CHURCH

Cornerstone Missionary Fellowship, GrandStay Hotel, Wellington, Apple Valley

Cornerstone has since found a regular spot. They have been meeting at the Grandstay Hotel Wellington in Apple Valley. CMF is a small church, and they like it that way. They understand some people prefer smaller congregations. Mark is easily accessible, everyone’s gifts are needed, and one can’t slip in and out of the worship service unnoticed. They also see a greater need to work with other like-minded churches and not be self-sufficient, thus promoting unity in the body of Christ.

This structure of serving Amnion while pastoring Cornerstone is working famously as Pastor Opseth is able to have a sustainable living situation. Overhead is kept at a minimum since he is able to office at Amnion, and there is no real need for a church building project at this time.

As Opseth puts it, “The only building project on our minds is the building up of the Body of Christ. We want to be available to fulfill God’s call upon our lives: making disciples by ministering to our families, our neighbors, each other, and whoever else the Lord puts in our paths.”

GUIDING VERSES… “People not yet Created…“

For Mark, Romans 12:12 Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer.

For Amnion, Psalm 102:18 Let this be written for a future generation, that a people not yet created may praise the Lord!

PRAYER QUOTE

“God has no greater controversy with His people today than this, that with boundless promises to believing prayer, there are so few who actually give themselves unto intercession.”

A.T. Pierson

PRAYER FOR THE LOST

Lord, I pray that You would teach me to yield myself to Your Spirit. Holy Spirit, teach me to trust You as a living person who leads my life and my prayers. 

I thank you that as I pray for the lost, that Holy Spirit, you are convicting the world of sin and judgment. I pray that you will soften the hearts of (name those who do not know Christ). Remove the spiritual blindness from their eyes, and help them to understand the truth about You. Bring them to repentance and salvation. Help me to be Your light in their lives. Help me to let my light shine before men, that they may see my good deeds and glorify my Father in heaven (Mathew 5:16). Show me how to be Your witness and how to show acts of love to them. I believe that You are working in their lives even as I pray. In Jesus’ name, amen.

This journey of the mission to go to every church in Dakota County to pray for the lost souls in our county has shown me a couple of things. 

The first is how I would get the next appointment for another church.

The second is how in nearly every visit, another resource would come to my attention. 

Another Church…

Despite my best efforts, whenever I try to initiate the next church visit, it very seldom ends with a new one. On the other hand, whenever I rely on the Holy Spirit to lead me another church is inevitably certain. 

Another Resource…

I have been made aware of so many pastors who are passionate about so many resources. Living Waters was another church, and it provided another resource.

Another Church..

Living Waters Church, Lakeville

Tim Pace from Trinity Evangelical Free Church referred me to Paul Carlberg of Living Waters.

Paul became a staff member at Living Waters in 2016, after directing their youth ministry voluntarily for 11 years. Presently, as the Lead Director of Connection Ministries, Paul focuses on Living Waters’ small groups.

By the way, could you possibly get a cooler address than 22222 (look to the left of Paul’s head in the picture below)? I think they need to have a 2/22/22 celebration in a couple of years, say at maybe 2:22:22 pm? – of course! (Bonus – it even falls on a “2s-day” – really, I looked it up!)

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Another Resource…

Paul is quite passionate about https://fightthenewdrug.org/ and, has compelling reasons that the Church needs to wake up.

According to a Religion News Service article dated February 16th, 2020, 68% of Christians view porn on a regular basis.

Covenant Eyes findings for TEENS & YOUNG ADULTS, PASTORS/CHURCH and ADULTS from a landmark Barna Research pornography study, (from 3,000 questioned) ‘The Porn Phenomenon“:

• More than 80% of pastors say that an image that is sexually arousing is porn.  Only about half (53%) of general population adults think so. 
• 73% of pastors feel at least somewhat equipped to deal with pornography when someone comes to them for help, but only 7% of churches have any program whatsoever.
• 64% of youth pastors and 57% of pastors struggled with pornography currently or in the past.  54% of youth pastors who currently struggle “live in constant fear of being discovered.”  41% of adult Christians think pastors should resign if they are found using porn; only 8% of pastors think so.  No wonder they live in constant fear!

My thanks to Carl for meeting with me to pray and share https://fightthenewdrug.org/ with me. So now it is on to the next appointment that God has prepared in advance for me. Another church, another resource.

 

GUIDING VERSES

Proverbs 3:5-6 

Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight.

Titus 2:7-8 

In everything set them an example by doing what is good. In your teaching show integrity, seriousness and soundness of speech that cannot be condemned, so that those who oppose you may be ashamed because they have nothing bad to say about us.

PRAYER QUOTE

“Let the fires go out in the boiler room of the church and the place will still look smart and clean, but it will be cold. The prayer room is the boiler room for its spiritual life.”

Leonard Ravenhill

PRAYER FOR THE LOST

O God, make me ready to minister to others, and obedient to your call. Help me to see the promise and potential people have in Christ. Give me a love and generosity for those who deny and oppose you. Give me the wisdom and understanding to answer the questions of honest skeptics. Remind me that you are at work in the world to help seekers find you. Give me the grace and integrity to live a Jesus-shaped life that bears witness to the truth of the gospel. Through Christ, I pray. Amen.

I had just sunk my teeth into a juicy Double Pretzel Pub Burger at our local Smashburger, when a tap on my shoulder made me turn to find a big smile from Mike Swecker. (Mike is the Counseling Pastor at Hosanna Lutheran Church in Lakeville). He was on his way out of the restaurant, but recognized me from a recent encounter.

After a brief introduction of the others sitting with me at our table, and a quick chat with Mike, he left Smashburger. As we all looked out the window, we saw Mike and his wife Julie, hop into her beautiful red Corvette. It caught our eyes, and lured us down the rabbit hole of “what was the best car you ever owned?”

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When I first met Pastor Swecker, he shared his contact information with me. I followed up with him a few days later, and requested a time to meet and pray together.

As the Hosanna point person for an upcoming evangelistic event, he was committed to the enormous focus that would be required for both the leading up to and the vital follow-through after the event. That said, he still made it a point to follow-up with me at the end of the month.

Soon after Mike completed his obligations to the event, he found a time to get together. We prayed – not just generally for the lost – we prayed for relationships to be formed between the reached and the unreached, for their hearts of stone to be softened, for Satan’s influence to be thwarted and for repentance.

Then Mike prayed for Hosanna.  He prayed that more than ever, people of Hosanna would genuinely live out their mission and vision: MISSION: To humbly and boldly be a church that looks more like Jesus and VISION : Multiplying the hope and heartbeat of Jesus through irresistible love, generosity and unity. 

CHURCH

Hosanna Church, Lakeville

Hosanna’s Irresistible Love= Jesus’ Irresistible Love

Hosanna Church is known locally to have spectacular live Christmas Eve nativity services. It’s a real draw to the community – both reached and unreached alike. But it’s not just the beautiful, eye-catching pageantry of a dramatic display at Christmas or at Easter that makes Hosanna an irrestible Church. It is in “Multiplying the hope and heartbeat of Jesus through irresistible love, generosity and unity”

Hosanna describes it this way. “Jesus is irresistible love. He lived a perfect life. He died a perfect death… for you. Why? Because he loves you. Love is at the foundation of who Jesus is and what it means to follow him. Jesus’ love is genuine and unconditional. (1 John 4:19, Luke 10:27). It cannot be earned or achieved. It is the embodiment of extraordinary grace and favor. Those who put their faith in Jesus are invited to extend that kind of love to the world around them. Love is the hope and heartbeat of Jesus.”

Two Hosanna Testimonies

Mike’s Testimony

Mike is anything but that flashy car guy. He didn’t flaunt it. We just noticed the car as he and Julie drove away (okay, there may have been some unconfessed coveting of a vehicle at our table). Here is his transparent testimony:

“My testimony of coming to know Jesus on May 13, 1988, involves arrogantly being quite prosperous in the worldly way…having much and eventually losing it all. Julie was close to leaving me. A Christian neighbor befriended Julie and taught her how to pray. They prayed for me. Their small group prayed for me. Their church prayed for me. 31 years later she tells people; ‘Be careful what you pray for. I prayed that my husband would come to church once in awhile with me and the kids. I didn’t expect him to totally change careers and become a pastor!

“The ministry that led me to the Lord gave me scriptures that I took to heart as life verses. The first is Matthew 6:25 Don’t worry…The next is Matt 6:33 But seek first His Kingdom and His righteousness…The last was Matthew 28:19 Therefore go make disciples of all nations… I had never heard and felt such profoundness in my life. Additionally, there were unexplainable, almost miraculous good things happening in my life on all levels. This included a deep calling to tell others about Jesus. I’ve been in fultime ministry since 1995.

“We thank the Lord for giving us what we need in each moment and to bless our conversations and interactions with others. His provision flowing into us is proportionate to His outflow from us (John 7:38). We know its all Him, but He uses us and usually does abundantly more than what we could ever hope or imagine. This is the provision we seek. And of course He multiplies that exceedingly to His Glory!”

Lead Pastor, Ryan Alexander has a testimony of his own

“As a scrawny kid growing up in a small mill-town on the west coast, I had a lot of dreams. I can assure you that being a pastor wasn’t one of them – nor was living in the heart of the midwest!

“But God got ahold of me.

“It took reaching a low place in my life, to the point where I couldn’t get up on my own. And yet, that’s where my life story shifted in seismic fashion. At 20-years-old I woke up to God’s real and relentless love for me in Jesus. Saying “yes” to His outstretched hand was the best decision I ever made. It changed my life (and my career trajectory) forever.”

GUIDING VERSE (Mike Swecker)

II Kings 6:15-17

15 When the servant of the man of God got up and went out early the next morning, an army with horses and chariots had surrounded the city. “Oh no, my lord! What shall we do?” the servant asked.

16 “Don’t be afraid,” the prophet answered. “Those who are with us are more than those who are with them.”

17 And Elisha prayed, “Open his eyes, Lord, so that he may see.” Then the Lord opened the servant’s eyes, and he looked and saw the hills full of horses and chariots of fire all around Elisha.

PRAYER QUOTE

“Nowaday’s Christians appear to treat prayer  as a means to accomplish their aims and ideas. If they possessed just a little deeper understanding, they would recognize that prayer is but man uttering to God what is God‘s will.”

Watchmen Née

PRAYER FOR THE LOST

Did you get Mike’s testimony when he said, “A Christian neighbor befriended Julie and taught her how to pray. They prayed for me. Their small group prayed for me. Their church prayed for me”? Praying for lost souls matter. Friendships matter.

Lord, make me an instrument of your peace. Where there is hatred, let me show Jesus’ irresistible love; where there is injury, pardon; where there is discord, union; where their is doubt, faith; where there is despair, hope; where there is darkness, light. Where there is hunger, food. Where there is homelessness, shelter. Where there is brokenness, restoration. Where there is sickness, healing. Grant that I might not so much seek to be consoled, as to console; to be understood, as to understand; to be loved, as to love. For it is in giving that I receive; it is in pardoning that I receive pardon; it is in dying that I am born to eternal life. Lord use me today to share your love to the unreached in Dakota County. Amen.

CHURCH

The Mount (of Olives), Apple Valley

Our mission is to pray for those in Dakota County who don’t have a Jesus relationship, and to go to all of 400+ churches in Dakota County to pray for those souls. I try to have my ears and eyes open to what God might be telling me when visiting these churches/parishes. While I was describing this calling to Mark Olson, then lead pastor of The Mount, he gave me some very practical advice.

Mark’s word to me was that even if a pastor is unable or unwilling to meet, I could still fulfill the mandate God gave me. He pointed out that my calling was “to go to every church in Dakota County and ‘Just pray for the lost souls of Dakota County.’” It doesn’t require the pastor to be present, only an open door, or failing that, a parking lot. 

Sharon and I had a fruitful meeting with Mark and just as we were leaving Mark remembered an evangelism resource called The One Minute Witness. He thought we might be interested in its approach to evangelism and provided a demonstration as I was rolling into the car. It was so simple yet so profound. This new information was a nice parting blessing.

One Minute Witness

In his follow up letter to me, Mark responded with an invitation to an Oasis fundraising banquet (Oasis is the creator of the One Minute Witness). We accepted the invitation and learned about the vision and mission of this worldwide ministry. Their vision is to see masses of people introduced to Jesus Christ, and to equip Christians to share their faith with confidence and compassion (The One Minute Witness Tool). We’re Bringing Living Water to Thirsty People. They literally are bringing water to hundreds of thousands, as they dig water supplies for the masses.

Their mission is working to see 40 million people indicate a desire to follow Jesus Christ as their Lord by 2020. We’re achieving our mission through seminars that train denominations around the world in Evangelism & Church Growth using the ONE MINUTE WITNESS tool.

At the banquet we heard first hand from some of the men and women who are winning souls in many other countries where traditional missionary methods have not been successful. I remember the vivid account of one man who talked about his harrowing experience in Yemen, a predominantly Muslim country. Just talking to the people about Jesus could bring the risk of losing his life. He was in the desert, working with nomads, building fresh water supplies for them.

There were 12 missionaries like him from five continents with similar stories. I left with such an appreciation of how the Good News of the Gospel could so easily be told, and yield such a big harvest.

The One Minute Witness helps take the fear away that so many of us have in witnessing. An example is found in this link:

and an outline to help formulate your response is; https://justpraydakotacounty.blog/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/526b1-omw_handout_sheet_english_v15abc.pdf

“The great theologian Charles Spurgeon said, ‘Have you no wish for others to be saved? Then you’re not saved yourself, be sure of that! So, why do we fall short? It is scary. Scripture tells us in Proverbs 29:25 the fear of others is a snare. When it traps us, we aren’t the only ones to suffer. Not only do we miss out on the blessing that comes with faithfulness; there are immortal souls at stake, too.’” – Emily Thomes

Prayer

Prayer is clearly important to The Mount. Besides “The Wall”, (what The Mount calls their online congregational prayer requests), The Mount provides at least three other opportunities for individual, prayer partners, or corporate prayer:

1. Open Devotional Prayer (individual or prayer partners) “Be joyful always; pray continually; give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.” (1Th 5:16-18)

– Tuesday – Thursday from 9 am to 3 pm.

2. Pre-Service Prayer (individual or prayer partners) “They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer.” (Acts 2:42)

– Wednesday Adult Pre-Service Prayer from 6 to 7 pm in the Church Sanctuary
– Sunday at 9 am in the Church Sanctuary.

3. Mount Prayer (corporate prayer) “Again, I tell you that if two of you on earth agree about anything you ask for, it will be done for you by my Father in heaven. For where two or three come together in my name, there am I with them.” (Mt 18:19-20)

– Saturday Prayer and Communion Service from 5 to 6 pm in the Church Sanctuary.

GUIDING VERSE

Galatians 2:20 I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.

PRAYER QUOTE

“God speaks through a variety of means. In the present, God primarily speaks by the Holy Spirit, through the Bible, prayer, circumstances, and the church.”

Henry Blackaby

PRAYER FOR THE LOST

Father, I ask for mercy on behalf of those who are lost in Dakota County. Let your mercy fill their hearts that they may be able to know that you’re the true living God who was, and is and is to come. Help them to know that it is only in surrendering themselves to you that they will find real rest and unconditional love. Amen.

I was humbled that pastor Bill Goodwin, (https://justpraydakotacounty.blog/2019/12/15/church-visit-8-part-1-of-2-lighthouse-christian-church-experience-faith-hope-love/) invited me to pray for the lost souls of Dakota County at an upcoming South of the River Pastor’s Prayer Meeting. I was additionally excited to do so as it was going to be on the National Day of Prayer. 

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No, that’s not an FM radio station. It was my climbing temperature the morning Sharon and I were to attend the meeting. I went to bed the night before feeling weak and somewhat fevered and was hopeful that it would be something that a good night’s sleep would help.

It didn’t. The fever spiked to 104.3, the weakness worsened, and I was lethargic and quite slow to speech. Sharon was in contact with the nurse line, and they were pressing her to have us go to the ER. Sharon urged me to postpone the invite.

Sharon remembers my refusal differently. I recall it being polite and considerate. She described me as more stern and stubborn.  Yes, I knew the group would graciously understand, but this was the National Day of Prayer! You just can’t do a redo! I was adamant about attending this meeting! Sharon made sure the radio station was tuned in to a cooler 98.5 fm station on the drive there for good measure.

Every Thursday morning, a group of Twin Cities pastors, whose congregations are south of the river, meet together to pray. They always keep the same host location, Berean Baptist Church, in Burnsville, and they always start at the same time, 10:30 am. This lends itself to a “come-when-you-can” environment. The busyness of leading a congregation requires this kind of schedule for the multi-denominational gathering of pastors. All pastors are welcome and no invite is required. A pastor may just show up. One who never misses a meeting is Jesus Himself.

BACK TO THE MEETING

As I struggled to tell the story of how I became paralyzed, and how God was charging me to visit every Dakota County church to pray for the lost, Sharon stepped in and told the majority of the story. They received her words, and were gracious to me. We got to know some pastors, and from that meeting eventually met up with pastors Karen Evenson of Faith United Methodist Church in Apple Valley, Chad Murphy, from Cross of Christ Community Church in Lakeville and Mike Swecker of Hosanna! Lutheran Church, also in Lakeville.

After we all prayed for the lost souls of Dakota County, Sharon and I left and immediately went to the ER where it was determined that I had pneumonia. I got over that in a few days, but I will never get over the relationships that were built and the resolve of those pastors to present righteous and effectual prayers for our neighbors who don’t yet have a relationship with Jesus.

GUIDING VERSE

Romans 10:9 if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.

PRAYER QUOTE

“There is not in the world a kind of life more sweet and delightful then that of a continual conversation with God.”

Brother Lawrence

PRAYER FOR THE LOST

Jesus, you were crucified to bear our condemnation and that confession from our mouths and belief in our hearts that God raised you from the dead, frees us from condemnation and gives eternal life. But how will those who are lost know, unless we tell them? Holy Spirit, lead me and guide me into a meaningful relationship with an unreached person in Dakota County, for this is my prayer. Amen.

Pastor Bill Goodwin, of The Lighthouse Christian Church (Church Visit #8 part 1) https://justpraydakotacounty.blog/2019/12/15/church-visit-8-part-1-of-2-lighthouse-christian-church-experience-faith-hope-love/ told me of a friend of his, Matt McPherson, who owns Matthew Archery, a world-class archery equipment company. Matt, along with his wife, Sherry, were led to write The Salvation Poem and The Salvation Poem Song, a six-line sinner’s prayer that communicates the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

The Salvation Poem has been translated and sung in approximately 80 languages, has been published in millions of evangelistic literature pieces, and heard by more than 200 million people. The Salvation Poem Ministry has also partnered with the following ministries: OneHope, The Pocket Testament League, David C. Cook, Child Evangelism Fellowship, Prison Fellowship, The Creation Museum, the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association, and many more.

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The Christian Broadcasting Network, CBN, picked up the song (written by Matt and Sherry) and is played on every episode of Superbook, a popular children’s animated Bible series. Superbook teaches children timeless moral truths and life lessons through the captivating, Bible-based adventures of two time-traveling children and their robot friend.

The six short lines of “The Salvation Poem” present the eternal message of God’s love and sacrifice. Children who learn this simple song will carry the life-changing message of salvation in their hearts (a).

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This poem is also used by The One Minute Witness from Oasis World Ministries (I learned about The One Minute Witness from Pastor Mark Olson from The Mount Church; look for an upcoming post, “Church Visit #11, The Mount…”)

PRAYER QUOTE

“How often do we say about our earthly friends, ‘I really would like to have a good settled quiet talk with them so that I could get to know them’ And shouldn’t we feel the same way about our Heavenly Friend, that we should really get to know Him? These thoughts have taught me the importance of the children of God, taking time to commune daily with their Father, so they may get to know His mind and understand better what His will is.”

Hannah Whitail Smith

PRAYER FOR THE LOST

The Salvation Prayer by Matt and Sherry McPherson

Jesus, You died upon a cross

     And rose again to save the lost     

Forgive me now of all my sin

     Come be my Savior, Lord, and Friend     

Change my life and make it new

     And help me, Lord, to live for You

(a) exerpts from The Salvation Poem http://thesalvationpoem.com/about/

Scott Schoaf (see Church Visit #7, COHC… Buckle Up!) led me to give Bill Goodwin, Lead Pastor of Lighthouse Christian Church, in Rosemount, a call to meet next. I did just that. I remember being impressed from LCC’s website about the vision for the Church. I especially liked the emphasis toward welcoming those with disabilities (adults and children), the outreach to meeting the immediate needs of the community (monthly meals and grocery giveaways) and their heart towards Israel and God’s chosen people.

We agreed on a time to meet. I was not disappointed with our time together. During that time, Pastor Bill told me of friend of his, Matt McPherson, who owns Matthew Archery, a world-class archery equipment company. Matt, along with his wife, Sherry, from the leading of the Lord, wrote The Salvation Poem and song, a six-line sinner’s prayer that communicates the Gospel of Jesus Christ. The story of The Salvation Poem deserves a blog by itself, so my next blog post will be devoted to it.

CHURCH

Lighthouse Christian Church, Rosemount

Bill gave me a verse that stuck with me to this day: Psalm 32:8 I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go, I will counsel you with my loving eye on you. It is a verse I rely on even today, as I wait on Him as to where I should go next.

Speaking of where to go next, Pastor Goodwin had many referrals for us. There was Pastor Sam Rawley – Faith in Christ Fellowship in Eagan (See Church Visit #9)  – pastors Karen Bruins at The Well in Rosemount and Mark Olson– The Mount in AV, (who I eventually met but haven’t yet posted. Paul Marzahn from Crossroads Christian Church and Pastor Brad Kindall from Faith Covenant were more referrals but I had already met with them (See Church Visits #4 and #5).

He didn’t just give me these names and email addresses. He went a step further and sent this introductory letter to them first:

“Dear Pastors-
One of my favorite questions is: Who do you know that I need to meet?

I recently met Mike and Sharon Howells. Mike has a clear assignment from the Lord to pray for every church in Dakota County and preferably with each pastor as well. Therefore, I passed on your name and email to Mike as someone I believe he should meet and someone you will be blessed to meet as well. 
Little prayer, little power – Much prayer, much power! Let me know how your time with him goes… 🙂

Bill Goodwin, lead pastor, Lighthouse Christian Church, Rosemount“

Bill attends the Weekly South of the River Pastors Prayer Meeting, held every Thursday morning at Berean Baptist Church. He invited Sharon and me to attend (future post Church Visit #10).

One of the Lighthouse’s members, Cassie, was going to be on a panel discussion with her mother at an upcoming Joni and Friends One Body Conference. Bill invited Sharon and I to attend, which we did. It was so good to see what so many churches are doing in the area of ministering to and with persons with disabilities. Cassie and Mom knocked it out of the park!

And speaking of knocking it out of the park, there was this!

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Stay tuned for the announcement of the Third Annual Just Pray Minnesota Twins Baseball Game!

GUIDING VERSE(S)

Matthew 6:33 But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.

Philippians 1:6 For I am confident of this very thing, that He who began a good work in you will perfect it until the day of Christ Jesus.

1 Corinthians 2:9-10: 9 but just as it is written, “Things which eye has not seen and ear has not heard, And which have not entered the heart of man, All that God has prepared for those who love Him.” 10 For to us God revealed them through the Spirit; for the Spirit searches all things, even the depths of God.

PRAYER QUOTE

“There is not in the world a kind of life more sweet and delightful then that of a continual conversation with God.”

Brother Lawrence

PRAYER FOR THE LOST

Father, you know each unreached soul in Dakota County by name. We pray for the miraculous intervention of your Spirit to draw these souls to yourself, while lost and wandering. For you came with good news, to heal the brokenhearted, to proclaim freedom for captives and release for the prisoners. Help me to do my part to see them as you do, to befriend them and to love these neighbors as I do myself. We know that you can do more than what we can think or imagine

In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

When I met with Nick Madsen (see Church Visit #5 Faith Covenant Church…”Gather, Grow, Go”), he referred me to Scott Schoaf at (then) Community of Hope Church in Rosemount. Scott is the Family & Kids Ministry Director at COHC, and Nick had developed a friendship with Scott, having done some prior joint youth events.

COHC was in the beginning stages of an adoption process with Hosanna Lutheran. Scott invited KZ Koboski to join us in prayer, as she is the Pastor of Prayer & Care Ministries at Hosanna Lutheran Church.

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One great side benefit of visiting the different churches is in discovering the many resources and para-church efforts that are available. PULSE was one such resource that KZ brought to my attention. She saw the similarities of what we had just prayed for and the PULSE evangelism event that was about to take place in a couple of months.

Guinness Book of World Records was there for the LARGEST PILLOW FIGHT as 50,000 pillows from My Pillow were given away. This event provided an easy way to invite friends who did not know Jesus. Over 7,000 souls made decisions that night.

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“People are wired for big events; they draw crowds and spark conversation.

PULSE taps into this instinct to fuel high-quality events that are evangelistic at their core and attractive to kids who wouldn’t enter a church building. But every event is just a launchpad. PULSE events are embedded in a strategic process that begins months before and leads to mobilization long afterward.” — PULSE

CHURCH

Community of Hope Church (now Hosanna Rosemount), Rosemount

Recently, the adoption of Community of Hope Church was completed, and COHC is now Hosanna Rosemount. There is a lot of anticipation surrounding what is in store for Hosanna Rosemount. 

Campus Pastor, Peder Eide writes, “Our vision statement lays out the charge God has given Hosanna Church for the building of His kingdom and the empowering of His people. It shows that Hosanna Church is aligned with the desire (hope and heartbeat) of Jesus that ‘all people be saved and come to the knowledge of the truth.’ (I Timothy 2:4) It is a vision of growth and strengthening as the Lord multiplies His followers through the ministry and disciple-making of Hosanna Church.”

GUIDING VERSE

This is good, and pleases God our Savior, who wants all people to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth. I Timothy 2:3-4

PRAYER QUOTE

‘Never make the blunder of trying to forecast the way God is going to answer your prayer.” — Oswald Chambers

PRAYER FOR THE LOST

Lord, I come to You to lift up those that are lost, here in Dakota County, and elsewwhere. Father, give them strength to make it through today and all of the struggles they encounter. Father, I am willing to be your vessel. Use me to shine the light of Jesus into the eyes of the lost this day. May they feel You moving as they encounter the trials of this day. I love You, Lord! Amen

Buckle up!

While the main purpose of this blog is to journal the 400+ Dakota County church visits, I feel compelled to post this today, encouraging the reader to “just pray”, with four suggestions on practical ways to pray.

If each church will engage ten people committed to regular prayer, over 4,000 people will be praying! More prayer, more power!

#1 MAKE A PRAYER CALENDAR

#2 PRAYER WALKS AND RIDES

Jump in the car with your family and teach your children the importance of praying for your neighbors. 

#3 PRAYER MEETINGS

#4 REMINDERS

PRAYER QUOTE

“There has never been a spiritual awakening in any country or locality that did not begin in united prayer.” A.T. Pierson

PRAYER FOR THE LOST

Righteous Father God, I beg with You to send Your Holy Spirit to convict those who don’t yet know You to see their need for the Savior, that they might see their sin and know that their sins have separated them from You, and that their one and only hope is in Jesus Christ alone. I know that it is not Your desire that any should perish and that only You can grant repentance to the lost, so I am praying for those who don’t yet even know that they have sins that need to be forgiven. Only Your Spirit can reveal to them what is in store for them if they refuse to believe in Jesus. In the mighty name of Jesus Christ I pray. Amen.

Nick Madsen, Director of Youth Ministry at Faith Covenant Church in Burnsville, has been close to our family for quite a long time. When my wife, Sharon, suggested we visit Faith Covenant for the 5th church, I was agreeable and eager to set up a time with Pastor Madsen.

We first met Nick at the Valley Christian Church, and watched as he became a leader in the youth group. Our youngest child grew in her faith under Nick’s guidance. He eventually became an intern at our church, and would next move on and become part of the staff at Faith. When my daughter became an adult, she, along with her then fiancé, followed Nick. They asked him to conduct their wedding and were privileged to have Nick Madsen perform his very first wedding! (Although he didn’t turn water into wine, he did help the two become one!)

Nick agreed to meet with Sharon and me to pray, so in early January, 2018, he met with us, bringing in Char Rotvold, the Family Life Pastor. It was a powerful time of prayer for Faith Covenant and for the Lead Pastor, Brad Kindall. We prayed for each other as well as for the lost souls of Dakota County.

CHURCH

Faith Covenant Church, Burnsville

A few months later, another local pastor, Bill Goodwin, invited me to attend and listen to a panel discussion occurring at a Joni and Friends “One Body” conference that was being held at Faith. It was great to be reacquainted with the staff at the same place we had just prayed for lost souls. 

Although being a person with a disability myself, I was reminded at that conference to pray for ALL of the lost people in Dakota County – people of disabilities, the poor, the afflicted, the incarcerated, and the elderly as well as for the able-bodied, the affluent, the healthy, the free and the young – to “just pray for the lost.”

A year after we first met Char, we had another reason to visit Faith Covenant Church. Char Rotvold performed a baby dedication for our grandbaby, and we were able to watch. When my wife was born, her mother was discharged on a Sunday, and before they went home, they went to church for her first outing. When my daughter was discharged (also on a Sunday), she went straight to our church for her very first outing. Although our granddaughter was discharged on a weekday, she dropped by Faith Covenant to get a blessing from Char on the way home from the hospital – now completing a three generation tradition.

Soon after we first visited Faith Covenant Church, Lead Pastor Brad Kindall began corresponding with me. We share requests and pray for each other, and also for the unreached. He shared his heart with me regarding the Muslims in our area. He asked me if I would pray with him and others for an upcoming camp retreat with the theme, “Loving our Muslim Neighbors”

 We prayed every day from August 5th through the 25th. We prayed daily, often multiple times,  for three things:

1. God would send the people He already had in mind to attend

2. That Satan would be bound and his influence thwarted from them attending and hearing the messages without distractions

3. That the speaker would not be attacked and that the Holy Spirit would move in a mighty way through him.
God heard our prayers.

GATHER, GROW, GO

Pastor Brad’s heart for Faith Covenant is threefold:

1. Gather Closer to God and each other through weekly worship and word.

2. Grow Closer to God and each other through small groups and peer-to-peer relationships.

3. Go Closer to God and each other by serving our community through word and deed.

Brad’s heart for the yet unreached is also clear. It is in how his life-verse guides him. Christ living in a Christian means seeing the lost as He wills to be saved. He wants that so much, He died so they could live.

GUIDING VERSE

Galatians 2:20 I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.

PRAYER QUOTE

“There is not in the world a kind of life more sweet and delightful then that of a continual conversation with God.”

Brother Lawrence

PRAYER FOR THE LOST

Oh God, You know our hearts, you hear our prayers, and you care about all that concerns us.  You understand the burden we carry and how we want, more than anything, lost souls come to you.  Help us to remember that you love them more than we ever could.  And you desire to extend your great love and forgiveness, your mercy and hope. Remind us that nothing is too difficult for you.  Thank you that your power is unlimited and you came to set the captives free.  Thank you that you wait, arms open, for them and that you look to lavishly celebrate that they come into your presence. In Jesus name, amen.