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2009 BCNY GPS Prayer Journey Done... Your Turn Now!

2009-07-31T12:16:00.000-07:00

QUICK FACTS

Counties visited 77
Miles driven 4000+
Pictures taken 1300+
Prayers offered 500+
Starbucks visited countless…

FAQ

The Baptist Convention of New York territory includes 25-30 million people.
Only 1 million of them are involved in any evangelical church.
To reach all these people we have 417 Southern Baptist congregations in:
New York
Northern New Jersey
Southwestern Connecticut
There are 500+ people groups in the BCNY territory who worship in 25+ languages.
BCNY churches have a total membership of 20,780 people.
Ratio of Southern Baptist churches to population: 1 Church / 70 thousand people +
Percentage of evangelicals in BCNY territory: 1 out of 30

Doesn't it make you want to pray for YOUR COUNTY? I have. More to come on this...

To submit community evangelism prayer requests, or to request more information about consultation, training or materials, contact Heather at 800-552-0004 or hruiz@bcnysbc.org.

Two Block Parties in One Week!

2009-07-24T09:12:00.000-07:00

Long Falls Baptist Church in Carthage had 100+ people in attendance at their first annual Block Party. There were puppets and songs, skits and crafts in their event where the Gospel was clearly explained.

The local fire department offered use of their helipad as the site and even brought two huge fire trucks for children to explore. How exciting it was to see the children receive and read tracts at the puppet show!

A few miles south, over 200 people attended Iglesia Bautista Transformación (Transformation Baptist Church) and Iglesia Bautista Nueva Esperanza’s (New Hope Baptist Church) first block party in Syracuse. A live band from Puerto Rico filled the air with authentic Latin Christian music. People from the neighborhood were thankful for the event, saying they were surprised that a church would be fun and “not preachy,” telling one of the pastors that the group seemed like “regular people.”

The Gospel was clearly presented on stage and in one-on-one presentations as people registered for the raffle prizes. 11 people made professions of faith during the event!

One boy saw the bicycle that was going to be raffled and asked the pastor to pick his number because he needed the bike since he had a big family and he’d asked lots of times for a bike, but they couldn’t afford it. All his friends had bicycles.

Today was his chance. The pastor told him to have faith. But waiting was so hard! A church member, a new Christian himself, noticed the nervous boy. He suggested they pray and ask Jesus to give him the bike. So they prayed together… and the boy won the bicycle! He’ll never forget what he learned that day about the power of prayer!

To submit community evangelism prayer requests, or to request more information about consultation, training or materials, contact Heather at 800-552-0004 or hruiz@bcnysbc.org.

Why Serving Alone isn't Enough...

2009-06-20T08:38:00.000-07:00

One of the biggest pitfalls to avoid in ministering to people's needs is meeting a need without telling the person why. Service alone is so satisfying that many people and even church ministries get so caught up in meeting needs that they forget to share Jesus with those they are serving.

This point was reaffirmed to me this week as I read about an Atheist's experience in Africa taken from Erich Bridges Worldview Conversations Blog at http://worldviewconversation.blogspot.com/ Read on...

Atheist’s prescription for African ills: Christian missions.

A self-professed atheist returned to his boyhood home of Malawi last year with a secular charity that helps villages without clean water. While there he renewed a belief he says he’d “been trying to banish all my life, but … been unable to avoid since my African childhood. It confounds my ideological beliefs, stubbornly refuses to fit my worldview and has embarrassed my growing belief that there is no God. … I’ve become convinced of the enormous contribution that Christian evangelism makes in Africa: sharply distinct from the work of secular NGOs, government projects and international aid efforts. These alone will not do. Education and training alone will not do. In Africa, Christianity changes people’s hearts. It brings a spiritual transformation. The rebirth is real. The change is good.”

Without the spiritual transformation, what we have to offer is very temporal and will really make very little difference in people's lives. Meeting needs coupled with sharing Jesus is truly transformational!

To submit community evangelism prayer requests, or to request more information about consultation, training or materials, contact Heather at 800-552-0004 or hruiz@bcnysbc.org.

Praying For Every County...

2009-06-09T07:39:00.001-07:00

On June 1, I started working on a new project, a statewide prayerwalk! You can see my first week's progress visiting counties on the map to the left. My first stop was downtown Syracuse, the county seat of Onondage County, where I live. I brought with me my camera and a prayer guide to follow as I prayed and walked.

When I arrived, I was struck by the faces of the people, different ages and races, all of whom have the same need that I have in my life of knowing Jesus and His forgiveness in my life. There were teenagers on skateboards and men and women relaxing in the plaza. I began snapping pictures of the area: of the court house, of the street sign named for the county, of murals downtown and of the people.

After a while of looking and taking pictures I decided to get down to business and get to praying... the reason I had taken this first step on my journey across the state. I took out my prayer guide and began to read the verses and pray, beginning by asking God to reveal His vision for Onondaga County: "For I know the plans I have for you, says the Lord, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, to give you a hope and a future." (Jeremiah 29:11) As I looked up, to my surprise, I saw a blind man walking around the corner. I couldn't help but wonder and ask God if this man represented me in my present state, not possessing the vision that I need to grasp His will for my county, my state, or my convention...

I'll share the pictures I take and information I gather in this journey so that you can be prepared to pray for your county next year!

To submit community evangelism prayer requests, or to request more information about consultation, training or materials, contact Heather at 800-552-0004 or hruiz@bcnysbc.org.

The Sounds of Summer

2009-05-19T10:16:00.000-07:00

By Ken Glassmeyer, from Issue #33 of Serve! with Steve Sjogren

"Summer is a symphony of sounds…birds singing, children playing, fireworks, …a summer thunderstorm, or a base hit at the ball park…

YARD SPRUCE UP

Nothing announces the start of summer like the buzz of lawnmowers… Gather up lawnmowers, gasoline, a trimmer, rakes, some coolers filled with water and some mulch and some annuals… You are looking for lawns that have been neglected …we have often discovered heartbreaking stories inside the homes of these sad looking lawns. …Don’t forget to invite the family out for a cool drink… and never forget to ask them to let you pray for them."

BASKETBALL COURT RENEWAL

"Another of my favorite summer sounds is the sound of squeaking shoes, the rhythm of the bouncing ball, and the snap of the net from a perfect shot. It's music to my ears…. many organizations no longer have the funding to keep up the suburban parks or inner city courts that are under the constant attack of vandalism and graffiti. You want to make friends? Go fix up their court! Start by sweeping… and picking up the litter… replace the backboards, repaint the court.…buy replacement nets, basketballs to give away to people...then invite folks to join you... Viola!"

To read the entire article, go to: http://www.serve-others.com/issue33/index.cfm?id=33&ref=ARTICLES%5FSERVANT%20EVANGELISM%3A%20ADVICE%20FROM%20A%20PRO%5F256

To submit community evangelism prayer requests, or to request more information about consultation, training or materials, contact Heather at 800-552-0004 or hruiz@bcnysbc.org.

Get Ready for Block Parties!

2009-05-19T09:39:00.000-07:00

Looking for a way to involve the whole family in outreach?

Do you like serving your community?

Enjoy playing sports?

Playing or listening to music?

Or just hanging around?

Want to use all these things to tell your neighbors about Jesus?

THEN PLAN A BLOCK PARTY!

Don’t know how? Request training for your church. Now is the time!

To submit community evangelism prayer requests, or to request more information about consultation, training or materials, contact Heather at 800-552-0004 or hruiz@bcnysbc.org.

Planning to Receive Mission Teams

2009-05-18T09:15:00.000-07:00

Have you ever wondered if there is more you could do with a visiting mission team to impact your church and community with the Gospel? If your church could use some help planning to receive Mission Teams, new training materials are available including planning pages and an orientation guide.

Call soon as calendar dates fill quickly and the mission teams will be here soon!

To submit community evangelism prayer requests, or to request more information about consultation, training or materials, contact Heather at 800-552-0004 or hruiz@bcnysbc.org.

FREE ESL Resources on the Web

2009-04-22T08:37:00.000-07:00

Are you an ESL teacher? Does your church have an ESL program for your community? If you answered "yes" to either of these questions, I have good news for you! Free interactive programs, worksheets and even lesson plans are available online. Here is a sampling for you to check out this month:

Grammar Bytes - This online glossary presents detailed definitions and explanations of grammar terms, in easy-to-understand language, along with examples in which the terms are used in authentic contexts. The site also includes interactive exercises, grammar tips and rules, and free, downloadable teacher and student handouts for use with the exercises. Check it out at: http://www.chompchomp.com/menu.htm

Buzzword of the Day - This is a part of Merriam-Webster’s Word Central which includes an audio link to hear the daily buzzword pronounced, identification of the part of speech, as well as what the word means and how it is used. At the bottom of the page is a “Word Wiz” where they can test themselves. Check it out at: http://www.wordcentral.com/buzzword/buzzword.php

Noun Dunk - This is an online basketball game where the student must pick which part of speech a word is: a common noun, proper noun or not a noun at all. Check it out at: http://www.harcourtschool.com/activity/basketball/index.html

2Bee or Nottoobee- is an online game where students choose the correct verb to complete sentences. Check it out at: http://www.funbrain.com/verb/index.html

Grammar Gorillas - in this game the Grammar Gorillas need help identifying parts of speech. The instructions read, "If you click on the right word in the sentence, our friends get a banana. And you know, a gorilla with a banana is a gorilla with appeal." See it for yourself at: http://www.funbrain.com/grammar/index.html

Enjoy!

To submit community evangelism prayer requests, or to request more information about consultation, training or materials, contact Heather at 800-552-0004 or hruiz@bcnysbc.org.

Could Job Corps Help Your Church & Community?

2009-03-12T08:07:00.000-07:00

In these tough economic times, your church may be praying about how to help those in your community who are unemployed or underemployed while sharing the love of Jesus with them. You may want to consider starting a Christian Job Corp site in or near your church to meet these current needs through this well-designed mentoring program. Take a look at its design below:

What is Christian Women's Job Corps/Christian Men's Job Corps?

The purpose of CWJC/ CMJC, a ministry of WMU, is to provide a Christian context in which women and men in need are equipped for life and employment in a missions context in which women help women and men help men.

What happens in a typical CWJC/CMJC program?

Women and men receive training in life skills and job readiness. Often computer skills are taught as well. Each ministry is customized to meet the needs of the participants and their community.

What makes CWJC/CMJC different from other job-readiness programs?

Each participant is involved in Bible study. Participants are also matched with a trained Christian woman or man who will be a mentor as the participant travels the road from dependency to self-sufficiency.

Is there anything CWJC/CMJC sites have in common?

Yes! A trained coordinator leads each site. The ministry is built on the purpose of CWJC/CMJC and eight key elements: certification training, advisory council, needs assessments, networking, covenants, evaluation, a mentor for every participant, and Bible study.

How many people does it take to operate a CWJC/CMJC site?

The number varies according to the program design. Working with the site coordinator will be volunteers who serve on the advisory council, mentor, teach, and may prepare meals, provide transportation or childcare, and perform basic office duties. They also form a prayer team.

Who can be participants of a CWJC/CMJC program?

Anyone in need who can be equipped for life and employment through the CWJC/CMJC ministry is eligible for CWJC/CMJC. Each site will decide on a process for intake and referral. Persons with needs that cannot be met by a CWJC/CMJC program are referred to a program that can help them.

What are the goals for a CWJC/CMJC participant?

1. Begin and/or grow in a personal relationship with Jesus Christ.

2. Complete job-readiness and life-skills program(s).

3. Attain self-sufficiency.

4. Give back to the CWJC/CMJC program.

For more information about beginning a CWJC or CMJC, go to http://www.wmu.com/VolunteerConnection/CWJC/faqs.asp or contact me at the number below!

To submit community evangelism prayer requests, or to request more information about consultation, training or materials, contact Heather at 800-552-0004 or hruiz@bcnysbc.org.

Need Some New Ideas for Easter?

2009-03-05T12:08:00.000-08:00

Are you looking for some fresh ways to invite people in your community to your special Easter services? Easter is a time when even non-church-goer's thoughts turn to Jesus. Why not take advantage of this opportunity and plan a special day to invite your community to reconnect with the church during this season?

Steve Sjogren's e-zine focused on servant evangelism suggests that your church consider inviting people by giving away:

Easter Baskets - which can be taken to local businesses, schools or neighbors, to invite groups of people or
Flower Seeds - which can be distributed to individuals, at garden shows or even placed in driver side windows where permitted.

To look at all the Easter Ideas listed, instructions about the people needed, places projects would work, good times to try them and how to order Connection Cards which can be attached to items as the invitation is made, go to:

http://www.servantevangelism.com/

To submit community evangelism prayer requests, or to request more information about consultation, training or materials, contact Heather at 800-552-0004 or hruiz@bcnysbc.org.

Matthew 28:19

2009-03-02T07:38:00.000-08:00

Did you know that almost 20% of New Jersey residents and more than 23% of New York residents speak a language other than English at home? According to the 2000 census, 39 different language groups have been identified in our convention territory. Where I live, in Syracuse, 25 language groups have been identified and 23 of them live in my zip code!

As you are telling people about Jesus in your community, you may find people groups who are not English-speakers. If so, this web page is for you!

Intervarsity has compiled a very useful list of places to look for Bibles, tracts, and other Christian audio and video materials in different languages which is available through their website. I hope it will be helpful to you as you reach out to the world you find at your door.

http://www.intervarsity.org/ism/article/5342?tr=y&auid=4565204

To submit community evangelism prayer requests, or to request more information about consultation, training or materials, contact Heather at 800-552-0004 or hruiz@bcnysbc.org.

Helping Others Helps Us

2009-02-24T13:47:00.000-08:00

Being Actively Contemplative

This month's Leadership Journal has included an article by Chris Armstrong about Gregory the Great. He struggled with how to balance the daily demands of ministry with the important daily disciplines of prayer and study. He lamented about how dealing with crisis would frequently interrupt what he preferred to be doing, spending time in devotion and prayer. He noticed after a time however that,

"...those who lived the active life—marked at its best by such physical and spiritual ministries as feeding the hungry and caring for the sick, teaching the ignorant and humbling the proud—as better equipped to experience the contemplative life than those who absorbed all their hours in study and meditation.

Pastors, insisted Gregory, must live a higher life, one that combines both action and contemplation. If we want to know why, we need only to look at the life of Jesus: he ate and drank with sinners by day, performed miracles of healing and fed the multitudes. But throughout the night, he prayed on a mountain.

To Gregory, the lesson was clear: service and prayer are the two essential sides of a redemptive and productive ministry. By living an active life, full of works of neighbor-love; expressing the virtues of faith, hope, and charity; growing in the fruit of the Spirit, one arrives at more intense and joyful contemplation."

So, Gregory the Great came to the conclusion that active involvement in ministry leads one to a more fruitful devotional life. How is your balance between the two? It's worth thinking about!

To read this article in its entirity, go to: http://www.christianitytoday.com/le/thepastor/soulspirit/whendetailsgetyoudown.html?start=4

But someone will say, "You have faith; I have deeds." Show me your faith without deeds, and I will show you my faith by what I do. James 2:18

To submit community evangelism prayer requests, or to request more information about consultation, training or materials, contact Heather at 800-552-0004 or hruiz@bcnysbc.org.

Want to Join a Prayer Wave?

2009-02-16T09:23:00.000-08:00

This message is from Thomas Bush, Prayer Ministry Director of Vision San Diego, a part of the North American Mission Board’s Strategic Focus Cities initiative which is working to see new churches started, existing churches strengthened, and thousands of volunteers mobilized to serve in San Diego:

There is still time to join in partnering with San Diego churches in “Prayer Wave” 2009, 40 days of concentrated prayer toward prayer and spiritual awakening in our cities, states, and nation. Contact me and I will put you in contact with San Diego churches who would love to partner with churches in your state.

Dr. Rick Shepherd, Director of Prayer and Spiritual Awakening of the Florida SBC... [has shared] with local church pastors about the positive impact of the “prayer wave” on Florida churches. Florida churches have joined together to seek the face of God and experience the gracious movement of His Spirit since 2004. In every area where churches have “intensified prayer”, they have experienced:

1. Increased unity
2. Increased creativity
3. Increased fruitfulness.

We pass on the challenge to you that he has been giving to us – as we look at the economy, government, weather, and all that is going on around us, this is the time to “intensify prayer” and call God’s people to return to Him.

For more information about joining the Prayer Wave, go to:

http://www.visionsandiego.com/site/c.otJ2J9MIIoE/b.2725721/k.C829/Events.htm

To submit community evangelism prayer requests, or to request more information about consultation, training or materials, contact Heather at 800-552-0004 or hruiz@bcnysbc.org.

City Signals

2009-02-10T07:46:00.000-08:00

City Signals: Principles and Practices for Ministering in Today's Global Communities
by Brad Smith with Ray Bakke

"God has commissioned us to reach the nations. No longer are they a continent away; the nations now reside in our own cities. Whether you work with the urban poor or the urban powerful; volunteer in a ghetto; work as a CEO of a business; live in "the hood"; or focus your ministry on a few people, a neighborhood, or a city to transform the social structure of society -- this study will give you a renewed approach and fresh ideas to pursue your calling.

City Signals enbles readers to recognize what's in their own hearts, to embrace diversity, and to see how God is working in urban areas. It challenges us to undertand the importance of people, not programs, for empowering decision makers, and to apply discipleship in urban settings. City Signals is more than a study, it's your green light to growth in urban ministry," ...from the back cover.

Did you know that in 1900, 90 percent of US residents lived in rural regions, but that today, 90 percent live in urban regions? The book, City Signals, and the accompanying DVD set, review the geographical shifting of culture groups and how the church and individual Christians can and should respond in order to impact the world with the Gospel.

To give a small glimpse of the material covered, let's look at the explanation of the urban mindset. It is defined as learning to deal with:

pluralism, meaning encountering multicultural complexity and diverse worldviews;
pain, as in the harshness of urban life in the fallen world;
presence, explaining the importance authenticity in relationships demonstrated in a physical, emotional, spiritual and vulnerable connection to people with a dissimilar culture; and
power, both the lack of it for many in urban settings and the healthy stewardship of it.

City Signals calls for all people to see urban ministry as a kind of transformational discipleship, reaching out through compassion to bring people into relationship with God.

Interested in reading more? Go to: http://www.newhopepublishers.com/productDetails.asp?prod=N074130

To submit community evangelism prayer requests, or to request more information about consultation, training or materials, contact Heather at 800-552-0004 or hruiz@bcnysbc.org.

The Place was Shaken!

2009-02-10T07:16:00.000-08:00

How to Lead a Powerful Prayer Meeting

by John Franklin

"AND THE PLACE WAS SHAKEN How to Lead a Powerful Prayer Meeting by John Franklin is a fairly quick read unless you're underlining the parts you don't want to forget. It starts out like just another book on prayer. But in its pages, like buried treasure, is a template for transforming the usual ho-hum, needs-centered, self-centered "pity party" prayer meeting into a God-centered, Kingdom-focused, prayer experience with the Lord as the guest of honor.

Half way through the book I found myself, one Sunday morning, apologizing to the congregation for having allowed our Wednesday evening prayer meeting to become boring. It is becoming our midweek portal into the presence and power of God." Pastor Thom Sherwood, Long Falls Baptist Church, Carthage, NY

Wow!

I met John Franklin at NAMB's PrayerLink Meeting several years ago. A young man, he exuded an intensity and passion to lead God's people to seek repentance and revival.

In this book, Franklin focuses on helping churches improve and expand their weekly prayer meetings. He reviews what makes a prayer meeting dynamic, responsibilities of a prayer leader, and activities to help get people involved. He then outlines a format he has put together based loosely on the Lord's Prayer:

Focus on God

Respond from the heart

Seek first the kingdom

Present your requests

Close in celebration

Want to take a closer look at And the Place was Shaken?

Go to: http://www.lifewaystores.com/lwstore/product.asp?isbn=0805432981

To submit community evangelism prayer requests, or to request more information about consultation, training or materials, contact Heather at 800-552-0004 or hruiz@bcnysbc.org.

Match Skills & Needs with New Software

2009-02-10T06:55:00.000-08:00

I Stand Ready is a new software available from Innovative Data Systems which will allow your church to match resources, skills, and abilities in the church with the needs in the community. Parts of the package are free, othe parts require a monthly fee. Perhaps this could be of use to your church?

Components of www.IStandReady.com

FREE COMPONENTS:
1) Directory of Teams/Families/Congregation/Participant Profiles
2) Mapping of Teams/Families/Congregation/Participants
3) Two week trial of entire system
4) Learn how to build your own social networking site at no cost

COMPONENTS AVAILABLE IN PRICED PACKAGE:
A) Resource tracking
B) Team alert capabilities during emergencies or for upcoming events
C) Needs alert and tracking
D) Exporting team data
E) Customized team fields
F) Status updates to track resolved issues
G) Extended note taking section

To see a presentation of this system, go to http://www.indatsys.com/IDS/WebPages/ISR.aspx .

To submit community evangelism prayer requests, or to request more information about consultation, training or materials, contact Heather at 800-552-0004 or hruiz@bcnysbc.org.

New Prayer Resources

2009-02-09T06:12:00.000-08:00

Two new resources are available now from WayMakers to help your church pray together for your city and the world. Both are available from www.waymakers.org. I encourage you to check them out!

Seek God for the City 2009

In drastic days, pray great things.
God is about to do the best things He's ever done in history. That's why we're seeking Him for whole cities.
This 40-day prayer guide will be a tool in the hands of your church to connect with your city in life-giving prayer. It is used by thousands of churches during the forty days leading to Palm Sunday from February 25 to April 5, 2009.

The Global Day of Prayer

Pray beyond yourself for people in every part of your community and each nation on earth.
Join millions of Christians worldwide who will pray for the ten days leading up to Pentecost, the Global Day of Prayer. This ten-day prayer guide includes scriptures from the book of Acts and prayer points for each day. Also includes a "Prayer for the World" which can be read on Pentecost Sunday, May 31, 2009.

To submit community evangelism prayer requests, or to request more information about consultation, training or materials, contact Heather at 800-552-0004 or hruiz@bcnysbc.org.

Does Your Church Want to Have More IMPACT in 2009?

2009-01-12T04:44:00.000-08:00

Idea:

Join the BCNY Prayer Team!

Why?

•It helps the church to focus on the needs of the lost around us,
•It is a joy and privilege to pray for other churches and leaders,
•It brings blessings to those who pray and those who are prayed for!
•It’s easy to join...

How?

•Send an email to Heather Ruiz (hruiz@bcnysbc.org) expressing your interest in being part of the team.

What Then?

•Expect monthly email updates which will include a prayer focus, a list of churches seeking pastors and current prayer re quests from church planters and missionaries from across BCNY.

The intense prayer of the righteous is very powerful. James 5:16 HCS

To submit community evangelism prayer requests, or to request more information about consultation, training or materials, contact Heather at 800-552-0004 or hruiz@bcnysbc.org.

LOOK

2008-11-21T11:10:00.000-08:00

Better Group Prayer

2008-11-21T10:32:00.001-08:00

In his introduction to his recent article about how groups can learn to better pray together, Ben Patterson shares about how his children learned about conversation around the dinner table...

"When our kids were young, it was a big deal just to get them to wait their turn to speak in dinner conversations. When that happened we were pleased, but we still had a long way to go. The conversations, though orderly, were a string of non sequiturs. Dan would go into excruciating detail telling us his dream of the night before. Joel would politely wait his turn to tell us, immediately afterward, that he had a yellow T-shirt in his closet. Andy would sit sucking his fingers, with a faraway look in his eyes, and when his turn came would grunt that he wanted a slingshot for his birthday.

Some group prayer meetings are like that. I've often found myself just taking my turn, along with the rest, to say to God the things I want to say, without much thought of what others are praying."

Paterson goes on to explain some suggestions on how to have a good prayer conversation. His method includes listening to the person's prayer before moving on to the next person's prayer concerns. First, consider their prayer, agreeing with their prayer, then perhaps add to what they prayed about, building on their prayer.

Bob Bakke explains how prayer groups should strive to have many short prayers because long prayers can "stifle the participation of those who don't feel so adept."

Perhaps a shift in the prayer conversations in your prayer groups can add new life to established prayer groups. Thanksgiving and the holiday season would be a great time to begin to agree together in prayer about all we have to be thankful for!

To read more tips on improving your group prayer, go to: http://buildingchurchleaders.com/articles/1999/le-9l4-9l4123.html?tCode=6586FCFEC1&dCode=33A8BE507F

To submit community evangelism prayer requests, or to request more information about consultation, training or materials, contact Heather at 800-552-0004 or hruiz@bcnysbc.org.

Musings on Main Street

2008-10-27T12:10:00.000-07:00

A recent New York Times article reminded me to ask myself an important question, again. As believers and as local churches, what kind of impact are we having on Main Street? The focus of the newspaper article was on the vast differences of the peoples and places found on the Main Streets across New York City. Perhaps part of what the reporter discovered resembles your local Main Street. It began,

“This being New York, if something is good, then five of it must be better… it is possible, in the same city, to run across Main Street while dodging six lanes of traffic, or creep along a Main Street so narrow that two cars cannot pass without one pulling over. Children may be seen running down the street where their parents were raised, or gazing out from strollers pushed by new arrivals to the country...

There are Main Streets in the Bronx, Queens, Brooklyn, on Staten Island and… Manhattan … visit all five… [and] be introduced to a sort of collective Main Street…”

A recent article in Baptist Press asked if place was even important these days since the world appears to be becoming flat through technology, with cities around the globe appearing so similar. After examining the effects of modern society and communication, the verdict they arrived at was that,

“Despite modern mobility and massive migrations, fewer than 3 percent of human beings are "mobals" who live in a country where they were not born. An even smaller minority make up the "globals" who have access to all the advantages of modern technology and travel. The rest of us are "locals" -- still tied, for better or worse, to the cultures that spawned us.” http://www.bpnews.net/BPnews.asp?ID=29189

As the Times article continued, it pointed out the attachment people feel for their particular Main Streets. Two examples came from residents of Roosevelt Island. One four-year resident from Rwanda, said, “When I came here, I feel like I am at home.” Another 17-year-old resident who grew up on Roosevelt Island said of the people who worked at the deli on Main Street, “…they’re like my family.” http://www.nytimes.com/2008/10/26/nyregion/26main.html?pagewanted=1&th&emc=th

As businesses and residents were interviewed and the different Main Streets were described, not one mention of a local church was included. Perhaps this wasn’t the focus, perhaps because it was because the churches didn’t have Main Street addresses, but the article still leads me to ask myself, are we as Christians impacting our communities as God expects us to?

In Jeremiah 29:7, the Lord reminds his people how he expects them to relate to their city saying,

“…seek the peace and prosperity of the city to which I have carried you…. Pray to the LORD for it, because if it prospers, you too will prosper.”

Let’s remember, as we drive or walk by our own Main Streets, to look at those people that God has placed around us with Jesus’ eyes, as in Matthew 9:35-38:

Jesus went through all the towns and villages… When he saw the crowds, he had compassion on them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd. Then he said to his disciples, "The harvest is plentiful but the workers are few. Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field."

In Isaiah 58:12 God describes what his people would be known for, if they truly followed him, saying,

“Your people will rebuild the ancient ruins and will raise up the age-old foundations; you will be called Repairer of Broken Walls, Restorer of Streets with Dwellings.”

Those are nick names I think any church would enjoy hearing from their community. That connection would cause a major kingdom impact. That sort of a relationship with your community would definitely get a reporter’s attention.

To submit community evangelism prayer requests, or to request more information about consultation, training or materials, contact Heather at 800-552-0004 or hruiz@bcnysbc.org.

Serving Veterans

2008-10-10T11:11:00.000-07:00

In Steve Sjogren's Ezine entitled, Serve! Ken Glassmeyer included a great idea for service this month. Glassmeyer tells of an experience his small group had while in a restaurant after already completing a service project one day. Read what happened while they were there remembering that Veteran's Day is coming soon on November 11!

Recently my small group decided to explore the notion of serving the servers... Little did we know that we weren’t finished that Saturday afternoon....I looked up and scanned my eyes along the curved line of people waiting to order their burritos and saw what the buzz was all about. Eight young men and women in desert fatigues had come in for lunch.... My eyes took in the horse and slash of the Air Calvary icon and I felt God whisper emphatically: “Their money is no good here.” My friends at the table saw the twinkle in my eye and the direction of my gaze. Even before I could finish stating that we should kick in together and buy those soldiers lunch, folks were getting out their purses and wallets....

I walked over to the counter as the first young man, a corporal, paid for his lunch. After he pocketed his change, I slapped a ten-dollar bill in his hand. “Your money is no good here. God wants to buy you and your comrades lunch today.” His jaw dropped. The other soldiers in line protested politely that they couldn’t possibly accepted the offer, but that they were very moved by the gesture.... I thanked each of them for the sacrificial lives they chose to lead and told them the least we could do as Christ followers is to buy them lunch while they were stateside. A quick glance at their chests showed many of them had already completed at least one tour in Iraq....

After the troops finished eating they came over to our tables and thanked us, trying to gives us some money back. We all took turns refusing the leftover change and invited them to stay with us. We listened to their stories and had a chance to pray for a few of them this simple prayer:

“Lord,Thank you for Sgt. Jackson. Thank you that he has decided to live a sacrificial life for our community and country. I ask that you would protect him wherever he is dispatched. Hover over him and his comrades. I ask that you give him strength to do duty and give him peace and rest. Make the sad and dangerous things he sees fade, but fill his memories with the fond times he has with his friends and the adventurous places he gets to visit. Amen"

After a few prayers like that, there weren’t many dry eyes left in the small café....I am not talking about politics or even patriotism here. I just want to follow Jesus’ example in Mathew chapter eight.... You can do this outreach today. All you need is a little bit of money in your pocket, and keep your eyes out for someone in uniform the next time you go out to eat.

To read the rest of the article, go to http://www.serve-others.com/issue22/index.cfm?id=22&ref=ARTICLES%5FFIELD%20NOTES%5F191

To submit community evangelism prayer requests, or to request more information about consultation, training or materials, contact Heather at 800-552-0004 or hruiz@bcnysbc.org.

2214 and Counting!

2008-10-06T12:53:00.000-07:00

I wanted to pass on to you the great testimony of Nell Kerley, shared at the BCNY Annual Session by Frank Fears, author of Resurrecting the Dead Church who spoke during the Evangelism Symposium. Thanks to Pastor Bray, a local BCNY pastor and blog reader who suggested including it here!

“I’ve been a Sunday school teacher forever,” Kerley said, “but until just a few years ago, I had never shared with anyone what it takes to go to heaven. Can you believe that? I just never had. I bet there are a lot of people in our churches like that.”

…at age 66, Kerley decided to make a change. Her church, Bethel Baptist in Statesville, N.C., offered LifeWay’s FAITH Sunday School Evangelism Strategy training and she enrolled. “I needed to learn how to witness to people,” she said. “Learning to share Christ with people was the best thing I ever did,” Kerley said…. “Do you know… I have talked to a Playboy bunny and a man in prison who murdered two people? Yes! And I led them all to the Lord! Oh, and the bunny is in another line of work now.”

She works at a church food pantry one day a week, where the needy come for food and clothing. They also get a presentation of the gospel from Nell. Many respond. The social workers, who bring needy people to the pantry, get a presentation of the gospel from Nell. Anybody who crosses Nell’s radar gets a presentation of the gospel: waitresses, grocery checkout clerks, gas station attendants, carnival workers, anybody and everybody that will engage in conversation. They all get a presentation of the gospel. At age 75 she is speeding up instead of slowing down. At the time of the writing of the book, Nell had led 2214 people to Christ!

…Kerley’s smiles and laughter are contagious. The joy of the Lord bubbles out when she sees people receive Christ. “I look at these people I talk to and see people that Jesus loves and died for,” Kerley said. “They just don’t know it. And I get to tell them! I get to tell them how they can go to heaven! There is no greater privilege in the world than that. If God can use an old woman like me, He can use anybody. For however long I have, I’m going to keep talking.”

To read the rest of the article, taken from Facts and Trends Magazine, go to:

www.lifeway.com/lwc/files/lwcF_corp_factsandtrends_07MayJune.pdf

To learn more about Resurrecting the Dead Church, go to http://www.thedeadchurch.com/

To submit community evangelism prayer requests, or to request more information about consultation, training or materials, contact Heather at 800-552-0004 or hruiz@bcnysbc.org.

Why Care About Hunger, Here or Abroad?

2008-10-02T07:57:00.000-07:00

In case you’ve missed it, Baptist Press has run some excellent articles describing the great need for support of the World Hunger Fund, the offering collected by Southern Baptist Churches on October 12.

One article from Mali, West Africa, described the Bambara culture, where pride often prevents people from admitting how hungry they are. But evidence is everywhere:
· Mud-wall granaries stand empty.

· Five-year-old Mariama* sprouts reddish fuzz on top of her head -- a sign of malnutrition.

· When asked what his family has been eating lately, Mamadou* plucks a green leaf from a nearby tree. "It tastes very bad," he admits, "but ... it keeps you alive."

· And when a sack breaks at the grain distribution site for a Southern Baptist hunger relief project, a village elder drops to his knees to gather grain out of the mud with his fingernails.

"I just know that when Christians come to work in a place, we can't close our eyes to this hardship," Steven Roach, an International Mission Board worker, said.

So he… requested Southern Baptist World Hunger Funds to help stave off starvation for about 31,000 people living in this area…. which covers about 120 villages and camps, where Roach recently has seen unprecedented openness to the teachings of Jesus...

"We've been working in this particular area for about 18 months now," Roach said. "Dozens of Christians are now meeting regularly for church where there were none before."

…Roach hopes this grain gift shows the Bambara the compassion of Christ as it helps them make it to the next harvest.

Another article spoke of the effect hunger ministries have on the church. Steve Nelson, pastor of Trinity Baptist Church in Hendersonville, Tenn., and former director of hunger concerns for the Southern Baptist Ethics & Religious Liberty Commission says that ministering to the poor helps churches refocus on what is important, instead of arguing among themselves while struggling with budgets and baptisms.

Too often, ministry to the poor is nothing more than a footnote in a church's ministry plan, but other than salvation itself, no issue is addressed more often in Scripture than ministry to the poor, Nelson said.

"The Bible is very clear that 'whoever shuts his ears to the cry of the poor will also cry himself and not be heard.' That's Proverbs 21:13," Nelson said. "What I have seen is that churches are happier and stronger when they get more involved in ministry to the poor, whether it be direct physical aid, ministry to the homeless or financial gifts.

"I believe ministry to the poor is dear to God's heart."

Nelson remembered… a child in a congregation who had become burdened for hungry children… Her passion spread to the other children and then to the adults. Over the next year, the congregation raised more than $20,000 for world hunger, Nelson said.

The pastor at that church told Nelson that his other offerings were all up and the budget was up 50%, he recalled. "And he said, 'The strangest thing is that there's no conflict anymore. When something comes up, it's like smoke. It just blows away.'

"He asked if I could explain that and I said, 'Yes, Proverbs 14:21 says, "He who has mercy on the poor, happy is he." You got some happy Christians on your hands.'"

Starting a ministry to the poor doesn't have to be a major undertaking, Nelson noted. "Churches need to start where they are. If they haven't been very involved, they need to start…

Ministering to people's physical needs -- whether done directly by the congregation or indirectly through monetary gifts -- creates openness to the message of salvation in Jesus Christ, Nelson added… Ministry to the poor gives hope where there is no hope, Nelson said.

"When someone is desperate, when they are hungry and don't have the resources to provide their next meal, they are without hope," he said. "Ministering to them gives them hope.

"A ministry of presence is powerful," he added. "No matter how meager what you are doing for them is, the fact that you are there and that you care opens doors for sharing Christ."

To read these articles in their entirety, go to http://www.bpnews.net/BPnews.asp?ID=28884 and http://www.bpnews.net/BPnews.asp?ID=28887 .

For resources to promote the World Hunger Fund, go to www.namb.net/hunger and http://www.worldhungerfund.com/. World Hunger envelopes can be ordered through ERLC at 1-800-475-9127.

To submit community evangelism prayer requests, or to request more information about consultation, training or materials, contact Heather at 800-552-0004 or hruiz@bcnysbc.org.

World Hunger Day, October 12

2008-09-09T13:02:00.000-07:00

What can your congregation do to help combat hunger both here and around the world? On October 12, Southern Baptist churches collect an offering to help combat World Hunger. Here are a few reasons why your church should consider supporting this offering.

When one dollar is given to the Southern Baptist World Hunger Fund:

· 80¢ is sent to the International Mission Board for overseas hunger projects
· 20¢ is sent to the North American Mission Board to support hunger projects in the US and Canada
· 100% of your gift is used to minister to the hungry in Jesus’ name
· When Southern Baptists give food, the goal is to plant churches and make disciples as a result of the relationships built through hunger ministries
· Whenever possible, the plan of salvation is shared together with the food
· Hunger ministries are designed to create independence from aid

For information on how to start hunger ministries and products used in the promotion of the World Hunger Fund, go to http://www.namb.net/site/c.9qKILUOzEpH/b.258449/
For additional educational and promotional materials, check out http://erlc.com/products/world_hunger/

To submit community evangelism prayer requests, or to request more information about consultation, training or materials, contact Heather at 800-552-0004 or hruiz@bcnysbc.org.

Name Your Neighbors...

2008-09-09T08:48:00.000-07:00

Recently Cathy Charles, pastor's wife from New Covenant Baptist Church in Canandaigua, NY, shared a testimony with me that encouraged me so much that I asked her to write it down so I could share it with you. Here is what she sent:

"I have always been a busy pastor's wife. I have been taught and teach many people to pray specifically for situations you are aware of. A while back I attended one of Heather's outreach conferences. In it she challenged us to really know our neighbors. She then asked me to write down the names of the neighbor that lived next door on my right, left and the 3 houses across the street. I was mortified to admit I only knew 2 names out of a potential of 28 family members in those houses. I was convicted that I was so wrapped up in ministry at my church that I was really very negligent to the ones closet to my front door. Some beacon of light I was! I felt at least I needed to start prayer walking my street. But then I realized I did not know who was married, had kids, single, happy or sad. I still didn't know any of their names! I began to prayer walk and ask God to have someone pop out on each walk. He did! I wrote down what I learned. I did this for several summers. This past summer we had decided to hold a Backyard Bible Club in my neighborhood. I kept prayer walking and began visiting neighbors. We had great results of kids, parents and teens coming and hanging around for the Club! We had 25 total come and begin to attend my church. I am convinced it started with caring about my neighbors enough to want to know their names and prayer walk for them regularly on my own street."

Do you know your neighbor's names? You can start by praying for them today!

To submit community evangelism prayer requests, or to request more information about consultation, training or materials, contact Heather at 800-552-0004 or hruiz@bcnysbc.org.

Could Serving Lead to Believing?

2008-08-20T07:33:00.001-07:00

The old question about the relationship between service and the verbal proclamation of the gospel is being answered in a new way. In the past, the main concern was whether the gospel was being shared in an intentional way to the needy who were the focus of the ministry. Ministry in and of itself can be so rewarding, that the fear was that those doing the serving would never get around to telling people about Jesus, which is the motivation behind ministry in the first place. Meeting the needs of the people was the major focus with evangelism included at times as an afterthought.

Now, a new and broader approach to community ministry is being considered by churches. Evangelism is taking center stage as churches are focusing on a broader audience. Instead of viewing those receiving service as the only objects of the church and the ministry’s evangelistic intention, churches are now recognizing the potential evangelistic impact for those doing the serving as well… while serving!

In Leadership Weekly, Brandon O'Brien’s recent article, Serving is Believing, discusses this approach to serving suggested in the book Simply Strategic Volunteers: Empowering People for Ministry (Group) by Morgan and Stevens. They emphasize the importance of consistent relationship-building in effective evangelism:

Serving alongside non-Christians to meet a common need, they suggest, offers a congregation the opportunity to develop meaningful relationships with its neighbors and allows non-believers to participate in Christian community….

Viewing cooperative service as an evangelism opportunity provides the church with a larger audience for the gospel. Not only will those being served be touched by the love of Christ, but so will those serving with you.

They recommend that “…each of the church volunteers to invite one non-Christian friend to serve with them. ….Non-Christians, particularly younger ones, will be most inclined to join a cause they already recognize as relevant…”

(To read the rest of the article, go to http://www.christianitytoday.com/le/2008/002/8.67.html )

The Bridge Church in NW Washington state (http://www.thebridge2life.com/) is also looking at evangelism through service. They began using “Common Cause” groups to attract those in the community who would like to come together to work on a community need. When they meet to make their plan, they also discuss the reason behind their service and how the teachings of Christ impact what they do in their lives and in the way they live in the community. The gospel is made clear both to those who work on the community need, and those who are the recipients of the service. The community projects vary widely but the evangelistic emphasis is clear as they,

“…find projects and opportunities to share the love of Christ in tangible ways within the communities. It may be building a deck for a neighbor in need, yard work for an elderly woman, or helping a family with groceries. “

Could this approach to evangelism through ministry revolutionize your church’s witness to your community? It certainly is a tangible way to give evidence of Christ through our behavior as Christians (1 Thess. 4:11–12), to encourage genuine love and good deeds (Heb. 10:24), and to cultivate a consistency in our evangelism, remembering:

Whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus... Colossians 3:17

To submit community evangelism prayer requests, or to request more information about consultation, training or materials, contact Heather at 800-552-0004 or hruiz@bcnysbc.org.

Eyes to See

2008-08-19T08:35:00.000-07:00

Harold Harper wrote a great piece in Baptist Press, asking himself if he was paying enough attention...

One day last year a man walked up the steps of a busy Washington, D.C. Metro station and stood against a wall beside a trash can.

To people rushing by on their way to work he was just a guy in jeans, a T-shirt and a baseball cap. He took a violin from a case, put the case at his feet and threw in some money so people would know their donations were welcome. Then he started to play.

He played for the next 43 minutes, performing six classical pieces as more than a thousand people walked by.

Not one of them recognized Joshua Bell, the Washington Post reported, "one of the finest classical musicians in the world, playing some of the most elegant music ever written on one of the most valuable violins ever made.

Three days before he had performed before a full house at Boston's Symphony Hall, where the so-so seats went for $100. But on that morning, with government employees bustling past, Josh Bell was just a street musician who didn't attract much attention and raked in about $32.

I wonder what my reaction to Josh would have been that day. Would I have noticed him? Would I have discerned his incredible talent? Would I have appreciated the beauty of the music? Or would I have walked on by so consumed with my own agenda that I missed the opportunity to partake of something rare and wonderful?"

(To read the rest, go to http://www.bpnews.net/BPnews.asp?ID=28478 .)

How many of us do the same thing with people we find in our paths? How many waiters, dishwashers, newspaper boys, housekeepers, clerks or others do we encounter daily without giving them a second glance or a second thought? Every person needs to hear about the love of Jesus. Let's remember the great worth God places on every person so we will see them and treat them with the value they deserve.

"We love each other because he loved us first." 1 John 4:19

To submit community evangelism prayer requests, or to request more information about consultation, training or materials, contact Heather at 800-552-0004 or hruiz@bcnysbc.org.

Prayer to Go!

2008-07-10T12:29:00.000-07:00

I have stumbled upon an interesting prayer resource and website I want to share with you. The Resource is called “Prayer to Go.” The website has free, downloadable prayers for kids, pre-teens, teens, college, adults and other topical items. These can be downloaded to an iPod or printed to be used in any of the 28 creative ways listed on the site (such as listen to them while taking a walk, doing my chores, or while traveling). It also includes 8 free video teaching segments on prayer and even a great prayer quiz.

Here is an abbreviated sample from their quiz where they ask:

How could this prayer be changed to focus on God's glory?

1: ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
"God, help our church to grow. Other churches are growing but our Pastor won't attract any new people. We have a weak budget, old leaders, stodgy music and boring sermons."

2: ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
"God, use our church to reach people for Your kingdom. May your joy show in us and become contagious throughout our community... so we'll have new resources to reach other peoples for Your kingdom!"

Explanation:--------------------------------------------------------------------------

The first prayer shows personal discontent... and asks God to "fix" others to establish that church’s kingdom. The second prayer asks God to move for His purposes and to establish His Kingdom."
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
To check it out, go to

www.prayertogo.com. Let me know what you think of it by leaving a comment. Enjoy!

To submit community evangelism prayer requests, or to request more information about consultation, training or materials, contact Heather at 800-552-0004 or hruiz@bcnysbc.org.

10 Excuses for Evangelism

2008-06-19T07:09:00.000-07:00

Summer is the time to get out and share Jesus. There are lots of opportunities! Even so, do you ever find yourself hearing (or giving) excuses about why you don't do more evangelism? Mark Mittelburg responds to what he has identified as the top ten excuses for evangelism that he encounters in those around him in the June 19 issue of the e-newsletter Building Church Leaders. I think we have all thought or heard some of the following:

1. "I don't have any non-Christian friends."
2. "I don't have the gift of evangelism. It's not my thing."
3. "I don't have time right now."
4. "I'm afraid of what friends will think of me."
5. "I'll just live out my faith in front of my friends; they'll figure it out."
6. "I don't know how to bring up the topic."
7. "I wouldn't know what to say once the topic was raised."
8. "I don't know enough."
9. "In our church, we don't talk about personal faith."

10."My church is more into teaching and worship than evangelism."

Here are the excuses, so how do we respond to them? Go to http://buildingchurchleaders.com/articles/2008/tenexcuses.html?tCode=6586FCFEC1&dCode=33A8BE507F to read his responses to each of them. Perhaps you'd like to add to the list or respond to one of them yourself. Feel free to leave a comment!

To submit community evangelism prayer requests, or to request more information about consultation, training or materials, contact Heather at 800-552-0004 or hruiz@bcnysbc.org.

40/40 Prayer Vigil

2008-06-03T06:59:00.000-07:00

Consider signing up to participate in the the 40/40 Prayer Vigil. This is a Convention-Wide prayer initiative asking all Southern Baptists to unite in prayer for personal and national spiritual revival this fall.

This focus will include 40 days of prayer from September 23 to November 2. It will end with 40 hours of dedicated prayer from 4:00 p.m. October 31 until 8:00 a.m. November 2.

Want to sign up and be counted? Go to http://ilivevalues.com/prayer .

To submit community evangelism prayer requests, or to request more information about consultation, training or materials, contact Heather at 800-552-0004 or hruiz@bcnysbc.org.

Natives, Conquistadores or Immigrants?

2008-05-29T08:25:00.000-07:00

Alex McManus asks the question, “How can we turn a church from being self-absorbed to being relevant to others?” in his article entitled, Going Native in a recent issue of Building Church Leaders. He discusses the difficulty of getting people to embrace changes needed to relate to cultures around them. “Often they'll change the church to fit people ‘just like me,’ but no further.”
He describes three types of people he has encountered in his church and their styles of relating to change.

First, he describes the Natives. “…Natives are people comfortable within their own culture…as long as those ministries continue in that culture, they'll stay…a native says, ‘Welcome into our community. But don't touch the stereo.’ "

Next, he describes the Conquistadors, "who have a sense of mission to take the gospel to the world. But they insist on taking their culture with it….a conquistador … ‘When you look just enough like us, we'll think of you as one of our own.’ "

The third, more difficult to find people he calls Immigrants, are those who look primarily for a place to serve, not for a place to get their needs met. They have, “…grasped a greater vision for the church… Immigrants are characterized by a willingness to make a personal culture shift….immigrants adapt to their environment.”

As we reach out to cultures around us this summer through prayer and ministry, let’s be aware of our cultural tendencies and strive to be Immigrants, those who can take the Gospel into new cultural and generational groups without watering it down, but also without adding our own cultural preferences. McManus suggests that each church find ways to go native, but also to raise immigrants.

To read McManus’ article in its entirety, go to http://buildingchurchleaders.com/articles/2008/goingnative.html?tCode=6586FCFEC1&dCode=33A8BE507F.

To submit community evangelism prayer requests, or to request more information about consultation, training or materials, contact Heather at 800-552-0004 or hruiz@bcnysbc.org.

ESL Teacher Certification

2008-05-19T11:41:00.000-07:00

ESL Teacher Certification: June 27-28

Friday: 4-8:00 pm, Saturday: 9 am-6:00 pm
Cost: $25.00, for textbook and lunch

Workshop Includes:
· Organizing an ESL Ministry
· Learning & Teaching a Foreign Language
· Dealing with Cultural Misunderstandings
· Student Placement Interviews
· Introducing New Vocabulary & Drills
· Teaching Pronunciation
· Communication Practice Activities
· Lesson Planning, Part I & II
· Preparing a Devotional
· Using the Bible in the ESL Class
· Sharing Your Faith with Students
· Recommended Resources

You DO NOT need to speak a language other than English to teach ESL.

Come learn how!

To submit community evangelism prayer requests, or to request more information about consultation, training or materials, contact Heather at 800-552-0004 or hruiz@bcnysbc.org.

Some Good Reads

2008-05-16T11:03:00.000-07:00

It’s May… and June is just around the corner! Looking for some good books to pick up to read over the summer? Here are a couple of my recommendations, one new and one not-so new. Both are really worth perusing during the (not so) lazy days of summer.

A Framework for Understanding Poverty
This is an amazing book to help you understand the impact that poverty has on learning, work habits and decision-making. It is a secular book, written by Ruby Payne, and is published by aha! Process. It is a groundbreaking study complete with charts, tables and questionnaires to give practical help for working with people from all socioeconomic backgrounds. I had many aha! Moments when reading this one…

Prayer 101: What Every Intercessor Needs to Know
Elaine Helms’ newest book has just hit the shelves and is a very practical, comprehensive guidebook which covers all the basics in prayer. Each easy-to-read scripture-filled chapter includes review questions, making it a great resource to use for group study.

To check out these books or others in Community Ministry or Prayer, look at the right column for the book list, Community Ministry Books of Prayer Books, then click on the book title for more information. Have you read something on Prayer or Community Ministry? Share it with me and I'll add it to the list.

To submit community evangelism prayer requests, or to request more information about consultation, training or materials, contact Heather at 800-552-0004 or hruiz@bcnysbc.org.

The Bottom Line of Ministry

2008-05-14T10:42:00.000-07:00

In a recent edition of the e-newsletter, Building Church Leaders, the story of a man who had recently had a “turnaround” in his ministry was included. He shared that,

“Under his leadership, the church doubled its membership, tripled its budget, and built a 100,000-square-foot addition. People constantly told him how much they enjoyed his sermons and how well he preached. Yet he wept as he told me that looking back on his pastorate, he couldn't think of one person who came to faith in Jesus Christ because of his ministry…He was not looking for commitment from people. He was successful in what he set out to do, but he looks back now with remorse that he didn't set out to do the right thing.”

As we come to the summer months, ministry opportunities abound. Let’s be sure that we are aiming at the goal of sharing Jesus with those we come in contact with in our ministries. Serving alone may not have any eternal impact, but service connected with witness does. Pray for opportunities to meet needs with genuine compassion that can open the door for an intentional witness of the hope that we have in Jesus.

To read the rest of the article, go to http://buildingchurchleaders.com/articles/1988/le-1988-002-2.21.html?tCode=6586FCFEC1&dCode=33A8BE507F.

To submit community evangelism prayer requests, or to request more information about consultation, training or materials, contact Heather at 800-552-0004 or hruiz@bcnysbc.org.

Reflections on Prayerwalking

2008-05-06T10:56:00.000-07:00

A small group of us gathered at Lamson Road Baptist Church in Phoenix, NY on a recent Saturday morning. Our plan was, after a short overview of prayerwalking, to go pray for a neighborhood where many refugees and internationals were living. The prayerwalk was to prepare for a future scripture distribution, and a possible Bible study. Pastor Mike Houck had a positive experience and sent me the following reaction to the day:

"The training was great as it was not overly complicated and set everyone at ease as to what was expected of them during a prayer walk excursion.

As for me, It's amazing that such a simple activity can do so much to open your eyes to the needs and concerns of others. As I walked through the neighborhood and prayed for people that I honestly had never before given thought or consideration, I began to not only notice their needs but my mind quickly began to ponder how I could lead our church toward addressing those needs. To my shame, as I walked through that apartment complex, I realized that I am greatly blessed, and that I have been largely indifferent to the needs of those outside of my community."

Perhaps a prayerwalk would benefit your church and community...

To submit community evangelism prayer requests, or to request more information about consultation, training or materials, contact Heather at 800-552-0004 or hruiz@bcnysbc.org.

Reaching Out to Refugees

2008-04-21T15:46:00.000-07:00

The LORD is a refuge for the oppressed, a stronghold in times of trouble. Psalm 9:9

I want to introduce you to a friend of mine...

Yordanis
Yordanis just celebrated his 17th birthday a week ago. We surprised him with a small cake with candles before rehearsal at church. In the last couple of years he has discovered that he has a real gift for music, and has learned to play the piano, the guitar, the bass guitar, and the drums… all well. Our church benefits greatly from his talent, and we love his gentle personality.

He was 9 when his family came as refugees to the US.

“I don’t remember much about living in Cuba,” he said. “When my parents told me we were coming here I didn’t really understand, I just went back out to play.”

He does remember not having many clothes, and that the ones he did have didn’t fit very well. He remembers his parents having trouble getting work and enough money to provide for the family. “I remember going to bed really hungry and waking up really hungry then going to school with just some bread with sugar.”

Before coming to the US he was told that here you’ll get shot for no reason, so you shouldn’t go outside and walk around, there’s just too much violence. So, of course, when he first arrived, Yordanis was really scared. “I didn’t know what to think, it was very different. I was scared to walk outside. We had to walk to go to this place to get food. I was just looking around to see who was looking at me the whole way.”

The thing that surprised him most when he got here was how difficult communication would be. “I really, really struggled. My Mom says I would cry because I didn’t understand anybody and they didn’t understand me. I had to use sign language. At school on the bus I didn’t talk to anyone.”

As far as living in Syracuse, the weather was really hard. “I was dressed like an Eskimo. My mom told me to wear 2-3 pants and several scarves… I couldn’t even see my hands.”

The good surprise he found was that it is easier to lead a “normal life” and “live comfortably.” Here, he said, “people don’t have to do things they don’t want to do… like steal to take care of their family.” It still took a year or two for him to start feeling more comfortable with the customs here.

When Yordanis and his family arrived, they were helped greatly by an English-speaking congregation that offered them clothes, food, translation, and someone to talk to… a friend. He explained the need for friendship saying how important it was, “to have someone to talk to that knows how things work here, to have someone guide you. You feel lost. Talk to them, just to talk, to answer question, to make them feel comfortable, to make them feel okay. Show them places.” It was a year before he got to go to a non-Cuban house through a Christmas program at a church.

He and his family now attend Iglesia Nueva Esperanza where they understand more since services are in Spanish. Being part of a church has had a big effect on Yordanis. “If I wasn’t going to church I’d probably get bad grades and be hanging out with people of bad influence. It was an eye-opener for me. It helped me at school – taught me behavior, how to do things differently, I don’t know how. I used to skip half the school year… it helped me stay focused. It made me more comfortable in opening up, it made me feel like I was a part of something, not just listening, but like I belonged. It made me feel nice.”

“I remember on Saturday going to sleep early thinking I’ve got to go to church in the morning, looking forward to it. It made me get closer to God, playing on the music team… I had a really big exposure to that.”

I asked Yordanis what he thought churches could or should do to help refugees when they first come. He said, “The main thing is just having someone to talk to, that’s the biggest thing, just talking. Show them places. They don’t know what it’s like here. It’s a big relief, you know, how you can start again.”

When I asked him what else people should know about refugees, he answered quickly,
“Help. Refugees really, really do need the help.”

What is a Refugee?
A refugee is someone who is unable or unwilling to return to their country of origin because of persecution. There are over 11 million refugees worldwide. In the last federal fiscal year, the US resettled about 55,000 refugees.

The Brookings Institute published a study in September 2006 as a part of the Living Cities Series entitled, From 'There' to 'Here': Refugee Resettlement in Metropolitan America by Audrey Singer and Jill H. Wilson http://www.brookings.edu/reports/2006/09demographics_singer.aspx. As you might expect, the top metropolitan area of refugee resettlement from 1983-2004 is New York City (186,522). The second top medium-sized metropolitan area for refugee resettlement is Utica-Rome, NY. It might surprise you to discover that there are also 5 upstate New York areas that rank in the top 25 areas with the highest ratios of refugees to foreign-born in their cities from 1983-2004. This means these cities are receiving a high enough percentage of refugees that it has a significant effect or influence on the overall immigrant population of the area. Here are the ranking NY cities:

#1 Utica-Rome, NY 86.6% (9,148)
#5 Binghamton, NY 61.1% (3,280)
#19 Buffalo-Niagara Falls, NY 25.2% (7,020)
#22 Rochester, NY 23.9% (8,620)
#25 Syracuse, NY 21.6% (5,602)

I discovered, in a recent meeting with InterFaith Works, an agency located in Syracuse which helps resettle refugees in the Central NY area, that refugees have been coming to central NY from: Sudan, Liberia, Cambodia, Uzbekistan, Vietnam, Columbia, Congo, Dominican Republic, Burundi, Ethiopia and they are currently expecting refugee groups from: Somalia, Cuba, Iraq, and Bhutan. However, the largest group is coming from Burma where they are expecting 650-700 to come to Syracuse and 950 in Utica this year!

What can a church do?

Churches can collect items for refugee families to use in their apartments.
Churches can pray for refugees who are arriving.
Churches can help set up an apartment to receive a new family.
Churches can provide a welcoming meal for a new family.
Churches can help with transportation.
Churches can help the family with grocery shopping or banking
Churches can help with basic needs such as winter clothing or school supplies
Churches can participate in scripture distribution.
Churches can praywalk refugee housing areas.
Churches can begin ESL ministries
Churches can introduce refugees to their church and to Jesus.
Churches can become sponsors and meet with families to help them practice English and to, "Talk to them, just to talk, to answer question, to make them feel comfortable, to make them feel okay." as Yordanis said.

The urgency voiced by the people at InterFaith Works is that most families don't have sponsors!
Interested in helping? Let me know and I can send you a prayer brochure developed by Tim Bissell for the Bosnian people. I can also add your name to a refugee email list to pass on ministry opportunities as I am made aware of them for your church to respond when there is a refugee-related need.

Just send me your: church name, contact person's name & email.

“Help. Refugees really, really do need the help.”

To submit community evangelism prayer requests, or to request more information about consultation, training or materials, contact Heather at 800-552-0004 or hruiz@bcnysbc.org.

North Buffalo Community Prays for School

2008-04-21T07:41:00.000-07:00

Pastor Bill Smith sent me a prayer request I'd like to share with you about a unique prayer opportunity his church has with a local public school. Pastor Smith writes:

"NBCC is partnering with a public school in our city. We pray on site every Tuesday and Friday at 2:45. We start with the Principal and her 2 assistants. After this we spread out on all floors and pray. We lift up the teachers especially that their hearts would soften towards their students. We also ask the Lord to touch the hearts of the Christian teachers and staff. Thanks for praying for us. This is a tough school."

How the church get to have such an opportunity? The answer comes from Marilyn Foote-Kragbe, a teacher who shares her testimony below.

"I have been praying for a long time trying to get God's guidance on how I could use the time I spend at work to serve Him better. I felt very challenged to witness to my co-workers.

I prayed to seek individuals in my work to join me in prayer for support. This really did not happen. When I did not get the support from my co-workers, I was open to my bosses scorn. I received several letters of reprimand that went into my files. I became a faculty adviser to a Bible Club and assisted the students with the praying at the poles. This lead to more letters of reprimand.

I stayed focus on what I knew God's plan for me. I am there for the children. My gift to teach and care for children breathes through every pore from my body. I continued to pray and God lead me to go to Pastor Bill from North Buffalo Community Church in Buffalo, NY. My devotions centered on the book of Jeremiah and as I read Jeremiah 5:1:

Go up and down the streets of Jerusalem, look around and consider, search through her squares.

If you can find but one person who deals honestly and seeks the truth, I will forgive this city.

I knew that this was the time God had planned for me. I was going to do a prayer walk in my school. I spoke to Pastor Bill and he was completely in turned to join me. My principal did not question me and she agreed to open her school in Buffalo on Tuesdays and Fridays at 2:45 pm each week for a group to come in and pray for the school.

It has been a month and the group has grown to be all three principals, one teacher aide, two teachers and six community clergy members from different churches walk the halls, praying for the whole school. There are four other adults who pray at home at the same time. This school is in a desperate state with uncountable problems. Our prayers are now in place and God is up lifted in its halls."

To submit community evangelism prayer requests, or to request more information about consultation, training or materials, contact Heather at 800-552-0004 or hruiz@bcnysbc.org.

Revival: Breaking Out in LA

2008-04-01T12:40:00.000-07:00

Have you heard about the revival in Jena, Louisiana? Here are some exerpts from the March 27 article from Baptist Press:

... "God is doing a complete restoration and unification work here in Jena, so it is only fitting that the seventh week finds us at the same location where thousands gathered on Sept. 20 of last year."

...The Jena leaders from the African American and Anglo communities have repeatedly expressed their passion for God to be glorified in Jena. They are convinced the healing and the life transformations that have transpired are demonstrations of the spirit of God working among the churches of Jena and LaSalle Parish.

...The extended revival meeting started at Midway Baptist Church on Feb. 17 and continued there for two weeks. For the third week, the services moved to East Jena Baptist Church where John Hebert, regional strategist for the Louisiana convention, is the interim pastor. The crowds had increased so much that the only building large enough in Jena to accommodate the number of people attending was the Jena High School gymnasium where racial tensions erupted last year putting Jena in the national spotlight. For the revival's fifth week, services moved to Temple Baptist Church, and week six, at First Baptist Church in Olla. During the past six weeks, more than 100 people have come to know Christ as their personal Savior and Lord. The majority of those decisions have been by adults. At least three have surrendered to a call to the ministry, while hundreds of other decisions have included fresh surrender to the lordship of Christ and reconciliations both relational and racial. The meetings are marked with extended invitations of confession of sin and repentance and requests for personal forgiveness... "I think what we're seeing is a movement of God among God's people," Robertson said.

..."This area has witnessed tremendous turmoil over the past two years and God has heard the prayers of His people and now we're seeing the result."

..."Basically, what we've seen is God's people getting right with Him and each other," Robertson continued. "God has brought about this revival and as a result, people are being saved, lives are being changed forever and a true peace has come about, bringing unity to this area like we've never seen."

To read the entire article, go to http://www.bpnews.net/bpnews.asp?Id=27713 . Let us pray for the same to happen here, across the BCNY convention territory. Join me and pray for revival in the Northeast!

To submit community evangelism prayer requests, or to request more information about consultation, training or materials, contact Heather at 800-552-0004 or hruiz@bcnysbc.org.

Overcoming Obstacles to Evangelism

2008-03-20T08:49:00.000-07:00

"Evangelism is everything we do to make faith in Christ an option. It includes sharing the good word and doing the good deed. Sometimes obstacles we don't understand hinder our evangelistic efforts."

Wow. Myron Augsburger doesn't pull any punches in his recent article about obstacles we deal with in evangelism. He talks about how to deal with obstacles such as a lack of trust, the tendency of Christians to compartmentalize evangelism, the desire to want to do things our way, saying, "We should serve people where they need to be served...not where we prefer to serve." and the "anonymous pastor" who is not known at all in his community.

Read a short exerpt below about establishing trust...

"Many people here are trapped. Seldom do people leave the ghetto to shop, play, or do business. Consequently, they don't believe that suburbanites, who commute each day into the city but then leave in the evening, understand them. Nor would they trust anyone who would try to minister to them who didn't share their life.

Trust, of course, is not just an inner-city issue. Regardless of location, if we want to reach people, we need to build rapport and establish trust, which usually means we must live in the community to which we will minister, whether that means the country or suburbia.

Building trust takes time…. I've learned that maintaining a steady presence among people demonstrates genuine care and commitment."

To read the complete article, go to http://buildingchurchleaders.com/articles/2005/112105.html?tCode=6586FCFEC1&dCode=33A8BE507F

To submit community evangelism prayer requests, receive updates on new postings, or to request more information about consultation, training or materials, contact Heather at 800-552-0004 or hruiz@bcnysbc.org.

New ESL Catalogs

2008-03-19T09:43:00.000-07:00

As I met with a faith-based refugee resettlement agency today, I was reminded of the great number of people who come to our convention territory as immigrants and refugees, and the many opportunities that offers churches to serve them. Some churches have already established ESL ministries. Teachers and Ministry Directors, there are new catalogues and new materials available!

ALTA Publishing has just released their new catalogs for 2008. They offer a variety of materials which would be useful to any ESL class. Their catalogs are focused on grades K-8 and High School / Adult so age appropriate materials can be easily found. To receive their catalog, they must be ordered, but the price of the catalog is applied as credit toward future purchases. For more information, go to https://www.altaesl.com/catalog.cfm .

Delta Publishing offers their catalogs for free! They have catalogs for PreK-5, Middle School / Secondary / Adult, and Bilingual Reading Materials as well. To check out their materials, go to http://www.delta-systems.com/cat-request.cfm .

Remember, ESL Training is always available from BCNY for your church if you'd like to start a new ministry or brush up on you skills, just call me!

To submit community evangelism prayer requests, receive updates on new postings, or to request more information about consultation, training or materials, contact Heather at 800-552-0004 or hruiz@bcnysbc.org.

Hope for a Meandering Mind

2008-02-29T13:49:00.000-08:00

"Like the prodigal son, my mind wanders recklessly into a far country when I pray. In moments of solitude when I am just getting close to God, my brain shifts into gear and speeds off for the highway.
I tried making a list.
I tried walking around with my eyes open.
I tried praying out loud; I tried praying real loud.
The harder I tried to eliminate the distractions the more frustrating they became.Then an idea came to me unexpectedly. What if the interruptions are God's effort to dialogue with me in prayer?"

So starts an article from Leadership Journalby Brad Preston, talking about the aspect of prayer we rarely discuss, the difficulty of maintaining focus while we pray. Preston suggests that we stop fighting the interruptions and instead pray about them. This, he suggests, will open a new interactive dialogue with God. It will also not allow the denial and avoidance of certain subjects that sticking to a planned list may have allowed in the past. So, consider spending some of your prayertime without a list or a plan. Get ready to do a lot more listening!

To read the rest of the article, go to http://buildingchurchleaders.com/articles/2008/managingameanderingmind.html?tCode=C7AF69E462&dCode=B639BCBCFF.

To submit community evangelism prayer requests, receive updates on new postings, or to request more information about consultation, training or materials, contact Heather at 800-552-0004 or hruiz@bcnysbc.org.

City Reaching Training Event in MA

2008-02-19T10:53:00.000-08:00

The Mission America Coalition is bringing its 2008 National City Impact Roundtable to Massachusetts April 14-16. The event is designed for each person to leave with a Plan to Reach Your City through sharing Best Models, providing Peer-to Peer Interaction, and hearing Speakers.

"This event is designed to equip you or your leadership team with the skills necessary to mobilize the whole church in taking the whole gospel to the whole city."

To see the event brochure or for more information on registration click below.

Download Brochure (.pdf)

To submit community evangelism prayer requests, receive updates on new postings, or to request more information about consultation, training or materials, contact Heather at 800-552-0004 or hruiz@bcnysbc.org.

Prayer Stations Available!

2008-02-19T07:34:00.000-08:00

BCNY has Prayer Stations now available for churches to borrow. If you’ve already prayer - walked an area and want to take the next ‘step’, a Prayer Station is a great idea. It encourages those walking by to share their prayer needs and to be prayed for on the spot! This gives volunteers opportunities to share the Gospel and develop relationships with those who stop for prayer. They are easy to assemble and available for your church to borrow at no cost. Consider adding a Prayer Station to your Block Party or other outreach plan this year.

For more information about borrowing a Prayer Station, participating in a Regional Prayer Team, or adding a prayer request to one of our lists, send it to me!

To submit community evangelism prayer requests, receive updates on new postings, or to request more information about consultation, training or materials, contact Heather at 800-552-0004 or hruiz@bcnysbc.org.

Big Response for Coffee House in February

2008-02-18T13:51:00.000-08:00

Pastor Art Hubbard had a “fantastic night” February 17 on the corner of Lake and Elm Street in Oneida, NY. His church, the Christian Bible Church which is located on that corner, usually has an average attendance of 25 in the winter. However, on that Sunday night they hosted 63 people who came to hear gospel music and drink coffee. The event opened with prayer and a gospel presentation. As the New Creation Band alternated with Eric and Sandy Lawrence singing, the church members provided free refreshments of sandwiches, chips, macaroni salad and, of course, coffee. The groups talked about Jesus and played a variety of gospel music, even including some children’s songs.
Pastor Hubbard advertised the coffee house for 2 weeks prior to the event in the local newspaper. He was thrilled that 63 people came out on a winter night. “It lifted everyone’s spirits… it lifted my spirits up!”

Loving a Whole City in One Day

2008-02-15T07:58:00.000-08:00

"What would happen if people all over the community combined their resources to commit acts of kindness with no strings attached?" asked an article from the Courier-Journal, Louisville, KY about the fifth annual Love Louisville Day. Organizer Mark Taylor answered that there was the potential for a "colossal, gargantuan effect."

Love Louisville Day is a one-day event held on a Saturday in which churches unite to offer free services across the city to share God's love with people living in the area. 50 churches participated last year in this "kindness explosion" by offering help to seniors and single-parent families with yardwork and household chores, offering free carwashes, garbage pick-ups, grocery drop-offs, neighborhood block parties, and other projects. The group hopes to have the participation of 100 churches this year on what Mayor Jerry Abramson has declared as Love Louisville Day.

"Churches have a responsibility to 'go and show' God's love, rather than focusing solely on getting newcomers to 'come and see' what the church has to offer," said a member of Ninth and O Baptist Church.

"My hope is that Love Louisville Day helps plant a seed of what it means to follow Jesus," said Robert Pittman, a pastor who helped start the event five years ago.

"I know it did in me."

You can read more and watch a video of the event at http://www.lovelouisville.org/index2.php.

Kids Can Pray Too!

2008-02-15T07:02:00.000-08:00

“Let the little children come to Me, and don’t stop them, because the kingdom of God belongs to such as these,” Luke 18:16b

The International Mission Board sends the following note to all you prayer warriers out there:

Dear Intercessor!

KOMpray: Kids on Mission Pray is a new prayer resource and is a work in progress. We want to offer prayer requests about children—children around the world who are just learning about Jesus and Missionary Kids who share His love along with their parents. The goal is to encourage children of all ages to pray and trust God to answer!

Here is a sample from their website:

Japanese Neighborhood Watch... Mrs. H is a senior neighborhood watch volunteer in Japan. She looks out for the safety of children walking to school every day. Lots of times, she says ‘hi’ to one of the missionary kids in Sendai. This young girl decided to give Mrs. H a “JESUS” film in Japanese for the new year. Please pray that Mrs. H will watch the whole “JESUS” film. God cares for Mrs. H just like she cares for the young missionary girl when she walks to school. Please pray that she will trust in Jesus for salvation.

PRAYER REQUESTS FROM MISSIONARY KIDS

Please pray for my friend who is confused about the way to heaven. He thinks all religions lead to heaven. Please pray he will learn about Jesus. JOEL, age 13 (South Asia)

Pray for those who steal to stop. Pray for everybody in my country to be healthy and nobody to be poor. CAMERON, age 9 (Central, Eastern and Southern Africa)

You can receive the KOMpray Weekly Newsletter directly through e-mail by signing up for the IMB's free Mailing List service.

Praying Like Jesus

2008-01-23T04:07:00.000-08:00

"We often read biographies of great people to learn the secrets of their lives. When you read
the biographies of Jesus’ life, the gospels, you learn one of his great secrets. Jesus modeled
prayer. If he prayed, we need to pray. If he needed time alone with God, we need time alone
with God. We need to emulate what he did.

Obviously and practically, Jesus believed that prayer works. Let me say it again, Jesus believed in prayer. Jesus knew the effectiveness and the power of prayer. Obviously, he had an intimate relationship with the Father, like we will never know or experience. Yet from Jesus’ example we can still have the same motivation and desire to spend time with the Father. We, too, need to believe in prayer.

....One cannot ignore or take lightly the boldness and confidence with which Jesus spoke about prayer. Over and over again he communicated the effectiveness of prayer."

Rick Ezell has made available a free ten-study resource available online.
His studies cover:

Study 1: Jesus believed that prayer works.
Study 2: Praying did not make Jesus passive.
Study 3: Jesus prayed alone.
Study 4: Jesus prayed in community.
Study 5: Jesus prayed before meals.
Study 6: Jesus offered thanks.
Study 7: Jesus sang some prayers.
Study 8: Jesus prayed before making important decisions.
Study 9: Jesus prayed for his disciples.
Study 10: Jesus continues to pray for us.

To download the studies, go to http://www.lifeway.com/lwc/files/lwcF_PDF_Ezell_PrayingLikeJesus.pdf .

What are some materials or strategies you have enjoyed using in your church? Please share, I will look forward to hearing from you!

Planning for 2008

2008-01-18T12:37:00.000-08:00

I've been reading through newsletters and emails this week trying to be more organized and informed. I have come across two challenging articles from Leadership Journal.

The first is from the article, What You Get from Giving. Eric Swanson reports that he surveyed his church, "...to see if people saw a relationship between ministering to others and spiritual growth." He found the following:

92% answered positively.

None (0%) responded that ministry had a negative effect on their spiritual growth.

63% indicated that service was equally significant in their spiritual growth compared to other spiritual disciplines, such as Bible study and prayer.

24% responded that ministry or service to others had been "a more significant factor" to their spiritual growth than Bible study or prayer.

58% of those who were not actively ministering to others felt either "not satisfied" or "somewhat satisfied" with their level of spiritual growth.

The second was a list of three-hours-a-day prayers. The list includes David Brainerd, pioneering misionary to Native Americans (1718-1747), George Mueller, English pastor and child evangelist (1805-1898), E.M. Bounds, pastor, revivalist, Civil war chaplain (1805-1898), and Rees Howells, Welsh miner turned missionary and revivalist (1879-1950), all of whom had a significant impact on their communities for the Gospel. If you'd like to read the article you can find it at Leadership Journal at http://www.ctlibrary.com/11135 . These men have inspired me to spend more time in prayer in 2008.

As you plan your 2008, I hope considering how your church will pray for, care for, serve and share the Gospel with your community will be a key part of your plan. If you haven't perused the ministry websites listed, you can find some inspiration in those. You may know of others that should be added. This is a good place to post questions about community evangelism. What are some of your church's community outreach successes you will share with others? Let us know what you are doing so we can all learn from each other.

“I don’t speak English”

2008-01-18T12:00:00.000-08:00

Did you know that in New York and New Jersey more than 3 million people report having difficulty speaking English and over 20% speak a language other than English at home? Your church can take advantage of this opportunity to meet a real need while sharing God’s love with your community by offering English as a Second Language classes through your church.

North American Mission Board certification is offered through the BCNY in an 11-hour training which will equip participants to:

1. Begin and conduct an ESL ministry.
2. Teach beginner, intermediate and advanced ESL classes.
3. Witness to immigrants and internationals.

Classes cover:

· Church-Based ESL Ministries
· Organizing an ESL Ministry
· Recommended Resources

· Learning & Teaching a Foreign Language
· Dealing with Cultural Misunderstandings
· Student Placement Interviews
· Introducing New Vocabulary & Drills
· Lesson Planning, Part I
· Teaching Pronunciation
· Communication Practice Activities

· Preparing a Devotional
· Using the Bible in the ESL Class
· Sharing Your Faith with Students

Comments on previous ESL trainings have included,

"The teacher was well prepared. Students were kept active and had full participation."

"The presentation of each class...keeping it simple and entertaining at the same time... being able to hold your attention throughout the class."

"...it is not difficult to teach English as a Second Language although you may not know the (second) language."

Please let me know if you'd like to schedule an ESL Training
in your area. It would be fun!

2007-03-28T13:05:00.000-07:00

WELCOME!

2007-03-19T10:27:00.000-07:00

Welcome to the Baptist Convention of New York's Community Evangelism Blog. This site will make available new materials, information and training opportunities to inspire your church to connect with your community with the goal of connecting people to Christ.

What kind of church can use a Community Evangelism Plan? Any church anywhere! It is an effective strategy for reaching out to your community with the good news of Jesus in relevant ways. Whether your neighbors are down the hall in a high rise apartment or a country mile away, the community evangelism approach of Prayer, Care, Serve, Share, relates to every church, everywhere, although they may be applied in very different ways. We will explore each of these steps in this blog. Look for those key words to find ways to assist your church in developing your own, tailor-made Community Evangelism Strategy.

To submit community evangelism prayer requests, receive updates on new postings, or to request more information about consultation, training or materials, contact Heather at hruiz@bcnysbc.org.

Prayer Description

2007-02-09T11:31:00.000-08:00

Pray for the community, by creating and implementing a community prayer plan.

Practice Intercession
►Prayerwalking
►Lighthouses of Prayer
►Praying Your Friend to Christ
►Great Commission Prayer Ministry:
Personal, Corporate, Kingdom

Intercession
►As the disciples asked Jesus to teach them to pray, (Luke 11:1-4) we also must continually seek to follow the biblical examples and teachings about prayer.
►We must remember to pray for our towns and cities where the Lord has placed us (Jer. 29:5-13).
►We must be persistent in prayer as the widow was as she prayed for justice (Luke 18:6-8).
As the disciples asked Jesus to teach them to pray, (Luke 11:1-4) we also must continually seek to follow the biblical examples and teachings about prayer.

We must remember to pray for our towns & cities where God has placed us (Jer. 29:5-13).
We must be persistent in prayer (Luke 18:6-8).

Care Description

2007-02-09T09:09:00.000-08:00

Care for the community, by researching community needs.

Develop Compassion

Community Roadmap
Community Assessment
Church Survey Form

Compassion
►God is the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort (2 Cor. 1:3-4).
►The Bible calls us to value people and to genuinely care for them as an expression of the compassion and mercy we have experienced from the Lord.
►Jesus is our model for compassion. (Mt. 9:36) “When he saw the crowds, he had compassion on them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd.”
►Seeing their needs as we pray for our comunities will increase our care for them.

Serve Description

2007-02-09T09:02:00.000-08:00

Serve the community by designing ministries which reflect discovered needs.

Develop Ministry Service
►Meeting Needs, Sharing Christ
►Ministry Evangelism Toolkit
English as a Second Language Ministry

After School Ministry
Hunger Ministry
And others…

Service
►Isaiah 58:6-12 shows that God’s people must serve the needy, working for justice and community restoration.
►Jesus taught service from the announcement of his ministry, (Lk. 4:18-19) his description of his ministry, “…the son of man did not come to be served, but to serve…” (Mt. 20:26) and through his example washing feet (John 13:13).
►The Good Samaritan (Luke 10:25-37) and the Sheep and the Goats parables (Mt. 25:31-46) taught service stating,“…whatever you did for the least of these...you did for me.”
►If we care for people, we will serve them. (James 2:15-17)

Share Description

2007-02-09T07:09:00.000-08:00

Share the Gospel frequently and intentionally, utilizing the relational bridges built by effective prayer, informed care and needs-based service.

Prepare to Witness

►Evangelistic Block Parties
►Evangelism Planner
►Servanthood Evangelism Training
►Special Evangelistic Events
►One Day/One Hour
►Evangecube

Witness
►It is the responsibility and privilege of every Christian to make disciples of all nations (Matthew 28:19-20) witnessing in every context from home and neighborhood to the ends of the earth (Acts 1:8).
►The intentional result of intercession, compassion and service is evangelism. “Let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven.” (Mt. 5:16)