2011 m2c texas prayer initiative 2.25

2011 Prayer Support for Mission V. 2; N. 25

MISSION HIGHLIGHT

Beautiful Savior,

Paris

This mission, now a chartered LCMS congregation, was planted by LCMS Lutherans in the Paris, TX area. They meet each Sunday at 10:00 am for worship.

To go to the website click here.

Do you know people who would like to make a difference in the world?

Invite them to become an m2c Missional Prayer Partner. Forward them this link. click here!

Invocation

O Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, in this wonderful mystery You have Created, Redeemed, and Comforted those you have called to Yourself. You also have sent Your body to bring salvation to the world. Work through me this day to accomplish Your will, all to the glory of Him who is, was, and is to come; Jesus. Amen.

Reading Luke 8:41-56; Psalm 63

Reflection

Pray For New Churches That Impact Their Communities.

God calls church planters to make new disciples, gather believers in worship, equip people for ministry and send people out for mission. Sounds easy? Yeah right! The fact is, most attempts to plant a new church fail. Church planting is often a complicated mix of evangelism, discipleship, finance and budgeting, outreach, mission, administration, facilities management, team-building and momentum gathering. Most often, an attempt at planting a new church in the community isn't the first, and won't be the last. So, what does someone do when they see the need for a new church plant in an unreached community? We can take a hint from Jesus' interaction with the community in Luke 8.

The woman in Luke 8:41 who touched Jesus had made several attempts at being healed, "But no one could heal her." Who knows how many doctors and healers had attempted to cure the medical condition that made her untouchable according to Jewish laws. When Jesus passed by, she touched his garment and was finally healed. She was gutsy enough to break a religious law in order to be healed. In the process, her faith and the faith of those in the crowd grew.

Are you gutsy enough to do what it takes to see your community saved? Others may have attempted to begin new ministries in your area and failed. Or, you may have felt the calling to be a church planter, but don't have the credentials. You just might be the person that God has chosen to do what no one else has been able to. Has God has placed a burden on your heart for a certain community or people group that no one has been able to reach yet? Just because no one has been able to plant a church in your community doesn't mean that it can't be done. Ask God to allow you to be the hem of Jesus' garment that people can touch and be healed.

Jesus continued to the house of a religious leader as requested. The ruler asked Jesus to heal his daughter, but she was already dead and people told him to give up (vs 49.) Jesus raised the girl from the dead and impacted that family and their entire community. Pray that God would use you to impact your community with the Gospel message in much the same way, raising people from spiritual death and connecting them to a new family of believers.

Mark Junkans

Executive Director | LINC Houston

Pray (As you pray include . . . people who don't know Christ; people who will plant & witness; include people who pray. In addition, pray that the land be quenched with rain and that opportunities to bring God's love to individuals and communities impacted by the wildfires not be missed by God's servants.)

Benediction

Be filled with the joy and the peace that comes from the Triune God, for you have been in His gracious presence today. AMEN .

Note: Those items that are in bold italic are newly added to or timely emphasis items

Pray that the members of the Texas District embrace the mission.

Lord, As fears grow concerning local, state, and world events, make Your presence known, through Your church and through Your people in such a way that Your hand of grace would be seen calming hearts and minds ultimately drawing all people to Yourself. Amen.

Pray for Missionaries and their Families -----

For the Preparation of new Church Planters who are ready to enter into this challenging and difficult ministry in Texas and throughout the nation

For the Center for Us Mission CPAC. Pray that men and their families are raised up for vital church planting in our church body.

For the unseen missional workers in neighborhoods and communities in Texas and around the world whose hearts would reveal Christ to the world.

For Vicars and Call Candidates as the Lord prepares them and their families for work in God's Kingdom.

For Ms Stacy Holton, LINC North Texas Urban Missionary, Dallas, TX

For Deacon Rodney Emilien, Zion Christian Center, Houston, TX

For your own pastoral leadership

For church planter coaches and those being coached
For those preparing for the ministry, that they recognize the heart and desire of Christ in every ministry to which they are called.

Pray for New Missions -----

For the Holy Spirit to guide the formation of Abiding Word Lutheran Church in Gonzales

For Hope Lutheran, Marble Falls, planted in connection with Genesis, Buchanan Dam

For Grace Community Church (Pakistani / Indian)

Rev. Ed Benarsi and Pakistani worship at Our Savior, Austin on Sunday evenings. Pray for effective outreach and God's blessings on this new beginning.

For Mission Marble Falls.

For Redeemer, Austin to implement childcare outreach.

For St. Paul, McAllen as they investigate a new start with SMP Vicar Mr. Andrew Perry

For St. Peter, Roanoke as it becomes a Texas Dist Church Planting Training Partner

For Mission Liberty Hill

For St. John Cypress as they look for their next mission start.

For Steve Sandfort, Mission Planting Vicar at Crown of Life, Colleyville and the launch team for Edge Community Lutheran, NW Tarrant County.

For the development of mission in the northeast corner of Area A and Candelaria in the Southwest.

For Epiphany, Pearland as they continue to develop their multi-site ministry.

For St. Paul, McAllen as they investigate a new start with SMP Vicar Mr. Andrew Perry

Pray for Continuing and Key Events -----

The FiveTwo Wiki Conference held this week, June 21-24, 2011

For congregations to make bringing Christ to communities their top priority

For strong fellowship development among like minded witnesses

For Ramiro Guierrez and his family in the New Hope ministry. That leaders would be raised up for the surrounding community.

For Beto and a Church Plant that God would guide to the start of prayer groups and Bible Studies in the communtiy and for the I-360 visa application. Beto's current visa expires on July 27th.

For congregations in Area A as they look to develop missional hearts.

St Paul, Ft Worth / The Summit at Aledo as they search for direction concerning their next Multi-Site Mission location.

For Parent Ministry in the Spanish-Speaking Church Plant in Carrollton, Farmers Branch, that there be a break through the apathy to attend class, and that parents and children grow in their relationship.

For continued connections with AVID teachers: Becky, Teal, Liz, Lindsey, Christina, Camille, Richard, and Cindy.

For POBLO and a new Ethnic Mission Plant in partnership with Our Savior, Rockwall.

For the search for Director for LINC San Antonio

For Missional Worker Training in Area C

For LINC NT work in Carrollton-Farmers Branch ISD and for protection of the children during summer vacation, especially from drugs and pregnancy.

Thanksgiving for a very successful Gala. Thanksgiving for the development at New Hope.

For the Ten new church starts in Area B

For High Plains Mission Council Development.

For preparation and planning of the 2011 Professional Church Workers Conference to be held in Klein, TX October 16-18. that the Mission of God be foremost in the heart and mind of presenter and participant alike.

For 10% of the Baptized members of TxDistLCMS to pray for mission

For SALI that they would stay in God's will as they move out into other school districts as well as for the new Early College High School Parent Nights at Brookhaven College.

For a new intern to help run SALI in the 2011-2012 school year.

Pray for Congregations to grow in their discipleship response to the Gospel including their financial support for kingdom work. For Stewardship Resources click here.

Pray for the U.S. Budget Process for 2012 and for the strengthening of our economy in the US and around the world for the continued resourcing of the Mission.

Message to Partners -----

Even though changes on these lists may be subtle and infrequent, do not be discouraged in your prayers and do not conclude that things are not happening. There is active mission movement in the Texas District. Perseverance in prayer is one of the characteristics of this ministry, as I am sure you know.

I assure you that your prayers are being heard and are greatly needed. There is movement in the body of Christ in Texas and around the world. Thank you for your persistent prayer support.

This publication is made available for your encouragement in prayer ministry and prayer support for Mission 200 of the Texas District, LCMS. Reflections are authored by missionaries and leaders in the Texas District whose heart is to bring the Gospel to people who do not know Jesus Christ.

If you have questions, comments, prayer requests for planting, or if you are looking for information concerning church planting in your community, you may email your Area Mission and Ministry Facilitator:

Steven Misch | Paul Krentz | Mike Newman | Jon Braunersreuther

Mission 200 (M2C) is the effort of Texas District Congregations to start 200 new Word and Sacrament Ministries by 2017, the 500th anniversary of the Reformation. The Texas District prays that a mission movement can grow in Texas.

For more information and resources for mission planting in Texas go the m2c website by clicking here.

For information about Missional Worker Training in the Texas District, click here.

Blessings,

Rev. Steven Misch
Texas District, LCMS
806-433-4536