God blessed us with good services at IBC again yesterday. I was encouraged at your receptivity to God’s Word from 1 Thessalonians 3:1-5. At the end of both services, over half of the congregation made a commitment to pray a 9-second prayer daily for the remainder of 2020. What prayer? Here it is:
LORD, CAUSE YOUR WORD TO RUN AND BE SUCCESSFUL THROUGH IBC, GRACE CHURCH, AND OUR MISSIONARIES!
This brief, but powerful prayer is based on verse one of 2 Thessalonians 3—“Brothers, pray for us, that the word of the Lord may speed ahead (literally, run) and be honored, as happened among you.”
God has decreed that the effectiveness of our Bible proclamation is dependent on the prayers of God’s people. Not everyone is called to preach; but everyone is called to pray. The newest believer or the youngest saved child has just as much access to God as any other Christian.
Thank you for your prayers for your pastors and for the congregation of IBC over the years. God’s work depends on the prayers of God’s people.
On July 26, we as a congregation will commission and send Pastors Josh and Brad and 100 others to plant Grace Church in southern Berkeley County. God has done a remarkable work in preparing for this major step of faith. We are trusting Him to use this great team to reach and make multitudes of disciples and send new missionaries as well. And we are trusting God to continue to use IBC to reach the unreached locally and globally.
On July 19, Pastor Phillip Macdonald will be officially installed as our Pastor of Young Adult Ministries. That same morning, our congregation will have a business meeting between services to vote on a new Pastor of Middle School Ministries AND on four new missionaries.
All this is during a pandemic. God has led, provided, and opened doors. You, as God’s people, have given generously and prayerfully.
These are exciting times. We are walking by faith in God to provide and to use His Word to change lives. So, I am asking every IBC’er to pray this 9-second pray fervently and faithfully, especially over the next six months.
I look forward to what God will do as we pray in faith.