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Feb 2012 Praises & Prayer Requests
TWE Praises for January 2011
• Prayer week went wonderfully. We averaged about 25 people on the three special prayer nights, some of whom were first timers
• Radical and Crazy Love continue to impact lives at TWE. The Spirit is at work through these challenging, eye opening books.
• A handful of IDR’s (Intentional Discipleship Relationships) have begun and are going well so far! • Attendance was up and included several visitors.
• Brina is getting baptized the end of February.
• God miraculously saved a marriage that was on the verge of destruction around Christmas time.
• A couple is taking very intentional steps to work on and improve their marriage.
• A couple that is currently unequally yoked has agreed to spiritual counseling.
• The Body (especially the DIVE Team) came out in force to help with a wood pile. All were blessed.
• 24 guys are playing church basketball, most of whom don’t go to TWE. Both teams are conducting pregame Bible studies and several guys seem open to seeking the Lord.
• Two young men are looking to get back on track with the Lord after having turned away from him for a time.
• Two young women are looking to get their lives together and are turning to the Lord for help and guidance.
• One young woman, a young couple, and a man are so fired up about the Lord that they’re asking what more they can do to serve Him and the church.
• A struggling family is taking responsibility for their problems instead of running from them and turning to the Lord.
• God is moving in our small groups. One group never got to talking about Crazy Love because of all the exciting praise reports.
• Several people are seriously considering joining small groups for the first time.
• Serious intentional efforts are being made by several individuals to reach out to others and to help them connect at TWE.
• Many people are reading the Bible in a year, are on track, and are dialoguing regularly about what God is saying to them.
• God healed Erik’s MS spot, knocked out Joy’s cancer, led Sara’s dad to rehab, and walked with Jori and Chad through their miscarriage.
TWE Prayer Requests for February 2012
• That God’s Spirit would continue to move in the hearts of many as He has been this past month and that we would recognize where He is at work and join Him there.
• That God would protect us from the attacks of the devil during this time. We know He hates to see the Kingdom advance.
• That God would stir the hearts of those who are in Christ at TWE and have yet to be obedient to His command to be baptized.
• That God would open the eyes and soften the hearts of many seekers this month and lead them to repentance, faith, and baptism.
• That we would be united around the idea of plural elders/deacons and that God would identify and call people into these roles.
• That everyone who has been given a copy of Radical Together would read it, come out to the February 25th discussion, and be inspired and united around a broader more narrow vision.
• That God would further strengthen the marriages at TWE that are doing well and he would mend and heal those that are hurting.
• That God would provide financially for those who are struggling and that we would be both wise and generous in helping out.
• That 30 plus men would come to the Feb 24-25 men’s retreat, that sweet fellowship would be had, relationships would be built, and that the Word would go forth in power through Denny.
• That those visitors who God wants at TWE would hear His call, commit, get plugged in, be blessed, and be a blessing.
• That God would really the young adult ministry team and give them the ability to reach out to and enfold new people into the group.
• That God would bless church basketball, especially the relationship building, example setting, boldness, and pregame Bible studies.
• That God would provide the three additional nursery workers we need for this spring.
• That many would continue to read their Bibles and dialogue about what God is teaching them and that more IDR’s would begin.
• That God would be with Joy, Brina, and Sunday in their battles with cancer and Luke and Jenny as they prepare to have their baby.
Dec/Jan 2012 Praises & Prayer Requests
TWE Praises for December 2011
• Praise God for the boldness He granted us to invite folks to Christmas Eve and for all who accepted our invitations. Praise God for Brina’s boldness in sharing her testimony and for the wonderful job the Holy Spirit allowed her do. Praise God for the other elements of the service as well and for all who sacrificed being in the service to do childcare instead. Finally, praise God for all the God-honoring books that were taken by our guests, including at least 10 Bibles.
• Praise God for the very challenging, convicting, and eye opening chapter 4 of Crazy Love. Praise God also for both Radical and Radical Together and for the way God continues to move those at TWE who are reading them.
• Praise God that Janet Seelke’s surgery went well, that Joy Sorensen’s cancer treatments are going well, that Athena Garrett was born safe, that Tony and Megan Peterson were happily married, that Dave Emerson graduated from grad school, and that God powerfully intervened and saved a marriage that was on the verge of collapse.
• Praise God for the faithful dedication, attendance, and service of the “new core group” at TWE. I am so blessed to come to church each Sunday knowing that you will be there. Praise God also for some new attenders this past month who are really getting involved and already making a very positive contribution.
• Praise God for His financial faithfulness to us in 2011. The giving was amazing, especially in light of the fact that we had some key people move on. Though the money that came in was less than expected, so too were our expenses. With the money given, we were not only able to able to carry out our ministry but to put more than $30,000 toward world missions, local outreach, church planting, and the benevolent needs of those in our church and community.
• Praise God that Erik Lofald is coming on to the PLT.
TWE Prayer Requests for January 2012
• Pray for Prayer Week (January 1-7). Pray that God would move us once again (just as He was so faithful to do last year) to become more and more the prayerful church He wants us to be. Pray for full participation throughout the week and for a powerful movement of God’s Spirit that will lead to lasting change and results in our prayer lives. Pray specifically for Pastor Erik, Mike Ehlenbach and Luke Johnson, and Jessica Reinertsen who will be leading the three midweek prayer times.
• Pray that God would give us continued boldness in the New Year to reach out to those around us who don’t know Jesus. Pray that we would follow up with those we invited to Christmas Eve and especially with those who came. Pray that God would give us confidence that He can use us in people’s lives despite our weaknesses.
• Pray that all TWE regular attenders will read through their Christmas present (Radical Together by David Platt) by the end of February and that every single one of them would be powerfully impacted and moved by God’s Spirit. Pray that God would totally unite us around the narrower yet broader vision that Platt presents and that we would be eager to take radical action for Jesus both as individuals and as a church in 2012.
• Pray that God would give us a hunger for discipleship at TWE, and that by His Spirit, He would begin to pair us up with those He would have us begin an Intentional Discipleship Relationship with (IDR).
• Pray that God would give us a heart like His for those around the world who are most in need both spiritually and physically. Pray that God would help us to see that we can make a huge difference in these people’s lives if we’re simply willing to be obedient to and follow Jesus.
• Pray that God would unite our hearts around His vision for plural eldership and deacons leading the church. Pray for wisdom for Pastor Erik and the church leadership as they seek to nail down and present exactly what this look like at TWE.
TWE's Second Birthday!!!
March 15, 2011 marked The Water's Edge's second birthday as a church. Part of our celebration was recounting the many things we have to be thankful for, as well as spending some time praying for year three.
Things to thank God for on our second birthday
· Our doors are still open
· We’re self-sustaining
· We’re growing in numbers
o 115 average attendance
o 180 regular attenders
o 150 in small groups (ministry groups)
o Connections outside the church increasing
o Many who give TWE a shot like it and stick around
· We’re growing in faith
o Baptized 26 people so far
§ 6 came to the faith at TWE
§ Baptizing at least three more March 27 and hope to see that number at least double
o Many regular attenders are not yet in the faith but are actively seeking God
o Those in the faith are seeking to grow through Bible reading, prayer, fellowship, and ministry to others
· We’re growing in prayer
o Prayer week in January was HUGE!
o Several reading Fresh Wind, Fresh Fire
o Individuals praying more frequently and more fervently
o Prayer group attendance growing
· We’re growing in service
o More and more new people are stepping up and giving their time and talents
· We’re growing in relationships
o Feeling more and more like family
o Informal get-togethers increasing
· We’re growing in leadership
o I’m growing as a pastor and we’re growing as a team
Things to pray about in year three
· That God would continue to increase our zeal for, dependence on, and trust in prayer as a church
o At least 10 at the Tuesday mornings men’s, Tuesday night mixed, and Thursday morning women’s prayer meetings
o At least 30 at the Sunday morning prayer meeting
· That God would bring a HUGE harvest in year three!!!
o I currently have a list of 90 people connected with TWE who, as far as I know, have yet to commit their lives to following Jesus
· That God would grant each of us the love and the boldness to begin to reach out with the Gospel to each and every person He’s sovereignly placed in our lives
· That we would carefully indentify the needs of all our people and seek to meet them in a “bottom up” manner
o Fresh Wind, Fresh Fire p. 74
· That we would clearly define the various ministries of our church and that God would provide many passionate and gifted PIC’s (persons in charge) to lead and oversee them
o Ex. Denise Cooper - Promo
· That we would establish a tangible presence in the community
o Community Outreach Team
· That we would continue to develop the leaders we have and begin to identify and develop new ones
o Clearly answer the question, “What does it take to become a pastor/elder at TWE?”
o Those called to pastor/eldership would make significant progress toward it this year
· Double our church membership
o Currently at 32
· Continue to grow as a family
o ZERO people disconnected