Merry Christmas from our Family to Yours!

Merry Christmas from Michael and Donna

Our new calling is almost three years old now. GRACE ADVENTURES sprouted with a dedication to reach Political, Business and Spiritual leaders for Jesus, one leader at a time. This ministry is like a tiny, tiny, tiny mustard seed that gets planted in the ground. No one says, “Amen” to a mustard seed. Nobody says, “Yeah, slow organic growth.” So many want the Kingdom style to be swift, forced, visible, and powerful, but Jesus says go with the mustard seed approach, emphasizing slow, steady, stealthy, healthy planting, watering and cultivating. In time the Kingdom bursts forth with fruit 30, 60 or 100 fold. The grand vision is to serve behind the scenes to reach and train up leaders so that these Christ-followers from the political, business and spiritual arenas become fruitful in the community.

The Kingdom is bursting forth in 2013: 

A new Bible study started at the State Capitol for members of the House of Representatives.  Imagine some of the most influential leaders discussing how the Word of God relates to life and work.

Many new friendships among Legislators, government leaders, lobbyists, staffers, political operatives, journalists and security staff.

Michael with Gov. Jindal

A new study was just approved at the State Capitol for year-round staffers in the House, Senate, and Jindal Administration.

A study for Lobbyists. Yes, Lobbyists.

A lawyer who, last year put faith in Jesus, is now teaching the Bible and preparing for seminary.

A business man is sharing his faith hundreds of times and leading a seeker investigative study.

Outreach event where over 200 people registered a faith decision for Christ.

Leadership St. Tammany

Business leaders received training in apologetics and how to share the good news.

Military leaders encouraged, invested in and then sent out to impact their world.

Open doors to share the Gospel with atheists, agnostics, seekers, skeptics, irreligious and religious. The mission field is white unto harvest.

New one-on-one appointments with leaders all over the state. What a spiritual feast. Only God!

Numbers of divine appointments with national leaders in Washington: with the Senate, House, Christian Embassy, The Fellowship and Prison Fellowship.

Just this week, a businessman attending his first Bible study ever commented that he wanted to learn “anything and everything” he could from the Bible.
 

Abraham Lincoln famously said, “My concern is not whether God is on our side; my greatest concern is to be on God’s side.”

Our Message

Our message simply put is JESUS. Our interest is not for people to love Christianity but to love JESUS. Our focus is not so much to get people to heaven but get people to a personal relationship with God and then heaven gets thrown in. We cannot fix anybody, but we can bring people to the real JESUS and allow Him to do what we could never do – transform a human life. We desperately want to learn from Richard Halverson, former Chaplain of the United Stated Senate, “In the beginning the church was a fellowship of men and women centering on the living Christ. Then the church moved to Greece, where it became a philosophy. Then it moved to Rome, where it became an institution. Next, it moved to Europe, where it became a culture. And, finally, it moved to America, where it became an enterprise.” GRACE ADVENTURES exists to introduce leaders to Jesus Christ and disciple them so that they may effectually impact their sphere of influence for the glory of God.

Community Speaking Opportunities in 2013

Louisiana Legislative Retreat

Building Dedication

Veteran’s Hospital Staff

 

Praying at LA House of Representatives

LA House of Representatives

New Orleans Leadership Forum

Leadership St. Tammany

LA Dental Association

Officers’ Christian Fellowship

Urban Impact

Touch Global

Christian Legal Society

Channel 10, Cable Television

Pulpit Supply

Men’s Retreats

National Day of Prayer

Leadership Revisited

Colorado Disaster

 

North Carolina Adventures

North Carolina Adventure

Commissioning Address

 

Forcey Missions Conference

Missions Conference

Christian school

Financial Update

I have not mentioned finances since last December.  For a man who has been called “pathetic” at fundraising, God gave us enough to get started. The core of the ministry has been supported by people making monthly commitments to GRACE ADVENTURES, and this has been supplemented by one-time gifts. I am grateful. As a faith-based ministry, I am responsible to raise all of my monthly support.

Please pray for:

New monthly commitments to join the team.

End-of-the-year special gifts for projects.

End of the year project:

No emotional appeals. No fundraising tactics. If you are looking for a Kingdom place to invest, if our work registers in deep ways, c’mon and jump in and move Grace Adventures forward. Last year’s end-of-the year giving allowed our lean ministry budget to do additional outreach and free up Donna somewhat with some strategic bookkeeper help. Thank you.

Thank you

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.”

2013 Special Memories

Spent Mother's Day with Jonathan and Patricia

Enjoyed a Baseball Game while on Vacation

 

Patricia received her Master's Degree

 
 
 
 

Coach Joe Gibbs spoke at a Men's Event in Mandeville

 

Donna ran into Gold Medalist Gabby Douglas after the National Prayer Breakfast.

Betting the Farm on God,

Michael

North Carolina Adventure Report

One hundred and eighty people gathered in North Carolina for four days in October to go three- by-three to meet with state leaders in every county in the state. This Adventure was modeled after Luke 10 where Jesus sent out the sometimes scaredy-cat 72 disciples two-by-two to every town to pray and lift up Jesus’ name. Wow ... what an opportunity and privilege.

I met with leaders in Surf City, NC

I flew in from New Orleans and didn’t know anyone. I left North Carolina understanding the power in multiple bands of three brothers stepping out in faith. I expected we would be handed a script to use with our conversations … we were reminded the Holy Spirit would give us the words. I expected we would have pre-arranged appointments set up for us … we were led only by God in every town and to every person. I thought we would sleep in hotels ... God provided the home of a man and woman of peace (and we didn’t have to shake off the dust from our feet). I expected to see North Carolina … but Jesus led us to see the plentiful harvest and not look through, past or by human beings … to truly see them. Jesus blew up all of my expectations and I was left with nothing … but Jesus. Guess what? He was enough.

The power of three going out in Jesus’ name yielded open doors in every town … mayors, county managers, half-way houses, Indian reservations, jails, police chiefs, parks, college presidents, churches, etc. Leaders and people were asked, “What is your biggest problem?” The reoccurring themes were - Racial division, lack of housing, the churches are divided, Meth, lack of peace, and people complaining. Everyone sensed the trouble in our nation and local communities was bigger and deeper than what Republicans, Democrats or Organized Religion could solve. I met the head of the North Carolina Supreme Court. In response to the problems in the state, he said, “We are just putting our fingers in the dykes, and we are running out of fingers to plug the holes.”

Our message of hope to every leader and person was that there is a solution for our human predicament. The solution is in the only Leader who can transform a human heart and bring about real reconciliation. His name is Jesus. We didn’t say the answer was in Christianity but in Christ. The answer is not throwing stones, demonizing, endless complaining, but lifting up the name of Jesus and learning to love God and love people in a Jesus fashion. This has the power to bring about a great awakening of one or even a nation. One young 6’5”, rough around the edges, country boy said it this way, “Everybody just read the book with red letters and everything will be OK.”

We didn’t get booted out of any public official’s office. People were intrigued, curious and drawn to Jesus. Leaders everywhere were exhorted to start little groups in their offices, or a coffee shop, and get to know the real Jesus. A fire got lit in North Carolina. May it spread? Now I will go out two-by-two in Louisiana. How about you? Check out Luke 10 yourself.

Divine Appointment

You never know when God will bring a divine appointment. This happened the other day:

Stranger: You look familiar. Where are you from?

Me: New Orleans

Stranger: I’m from New Orleans, too.

(It turns out we didn’t know each other. He asked what I was doing and I summed it up in a sentence.)

Stranger: I don’t want to talk to anyone about Christianity!

Me: It sounds like you have had a very bad experience with Christianity.

Stranger: When I was 12 years old my parents divorced and all three of us got excommunicated from the church!

Me: Sometimes I don’t like talking about Christianity either. Would it be alright if I talked to you about Jesus?

Stranger: Oh, that will be okay.

Me: One thing I know for sure … Jesus would never have excommunicated a 12-year-old boy from His church. I’m so sorry that happened to you. I know Jesus cares about you and wants to have a relationship with you.

(Off we went into a wonderful conversation about Jesus. Jesus wasn’t a Christian; he was a Jew. We don’t pray in Christianity’s name but in Jesus’ name. The gospel is the good news of Jesus, 1 Cor. 15:1-4)

Prayer for Colorado

Leaders from Estes Park and Longmont

A couple of weeks ago eight leaders who have faced devastation from the recent floods in Colorado, flew in to Louisiana. The leaders from Estes Park recounted the damage, and leaders from the Longmont area spoke of a town being washed away and losing their entire church building. They asked me to come preach and meet with community pastor/leaders. My aim was to encourage these leaders by sharing our Katrina story and put a copy of my book in their hands. Pray. May God work His exploits and faithfulness like He did in our times of anguish.  I am still convinced that God works great works in the middle of disasters.

Estes Park, Colorado

Betting the Farm on God,

 Michael

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