PRAYVANCOUVER.CA 2016-06-18
I waited patiently for the Lord; he inclined to me and heard my cry.
He drew me up from the pit of destruction, out of the miry bog,
And set my feet upon a rock, making my steps secure.
He put a new song in my mouth, a song of praise to our God.
Many will see and fear, and put their trust in the Lord.
Psalm 40:1-3 ESV
This week join us in praying these words of promise will be a reality in every one of our churches in Vancouver and on Vancouver Island. We desire for this to be a season of serving and sharing the gospel that has changed our lives that see many come to trust in the Lord.
We join Towers Baptist Church in celebrating their report: At TBC we celebrate new life as we baptize two brand new believers who immigrated from Shanghai at the beginning of the year. We are thankful for the mission team from Olivet Baptist Church in Honolulu HI for serving our church and our city this week. They were able to bless a church family, pray for people on the street and have dozens of gospel conversations. Pray for intern Blade Foster as he continues to share the gospel in Richmond as he try’s to gather a new group out of lostness to launch a new church.
We join Richmond Chinese Christian Gospel in celebrating their report: “We have 20 adults and fifteen kids in our new Burnaby home group in a member’s tonight. 35 all together! More than half of them our new friends and seekers. We have kids activity in the garage. Lot of fun and joy.”
We join Shahid Kamal in his report: “My family arrived safely in Canada on Tuesday. Praise God and thank you for your prayer support.” They will depart Toronto to begin their journey cross-country next week. We still must find a home for them when they arrive by July 1. Pray for the location of an affordable 3-bedroom home for this family of six.
We pray with thanksgiving for the ministry of Jeff and Sara Phillips in the downtown core through the Crossings Church. Their impact and lives have been critical to the long-term growth of our churches in Vancouver. We pray God’s blessing and guidance as they move to Las Vegas to join the lead ministry staff at Hope Church.
We are thankful for a good and positive meeting of the Leadership Board of WestCoast Baptist Association as they respond to several important decisions as they chart the direction of our family of churches. Pray for the joint staff meeting planned for Wednesday morning to discuss the adjustments needed to respond to the opportunities and circumstances through which God is working in our region.
We are thankful for the positive reports concerning immigration for two of the staff members of Canvas Church. We continue to pray for five more families among our family of churches in the process of securing long-term status in Canada.
This week GenSend Team members will arrive and go through orientation in Vancouver and on the Island. Pray for clarity and unity as these teams come together for this brief time of ministry. Pray for the penetration of the six locations they will focus on this summer. Pray for the momentum of evangelism and reaching the lost will be built to energize local churches and plants through the work of these students this summer.
Pray for the guidance of the Holy Spirit for the leadership of multiple churches as they extend their ministry through a variety of camps and community outreaches this summer. This week pray specifically for Gateway Baptist Church and their network of churches in Surrey.
Pray for the Prayer Network for Vancouver and Vancouver Island
As you joint us in praying if there is a need or a praise you would like to share with our network please simple send a brief email to raywoodard@gmail.com. In busiest times of engaging our city with the gospel, there are three ways you can personally be involved and you can involve your church or networks.
- Several years ago we began weekly publishing the items we are celebrating as well as the needs of our churches and leaders. We seek to make this available every Sunday morning through our website, Facebook and twitter so it can be shared for the coming week with prayer warriors across the country. It can be seen at prayvancouver.ca .
- We began several months ago encouraging individuals and churches to be involved in an effort to stop and pray for Vancouver/Vancouver Island twice daily at 10:02 am/pm. This time was taken from Luke 10:2 to simply ‘Pray earnestly to the Lord of the Harvest to send out laborers into His harvest”. God has been answering this simple prayer offered by those who will discipline themselves to stop and pray.
- A group of our men are fasting and praying starting Tuesday evening after dinner at 6:00PM. Some of our team will fast until Wednesday at 6:00PM and the rest of us will continue our fast until Thursday at 6:00PM. We will be praying as follows:
- Spiritual awakening of our churches, locally and nationally, that are called by His holy name (both in and outside our association)
- Christian mento have a renewed relationship with Jesus and a passion in sharing their testimonies concerning their experiences and walk with the Lord.
- Our Canadian leaders in government at all levels, to govern according to Godly principles.
- Our country that it would return to the Lord and be healed.
- Gods protection for our churches and church families.
- Our church leaders (pastors, elders, deacons, lay leaders)
- Spiritual and numerical growth of our churches and small groups
- Pray for the Harvest
What would happen if all men called by Christ name committed to this time? What if we all humbled ourselves before our Lord? Would you join us in praying the Psalms and petitioning the Lord from His mighty word? Will you join with us until we hear from the Lord?
A leader was speaking with a brother earlier this week. He told him they had been praying for 100,000 men to begin to fast and pray. He told me the Lord impressed upon him… “That is what you can do, but what about ME?” We can do nothing, unless our Lord does it for us. We have no ability, or sustainability, in this fight unless it is the Lord who provides it. It is not 100,000 men…. It is not a 1,000,000 men… it is all men across Canada, called by His holy name. The Lord is stirring His men. Will you join them and seek His face?