Our purpose in intercessory prayer is to provide ongoing strategic prayer for all Vineyard missional efforts. Specific focus in prayer will be for our missionaries, church partnerships and their leaders, as well as the targeted people groups worldwide. Click here tosubmit a prayer need.
APRIL 2008
“Opportunity Riding a Dangerous Wind” We have faithful workers in dangerous places, across the globe. They cannot be publicly named nor their location revealed. Reports this month seemed to indicate that threats, interrogations, and uprisings seem to be on the rise in some of these places. Yet the same God, who numbers each hair on our head, knows exactly where they are and has not let them out of his sight. Testimonies from the field unite in praise of God’s good work, of answered prayer, and opportunities to minister in the face of adversity. May our hearts be knit with theirs in voicing this prayer: “And now, O Lord, hear their threats, and give your servants great boldness as they preach. Send your healing power. May miraculous signs and wonders be done through the name of your holy servant Jesus." --- Acts 4:28-30
JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2008
Costa Rica : An Occasion to Celebrate. January 31st through February 2nd marked a special time at the annual gathering of Vineyard leaders across Costa Rica. Many national Vineyard leaders from the United States and Latin America joined with the Vineyard leaders in Costa Rica to commemorate and celebrate the first “official” meeting of AVC Costa Rica. The presence of God orchestrated a defining moment for Costa Rica through worship, the word, and the fellowship of God's people. There was a collective sense that God ordained and consecrated this time to recognize, bless and release Vineyard Costa Rica into God's purpose for her as an Association of Vineyard Churches.
God Intercepted Winter's Destructive Plans in Central Asia. The winter of 2008 will be remembered as one of the harshest on record. None of the countries in this region were prepared to deal with winter conditions of this magnitude. In late January an e-mail highlighted how grave the situation had become: “Our teams were literally seeing their neighbors and friends freezing to death ... people who they loved and shared Christ with!" Their prayer request was urgently simple: "Pray for a miracle...for God to be merciful...for God to bring an end to the freezing temperatures", and "...for Him to bring a solution to the people, so they can have heat." People prayed, heaters were purchased and sent to workers who in turn shared them with neighbors and friends. Before February's end the sun returned. The author of Joshua marvels of a similar climate/nature related miracle (Joshua 10: 12-14]. He exclaimed that 'there had never been a day before or since, that God listened to a human voice and acted so grandly on by half of his people!' Many are grateful to think that perhaps the the Winter of 2008 in Central Asia will be remembered as a similar time; when God listened to a human voice and acted grandly on behalf of His people! May it be so!
NOVEMBER 2007
Prayer facilitates turning point in recovery from Hepatitis and Typhus. While adjusting to a new country, culture and language is challenging for any church planting family, significant illness is a major threat. A majority of the family members of one such family contracted Hepatitis and another member became ill from Typhus. Facing insurmountable odds a multinational, multicultural, prayer effort was mobilized to pray for this family and all were healed. Praise God for his healing intervention!
Latin American gathering provides perspective. One new US church planter reports: "We met nearly 100 Vineyard pastors and missionaries from around Latin America. Highlights included meeting with other missionaries who share and understand our feelings. And, hearing that ministry in Latin America is different than the US. I knew that to be true before coming, but it is hard to live in that reality. Latin pastors and missionaries affirmed the need for us to wait before starting a church. It is nice to know that we are doing the right thing. I’m thankful to be a part of what God is doing!"
2007 Asia Summit encourages networking. One leader reported: “It was a real privilege to meet Vineyard leaders from various parts of Asia and to see how alike and how different we are. It was so good for us to network with brothers and sisters who are doing similar ministry in neighboring countries and to share and pray together. Various countries took part in leading worship. Mingling with others and worship were the best parts.”
OCTOBER 2007
Lithuanian pastoral couple granted visa to attend Mission Leaders Meeting in Arizona. They participated fully and it was a significant week of connection, encouragement, and support for them. Prayer ministry times confirmed things God had personally spoken to them. Language differences proved to be no barrier to what God intended to impart “to them” and “through them” for the benefit of His Kingdom. They were a tremendous blessing.
Reports of healing from prayer at Mission Leaders Meeting:
Leader facing cancer surgery gets good news. Facing surgery immediately after MLM meeting, his lab test results came back negative. There was no spreading or remaining Melanoma. Nothing in the original site or in the lymph node they extracted. Leader and his wife report: “We are in awe of Jesus love and power.”
Leader suffering a debilitating migraine finds relief. After receiving prayer that night, he reported: I fell into a deep sleep. This has never happened to me. In fact, I have not had a migraine headache that did not include throwing up for hours and usually a three-day recovery time. This time I woke up feeling rested and well. Thank you so much for your prayer and the thank you Jesus for the healing I received.
SEPTEMBER 2007
Ethiopia: An occasion to celebrate. God is doing a new thing and we are a part of it. The main leader of the Vineyard in Ethiopia visited the U.S. in September. He gave an exciting update about the birth and growth of the church there (four Vineyard churches within the last year with more on the way). This is the beginning of a movement in Ethiopia. It could not have happened without prayers, encouragement, and support.
Great news from Ecuador. After several months of waiting the Gonzales family, church planters from Kansas City, Missouri, obtained a 6 month lease/purchase contract on their house in the United States. This is a definite answer to prayer. It will free up their finances and release them into God’s harvest field in Ecuador.
AUGUST 2007
Ethiopia Partnership Makes First Trip Team reports: "we ministered among three house churches in one city and in one church in another. The people were spiritually hungry and open to God. Good relationships were built and a sense of unity established between Ethiopians and US partnership Team. It was successful first trip."
Russian Translator Recovers Miraculously After Car Accident The Russian Filming Project reported that one of the translators and a videographer were involved in a car accident in California. Team reports: “Surgery seemed like a real possibility. God miraculously intervened. Surgery was not needed. 200 hour filming project resumed unhindered and will continue over the next few months. Thank God for answers to prayer! Keep Praying for this Project!”
Healing Conference in Buenos Aries Team reports: “Thank you for your prayers. The event went great. We are getting closer to beginning a church plant soon. Keep praying!”
A Wide Door of Opportunity in Bolivia God has made a way for one of our Vineyard missionaries. He has started a part-time job directing a small university there, with full freedom to share his faith with students and use facilities for church-planting.
JULY 2007
God at Work in Kenya Partnership team returned from Kenya reports: "…real progress was made toward the future for the Vineyard in Kenya. It was obvious that God was directing and answering prayers."
Single Woman Granted Visa by Russian Government Russian Leadership School reports: “a visa was granted for a female Russian translator to enter the US to translate for 200 hours of filming in English to a Russian distance education/correspondence format. This is a definite answer to prayer. Young single Russian women are not usually granted visas by the government.”
Entering a Different World During Indonesian partnership trip people were divided into 3 ministry focus teams: Worship, Prayer and Youth. Team reports: “It was wonderful to see firsthand what God is doing among the church planters there and to be able to enter into their world. All who went agree that it was a fantastic trip, perhaps one of the best ever!"
Signs and Wonders in Brasil 35 people from the Brasil partnership traveled there this summer breaking into 3 separate teams and going to various locations. Team reports: “It was a hands on trip and very relational, connecting with the young emerging leaders of the country. We saw God do great things: blind eyes were healed, a barren couple that we prayed for last year to conceive, brought pictures of their baby this year for us to see! It was a great trip. Very Encouraging!”
JUNE 2007
Indian Vineyard Pastor Granted Visa to Attend U.S. National Vineyard Conference A Vineyard pastor in India asked for prayer regarding the approval of his visa application to come to the United States for the 2007 Vineyard National Conference at the Anaheim Vineyard. God intervened on his behalf. The Visa to come to the United States was granted and the whole process only took 10 minutes! He was encouraged to see God at work through prayer.
Sri Lankan Vineyard is Growing The Sri Lankan partnership reports on their trip: "It was a good trip. The Vineyard Church in Sri Lanka is growing under the leadership of 4 young pastors. They are rebuilding and going forward in outreach, prayer and care even in the face of tremendous devastation and loss. Praise God for His faithfulness!"
