Tuesday, January 24, 2006

I Have Glue for Brains

I feel like I have glue for brains. One thing I have learned is when I don’t feel like the brightest crayon in the box, I need to ask for prayer.

- Would you pray for me and Elizabeth that we would rest in the strong arms of Jesus!
- We are trying to prayerfully decide about taking another team to London this July for a week of prayer and evangelism. Would you ask Dad if we ought to do that?
- Our new assistant pastor Anthony and his family arrive this weekend. Pray for safety and God’s financial provision for them – they need either more support or a 2nd job. (What a step of faith they are making! They are raising support to come serve with us!)
- Ask God to lead my friend Steven the soon to be former pagan to read the Gospel of Mark. He asked me last week if I could tell him some Bible passages to read ‘that would show him what Jesus was like as a man’ and that he ‘would like to learn how I can have a relationship with your God.’ I couldn’t believe it. God is working in Steven.
- Pray for the people of Crosspoint. We have many challenges among us!

- And lastly, with London on our minds, we got this word from Jeremy (one of the missionaries among South Asians our 2005 team met)
Friends here have a 3 year old daughter who is in hospital in a completely unresponsive state - not talking, only blank stares. The doctors are baffled - maybe a virus in the brain? They are Gujarati Jains and God has put in on our hearts to tangibly help them as we can (visiting, and they have a son who is Noah and Sam's age who has come to play) and to PRAY that Jesus would wake this girl up and bring her back to herself and the whole family to Himself. If he can raise Jairus' daughter from the dead, he is surely able to do this. Would you join us in praying for this family as God leads you?

Jesus heal her and get all the credit!
Graced
Jim

Thursday, January 12, 2006

People Look at Me Funny

People look at me funny… when I show them the sword I got for Christmas. It is so cool. People have been looking at me funny for years and now there is a reason! This is a real, battle-ready sword. I take it to work every day.

It reminds me that we must pray. THAT IS the battle for souls. God MUST work or we are dead!

You all are such faithful pray-ers! Thank you for your ongoing prayer support. I think the devil is still ticked that we have made it this far, but I’m sure it is because we have received your most valuable support! Keep up the good work!

Here are some items for battle:
- Satan’s resistance. The last two weeks have brought many struggles to the forefront with our young believers. Marriage struggles, talk of separation, divorce, illness, financial problems, job change, discouragement. Pray that the ENEMY will NOT have the victory! That all our people will learn to do spiritual battle daily, to repent and believe the gospel, to obey and walk in faith!

- YES! Our new assistant pastor Anthony and his family (wife Sarah and son Will, 3) move in on the 28th! It will be a HUGE help to this ministry to have a steady high S administrator and educator on staff! Pray for the continued raising of his support, safety and quick feet. He has lots to get up to speed on!

- Maturing leaders. We are adding one pt pastor (Anthony), one tent-making pastor (José) and we have 14 other volunteer leaders for various ministries. Pray for their safety and protection. Pray that they grow in faith and do not gossip. Pray that I may train and equip them well for their roles.

- Inner City church planting – pray for me and Bob Orner, another church planter who have been commissioned by our new church network to help facilitate church planter development in inner city Atlanta. We could really mess up if we are arrogant and I can be arrogant so easy. Pray for wisdom and faithfulness in building trust across old barriers.

Overall, would you pray that we are faithful in the battle?
And that I use my sword well?
Graced
Jim

Friday, January 06, 2006

News for Prayer

7 newsy pieces I wanted you to know about and pray for:

- This Sunday begins a new series on biblical principles of money and finances. Yeah, it definitely needs a cool title. I want our focus in 2006 to be on growing unified so that we can reach out. There are so many needs and so many lost people!
One of the big limitations for the church is that we struggle with money. It kicks us down in our personal and family growth and limits what we can give to help the poor and how we can reach out to the lost. So for the rest of the month of January, José and I will be facing the issue of money, stewardship, generosity and what an awesome King we serve. I promise, no sounding like a Televangelist! (Well maybe José can do an impression…you’ll have to ask him.)

- Speaking of lost, I’m praying about having a special month this spring where we pray and prep some special Sundays to invite our lost friends and neighbors and family. Get the band to do some special music, maybe get a video clip worked in there. Maybe a sketch or two for illustrations. Pray about that with me.

- Speaking of lost, again, I got the first year of the ‘Lost’ TV show on DVD and I’m an addict! (So is my family!)

- Crosspoint Art Night on Sunday January 15th will be awesome. Tim and Gene have lined up some homegrown artists (Jeff Wood, James Steadham, Ibanez Downtain) from Crosspoint and the area for a night of music, visual art and even improv. Maybe skip small group and come out for that? Monday the 16th is MLK day, so all the bankers get the day off!

- Last one, did you hear that Pastor José passed his credentials committee written and oral exam and will stand before North Georgia Presbytery on Saturday the 21st to complete his ordination transfer into the PCA? And then he and Ana go to Church Planter Assessment Center first week of February! Lots going on with the Mateos!

- Youth Game Night Dec 28 ROCKED! If you are a youth, you wish you would have been there.

- Speaking of ROCKing and Youth, the Brogans are making plans to MOVE baby! They will be in town Friday (tomorrow) to scope o