moving to a Bible
believing church. But, she was going to take her last day as a teacher to
share the Christmas story from the Bible. Another salvation was a
Jehovah's Witness. God is good in revealing truth.
A total of 28 churches were involved this year. It
is so good to see the body of Christ come together like this.
Pray for all the churches as they continue with
follow-up. There are a lot of people who did not make decisions who are
unchurched as well as helping those who did make decisions. Thanks for
your prayers. God is good all the time.
In His Grip, Norm Cannada, Pastors Ron & Nancy Thaxton
The Church In The City/PrayWestVirginia
Mission America Associates - Appalachian Region
5002 Big Tyler Road, Charleston, WV 25313-2102
Phone: (304) 776-5907
___________________________________________________>>>.
>From: "dougsmall@aliveministries.org" <dougsmall@aliveministries.org>
Pray Selma: History was Made in Selma...Again!
Pray Selma is a huge success!
The Pray Selma event was incredible. With a string of dozens of tornadoes the
day before -- four on the ground at the same time in Alabama -- still, the Selma
headlines the next day was "Prayer Blankets the City!" For two days,
"prayer" was the headline of the newspaper in this small town.
Incredible. From the Mayor to School officials, from community business leaders
to people on the street, the city opened its arms to prayer. Dr. Frederick
Douglas Reese, the local black leader who invited King to Brown Chapel in 1962,
stood in the same podium and declared "We're back ... and this time it's
all about Jesus!"
Below are copies of the two newspaper articles from Tuesday, the day of prayer,
and Wednesday the day after.
Thanks for helping make Pray Selma an historic event!
P. Douglas Small, Alive Ministries: PROJECT PRAY
International Renewal Ministries (IRM- Prayer Summits)
Doug Small is a member of the National Prayer Committee; Mission America's City
Impact Roundtable; a consultant to the Church of God denomination on prayer
ministries; regional representative for IRM.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Prayer Teams to Blanket City
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
November 12, 2002
By Dale James / Selma Times - Journals
In his 25 years of ministry, the Rev. Daniel Martin has come to believe strongly
in the power of prayer. He's felt what prayer has done in his own life. He's
seen it at work in the lives of others.
Now he's joining with other pastors and other Christian believers across this
city and across the country to see if prayer can change even Selma, to see if
prayer can accomplish what human effort has so often failed to achieve.
Martin is the pastor of Bethel Church. He's one of literally hundreds of
organizers and participants of Pray Selma!, an unprecedented effort to ask a
divine blessing on an entire city.
Prayer teams will be fanning out across the city today to send up what one
participant likens to "a wall of prayer." The teams are composed not
only of local residents, but of intercessors who have traveled here from across
the country specifically for the purpose of praying for Selma.
Other groups of believers will also be gathering today in cities from
Montgomery, Tuscaloosa, Muscle Shoals, Huntsville, Charlotte, N.C., Atlanta,
Natchez, Miss., Little Rock and Tallahassee to pray for Selma.
Dr. John Fain, pastor at First Baptist Church and another of the Pray Selma!
organizers, explained, "We're praying for spiritual renewal, praying that
God will just take over our city and change the hearts and minds of our
people."
Added Martin, "We wanted to appeal to God and see what God would do. We
believe this is what we as a city need. We believe that what we have here is
beyond human help. We believe that only God can give us the help we need."
Participants will be praying for racial harmony as well as for harmony within
Selma's families, for community leaders as well as for renewed economic
prosperity. If that seems like a tall order, Fain insisted participants remain
undaunted. "We're limited in our earthly ability to achieve certain
things," Fain pointed out. "God is not. Nothing is impossible with
God."
Teams will visit more than 60 designated locations across the city. But don't
look for crowds of chanting people blocking the sidewalk and attracting
attention to themselves. For the most part, the teams will perform their
assigned tasks anonymously and inconspicuously.
Fain cited the biblical injunction against praying loudly to impress one's
neighbors as the reason for Pray Selma's low-key approach. "The city will
be covered in prayer," he emphasized. "Not people, prayer."
The idea for Pray Selma! began to gel after Martin and the Rev. Ezekiel Pettway
of Maggie Street Baptist Church returned recently from a pastors' prayer summit
in Montgomery in which the participants prayed for each other and for the cities
in which they lived and ministered.
For Martin and Pettway, it was a powerful experience. The Rev. Darry Bradley,
pastor at Spring Hill Baptist Church and another Pray Selma! organizer,
recalled, "When they came back from the prayer summit, they were just on
fire!"
The prayer summit was led by Doug Small, of International Renewal Ministries,
who encouraged Martin and Pettway to organize a similar effort in Selma. They
began to contact other ministers and gradually Pray Selma! was born.
Already, Fain said, participants have begun to see benefits from those efforts.
"Since we've begun preparing," Fain said, "we've met other
pastors - black and white - that we really didn't know before. It's been an
exciting process."
While many people in many cities have become involved, organizers emphasize that
Pray Selma! is a local effort. Those who have agreed to come here to participate
come at the request of local organizers.
"We've never heard of another event like this," said Martin.
"What we offer up in the spiritual realm is far more powerful than what we
offer in the physical realm. I'm just excited about the potential of what God
will do in Selma, and that's just the beginning."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Pray, Selma, Pray!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
City Turns Out for Faith
By Dale James / Selma Times - Journal
One after the other they walked to the front of the sanctuary in hallowed Brown
Chapel AME Church to tell their stories.
One was the wife of a pastor from Mobile. One was the father of Selma's mayor.
Another was the granddaughter of a Ku Klux Klansman from Texas.
They came from Florence and Tallahassee and Roanoke, Va., and Charlotte, N.C.,
and a host of other towns across the country. Most had never been to Selma
before, but all said they felt certain that God had called them to be in this
place on this day.
Tuesday they gathered in Brown Chapel to share their experiences as participants
in Pray Selma!, a citywide effort to cover the city with prayer.
Throughout the day teams of participants fanned out to scores of sites across
the city, praying for Selma's collective soul.
An estimated 200 to 300 teammembers from both other cities and area churches
participated. Others gathered in cities across the Southeast to lift Selma up in
prayer.
"We had no agenda," said Dr. John Fain, pastor at Selma's First
Baptist Church and one of the organizers of Pray Selma! "No agenda except
Christ. Some of us have been up since 2 and 3 o'clock this morning. We're weary,
but we're excited."
Fain said that local churches had organized 50 hours of continuous prayer - what
he termed "a wall of prayer" -- in preparation for Tuesday's
activities. Other teammembers took up locations on the city's perimeter,
literally encircling the city with a hedge of prayer.
Teammembers prayed for community leaders and for community renewal. They prayed
that "the hatred and the hurt and the anger" of the past be replaced
by reconciliation and love and understanding.
The prayers were as grandiose and as simple as the people who prayed them.
Some asked that God intercede to bring economic renewal to a city and county for
too long besieged by double digit unemployment. Others asked only that God
reopen the two Burger Kings that closed recently because there likely were
single mothers working there who needed a paycheck to feed their families.
"Tears," is how Doug Small, one of the participants, described the
reaction of local residents to the sight of teammembers going about their
appointed rounds. "Tears and hope. It is possible for blacks and whites to
love one another. It is possible to have reconciliation and unity. People have
been coming out of their buildings asking, 'Are you the prayer people? Would you
pray for us, please?'"
Small is the head of International Renewal Ministries' Project Pray Southeast.
It was after attending a pastors' prayer summit in Montgomery led by Small that
the Revs. Daniel Martin and Ezekiel Pettway began enlisting other local
ministers and lay people here for what was to become Pray Selma!
Small said similar efforts already have taken place abroad in such disparate
places as Cali, Columbia, where more than 70,000 people gathered in a soccer
stadium to pray for an end to the power of the drug cartels operating in that
country, and in the Fiji Islands, where the two warring factions in that
country's long-standing civil war came together in prayer.
"It is staggering what is happening internationally," Small said.
"But not in America. We're still very skeptical about spiritual things in
this country. But there is a spiritual dimension to this life. Only we who are
baptized in naturalism don't understand this."
--
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