There are many places that I have dreamed of going - India and Nepal are two of those places. Over the past several months India, Nepal, and areas surrounding these countries have begun to burden my heart. This burden has not been brought on by mudslides, earthquakes, or any other natural disaster, although they have had their share of troubling times. This burden was created by looking at photos of children’s homes and faces of individuals that we as a church support. The Lord has caused a love to grow in my heart for each of these individuals I have never met before, encouraging me to pray for them daily . The ministry in India and Nepal is so great. According to those we support, God is breaking chains, knocking down walls, and changing lives like never before. It brings my heart so much excitement to see how the Holy Spirit is moving individuals who were once serving many gods to turn to the One True God. I have been moved by photos of people praying freely to the Lord with their hands raised up to Him and encouraged by the videos of them singing praises. Although I cannot share many of the pictures, I do have a few that will prick your heart. As you look at these photos remember you do not have to know who or what you are praying for, for God already understands your heart and your prayer. God knows what the needs are in India and Nepal. He knows the specific needs of those that we support and Scripture says Jesus will pray on your behalf according to Romans 8:26-27. “In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us through wordless groans.And he who searches our hearts and knows the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for God’s people in accordance with the will of God.” All I ask you to do is allow the Spirit of God to speak to your heart and pray for these that you have never met. I also ask that you be in prayerful intersession for Phil, Patt, Melinda, and I as we plan to go to India, Nepal, and Bangladesh. On this trip we are going to be able to put faces with the names we have been supporting and praying for. Thank you in advance for your prayers for the trip and for the ministries going on in places unknown to most people. Thank you for allowing God to use your heart and your prayers to affect change all over the world.

The pictures above may be offensive... but before you take offense take a moment to read and find out the story behind the dirtiness. Mr. Frank lives in a suburb of Charlotte. There were 13 students and 2 adults working on this site this past week as The Lamb’s Chapel  served with Mission Serve. Mr. Frank was dirty and really did not care much for our students being in his house. You see Mr. Frank was a hoarder and did not have a working bathroom which made for unsanitary conditions and a really, really dirty house. On the inside, Mr. Frank was lonely. He was broken and embarrassed. I had to explain to the students what they were about to see because no one, and I mean no one, had ever seen anything like Mr. Frank’s house. What amazed me is that the conditions really did not matter to the students, they loved on Mr. Frank just as if they had known him all their lives. They cleaned his kitchen, they cleaned his bedroom, they took trash upon trash upon trash to the dumpster, they helped work on a bathroom that really should have been condemned. By the middle of the week Mr. Frank’s heart was broken that these students had come from all over the United States to unite together to help him. My wife heard him say “Time flies when you are busy.” What Mr. Frank was saying is that he was lonely and the students being in his home and around him made time just go by so fast. These students from all walks of life and from different states were truly the hands and feet of Jesus this week. They loved their neighbor as their self this week (Mark 12:31). They did it to the least of these this week (Matthew 25:40). I know that as you look at these pictures your mind may immediately go to how can someone live like this? I can promise you that my mind did the same thing. The second thought that ran through my mind was my sin was that dirty and Jesus Christ washed me white as snow and Jesus didn't mind giving His all for me. As dirty and unsanitary as Mr. Frank’s house was, my heart was dirtier. I am so thankful for the opportunity to serve and for the way these student’s hearts have been changed. As you look at the pictures don’t forget that there are people in your backyard and your city that need to be loved and need someone to care. I pray as you see these pictures you are not offended, but that the pictures are a motivation for you to ask God what is next for you and how you can get involved in what God is doing to help others!

What a great opportunity we all have as believers to pray. Prayer is the greatest tool we have as believers. Prayer creates and facilitates an atmosphere of success. That is why within the area of missions we need prayer warriors. Without prayer missions would cease to exist.

At The Lamb’s Chapel we are all about prayer and making prayer a priority when it comes to everything we do. In missions there are many prayer points. Please take a moment and follow the links below to see how you can pray for the the nations.

Operation World 

Prayer Cast

Joshua Project

Open Doors

Pray with us Psalm 90:17 "Let the favor of the Lord be upon us, and establish the works of our hands, yes establish the works of our hands."

Pray with us Psalm 2:8 “Ask of me, and I will make the nations your heritage, and the ends of the earth your possession.”

Check back to find out more about how you can pray specifically about where we are working in Our BackYard, Our Nation, and Our World.

With Open Eyes is a ministry that we partner with in a magnificent way for God's glory. It is the heart of With Open Eyes to see the gospel proclaimed in every nation. I just want to take a moment and share with you some of the great things that we are able to do through With Open Eyes. There are many unreached people groups throughout Africa and Asia and With Open Eyes have been working hard to share the Good News to as many unreached groups as possible this year already. 

Since January 1, 2018 despite the government in Rwanda shutting down more than 700 churches, the church grew by 15,707 new believers. There were also 4 new churches planted.

According to the last update received from With Open Eyes, 2,246 new believers were added to the church in Kenya and Sudan and in Rhino an refuge camp, there were 4 new church plants established. There is a total of 37,503 people that have made decisions to follow Christ and 10 new churches started across 14 countries. 

With Open Eyes does all of this through equipping pastors with bicycles, motorcycles, and modes of transportation so that the pastors can get to where they need to go with the Gospel. In the areas where With Open Eyes works there is a lot of danger. It is not uncommon for pastors to be arrested and even beaten for what they are teaching. 

One way you can help is to become a prayer warrior for With Open Eyes mobile messengers.

Prayer Points: 

1. Pray for the gospel to be accelerated through the mobile messengers. 

2. Pray for those that become new believers to grow in their faith and stand strong in the face of the adversary. 

With Open Eyes is just one great organization we partner with. Check back with us or browse through our site to see how you can become involved in what we are doing across the world.