Quick Ministry Update January 2023

A couple of weeks ago we spent the day with the staff of a local church teaching about Inspire and giving them an opportunity to experience bands together. It was a long day, but we saw attitudes change from not wanting to be there to sharing and participating. It was also a time for Brian and I to figure out ways for us to share in the teaching segments and how to better break up times, especially that after lunch I-need-a-nap time.

This week we began meeting with the same group for a six week “house fellowship” during lunch. Over these next few weeks, we will be introducing them to the different spiritual practices of house fellowships: soul sharing, scripture words, gifts and disciplines, and everyday mission. One of the staff members confessed afterward of having a bad attitude about our time together. They thought it was going to be “just another meeting”. However, it ended up being “life-giving” and they were very thankful for the time spent together.

This coming Monday, we will be starting their first Inspire House Fellowship with a group of leaders within the church. The missional purpose of a house fellowship is to bring people into a deeper, growing relationship with Jesus as a family of believers. We will be meeting with them for six weeks and our prayer is that they will have a desire to continue to meet afterward either together as the same group or by forming other house fellowships with their own group of friends.

Also, Brian is still expecting to preach a time or two during Lent as the pastors begin to introduce Inspire to the whole congregation; however, those details are still to be figured out.

We covet your prayers over these next few weeks:

• Pray for the staff and the leaders has they begin to come together in house fellowships and bands.

• Pray for us as we begin to build relationships and guide them on this new journey together.