September Pastors Newsletter

Vol. 3 No. 9

September 2001

September Pastors Prayer Meeting

No free lunch this month?  That’s right.    We will not have a fellowship meal following this month’s prayer time.  (This is not a permanent change; next month’s meal will be offered at First Assembly of God on Memphis and 98^th.) This extended prayer time will enable us to focus with more intensity.  We will be praying about our love and need for Jesus.  We will be praying that our ministries in congregations across the city will revolve around our love and need for Jesus.  We will be praying about God’s plans for our city and how those plans revolve around Jesus.   

We are inviting pastors to fast from lunch on this particular Wednesday.  We will, instead, use the mealtime to continue in prayer.  If your schedule does not permit your participation in this two-hour meeting, please come for the portion you are able.  Fasting is not mandatory, simply a suggestion. 

We will also focus on the original mission statement of Pray Lubbock and pray about the crucial elements to which we are called.  This meeting will also follow our summit, so there  will, no doubt, be prayer direction from that summit brought into this meeting.

Campus Ministry Leaders Converge

We are aware of 50 Para-church and church-based Christian ministries who have a vision to reach Texas Tech students.  We long to see the leaders and ministries of the community come together in order to pray and work side by side.  At our first meeting, we discovered a desire not only to pray together each month, but to also stick around and eat pizza, interface palms, and get better acquainted with others who share the vision of reaching the campus for Jesus.  What a joy it is to associate with this group!  We will meet on the 19^th floor of the Metro Tower.  Meeting times will be this Monday, September 10, and then every first Monday of the month beginning in October, at 4:00 p.m.  We will pray for an hour and then have pizza delivered at 5:00.  If you have a university ministry leader in your congregation whom we have missed, please spread the word about this meeting.  For other information about college ministries, see our expanded website.  Go to www.praylubbock.com and click on Pray Tech!

First Local Church Prayer Leaders Meeting Set

We have located about 40 prayer leaders who serve in the local churches of our community.  They not only pray, but they also organize prayer.  We will be getting this group together periodically in order to get acquainted, discover prayer leading trends and ideas, and learn of prayer requests effecting our whole city.  Our first meeting will take place Saturday morning, October 6^th, from 8:30 a.m. through 11:00 a.m. 

From 8:30 to 9:00 is an optional continental breakfast fellowship time.  At 9:00 we will begin with introductions and training on the subject: “What Would Happen if the Prayer Leaders in Lubbock United?”   Sounds like this could be a dangerous meeting!  We want your prayer leader to be there.  If you have not returned a call about this, or you don’t think you have been contacted, please call our office so we can get an invitation to your prayer leader.

Jim Gerlt to Lead Pastors Through Fresh Encounter

Would you be interested in studying through Henry Blackaby’s work, “Fresh Encounter,” with some other pastors?  Jim Gerlt, pastor of Indiana Avenue Baptist Church, has offered to lead a group through this study.  It would be great preparation for pastors who are interested in focusing on Fresh Encounter during January and February 2002 in preparation for Blackaby’s visit to our city in the last weekend of February.  This study explores the meaning of revival from a Biblical perspective, underscoring the need for repentance.  It then helps look at our personal lives and congregations in terms of our readiness for revival.  Many times our structures are not suited for revival.  Wouldn’t it be great to discuss this question and seek answers together amongst other pastors of the city?

Cover the Kids – A Blessing

It was a joy to look out over those who assembled for the prayer gathering for our school systems.  Forty to sixty kids from Emmanuel Assembly of God were a part of the students for which we prayed.  We had administrators, teachers, students of all ages and parents who had come for prayer.  Thanks to the following pastors who lent their time and led in prayer:  Mike Schafer, Aldersgate; Solomon Fields, St. John Baptist; Rodney Plunket, Broadway Church; Gary Scoggins, Cathedral of Praise; Jim Scott, First Foursquare; Lauro Hernandez, Pathway of the Cross Assembly; David Savage, Trinity; Jeff McCreight, New Life Family Center; Jay Fuglaar, Christ Community at Northridge; Jackie White, Church on the Rock; and Richard Smith, Levi Ministries, who led worship.  We are trusting in our Lord now, as a result of that prayer time, for the blessing of the children of our community.   

In addition to these prayers, Pray Lubbock also arranges for pastors to be present and pray at every LISD board meeting.  Our scope of concern goes beyond LISD, but we are so grateful for the opportunity to serve them in this consistent way.  Call our office if the Lord wants you to serve in this capacity.

John Maxwell Conference

John Maxwell will be at First Baptist Church on Thursday, September 20, presenting a conference designed for businessmen and pastors.    It will begin at 8:30 a.m., conclude at 5:00 p.m., at a cost of $100.  Questions can be directed to David Thetford at 777-0677.

Prayer of Jabez Conference

A Prayer of Jabez Conference is slated for 14 October, 3 p.m. - 8 p.m.  It will be held at Lubbock Municipal Auditorium.  The cost is  $10/person or $15/couple.  Tickets are on sale 26 Aug. - 23 Sept. at First Baptist, Indiana Avenue Baptist and Southcrest Baptist.  After 23 Sept, check local Bible bookstores. 

“Yet even now,” declares the LORD, “Return to me with all your heart, and with fasting, weeping, and mourning; And rend your heart and not your garments.”                                          Joel 2:12-13a