S.L.O.W. Columbia

On Sunday, July 11, another group from theGATHERING family went on mission with Jesus, this time to Columbia, South America. The church in Columbia is growing rapidly in the midst of rampant crime, lawlessness, terror and murder. In 1960 Evangelicals were only 0.6%, growing to over 5% in 2000. It is estimated, according to Operation World, that the number is now more than 17%. Voice of the Martyrs, a group that monitors and mobilizes Christians to pray for persecuted brothers and sisters marks Columbia as one of the most dangerous countries for native-Christians. As a result, the increase of the church is monumental. As we are studying Acts 8, where persecution is God's means of spreading the gospel and the church, our faith family is going to minister to those very people.

The group will be using soccer, the international language, to introduce kids to the gospel of Jesus Christ. The ladies will be showing the ladies of Columbia where true beauty can be found--He does give beauty for our ashes through the gospel. The men will be showing the guys where true strength comes from. Pray that each member of our faith family has the boldness that only comes through the Holy Spirit of God.

Family, we must pray.

We're going to adopt the same things from our recent trips to Tanzania, where God is continuing to work among the thousands who responded to the gospel. What if we all presented our request, centered around the purpose of taking the gospel, and asked God to do something? What if we united our voices, throughout DFW and the world, to pray.

In order to mobilize theGATHERING community to pray, we've determined to SLOW down. Synchronize your swatches. Set your alarms on your phone to go off at 1:00 PM or set up an appointment with yourself at 1:00 PM every day. If you have the opportunity, call someone on the phone and pray with them. If not, no matter what you’re doing, pray for our people. Each day an update to our twitter feed will hit to lead you in prayer. If you’re not on twitter, get on there to get the update sent directly to your phone.

We’re calling it SLOW because we want to ask the Lord for the following:

S-Spirit of God to move on the individuals that are SENT (Tanzania, yes; but also the college campuses, work places, apartment complexes), in the ministry of theGATHERING, and in your life. L-LEADERS (we call them servants) of theGATHERING (Wednesday night leaders, Sunday Connection leaders, and Community Group leaders) to be led by God and firmly established in His Word.

O-Others would come to know Christ through the speaking and living of the gospel (Who is one person in your life who needs to know Christ?)

W-What would God have you to do in order to be an answer to some of these prayers TODAY?