Grace Adventures: Sprague Family Newsletter 2014

30 Years of Ministry and Counting!

1984

2014

It was 1984 when I was officially ordained to the Gospel Ministry. Where does the time go? It seems like only yesterday Pastor Gerald Small gave me my pastoral charge to “impress the sheep with the Shepherd of the sheep.” What wise words to a young man. Three decades later our ministry focus is simply JESUS. Our interest is not for people to love Christianity, but to love, know, and follow JESUS. God’s grace is available to everyone, but we sense a great calling to reach out to leaders, especially political leaders.

The Apostle Paul was commissioned to strategically reach out to Kings (Acts 9:15). On his missionary journeys he fulfilled this calling by visiting fourteen recorded Capitol Cities, climaxing his work in the Imperial City of Rome. In the same manner as Paul, we pray and yearn today for the transformation of hearts and a revolution of minds in Caesar’s household and in our Capitol communities through the Person of Jesus Christ and the Power of the Word of God. The harvest is plentiful. The opportunities are everywhere. By God’s grace our best days of ministry are still ahead. After all, in the Gospel Ministry you are not done until you are dead!!

The Kingdom is Bursting Forth in 2014:

Served as the Louisiana State Chaplain with the Capitol Commission. What an honor to serve with a national ministry that has ministers serving in about half the state capitols in the United States.
Finished the second year of our House of Representatives Bible Study during their three-month Session in Baton Rouge. It is a thrill to see influential leaders learn Scripture and discover Jesus in a deeper way. Many thanks to Representatives Broadwater and Jackson for Co-sponsoring.
Started a Lobbyist, Staffers and Administration Study at the Capitol. You may say, “A Lobbyist Bible Study sounds like an Oxymoron?” Be nice. Everybody needs connection with God. I have met some outstanding new leaders who are taking steps in their faith! This is what it is all about.
Trained an entire church in sharing their faith over four Wednesday nights. Open doors for conversations with thirsty people are awaiting these non-judgmental people who are armed with the message of Grace. The pastor made me commit to come back next year to do the exact same training.
Co-lead a New Orleans Region Monthly Leader Forum and in December we launched a Monthly Leader Forum in St. Tammany Parish. It is a joy to see elected leaders and business executives gather in humility as peers to get to know Jesus.
Opportunity blossomed to periodically teach on the national television program, www.Beyondhistory.tv.
Divine appointments with leaders in Washington D.C. continued this year: House, Senate, The Fellowship, and Prison Fellowship. It is a joy to help co-lead the Louisiana delegation annually to the National Prayer Breakfast.
Open doors to share the person of Jesus with atheist, agnostics, skeptics, irreligious and religious. The mission field is white unto harvest.
Many new one on one appointments with leaders all over the state. Only God.
Taught Bible studies every day of the work week. What a spiritual feast to see people learn the Word of God and find hope.
Taught at Men’s Retreat. Most of the guys at our men’s retreat had never been on a retreat before. I love the freshness of seeing people step out of their comfort zone.

Community Speaking Opportunities in 2014

WHNO-TV
New Orleans Leader Forum
Northshore Leader Forum
Leadership St. Tammany
Christian Legal Society
House of Representatives Study
Lobbyist Group
Jefferson Parish Capitol Luncheon
Grace Adventures 3rd Anniversary
Men’s Retreat
Louisiana Dental Center
Countryside Fellowship
Officer’s Christian Fellowship Conference
Capitol Commission Missouri Banquet
Grace Harbor Family
Leadership Revisited
Reach Global Crisis Response
Legislator’s Town Hall
Mayor Cooper Event
Rep. Cassidy Office Dedication
Pulpit Supply

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.

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.

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.”

2014 Highlights in Pictures