Regional Prayer Outpouring 2012

By Revs. Al and Deb Warner on behalf of those who serve the regional church in Western New York & Southern Ontario info@setfreeinc.org

"Jesus ruined every funeral He went to - including His own!"  - Bill Johnson

See, I am doing a new thing!
 Now it springs up; do you not perceive it?  Isaiah 43:19  (NIV)


Have you ever noticed that God’s answers to your prayers seldom look like what you expected?  If you are like me, when you pray, you have a rough idea of what God’s response should resemble.  But God often colors outside of my lines.

Allow me to illustrate.  In April, 1995, an unusual prayer outpouring facilitated by Pastor, now Bishop, Troy Bronner began at a church in Buffalo.  It was aptly named ‘Early Morning Prayer.’  We began attending in 1997.  It was powerful, unlike any prayer meeting we had ever attended.  At times, attendance was 700+ in the wee hours of the morning, with everyone sharing the same passion for Jesus.

At that time, I thought we had discovered the secret to resurrect Buffalo – bring every Buffalo Christian to Early Morning Prayer.  Surely this was the key to transforming our city.

God corrected me in a vision.  In the vision, I was looking over what seemed to be a Pacific island during World War II that had been overgrown by the jungle.  I sensed that the Allied troops had pushed the Japanese out, and immediately needed to clear a runway to land support planes.  As the troops began clearing jungle overgrowth, it was thicker than they expected.  This meant that it took longer so the runway was not finished until after dark.  The troops lit barrels on fire to outline the runway for night landings.  When I looked down, there were actually 2 runways in the shape of a cross, and I saw the ‘cross’ runways outlined by these multiplied bonfires.

I sensed the Lord explain what I was seeing.  No one fire of prayer, no matter how large, could illuminate His landing strip for our city.  Rather He instructed me to watch and wait for a season when there would be countless prayer fires, some larger, some smaller, some I would never even know about.  When this season of spontaneous prayer fires exploded among us, all the fires together would make a safe runway for the Holy Ghost to land in our city.

My prophetic radar went off last November (2011) when Bonnie Chavda declared the following at an Eagles Wings Ministries conference:
I believe that Buffalo has been sleeping and I honestly believe that the Lord has shown that this is the time of awakening. I believe that by the end of this year there are going to be signs in the various communities around this city, around this region, of awakening.

Deb and I believe that the prayer fires are burning brightly right now.  Over the next several issues, we will be focusing on prayer fires in Erie County, Niagara County, city, suburbs, among different denominations, racial groups, and age groups.  Some of these prayer fires are even burning in the Marketplace!!

The purpose of these articles will be to increase prayer and to increase faith that our prayers are making a difference.  One of the words the Lord gave us for 2012 is that We Are Better TOGETHER!  The very gates of hell are not safe against His praying Church on the march and on the move.

WARNING:  The verse with which we opened contains a caution, ‘See, I am doing a new thing!
 Now it springs up; do you not perceive it?’  Isaiah 43:19
Could God do a ‘new thing’ in Buffalo, and His Church fail to perceive or recognize it?  Will we embrace the prayer fires of God if they happen outside our religious boxes?

Prayer Fire – an outside-the-box example
Nik Wallenda, high-wire walking between Niagara Falls, NY, and Niagara Falls, Ontario.  ‘What? How can that be a prayer fire, a move of God??’ you may ask.  Could a daredevil’s stunt be an answer to our prayers?

For those of you who watched on June 15th, you were among 20 million viewers in the U.S. and Canada.  As Christians, we were amazed that as Nik walked, the ABC live microphone recorded Nik praying and quoting Scripture.  “Oh God.  How I praise You, Jesus.  Oh Lord, You are my Savior, You are my King.  You are my Jesus.  You are my Counselor, You are my wisdom.  Praise You Jesus.”

As my wife Deb and I watched and listened to Nik, it dawned on us that we were observing the most surprising move of God that we have ever witnessed.  In fact, the article we wrote for national publication was entitled, “Nik Wallenda: Taking Prayer Walking to new Heights over Niagara Falls.”  Nick prayed and prophesied over two nations as the world held its collective breath.

Even ‘secular’ news sources reported on Nik’s faith in their coverage.
Carolyn Thompson, Associated Press “A born-again Christian, Wallenda said he stays calm on the wire by talking to God, quoting scripture and praying.”

Nik did his part, and in the coming months we will introduce you to other non-conventional spontaneous prayer fires.  What is your part?  Ask God for spiritual eyes to recognize the prayer fires among us.  Expect God to answer your prayers, and to birth prayer in unexpected ways in unexpected places through ordinary believers.  Get ready to celebrate the new season of acceleration among us!!  We Are Better TOGETHER!

"So there was great joy in that city."  Acts 8:8


Revs. Al & Deb Warner are the founders and directors of Set Free Inc.  Set Free is a networking ministry connecting business,governmental and church leaders for a Nehemiah-like rebuilding
and transformation of our city. Al and Deb have over 30 years experience pastoring local churches and working as missionaries in Hong Kong. In 1997, God laid a burden on their heart to bring
the regional church of greater Buffalo/Niagara Falls, NY, together. As they obeyed, God birthed their ministry, Set Free Inc. The Warners have led multiple prayer and training events over the years, including National Day of Prayer.
To contact them, email: info@setfreeinc.org

Good Friday Speakers

Details on Good Friday Together: There will be a mass community choir, and guest speakers from local WNY churches and the Christian community such as Pat Jones, Marty Macdonald, Roderick Hennings, Jill Kelly, Darius Pridgen, Angel Gautier, and Jerry Gillis. Along with all of these speakers and churches gathering together, an offering will be taken to help fulfill needs in the city of Buffalo, in areas  such as education, sustainable housing, healthcare, and teen mentoring.

Good Friday Together Preview

Resource Review: Full Disclosure

Ann Silver is a cop's cop. As the Midwest Homicide Investigator, she is called in to help local law enforcement on the worst of cases, looking for answers to murder. Hers is one of the region's most trusted investigative positions.

Paul Falcon is the FBI's top murder cop in the Midwest. If the victim carried a federal badge or had a security clearance, odds are good Paul and his team see the case file or work the murder.

Their lives intersect when Ann arrives to pass a case off her desk and onto his. A car wreck and a suspicious death offer a lead on a hired shooter he is tracking. Paul isn't expecting to meet someone, the kind that goes on the personal side of the ledger, but Ann Silver has his attention. Paul wonders just what secrets Ann is keeping, until she shows him the John Doe Killer case file, and he starts to realize just who this lady he is falling in love with really is.

Sponsored by Bender's Parable Christian Store

Sponsor

Sponsor

God Loves You

Dr. David Jeremiah reveals that not fully understanding and appreciating every critical dimension of God's love can lead to missed opportunities to experience His love. He explains how even the so-called negative dimension of God's actions can only be rightly understood by viewing them in light of God's true love.

Sponsored by Bender's Parable Christian Store

Resource Review: Deep and Wide

With surprising candor and transparency pastor Andy Stanley explains how one of America's largest churches began with a high-profile divorce and a church split. But that's just the beginning. Deep and Wide provides church leaders with an in-depth look into North Point Community Church and its strategy for creating churches unchurched people absolutely love to attend. Andy writes, 'Our goal is to create weekend experiences so compelling and helpful that even the most skeptical individuals in our community would walk away with every intention of returning the following week.with a friend ' Later he says, 'I want people to fall in love with the Author of Scripture. And while we can't make anyone fall in love, we can certainly arrange a date.' For the first time, Andy explains his strategy for preaching and programming to 'dual audiences': mature believers and cynical unbelievers. He argues that preaching to dual audiences doesn't require communicators to 'dumb down' the content. According to Stanley, it's all in the approach. You'll be introduced to North Point's spiritual formation model: The Five Faith Catalysts. 

Sponsored by Bender's Parable Christian Store

Resource Review: Gospel in Life

Join author and pastor Timothy Keller in an eight-week video-based study of the gospel and how to live it out in everyday life. In week one you and your group will study the city, your home now, the world that is. Week eight closes with the theme of the eternal city, your heavenly home, the world that is to come. In between you'll learn how the gospel can change your heart, your community, and how you live in this world. The Gospel in Life Participant's Guide is designed to help you and your group engage with and discuss the topics presented on the Gospel in Life DVD.Gospel in Life session titles: Session 1, City-The World That IsSession 2, Heart-Three Ways to LiveSession 3, Idolatry-The Sin BeneathSession 4, Community-The Context for ChangeSession 5, Witness-An Alternate CitySession 6, Work-Cultivating the GardenSession 7, Justice-A People for OthersSession 8, Eternity-The World That Is To Come



sponsored and available at Bender's Parable Christian Store

Famine In The Land

By Ben Tagg

“Behold, I long for Your precepts…” Psalm 119:40.  Oh that the people of God would take up this same cry.  We are wrung out and dry, dying because of the same famine in the land that the prophet Amos spoke about when he said, “Not of food for hunger, nor of water for thirst, but for the Word of the Lord.”  (Amos 8:11)  Amos was watching a vision of our day, he spoke of ‘strong young men’ and ‘fair virgins’ fainting from thirst.  The rate of teenage depression and suicide in our day is higher than it has ever been. We have 16 year olds stumbling around drunk in the streets at 4 in the afternoon where I minister in South Buffalo. Amos was speaking in a time that couldn’t be more like America in our day. It was a time of complacency, prosperity, oppression of the poor, and religious rote and rituals. That is our time. 

Beloved, the famine that I’m talking about is not a lack of Bibles. Statistically, the average American Christian has 9 Bibles, whereas the average third world Pastor has no Bible at all.  There are over 50 English translations of the Bible.  In America there are approximately 15 Bibles (on and off the shelves) to every one person, whereas in Asia there is one Bible to every fifteen people.  We have too many Bibles.  The famine is because we have become a lazy and satisfied generation and in our pride think we have all we need.  A woman came up to me after a service that I had preached at in tears, she told me that she had been planning to leave her church.  After inquiring as to why, she couldn’t really explain it, she said, “I don’t really know what it is.” Even in church her family was dying of thirst for the Word.  David had a hunger for the Word of God. He wrote, “My tears have been my food…when can I go and meet with my God?”  One of my favorite preachers, David Wilkerson said that he observed most Christians “leave God’s house empty, unsatisfied and weak.”  What must we do that we might wake up and develop a hunger for Jesus? 

In Mark 10:46-52, there is a man that was hungry to hear a word from Jesus.  It says that Jesus was walking with his disciples and a many others.  Jesus was at the height of His popularity, we all know this didn’t last long, but anyway, he had his disciples, his followers, his fans, and the press all around him. What time would he have for a blind beggar?  The first thing that we must do as those who long for a hunger for Jesus is humble ourselves before him.  Stop being in denial!  You are a blind beggar without him, are you not?  You can’t see spiritually, and you’re spiritually bankrupt and destitute.  This man, named Bartimaeus knew his state and cried out from the side of the road, “Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me.”  If you will not recognize that you need his mercy, you will never get it.  Bartimaeus could have sat there by the road, wallowing in his misery and grumbled ‘oh here comes that big shot, well I’m doing just fine without him.’  And thus many of us do.  Not that we say this, but the way we spend our time, our money, our energy, how we go days without praying, a week without opening His Holy Word.  It’s the non-verbals that are killing us!  So he’s there crying out to God.. When’s the last time you cried out to God?  Desperation is the master key to breakthrough.  We’re often all too satisfied with doing it on our own, never do we let ourselves get to a point where we just go to our room, shut the door, collapse into the arms of God and say ‘HELP!’  He wants to hear a cry from His people!  Like the Israelites in Egypt, 400 years and they finally started to cry out to God and God says in Exodus 3:9, “Behold, the cry of the children of Israel has come unto me…”  

The hungry cry of the people of God peaks his attention. Watch what happens in Mark 10.  Verse 49 says, “So Jesus stood still.”  Jesus stopped! Jesus was on his way somewhere, where?  He was on his way to Jerusalem to enter as king, riding on a donkey. Jesus had places to go, people to see.  Jesus had the cross on his mind as it was only a week away and he knew what he had to face. He had a noisy boisterous crowd all around him trying to get a piece of him.  It was probably a hot day and this unashamed and hungry cry moved the heart of Almighty God to stop in his tracks!  How powerful is that? Jesus saw that some people had tried to shut him up, but he was far too desperate to let them stop him from his cry.  Let me tell you something, when you take up a desperate and hungry cry for God, the religious people around you aren’t going to like it.  It ruffles religious feathers, because your cry is exposing their complacency.  You might have people, even in church, trying to drag you down into their spiritual tomb with them.  They are dead and dry and satisfied with mere religious games and they like it that way.  You may offend a lot of people. 

So then after Jesus has stopped in his tracks, Jesus does something amazing.  “So Jesus stood still and commanded him to be called.”  Essentially Jesus is saying, ‘I want that man!’  When God sees that you’re hungry for his presence, He wants your presence. God will not call people who are not hungry for him.  If you are waiting for a call from God, wait in hunger and it will surely come soon.  Fast, pray, delve into His Word and take up wherever you are as your mission field, don’t wait for a call to start laboring for the Lord.  Too many wait for God’s call and in the meantime they become sluggish and pursue meaningless relationships, watch mind numbing TV, doubt God, entertain gossip and philosophies that are against God, and before too long they wouldn’t want a call from God even if he wrote in the sky for them.  “Wait for the Lord, be strong and take heart and wait for the Lord.”

Oh that the people of God would let out a cry “God help, we need You!  Where are you, we are desperate for your presence, we have abused your grace, we have blasphemed your Name and we have grieved your Holy Spirit. Have mercy Son of David!  Look on our blindness and spiritual destitution and come have your way in us. ”  Oh that the people of God would turn to Him with fasting and weeping and mourning!  This famine is killing us and we must humble ourselves and offer desperate prayers to the Captain of our salvation.

Ben Tagg is married to his beautiful wife Ruth. Together they serve as Directors of Ministry at Steps Ministry located in South Buffalo. Originally from England Ben is a missionary to the United States and raises his own support as a full time missionary in the Seneca Babcock Neighborhood of South Buffalo.

Peace of the City: Living the Gospel

Pictured: (above) Mark and Diane Cerbone along with two students from their after school program.

Picture 2: Homework club Picture 3: Megan McClain Kwacz shares with high school students in after school training.

Article and Photos by Kyle Patterson   

The term “incarnational ministry” has become a buzz word in many Christian circles but for Mark and Diane Cerbone it’s something they’ve been living out for over 30 years, before it became a trend word in Christian ministry. The couple, along with their three daughters have spent the majority of their lives serving the under resourced of Buffalo’s West Side, a community known for its incredible diversity, a melting pot of cultures in Buffalo, but for those familiar with the area, also an area of incredible need and deeply under resourced.

     The ministry they founded in 1992, Peace of the City combines a biblical vision for social justice-- Jesus’s call to love your neighbor and the call to discipleship, explained Mark Cerbone on a recent visit to their ministry base within Our Lady of Loretta Ministry Center on 14th Street in Buffalo’s West Side. “Discipleship for me means all of you for all of your life. It’s not a young phase that you step out of when you get married or when kids come along. We believe in the notion of lifetime discipleship,” explained Mark. 

     The Cerbones, along with 12 year program director Megan McClain Kwacz have purposely made serving the West Side of Buffalo their life’s calling. “We understand clearly the limitations on folks however well intentioned who come in from the suburbs to paint some walls, operate a bounce house or paint faces. Those aren’t bad things, they’re inherently good things but where you sleep at night makes all the difference,” explained Mark. This approach has earned the Cerbones respect, ministry credibility and a voice that the West side community responds to and the results are showing. With over 100 youth going through their many programs offered Monday-Thursday, it’s their presence in and around Buffalo that helps their voice be heard. For Peace of the City though, it’s not about how many people they can get in their doors. Rather the approach they have purposely taken is one of depth and impact in an individual’s life. From literacy training to homework club to Shakespeare drama,  the ministry has had numerous success stories of lives changed and impacted through the work of their staff and dozens of volunteers. On my recent visit I met a woman who had been through the program as a young girl and now was back leading Homework Club, a division of the ministry’s outreach, a true testament to the program's effectiveness.

     Mark explained that all change starts with literacy which is why Peace of the City has focused on it for as long as the ministry has been around. Once literate, education can begin to take place, leading to employment, leading to renting an affordable apartment and finally leading to home ownership. It’s this vision for systemic change and breaking the  cycle of poverty and family patterns that have plagued Buffalo’s West Side for years that keeps the Cerbones and their team doing what they do. The ministry offers just about every program free of charge to the community. The bulk of their support comes from local churches who see the value of utilizing the arts and relational ministry that the team at Peace of the City engages in, to reach into the lives of these young people and change the course of their future. Their programs like Shakespeare Comes to 716, led by Megan McClain Kwacz  (who is also the daughter of Hamburg Wesleyan Pastor Greg McLain) has become incredibly successful with their annual community performances.

     Inspired in part by their own personal relationship with Ron Seider and Tony Campolo, the Cerbone’s have taken the road less traveled and it has made all the difference in their lives. From sending their kids to Buffalo Public Schools when their daughter was the only white girl in a class of 40 students, to co-parenting their children together, to making sure they didn’t sacrifice their family on what they call an “altar of ministry,” its these small steps and focus on the vision that has made the ministry successful for over 20 years. Incarnational ministry it turns out means much more than lip service or the occasional visit to the other side of the tracks, it means living out the gospel, every day.

     Now for the Cerbones, it’s mentoring and discipling the next generation of leaders. Those leaders include Megan who would never have dreamed that after her Wheaton College education she would be giving her life to urban ministry, but teaching theater and the arts is truly her passion and in the context of connecting people with their Creator, there is nothing better. She said, “There is nothing else that I would rather be doing than teaching theater to these kids, to whoever shows up tomorrow, there is nothing I would rather be doing.”

     For Diane, she keeps going because, ‘The need is still there. That which is good is never finished,” she explained. “We’ve built our lives around it, it’s where our kids go to school, it’s where we live, it’s what’s normal for us.”

Matthew Barnett to Keynote Mantime 2013

Matthew Barnett, founder of the LA Dreamcenter is headlining this year's Mantime 2013 Conference. The conference, founded by Dr. Gary Kellner, Pastor Marty MacDonald of City Church in Batavia and other local pastors is meant to "build men." The two day conference gives men the opportunity to powerfully experience God, understand their destiny and get a clearer picture of their role in the marketplace and in your home. The two day conference starts tonight March 1 and ends March 2 and is hosted at Adam's Mark Hotel in Buffalo.


Matthew Barnett is the author of The Cause Within You and pastor of one of America’s fastest growing churches, is one of the most dynamic voices God is using in Christianity today.  Son of Pastor Tommy Barnett, best- selling author, church growth pioneer, and pastor of what Time Magazine noted as “One of the three largest churches in America,” Matthew has learned powerful principles of ministry, which have gifted him in founding The Dream Center in Los Angeles.

The Dream Center began as a typical local church. With the fresh vision and desire to impact the entire city that God birthed in Matthew’s heart, the church grew from 39 members at its conception in September of 1994, to reaching more than 40,000 people each week in the Center’s 40 services and 273 ministries and outreaches today. The Dream Center houses close to 500 people who are being rehabilitated for the glory of God. Every week people receive food and many other services are offered to meet the spiritual and physical needs of the community.

XCEL Leadership Center to Host Vision Luncheon

– On February 27, XCEL Leadership Center, Inc. will host the first of its 2013 Vision Luncheons. Held in The Basement of Renovation Church at 567 Hertel Avenue, XCEL’s Vision Luncheons bring together community leaders, business leaders and service partners to share in the Center’s plans to engage and impact the community throughout the year.

XCEL’s February Vision Luncheon will focus on the Center’s exciting new program initiatives and strategic partnerships to catalyze a movement of leader development
among the children, youth and families in Buffalo. The event will also provide information and news about the Center’s unique Kids With Cameras: Through Our Eyes project, launched earlier this month. Featured presenters = include Scott Hunt, president of Jack Hunt Gold & Silver; William Chapin II, systems manager of website applications, M&T Bank; Brek Cockrell, lead pastor of Renovation Church, and LaTonia Benjamin, XCEL Leadership Center’s executive director.

Located in the northwest corner of Buffalo, XCEL is a faith-based leadership center that helps people unleash their God-given potential, renew their mind, live abundantly and change the community. Its goal is to develop a community of leaders who are being educated, equipped and empowered to transform Buffalo.

Neil Boron Back On the Air!

WDCX has announced popular afternoon talk show host Neil Boron will be back on the air effective March 11, 2013. Boron has taken a two year break from life on the air but according to WDCXFM.com he is coming back.

BREAKING NEWS: NEIL BORON coming back to host all new "LIFELINE" (3-6pm weekdays)...beginning March 11th!

Kingdom Bound 2013 Line Up Announced

http://kingdombound.org/artists_and_speakers.php

Chapel Launches WNY Pray

The Chapel at Crosspoint has launched their 2013 Prayer Initiative as part of WNY Pray. With 25 participating churches/ministries the prayer initiative is meant to prepare hearts of believers to share Jesus during the Lent Season.

Closed Center Saturday

Buffalo Christian Center, after restarting their Open Center Saturdays, has now announced they are closed until further notice and according to a hand written note on the door are sorry for the inconvenience. Buffalo Christian Center recently laid off the majority of their staff and closed the bookstore under a restructuring of the board and the organization structure of the ministry started by Rev. Alan Forbes and now led by Ohio native Jim Swearingen as Executive Director and former Buffalo Bill Brad Butler as Chairman.

Buffalo City Mission's Plan to End Homelessness

Hunter's Day of Hope and Prayer for Children

Pro Football Hall of Fame Member and former Buffalo Bills Quarterback Jim Kelly, wife Jill, and the Hunter’s Hope Foundation, invite members of the community to the 15th Annual Hunter’s Day of Hope & Prayer for Children on Saturday, February 16th, 2013 at the Buffalo Bills Healthy Zone Fieldhouse in Orchard Park, NY.  This FREE family friendly event runs from1:00PM – 4:00PM, and includes food, activities and live entertainment.

Hunter’s Day of Hope & Prayer for Children is celebrated in conjunction with the birthday of the Kelly’s son, Hunter (February 14, 1997 – August 5, 2005), which he also shares with his dad.  The Kelly family established Hunter’s Hope after Hunter was diagnosed with Krabbe Leukodystrophy, an inherited, fatal, nervous system disease.

“We are so thankful for the Western New York community and how they continue to stand by our side and our mission,” expressed Jim Kelly, Co-Founder of Hunter’s Hope. “This event allows us a chance to thank the community, but more importantly provide a fun, family friendly way for parents and their kids to get out of the house during this cold winter and spend some quality time together at no cost to them.”

Hunter’s Day of Hope & Prayer for Children supports an important part of the Foundation’s mission – to encourage parents and families to thank God for the precious gift of children. The event also serves as a thank you from Hunter’s Hope to the Western New York Community for its continued support toward helping children suffering all over the country.  Bounce houses, music, dancing, games, face painting, refreshments and more will be available for all guests at no cost to them.

“My favorite part of the event is the prayer at the end,” shared Jill Kelly, Co-Founder of Hunter’s Hope. “We all get caught up in our daily lives from time to time, and sometimes forget what a blessing all children truly are.  The time of prayer is so powerful. It fills our hearts with such joy to see everyone come together, adults and children, joining in prayer for all children throughout the world.”

This year, the Foundation is inviting individuals around the world to also participate by taking part in a virtual Day of Hope & Prayer for Children.  The Foundation is encouraging individuals to change their Facebook cover images, profile pictures and Twitter profile pictures February 14th thru February 16th, to special images available on the Hunter’s Hope Facebook and Twitter accounts. The Foundation’s hope is to include many more children and families in thanksgiving and prayer for all children throughout the world.

Through the support of many area businesses and organizations, Hunter’s Hope is able to provide guests with free entertainment, food, games, activities and prizes.  This year’s sponsors include the Buffalo Bills, Pepsi Bottling Co., the Thomas and Jeanne Elmezzi Foundation, Wendy’s Restaurants, Zetti’s Pizza and Pasta, and more.  Main stage entertainment will feature Quizmaster, Rince Na Tiarna, Shepherd’s Troupe, and Master Khechen’s Martial Arts and Fitness Academy amongst others!  To view a complete listing of entertainment, activities, and partners this year, please visit http://www.huntershope.org/hdhc.

About the Hunter’s Hope Foundation
The Hunter’s Hope Foundation was established in 1997 by Jim Kelly and his wife Jill, after their infant son, Hunter (February 14, 1997 – August 5, 2005) was diagnosed with Krabbe Leukodystrophy, an inherited fatal nervous system disease. While Jim and Jill have been blessed with the opportunity to share Hunter’s story and the hope of the Foundation named after their son all over the world – their greatest passion is to bring encouragement and hope to families in the midst of suffering. The Foundation’s mission and focus is threefold:  to fund research necessary to treat and cure Krabbe Disease as well as other devastating leukodystrophies, increase newborn screening standards across the United States to obtain early detection and treatment for all treatable diseases, and ultimately Hunter’s Hope exists to inspire all parents to thank God for their children.

Family Life Presents Premiere Christian Ballet Company Ballet Magnificat!, The Scarlet Cord

BATH, N.Y.—America’s premier Christian ballet company, Ballet Magnificat!, will perform its newest ballet, The Scarlet Cord, on Mon., March 11 and Tues., March 12. Presented by Family Life, performances will be held at Evangel Church of Buffalo, located at 8180 Greiner Road. Tickets are $18 in advance and $21 at the door. Doors open at 6 p.m. and performances begin at 7 p.m.

Inspired by the Biblical account of Rahab, The Scarlet Cord depicts a vivid drama of betrayal, love, and dedication as two missionaries hold fast to their faith in Jesus Christ. In The Scarlet Cord, missionaries minister in one of the cruelest regimes the world has known - the communist Soviet Union. The main character, Rahab, learns a hard lesson when she is abandoned by a Soviet commander - the man she desperately loves. In her grief, two missionaries share their hope in Jesus Christ. Afterward, Rahab’s heart is changed and a redemptive story unfolds.

From the Kennedy Center in Washington DC, to Singapore's historic Victoria Theatre, thousands have experienced the professional dance companies of Ballet Magnificat!  Headquartered in Jackson, Mississippi, the company was founded in 1986 by IBC Silver Medalist, Kathy Thibodeaux. Her husband, Keith, is the former child star known for his portrayal of "Little Ricky" in the TV series, "I Love Lucy".

Recognized for its excellence in ballet training, Ballet Magnificat! offers dance classes, workshops and schooling for youth and adult dancers. The company’s Summer Dance Intensive, Teachers Workshop, and School of the Arts attract hundreds of students from around the world to Jackson, MS, for a unique technical and spiritual experience.

To order tickets for Ballet Magnificat’s, The Scarlet Cord, call Family Life at 800-927-9083 or visit www.fln.org/tickets.

###

About Family Life Ministries, Inc.

Family Life Ministries is devoted to strengthening individuals and families through Christian radio broadcasting, concerts, educational and social programs, counseling, and the performing arts. Headquartered in Bath, N.Y., Family Life was founded in 1957, and provides various activities and programs for youth, singles, adults, and seniors.

Family Life owns a Christian radio network of 18 stations and 50 translators broadcasting in regions of New York and Pennsylvania. Established in 1983, the radio network is a listener-supported broadcaster currently reaching a potential listenership of 3.5 million. 

For more information on Family Life, visit www.fln.org.

Good Friday Service Official

The Chapel at Crosspoint, Eastern Hills Wesleyan, Zion Dominion Global Ministries and City Church Batavia have announced a Good Friday service that will take place at First Niagara Center on March 29. See their announcement below

Are you ready to make history? Are you ready to be an answer to Jesus prayer, and your own prayers as well? The Churches of WNY are invited to come together on Good Friday (March 29, 2013) as never before with room for 15,000 of us at the First Niagara Center! Come meet lots of new brothers and sisters, and participate in the largest gathering of the Body of Christ in our region's history.

Rebuilding the Wall

By Rev. Shawn Dewey

The news from the homeland left him in great despair. His brother had just relayed to him that the remnant of people in his beloved city of Jerusalem remained in tremendous trouble. History told him that some seventy years prior a group of exiles were given the permission to return to their precious native soil of Israel and in the process were able to rebuild the temple in Jerusalem. Even as recently as the last thirteen years a second group led by a man named Ezra, who had dedicated himself to the Law of the Lord God, brought with him reforms for the people, but still the walls of the city lay in desolation and its city gates scarred from previous invasion.

     Overcome with a broken heart, Nehemiah, a cupbearer to the present king of Persia, sat and mourned, praying for God’s refreshing intervention.

     To Nehemiah, the lack of a city wall not only portrayed the shame of the nation because of its consequences politically and economically, but also resonated with the spiritual life of the city inhabitants. The ruined wall visible every day to every inhabitant was a solemn reminder of just how far they had fallen from God.

     Moving forward I ask personally what spiritual walls of your life are in disrepair? What crisis presently has you in ruin? And looking even into wider circles like Nehemiah is your heart hurting for our neighborhoods, city, and region?

     I believe that when we allow the walls of our heart to crumble and deteriorate spiritually, than we can expect the walls of our families, neighborhoods, cities, churches, and nation to fall as well. None of this happens in any one specific moment you see, but over time like the decay of rust on untreated steel.

     For the past year God has been breaking my heart for what breaks His. It is our Redeemer who is opening my eyes in new ways to the shattered walls of not only those lives I encounter personally, but also to the requirement for our Lord God’s renewal and awakening that stretches past cultural, political, social, economic, or denominational barriers throughout the streets of Buffalo and our WNY region.

     As I seek a solution of application I look back again toward the transformational leader Nehemiah. He never performed any physical act without first seeking God’s spiritual mission through prayer. Even Jesus modeled a lifestyle of prayer often withdrawing to quiet places among His busyness of ministry to capture the Father’s heart before pressing onward. If prayer became the object of priority then why is it not ours?

     The essence of prayer is to respond in communication to our Father God who is in constant conversation with us. Our prayer life can be witnessed in various stances and styles, but in short I often experience prayer through methods of praise, intercession, and simply listening to his still voice.  

     God reminds us as He did thousands of years prior to King Solomon, that when His children seek Him humbly, praying and confessing the brokenness of our lives, then God who always hears will indeed forgive and heal our lives and land. (Reference to 2 Chronicles 7:14). This message is still very relevant today, because of the stories of people, cities, and a world living in need of our Lord’s physical and spiritual, present and eternal healing both individually and corporately.

     The result of prayer in action that I am now witnessing is that as we sit at His feet in intercession, God will respond to us with His mission often making us the answer to our very prayers. As God spoke through Isaiah, He is seeking those who will rebuild the ruins and raise up the age-old foundations and be called Repairer of Broken Walls, Restorer of Streets with Dwellings. (Reference Isaiah 58:12)

     Lately I am apart of a ministry called the Prayer Collective. You can read more about us on our website www.prayercollective.com.

     The heart of the Prayer Collective is to humbly seek God with a united heart through praise and intercession to witness God’s awakening for the personal lives of this city of Buffalo along with its surrounding region of Western New York. The Prayer Collective’s mission is to network with others and other ministers for the purpose of engaging those we encounter in our world for God’s glory and Kingdom growth. Through this we expect to experience a birth of community that sheds barriers and finds intimate oneness of communion around the cross of Christ.

     Will you consider rising up and joining us of the Prayer Collective where God plants you in order to become the answer of your prayer. Will you arise and pray for your home and family? Will you arise and pray for your neighborhood? Will you arise and pray for the city of Buffalo? Will you arise and pray for WNY? Will you be the response of God to those around you?

     Consider the harvest for as Nehemiah rebuilt the walls of Jerusalem, what might God do with a united group of prayer intercessors today? Arise Church!  

Shawn is an ordained pastor through the Wesleyan Denomination with a heart for witnessing God’s awakening throughout the city of Buffalo and WNY region. His ministry involvement spans thirty years of  various rich experiences while balancing a career in the manufacturing business as both an office manager and owner for twenty-six years. Shawn is a graduate of Bethel Seminary and enjoys hiking the outdoors and participating in team sports such baseball and hockey.

Shawn has been married to Susan for thirty-one wonderful years. Together they have been blessed with three children, a great son-in-law, and two fun loving grandchildren. 

JRM Appeals For Support During Poverty Awareness Month

Jericho Road asks for your support this month for poverty awareness month....

"We think sometimes that poverty is only being hungry, naked and homeless. The poverty of being unwanted, unloved and uncared for is the greatest poverty." –Mother Teresa

At Jericho Road, we place caring people in the lives of men, women, and children facing poverty in Buffalo, NY. Please stand with us this National Poverty in America Awareness Month and support Jericho Road’s programs by taking two simple actions:

(1) Donate just $25 or more to Jericho Road Ministries. (2) Share our Facebook post about POVERTY IN AMERICA. You can also find our page on Facebook by searching for Jericho Road Ministries.

Yes! I would like to give to Jericho Road: Click Here to Donate

For more information about Jericho Road, visit us at www.JRM-BUFFALO.org

Hobby Lobby Appreciation Day

"Today is Hobby Lobby Appreciation Day! Please bring your friends and remind your family across the country to head to Hobby Lobby to show their support for religious freedom and free speech," wrote former Arkansas governor Mike Huckabee, regarding Saturday January 5, 2013. Hobby Lobby is owned and operated by evangelical Christians has supported Christian missions extensively.

New Study on Temptation

The Barna Group released a new study on American temptation.
Here is a overview of their findings.

Thrive Available On Kindle

Thrive Buffalo Magazine, Unite's sister publication is available on your Amazon Kindle effective immediately.
http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B009W4BTOQ/ref=redir_mdp_mobile
Proceeds go in support of Prayer Collective, the parent organization of both publications. See www.prayercollective.com

Tebow on Faith

"Happy moments, praise God. Difficult moments, seek God. Quiet moments, worship God. Painful moments, trust God. Every moment, THANK GOD." - Tim Tebow

Zion Dominion Tonight

Tonight at 10:00pm sharp, Zion Dominion Global ministries New Year's Eve celebration. Featuring Zion Dominion's recording choir and the award winning liturgical dancers! A special word for the upcoming year! 895 N Forest Rd, Amherst NY 14221 Come and "WATCH WHAT HAPPENS!" "It's a Matter of Dominion!"

Prayer Collective On The Move

Prayer Collective, the worship and prayer ministry started by a group of believers including Unite Editor Kyle Patterson has been on the road this month bringing the blessing of prayer and worship to churches around the city. 

This letter from Patterson explains the plans. 

Hi Friends, 

I wanted to let you know that Prayer Collective is hitting the road! After careful thought and prayer (of course :)) we have decided to host our sets at various churches around the area and for a season at least not renew our lease at the Buffalo Christian Center during this holiday season. 

Mondays we will be at The Worship Center in North Buffalo

The Worship Center
4 Medford Place
Buffalo, NY 14216

Wednesday nights starting in January will be at 

Knox Presbyterian Church. 2595 Elmwood Avenue  Kenmore, NY 14217

Thursdays will be at 

The Worship Center
4 Medford Place
Buffalo, NY 14216

Fridays will be at Steps Ministry 1221 Seneca St. Buffalo 14210 Fridays 8-10 am...

More sets to come...

Check back for updates to our schedule at www.prayercollective.com/schedule   (our schedule now also includes partner prayer sets that aren't hosted by Prayer Collective but still a part of the greater move of God's Spirit drawing his church to prayer)

To add a set or contribute to the work email me and we would love to add a set to our schedule. We have many offers from various churches for us to come and bless their church with worship and prayer so we can add you and a venue at anytime as we seek to glorify God in worship around our city. Our goal is to build a spiritual wall around our city through a continuous movement of prayer and worship.  Join us anytime.  

Blessings, 

Kyle

Current schedule and locations for January are underway and will be updated shortly. 

Sword of the Spirit Buffalo

Sword of the Spirit New Year's Eve candlelight service starts at 10pm on Dec. 31, in Buffalo. Sword of The Spirit is located at 300 Kensington Avenue, Buffalo, NY 14214

ECC and Buffalo City Mission are Teaming Up

The Buffalo News featured this article about a new partnership between the Buffalo City Mission and Erie Community College to create a college for the homeless. The partnership helps the Mission continue to provide services that restore hope to their clients and ECC continue to make college education available to as many people as possible.

Read full article here

Buffalo United Draws Nearly 200

photo by Matt Brown

Buffalo United, the annual worship event held this year at The Buffalo Christian Center drew nearly 200 worshippers to gather in unity asking God for a breakthrough in our region. Speaker at this year's event, pastor and former Buffalo Bill Demeris Johnson encouraged attendees to continue to gather in worship and unity and then go back into the community to make a difference for the gospel. Sponsors of the event included Northeastern Seminary, TCT Television and Family Life Network.

America's Got Christmas at The Chapel At Crosspoint