Prayer Goals for 2008

January 6, 2008

“Now to Him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to His power that is at work within us, to Him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen.” Ephesians 3:20-21

Our God is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask (pray) or imagine (dream)! In October 2006, in Portland, Oregon, after agonizing hours of prayer and the counsel of trusted brethren, the Lord put on my heart the dream to start a new discipling movement that would evangelize the world in this generation. In the past 14 months, the Spirit has borne and forged 26 congregations – 13 in the United States and 13 international churches – into a rapidly spreading movement of God. Our message of “Jesus Christ and Him crucified” is being honored by an ever-increasing number of souls (2 Thessalonians 3:1). In 2008, we will continue to welcome into our fellowship any sold-out disciple or group of disciples anywhere in the world!

Embracing the dream to evangelize the world in a generation, the Spirit sent 42 sold-out disciples from Portland to Los Angeles to begin the City of Angels International Christian Church on May 6, 2007. In these first eight months, God has moved immeasurably beyond our boldest prayers and dreams by blessing us with 50 baptisms, 42 restorations and 65 placing membership! With the Spirit’s guiding, some of these disciples have returned to Portland and others have begun new congregations, such as the Kernans in London. In the City of Angels Church, we are saddened by each person who chooses to leave the Lord; yet with all of God’s additions in 2007, only eight have fallen away. We are praying fervently for each to return to God. As of January 1, 2008, the City of Angels Church now numbers 168 sold-out disciples! Truly through “[God’s] power at work within us, to Him be glory in the church…for ever and ever! Amen!”

1. Our first prayer goal for 2008 is for God to multiply the 168 disciples in the City of Angels Church by more than doubling our membership to 350 disciples by the end of the year! Lord willing, this growth will be accomplished by the Spirit adding to our number 100 baptisms and many more restorations and placing memberships.

2. As of January, the City of Angels Church will be composed of five regions: North – led by DJ and Kacie Comisford; West – led by Vic and Aurora Gonzalez; East – led by Lu Jack and Cathi Martinez; Orange County – led by the Jay and Angie Hernandez; and the Latin Region – led by Victor and Sonia Gonzalez Sr. Our alternating men and women midweeks will now meet regionally. However, beyond these regions our local congregational expansion prayer goal is to have house churches with their own midweeks and Bible Talks in San Diego, Ventura, Santa Barbara, Bakersfield, Victorville, Antelope Valley and Palm Springs.

3. Striving to imitate God’s heart in continuing to build a strong shepherding ministry, our leadership prayer goal is to have two elders and several deacon couples actively serving our congregation by next January.

4. At the Fourth Annual World Missions Jubilee in Los Angeles, our prayer goal is to send out the New York City Mission Team led by our own DJ and Kacie Comisford, as well as the Washington D.C. Mission Team led by the dearly loved Andrew and Patrique Smellie of Syracuse, New York. (The World Missions Jubilee will be held at the Hilton Hotel at Universal Studios Hollywood from Thursday, July 31 through Sunday, August 3, 2008.) In addition, just prior to the Jubilee, Kyle and Joan Bartholomew will be sent out to lead the Honolulu International Christian Church.

5. Our financial prayer goal is to be self-supporting by the Jubilee. This will require a weekly contribution of $10,000. Also at the Jubilee, our prayer goal for our Missions Contribution for New York City and Santiago, Chile is $120,000.

6. We have deep convictions that to become an effective evangelist, one must walk with an effective evangelist (Luke 6:40). In our desire to send out the most well-equipped evangelists and women’s ministry leaders, our ministry training prayer goal is to begin the LA College of World Missions. This faith venture will be overseen by Dr. Marty and Cathy Wooten. Marty’s credentials for such an undertaking are impeccable. The Lord blessed him with a BA in Biblical Studies with a minor in Biblical Languages from Oklahoma Christian University; a Th.M Degree in New Testament Studies from Fuller Theological Seminary; and a M.Div and D.Min of Ministry from Harding Graduate School of Religion. Cathy has an RN degree and both are very well versed in practical ministry as they planted discipling congregations in Denver, Colorado (1986) and Berlin, Germany (1991). Bible classes will be taught to not only the young men and women training for the ministry at the City of Angels Church, but to all who want to deepen their study of God’s Word (Acts 2:17). Excitingly, online courses will be offered so that anyone, anywhere in the world can increase their Bible knowledge and receive degrees in Biblical Studies.

7. Our last prayer goal meets perhaps the world’s greatest felt need. In 1987 at the Boston World Missions Conference, Doug Arthur – then of London – challenged our former fellowship “to repent” and “remember the poor” (Galatians 2:10). This we did joyfully. Through the Word, each of our congregations in the Boston Movement was called to have local programs to help those in need. Then in 1991, with the backing of the other World Sector Leaders, I asked Bob and Pat Gempel, a Boston elder and his wife, to lead a new World Sector that would become a global ministry to the poor, orphans and widows (James 1:27). This in time became known as HOPEworldwide. The Lord once again fulfilled His promise and blessed us beyond anything we could ask or imagine. By 2000, HOPEworldwide was in 80 countries! Our projects varied from building brick homes for lepers in India, to job training for former prostitutes in Thailand, to AIDS care in South Africa, to adoptions from China, Russia and Romania, to a free hospital for the poor in Cambodia, to computer training for underprivileged youngsters in the United States. Perhaps our most high profile program was the Hope Youth Corps (HYC), where hundreds of high school and college disciples were sent to cities around the world to serve the poor and needy. Witnessing third-world poverty changed so many of the HYC participants’ lives!

The Lord allowed Elena and me to gain tremendous experience in helping to build a global charity. I was honored to serve as the first Chairman of the Board for 11 years until 2002 and Elena also served on the Board of Directors for this same period. I believe the greatest impact of HOPEworldwide was not from the millions of dollars raised through our churches; it was our unique ability to mobilize each of the thousands of sold-out disciples composing our membership (since before 2002 there was no autonomy in the churches), to be HOPEworldwide “volunteers” for a day or even years!

In our former fellowship it was 12 years before we founded a global charity. Therefore, with prayer – in this only our second year of the new discipling movement – we are proposing a “New Hope” organization led by Nick and Denise Bordieri, a shepherding couple in the City of Angels Church. Prayerfully, when we evangelize the over 200 countries of the world in this generation, there will be “New Hope” projects for the poor and needy in every country on earth!

City of Angels Church, let us fall to our knees and beg our Father in heaven for these prayers and dreams to become a reality. Then, let us stand in awe of our God as He does “immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine.” And to God be the glory!

Kip McKean