Recently a few people have asked about the type of worship we have on Friday nights at CITYWIDE WORSHIP. These conversations along with few experiences have made me think again about the term ‘worship ’ .  What do you think of when you hear the word ‘worship’.  Do you think, playing instruments, singing, dancing, or painting etc.? Sometimes I think of doing my work.
 
My Zondervan Pictorial Encyclopedia of the Bible has  many pages written about the word ‘worship’. Basically there were five Greek words listed, and they all meant something slightly different. In a nutshell, a few words meant, ‘bowing down’,’ or make a sacrifice’.   A few words  meant a form of ‘service’, which is why I sometimes think of work. I also consider worship a type of prayer, which is another form of communion with God.

Last year while attending the ProJect Light conference at H. Rock church in Pasadena, CA (which by the way rocks  and I recommend all those in media/entertainment to attend), I heard others share about their style of worship. Whether they painted, danced, acted, sang, or even designed clothes all said it was their worship unto the Lord. They loved creating as a form of worship.  I remember the old movie ‘Chariots of fire’ the main character felt ‘running fast’ was pleasing to God and his form of worship. I believe bringing our love to God in who He has made us to be is an act of worship. Whether it be in a sanctuary, home or in a classroom, let’s be reminded whatever we do we do unto Him and is and can be our worship.

And for this Friday night, let’s worship corporately in song, music, flags and for those who love to paint or dance be free to. So come join us at…at CITYWIDE WORSHIP.

I recently heard a story about a man who built a school and did not put in sidewalks. When asked why, he said because he wanted to see where the people would walk. As the pathways would form he would place the sidewalks. This story spoke to my heart.

In this particular season of time, I’m reminded by the Lord to watch where people are walking and come alongside and help build pathways for them and places for them to meet. I’am seeing many Christ followers leaving the traditional church gathering places  and creating new pathways into organic meetings in homes and various marketplace venues. As a network we  provide sidewalks and connections for those traveling into these homes and marketplace venues. 

 I can just imagine as these pathways connect, from home to home, venue to venue, a NET will form, which will hold the HARVEST. I also see these  HOPE houses as pillars of fire throughout the city, igniting the land, bringing HOPE and love to all those who enter.  Oh, it’s a beautiful sight. 

FRESNO H.O.P.E. 

                          NEW WEBSITE www. fresnohope.net                             

CITYWIDE WORSHIP

On December 31st we gathered for FUEL THE FIRE assembly.  It was amazing to see 8  worship teams (each took hour and half), many prayer leaders, united being led by the Holy Spirit to, worship, pray for the 7 mountains of influence and prophesy. Many of the teams hadn’t met before, yet to see the flow of the worship and prayer among them was incredible.  It is our desire to meet weekly for corporate CITYWIDE WORSHIP with occasional longer Fuel the Fire gatherings. We continue to meet for intercession, soaking and other prayer ministry in various locations.  

COMMUNITY

I love meeting with these small KINGDOM LIVING groups, a time to build relationships, break bread, encourage and pray for one another, have fun, learn and grow together in God’s Kingdom ways. Newest group - Kingdom Messengers.

These are a few books listed as suggested reading in the Leadership class we offer. 

Apostles and the Emerging Apostolic Movement by David Cannistraci. C 1996, 1998.

The author gives great descriptions to the apostolic call, the apostolic spirit, the movement of the Fathers, understanding apostolic authority and patterns for apostolic churches. 

Some quotes: 

• "A great wave is breaking and birthing a wonderful new life. The Spirit of God is releasing a mighty apostolic movment.."
  
• "the apostle is distinct from the other ministry gifts mentioned in Scripture and appears to possess a unique place, function and importance in God's plan." 
  
• " The apostles list of responsiblities includes: overseeing, strengthening, developing, imparting, fathering, ordaining, supervising, managing and networking.These words define not only what thdy do, but also who they are." 
  
• :..the apostle will take on the mantle of a father in and through this coming movement. One of the most striking characteristics of an apostles' ministry is spirtual fatherhood."
  

I read Marketplace Christianity by Robert Fraser a while back. Bob was one of the leaders and teachers with Joseph Company (JOCO) with International House of Prayer when I was there in 2006 and 2008.
It was good to read an encouraging book that recognizes ministry is beyond the  'church' walls.

Favorite quotes: 

•  "97% of the pastoral, evangelistic, teaching, prophetic, and apostolic gifts are in Marketplace Christians and are to primarily opering in the marketplace. For Marketplace Christians, their field is their workplace and their flock is the people they work with."
• "Worship can be more than a song, It can be anything we do to 'love Him back." 
• "Spiritual greatness comes to those who simply pursue God earnestly: and pursuit of God begins and ends in prayer. "
  

FRESNO H.O.P.E.- We’ve had some incredible times at CITYWIDE worship and prayer. This is a time of interactive worship and prayer, meaning, we worship with song and the word and we pray. Many participate during open ‘mic’. We do have a prayer focus for the evening. Although we do have ‘protocol’, there is much freedom to participate.  We strongly encourage you to come and be a part of something different than Sunday morning experience. We also had a wonderful time gathering for a potluck and worship during the Feast of Tabernacles.

We continue to pray and worship on the campuses of CSUF and Central H.S. with CLUB HOPE. I call the youth the ‘movers’ and the shakers’ who are going to fuel this next Jesus movement, with Firehouses (of prayer) all over the state. A few of the students went to the Fight conference and The StudentCALL a few weeks ago and were encouraged to keep the fires of prayer going on our campuses. They also had the opportunity to meet with other campus prayer leaders.   

COMMUNITY OF HOPE- I recently heard a speaker say "Kingdom is Family". We at 7mwin are not only about Loving God/intimacy with Jesus/prayer but also Loving Others- buildling relationships.

We see the 'church structure" changing and new wineskins emerging. The N.T. body of believers were often reffered to as the church of a city,where they met in homes and gathered together corporately for celebrations. We desire to do the same, bringing together home fellowships/churches/groups. We are intentional to pray for one another, encourage, support, grow together and discover Gods' purpose for our lives.  We desire to see the full 5 fold leadership (apostle, prophet, teacher, evangelist and pastor)  equip and train others (Eph. 4:11). Within many of these small groups are also spiritual mothers and fathers (very pastoral). We believe in the priesthood of the believers, where everhone's gifts can shine.

Small groups meet in various venues, cafe's, homes, campuses, etc...however we will meet corporately once a month for fellowship, eathing together, worship, and however the Lord leads. As a corporate community we share similiar spiritual DNA and vision, although each company or small groups is uniquely different. 

We welcome you to join us as we journey together seeking, learning and living Gods' Kingdom ways. These groups will be listed on the "Community" page of the fresnohouseofprayer website. 

7 Mountain Schools - The schools are a mobile school of ministry, meaning we met in different venue and times. Currently a small group of young ladies meet as a cohort of the leadership academy. Occasionally I teach courses to different small groups, and had the privilege of teaching one lesson with a group home for men.

7 Mountain Network - We continue to meet with other ministries on different occasions. In September I was able to join a company of prayer leaders in Bakersfield during the Feast of Tabernacles. We worshipped, prayed and broke bread together. If you’d like to read about that time, you can go to www.thelivingwall.org. The CV prayer roundtable met recently. We are a group of prayer leaders from around the valley who meet every other month, building relationship and encouraging one anther. These are always wonderful times, hearing the great reports of what God is doing in our valley. I also was blessed to join the ‘Daniel Institute’ for a day in Bass Lake with the Christian Educators Association International.  This was a wonderful time of encouragement, renewing and sharing with other educators, not only from our state, but joining leaders from other states. CEAI also meets for prayer for educators a few Tuesdays a month (see CV prayer network on our website )

It was such a blessing to have the Fresno Bee cover the 7MWIN ministry in an article on Oct. 25, 2010 in the Faith and Values section. Let Jesus name be glorified throughout this city! Any place, any time! Houses of prayer EVERYWHERE  bringing H.O.P.E to our region. On a personal note, I just completed an 8 week ‘Citizens Academy’ class with Fresno city. It was very informative and I learned so much of how the city government and departments worked, which helps for effective and informed intercession. If you are interested in this, you can go to the cities website. If you also have a heart to pray for the government, going  to the city council meeting is a great way to get information on what is going on in the city and make decrees during the non agenda items 'open mic' (3minutes).  Let’s continue to pray for righteousness, peace and justice to be established in our city, state and nation.

If you are interested in joining us for prayer for any one of the 7  mtns of influence, at any one of the prayer rooms (downtown or San Joaquin Gardens) please email me at marta@fresnohouseofprayer.org.

FUEL THE FIRE Regional Assembly- Dec. 31st,  6 pm.;- 6 am. See announcements. 

Happy Thanksgiving to all. I'd like to take time to thank all of you who have been so supportive of me personally and to this ministry. 

 I can’t tell you how excited I am about what God is doing outside the church building walls. I knowthere are lots and lots of ministries in town doing GREAT things and I love telling about what God is doing in and through them. So check out spotlight too!

I mentioned last month, that the Lord wanted us to focus ona few new things this coming school year. I just love this time of the year,Fall season, with the Biblical holidays of Rosh Hashana, Yom Kippur and Feastof Tabernacles. As an educator, and having four children in school, the Autumn season has been the beginning of the new year for us. Although it has not beenwithout ‘pressing through’ (warfare), I am excited about the new God is bringing thisyear.

The first is CITYWIDE worship/prayer.  I love what one ofthe guys said when asked what it was…”it’s a citywide prayer meeting smothered with worship..with people coming from different churches..to pray for our city.”It’s also referred to as ‘harp and bowl’ style of worship/prayer.  Last month our pray time was focused for schools and the education system in our area. One of the things the Lord said to me in the beginning was not to worry  if 5 or 50 showed up. We just needed to start. A building was provided that wasn’t in one particular church and was centrally located. The location is at the fellowship hall of the San Joaquin Gardens retirement center, which is in the middle of Fresno.  

CLUB HOPE… …Bringing HOPE to the world around us….How? through worship and prayer. We know the power of shifting atmospheres through worshipand the power of prayer. So we’ve started to gather on campuses, (CSUF and a few H.S.). We are intentional in being in the ‘open’ outside the classroom walls, so others may join us or those who seek prayer, may receive it. These are student led groups.

Another new or change is with the 7M schools of ministry.  The last school year I met with a group of young ladies for pre-leadership training, and with a writers group. This year the groups will be slightly changing with companies and discipleship classes. I will share about this  in the next update.

So that is the latest. Remember us this month in your giving and consider being a monthly financial partner.  We’d really like to get a computer, projector,support the clubs, financial support for some of the leaders,  and even have enough to  lease a building in the future.  JDonations can be made out to 7MWIN, sent to P.O. Box 25266, Fresno, CA 93729.

Don’t forget to keep an eye out on events on the website and Fresno H.O.P.E. group page on Facebook. 

Bless you all.

 

One of the ministries we specifically pray for is Joni and Friends, Central CA. We go there 1-2 times a month.  Joni and Friends visions is to accelerate Christian ministry in the disability community and their mission is to communicate the gospel and equip Christ honoring churches worldwide to evangelize and disciple people affected by disabilities.  

Our prayer is that every local fellowship in Fresno would become aware of their ministry and have some type of ministry to the disabled. This can look differently depending on the congregations.Maybe it would mean simply providing child care for a family with an autistic child…so the parents could go out or going to their home to pray for them just to encourage them.  Although I would love to see all healed and believe it is possible, I do know while on earth, there is suffering. 

Coming up- Joni and Friends with Pacific University will be co hosting a seminar soon- called Beyond Suffering Seminar. It will be held Oct. 1-2, and registration is at fresno.edu/beyondsuffering. Priority registration expires Sept. 10^th, $80 per person or $20 for students with ID. After that it goes up

CEAI started in 1953 as the National Educators Fellowship. The mission of CEAI is to "encourage, equip and empower Christian educators serving public and private schools.' If you'd like to know more about the newest Central CA area of CEAI, email frisch@ceai.org. Forest and Cheri Risch are the Central CA area directors. I serve on the local advisory board of CEAI.

Our next event will be: Teacher Encouragement and Prayer Breakfast,  August 28th, 9- noon.  Venue: First Baptist Church Fellowship Hall, 1400 Saginaw Way, Fresno. RSVP frisch@ceai.org.