Pictures from Iceland

Here are some pictures of Iceland last week, some taken by Natalie Turner of the London 24-7 boiler room, some by Eric St. Clair:

ZHOP podcast

FYI, ZHOP now has a podcast and is available here: http://zhop.org/podcast/

Iris ministries in Mozambique

Interesting article on cityreaching...

Recently there was a roundtable in El Paso on city reaching... they've blogged an interesting article on the event. Here is text from George Otis Jr.'s first session:

* GOD’S PATTERNS IN TRANSFORMATION: God’s patterns in transformation do not change. Things unique to each community change, but principles can be applied everywhere.

1. Pattern #1: Time with God. Transformation takes place in communities that are following God, not leading Him. In order to follow God there must be time alone with God to hear Him. God is left out of the equation when we are so busy we don’t have time with Him. This problem is systemic in our society. We have no waiting time for God.

2. Pattern #2: Hunger for God. We don’t have an ignorance problem, we have an appetite problem. We all have our life hungers list: food, sleep, security, control, reputation. On this list where is our hunger for the presence of God? When our hunger for God moves to the top of the list, transformation will occur.

3. Pattern #3: Unity in the Body of Christ. In 2004, the International Fellowship of Transformation Partners asked the question. “What gives us an identity together?’ They decided to just watch God at work instead of trying to figure out the answer. They saw these things as helps to building unity:

o A common definition of what transformation looks like in my community
o A set of commonly held principles
o A set of core values to govern the movement
o Prayer
o Accountability
o Trust

4. Pattern #4: Humility and Hiddenness of the Catalysts. Humility is directly related to the degree of divine outpouring. Empire building and personal agendas must be laid aside for the goal of seeing God transform the city. The story of Gideon is an example of God using the smallest, most broken, most contrite, most hidden, and most humble to bring about a great breakthrough. In transformation God often chooses no names that have nothing to lead the greatest breakthroughs.

5. Pattern #5: Holiness: When we get rid of all the sin in the camp, God will come. Our hearts must be right, purified of sin and our own agendas. We must be abandoned to God with expectation of His coming in transforming revival. We need to make sure our hearts are right so that our desire is to see the Kingdom of God manifest on the earth.


Read the whole article here.

MorningStar special bulletin

MorningStar just posted a special bulletin on the Virginia Tech shooting, read it here.

Seminars at ZHOP

This Saturday, April 21, we having a 'Hearing the Voice' seminar, a one day seminar on hearing/discerning God speaking. Its from 9AM - 4PM at ZHOP (www.zhop.org). Registration is $20.00 which includes registrants getting notes and a $5.00 lunch coupon. There is also a track for children (5-11 years old) for $12.00 which also includes the same $5.00 coupon for lunch from the ZHOP bookstore. Registration is available online at the ZHOP web site.

On April 27-28, David Sliker will be teaching at ZHOP in the 'End Times Simplified' conference. David is on the senior leadership team at the IHOP in Kansas City and teaching on the last days for the Forerunner School of Ministry. David will be teaching and address a variety of significant topics such as the Church's role in the end times and a biblical perspective on knowing when the last days are upon the world. Registration is available online at the ZHOP web site (www.zhop.org).

VOM prayer list

VOM News and Prayer Update: April 10, 2007

"These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world."(John 16:33)

PAKISTAN
Five Christians Charged with Blasphemy – VOM Sources
Five Christians have been charged with blasphemy under Pakistan's blasphemy laws 295-A and 295-C, in Toba Tek Singh, Pakistan. Daniel, an 11-year-old Christian boy, refused to play with his Muslim friends, resulting in them beating him. When Daniel's family confronted the attackers, the Muslims called the police and made a false report saying they had blasphemed the name of the Holy Prophet. Now Daniel's family-Rashid Masih, Salamat Masih, Sahba Masih Motta, Bao Masih and Sheela Masih-is living under threat of attack by Muslim extremists. The Muslim family told other Muslims at a religious gathering that the Christians had disgraced the Holy Prophet, tore a holy sticker and beat it with a shoe. This has led to tension in the city. Christians in the area fear Muslim extremists will attack the family. There was fear there would be attacks during celebrations leading up to Easter Sunday. If convicted under blasphemy laws 295-A and 295-C, the family faces three years imprisonment, a fine and the death penalty, or life imprisonment and a fine. Pray God protects these believers and provides a way of escape for them. Psalm 41:2-3

CHINA
House Church Pastors Arrested – China Aid Association / VOM Sources

• LIAONING PROVINCE – On March 14, local police arrested 54-year-old house-church leader, Gu Changrong, in Fushun City, Liaoning Province, after she shared her faith with the secretary of the Communist Party in her village. According to China Aid Association (CAA), Yu Mingfu called the police and accused Gu of "poisoning Communist Party members with the Christian message." According to Gu's relatives, she has been sentenced to one-year of re-education through labor for "using evil cult organizations to obstruct the exercising of state laws." The family has not received a formal notice of her sentence since her arrest, according to CAA. Gu is serving her sentence at Ma San Jian Labor Camp, which is known for its harsh treatment and torture against thousands of imprisoned Falun Gong members.
• ANHUI PROVINCE – Recently two house-church leaders were arrested for distributing Bibles and leading a Bible study in Anhui province. According to China Aid Association (CAA), on January 4, Pastor Chen Jiaxi, of Chencun village was arrested for distributing free Bibles and other Christian literature to house-church members, while Pastor Chen Lianmin of Ma An Shan city was arrested on February 23, for leading a Bible study attended by high school students. "Chen Jiaxi has been charged with 'illegal business management' and his relatives believe he will be put on trial soon. Chen Lianmin has been released, but his computer and other Christian literature were confiscated," CAA said. The Voice of the Martyrs' sources working in China, report that Chen Jiaxi will be sentenced to three years in prison.

Pray God comforts the families and congregations of the arrested house-church leaders and ask God to encourage the pastors. 2 Corinthians 1:5 -7

INDIA
Pastors Arrested – VOM Sources
In the city of Varanasi, Rajendra Chawhan, a pastor and evangelist, has been working to reach non-believers in an area outside Varanasi. He has been holding prayer meetings that have grown to more than a thousand believers and this has angered radical Hindu groups. The pastor has been arrested and beaten several times. Following a recent prayer and healing service, Pastor Chawhan was beaten by Hindu extremists and taken to the police, who arrested him. This was the sixth time he had been arrested. Some Christians went to jail to protest his arrest and were beaten by extremists, while the police turned a blind eye. Pray God encourages, protects and gives wisdom to this pastor, and for his ministry to expand in the midst of these tough times. Ephesians 3:14-19

Last day

We are leaving Reykjavik for home today. This has been one amazing trip. I´ll get to a longer entry later this week. Thanks so very much to everyone who has been praying for us along the way. God is going to do a wondrous thing in Iceland in our day...