November 21st, 2008 by Laura Woodworth
Did you know the Kingdom of God is advancing… with you or without you? It’s scriptural, and God will find a man to work through! If you’re desperate for God yourself, and desperate to see global revival, then you must grab hold of the Kingdom and get it in your life.
How do you know if you’ve got the Kingdom? Matthew 11, Jesus told John’s disciples to go tell John what they say through His ministry… signs of the Kingdom at hand! If you’re not seeing signs of God activity in your life, then you had probably better stir yourself to a greater revelation of who God is (Creator, Savior, Redeemer!) - and who you are (greatly in need of Him!) and GET DESPERATE. Break out of your religious self that holds you back and DO SOMETHING to get the Living God in your life.
The nations will come to the brightness of His rising, as the bible says. Will that brightness be in you?
Praying for the nations - Laura Woodworth
P.S. Pastor Steve Gray just preached this sermon, “Forcefully Advancing the Kingdom” on Friday, November 14th during the Revival Conference at World Revival Church. You can watch this sermon on streaming video archive by clicking here. Get yourself equipped and heart-ready to take revival to the nations!
November 17th, 2008 by Laura Woodworth
What do you want to see in the nations? What are you envisioning? If you’re working for and praying for vibrant churches filled with people of life and hope and POWER… THEN YOU’D BETTER BE THAT YOURSELF!
We just finished a revival conference at World Revival Church in Kansas City, with pastors joining us from all over the country and Canada as well. One of the pastors from Canada mentioned that he was seeing signs in his church suggesting that they were on the brink of revival. He knew that he needed to have revival personally to be able to lead his church in revival, and that’s why he came to WRC. He experienced the presence of God like he had never before… and got to sit under experienced leaders in revival - Pastors Steve and Kathy Gray and their leadership team. That pastor went home equipped to lead his congregation into revival.
If you’re serious about seeing the nations in revival - global evangelization coupled with global revival - then I suggest you quit talking about revival… and come and experience it for yourself. If revival is happening in Kansas City (which it is) then you would be stupid (sorry!! but true) to not visit and glean from what God is doing here. Quit the talk and get in your car or on a plane and come experience what you’ve been praying and talking about.
As another pastor commented from this past weekend’s services, “This is unbelievable. You have to come here. You’ve got to get here before the whole world finds out and you can’t get in the place.”
LIves are being dramatically impacted by God’s presence here. This is what we need to take to the nations or to your church in the good old USA. Watch this video (Revival at World Revival Church in Kansas City) and start envisioning the POWERFUL presence of God in YOU and in your ministry.
- Laura Woodworth (Alan and I will be here to welcome you when you visit World Revival Church! Hope to see some of our friends - SOON! This is what we left our home church of 17 years and many dear friends for… we KNEW that we needed to live in this AND be mentored in this so that we could live effective lives. It was a hard move, but we believe that what one friend said is so true, “You’re not leaving us - you’re LEADING.” Please follow the lead, friends, and come experience this revival with us.
November 10th, 2008 by Laura Woodworth
Vision is absolutely necessary for ministry! Last time I talked about how having a vision and being able to impart it to others as vital for you to gain not only financial support, but also prayer support for mission work or any type of ministry.
Here are some quick notes on vision from the Practical Ministry/Marketing class I taught recently at the World Revival School of MInistry. It’s a little choppy pulled straight from my notes, but I think it will help you if you have a desire to DO SOMETHING GREAT FOR GOD in the nations!
Vision: We need leaders – leaders with vision. KEY: Your vision must be primarily vision of Jesus, of His church (radiant!), and of the world covered with God’s glory and in global revival.
Vision is necessary for your life, your family, and your ministry. Without vision (revelation of the Lord) you will perish… and so will your ministry!
“Where there is no revelation, the people cast off restraint; but blessed is he who keeps the law.” Proverbs 29:18
When you have vision… you will live a life of discipline: a life that pleases God with God’s purposes in mind. YOUR LIFE WILL HAVE A HEAVENLY PURPOSE!
Understand: God will speak to you… He’s got a plan and calling for every person that’s HIS. Once you get a vision, it’s important to write it down…
“Write down the revelation and make it plain on tablest so that a herald may run with it. For the revelation awaits an appointed time; it speaks of the end and will not prove false. Though it linger, wait for it; it will certainly come andw will not delay.” Habakkuk 2: 2-3
If you want to do something great for God in that nations, with your family, with your LIFE… Envision it - speak it forth - write it down - and move towards it in prayer and faith with action.
More to come! -Laura Woodworth
November 7th, 2008 by Laura Woodworth
Okay, so you’ve got a vision to GO… to bring Christ to the nations… to see the NATIONS IN REVIVAL! But what you’re lacking is the finances. That’s where most visions end, and I believe it’s because we haven’t done a good job of sharing our vision with others.
Christians can be funny about money - we don’t want to talk about it much and yet it is absolutely vital to carry on the work of God! Here’s a thought that will set you free to follow your dream: Jesus talked about money, Paul talked about money - in fact if you look through your bible with fresh eyes, you’ll see that God has a lot to say about giving to support His work!
It’s okay to ask for people to give to a good thing. God has promised an abundance for every good work. Assuming that yours is a good work (smile!), the dream begins with YOU - imparting your vision to the ones God has lined up to bring provision. And again, this is where we often fall short.
I’ll get more in depth on this in the next post, but for starters, let me encourage you to make sure the vision is firm in your own heart before you try to sell others on the idea. Think through the plan from start to finish… short term goals, long term goals, who, when, where, why! Bounce your ideas off others who can help you think through the possibilities as well as the possible roadblocks!
Then, start writing the vision down and praying over it. I love Habbakuk 2:1-4 that says, in a nutshell: Inscribe the vision…wait for it… and live by faith. Take some time and write down what you feel God is leading you towards, start praying, and let the zeal for it start burning in your life! Then you’ll be in a better position to ask others to join you in this great project with their prayers and financial support.
I truly believe that God has provision for the vision that is submitted to Him. More on this next time, plus I want to tell you about a great resource I found that can help you share your vision with others! - Laura Woodworth
November 5th, 2008 by Laura Woodworth
America in revival! The elections are over and President-elect Obama will soon take center stage in the running of our country. Now is the time for us to take advantage of this interesting turn of affairs and use it for God’s purposes.
I encourage you to look for opportunities to stir the fires of faith - in God - in our nation. Spread the word about revival and places where God is coming down in power among His people. Support the people and the churches that are working hard to bring the presence of God to His people. Pray what Pastor Kathy Gray envisions and leads the congregation of World Revival Church in prayer for: “a revival among the people of God and an awakening among the masses.”
With a concerted effort, we can affect the nations with revival. We can see whole governments turn to God and lead their country on a righteous path that brings blessing and peace to the people, and glory and honor to God. -Laura Woodworth
November 4th, 2008 by Laura Woodworth
I need to take a minute and recommend an excellent resource for ANYONE who has a heart for global evangelization and global revival. Perspectives on the World Christian Movement edited by Ralph Winter and Steven C. Hawthorne, is a compilation of various authors who are authorities in cross-cultural ministry.
Alan and I have used this as our main textbook in two classes that we have taught at the World Revival School of Ministry. (We first took the class in the 1980’s!) This is foundational for effective cross-cultural ministry. This class is currently offered at WRSM in the spring titled “Cross-Cultural Ministry,” and covers the biblical, historical, cultural, and strategic perspectives in global evangelization and also discusses strategies for church planting.
Much of this valuable material is written from a primarily evangelical point of view. There are a few writings that Alan and I would add our editorial comments to, giving this more of a spirit-empowered emphasis, but that does not in any way detract from the huge impact this can have on your life as you look to your participation in reaching the nations. I like one of the quotes in this, “God may not need my knowledge, but He doesn’t need your ignorance either.” (I think D.L. Moody said this…)
In other words, glean and learn and then minister in the Spirit’s power. Again, this is a must read, and really, if you can get into the class at WRSM, then I would highly recommend it. -Laura Woodworth
November 1st, 2008 by Laura Woodworth
Missionaries - beware! Especially Western missionaries… and particularly American missionaries! We have a bad reputation of entering a nation and taking over. Granted, in pioneer missions, this may be exactly what is needed, for the incoming missionary to “do it all.” However, most missionaries never move out of that position, essentially keeping themselves as over - and the nationals under - them.
To see global evangelization and global revival, you’ve got to discern the need of a nation or people group. You must have an eye to the future, training up national leaders all along the way and essentially working yourself out of a job. This is important, because the best way for an entire nation to be evangelized is for the nationals to get the vision for seeing their family, friends, neighboring tribes villages or urban centers to come into a living relationship with God… and for them to carry the message throughout their nation.
Think about it - let’s say you go in to the deep part of Mexico where there are still unreached tribes. You’ve got to learn the language, learn the culture, break into their society and gain their trust and respect. You’ve got several cultural boundaries to cross to affect their lives. BUT if you can reach them, and get even one to lay hold of God, then you’ve got a snowball effect on your hands! Train up that one convert, impart the vision to see others come to Christ, and then send that one forth among his own people. NO cultural boundaries for him to cross… just the powerful message of the cross for him to relay.
Start envisioning the gospel spreading like WILD FIRE through people like you and me who have been baptized with FIRE! It’s a powerful proposition. -Laura Woodworth
More on discerning the need of a nation to come….
October 31st, 2008 by Laura Woodworth
My Absurd Religion by Steve Gray is making it’s mark on Amazon.com. In one day it became the #1 bestseller in Christian ministry books. This is HUGE and means that… this book is going to get noticed! Thanks to you, if you bought the book on October 28th!
This is so important to our future and the future of our nation. We are well on our way to embracing another religion - unless true Christianity has a voice. This other religion appeals to people because of the “cause to live for” - or shall we say die for?? And because of the strong discipline and morals it touts. Don’t be misled… this is not the same God with another name.
Insist on an authentic encounter with the living God. I had one 29 years ago this month - and I have NEVER been the same since. You can have a close, living relationship with the God who created the universe. Don’t be swayed, and don’t be duped to sleep. We have to fight for the REAL presence of God in people’s lives. As Steve Gray puts it, “Everyone deserves to experience the living God.” Let’s work to make this a reality.
Obviously, you can still order more copies of My Absurd Religion and tell others about this book that can reshape religion in America. Let’s pray for this to hit the New York Times Bestseller List! -Laura Woodworth
Go to MyAbsurdReligion.com to order the book. You will be rerouted straight to the Amazon.com page to order.
October 28th, 2008 by Laura Woodworth
TODAY - make your statement to America - I Want Religion that Works!
Order your copy of Steve Gray’s “My Absurd Religion” TODAY through Amazon.com. Click for video book trailer.
Easy to order:
1) Go to www.myabsurdreligion.com and click on “Buy it NOW!” You will be routed right to the Amazon page to buy Steve Gray’s new book. Order 1 or more copies (2 copies give you free shipping).
2) Get your order number from your Amazon receipt and go back to myabsurdreligion.com to get your 2 FREE bonuses.
3) Click on “Redeem My Bonuses” - enter your order number and enjoy the free download of Steve Gray’s groundbreaking first book “When the Kingdom Comes” - THE BOOK on revival - and the never-been-released songs of Steve Gray’s that were birthed out of revival.
YOU CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE IN RELIGION IN AMERICA BY ORDERING THIS BOOK ON OCTOBER 28TH. Help make this an Amazon bestseller!
October 27th, 2008 by Laura Woodworth
REVIVAL - everyone says they want it OR that they already have it happening in their church or ministry.
IF that’s the case, then I think we would see more people happier in their churches and less people complaining about “not being fed” - OR WORSE YET - finally giving in to dead, dull religion and living with the status quo of normal church. Get in, get out, and go live your life. NO marvelous transformations… no power and glory seen in the sanctuary… only nice little fellowship groups or support groups that are all about ME.
I’ve got friends in the ministry that are weighing heavy on my heart. Somehow they’ve gotten entangled in all this seeker sensitive stuff that has literally sucked the life of God out of their church. It’s time for a new premise of ministry. It’s time to get so very desperate for the presence of God that we are consumed with that one goal - to have God back in our lives.
Desperation. Crying out. One heart to have the One God active in your church or ministry. Don’t give in to the path that’s full of humanism and leaves out the mighty God. Please - get desperate for Him. - Laura Woodworth
