“Let us acknowledge the Lord; let us press on to acknowledge him. As surely as the sun rises, he will appear; he will come to us like the winter rains, like the spring rains that water the earth.” (Hosea 6:3)
JARED AND RACHEL MCGEE (JARE BEAR AND RADIANT RACHEL) ARE HEADING OUT OF LA TO LEAD THE MIGHTY TAMPA BAY ICC!
God certainly answered our prayers for a “Bold Winter Harvest” here in Los Angeles! At the advice of John Causey, a brother who walks with a spring in his step, we called every disciple to pray and fast for fruitfulness at the LA Winter Workshop. As of last Sunday the Lord responded with an unprecedented 74 mind blowing baptisms and 12 powerful and heart felt restorations in the first 75 days of 2019 – more than daily additions! Also, I am so proud of the 457 LA sisters who had 1,312 in attendance at their Women’s Day including 10 who were baptised! Just as the disciples’ prayer for bold workers was answered by the Lord in the First Century (Matthew 9:38), God has been moved to answer us again in 2019 – The Year of Boldness!
Then the Lord will appear over them; his arrow will flash like lightning. The Sovereign Lord will sound the trumpet; he will march in the storms of the south, and the Lord Almighty will shield them. Ask the Lord for rain in the springtime; it is the Lord who sends the thunderstorms.” (Zechariah 9:14 – 10:1 abridged)
It is time to come in reverent awe before our God and recommit to ask the Lord of the Harvest for an abundantly fruitful season! Spring 2019 began on Wednesday March 20th and goes to Friday June 21st. What can God do in the next 89 days? Do you believe that God will refuse to grant fruitfulness to His children who genuinely go to Him in humility and with pure motives? I do not.
“Be glad, people of Zion, rejoice in the Lord your God, for he has given you the autumn rains because he is faithful. He sends you abundant showers, both autumn and spring rains, as before. The threshing floors will be filled with grain; the vats will overflow with new wine and oil.” (Joel 2:23-24)
God can do it and will do it if we go to Him with broken and sincere hearts. We must pray but then we must have the heart, priorities, schedule and lifestyle that shows that we believe God is going to answer our prayers! We are a church where every disciple is called to make disciples! (Matthew 28:18-20) We are a church that is fully committed to Jesus’ mission to seek and save the lost.
While each of us is called to this standard we are also called to disciple each other to attain it as well. “Perfume and incense bring joy to the heart, and the pleasantness of a friend springs from their heartfelt advice.” (Proverbs 27:9) Is everyone fighting to be fruitful?
CALEB AND LIZBETH (KNOWN AS GROWING AND GLOWING COHEN) ARE BEING SENT TO LEAD THE CHICAGO ICC CAMPUS MINISTRY
What do you need to do to “spur” your spiritual family to love and good deeds? (Hebrews 10:24) Is everyone bringing visitors to Bible Talk and Sunday Service? Is everyone in Studies with non-Christians? We want our Bible Talks to spring forward and not spring a leak! Perhaps the time has come for some loving spring cleaning and an ernest fresh start for everyone!
On a serious note, we must be prepared that as we grow and baptise, the persecution will also increase. Remember that there are “enemies of the cross” (Philippians 3:18) and we need to be ready in our hearts for Satan to strike through fallaways and online trolls. “These people are springs without water and mists driven by a storm. Blackest darkness is reserved for them.” (2 Peter 2:17) This is why we must pray to the Lord of the Harvest for workers and also Shepherds in every Region to help tend the flock!
What is truly amazing is that God has allowed us to experience this unprecedented growth while also sending out two incredible Region Leader Couples: Ricky & Coleen Challinor and Ron & Tracy Harding and several more disciples on their teams! This is what we do in LA. We springboard leaders to go on and do great things and we are spring loaded to send even more! Do you have a vision for leadership? Why don’t you share it with your Region Leaders?
So dear to our hearts are Jared and Rachel McGee as well as Caleb and Lizbeth Cohen. These two amazing couples are being sent by the Spirit to lead the Tampa Bay ICC and the Chicago ICC Campus Ministry respectively. While it is very painful to have such close friends torn away from all of us, we are so excited to see them go out of the CAICC as no spring chickens! We will miss you all terribly but we are excited to see what God will so powerfully do through you.
As we send out leaders, we have a godly responsibility to support them once they are on the mission field. Disciples spring for the bill! Let us recall a few powerful Scriptures about giving that we read in Joe Willis’s book “Money Is The Answer For Everything” —
“One person gives freely, yet gains even more; another withholds unduly, but comes to poverty. A generous person will prosper; whoever refreshes others will be refreshed.” (Proverbs 11:24-25)
“Remember this: Whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows generously will also reap generously.” (2 Corinthians 9:6)
“You will be enriched in every way so that you can be generous on every occasion, and through us your generosity will result in thanksgiving to God.”
(2 Corinthians 9:11)
“Command them to do good, to be rich in good deeds, and to be generous and willing to share.” (1 Timothy 6:18)
THE HARDINGS ARE NOW LEADING THE THRIVING ATLANTA ICC!
I know that guided by these incredible Scriptures and the Holy Spirit we will completely obliterate our Spring Missions Contribution on May 19th! It is essential to be at 30% of our goal by the end of March and 60% by the end of April so that Satan does not spring a trap on us!
As we close, what springs to mind are all the incredible Missions Conferences happening around the world! Please make every effort to support our international family by attending one of these amazing events! Do not forget the June 2nd (formerly scheduled for May 26th) Congregational Service at the Sheraton Fairplex in Pomona and the LA Super Service on August 18th, which will be attended by our Movement leaders, Kip and Elena McKean! The Spirit will be sending out the amazing Indianapolis ICC lead by the awesome Jeremiah and Julie Cark of the mighty San Francisco Bay ICC!
It is time to spring to our feet and to catch spring fever for hope springs eternal!
And to God be all the Glory!
Tim C. Kernan
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