Growing Disciples

Helping Christian Believers, Leaders, and Churches Obey the Final Command

One Texas Church: Revival, Prayer, and Spiritual Harvest

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In 1995 God revived His people at First Baptist Church of Wellington, Texas. They gave special emphasis to prayer during the spring of the year and focused their prayers on the lost people in their community. They prayed for 50 days between Easter and Pentecost Sunday and held 10 days of “Pentecost Prayer Meetings” following a model from South Africa. God took this revived and praying church to bring in a significant spiritual harvest during the coming months. They were willing to pay the price of returning to the Lord and experienced the fruit of obedience to Him. For a link to resources they used…

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Become a Prisoner of Hope!

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No matter how discouraging things seem to be around me, I realize I’m a “prisoner of hope.” I have seen and heard many stories of how God has transformed seemingly hopeless situations for His glory. Zechariah 9:11-12 describes what God does “because of the blood of your covenant.” He releases prisoners from their waterless cisterns (sound like Jeremiah 2:13?). God rescues us from our efforts to produce a substitute for Him. Then, when we return to Him as our stronghold, He captivates us with hope. Return to the Lord, and become a prisoner of hope!

Days of Prayer for Weather

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Rick Shepherd, Prayer/Spiritual Awakening Team Strategist for the Florida Baptist Convention, testifies to God’s response to the cries of His people during days of prayer called by spiritual and political leaders. Calls to prayer about wildfires, drought, hurricanes, and the Gulf oil spill have been issued in recent years. God has responded with mercy. He said, “God gets our attention to focus our attention so we will pay attention.”

To download a guide click: Praying… About the Weather

Courage to Study “Experiencing God”

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A missionary working in the slums of Lima, Peru, gave me this copy of Experiencing God (Spanish). The owner had been beaten by her husband as he burned this book and her Bible. He threatened to kill her if she ever went back to church. She brought this book to the missionary and asked for a new copy to continue the study. I yearn for that kind of hunger for God and His Word.

God’s Activity in Bartow County, Georgia

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Last December (2010) I had the privilege of interviewing David Franklin about God’s activity in Bartow County, Georgia, that is transforming lives, churches, and the community. God is working in such encouraging ways that I’ve become a "prisoner of hope" (See Zechariah 9:12.). I pray that God will find pastors and churches all over the nation who will surrender to His use and purposes to see a similar work in their communities.

To watch other videos about God’s work in the county see my Vimeo Album at:

http://www.vimeo.com/23652961

Experiencing God in Appalachia, Part 1

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God is using the stories of His work in Lynch, Kentucky, to stir many others to respond to His invitations that require a walk of faith. In Part 1 you will hear of Lonnie & Belinda’s call to minister to mountain. You will hear about a "hedge clipping ministry, the Freedom Center clothing ministry, Hair & Nail Day, a back to school ministry, and God’s provision for remodeling a theater for Christian community programs. These testimonies come from the DVDs in "Experiencing God: Knowing and Doing the Will of God" by Henry & Richard Blackaby and Claude King. They are used by permission from LifeWay Christian Resources. Go to www.Lifeway.com for more information about Experiencing God and two books co-authored by Lonnie: "By Faith" and "Miracle in the Mountains."

 

You can watch and/or download all five segments or one clip that includes all 55 minutes at my Vimeo Album at: www.vimeo.com/23652961

Catalytic Event Part of Transformation

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In a church running 70-80 one year prior, God visited Fellowship Baptist Church of Cartersville, Georgia (Bartow County) with a special sense of His presence. Since that Experiencing God Launch Weekend they’ve seen about 110 baptisms. Pastor Jeff Duvall explains: "That was where God began to reveal that He was tired of us playing church or just going through the motions, but He had something real for us." The key to what God is doing? "We’ve stayed on our face before God seeking Him." Jeff challenges his folks to "Brag on Jesus…. The presence of God is in the house!"

 

God has used the message of Experiencing God: Knowing and Doing the Will of God to deeply impact individuals, families, and churches. An Experiencing God Weekend is one way churches introduce the message and invite members to experience God as they walk through the Bible study together.