North Carolina Adventure - October 15-20, 2013

I have been asked by several North Carolina Congressman and the leaders of the Washington National Prayer Breakfast Movement to participate in a special event this month for five days. One hundred-fifty teams of three people each will visit all the cities in North Carolina with populations of 1000 or more. Each team will meet with leaders of these cities to discuss the relevance of Jesus Christ and consider the benefit of coming together in bonds of friendship in Bible study/prayer groups

Jesus sent His disciples out two-by-two to towns and villages all over Israel to tell people of the Kingdom of God and God’s peace. We read about some of these two-by-two divine appointments in Luke 9 and 10, Matthew 10 and Mark 6. What an adventure!  Similarly, our teams will launch from Raleigh and fan out from the coast to the mountains in the Name and Spirit of Jesus. This could be a life changing and state altering opportunity.

I will keep you posted as to what part of the state I am assigned. Lord willing, perhaps the next Adventure will be held in the state of Louisiana!!!

Please unite with us in prayer around these requests for the North Carolina Adventure October 15-20:

 

1.  We ask that the Lord would be lifted up and glorified in all that we do … that HE will draw all men to himself (John12:32).

2.  We ask that the Holy Spirit would blow like a mighty wind across the state and light a fire in the hearts of the people to seek Him, turn from self-interest to God's calling, to love Him with all our heart, soul, mind and strength, and our neighbors as ourselves.

3.  We ask that God would give us wisdom from above, and His direction in all we do. We ask that the Lord would be our guide in all of the logistics (program, drivers, hosts, cities) and would pour out His favor on our efforts.

"If my people, who are called by my name,

 shall humble themselves and pray

 and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways,

 THEN will I hear from heaven

 and will forgive their sin and will HEAL THEIR LAND."

 -2 Chron. 7:14

 

Neglect not the Gospel of Grace

 

These days, it is so easy to get distracted with concentration on social change that we lose our zeal in helping people meet God personally through Jesus Christ. The following story zapped me as to what I must guard against. Maybe it speaks to you as well.

“A little boy was part of a destitute family during the Depression. Day after day, the father and mother struggled to feed their children. One day, the young boy announced he would provide the food for dinner. ‘What are you going to do?’ his mother asked.

“‘My friend and I will go down to the pond and catch some fish. There’s a bunch of fish there, and we’ll be able to catch plenty!’ the boy explained. Proud of the important responsibility he was taking on, the youngster met his friend and they proceeded to the pond a few miles away. When they arrived they were getting their fishing gear ready when the friend said, ‘Hey, there’s a snake.’ Excitedly, the boys quickly chased the snake and killed it. ‘They say when you see a snake, there are usually others around,’ the boy told his friend. So they set aside their fishing poles and began stalking their slithering prey. For hours, they romped around the pond, waging a youthful crusade against serpents. Finally, it began to grow dark, so the boys picked up their fishing poles and headed home.

“When the boy arrived home, his mother beheld his broad grin and empty hands. ‘Wow!’ he exclaimed. ‘Did we ever have a great time. You should have seen how many snakes we killed!’ ‘Where are the fish you said you were going to catch for us?’ his mother asked. ‘Oh, uh, we just got so busy chasing and killing snakes that we forgot all about catching fish,’ the youngster replied apologetically.”

I know there is a time to kill a few snakes, but our main focus must be fishing for men. In our Nation, there is a strategic right and role for activism, even Christian activism. But to change a nation God calls His people to change a country one heart at a time through outreach and discipleship. The Apostle Paul made an emphasis upon reaching public servants throughout the Book of Acts. Working in this arena, from my vantage point, mature growing Christ centered leaders don’t need to be pressured much to vote right. The Word of God and the Holy Spirit is the best and most powerful Lobbyist. I believe God’s plan of His Great Commission and Capitol Commission will best serve America. Imagine in time there will be many public servants and business people serving in local, state and federal levels - who determine votes, purposes and plans from a biblical perspective because someone introduced them to the Word of God.

Chairman of Leadership St. Tammany Revisited Event

As GRACE ADVENTURES is soon to finish up our third year of ministry, we are praising God for His goodness and greatness. Ministry opportunities have blossomed and this year new works have been birthed in Baton Rouge, New Orleans, and the Northshore and seeds have been planted in Washington D.C. Our dream continues to be catalyzing a movement for Jesus among Political, Business and Spiritual Leaders. This is a daunting task but with Jesus, all things are possible. Don’t you yearn for revitalization in America? Couldn’t a city be turned upside down once again? Isn’t God’s hand still strong?  This is what we live for. Agree? Please stand with us!
 

Betting the Farm on God,

Michael

A Kingdom Smackdown

I have never seen anything like this in my life. I know I am witnessing some Kingdom work getting started. A series of meetings have brought together key leaders in the state … political leaders, marketplace leaders, etc. In one of the launch meetings I was casting vision, sharing Jesus and motivating these leaders. One of the industry leaders was practical and wanted to know how impact was going to happen. What is the plan? How will this work? We were out of time and would have to take this good question up in our next gathering. I came home and wrestled with the question and many possible answers. What great answer could I give? God humbled me and after a few days clearly reminded me how the city, state and world could be reached and discipled. I needed to keep the main thing the main thing.

Men are God's method.
The Church is looking for better methods;

God is looking for better men. ”
E. M. Bounds, Power Through Prayer
 

Jesus’ strategy was not to impress the crowd, but to usher in a kingdom. Jesus needed men who could one day lead the multitudes. His worldwide plan was hinged upon reaching and developing a few ordinary men as a base on which the masses could later depend. The disciples were His “Plan A” and He had no “Plan B.” This stands in contrast to our modern day emphasis on the number of converts, rather than basic discipleship. Jesus followers became simply “missionaries cleverly disguised as neighbors, coworkers, students, employees, business owners, managers, designers, steel workers, chemists, retirees, stay at home parents, IT people, contractors, sales people, healthcare professionals, teachers and family members.”

 

Henry Varley to D.L. Moody in London: “The world has not yet seen what God will do in, and through and by and for the man totally consecrated to Him.” Moody said, “By God’s grace I’ll be that man.”

I read something this month from Eugene Peterson. One friend said this is a real smack down from St. Eugene. It stands as the reminder I needed to hear and one I trust will remind me to rely upon the power of Jesus and the ministry of the Holy Spirit.

Peterson says: “The pastors of America have metamorphosed into a company of shopkeepers, and the shops they keep are churches. They are preoccupied with shopkeeper’s concerns–how to keep the customers happy, how to lure customers away from competitors down the street, how to package the goods so that the customers will lay out more money. Some of them are very good shopkeepers. They attract a lot of customers, pull in great sums of money, and develop splendid reputations. Yet it is still shop keeping; religious shop keeping, to be sure, but shop keeping all the same. The marketing strategies of the fast-food franchise occupy the waking minds of these entrepreneurs; while asleep they dream of the kind of success that will get the attention of journalists.

“The biblical fact is that there are no successful churches. There are, instead, communities of sinners, gathered before God week after week in towns and villages all over the world. The Holy Spirit gathers them and does his work in them. In these communities of sinners, one of the sinners is called pastor and given a designated responsibility in the community. The pastor’s responsibility is to keep the community attentive to God. It is this responsibility that is being abandoned in spades.”

Please pray Grace Adventures stays focused upon knowing Jesus and making Him known. Pray I impress the sheep with the shepherd of the sheep. Pray Jesus is lifted up because if He Is, He will draw people to Himself. Pray we stay intentional about making disciples and don’t compromise spiritual nutrition for entertainment and diets of sugar.

2 Chronicles 16:9 “For the eyes of the Lord move to and fro throughout the earth that He may strongly support those whose heart is completely His.”

Pray

1. Pray for these meetings with marketplace and political leaders. Pray for modern day Daniel’s, David’s, and Joseph’s. Pray that leaders yearn to know Jesus and make Him known. Pray they develop skills in living and serve for the glory of God.

2. Pray for open doors and boldness. Pray for several new emerging opportunities in Baton Rouge.

3. Pray for revival in our land. Pray boldly. The kingdom emerges small like a mustard seed but think of what can come from it. There will be weeds but pray the wheat harvest is great (Matthew 13).

4. Pray for Donna. She works hard in the home, ministry and once again with special needs kids at Pontchartrain Elementary. She provides our medical insurance and so much more. One day I pray she will be full time with Grace Adventures and will have the time to reach out to leader’s spouses and elected women in office in special ways.

5. Praise for so many open doors. It is like Habakkuk 1:5 “Look at the nations and watch-and be utterly amazed. For I am going to do something in your days that you would not believe, even if you were told.”

6. Praise for a God whom never changes, always faithful, always present, always good, always in control, and always working things for my good.

Ezek. 22:30 “And I searched for a man among them … who should stand in the gap.”

Free New Resource (from SEARCH Ministries):

I give this tool to seeking people who wrestle with the “Big Questions” of life. Listen in on an honest dialogue between two good friends who want faith in God to make sense and want to build a solid basis of purpose www.thesearchformeaning.org. No nickel answers to million dollar questions here. No condescending, judgmental approaches. Discover openness, honesty and respect.

Betting the Farm on God,

Michael

Our Lives

Amazing! Time Flies! Three years ago to the day I stepped away from pastoring in the traditional church setting. God opened and continues to open doors of opportunity beyond what I could have ever imagined out in the highways and byways. We are immersed in the political and economic world through reaching out to the government and business community.

Donna and I would not be able to strategically focus this way without friends who partner with us in prayer, encouragement and support. We are most grateful. YOU play a huge role in every business person who finds faith … every lonely leader who is encouraged … every person who is reminded not to quit … every seed sown … every political leader who discovers Jesus is worth following … every revitalized soul who discovers their purpose. Paul put it this way in Philippians 4:17, “Not that I seek the gift itself, but I seek for the profit which increases to your account.”

Pondering:

1.  We can get so caught up learning about God or serving God we lose our intimacy with God.

2.  The most important house is not the White House but your house and my house.

3.  Henri Nouwen in his perceptive book, The Return of the Prodigal Son, describes his encounter with Rembrandt’s painting of this parable and the remarkable effect this painting had on his self-understanding. “It had brought me into touch with something within me that lies far beyond the ups and downs of a busy life, something that represents the ongoing yearning of the human spirit, the yearning for a final return, an unambiguous sense of safety, a lasting home.” This picture sits above my desk and reminds me daily of the Father’s house and the deep satisfaction of His embrace and of being treasured by Him.

Reading:

1.  Old Testament book of Nehemiah (430BC)

2.  Profiles in Courage by John F. Kennedy (1956)

3.  No Greater Power by Richard Halverson (1986)

4.  When the Giant Lies Down by Dick and Ruth Foth (1995)

Thankful For:

1.  For the Body of Christ that is so much bigger than one church, city, nation or denomination!!!

2.  For my calling. On June 22, 1984 I was ordained as a pastor of the Gospel. Twenty-nine years are finished and I am into my 30th year. There are always enough joys to keep me going and enough troubles to keep me dependent.

3.  For Donna. An excellent wife is the crown of her husband (Prov. 12:4). The new Royal Highness Prince George of Cambridge may have a crown but so do I!!!

Praying:

1.  Pray for several new initiatives with State Leaders beginning in September. More news to come. There are leaders who work, speak and act with high levels of determination and integrity in a world of influence. What if there could be more. Pray.

2.  Pray for a gathering of 30 New Orleans Leaders in early August and the potential movement that may launch from this meeting.

3.  Retreat in August with 50-60 young adults.

4.  Ongoing Bible Studies, personal appointments and speaking opportunities.

5.  Visit with Jonathan and Patricia to see their new home.

Betting the Farm on God,

Michael

Only God

Imagine numbers of the most powerful leaders in our state opening the Scriptures and having in-depth discussions about the Good News of Jesus Christ and how they can honor Him in their lives and work. Imagine Republicans and Democrats coming together, walls coming down and leaders getting to know each other better. Imagine the beginnings of a Bible study for Lobbyists. Yes Lobbyists! Imagine one-on-one visits with leaders to pray, build relationships, encourage, and allow God to show up. Imagine the privilege of helping to lead prayer in both the Senate and House Chambers, asking God to heal our land and bless our leaders. Imagine getting to speak at a legislative retreat to discuss how to live out faith in government and modern day life. All these things and more really happened over the past few months. ONLY GOD! Only God could cause these doors to open. Prayers have been answered. Souls encouraged. Jesus lifted up.

“Abraham Lincoln famously said, “My concern is not whether

God is on our side; my greatest concern is to be on God’s side.”

Praying in the House Chamber
Rep. Schroder on right,
Speaker of the House in background

My time at the 2013 Legislative Session at the Capitol in Baton Rouge has been completed. For the entire session, I spent three full days a week in Baton Rouge, and have made many new friendships. The ministry is to reach and encourage the Capitol Communities for Christ in a non-partisan and non-political fashion. The love of God, prayer and the Gospel of Jesus is offered to Legislators, government leaders, lobbyists, staffers, political operatives, journalists and security staff.

 



Trinity Bible Church
Fredericksburg, VA

  

The approach of Grace Adventures is different than two of the predominant methods used today in the political arena. One is the ATTACK method. The second is the TOTAL SEPARATION method. Our method is to ENGAGE. We engage those who serve in the political sphere with the power of the gospel (Romans 1:16) and encouragement for the soul (Psalm 23:1-3, Matthew 11:28-29). We are committed to the Great Commission (Matthew 28:19-20) and the Capitol Commission (Acts 9:15). It is God who transforms…one person at a time. Our prayer is for revitalization, renewal and goodness for our nation and state. ONLY GOD!

“Seek the welfare of the city where I have sent  you into exile

…for in its welfare you will find your welfare.” (Jer. 29:7)

East Coast Speaking:

The Legislative Session was immediately followed by open doors to teach and preach in Pennsylvania, Maryland and Virginia. I spoke eight times over seven days to military families at Officers Christian Fellowship Retreat Center in White Sulphur Springs, Pennsylvania. I heard many needs of our military families and delighted in sharing life with the men and women who make our freedom possible. These officers and their families are heroes and national treasures. It was an honor for Donna and me to encourage them with Scripture and one-on-one.

Officers Christian Fellowship

 

“All that is necessary for the triumph of evil is that good men do nothing.”

 –attributed to Edmund Burke

 These eight speaking opportunities were followed immediately with four more speaking engagements over two days at Forcey Bible Church in Silver Spring, Maryland and at a mini-missions conference at Trinity Bible Church in Fredericksburg, Virginia. Our trip wrapped up in the D.C. area with several very encouraging appointments with Bobby Little of the Christian Embassy and the folks at Chuck Colson’s Prison Fellowship.

Forcey Bible Church
Men's Brunch

Prayer:

1.    Pray for a great work of God in our nation. If you need a tool to guide you … go to www.pray1tim2.org.

2.    Pray for a transition in the ministry with a new person handling the bookkeeping and donation work of Grace Adventures. This will free Donna up a bit. She has done all of this for the last two and a half years.

3.    Pray Donna and I pause appropriately to hear the fresh voice of God and listen to His Word. We want to serve after drinking from a running stream and not from a stagnant pond.

4.    Pray for Jonathan and Patricia. Patricia is finishing a summer internship. They just moved into their first house in Dallas.

“Do all the good you can, By all the means you can,

In all the ways you can, In all the places you can,

At all the times you can, To all the people you can,

As long as you ever can.”

--John Wesley

 

New Ministry at the Capitol

The Louisiana Senate and House of Representatives have been in session for the last eight weeks. They will finish up after the first week of June.  I've been spending three days a week in Baton Rouge at the Capitol. My days are filled with appointments, prayer, Bible study, new contacts, listening and caring, and availability for Divine appointments. The House of Representatives Bible study has launched, the beginnings of a Bible study for Lobbyists, and Lord willing another new Bible study will begin after session. Every day when I get up I say, “Jesus you are going to be busy today. Can I come along with You in your work?” It is a joy to partner with Jesus in the unfinished work of the Capitol Commission.

I am convinced that one of the keys to accomplish the Great Commission and see revitalization in our land is to engage in the Capitol Commission. My main purpose is not to lobby for legislation (as important as that is) but to reach legislators for Christ, pray for them and build them up in the faith. Stronger believers will increasingly vote right on the issues as they discern God’s leadings and wisdom.

I believe the Apostle Paul and others heard this calling to reach Kings through a Capitol Commission (Acts 9:15, 1 Tim. 2:1-4, Acts 1:1, Luke 1:3, Acts 23:11, 27:23, Rom. 15:23-24, Ps. 119:46, Isa. 60:11,

2 Chron. 32:31) and “turned the world upside down” (Acts 17:6). The early leaders did this without printing presses, radio, television, internet, social media and with little money and a lot of persecution. It was a work of God!  Pray that in every state in the U.S. God would generate a movement amongst governing authorities at Federal, State, City, Parish and County levels that will change the direction of a whole nation.

Praise:

1. Last month I shared with you that I had the privilege to help put together the National Day of Prayer event at the Capitol on May 2. Gov. Jindal, public officials, the media, pastors and the public made their way into the Senate Chamber at noon. The Governor shared a proclamation and a variety of leaders lifted the nation up in prayer.

2. God has opened up incredible doors of opportunity.

3. Our daughter in law, Patricia, graduated with her Master’s degree in Speech Pathology. What a joy to see her smile on that special day.

4. Praise for Scott who trusted Jesus and is filling in for me teaching Bible when I have to be in another place. He is a sponge when it comes to the Bible and is passing on what he is learning. More doors will open for this natural communicator and disciple.

Prayer:

1. Pray for our governing officials as they serve. I have met many servant leaders in our LA House of Representatives. I get an insider look and have found Representatives in our state work for little pay, long hours, have to keep businesses and families going back home, and many have to live away from home for much of nine weeks. This week is the culmination of the session and the toughest issues are left until last. Please pray for wisdom, strength and a good success on issues critical to our community. Pray for Governor Jindal, the Senate and especially for the members of the House of Representatives.

2. After session ends, Donna and I will take off for the East Coast to do some speaking. One important event is eight days at the Officer’s Christian Fellowship Retreat Center in White Sulphur Springs, PA where I will speak each day and Donna and I will be available to meet with Officers and their spouses one-on-one. Many will have recently returned from Afghanistan and are looking to transition back into family life. They have been dealing with deployments, marital strain, stress and loneliness, re-integration issues, etc. These leaders are national treasures and heroes. Pray they have a great week of revitalization, family time and spiritual replenishment.

3. Pray for my five Business leaders Bible studies and appointments throughout the week in New Orleans and on the Northshore.

4. My Dad has been back in the hospital. I look forward to visiting my parents on Father’s Day weekend!

June Speaking Schedule:

June 16th
Gaines Congregational Church
Ridge Rd., Gaines, NY
11:00am, Preaching

June 21-28
Officer’s Christian Fellowship
White Sulphur Springs Retreat

Bedford, PA (Speaking Daily)

June 29th
Forcey Bible Church Men's Brunch
Silver Spring, MD 20904
301-622-2200

9:30-11:30am

June 29th
Trinity Bible Church
Fredericksburg, VA
Missions Weekend Conference

June 30, 2013
Trinity Bible Church
Fredericksburg, VA
Preaching

10:30am