Piercing the Darkness

Thanksgiving holidays 2008 remind us once again of the lostness that pervades humankind. The "stampede" that killed a Walmart employee in Long Island, NY; the terrorist attacks in Mumbai (Bombay) India and a high profile professional athlete discharging a handgun in a public nightclub are just a few reminders. Lost people walk in darkness.

Jesus has called us to be light in a dark world. He calls us to pierce the darkness with the Gospel message. Each of us who have been transformed by the power of the gospel have a story of His grace on our life. We are commissioned to GO TELL the story of Jesus.

In 1997 during my wife's (Phyllis) tenure on the IMB as a trustee the board implemented change that included strategy to advance with the gospel into previously closed regions. Ten years later "New Directions" strategy produced increased baptisms (300,000 to over 600,000). New churches increased from 3,300 to 25,000 last year. According to President Jerry Rankin, "More than a thousand unreached people groups engaged with the Gospel and partnership with other Great Commission Chrisians resulted in explosive impact on a lost world."

With all the success of "New Directions" more change is coming. Why more change? The answer is simple. The world constantly changing. The world of 1950 was not the world of 1997 and the world of 2000 is not the world of 2008. (Boy, I wish the American church was wise enough to figure that out). World diversity, post-modern influences, the decline of traditional values and the fact we are closer to the end of time than ever before make the time in which we live both "desperate" and "opportunistic."

Those of us that are assigned stateside serving our Lord in and through the local church hold the ropes for over 5,000 of our missionaries serving in international locations. Through the Lottie Moon Christmas Offering for International Missions we enable these servants of God to GO TELL the story of Jesus.

I am excited to be a part of a denomination that has vision. Vision to reach the whole world with the whole gospel of Jesus Christ. Passion to do it right which is why more change is coming. When you keep doing what you have always done you keep getting what you have always got. (Once again when will the local church get it?)

This is why we must all GO TELL the story of JESUS.

Black Friday Madness

I am not bragging, as a matter of fact I might be a candidate for psychiatric help, but I was among millions of other people out at 5:00 the day after Thanksgiving to take advantage of "super savings." I know that there are many people who thrive at moment like this, I'm just not one of them.

I had my short list of things to buy. I actually came home with two of them. You see when a man shops it is a mission. Game plan, strategy, and eventual conquest. I was whipped before I entered the second store. A man should not try this alone.

I was not alone, however, because I did see a well known "blogger" and a denominational employee out as well. Helps to know that I am not the only crazy one. I surrendered early and went to Chic-fil-a. Short line, coffee and biscuit. Now there's a plan. I then went back to my daughters and spent time with the grandboys.

In our present economic situation in America people are definitely looking for bargains. I didn't take an economic situation for me to look for a bargain, I enter a store looking for the "four letter word" SALE! Today, I saw intense faces, frustrated shoppers, perturbed patrons. I saw people laughing and even some crying (but I'll get over it). I saw people dressed in what looked like pajamas, others that must have been asleep when they dressed and then there were those who must have heard that there would be awards given out for weirdest dress.

Unfortunately, I heard that in Long Island, New York today a Walmart employee was killed in a stampede as shoppers entered the store. In Buford, GA two men fought over a TV and a lady was injured. The police were called in to the situation.

I believe I am going to begin my 2009 shopping in January. I figure if I buy one gift a month I wil be through by Thanksgiving 09. Otherwise, I think I will do the rest of my shopping on line.

Fireproof Your Marriage

Beulah Baptist Church in Douglasville, GA was the site of our first FYM Seminar. Pastor Wayne Bray and the fine staff of Beulah did an excellent job in preparation and implementation of the weekend. We used the material published by the wonderful people at Outreach Ministries as our curriculum. The weekend consisted of four sessions on Saturday and two on Sunday.

We are constantly amazed at what God is doing with the movie among the faith community. Small groups, seminars, weekend retreats are springing up everywhere. Couples are doing the Love Dare and lives are being changed.

Glory be to God.

How To Pray For Your Pastor

I have heard people talk about their pastor and even criticize or question their pastor, but I want to suggest a novel idea...even a scriptural idea: Pray for your Pastor. Your criticism may have some credence, but pray for him. The talk may be justified, but pray for him. The questions may have some foundation, but pray for him.

As a matter of fact all the talk, questions even criticism are out of order especially when we fail to pray. Any so-called believer who would talk about, question or criticize their pastor without being in the habit of praying for him is walking on very shaky ground.

R. A. Torrey writes in his book The Power Of Prayer, "Any Church may have a mighty man of God for its pastor, if it is willing to pay the price and that price is not a big salary but great praying."

Paul writes to the church at Thessalonica and points out a very important work for the body. He says that we are to “recognize those who labor among you.” Now one could argue that could be any member of the body until Paul says, “and are over you” or “have charge over you in the Lord.” A few verses later he says, “pray without ceasing.”
I want to give you some biblical principles on praying for your pastor.

First of all, PRAY FOR THE PRIORITY OF PRAYER IN HIS LIFE. Pray that he will have a heart that longs for God. Not a growing church (God will take care of that). Not recognition and not even success in man’s eyes, but a heart that longs for God. David said, "As the deer pants for the water brooks, so my soul pants for You, O God. My soul thirsts for God, for the living God; when shall I come and appear before God?" (Psalms 42:1, 2) In Psalm 63 he goes on, "O God, You are my God; I shall seek You earnestly; my soul thirsts for You, my flesh yearns for You, in a dry and weary land where there is no water." (Psalms 63:1) Beloved, your pastor will have a word for you when he has time to spend with God.

Second, pray that he will have a heart that hears God. The prophet Isaiah wrote, ”Your ears will hear a word behind you, "This is the way, walk in it," whenever you turn to the right or to the left.” (Isaiah 30:21)

Third, pray for a heart that is helped by God. Pray that he will be a humble man. Now it is not your job to make him humble, that job belongs to God. It is your job to pray that he have a humble spirit. Peter writes, “...clothe yourselves with humility toward one another, for GOD IS OPPOSED TO THE PROUD, BUT GIVES GRACE TO THE HUMBLE. Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you at the proper time.” (1 Peter 5:5b-6)

Then pray that he will have a teachable spirit and a servants heart. Pray for specific needs in his life and ministry. Be specific not general. Pray: “Lord, let my pastor spend quality time with You, being with You on a daily basis. Teach him how to enjoy You, to see You in all Your beauty and glory, to have a real sense of how wonderful, how awesome You are. Teach Him daily new truths about Yourself so in turn he can share with us what You are showing him. Let his heart be quick to respond to whatever You say to him.”

A part of God’s call on his life is a call to prayer. “But we will devote ourselves to prayer and to the ministry of the word.” (Acts 6:4)

Pray according to God’s will.
Pray: “Help my pastor to put prayer and the ministry of the Word at the forefront of all that he does. Help him not to let other things squeeze these vital parts of his life. Show him how to delegate some of these less important activities.
Note: Throughout my ministry I have always had people that thought they knew what I should be doing, but it always surprised me that they never knew what they should be doing.

Pray about his walk with the Lord
"Now therefore, I pray You, if I have found favor in Your sight, let me know Your ways that I may know You, so that I may find favor in Your sight. Consider too, that this nation is Your people." (Ex. 33:13)ed

Pray for his family, and for the management of his time. Pray that he fear God and not man and that his ministry be fruitful

Finally, remember the seriousness of our praying for our pastors, "Moreover, as for me, far be it from me that I should sin against the LORD by ceasing to pray for you; (1 Samuel 12:23).

S. D. Gordon once said, "We can do more than pray after we have prayed, but we cannot do more than pray until we have prayed.

I am convinced that many churches that are meandering in mediocrity, changing pastors every few years and thinking that unity is when everybody finally comes in line with their ideas need a revival of prayer regarding their pastors.

The Success of Fireproof the Movie

Alex and Stephen Kendrick have hit a nerve. Hollywood is looking and it their words "we did not see this coming." Of course they didn't. You have to be looking for something to see it coming. God has gifted these two servants. They can tell a story...a good story. Then because they realize that they serve a big God with whom nothing is impossible we have Fireproof the Movie.

Friday will mark the fifth weekend that FIREPROOF has played in theaters all across the country (well, everywhere but in Vermont!). More than 3 million people have seen the film ... and been impacted by it. As it plays in 883 theaters this weekend, more people will be touched. Hurting people ... and people that look like things are going well on the outside.

I have been preaching the gospel for over 30 years. Twenty-six of those years I pastored. If I added up all the people that I preached to in those years I am not sure how many it would be, but it wouldn't come close to 3 million.

Phyllis and I are blown away with all the stories that are coming in of changed lives. Everyday we hear a different story. What's the big deal with Fireproof.

1. God has His hand on it. All the other reasons (though valid) would be irrelevent without this one.
2. It is a great and relevent story. It goes where people are today and deals with issues that touch close to home.
3. The response of the "Faith Community." The church has showed up. Buying out theaters, providing babysitting services, conducting follow-up classes and spreading the word. NOTE: If we would show up like this in school, government, and culture what would happen. Just a thought!

What is it about Sherwood Baptist Church? They believe God and trust Him for what He wants. They believe that if God can do what He did from a town called Bethlehem, why not Albany, GA. They are a church unified under the Lordship of Christ and submissive to the leadership of their pastor and staff.

God loves OBEDIENCE and honors those who obey. It's not that difficult to understand if you believe that God is who He is.

Fireproof Premier

Fireproof opened in 839 Theaters across the country this weekend. Intial reports rank the film anywhere from #3 to #4. $6.5 million came in through the box office.

The Love Dare is #11 on Amazon.com and Dr. Michael Catt's book, Fireproof Your Marriage jumped 45,000 spots over the weekend.

To quote my pastor, Michael Catt, "God is stirring."


Praise the Lord for His hand upon it and the Faith Community's response.

Maximo TV was on hand to interview some of Fireproof's lead actors and co-writer Alex Kendrick. Click on title to watch.

REMEMBERING 9/11

As we approach the 7th Anniversary of 9/11 there is much to remember. With perhaps the most crucial presidential election in the history of our nation just weeks away we need to be reminded. With so many messages out there that have many confused let's here from one who has been in the fight. Let's hear from one of our heroes.

Watch the video and tell a veteran "Thank You."

Do You Remember Prayer Meeting?

Prayer is the most powerful weapon that our Lord has given to us as believers and as His church. Coupled with the Word of God and faith we are equipped for battle, made ready for service and are made to lean wholly on Jesus name. What an awesome tool.

Yet, in recent years the prayer meeting has been cast aside, ignored and forgotten. Replaced in some places by good things, just not the best things. We talk about prayer, but don't pray. We study about prayer, but don't pray. We keep prayer lists, but don't pray.

Crises come and we pray. But just as soon as the crisis is over we stop praying. Many churches still list it on their weekly activity page. Just as many still conduct a "prayer meeting," but do we pray.

The lack of prominence of prayer meetings in the present day church subsequently and directly is related to the demise of spiritual power and spiritual blessing experienced today in the church.

The following came across my desk recently:

"Mrs. Prayer Meeting died recently at the First Neglected Church on Worldly Avenue. Born many years ago in the midst of great revivals, she was a strong, healthy child, fed largely on testimony and spiritual holiness, soon growing into world-wide prominence. She was one of the most influential members of the famous Church family.

But for the past several years, Sister Prayer Meeting has been failing in health, gradually wasting away until rendered helpless by stiffness of knees, until her death was caused through lukewarmness and coldness of heart. Lack of spiritual food, coupled with the lack of faith, shameless desertion of her friends and non-support, were contributing causes of her death.

At the last she was but a shadow of her former happy self. Her whispered words were inquiries concerning the strange absence of her loved ones, now busy in the marts of trade and places of worldly amusement.

Experts including Dr. Works, Dr. Reform, and Dr. Joiner, disagreed as to the cause of her fatal illness, administering large doses of organization, socials, contests, and drives, but to no avail. A postmortem showed that a deficiency of spiritual food, coupled with lack of faith, heartfelt religion, and general support were contributing causes.

Only a few were present at her funeral, sobbing over memories of her past beauty and power. Carefully selected pallbearers were asked to bear the remains tenderly away, but failed to appear. Her body rests in a beautiful cemetery of bygone memories and glories, awaiting the summer from above'."

If we are ever going to have revival in our churches and in our country God's people are going to have to hit their knees and pray. God just may have to send a crisis. It's not that Aunt Sara's arthritis isn't a need, it just isn't going to bring revival. That is unless God sent the arthritis to lead Aunt Sara to repent of whatever it is that she needs to repent of.

How you do it is not as important as that you do it. We need to acknowledge His Majesty, recognize His Holiness, confess our sinfulness, repent and return to Him.

God send revival and let it begin in me.

Fireproof at the Fox

Friday, August 29 was a spectacular evening. It is one that will go down as an incredible night. About 4,000 people from the faith, firefighting and business community assembled at the historical Fox Theatre in Atlanta at the gracious invitation of the Chick-fil-a Cathey family private screening of Fireproof.

Here we are before the screening beside the poster and after the screening with Bubba and Cindy Cathey.

Vacation 2008

Once again the Bagwell's, Malcom's and Rainwater's gathered at Jekyll Island for our annual family vacation. Thirteen of us made our abode for seven days at Shorehouse, 7 Dexter Lane. Six others were just across the backyard on the beachfront. Cycling, sunbathing,Driftwood Beach, WII games and others made up our daiy activities. Of course there were the trips to Barbara Jeans on St. Simons and Spankys across the causeway. James and Tim Rainwater two of the newest to the family got plenty of attention as they made their first trip to (as Uncle Doug calls it) "the best little Island in the world
We missed Jeremy and April, Ben, Shauna, Elijah, Samuel and Asher and Matthew. Maybe next year. It would be great to have the entire family around, but then it would take a couple of more houses and everyone's stimulus checks. Too bad, they're spent.

An Awesome Evening

Tuesday, May 13 was an awesome evening for the members of Sherwood Baptist Church in Albany, GA. A private screening of Sherwood Pictures new movie, Fireproof was shown. Over 1100 of the church family walked the reverse red carpet on this night as the directors, producers, cast and crew applauded the church family for their prayers, support and overall commitment to this venture to the glory of God.

We had the opportunity to be reunited with David Nixon (assistant director), Erin Bethea (Catherine Holt), the firemen and nurses. In attendance were dignitaries from Albany and Dougherty county, not the least of which were members of the Albany Fire Department.

This was our first opportunity to see the movie in it's entirety. WOW!!! It is fantastic. Our prayer is that God will use it and get glory from it. We pray that it will impact marriages, father-son relationships and call the body of Christ to the forefront of the battle for the souls of men.

FIREPROOF The Movie: In Theaters September 26, 2008

Marriage is a COVENANT RELATIONSHIP between two people. In most wedding ceremonies you will hear the minister say something like, "We are gathered here in the presence of God and these witnesses." Marriage was God's idea. He performed the first wedding and in His own words, "It was very good." Fact is, only God could have authored something this good.

Marriage is a WORKING RELATIONSHIP that takes daily care and attention. Yes it does! Because you have two sinners living in the flesh making up this relationship, there is much work to be done. When we start out we promise, "forsaking all others I will be true only to you." And, "for better for worse." We promise to cherish, be faithful and do so "til death do we part."

Marriage is a BEAUTIFUL RELATIONSHIP that is a picture of Christ and His church. The wife is to the husband as the church is to Christ. And the husband is to the wife as Christ is to the church. What a beautiful picture this is. In some way all married couples have "wedding pictures." However, there is no picture more precious than a marriage that honors Christ.

My wife Phyllis and I will celebrate 35 years of marriage in August. It seems like yesterday that I stood with my dad and my pastor at the front of a church full of family and friends and saw the most beautiful woman in the world come through the door on her dad's arm. We decided before that day to have a marriage committed to the Lordship of Jesus Christ and that we were in this for the long haul. It has not been perfect. It has not been easy. It has not been without tough times, but it has been with HIM.

I still can't believe that Phyllis and I had the awesome privilege of playing the parts of John and Cheryl Holt in Sherwood Pictures newest motion picture, Fireproof. We can hardly wait until next week. Tuesday evening there will be a private showing of the movie at Sherwood for current members. Then again on June 8 at the SBC Pastor's Conference those attending will be able to see the movie.

Below are some short videos (movie trailer, behind the scenes and music video) for your enjoyment.

Pray that God will keep His Almighty hand on the movie and please share it with all you know.

Fireproof Uniting Family Advocates

National groups such as Focus on the Family, Outreach, FamilyLife, The Marriage CoMission, America's Family Coaches, AMFM, Marriage Alive Communications, and MarriageToday endorse the movie and are urging their constituencies to see it. Influencers such as marriage expert Gary Smalley and Bubba Cathy of Chick-fil-A are also working to spread the word.


It's no secret that U.S. marriages are in crisis. The U.S. Census Bureau and marriage organizations vary on the stats but agree that nearly half of all weddings lead to divorce--with rates highest in the Bible belt. Some 25 percent of U.S. adults divorce at least once; and given the abundance of poor marriages, many couples skip it outright.


"Fireproof" mirrors the problems of many marriages, in this case through a firefighter whose high-stress job spills into his home life. Hitting on pain points common to married life--from indifference to insults to emotional affairs and internet porn--the story opens with a couple's disintegration.


"Most movies are about relationships that lead to marriage," Michael Catt, of Sherwood Pictures said. "'Fireproof' picks up seven years into a marriage headed for divorce. And the question is: Can a cold marriage revive? Why stay together?"


Given that firefighters have one of the nation's highest divorce rates, "Fireproof" also has the support of many firefighters and related organizations. John White, former head of the Los Angeles Fire Department's Search & Rescue Team, is urging firefighters across the country to see it.


Bubba Cathy of Chick-fil-A doubles as movie promoter to every audience he addresses: "Since visiting the 'Fireproof' set, I've been Fireproof's biggest fan," he says. "On top of a powerful message and the potential to change lives and marriages, this is one great movie!"


People like Bob Waliszewski, director of Focus on the Family's Plugged in and Scott Evans, founder and CEO of Outreach, Inc., are excited about the movie's potential to inspire people to want to heal their marriages and actually show them how. "The clips have me excited about the potential of this film to give hope to struggling marriages," Waliszewski said.


"We all know marriages are in trouble," Evans said. "[What] a powerful and relevant way to address the need and provide hope for healing."


Dr. Jeff S. Fray, chair of The Marriage CoMission, echoes Evans and Waliszewski: "Fireproof's challenge to 'never leave your partner behind' brings to us a dramatic experience of the power of sacrifice and forgiveness. I expect this film to give viewers more confidence that great marriages can be a reality."


Dennis Rainey, president of FamilyLife, sees this one movie's impact far beyond weekend movie- going. "'Fireproof' is going to do more than entertain and stir hearts when it comes to movie theaters," he said.


"This movie is about fireproofing your most important earthly relationship," Executive Producer Jim McBride says on behalf of the filmmakers. "Our hope and prayer is that people will be touched by the story of Caleb and Catherine and commit to fireproofing their marriages--no matter what state those marriages are currently in."


Sherwood's aim to "reach the world from Albany, GA" rides on first-rate entertainment packing powerful messages. Its first movie, "Flywheel," explored business integrity. "Facing the Giants" tackled personal fear and failure. Now "Fireproof" asks what makes a true hero.

(Source: Christian Newswire)


For more information about "Fireproof," how individuals and organizations can get involved, and in what theaters the movie will open, stay current with www.FireprooftheMovie.com.

Don't Be An April Fool

Today is April Fool's Day. Though not a holiday in its own right, is a notable day celebrated in many countries on April 1. The day is marked by the commission of hoaxes and other practical jokes of varying sophistication on friends, enemies and neighbors, or sending them on fools' errands, the aim of which is to embarrass the gullible.

Here are a few famous hoaxes:

The Swiss Sphaghetti Hoax:
In 1957 the respected BBC news show Panorama announced that thanks to a very mild winter and the virtual elimination of the dreaded spaghetti weevil, Swiss farmers were enjoying a bumper spaghetti crop. It accompanied this announcement with footage of Swiss peasants pulling strands of spaghetti down from trees. Huge numbers of viewers were taken in. Many called the BBC wanting to know how they could grow their own spaghetti tree. To this the BBC diplomatically replied that they should "place a sprig of spaghetti in a tin of tomato sauce and hope for the best."

Instant Color TV
In 1962 there was only one tv channel in Sweden, and it broadcast in black and white. The station's technical expert, Kjell Stensson, appeared on the news to announce that, thanks to a new technology, viewers could convert their existing sets to display color reception. All they had to do was pull a nylon stocking over their tv screen. Stensson proceeded to demonstrate the process. Thousands of people were taken in. Regular color broadcasts only commenced in Sweden on April 1, 1970.


The Bible does not have that much to say about "fools." Yet what it does say is worth our attention.


David
The fool has said in his heart, "There is no God." Psalm 14:1

Jesus
"And (Jesus) told them a parable, saying, "The land of a rich man was very productive. "And he began reasoning to himself, saying, 'What shall I do, since I have no place to store my crops?' "Then he said, 'This is what I will do: I will tear down my barns and build larger ones, and there I will store all my grain and my goods. 'And I will say to my soul, "Soul, you have many goods laid up for many years to come; take your ease, eat, drink and be merry."' "But God said to him, 'You fool! This very night your soul is required of you; and now who will own what you have prepared?' "So is the man who stores up treasure for himself, and is not rich toward God." (Luke 12:15-21)

Ahhhh! That's the secret...be rich toward God.

How is one rich toward God? I am so glad you asked!
1. J - Put God first - Matthew 6:33
2. O - Put others next
3. Y - Leave yourself last
It brings JOY!
Any investment we make with God has a guarantee of return.


Roger Babson, the statistician, was lunching with the President of Argentina. "Mr. Babson," the President said, "I have been wondering why it is that South America with all its natural advantages, its mines of iron, copper, coal, silver and gold; its rivers and great waterfalls which rival Niagara, is so far behind North America."
Babson replied, "Well, Mr. President, what do you think is the reason?"
He was silent for a while before he answered. "I have come to this conclusion. South America was settled by the Spanish, who came to South America in search of gold; but North America was settled by the Pilgrim Fathers, who went there in search of God."
—Encyclopedia of 15,000 Illustrations

A teacher had just related to a class of boys the story of the rich man and Lazarus; then he asked, "Now, which would you rather be, boys—the rich man or Lazarus?"
One boy replied: "I'd want to be the rich man while I'm living and Lazarus when I die."
—Encyclopedia of 15,000 Illustrations

Fireproof In Final Editing Stages

Sherwood Pictures newest movie "Fireproof" is in the final stages of editing. As a matter of fact the rough edit has been sent to Provident Films. The "teaser trailer" (along with other interesting information) is now online at: http://www.fireproofthemovie.com/.

I want to ask my readers to pray about several things. First pray for Alex Kendrick as he and others work on the job of editing the movie for it's final version. Second, pray for Stephen Kendrick as he writes a book that will be released (I believe) when the DVD is released (and I am not sure when that will be). Pray anyway.

Next pray for our pastor Michael Catt and Jim McBride as they take care of the other things that accompany a work like this. And last but not in anyway the least, pray that God would see fit to continue to place His Almighty Hand on this work. His hand has been evident in scriptwriting, casting, production and editing. Pray that souls will be saved, marriages mended and strengthened, men and women brought to the throne of God and lives totally transformed.

For all Southern Baptist Pastors, the movie will be shown at 2:00 pm on Sunday, June 8 as a part of the Pastor's Conference of the Southern Baptist Convention. Don't miss it. It is due out in theaters August 22. And by the way pray for our pastor as he leads this years conference.

Prayer Works

Back in 1989, a Brazilian housewife and mother named Elizabeth Cornelio became concerned about her city, Goiania – population 1,200,000 and a major center of spiritism and other problems. So she began meeting for prayer with four women from other churches.

In 1993, she invited Christians all over the city to unite and pray. When 850 showed up, her pastor kicked her out of the church, saying, "Members of other churches are not spiritual brothers and sisters; they are at most spiritual cousins."

Today almost 200,000 women pray for the city every day, linked by her radio program. When the program had to go off the air from March through May of 1999, the crime rate quickly ballooned by 50 percent. The city sent a delegation including the mayor and police chief, beseeching her to get back on the air. (She did, and the crime rate sank.)

Every believer in town gets into the act: Midwives anoint newborns with oil, dedicating them to Jesus; Christians walk the aisles in supermarkets, praying for people; a few preach in bars, to great effect; and some even get up at 4 a.m. to walk through the empty streetcars, praying that God will bless each rider that day.

Don't laugh. In seven years, evangelicals in Goiania went from 7 percent of the population to 45 percent.

Now, a short science lesson:
In India, "a group of intercessors went walking and praying around a block of apartments for several days but left the neighboring block alone. When contacted later, over 70 percent of the prayer-walked block welcomed the intercessors while 90 percent of the unwalked block rejected them."

A similar experiment was done by a church in Phoenix. Intercessors randomly selected 160 names from the local telephone book and divided the names into two equal groups. For 90 days, they prayed for one group of 80 homes. The other 80 homes were not prayed for.
After 90 days, they called all 160 homes, identified themselves and their church, and asked for permission to stop by and pray for the family and any needs they might be willing to share. Of the 80 homes for which they didn't pray, only one invited them to come in. Of the 80 homes for which they had prayed, 69 invited someone to come over; of the 69, 45 invited them to come in.

If you pray, God will do the heavy lifting! Also, He will solve the problems that politicians struggle with endlessly.

A noted prayer leader has described what typically happens after concentrated, united prayer:
Government officials are given wisdom and guidance. Businesses are blessed. Crime rates go down. Healthy churches impact their communities ...Drug centers have closed, prostitution rings have moved out of neighborhoods, bars have shut down, crime rates have dropped, fractured neighborhood relationships have been healed, suicides have been prevented, marriages have been restored, workplaces have changed ... and individuals have given their lives to Christ.

Freed of the usual programs and routine, simple believers like you and me can actually do such things – and more. We are even beginning to change the world's political architecture:
The heaviest prayer-walking in recent memory was in East Germany in 1989, where groups of 10 or 12 were meeting in homes on Monday nights to pray for peace – some 50,000 people by October. After that, they quietly moved into churches and the streets. News reports said their numbers swelled to 300,000, and on Nov. 9, the Berlin Wall fell.

In India, Christians and dalits ("untouchables") had suffered persecution and caste-based suppression for centuries. But as the 2004 election drew near, about 5 million Christians around the world united in prayer and fasting against the Hindu nationalists who controlled the government. Polls all said that the anti-Christian BJP party had an unbreakable lock on the nation. Everyone was stunned on May 13 when the BJP was swept from power and firmly replaced by the Christian-friendly Congress Party.

As Sherlock Holmes once exclaimed, "Come, Watson, come! The game is afoot."
Source: http://www.worldnetdaily.com/news/article.asp?ARTICLE_ID=45558.

Perspective on giving to Missions

Americans give $700 million per year to mission agencies. However, they pay as much for pet food every 52 days. A person must overeat by at least $1.50 worth of food per month to maintain one excess pound of flesh. Yet $1.50 per month is more than what 90 percent of all Christians in America give to missions.
If the average missions supporter is only five pounds overweight, it means he spends (to his own hurt) at least five times as much as he gives for missions. If he were to choose simple food (as well as not overeat), he could give ten times as much as he does to missions and not modify his standard of living in any other way!

Ralph Winter of the William Carey Library, 1705 North Sterra Bonita Avenue, Pasadena, CA 91104, in Leadership, IV,4,p. 64.