FEB
2016

CPW
DIALOG
Prayer and Expectations
 
 
    
What to Expect When You're... Expecting? ...Praying!!

     Knowing what to expect is helpful. Our family is expecting two baby boys in the next five weeks! Books, ultrasounds, doctor appointments, and the counsel of recent parents/grandparents provide comfort and confidence.
     When it comes to prayer, good information and defined expectations can also be helpful. So let me offer a short list of what you might expect when you pray looking for specific answers and outcomes. You can:
  1. Expect God to work in you. God likes you, wants to spend time with you, and is regularly working in you. When you are distracted or resistant to Him, He can use your wants and needs to draw you to Him. His intention may be more about getting your attention than fulfilling your wishes. The fact is, He is the answer to your greatest need.
  2. Expect God to fulfill His promises. Praying God's promises is a powerful method of prayer. God will fulfill every promise He has made (e.g.: forgiving your sin, always being with you, working all things for good). When claiming God's promises, however, a good bit of care must be exercised to understand His promises' intended subject(s) and conditions. So, honestly, when you seek to effectively pray His promises, you can expect to become a better Bible reader and interpreter.
  3. Expect God to respond in ways that may make you say, "Wow!" or "Whoa!" While there are many reasons God may not answer your prayer exactly as you ask (e.g.: because of selfish motives, or His better timing, or His bigger plan-"some of God's greatest gifts are unanswered prayers" according to Garth Brooks), God invites you to pray, because:
    • He cares for you and wants you to be aware of His presence and His work in you by His Spirit (see #1 above),
    • He wants you to align yourself with Him, His Word, and His will (#2 above), and
    • He likes to respond to your prayers in ways that bring Him glory (the "Wow-factor") and grow your faith in Him (the "Whoa-factor")!    
     So as we go to the Lord together in prayer--especially tomorrow with the requests listed below, we know some things to expect!
 
Grateful our God cares, listens, and responds,
Prayer Requests and Updates; CPW Day of Prayer is Tomorrow, February 8
 
Join us in praying for:

Luke and Joy Buyert in Chico, our most recently deployed church planters! By the way, Joy is the daughter of Red Ensley, who was the NCBC Church Planting director for many years. (Pictured with their three adult kids.) 

Damon and Shantell Owens of Genesis Church in Antioch, attending the Converge Church Planters Assessment Center. (Pictured with recent baptizees). 
  
Three CPW Lead Pastors (see pictures below) were newly appointed in January!! We praise God for His provision. Be praying for the pastors, their families and the churches as they follow God's direction and accomplish their mission together.
Pastor Mike and Zoë Baker of Crosspoint Community, Santa Rosa (their two kids not pictured)
  
Pastor Scott and Katie Borman and kids, NewCov, Fresno 
Pastor Ron and Kimberly Johnson and kids,
East Valley Church, San Jose 
Janet Sevillano, wife of Pastor Mauricio of Iglesia Nuevo Comienzo in Antioch. She had a stroke on Sunday, Jan. 31, and is recovering at home and awaiting a corrective surgery.
Pastor Skot Lokers of Impact Church in Tracy: a suspicious growth has been detected on his lung. Several tests have been done; next is a needle biopsy on Thursday
 
Tito Dizon, former Church Planter and current leader at Natomas Life Ministries in Sacramento: recovering from quadruple bypass surgery

Pastor Chris Tenny of Dwell Christian Church in San Jose: recovering from and adjusting to an implanted defibrillator received last week  
 
Nancy Mickens: grieving the loss of her husband Hal, who was a faithful servant of the Lord at 
Crosspoint Church in Santa Rosa and a former CPW Board of Overseer

David Yetter, CPW Executive Minister: thank the Lord for His healing, recovery is going well following the surgery to re-attach the retina in his left eye

LEAD Team Coaches' Meeting in Modesto on Feb. 23-24: collaborating and coordinating efforts to fulfill our mission and achieve our Better Together Goals  

Praise God for January's well-attended and God-blessed Women's Conference in Monterey (below left) and our Spirit-led Pastors' and Wives' Retreat in Pismo (see Pastor Huong and Wendy Nguyen, below right).   
  
    
Ask God to lead all our churches and district to realize our Better Together Goals:   
  • BetterGospelSharing, resulting in waves of people saved, baptized, and well-discipled
  • BetterChurchHealth, resulting in leaders and congregations fulfilling their God-given mission with joy and power
  • BetterPastorFitness, with pastors courageously leading, helped by God and a peer network
  • BetterChurchStarting, with established churches supporting life and community transforming church plants
  • BetterWorldImpact, resulting in the world seeing our good deeds--here, near, and far away--and glorifying the Father in heaven
Upcoming Retreats and Trainings in PacWest
A resource for CPW pastors...

We are pleased to announce that Converge PacWest (CPW) has joined with QuietWaters Ministries to bring you the CareLine. 

 

 

 The CareLine is a professional and confidential consulting resource for Converge PacWest pastors and their families, provided free of charge. Twelve (12) hours a day, seven (7) days a week, the CareLine answering service puts you in contact with one of QuietWaters' licensed, doctor or master level counselors with personal experience in ministry to talk about a personal or congregational issue. The counselors provide assessment, consultation and referral when you have personal, congregational, or ministry concerns and problems. You simply call the toll-free number 888-814-5550.

 

Contact the CPW office to find out more about the program. 
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Converge PacWest's mission is to glorify God by starting and strengthening churches that transform lives and communities here, near, and far away.

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