PRAY for Your Church 🙏

PRAY for your

Church to be a House of Prayer & Outreach

[[IF firstName IS NOTEMPTY]]Hello Ted,Greetings!

Pray for your church to be a House of PRAYER and OUTREACH

A VERY SPECIAL EXAMPLE we can all learn from-

My wife’s parents from Michigan would go for a couple months in the winter to Florida to a Senior Living Area. Tudi would go down to help them get settled and I would often join them.

During our visit we discovered a church that we thought they would like- a very large church that was alive and filled with love. The Pastor began his sermon by listing the strengths of that church. He told the audience,

"We are..

-LOVING

-GIVING

-SHORT TERM MISSIONS MINDED

-ABOUNDING in FELLOWSHIP OPPORTINITIES

-SUPPORT the NEEDY

-WE ARE BURSTING in ATTENDANCE (5 services each Sunday)

-WEDNESDAY GATHERING of 500 for dinner and Bible study and a Sunday regional televised live worship service

HOWEVER we have a glaring WEAKNESS: We don’t reach out with the Gospel locally”

As Tudi and I were sitting in our seats I was as excited as a caged animal who smells food..as I listened to the Pastor further explain to the church their calling to evangelism

Following the service we waited in a long line to introduce ourselves to the Pastor to tell him briefly how Witness Breakthrough trains believers to share their faith where they live, move and have their being...compelled by love not duty

The next day the Pastor invited me to lunch. Our meeting resulted in me preaching the following Sunday. I also spoke to a large class and was introduced to the regional television audience, promoting the upcoming 6 WB classes at the church

The Pastor humbly said to all audiences, ”I need this witness training as much as anyone and I will be attending all of the sessions sitting, in the front row!” Perhaps most dramatic he said, “we are not going to bug you but we are asking you to PRAY and let the Holy Spirit touch your heart if you should be joining me at the WB sessions”

More than 90 came for all the sessions- It was MOST EXCITING!

After a few sessions WE HAD A "REPORTING BACK" SESSION (Acts 4:13,23) The attendees were asked the following questions based upon their interactions where they live each day-

1-Did you ask a meaningful question and listen intently? (about 25 indicated they did)

2-Did you have a chance to share your faith in Christ? (about 14 indicated they did)

3-Did anyone lead someone to claim Jesus as their Savior? (4 people including myself saw a person claim Jesus as their Savior

An Overall excellent response!!

In the weeks following my WB training sessions more than 2,000 homes in the area were contacted by people of the church (outstanding!)

WHAT STANDS OUT TO YOU ABOUT THE PASTOR?

From the pulpit honestly assessed the strengths of the church
From the pulpit honestly assessed the weakness of the church
He took action
He was humble
He asked people to pray and be obedient to the Holy Spirit
He attended as promised
He followed through after the training

In addition to the previous special church report a woman in our church recently told me the following actual witness experience of 2 young women. Again, it is meant to encourage all who read this article about the challenges and opportunities all of us have... as a result of witnessing and praying as a priority in our churches.

PLANET FITNESS WITNESS-

& a probing and sobering QUESTION

On Tuesday evening Sofia and Alina were at church attending a Kineo Bible training course. Afterward, although tired, they decided to go to Planet Fitness to work-out together. They were joyful, talking and laughing as they worked out.

A young 30 something year old woman, who was also working out, could not help but notice their joy. She approached them and began to talk with them. In that "God ordained" time, Sofia and Alina began to share the love of the Lord, the way of salvation and the freedom we receive in Christ Jesus. That evening God called this young woman to himself. She was so thrilled to hear of Jesus' love and accepted Him into her heart that very evening. The girls are keeping touch with this brand new Christian, and she plans to join them at their church this next Sunday.

After praying and talking more with Alina and Sofia the young woman asked them a very profound and troubling question:

"I have lived in Georgia for over 7 years.

Why has no one ever shared this good news about Jesus with me before?"

CHURCH WORK and the WORK OF THE CHURCH

I LOVE CHURCH- I have ever since claiming Jesus as my Savior approximately 56 years ago. However initially, as a former atheist I was puzzled and had a hard time understanding PRAYER.

From an atheistic point of view prayer was sort of weird and spooky. From a educational & psychological point of view it was childish belief.

However, after 56 years of being a growing (with a long way to go) Christian, I fully believe and understand why the Bible says to “pray unceasingly”- I don’t know how a person can live in this fast paced, ever changing world we live in without prayer.

Specifically, I can’t imagine being a growing fruitful witness of faith in Christ without prayer. Asking Him for help to know- when I should talk, who to talk to, how to engage with other people who don’t have faith in Christ, how to be His full time ambassadors where we live, move and have our being, etc.

A TYPICAL WEEK FOR TUDI and ME- Prayer & Outreach go hand in hand-

SUNDAYS

Watch/ listen to 2 of our favorite TV pastors as we get ready for church.
Gather with others to pray for the pastor, service and attendees
Worship Service
"Stand Around" fellowship between services.
Bible study and interaction class

WEDNESDAYS

I teach a small Witness Breakthrough- Reporting Back Class. Right now we are focused on REPORTING BACK training/ or Acts 4:13, 23.

OTHER WEEKDAYS- OUTREACH/WITNESSING is the result of much PRAYER!

Study & fellowship dinner group of 4 couples
Men's & Women's Fellowship Events
Friday Morning Men’s Fellowship I am a table discussion leader and sometimes I speak.
Tudi's Friday Women's Bible Study
Write & Send Witness Breakthrough newsletter -to 1000 (3 days to construct)
Tudi organizes an "outreach/in-reach" dinner at our home
I "golf for men" at various public courses.
Tudi co-ordinates many activities with other women fellowship/outreach

So WHY am I telling you all this?!?

HOW DOES ALL THIS ACTIVITY RELATE to the topic of Prayer and Outreach?

HOUSE OF PRAYER insights

The phrase "house of prayer" is from Isaiah 56:7, where it is used twice: “These [foreigners] I will bring to My holy mountain and give them joy in My house of prayer. Their burnt offerings and sacrifices will be accepted on My altar; for My house will be called a house of prayer for all nations.”

Jesus refers to this verse when casting the money changers from the temple, as recorded in Mark 11:17: “Then He taught, saying to them, ‘Is it not written, “My house shall be called a house of prayer for all nations”? But you have made it a den of thieves.'” (Transcribed also in Mt. 21:13 )

PROBING QUESTIONS

DOES YOUR CHURCH have a need to be more effective in PRAYER?
In Community OUTREACH?
WHAT IS YOUR ANSWER to the book title- IF WE ARE THE LIGHT WHY IS AMERICA SO DARK?

PLEASE DON’T MAKE WITNESSING COMPLICATED!~

You don’t need to know all the answers to every question- if you don’t know the answer simply say, “Can I get back with you?”

PLEASE DO THE FOLLOWING- focusing on PRAYER and OUTREACH-

PRAY for boldness

Ask meaningful QUESTIONS & look for His OPEN DOORS
LISTEN intently
Fall in love with their SOUL
Be compelled by LOVE not duty
Use a TOOL like the wristband and/or Steps to Peace with God booklet to guide you in making the Gospel of Jesus Christ clear
Learning how to share a SHORT TESTIMONY is very important- usually in 3 parts-