Reports from PEN Newsletter - October 2004

BGEA RAPID RESPONSE TEAM

The Billy Graham Evangelistic Association (BGEA) dispatched its Rapid Response Team to help meet the spiritual and emotional needs of storm victims in areas affected by hurricanes in Florida. This unique ministry provides victims of crisis an opportunity to share their stories and to pray with trained volunteers. The Rapid Response Team also offers local churches and pastors support and training in grief and trauma counseling.

"Our hearts go out to the people of Florida, especially the poor, the elderly, and the uninsured who were in the path of this hurricane," said Franklin Graham, president of BGEA. "We want to do everything we can to help them rebuild and give them hope."

Hope in Christ-and in His comfort and healing-is a life-saving message for people recovering from a crisis like a hurricane. For many, the full emotional impact of such a calamity begins to surface only after immediate physical needs are met.

We need your help! We are looking to network our PEN evangelists so that we can more effectively minister to physical and spiritual needs. It is our desire to train more individuals so that in the next crisis situation, we will have a multitude of counselors on hand to meet the needs efficiently.

—Courtesy: Billy Graham Evangelistic Association. For more information of how you can be involved with the Rapid Response Team, please go to the following web link: www.bgea.org/News_Article.asp?ArticleID=76

DALLAS ANDERSON APPOINTED DIRECTOR OF PROCLAMATION MINISTRIES FOR BGC

1. The 'Proclamation Evangelism Network' where Dr. Lon Allison, BGC Director, will continue to serve as chair while Dallas will direct BGC's involvement.
   
   
2. The 'Company of Evangelists' missions which include the evangelistic preaching missions of Lon and Dallas. Dallas, together with Dr. Lon Allison, will travel to Cary, North Carolina Oct 30-31 to conduct evangelism training in preparation for Sharing Hope in Cary early next year, a citywide Affinity Group and Evangelism Mission Event of the BGC.
   
   
3. "Operating Starting Line" is a large collaboration of multiple organizations doing prison ministry with the goal of proclaiming Christ to every inmate in the Federal and State Institutions in America. Operation Starting Line is equally dedicated to providing quality follow up for all who respond to the call of Christ. BGC is involved by giving leadership in the proclamation area through the Institute of Prison Ministries where Dallas serves as OSL Coordinator.

ARISE UGANDA

Uganda - When evangelists work together, God's Spirit touches a nation. Thirteen evangelists and their teams returned in August from Uganda where they preached the Gospel in 15 cities to more than 360,000 people. Inter-national evangelist Luis Palau's Next Generation Alliance coordinated the two-week outreach, Arise Uganda, at the invitation of Ugandan church leaders and Africa Renewal Ministries.

Arise Uganda was the second extensive collaborative evangelistic outreach coordinated by Next Generation Alliance. The Luis Palau Evangelistic Association formed the alliance seven years ago to encourage and equip younger evangelists in the work of worldwide evangelism.

"Doing something so large and extensive is truly a new level of ministry impact for us," said Tim Robnett, director of Next Generation Alliance. "There were so many wonderful applications of the Gospel. We served the community by preaching Christ, starting churches, offering medical services, food, and fresh water, as well as empowering the church to continue a lifestyle of evangelism. The holistic focus was tremendous."

—Courtesy: Luis Palau Evangelistic Association. For more information go to the following web links: http://www.palau.org/nga/go.shtml or www.palau.org/lpea/resources/news.php?rowid=120

FIJIFEST 2004 MAKES IMPACT ON ISLAND NATION

Luis Palau's FijiFest united in a vibrant partnership that brought together numerous ministries and volunteers from more than a dozen nations. The Luis Palau Evangelistic Association recently concluded the FijiFest 2004 celebration in the island nation of 850,000. An estimated ten percent of the country's diverse population was touched through a wide-scale social action campaign and Luis Palau's "Great music Good News" festival.

—Courtesy: Luis Palau Evangelistic Association. For more information go to the following web link: www.palau.org/lpea/resources/news.php?rowid=129

PRAYERS BRING FORTH BLESSINGS

We have had an exciting summer here at On The Go Ministries and the Keith Cook Evangelistic Association. God has given us the opportunity to participate with LPEA in the Arise Uganda Crusade and Fiji Outreach, and we have also had GoTeam Projects ministering throughout the United States and Jamaica. We praise God for the opportunity to serve and the lives that were changed for Christ.

We saw so many real decisions during our project to Uganda, Fiji, Jamaica, and the USA. Thank you for praying and standing with us. We could not have done it without all the prayers and support from believers all over the world. When God blesses one place it is always because someone is praying somewhere!

—Courtesy of Keith Cook Evangelistic Association / On The Go Ministries. For more information go to the link www.onthego.org

TWIN CITIES

On August 7-8, 2004 Luis Palau and the team were in the TWIN CITIES of Minneapolis/ St. Paul for a FESTIVAL. Two days of faith and fun wrapped up at the Minnesota State Capitol in St. Paul as the Twin Cities Festival with Luis Palau came to a loud and joyous close. Officials estimated the combined Saturday and Sunday attendance at over 200,000.

Over 10,000 decisions for Christ, including over 5,000 on Sunday night, made the evangelistic outreach one of the largest in the history of the Palau ministry.

—Courtesy of Luis Palau Evangelistic Association. For more information go to the following web address: www.palau.org/twincities

OPERATION FREEDOM ON THE AIR

Operation Freedom, under the leadership of Chaplain Major James F. Linzey, was responsible for establishing the infrastructure for spiritual readiness for the Mobilization Mission at Fort Bliss, the largest such operation in the United States for soldiers preparing to go to Iraq. "Operation Freedom" will be airing on Prime Time Christian Broadcasting twice per week beginning September 2004. Major Linzey is personally appearing on TBN and Prime Time Christian Broadcasting this fall. Joining Major Linzey is television evangelist Peter Andersen from the European Union. They were interviewed on NBC in August 2004 regarding the present war situation in Iraq.

—Courtesy of Jim Linzey Ministries. For more information go to the link: jimlinzeyministries.com

MISSION MAKER

God has provided me the opportunity to share my evangelistic and mission passion with potentially a quarter million readers from around the country this month through Mission Maker Magazine. The 2005 Issue, which comes out September 30th, carries articles from leading evangelical mission leaders and authors in North America today. Pray with me that the church of Jesus Christ will be inspired to action as we seek to make the Name of the Lord Jesus Christ famous around the nation and the world.

Courtesy Samuel Wanyonyi. For more information on Samuel Wanyonyi International Ministries, send email to: samsimo@msn.com , or to subscribe to Mission Maker Magazine, go to the following website: http://missionmakermagazine.org

SOULS TRUST IN KENYA AND FIJI CAMPS AND CRUSADES

Since my last report, I have had the opportunity to minister with teams in Kenya and Fiji. While in Kenya, our team had the joy of seeing 48 Souls Trust Christ at the Youth Camp. It also broke my heart to see so many young people confess the about the terrible conditions in their home. When I prayed for them, I asked those living with abuse and brokenness in their homes to look into my eyes, over half the crowd confessed to such conditions in their homes. O, how it must break the heart of our Father in heaven! My heart was moved and eyes welled up with tears as I prayed over them.

During the first week in September, our team had the opportunity to host the Sigatoka Festival where there were more than 500 first time commitments to Christ and nearly 9000 people in attendance during the three day event. I have so many praise reports from the Crusade, but this one truly stands out.

Emily the waiter at the local Curry House waited on us the first time we ate at the little corner café. Pastor Joe and I enjoyed our lunch and made little talk with Emily. We went back the next time and asked for Emily to wait on us. I learned that she wanted to start her own restaurant, so I prayed for her. We then told her to invite her boss and co-workers who are all Hindu to come to the meeting. Before I left I managed to find the owner's spouse, I invited both of them to come to the meeting.

The following day Raj came to the meeting. When the invitation was given he came forward to receive Christ into his life. The next day when Emily went to work, Raj's spouse commented that Raj was a different man after attending the meeting. Emily was thrilled at what God did with her boss, and she saw first hand the fruit of her evangelism.

You too can do what Emily did, and I assure you that God will honor your efforts. Why don't you start praying and looking for lost souls where you work, live or go to school? Invite them to your church or an evangelistic event. God might use that opportunity to bring them to a personal relationship with him.

—Courtesy of Wesley Paul International Ministries. For more information, email Wesley at wesleypaul1@hotmail.com

GOD'S GREAT WORK IN MIDST OF SPIRITUAL BATTLES

Angola, a nation that has been devastated by war for more than two decades, has seen a mighty move of God this summer. In the midst of war, peace has filled the nation for the past couple of years. Recently, Sammy Tippit Ministries was asked to conduct a major evangelistic thrust in the capital city.

This was truly a historic meeting. As our arrival date neared, we were preparing to minister in the national stadium in the capitol city. Shortly before our arrival, we were notified that the Angolan Olympic team preempted us and we had lost the stadium. Therefore, we were forced to meet in the National Bull Ring in the center of the capital. In the midst of spiritual battles, God's Spirit did a great and mighty work as multitudes of lives were changed. We are in the greatest time of evangelism this year, and so appreciate your continued prayers for our ministry team.

Courtesy: Sammy Tippit Ministries. For more information on S.T.M., go to the following address: www.sammytippit.org or for more information on Angola Crusade, go to the following address: www.gospelcom.net/glia/2004/wow/stm071504.shtml

WALTERBORO, SOUTH CAROLINA FESTIVAL

Our first area wide festival is scheduled for September 25-26, 2004 in Walterboro, South Carolina. We will be following the Palau Festival Model with a Children's Fun Zone, Skateboard Park and Main Stage. We have 40 churches "on board" with the festival. JW Hudgins from the BGEA assisted us in training over 300 counselors. Our goal is to reach over 10,000 people in this rural county whose population is only 38,000.
Please pray for us as we continue to make last minute preparations and also during the event that many will come to know Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior.

—Courtesy of Reverend Dean Forrest, Forrest Ministries. For more information go to: www.AcrossFestivals.com

KENYAN CAMPAIGN PRODUCES UNEXPECTED RESULTS

Our God is a God of surprises! When the team from the Bob Boyd Evangelistic Association led a campaign in Western Kenya nearly a year and a half ago, they hoped to see thousands of people coming to Christ and the churches who were participating to have significant growth. Many people did respond, and the churches did grow, but the best thing was something the team could have never planned. A young Kenyan, John Matei, decided he would "go after" the follow-up of the many children who had prayed to receive Christ during the campaign.

John began a "School of Discipleship" with 200 children attending for several hours weekly, to learn memory verses, sing worship songs, and grow in their faith. We saw enormous growth as the number of young people grew 200 to 400, 400 to 600, 600 to 800, 800 to 1,000…so on. John pled with the BBEA Team to return and work with him further.

Bob and the Team returned this past summer and they stood amazed as over 1,000 children sang beautiful worship songs in harmony. The vice principal of the school (within which the School of Discipleship was being held) said, "My job is to discipline these children. They have had lots of problems between the boys and girls, problems with drugs and many other issues, but since last year's campaign and John Matei and his team coming every week for the School of Discipleship, the school has completely changed!"

This summer, working with John Matei and his African Team, the hundreds of children came to Christ in each school zone in Webuye and Kitale, west Kenyan cities. There are six school zones in all, and the attendance of these children, virtually all new believers, has grown to over 4,500 meeting weekly in discipleship. As Bob Boyd says, "Only God could have planned this!"

—Courtesy: Bob Boyd Evangelistic Association. For more information go to the following web links: www.bobboyd.org

PEN RESOURCES

eSchool 2004 CD & tapes may be purchased through Soundword & Associates. Visit www.soundword.com, or e-mail tapes@soundword.com. Resources from the 2004 eSchool include the following speakers: Loren Cunningham, Steve Douglass, Joyce Meyer, Avery Willis, J. John, and much more. Note: Soundword also audio-recorded the inaugural 2002 eSchool.

eSchool 2002 DVD's are available on sale at the BGC (Billy Graham Center). This DVD features speakers from the 2002 eSchool: Gary Frost, Luis Palau, Mark Anderson, Leighton Ford, Lon Allison, and Jerry Drace. The theme for the 2002 PEN Conference was "Gather, Learn, Network, Go…" This conference was held May 6-9, 2002 in Asheville, North Carolina. DVD sells at $7.50 (S & H included). Please e-mail ise@wheaton.edu

eSchool 2003 materials and resources may be purchased at the following web address: www.palau.org/nga/resources.shtml in the Materials section.

Livin' It Livin' It is an evangelistic DVD with director/producer/host Stephen Baldwin and executive producer Kevin Palau. Together, they assembled a talented and motivated team of filmmakers and athletes who captured extreme stunts and sports action along with face-to-face, street-style evangelism. The fruit of their work is Livin' It, a contemporary, relevant evangelistic tool that churches, youth pastors, youth ministries, and young Christians can boldly use to share the Good News of Jesus Christ. For more information go to the following web address: https://www.gospelcom.net/lpea/livinit_bd/order.php)