>>Prayer Walking

Thursday Evening:
As we prayerwalked in our potential building and around the property Thursday night, my heart was warmed by watching those walking around the different areas of the building. The parking lot, nursery, preschool, children's, welcome center and worship center were just a few of the areas where people prayed. It made my heart smile as I heard the audible prayers of those praying. "Lord, save people and change lives here", "Lord, bring the people to yourself", "Lord, use us to reach the unreached and unchurched.", "Lord, bless the children, the homes, the lives..." We will certainly be doing this again as we lead up to the launch and after the launch. We need to be people of prayer. Read the following words written by Sherri Ingram.

Prayerwalking is just what it sounds like — simply walking and talking to God. My church’s missions minister says if you can walk and chew gum, you can prayerwalk. You don’t have to even be especially coordinated — you just need to be able to pray. Prayerwalkers don’t make a big production about what they’re doing. In fact, you may have seen prayerwalkers in action. If you did, you probably thought they were just out walking and talking to each other.

I’ve been actively prayerwalking for over a year. My prayerwalking partner and I prayerwalk our missions sites weekly. God even sent us to Asia to prayerwalk for 10 days.
Preparation for Ministry
As we walk around a subdivision, we voice specific prayers for what we see — or don’t see. We pray for people involved in violence, for those we hear arguing, for drug dealers, and for school children. Sometimes we pray for particular people we see in the area. They don’t know us or that we are praying for them, but God does. He knows the needs in their lives better than we do.
We not only pray about the bad things we see, we praise and thank God for the good things also. We thank Him for decreased trash in a neighborhood, for better-kept homes, and especially for what He’s doing in our church’s apartment ministries.
I like to think we’re like John the Baptist. We prepare the way for ministry teams. We go into an apartment complex or a neighborhood and pray for workers and residents — usually before a ministry is ever begun in the area. Then our ministry teams come in to work in the neighborhood and find hearts already softened and ready for the gospel.
Preparation for Evangelism
Prayerwalking can lead to evangelistic opportunities. As my prayer partner and I walk, we smile or say hello to the people we pass. Sometimes God gives us the opportunity to stop and talk to someone. We explain why we are in the neighborhood. We ask them if we can pray for specific things in their lives or in their neighborhoods. Often people allow us to pray with them; if they don’t, we pray for them as we continue walking.
God does awesome things when we are obedient. At one potential mission location, my partner and I strongly felt God’s presence the first time we walked the site. We sensed that when ministry started at that apartment complex, the work would progress quickly.
Our church started a tutoring ministry there in September. By the following January, we had a church service at that complex. Within a short period of time, seven people made professions of faith in Christ. Am I saying prayerwalking did that? No! But I do believe the quick results indicate that God honored our obedient and persistent prayer.
Preparation to Be Used by God
Now you may be wondering, Why should I leave my comfortable home and sweat in the sun over mission sites I can pray for from the comfort of my living room? Prayerwalking allows God to use our eyes, ears, feet, and mouths. When we make all of our senses available to God, He uses us in ways we couldn’t imagine otherwise.
Recently while my prayer partner and I were walking, we heard an ambulance. We started praying for the ambulance driver, for traffic, and for whoever was in need of help.
The ambulance got closer and closer. We prayed harder. Soon the ambulance was on the street where we were. We continued to pray. When we looked up, the ambulance was across the street from us. We didn’t want to intrude, so we continued to walk. When we reached the end of the street, we looked back to see the ambulance leaving.
We noted the address and mentioned it to our missions minister, who suggested a visit to the home. She and I went to visit about two weeks after we had seen the ambulance. We found a teenage mother with a new baby. We were able to share the gospel and pray with the teenager and her stepfather.
We would have missed this opportunity if we had been praying from the comfort of our own homes. By allowing God to use our eyes, ears, feet, and mouths, we were able to present the gospel to this family as well as to others.
God can use anyone in the ministry of prayerwalking. Those who can walk and pray should walk and pray. Those who can’t walk for health reasons can go to a site and pray for those walking and for the people who live and work in the area.
God calls us all to intercede. I get so much more than I give when I allow God to use me. I hope you will choose to let God use you and bless you through the ministry of prayerwalking.
Sherri Ingram is a member of Florida Boulevard Baptist Church in Baton Rouge, Louisiana.
This article is courtesy of HomeLife magazine

>>Shine Like Stars . . . .

Paul wrote in the Bible that we are to be Shining Stars. Read the following verses as they tell the story: 15 so that you may become blameless and pure, children of God without fault in a crooked and depraved generation, in which you shine like stars in the universe. Philippians 2:15 (NIV) I am reminded how important it is to know Him, serve Him, and shine for Him. Jesus went where no one else would go and did what others would not do. He spent time with those in need and hurting. Almost every time you see Jesus in scripture, He was associating with people of the world, which at that time was most everybody. He spent time with people like the lepers, blind, outcast, tax collectors and common people. Every where Jesus went, He made a difference in the lives of the people He associated with. He went about teaching, loving, healing, changing, shaping, showing compassion, and saving. We too need to model our lives and ministry after that of the Lord Jesus. He ministered to the hurting, listened to those in despair, reached out to the lonely, cared for the disenfranchised, healed the sick, cared for the dying, and proclaimed the Truth of God. We can learn a lot about ministry and service from the life of Christ.

Should we not also be going about ministering to the lost and unchurched? Should we show our love for God by doing what the very Son of God did in the world? I believe, as God continues to build NorthStar Church, we should do the same. NorthStar is a place of refuge for those in need, searching for truth, and needing a touch from the Savior. The story of Zacchaeus is one that teaches us the importance of sharing the Good News with the world. Read the story of how Jesus touched a life in such a way that it changed a man forever. 1 Jesus entered Jericho and was passing through. 2 A man was there by the name of Zacchaeus; he was a chief tax collector and was wealthy. 3 He wanted to see who Jesus was, but being a short man he could not, because of the crowd. 4 So he ran ahead and climbed a sycamore-fig tree to see him, since Jesus was coming that way. 5 When Jesus reached the spot, he looked up and said to him, "Zacchaeus, come down immediately. I must stay at your house today." 6 So he came down at once and welcomed him gladly. 7 All the people saw this and began to mutter, "He has gone to be the guest of a `sinner.'" 8 But Zacchaeus stood up and said to the Lord, "Look, Lord! Here and now I give half of my possessions to the poor, and if I have cheated anybody out of anything, I will pay back four times the amount." 9 Jesus said to him, "Today salvation has come to this house, because this man, too, is a son of Abraham. 10 For the Son of Man came to seek and to save what was lost." Luke 19:1-10 (NIV)

My prayer is that we would be such a people that touches the lives of those around us with the message of Christ's love. In scripture we see Jesus taking the time to share with Levi, and we see the difference made in his life. 14 As he walked along, he saw Levi son of Alphaeus sitting at the tax collector's booth. "Follow me," Jesus told him, and Levi got up and followed him. 15 While Jesus was having dinner at Levi's house, many tax collectors and "sinners" were eating with him and his disciples, for there were many who followed him. 16 When the teachers of the law who were Pharisees saw him eating with the "sinners" and tax collectors, they asked his disciples: "Why does he eat with tax collectors and `sinners'?" 17 On hearing this, Jesus said to them, "It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick. I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners." Mark 2:14-17 (NIV) This week let us reach out to those who need the changing, saving, healing message of Jesus. Shine Like Stars For His Glory.

>> We Are The Body . . . The Body Of Christ

Paul wrote in 1 Corinthians12:27 Now you are the body of Christ, and each one of you is a part of it. (NIV) As Casting Crowns communicates in one of their songs, "If we are the body why are His arms not reaching, His hands not healing, His words not teaching, His feet not going, His love not showing...." Read these words about what the body of Christ is to be doing:
1 Corinthians 12:12-27 The body is a unit, though it is made up of many parts; and though all its parts are many, they form one body. So it is with Christ. 13 For we were all baptized by one Spirit into one body -- whether Jews or Greeks, slave or free -- and we were all given the one Spirit to drink. 14 Now the body is not made up of one part but of many. 15 If the foot should say, "Because I am not a hand, I do not belong to the body," it would not for that reason cease to be part of the body. 16 And if the ear should say, "Because I am not an eye, I do not belong to the body," it would not for that reason cease to be part of the body. 17 If the whole body were an eye, where would the sense of hearing be? If the whole body were an ear, where would the sense of smell be? 18 But in fact God has arranged the parts in the body, every one of them, just as he wanted them to be. 19 If they were all one part, where would the body be? 20 As it is, there are many parts, but one body. 21 The eye cannot say to the hand, "I don't need you!" And the head cannot say to the feet, "I don't need you!" 22 On the contrary, those parts of the body that seem to be weaker are indispensable, 23 and the parts that we think are less honorable we treat with special honor. And the parts that are unpresentable are treated with special modesty, 24 while our presentable parts need no special treatment. But God has combined the members of the body and has given greater honor to the parts that lacked it, 25 so that there should be no division in the body, but that its parts should have equal concern for each other. 26 If one part suffers, every part suffers with it; if one part is honored, every part rejoices with it. 27 Now you are the body of Christ, and each one of you is a part of it. (NIV)
As we are a part of God building His church through NorthStar, let us be sure that we are functioning as His body: Arms Reaching, Hands Healing, Words Teaching, Feet Going, and Love Showing. God is blessing us as we follow in obedience His direction for NorthStar. We praise Him that we are growing and that He is already ministering to us and through us. Lord, we love and adore you. Please continue to build Your church for Your glory!

>>His Heart-Our Heart-One Heart- That All Peoples May Know Him

Each day as I move along the journey God has called me to, I am reminded I am not alone as I travel. I know that there are others who are taking this journey with me. Most of all I am comforted by the fact that God is walking with us as we avail and humble ourselves to Him to be used in the planting of His church. We yield ourselves to His will as He builds a unique church to shine His light to those who might otherwise not be reached. It is a matter of obedience. We are doing His work, going His direction, in His power, led by His Spirit. We must remember, it is not about oursleves but about Him and His glory.

I love to read from the book of Acts of how the New Testament church was formed and functioned. I find encouragement in the way God helped the early Christians and early church as they navigated through history. We are reminded in Peter's sermon how they functioned as believers. Read the following verses carefully and notice several significant truths. Notice how they preached the Word of God, responded to the message, gathered together in one place, studied the Word and fellowshipped together. We have consistently been saying our methods are different but our message is the same. This concept is not new, for Jesus was keen to the methods needed but never changed His message. The early church did the same yet were devoted to the truths of the Word of God. Listen to the Words as you read them and imagine yourself in the same place with them.

37 When the people heard this, they were cut to the heart and said to Peter and the other apostles, "Brothers, what shall we do?" 38 Peter replied, "Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. 39 The promise is for you and your children and for all who are far off -- for all whom the Lord our God will call." 40 With many other words he warned them; and he pleaded with them, "Save yourselves from this corrupt generation." 41 Those who accepted his message were baptized, and about three thousand were added to their number that day. 42 They devoted themselves to the apostles' teaching and to the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer. 43 Everyone was filled with awe, and many wonders and miraculous signs were done by the apostles. 44 All the believers were together and had everything in common. 45 Selling their possessions and goods, they gave to anyone as he had need. 46 Every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts. They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts, 47 praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people. And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved. (NIV) Acts 2:37-47

I love seeing the five purposes lived out in scripture. Please pray as we develop as a church and live out those purposes even now.