Dear friends, supporters and prayer partners of Glory Release Ministries, & of Jim, Kate & I.
Its hard to believe its over a month since our return from Africa. Time flies when you are having fun.
Some things are developing that we would appreciate your prayer on.
Earlier in the year we had the conference "Step Up & Step In" as we believed the Lord was saying to step out by faith into those things that you believe for so we did, not only for ourselves and what we believe but also hopefully to encourage the body to do the same in their/your own worlds.
And then the Lord challenged us again with Africa and stepping up to a whole another level and the things we saw and all that God did, blew us away. It's been a time of growing this past year, from one level into another level.
And that leads us to now and what we believe him for now.
Some more detail to share within that bigger vision of :
Evangelistic Gatherings - Where the body of Christ is brought together all from different churches and walks of life, being released in their giftings’ to bring revival to this Nation, firstly in Hamilton, and then to the Nations which through Gods Love, Glory and Joy will transcend culture, denomination, age, gender etc. bringing radical transformation and turning the hearts of the fathers to the children, and the hearts of the children to their fathers. (Mal 4:6)
The Lord is saying to prepare for expansion and so we have been asking the Lord what that looks like and this is where we would ask you to pray.
Part one : Resourcing & Equipping
Nearly every Wednesday night we are holding a meeting in our home when we are around and we are seeing anywhere between 20 - 40 people coming and it is growing and so our home in future will not be able to hold what we believe the Lord wants to do. But we still believe it is not to become a church, as we desire that people would stay in their churches and take back to them what they are carrying and impart it to those around them. We believe that God is setting up some sort of 'resource place' where different people from all walks of society can come, be imparted to, grow in unity in the spirit across the different parts of the body, grow in the areas of their need and then go out again into their worlds, whether they take it back to their churches, their workplaces, their homes, their ministries.
Part two : Going
A part of this we believe is the taking of teams out into different parts within New Zealand and also to the nations to release what the Lord has given and enabling others to walk in the same things but also to receive what other parts of the body have to teach and give us.
This has been happening already on a smaller scale with the various people we meet but it is growing and more and more people are coming and going and we are seeing the fruit of the dream that is within our heart. We are seeing people growing in the Lord, being released in their giftings, building in confidence and going and doing the same. It is so encouraging. In this we feel like the Lord is saying to prepare for expansion and one of the ways we believe he has said is to take on interns and people that want to be a part of this ministry & vision on a day to day basis where they can help to grow this vision the Lord has given but also at the same time to grow themselves, be released and go and do the same. But also where Jim and I would grow and learn as well. Like Jesus where he had the 12 disciples that he walked and talked with along the way and then he sent them out two by two. This is happening already on an 'informal' basis but the Lord is saying to enlarge the tent and so to step out again.
And so on the practical details of this we would ask you to stand with us in prayer for;
1. At the moment the Lord we believe is saying to set up a resource training type room, prayer room and more office space and so we are readjusting our garages and our home in order to set this up. And so is there anyone out there who can help line some garages, perhaps input some finances to buy lining and sliding doors/windows etc. We have thought about taking it in town to other facilities but we are hesitant in that as we want it to remain reproducible, homelike and hospitality orientated user friendly that anyone can feel a part of and not a 'church'. Also in that might be the possibility of moving into a Thursday night as well but not at this stage.
2. We are still needing to see more finances to come on board to enable this vision to happen and release Jim and I from this concern of having to find work to eat and be able to concentrate fully on the ministry.
3. For the right people to come on board in the day to day running of the ministry that would sew into this vision and enable it to happen as we want to step out in more things/outreaches but we cannot do everything and are not gifted in some of these areas to make things like that happen, so to see different people step up and offer their time and gifts into this would be fantastic and already we have seen two people in this past week step forward, so thank you Lord!
4. For us as we step into another level of faith especially in the arena of setting up some sort of internship type programme without it being a 'programme' but a hands on day by day led by the Spirit type walk with the Lord and how the Lord would develop this.
5. Pray for us as we learn to use the people that the Lord brings in a way we have never had to before.
6. Whangarei North is on our heart to go to next and so we are thinking of heading up that way and seeing what the Lord will open up. But we really want to see teams of different people going out into these places that the Lord would open up and so would ask you to pray that the doors that would receive teams of people would open. We already have teams of people waiting to be used and ready to go so we need those doors to open.
So that will give you some idea of where things are at in the detail of the bigger vision and how to pray and ask that you would join with us to see all that the Lord wants to do in this Nation and the Nations of the world.
Thanking you and please don’t forget to have a look at the blogsite at gloryreleaseministries.blogspot.co.nz where inspirational day to day words and insights are put up that would encourage you on in your walk.
Many blessings!
Love Jim & Sarah