Prayer & Partnering

The last two weeks because of a hectic schedule I have traveled to Sebewaing on a Tuesday and this past Saturday. I would like to use my blog posting to recount a couple of things from those visits.

The last two weeks that Deb and I have been with John and Rhonda Elenbaum we have decided that God is calling us to use our time in extended times of prayer. Our prayer focuses have been on concerns in our own families and what God wants for the next steps in the disciple making ministry in Sebewaing. These times together in prayer have been very special. It has been a privilege to hold up one another in prayer and to really be seeking God on gathering a group together in Sebewaing to advance the kingdom.

I believe that with some of the more personal issues we have been holding up in prayer we have already seen God moving and laying ground work for healing in relationships. In the area of expanding what we are doing in Sebewaing, there also seems to be a growing sense that God is going to provide additional opportunities to expand the disciple making ministry. We are not sure what this will look like, but we have sensed a moving of the Spirit.

In the area of partnering, two separate things have arose. The first is fairly concrete, but a good example of the possibilities. On March 28, I will be leading my Youth Group to Red Bird Mission in South East Kentucky. It is a trip that I have made many times and look forward to how God will move. This year Joe, whom I met with in a Life Transformation Group on Thursdays, and his son are going to join us. I am excited about that because for me this is a picture of the Kingdom --different groups coming together to do the work of God.

The second possible example of ministries working together to advance the Kingdom arose out of a meeting I had with Mike Sweciki, the Pastor at Salem United Methodist Church in Pigeon. Mike is being called by the United Methodist Church to move to the Midland area to plant a church. We had a great conversation, and I told him I would love to get together when I get back to talk about how we can support one another.

Next week I will be going through 10 days of Disciple Making training through the Keystone project so I will not be traveling to Sebewaing. Please keep me in prayer during that time that God would show me new opportunities and train me in new ways over that time.

Your servant in Christ,

Brian