PRAYVANCOUVER.CA 2017-07-01
Pray this morning the fruit of the Spirit and the power given by the coming of the Spirit to be witnesses will be evident in each of our 83 congregations and ministries across Vancouver and on Vancouver Island. Pray for open ears and minds to hear and respond to the gospel presentations take place each day and specifically this Sunday morning.
As you pray each day this week reflect on these words:
“So when they had come together, they asked him, “Lord, will you at this time restore the kingdom to Israel?” He said to them, “It is not for you to know times or seasons that the Father has fixed by his own authority. But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.” And when he had said these things, as they were looking on, he was lifted up, and a cloud took him out of their sight. 10 And while they were gazing into heaven as he went, behold, two men stood by them in white robes, and said, “Men of Galilee, why do you stand looking into heaven? This Jesus, who was taken up from you into heaven, will come in the same way as you saw him go into heaven.”
Acts 1:6-11 ESV
We are celebrating with Immanuel Baptist Church the activity of God last week as recorded in this report: Saturday, we held our Community Picnic in an effort to build bridges into the community and let them know that we are here to serve and be hospitable to them. Our congregation showed up to serve and enjoy as well as 100+ visitors from around the neighborhood. Many visitors stayed for the entire time and readily engaged in the activities and conversations. On Sunday morning, our worship service was centered around baptisms and new members. We opened Romans 6:4 and discussed the weight of being buried with Christ in order that we may walk in the newness of life. We then had 9 people join IBC: 4 baptisms and 5 by profession of faith. We also had several visitors from families of those joining and had 135 people in the room to celebrate.
We are thankful for the mission team from New Hope Church who has been serving in the Dominican Republic this week. We pray for those in that country will reap the seeds of the gospel that have been sown this week. We pray also for wisdom and guidance as New Hope embraces the ministry of God Rock in Coquitlam.
We are thankful for a number of graduates from all levels of the education institutions of our region who are being celebrated in our churches. We are specifically thankful today for the families of our leaders who celebrated milestones for their families (Obrien’s, Bond’s, Manires and the Holmes.) We are thankful as we acknowledge the favor of God through our government in the granting of permeant residence status for the Arringtons and the Forlows.
We are praying for the follow-up for several different Canada Day celebrations where our church plants are engaging the community around the city as the River Community at Steveston’s Salmon Festival where over 100,000 are expected to gather. We are praying for the IMB sponsored team ministering at South Asian Community Church. We are praying for the The Common Place as they join the City-wide celebration on Saturday and then launch their summer on Sunday.
We are praying for the gospel conversations being held this week by each of the interns and GenSend Students as they engage the communities they are seeking to reach.
We are praying for the following churches in our family seeking God’s person for pastor.
Westlynn Baptist Church
Surrey Chinese Baptist Church – Chinese Congregation
Vancouver Chinese Baptist Church – Chinese Congregation
Coquitlam Chinese Baptist Church-Chinese Congregation
We are praying for the gathering of our CNBC family of churches in Richmond for their annual meeting this week. We pray for an outpouring of the Spirit on this time of empowering our churches to launch new work and undergird our existing 381 churches from sea to sea. We pray for the leadership and speakers as they prepare for each session that we might be refreshed and aligned as a family to expand the kingdom. We are also praying for the two mission teams coming to guide children and youth activities for the families coming.
We are praying for the services next Sunday morning as visitors and many of our national leaders will be speaking in churches sharing the activity of God in each province.
We are praying for the outreaches planned this week by Burnaby Born Again and the South Asian Community Church as they partner with First Baptist Church in Houston, Texas. These are efforts to gather their friends and family for a time where there will be several gospel conversations.
We are praying for the month of July as churches and church plants are conducting camps of all varieties to engage their communities for Christ. Pray for Church on the Rock who will launch their four weeks of Kids Rock Camps in Pitt Meadow this week.
We are joining the The Point Church as they launch Serve Vancouver 2017 on July 11th with multiple teams and projects across Vancouver. Pray for multiple gospel conversations to take place in every venue and those hearing will respond to the gospel.
We are praying for the core group being formed by Towers Baptist Church and engaging the downtown portion of Richmond with the gospel. We pray for wisdom, courage and faith for many gospel conversations to take place that will result in the salvation of those who hear. We are praying this week for a meeting place for this new outreach to begin gathering individuals into biblical community.
This week pray for the preparation of leaders and teams who are taking final steps this week to launch camps across the region on July 11th. Next week we will be praying for each camp and church.