Movements. Prayer Journal SOUTH AMERICA. The Great Commission Global Prayer Movement. August 2008

Transcription

1 Movements Prayer Journal The Great Commission Global Prayer Movement August 2008 this month s focus: SOUTH AMERICA Christ the Redeemer Corcovado Mountain, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

2 Friday, August 1 Nehemiah 1:1-3 Thank God for raising up additional, long-term staff members for South America and providing everything needed for initial and ongoing training. Saturday, August 2 Nehemiah 1:4 Pray for multiplied usage of Magdalena in women s leadership seminars, outreach conferences, prisons, drug rehab centers, abuse shelters, & private homes - for evangelism, follow-up & discipleship. Sunday, August 3 Nehemiah 1:5-9 Pray that those receiving Christ during the university project How much do you know about Jesus? will multiply themselves wherever they go. Monday, August 4 Nehemiah 1:10-11 Argentina: Pray for recruitment of 10 new staff members during 2009 and opening the movement in five universities in June. 2

3 Women in ministry from many countries in Latin America receiving DVDs and additional information on the film at the Latin American premiere of Magdalena: Released From Shame held in Colombia. Hope for Broken Lives Magdalena: Released From Shame emphasizes Jesus compassion toward women, as well as His ability to restore their dignity and identity through a personal encounter with Him. Told through the eyes of Mary Magdalene, this new film shows how Jesus values women by focusing on historical accounts of His interactions with Mary Magdalene, the Samaritan woman at the well, the woman who touched Jesus garment, and the woman caught in adultery. Released by Nardine Productions in association with Inspirational Films, Magdalena seamlessly interweaves newly filmed scenes from the lives of these four biblical women into digitally enhanced footage from the Continued on Page 4 Tuesday, August 5 Nehemiah 2:1-5 Bolivia: Pray for a fruitful missions project in Sucre, with faithful students and professionals to lead an ongoing movement there. Wednesday, August 6 Nehemiah 2:6-10 Pray for 1,000 participants expected to attend the National Leadership Conference in Santa Cruz, Bolivia, August Thursday, August 7 Nehemiah 2:11-16 Ask God to supernaturally use the Women Today Conference scheduled for October in Santa Cruz. Friday, August 8 Nehemiah 2:17-20 Pray for birth of the Comunidade Alcance project, which has given our staff team a good perspective on direct ministry in Brazil. 3

4 Magdalena Continued from Page 3 original 1979 JESUS film. Please pray for partnerships and opportunities to show the film throughout the nations of South America. In Colombia Magdalena premiered for an audience of 300 ministry workers. Following this screening, one young woman observed: (One thing) that we women experience here in Colombia is that women have been de-valued But in the movie I could see the value, the transformation (through) the gospel and the sacrifice that Jesus made on the cross Through tears another woman said: I was Saturday, August 9 Nehemiah 4:1-5 Pray for many opportunities to screen the JESUS film repeatedly, especially in places where most people learn best by listening not reading. so touched by the movie because I feel that we women have been put down for a long time by many cultures, and to see how since the time of Jesus, women have had a leading role in evangelism and in the way they have served Jesus. This really touched me. Lonna Vopat of In His Grace and Liz Dickson of Love Unveiled, two ministries with a shared focus on reaching oppressed women, recently conducted outreaches to Argentine women s prisons, abuse shelters, and a drug addiction center using DVD projections of Magdalena. This was part of Extreme Nazarene, an outreach team with 700 Nazarenes from USA, Brazil, Argentina and Ukraine. During a prison outreach, Lonna and Liz tried to show Magdalena but had to stop on both days due to the overwhelming heat and poor lighting. Despite these challenges, more than 200 women indicated decisions to accept Christ! Chile s Campus Ministry plans to show or lend Magdalena to female students as a form of evangelism. The Campus Crusade contact person will then meet with the person individually or with a group of students who watched the film to discuss spiritual topics. Our staff members hope to continue these groups in order to build relationships and engage in follow-through evangelism. They currently train women in church groups to use the film in a similar way. They hope to train hundreds of women to share the gospel with their friends, neighbors, co-workers and relatives through this wonderful ministry tool. Sunday, August 10 Nehemiah 4:6-9 Brazil: For The JESUS Film Project plans re: greater effectiveness & staff financial support; funds for rest of staff; & Cruzada Estudiantil y Profesional para Cristo s adaptations to change. Monday, August 11 Nehemiah 4:10-14 Pray about preparation of new training tools to benefit the Brazilian churches and all full-time missionaries. Tuesday, August 12 Nehemiah 4:15-23 Pray concerning development of Women in Movement, a Brazilian strategy with new materials ( Four Spiritual Laws for Women, etc.) and using the Magdalena DVD as an outreach tool. Wednesday, August 13 Nehemiah 5:1-7 For Bolivian college students who recently have placed their faith in Christ to grow strong in Him as their campus movement grows. 4

5 A good place to get a small but flavorful taste of God s work, deserving fully alert prayer Life Changing Leadership DVD Liderazgo Transformador For the past year filming has been underway in a state-of-the-art, green screen studio in Bolivia. Rolando Justiniano, Campus Crusade Director for South America, has taken the lead on a major new initiative to not only reach Latin leaders for Jesus Christ, but to radically transform their lives, leadership styles, and the lives of millions these leaders influence. Rolando describes it as, An evangelistically focused DVD targeting the top 15 percent of the population... the most important, overlooked group in Latin America. There are many video products on the market relating to leadership. This video is different because it equips leaders to lead as Christ led. It is also the first Campus Crusade mass media product conceived, developed, written, filmed, acted, edited and authored in Latin America, by Latin Americans for Latin Americans. The project is headed by Rolando in cooperation with Layo Leiva, Campus Crusade Director for Central America, Mexico and the Caribbean, and Jim Green, director of The JESUS Film Project. Rolando Justiniano, Jr. is production director. More than a dozen key leaders are coming together in this unique cooperative effort to teach graduate level content for the DVD. Their topics include: The Heart of a Leader (Governing principles and values) The Leader s Relationships (God and others) The Roles of a Leader (Course establisher, change agent, coach and spokesperson) The Leader s Responsibilities (To cast vision, formulate strategies, motivate and align) Stewardship or Management (People, money, infrastructure, etc.) Results of an Effective Leader (Success management) Life Changing Leadership has a truly international production Rolando & Carmela Justiniano crew. Hispanic contributors include Latin culture experts, celebrities, and leadership from business world, the community, the military, and the political arena. U.S. spiritual leaders and management experts in the project include John Maxwell, author Ken Blanchard of The One Minute Manager, Josh McDowell, Rick Warren, and Ron Jenson. We need this tool. We need it now! One of the most well-known pastors in Mexico recently met with Rolando. More than 120,000 people attend his church and its small group network. As he viewed completed portions of the DVD, his reaction was simple: We need this tool. We need it now! The pastor offered to fund production of thousands of DVDs to get them into the hands of his people. Rolando s enthusiasm for the project is contagious: Latin American leaders need a worldview that is Christ-centered. This DVD can bring the gospel to the leadership classes in a way they can understand. Pray for God s guiding hand on the Life Changing Leadership DVD: For final editing. All major components have been filmed. Expected premier will be a September presidential prayer breakfast with Alberto Mottesi, the Billy Graham of Latin America. For effective distribution strategies throughout Latin America. For the thousands of leaders whose lives will be changed as they personally encounter Jesus Christ. For real change in each leader s sphere of influence and that multitudes will be transformed through these messages. For funds to complete the project and to distribute the DVD effectively. Thursday, August 14 Nehemiah 5:8-13 Chile: Ask God to bless the ongoing transition to an experienced, indigenous national director, and for the staff to take greater ownership for building movements to reach the country. Friday, August 15 Nehemiah 5:14-19 For development of ministry partnerships in Chile s capital, Santiago, and other major cities. 5

6 Peru Earthquake August 16, 2007 When you face the perils of weariness, carelessness, and confusion, don t pray for an easier life. Pray instead to be a stronger man or woman of God. Luis Palau, Jr. International evangelist born in Argentina Saturday, August 16 Nehemiah 6:1-4 Praise God that major TV stations in Santiago showed Magdalena: Released from Shame in May for Mother s Day. Sunday, August 17 Nehemiah 6:5-9 Colombian Prayer Movement: For greater participation in morning prayer in each city, and peace wherever violence hinders movement building. Monday, August 18 Nehemiah 6:10-14 Ask God to give the Colombian movement sufficient holy, committed, multiplying leaders and financial resources to be present in every city and university. Tuesday, August 19 Nehemiah 6:15-19 Pray for a great awakening among college students and professionals in Colombia and development of a Web site to follow up all new believers. 6

7 Wednesday, August 20 Nehemiah 7:1-4 That the gospel will expand greatly wherever the JESUS film is shown, including growing usage by the military in Colombia. Few areas of the Christian life are responsible for as many resolutions and as many comparisons as prayer. The Bible, church history, and even our circle of Christian friends highlight those whose prayerfulness seems heroic. This comparison game may be one of the most insistent and insidious prayer busters around. While we can and should allow others examples to inspire and stretch us, comparing our prayer habits with theirs can leave us immobilized. Thursday, August 21 Nehemiah 8:1-6 For deep spiritual growth of disciples and explosive growth of the Campus Ministry in the different universities of Ecuador. Friday, August 22 Nehemiah 8:7-12 For God s help to consolidate Ecuador s evangelistic teams in Campaign Against Alcohol, Military Movement, & Family Movement, plus a team to work with high school students. I have found several ways to put aside those distressing and ultimately distracting inner voices of inadequacy. These strategies help me to focus on what will keep me praying. Come as You Are First, I try to remember that my devotional times can unfold with an unselfconscious freedom and simplicity. The goal is encountering God, not proving I can pray well. Come to Me was Jesus simple invitation in Mt. 11:28. Holy Creativity I also try to remember that my prayer times are opportunities to unleash holy creativity. God does not expect me to come as anyone but my unique (and sometimes eccentric) self. Some of my richest prayer times are in the early morning as I jog or walk in my neighborhood. Our times of seeking God can flourish when we allow a variety and a freedom to explore what works for us. A Work in Progress Finally, I like to remember that God continues to work with me. Paul, I recall, wrote that he was confident that God, who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus (Phil. 1:6). That applies to me. Some days, success for me is sitting myself down to pray when I desperately want to get up and go. I also have found ways and times to pray that work best for me, including taking advantage of my hour-plus commute to and from the church where I work. Saturday, August 23 Nehemiah 8:13-18 Pray for pre-evangelistic tools developed in Paraguay--specifically for society s influencers & core leaders--with Christ-centered training skills, in the capital city of Asunción & beyond. I know, too, that I will continue to bump into remarkable people whose prayer victories and habits stir something in me. With God s help, that something will have less to do with comparison or competition and more to do with a genuine desire to take the next step closer to Him. Timothy Jones is senior associate pastor of St. George s Episcopal Church in Nashville, Tenn. His published works include The Art of Prayer: A Simple Guide to Conversation with God (WaterBrook). His new blog/web site LifeChangingPrayer.net launches in September. 7

8 My Prayer Life Notes... My prayer requests... People I m praying for... Answers to prayer... Sunday, August 24 Nehemiah 9:1-5 Peru: Undergird with prayer all JESUS film showings on TV--classic version, The Story of Jesus for Children, & Magdalena--and the resulting follow-up and church planting. Monday, August 25 Nehemiah 9:6-15 May God continue to bless all ministries responding to the hurting following southern Peru s Aug major earthquake and other natural disasters across South America. Tuesday, August 26 Nehemiah 9:16-25 Ask, seek & knock regarding Uruguay s great need for more full-time staff members, who hear the Spirit s voice & see His vision for a movement of evangelism & discipleship. Wednesday, August 27 Nehemiah 9:26-31 For fruitful August outreach events ( Depression, Studying Techniques, etc.) as Uruguay Campus Movement and student leaders mature. 8

9 A Growing Habit pas sion (pash ən), n. 1. compelling emotion. 2. a strong fondness, enthusiasm, or desire for something: God s passion about a relationship with each person. Were these South America prayer requests helpful to you? Sign up now to receive an reminder when the next issue of Movements Prayer Journal is ready. Each monthly issue offers current prayer needs from another part of the Campus Crusade for Christ worldwide movement. Send your name and preferred e-address to: global.prayer@ccci.org with Subscribe in the subject line. For current prayer requests and praise items from Campus Crusade for Christ ministries around the world, visit You can also join the staff and volunteers of Campus Crusade in around-the-clock prayer for these crucial needs by signing up for a one-hour slot on our Web site and click the 24x7 Calendar button. Thursday, August 28 Nehemiah 9:32-37 Pray for new ministries in Caracas & Valencia, Venezuela--housing for staff & interns, key contacts on campus, faithful laborers--quickly becoming an ongoing movement. Friday, August 29 Nehemiah 9:38;11:1,2 May the Almighty greatly expand current efforts across S. America with Faculty Commons (professors), CrossRoads (school teachers training), FamilyLife (conferences & small groups), etc. Saturday, August 30 Nehemiah 12:27-43 All nat l. movements: For training of (1) new full-time staff members & associates; (2) students & young professionals leading small groups of new believers. Sunday, August 31 Nehemiah 12:44-13:14 Continent-wide: For improved skills in raising local funds; a solid financial base for the staff; & deep involvement by investors in strategic ministry projects. Contact Information Global Prayer Movement 100 Lake Hart Dr Orlando, FL Phone: Fax: global.prayer@ccci.org Web Site: Campus Crusade for Christ 9