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A
Letter From Pastor Michael 2008
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May 3, 2008
I'm Excited
About Urban
Impact
Many of you
were
introduced
to the
incredible
ministry of
Urban Impact
and Castle
Rock Church
after
Katrina.
Some were
introduced
through my
letters -
some through
serving in
Central
City, New
Orleans -
some through
our Super
Friday's.
Over the
past year I
have had the
privilege of
serving on
the board of
Urban Impact
and getting
an insiders
look at this
ministry.
All I can
say is -
They are The
Real Deal!
The ministry
is making a
difference,
and Urban
Impact is on
the verge of
making a
bigger
difference
through
building a
wonderful
new Ministry
Center.
Last weekend
I saw
firsthand
how a church
and
individuals
can help
Urban Impact
when I got
to speak at
Evangelical
Free Church
of
Naperville,
Illinois.
What a great
ministry!
Their
mission's
conference
put a Sunday
morning
spotlight on
New Orleans
and what
happens when
you become
an outwardly
focused
church.
Naperville
signed
people up
for their
8th team.
One man
offered to
donate a
considerable
amount of
sports
equipment to
Urban Impact
and a
teacher
committed to
raise
supplies for
the school.
The church
has been
committed to
prayer since
August 29,
2005. Their
senior
pastor, Dale
Hummel,
visited a
few months
ago and
served us
well. The
church also
made a
significant
donation to
the work of
Katrina.
One woman
bought 42
copies of my
talk in
order to get
the word out
to others.
(That's a
first.) All
this to say,
"thanks"
to
Naperville.
Would you
pray that
many people,
churches and
mission
teams would
be prompted
to regularly
donate to
Urban
Impact?
Would you
see if your
church can
help? Every
little bit
helps. What
follows is
the vision
for the
Urban Impact
Ministry
Center,
written by
Terry
Sistrunk,
Operations
Director of
Urban Impact
Betting the
Farm on God,
Michael
"Building a
Bigger
Porch"
We are
embarking on
an effort,
beginning
this June,
to build a
32,000
square foot
facility
housing
Castle Rock
Community
Church,
Urban Impact
Ministries,
and our
alternative
High School
- The
Leadership
Academy, in
Central City
New Orleans.
The needs in
Central City
New Orleans
are
extraordinary.
In keeping
with our
vision "Creating
a
Neighborhood
Where Kids
Can Ride
Their
Bikes,"
this new
facility
will be an
anchor in a
community
where the
"church" is
their hope.
The facility
will include
classrooms
which will
accommodate
our school
needs, Bible
classes on
Sunday and
Wednesday,
meeting
space for
ministry
partnerships
in the
community,
afternoon
tutoring and
mentoring
ministry as
well as high
school and
junior high
youth
nights. We
will have a
multipurpose
room for
Sunday and
Wednesday
services,
community
events,
training,
and
meetings,
ministry
partnership
events, and
a larger
assembly
space for
other
community
churches for
their events
such as
funerals not
able to be
accommodated
within their
own
churches. We
have
included a
full-size
gymnasium to
meet a
significant
need in the
community
for our
youth and
young
adults. In
addition, it
will give us
the
opportunity
for
community
outreach
with six
high schools
in the
community
who do not
have a gym
for
practices or
games. A
recording
studio will
give youth
and young
adults a
unique
opportunity
to strive
for horizons
otherwise
unattainable.
An outdoor
basketball
court will
enable us to
continue one
of our
fastest
growing
outreach
ministries
with greater
capacity -
Friday &
Saturday
"Open
Court." The
basketball
attracts
local high
school age
kids to an
environment
where we can
build
relationships.
This
facility
will give us
greater
capacity for
our summer
youth and
children's
ministry-
National
Project. It
is a summer
camp for
children in
the
neighborhood,
a mission
effort for
teenagers
from around
the country,
and a job
opportunity
for local
teenagers.
In
everything
we do, we
want to
share the
message of
Jesus
Christ, and
provide a
safe place
for people
to gather.
In New
Orleans,
people
typically
gather on
their
porches.
The
need:
This
facility
will
cost us
5.7
million
dollars.
Presently,
we have
just
under
two
million
dollars.
We need
to raise
another
two
million
in the
next
twelve
months.
We plan
to
reduce
the
overall
project
cost by
$700,000
with
church
volunteers
from
around
the
country,
and we
have
entered
into a
financial
initiative
with the
bank
known as
"New
Market
Tax
Credits"
which
will
allow us
to
reduce
the
principal
balance
by one
million
dollars
when the
notes
ages to
seven
years.
God is
good.
How can
you
partner
with us?
There
are
three
ways -
Your
time &
talent,
your
treasures,
and most
of all
your
prayers.
To learn
more or
to offer
your
partnership
you can
reach us
in
several
ways.
Our
website
is
www.urbanimpact.org
and our
mailing
address
is P.O.
Box
50223,
New
Orleans,
LA
70150,
and our
phone
number
is
504-523-5133.
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Tell us what you think.
April 14,
2008
Large
Donation
Given for
Disaster
Response
Center
Big Time God
Story -
From the
early days
after
Katrina, God
planted a
dream in a
few of us to
set up a
permanent
EFCA
Disaster
Response
Center to
serve on the
Gulf Coast
and across
the United
States.
This center
would be a
resource
center,
staging base
and
headquarters
to respond
to crises
wherever
possible
with the
life-giving
ministry of
Jesus
Christ.
This dream
has only
intensified
over time as
we have
witnessed
first-hand
the powerful
ministry of
transformation
in the midst
of disaster
not only in
New Orleans
but after
tornados in
Kansas, and
Florida,
fires in
California,
the drought
in North
Dakota and
the
earthquake
in Peru.
Furthermore,
we are more
convinced
than ever
that as
seeds are
sown many
areas become
fertile
ground for
multiplication
and church
planting.
Our
challenge,
however, was
the price
tag of
$300,000 to
build the
ministry
center.
Big problem
to us - No
problem for
God! Last
week, a
church in
Memphis gave
$300,000 to
fund the
Ministry
Center.
Only God! I
hope you can
picture me
jumping up
and down
with great
gratitude to
God. I
thank God
for Mark
Lewis, the
entire staff
of EFCA
Touch Global
and our
praying
partners
around the
country.
We will need
to work out
a lot of
details and
raise
additional
funds to
help with
the
furniture
and
fixtures,
but once
again we see
the visible
hand of
Jesus. We
will need
folks to
come and
invest sweat
equity on
the interior
to complete
the 6,500
square foot
building.
Pray.
If you would
like to join
our Crisis
Response
leadership
team - we
are looking
for
individuals
to serve
anywhere
from 3 to 12
months or
longer as
part of our
leadership
team. Some
positions
have
immediate
openings;
many are for
summer/fall
2008 and
winter/spring
08/09:
Administrative
and
Volunteer
Assistants
Communication
Assistant
Construction
Project
Managers
Construction
Supervisors
Follow-up
(Relational)
Ministry
Food Service
Manager
Food Service
Assistants
Network
Administrator/Web
Developer/Manager/Database
Skilled and
Semi-Skilled
Tradesmen
Tool and
Equipment
Managers
Tool and
Supply
Assistants
If you are
interested
in more
information,
contact Mark
Lewis at
mark.lewis@efca.org
or (985)
893-0218.
Betting the
Farm on God,
Michael
P.S. Look at
these
current
statistics:
Teams to
date: 948
Volunteers
to date:
11,152
Volunteer
hours to
date:
432,313
April 5, 2008
Wild and Crazy - Good Open Doors
"Devote yourself to prayer - praying of the same time for us as well, that God may open up to us a door for the Word, so that we may speak forth the mystery of God." Col. 4:2a, 3a
In our 2008 Trinity Ministry Plan, one of our top priorities was to get outside of the four walls of Trinity and make a difference in the community. We have prayed for these open doors as Paul instructed us in Col. 4:2-3. I have been amazed by the open doors to share God's work and message of grace over the past four weeks. Frankly, I have had to pinch myself and say, "Am I really getting to do these things?"
1. In New Orleans, over two days, I had the chance to meet and share with National Political, religious, and social leaders from across the country. 35 people even went on a 2-1/2 hour hurricane tour.
2. St. Tammany Parish - I got to share with 30 leaders from St. Tammany Parish on what Trinity is doing. Great opportunity!
3. Last Wednesday, I got to share for 40 minutes God's gracious work to a great group of professional golfers, caddies, and their families. This was a once in a lifetime treat to interact with some of the golfers I have enjoyed watching for many years.
I appreciate the work that my friends, Larry Moody and Dave Kruger, have done over the past 3 decades, leading SEARCH ministry and serving as chaplains of the PGA.
4. Each Tuesday night I continue to talk to our teams. 1,000 volunteers have come this past month, including students from the following colleges:
Georgetown University
University of Toledo
Northwestern College
Virginia Tech
Trinity International
Boston University
University of North Carolina
Greenville College
Harvard
Washington Bible College
Bethel University
Berea College
Trinity Western
University of Texas
What a great group of young adults and choice servants of Christ! You can go to www.efackatrinaproject.com for up-to-date photo's of the projects we are working on.
5. April 26-27- I look forward to preaching at the 4 services of Naperville Evangelical Free Church in Naperville, Illinois. It is their Missions Conference.
6. April 22 - A meeting is scheduled with Homeland Security Disaster Preparedness.
7. April 20 - Trinity baptism. You may enjoy listening online to the new series entitled, "Baggage" by clicking on www.trinitychurchonline.net. This website has all of the latest information about Trinity, including the special preaching led by Dr. Matthew Stanford on April 13th.on what the Bible says about Mental Health.
It is so cool to see the relational connects that God is creating and the kindred spirits that are being brought together for the glory of God! These open doors are indeed His doing. I could never have hade these happen. Often people feel if you surrender control of your life to Jesus, you'll lose the sense of excitement and fun - but it's been the exact opposite for me. I discovered it. What a ride!
With the joy of open doors, I'm equally reminded that God resists the proud but gives grace to the humble. The words of Charles Spurgeon are significant. Remember, Spurgeon became pastor of one of the largest churches in England at the age of 20 and served 38 years as the most well known pastor of the19th century. He started a Christian literature society, started a magazine, spoke to crowds of 10,000 without a microphone and started a preacher's school. Spurgeon said, "Success exposes a man to the pressures of people and thus tempts him to hold onto his gains by fleshly methods and practices, and to let himself be ruled wholly by the dictatorial demands of incessant expansion. Success can go to my head and will unless I remember it is God who accomplishes the work and that He can continue to do so without my help and He will be able to make out with other means whenever He wants to cut me out." God certainly doesn't need me, but it is a joy that He loves us so much and He includes us in His work.
Betting the Farm on God,
Michael
March 31,
2008
Suicide
Averted
Wait
'til you
read this
story:
A pastor was
trying to
decide if he
should bring
his youth
group to New
Orleans or
to Mexico.
Would New
Orleans be a
real
missions
trip? Would
the kids see
the Holy
Spirit at
work? He
decided to
consult
another
group that
had recently
been to New
Orleans.
They arrived
at their
place of
work - a
home that
was in total
disrepair.
The people
at the door
said,
"Who are
you?"
"We are
here to
help!"
came the
joyful
reply. What
a difference
this team
made. As
the rapport
built that
day, the
truth about
the
homeowners
was
revealed.
Before the
team members
arrived,
this
hopeless
couple had
made the
excruciating
decision to
commit
suicide.
The knock at
the door
interrupted
the plan.
Hope
replaced
despair.
Love was
shared, and
the house
was worked
on. This
story gets
better.
When the
team went
back to
church that
night to
look up the
records of
these
folks:
their names
didn't
exist. The
team
realized
that they
had gone to
the wrong
house - or
should we
say "the
right
house." God
sent them
there as His
ambassadors.
Wow! Divine
Appointments
take place
every day in
New Orleans!
The sharing
times on
Tuesday
nights have
been better
than ever.
A
twenty-something
self-described
former
gangbanger
from
Baltimore
shared his
transformation
story. He
challenged
us all not
to look down
on people -
especially
people like
he used to
be. He told
of the
counter-productivity
of people
who used to
yell,
"Repent"
out the
window of a
car as they
drove past
him in the
old days.
Yet, God had
a plan to
make him
like
Christ.
What a
preacher
this young
man is and
will be.
He's getting
good
training at
Washington
Bible
College.
Another man
cornered me
after the
meeting and
repeated
over and
over these
words, "I
thought I
had to go
overseas to
be a
missionary.
I can be one
right where
I live."
The light
bulb came
on. Wow!
God's plan
is unfolding
here and His
Spirit
unleashed in
ways that
are
strategic,
missional,
and Big. I
can't wait
to bring you
up to speed
in the next
few
letters.
Pray!
Betting the
Farm on God,
Michael
March 24,
2008
A Picture is
Worth a
Thousand
Words
Almost every
week I start
my talk to
teams by
telling the
story of
Exodus 17
where Moses
went on a
mountain top
and raised
his hands in
dependence
upon God and
prayer.
With his
hands raised
high, the
battle went
well. Over
time his
weary arms
began to
droop, and
the enemy
made great
inroads. If
you know the
scripture,
friends came
to his aid
and lifted
his weary
arms into
the air, and
as they
trusted God,
the victory
was won.
For over
2-1/2 years
now, you
have lifted
our
sometimes-weary
arms and God
is getting
the
victory.
Below you
will see
pictures of
some of the
1,000 mostly
college
students at
Trinity
Church this
month. The
work goes
on. Thank
you for
praying
God's best
for New
Orleans.
College
kids
have
come
to
serve
the
Lord
in
New
Orleans during
their
spring
break.
Instead
of
staying at
the
beach,
they
are
sleeping
on
the
floor
of
Trinity
Church!
"Jesus is
the One who
is able to
do
exceedingly
abundantly
above all
that we ask
or think,
according to
the power
that works
within us,
to Him be
the glory in
the church
and in
Christ Jesus
to all
generations
forever and
ever.
Amen."
-Ephesians
3:20-21
Betting the
Farm on God,
Michael
PS - Please
pray for a
great
opportunity
Wednesday
night. I
have been
asked to
speak to
professional
golfers
about what
God is doing
in New
Orleans.
The Zurich
classic PGA
stop is in
New Orleans
this week!
March 15,
2008
College
Invasion
"Don't let
anyone look
down on you
because you
are young,
but set an
example for
the
believers in
speech, in
life, in
love, in
faith and in
purity." ~1
Tim. 4:12
College
Invasion?
YES! Once
again, New
Orleans and
Trinity
Church have
been invaded
by college
students
from across
the country
who want to
make a
difference
during their
spring
break.
While some
college kids
head off to
the Florida
beaches or
Cancun,
large
numbers are
showing up
at Trinity
Church. We
will have
about 1,000
volunteers
in the month
of March
alone, with
most being
energetic
college kids
from schools
like
Georgetown,
University
of North
Carolina,
University
of Texas,
Trinity,
Northwestern,
Washington
State,
Toledo,
North
Carolina
State and
others!
These
students
were looking
for more to
do than
sleep in
late, frolic
on the beach
or visit
with a
myriad of
aunts,
uncles and
cousins
during their
spring
break. They
have chosen
to make an
impact and
serve
Christ.
They sleep
on the floor
in the
"church of
the stained
carpet" and
are deployed
daily to
rebuild
homes and
hearts.
From
sheetrock to
roofing, to
Habitat for
Humanity
projects, to
sharing the
gospel,
these kids
do it all.
Their
spheres are
inspiring.
One young
adult from
Canada spoke
Tuesday
night of
finally
stepping out
of his
typical
world of
computers
and video
games. He's
changed.
He's
hooked. God
used him.
The ripple
effect goes
back home as
one group of
college kids
has chosen
to adopt
young men
who are
being
released
from
prison.
Wow!
I have met
the most
choice young
adults over
the past
2-1/2
years.
These are
leaders with
compassionate
hearts.
They are
getting it!
The call of
Jesus is
evident on
their
lives. I
can't wait
to see how
God will use
this next
generation
even as He
used the
youthfulness
of David,
Daniel,
Mary, the
disciples,
and John
Mark.
God
continues to
open doors
for me to
connect with
people at
all kinds of
levels.
Last week,
two friends
graciously
invited me
to attend a
series of
Friday/Saturday
meetings
that
included the
participation
of John
McCain, our
new governor
Bobby Jindal,
former
Attorney
General Ed
Meese, and
many other
national
leaders. I
got to lead
a 2-1/2 hour
"hurricane
tour" of the
city with 35
national
leaders. I
am grateful
for the
genuine
interest of
people from
across the
country and
pray for the
seeds that
were planted
to bear
fruit.
Pray for
Trinity
Church and
me as we
enter into
Passion Week
and then
begin a
7-week
series
entitled
"Baggage."
Topics
include:
Depression,
Loss,
Conflict,
Worry,
Forgiveness,
Anger, and
Mental
Illness.
One of the
highlights
of the
series will
include a
special
seminar and
preaching by
Dr. Matthew
Stanford of
Baylor
University.
Dr. Stanford
will address
the topic of
the Bible
and mental
illness and
will address
topics like
bipolar,
personality
disorders,
depression,
role of
medication,
Satan's
role, etc.
Have a Great
Easter!!!
Betting the
Farm on God,
Michael
February 27, 2008
Attempt Great Things for God, Expect Great Things from God
Hudson Taylor once said, "Attempt Great Things for God, Expect Great Things from God." What a wonderful challenge and expectation this dedicated missionary left for us to cling to. The work of God in the wake of Katrina seems to be at an all time high and rippling again in some profound directions.
A. Teams - Over 1,200 volunteers are scheduled for the month of March alone. Twelve hundred - and growing by the day! Once again our logistical systems are stretched to the limit. Many long-time veterans are being called in from around the country to provide added leadership. Every single volunteer is a gift, and God keeps providing. Pray for a fruitful month. Ministry is first and foremost about PEOPLE not about rebuilding. Pray for more and more open doors for the gospel.
B. Outwardly Focused Churches - The Katrina "ripples" back to 40 states are still vibrant. One church group this week told me how they went home from Trinity and started a Compassion Ministry to orphans and widows. On the third Saturday of the month a team goes out and ministers in practical ways. Get this - once they adopt an orphan or widow it is for LIFE. Each adopted person is visited at least once a month by at least one person on the team. This sounds like part of true Christianity as James 1 describes it. Another church leader told me his group has been set on fire with compassion ministry. Their goal is to go back home and complement the strength of their church in vertical worship and horizontal love inwardly, with a new outward focus. It is always thrilling when I hear testimonies during the week where repeatedly people claim the week here has "changed my life." I regularly get asked to speak on "The Outward Focused Church" or to lead a seminar on this topic. I'm thankful churches around the country are hungry to get out of the four walls. Pray for wisdom on how many of these I can handle. As always, I am a pastor first, and these talks get squeezed in. My next opportunity to speak is at Naperville Evangelical Free Church in Naperville, Illinois - April 27.
C. Urban Impact / Castle Rock Church - The new ministry center is scheduled to break ground June 7th. The plans are wonderful, as the building will arise from the ground right below the Superdome in Central City, New Orleans. This will be a 31,500 square foot facility that will include worship center, classrooms, gym, offices, etc. You can check out the plans at www.urbanimpact.org. Pray for resources and skilled manpower for the self-help portion of the project starting in September.
D. Regional Church Planting - Pray for wisdom as leaders in the Evangelical Free Church are considering the possibility of a major poverty invasion and church planting initiative in the New Orleans region. This is all tentative and many are seeking God's direction but it is a major possibility. Pray.
E. Trinity Church - Please continue to pray for our church ministry to honor Christ in every way we have a calling. I love pastoring the people of Trinity. God continues to surprise with His grace. Here are a few things you might not know:
·
Trinity's Praise Team has released a new worship CD. This album was written and recorded by the worship team at Trinity. Eleven songs ranging from driving modern worship to beautiful and intimate songs of praise make up the album. Order a CD, or check it out on the web page at www.trinitychurchonline.net .
·
We are now receiving resumes for a Bookkeeper / Operations position. This may be kept as one position or broken into two part-time positions. If you are interested or know someone who might be interested - pass the word. Call the church office if you want a job description (985-893-0218). The bookkeeper position (30 hrs. per week) may be ideal for a semi-retired person who would like to move here and become part of the team.
·
Pray for our upcoming Easter outreach and new post-Easter preaching initiative entitled, "Baggage". Messages can be listened to on the website or by MP3 downloads at www.trinitychurchonline.net . Next week we finish our 6-month series on I Corinthians.
Thank you for praying, sending teams, caring and generously giving.
Betting the Farm on God,
Michael
February 8, 2008
Social Gospel . . . Watch out for Mission Creep
I heard a disturbing report recently that an evangelical organization has been wanting to partner with a church or churches doing relief work in New Orleans but has found many relief works largely devoid of the gospel. This group is considering a partnership with us as we are committed to meeting needs and especially people's biggest need - a personal relationship with Jesus Christ.
Our commitment from the start has been a commitment to Good News and to Good Deeds. You don't have to choose one or the other but the genius of and. For us it looks like the following:
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Demonstration
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Proclamation |
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Proof
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Truth |
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Show the Truth
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Share the Truth |
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Good Deeds
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Good News |
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Bridge Builders
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Hope Sharers |
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Great Commandment
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Great Commission |
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Incarnation
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Evangelization |
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Common Grace
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Amazing Grace |
An interesting writing by John Stott gives his historical perspective on why evangelicals largely disconnected from the Good Deeds side and focused almost exclusively on saving souls and defending the faith:
- The Evangelical Reaction against Theological Liberalism.
- The division of the gospel in "social" and "spiritual" categories.
- Evangelicals' disillusionment with earthly life after WWI.
- The spread of Pre-millennialism (why rearrange the chairs on the deck of the Titanic when it's going down).
- The spread of evangelical Christianity among the upper and middle classes who equated it, more and more, with their own personal well being.
Whether we agree with Stott's analysis, the evangelical church has lost some of its rich heritage of charity and sacrificial works of service over the last 100 years. God is changing all of this as many churches are regaining an outward focus and a better balance.
However, it is good to remember that Good Deeds can never be a substitute for Good News. Romans 10:14-17 says, "How shall they call upon Him in whom they have not believed. How shall they believe in Him when they have not heard? And how shall they hear without a preacher? Faith comes by hearing and hearing by the Word of Christ." Outwardly focused churches must be on guard against Mission Creep. All one has to do is think of the YMCA to understand the danger. Young Men's Christian Association? Today the YMCA is for the most part a recreation organization. They do this well, but the original mission has largely disappeared. Pay attention to mission.
I'm excited about the conversion of our Free Store to a Trinity Cares Ministry. Our mission has focused on Evangelism/Discipleship. We meet with people by appointments now rather than walk-ins. We get to know people deeper and have 25-30 people involved in Bible study. Likewise, our follow-up ministry, to the families our volunteers have served, has started a Bible study in Slidell with 14 people and a study is ready to be launched in Folsom and Lacombe. We are meeting needs, especially the greatest need!
Betting the Farm on God,
Michael
February 2, 2007
Making History - Literally
Thursday night, Donna was looking through a new 5th grade United States Social Studies book used in the Louisiana Public Schools (ed. Scott Foresman, 2006). In the front of the book was a well-written two page historical account of volunteerism after Katrina with one of our teams being the featured picture. Here it is - maybe you will see yourself in the picture or can identify what team this is! The work continues.
►Volunteers from Illinois help clean
up a park in New Orleans (p. LA-20).
Acts 29 is being written as we approach 11,000 volunteers who have touched people's lives with Jesus' name being lifted up. Please do not think we ever get to the place we have figured out relief work and can do ministry on our own. Rather, our attitude remains, "Only God." We are always a few weeks from going out of business unless God comes through. Therefore, let me share some updates and prayer requests with you.
A. The month of March and the spring break session are going to be huge once again. Over 200 volunteers are already committed for some weeks. There is still room for more if you are interested. Pray for logistics and for several more veterans to return to provide the needed leadership. I'm secretly hoping my friends, Gene Johnson and Dick & Anne Myers, will return.
B. Pray for long-term staff for our tools area, construction management team, and food services. We have some short-term fixes, but not the long-term answers. Maybe God's answer is YOU! It may be the adventure of a lifetime.
C. Resources - I am the world's worst fundraiser, but I will ask you to pray BIG.
1. Pray for the ongoing resources to fuel our Katrina fund to keep day-to-day ministry going. This may not be glamorous giving, but it keeps the core ministry going.
2. I haven't mentioned this in a while, but we still desire to build a long-term regional disaster response center at Trinity Church. Potentially it will strategically serve the body of Christ for decades to come. The Disaster Response Center is estimated to cost $300,000. It's a big need, but we have a big God. Pray for a donor/donors who want to advance a significant ministry project that is having a track record of fruitfulness.
3. The Urban Impact Ministry Center in Central City New Orleans is soon to break ground. Many of you have participated in Super Friday, and have grown to love Castlerock Church and Urban Impact like I do. The ministry has 1 million dollars toward the $3.4 million Phase 1 of their build. This ministry center will be situated just below the Super Dome and the "first place" Hornets Basketball arena in Central City. God is using this ministry to help change a neighborhood and a city. I love being on the Board of this ministry and believe John Gerhardt is a super-talented, called pastor/leader. Pray for God's supply.
D. There continues to be a stirring in our volunteers and just a movement of God in many churches to build Compassion ministry into their DNA. I get to hear reports all of the time and in the next letter will report on my recent trip to San Francisco.
Thank you for praying!
Betting the Farm on God,
Michael
January 17, 2008
Stats and Ripples Story
Hi Friends,
Here's the latest update:
Teams to Date: 906
Volunteers: 10,660
States to Date: 40
Volunteer Hours: &n | | | | |
