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VISTA MAGAZINE News and happenings from the IFCA Spring 2014

“And He said to them,

‘Go into all the

world and

preach the gospel to every creature.’”Mark 16:15

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General Overseer Emeritus: Assistant General Overseers: Rev. Dennis Karaman 2003-2008 Rev. Carmine Zottoli Eastern DistrictRev. John DelTurco 1993-2003 Rev. Timothy Tyler Great Lakes DistrictRev. David Farina 1989-1993 Rev. John Stonefield New England DistrictRev. Carmine Saginario 1975-1984 Rev. Warren Day Niagara Mohawk District Rev. Rick George Northwest DistrictExecutive Board: Rev. David Troesch Southern DistrictRev. Michael Player General OverseerRev. Frank Fodera Secretary/Treasurer

Department Directors: Vista Magazine:Rev. Dale Russo Foreign & Home Missions Kerrie Book EditorRev. Lucian Gandolfo EducationRev. Paul Beitel National Youth DirectorKathy Aiken National Women’s Ministry

We Believe...

à The Bible to be the infallible Word of God, distinct in the Father, Son and Holy Spirit.

à Jesus Christ is the incarnate Son of God, the Only Savior of mankind, through whose death atonement was made for our sins.

à In a personal devil, served by demon spirits, who will be cast eternally into the Lake of Fire.

à In regeneration: the new birth through faith in Jesus Christ.

à In Water Baptism by simple immersion “in the name of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit.”

à In the Baptism of the Holy Spirit, subsequent to salvation, with the initial evidence of speaking in other tongues as the Spirit gives utterance.

à In the Lord’s Supper to be shared in regularly as a reminder of our Lord’s death.

à In the Apostolic regulations regarding practices that injure the body and offend the holiness of God.

à In the healing of the sick in response to the prayer of faith.

à In the pre-millenial return of Christ.

à In the bodily resurrection of the dead.

In This Issue...

Spreading the Fire 4-5

The Favor Factor 6-7

In Memory 8

First Called Christians 9

Education Department 10-11

Owning Faith 12-13

District Updates 13-14

An Exhortation 14

Cover Photo Credit: Kerrie Book, 2014

Spreading the Fire: The Globalization of a Modern Movement Dina Osborn

American church on Azusa Street in Los Angeles spawned the birth of a modern Pentecostal movement that is now reaching global proportions. The early Pentecostals expressed their experience of Spirit baptism as a ‘fire’ that was going to spread all over the world, a last-days universal revival that would precede the soon second coming of Christ. The global vision has indeed transcended cities, nations, continents and denominations in significant numbers. As the fastest expanding religious movement in the world, The Pew Research Center’s Forum on Religion & Public Life revealed that Pentecostals and charismatics make up more than a quarter of all Christians, and estimates from the Center for the Study of Global Christianity at Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary showed that together Pentecostals and charismatics make up more than 8 percent of the world’s total population.

As the dominant expression of Christian worship in mega-cities throughout the world, Pentecostalism has become globalized in every sense of the word with its expansion into Latin America and the Caribbean, Africa, Asia and the Pacific. Greg Mundis, executive director of Assemblies of God World Missions recently told the Christian Post that Pentecostalism has taken hold in many of these cultures because there has been an outpouring of the Gospel through mission work and because of the experience-based emphasis of Pentecostalism. The massive movement that has rapidly increased in just the last twenty years, has taken on such staggering proportions on an international scale that even people within the movement are not aware of the impact the renewal movement has had.¬ The predominantly non-western and

independent church phenomenon is distinguished by a belief in the empowerment of the Holy Spirit to operate in spiritual gifts including divine healing and speaking in tongues.

The formative period of Pentecostalism before denominations were established occurred in the first quarter of the twentieth century and in many ways¬¬ set the global stage in Pentecostal history. Central to this period was what became known as the Azusa Street revival that began in April 1906 in the run-down former Methodist Episcopal building in Azusa Street, Los Angeles. Here African American preacher William Seymour led a revival that had twelve-hour-long meetings every day for three and a half years. The meetings brought attenders from all over North America, Mexico and further abroad. Seymour’s core leadership team was fully integrated with men and women being responsible for various aspects of the work (Robeck, 2002).

Prior to the Azusa revival, the first Great Awakening in America which lasted from 1725 until 1770, introduced a new paradigm to American religion with preachers such as Jonathan Edwards and George Whitefield. This form of revivalist preaching and evangelism had lasting effects on the church that would have an influential impact on the history of the Pentecostal movement. During this time, a shift occurred from dependence on human reason as a response to the Age of Enlightenment and humanism, to that of dependence on a relationship with God. Moreover, sermons shifted towards religious conversion as opposed to infant or adult baptism as a means of salvation.

Spreading the Fire (continued)

A second wave of revivals occurred in The Second Great Awakening which lasted from 1800 to 1840. Its beginnings can be traced to Cane Ridge, Kentucky where Presbyterian ministers, James McGready, William Hodges, and John Rankin, led meetings that had as many as 25,000 people in attendance (Synan, 2001).

Steadily growing from the start of the century, the revival spread in the 1960s with an unprecedented move of the Holy Spirit worldwide. Those typically resistant to the baptism in the Holy Spirit experienced spontaneous outpourings of the Holy Spirit in denominational church settings other than Pentecostal. The movement has been called the Charismatic Renewal and was originally associated more with the Catholic Church, but it has spread on a global scale to all 150 non-Pentecostal traditions, within 9,000 ethno-linguistic cultures, representing 8,000 languages, and covering 95 percent of the world’s total population. Since 1970, the Charismatic Renewal has taken on a decidedly global nature and many of the mainline denominational churches in both Europe and Asia have become massively pentecostalized, with the members remaining within their mainline denominational churches (Barrett, 2001). The early 20th century idea of a “fire” patterned after the experience described in Acts 2 became the defining distinctive of a global movement that is readily increasing and continues to make its mark in the next century.

References

Barrett, D. (2001). The Status of Christianity and Religions in the Modern World.

World Christian Encyclopedia. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 19.

Flynn, J.T. and Tjiong, W.L. (2006). Fanning the Flames: How the Renewal

Movement has Shaped American Theological Education. Pneuma, 28, (1).

Robeck, Cecil M. Jr. (2006). Azusa Street Mission & Revival: The Birth of the Global

Pentecostal Movement. New York: Nashville: Nelson.

Synan, Vinson (2001). The Century of the Holy Spirit. Nashville: Thomas Nelson.

Dina Ciotola Osborn is the granddaughter of Aurelio and Maria Pagano, two of the influential founders of the Assemblies of God in Italy (ADI) during the last century awakening. Her father is the late Rev. Mario Ciotola ordained minister of IFCA in Garfield, N.J. She holds a Ph.D. in Curriculum and Instruction from The University of Connecticut and teaches in the College of Education, USF Sarasota-Manatee. She presently lives in Bradenton, FL with her husband and two children.

The Favor Factor Joshua Selly

There has been a lot of teaching regarding the grace of God that has confused so many believers as to what grace really is. Many have defined grace as “Unmerited Favor”, but as one studies the subject, they will find that there is a whole lot more to grace. As I have studied grace and what it means to me as a believer, I have discovered that grace is: God doing in me, through me, and for me, what I couldn’t do on my own. Grace is God’s way of showing me how much He loves me. That’s all grace is, God bestowing His good will towards you and I because He loves us.

Over in Ephesians 2:8-9 we see a very familiar portion of Scripture that brings out the definition of grace and what it does. “For by GRACE you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, (9) not of works, lest any man should boast.

Grace is not some get out of jail free card when we miss it. It is not a way to excuse us if we miss it. In other words, “Well, stealing that car is alright because I am under grace. God has already forgiven me.” In my mind just reading that is ridiculous because that’s the type of thinking some Christians have. When you made Jesus the Lord and Savior of your life you entered into covenant with Him. Whereby you won’t want to do those things you did before you got saved. That is one reason why we should renew our minds daily by the Word of God(Romans 12:1,2).

Even though God’s goodness is based upon grace and faith and not on our own good

works doesn’t excuse us from doing those good works. If your heart is right towards God, then you will want to do those good works(i.e. praying, reading your Bible, going to church, being a witness). You won’t want to do these good works not out of a sense of punching a God card, but because of what He has done for you, in you, and through you.

Everything God has done, is doing presently, and will ever do in the lives of His children is because He loves us. Think about your own kids, have you ever wanted to do something for them because you love them? God doesn’t have to do a thing in the world for you, but he does it because he loves you. YES!!!! God loves you no matter what.

Every year at Christmas we read the Christmas story where the shepherds were in the field when the heavenly hosts appeared and said, “Peace on earth, goodwill towards men.” That wasn’t just talking about mankind being at peace with each other, that was talking about the enmity between God and man was being corrected. Peace on earth, God’s goodwill towards man.

One translation renders that verse as, upon whom God’s favor rests. God’s favor is upon you because He loves you. This article isn’t a money making scheme or a way to make oneself better than another person, but a way to make ourselves attractive to a person who doesn’t know Jesus. When they see God blessing you, they will want what you have. Not your possessions per se, but how can they receive from God all that he has for them.

All throughout the Bible we see how God poured out His grace and favor. Look at the lives of Abraham, Joseph, Jesus, and countless others. It wasn’t because they were born under some lucky star that caused good breaks to come their way, it was because they recognized that there was a connection with serving God and being obedient to His Word.

I look at my own life over these past thirty-two years and I can see how God has blessed me. I remember one instance where I was fifteen years old and on my way to Lock Haven University for the IFCA National Youth Retreat. My youth group had stopped at a fast food place for lunch before arriving on the campus and I noticed a person in front of me who didn’t have enough money to pay for their food. This person wasn’t a part of my youth group or anyone I knew from the IFCA, but some person from the area. I offered to pick up the balance of their check because I knew God would bless me for it. I am not blowing my own horn by any means, but God blessed me because of that simple act of obedience.

Now the favor of God isn’t all about money either. Have you ever had good breaks happen in your life and you wondered why? Maybe a front row parking spot opened up for you at the mall when it was raining. Maybe you received the job offer you were looking for. Whatever it may be, when you start living your life with expectancy, you can be assured that God will show up and show off on your behalf.

People look at favor and think that it is excess and that it is wrong to believe that way. If it is,

then those people have come to late to tell me otherwise. I believe so strongly in my spirit that God wants you to prosper and excel in every area of your life. I believe that miracles happen in in our lives every day, but what are we doing to attract them? Are we like the man who was laid daily at the beautiful gate asking alms or are we like Bartimaeus who cried out to Jesus? It says that the man at the gate was laid there daily, why did it take so long for him to receive his healing?

Jesus had to have passed him by, but the man didn’t attract Jesus’ attention. Bartimaeus cried out, was told to be quiet and instead of shutting up, he cried out louder. It’s the cry of faith that attracts the hand of God. It isn’t your worthiness or anything. The Bible says that without faith it’s impossible to please God.

What have you been saying? Are you a magnet for God’s blessings or do you just let them by because you feel unworthy? This same Jesus made you worthy to receive everything He has already provided because you are the righteousness of God in Him(2 Corinthians 5:17).

There is more that I want to share, but for the sake of time and space maybe we will continue this topic another time. For now I want you to declare this with your mouth and start expecting God’s favor to come your way on a daily basis. Say this with me, “The blessing of God on my life, empowers me to prosper, and the favor of God on my life produces the opportunities to make it happen.”

The Favor Factor (Continued)

In Memory: Vincent James Prestigiacomo

Vincent James Prestigiacomo, 87, of North Main Street, died Saturday, February 1, 2014, peacefully, old and full of years with his family beside him at his home. Vincent, better known as Jim, Jimmy, and Papa to his family, was born in New York City on February 9, 1926. He was the 5th of 8 surviving children of Frank & Antoinette (Sutera) Prestigiacomo, Italian immigrants. He attended grade school and completed one year of high school. He has told his grandchildren many wonderful stories of growing up on Long Island in his big Italian family. He served in the US Navy on the island of Saipan (1944) in World War II as a shipfitter 3rd class. His job was to find and rescue the island natives caught in the crossfire. He helped set up the government and received the first driver’s license on the island. He was honorably discharged January 30, 1946, and traveled back to Saipan in 1995 as an honored guest. He married Vivian Ambrogio in 1947. They had three children together: Frank, of Brooksville, FL, Patricia Ann (deceased), and Laurie (MacDonald) of Orange, MA. He worked in construction with others and in his own business in Florida, New Hampshire, New York and Massachusetts throughout his life. He moved to Jaffrey, NH in 1969 and lived there 33 years. In the early 70’s he became an ordained minister with the Assemblies of God. He started Calvary Assembly of God in Jaffrey, NH. He pastored in Fitchburg, MA as well, and became District Overseer .... for the New England District of the CCNA, traveling and ministering in various churches. He made 5 trips to Haiti working in missions. He enjoyed spending his time with family, friends, and grandchildren. He encouraged and mentored those in the faith and used his home for hospitality on many occasions. In 2002 his life was changed dramatically by an accident. He came to live with his daughter Laurie and her family. He traveled over 150,000 miles with the MacDonald Family Singers and made

21 cross country trips with the singing ministry over 10 years. He made connections with many people and is fondly remembered as “Papa.” Mr. Presti is predeceased by his wife of 54 years, Vivian Ambrogio in 2001, and his daughter Patrica Ann in 1963. Also, predeceased by his parents, his brothers Nick, Joe, and Salvatore, and sisters Sophie and Mary. He is survived by two sisters, Madelin Geluso, of Boynton Beach, FL and Giovanni Prestigiacomo of Burke, VA. He also leaves behind a son, Frank Prestigiacomo and his wife Donna, of Brooksville, FL and a daughter Laurie, and husband Victor, of Orange, MA. He leaves behind many nieces, nephews, grandchildren, and great grandchildren. you may contribute to these ministries in memory of Vincent Prestigiacomo: Christian Aid, PO Box 9037, Charlottesville, VA 22906 Mark memo: 120ETP Evangelical Tabernacle of Praise AND/OR Mission of Hope International P.O. Box 884 Gardner, MA 01440 Mark memo: feed children.

Acts 11:26“Then Barnabas went to Tarsus to look for Saul, and when he found him, he brought him to Antioch. So for a whole year Barnabas and Saul met with the church and taught great numbers of people. The disciples were called Christians first at Antioch.” Acts 11:25,26

Luke records in Acts 11:26 that the disciples of Christ were labeled by name as Christians, actually, Christianos. How is it that this came about and perhaps of greater interest, why?

Writers have offered up the idea that this name was one of ridicule or derision. They comment that this was because they preached and followed a dead savior. There are at least two other valid reasons why the disciples were called “Christians”. First, the Roman government was very tolerant of different religions within their cities. In order to keep track of any sizable group these groups were required to be registered in that city. In this case it could have been that by the time Barnabas and Saul (Paul) had spent a year in Antioch, teaching and making disciples, that they were of a size needing to be registered.

Now I said that there could be two valid reasons, so I will speculate by suggesting this second possible reason. They were first called “Christian” most likely because they were being disciple as followers of Jesus the Christ, Jesus being his name, and Christ being one of his titles. Consider for a moment the meaning and background of this word “Christ”. The

title “Christ” is Greek and corresponds to the Hebrew title “Messiah”. The word “Christian” comes from the Greek word “Christianos”, which itself is an adjective made from the noun “Christos,””the Christ,” or “the anointed one.” “Christos” is derived from a root word “Chrio” which carries the idea of contact; to smear or rub with (olive) oil; i.e., ( by implication) to consecrate to an office or religious service; anoint.

Vine’s New Testament Dictionary makes note, “Christ-Christos, the prophets are called hoi Christoi Theo, “the anointed of God,” Ps.105:15. The single title “Christos” is sometimes used without the article to signify the One who by His Holy Spirit and power indwells believers and molds their character in conformity to His likeness, Rom.8:10; Gal.2:20;4:19; Eph.3:17.”

After having reviewed this information, that believers were first called Christians in Antioch, could it be that their anointing by the Holy Spirit was so renown that it caused them to stand out and be recognized as anointed people?

I could not leave this discussion without asking us a final question, which is, while we may be Christians intellectually and theologically, are we truly anointed ones, being set apart , consecrated, for the Spirit’s use? Do those around you recognize that you are anointed, truly?

First Called Christians Michael Madeleine

The following 20 students were recipients of IFCA’s $500 Scholarship grants, totaling $10,000:

1. Daniel BAVARO Bucks Co, Community College (Soph) Roberts / $500 Calvary Full Gospel (ED) Information Technology

2. Brittany CARTER Macomb Community College (Freshman) DelTurco / $500 Bethel Christian Ch (GL) History

3. Juliana CICCARELLA Mt. Vernon Nazarene U. (Senior) Lipps / $500 Greenville, PA (NW) Inter-cultural (Missions)

4. Christina CIOTOLA Lee University (Junior) Lipps / $500 Living Faith Ass’y (ED) Psychology

5. Jeremy CIOTOLA IHOP (Post-grad) Roberts / $500 Living Faith Ass’y (ED) Worship

6. Mikayla Marie DAY North Point Bible College (Sophomore) Roberts / $500 Watertown, NY (NM) Biblical Studies

7. Philip DAUERNHEIM Christ for the Nations Institute (Senior) Roberts / $500 Long Island, NY (ED) Practical Theology

8. Alexa DeMARCO Geneva College (Senior) Roberts / $500 New Brighton, PA (NW) Biology

9. Jessica A. DeMARCO Geneva College (Sophomore) Roberts / $500 New Brighton, PA (NW) Biology

10. Christina DIRETTO Messiah College (Freshman) Roberts / $500 Calvary Full Gospel (ED) Business &Youth Min.

11. Chad ECKARD Mt. Vernon Nazarene College (Senior) Roberts / $500 Greenville, PA (NW) Biology

Education Department: Scholarships 2013-2014 Rev. Lucian Gandolfo

Education Department: Scholarships 2013-2014 Rev. Lucian Gandolfo

Recipient / Home Church School / Major / Misc. Info. Scholarship / Amount

12. David Ryan GREGG Waynesburg University (Sophomore) Roberts / $500 Washington, PA (NW) Biology

13. Cathrine HOHING Waynesburg University (Freshman) DelTurco / $500 Washington, PA (NW) Education

14. Stephanie KRIEGBAUM Valley Forge Christian College (Senior) Roberts / $500 Watertown, NY (NM) Media

15. Lelah MILLS Geneva College (Junior) Roberts / $500 New Brighton, PA (NW) Psychology

16. Nicolette MARINI Thiel College (Senior) Roberts / $500 Greenville, PA (NW) Psychology

17. Shaina MARINI Thiel College (Freshman) Roberts / $500 Greenville, PA (NW) Education 18. Mikaela MARINO Akron University (Freshman) Roberts / $500 Richmond Hts, OH (NW) Biology

19. Natalie RUSSO Evangel University (Freshman) Roberts / $500 Beaver Falls, PA (NW) Education

20. Noelle RUSSO Missouri State University (Senior) DelTurco / $500 Beaver Falls, PA (NW) International Business

21. Jessica STONEFIELD Beaver Co. Community College (Freshman) Saginario / $500 New Brighton, PA (NW) Education

22. Matthew WOJTKOWSKI Spring Harbor University (Senior) Roberts / $500 Roseville, MI (GL) Sports Medicine

Owning Faith

Rev. John King

Tomorrow, this Sunday, I have been asked to speak on two words in Romans 12:1, living sacrifice. I thought and prayerfully reviewed all week long on this text which is an oxymoron because sacrifices are by definition—well—dead. And a sacrifice is afterward burnt to a crisp. It’s cremated. There is nothing alive about such an offering.

It appears in the New Testament that Saint Paul was not adverse to saying things that challenged the imagination or simply ran counter to what was rabbinical teaching in his day. The classic example is Gal 3:13 Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us—for it is written, “Cursed is everyone who is hanged upon a tree” No rabbi would have seen Christ in that verse; and, undoubtedly, such controversial teaching made him somewhat infamous in Jewish communities. Perhaps, God’s decision to send him to Macedonia and beyond to Rome provided him with a ministry far more productive than frequenting Judean synagogues would. Even some Athenians according to Luke, Acts 17:18, called him a spermalogos, a babbler, an empty talker, a social parasite.

Ouch!

And this got me thinking what I really want to say in this blog.

But first, let’s tie up this loose end: A living sacrifice might be one of two things, at least to my way of thinking. One, as we say it, dying to self or according to 2 Corinthians 5:15, not living to ourselves but for Him who died for us. That is Jesus, of course.

Or possibly, a reference to all the other poetically put references to Christian sacrifices: Praise and good works according to Hebrews 13:12-16; Prayer, according to Revelation 8:4. In I Peter 2:5, Peter called us priests and outlined our responsibility to offer spiritual sacrifices to God. The commentator

calls these “Acts dedicated to God and approved by Him, due to the influence of the Holy Spirit.”

This is when I made a sharp turn off course, the direction of my thoughts heading off unto perhaps unchartered theological terrain. I always thought the Bible by referencing holiness was denying me my interest in watching TV or socializing with friends over sports or any one of a number of other meaningless time consuming interests that have no direct connection with prayer or ministry. I thought a living sacrifice would be a believer who spends most of his or her life in quality time doing church related stuff or injecting themselves into some poor sinner’s day in pursuit of winning souls. In brief, I thought myself a poor excuse for a Christian because that didn’t describe who I was or am.

And then it hit me: The core of holiness—the central most thought behind being a living sacrifice is a faith that trusts absolutely and unconditionally in God’s faithfulness. For a believer—and this is why they are called believers—the center of the universe around which all his or her activity and thought orbits is an undeniable assurance in the reality of God’s love. [Romans 8:35 ]. It describes a dedication or devotion to God that is fixed.

A believer whose faith is not just unshaken but unshakeable is one whose faith stands alone, who needs no church, no blessing, no other resource other than God, Himself, to stand firm in living for Christ.

My catch phrase for all of this is: It is a faith that is owned.

I am a bit reluctant to suggest that in academia in today’s world students are taught to rely on human resources and their own genius to reach any level of perfection in life and career. God is an old religious concept that has been outdated by the discoveries in an enlightened age of science.

We may not realize it but the students among us who are believers, especially the college grads, having a faith that has resisted the assault of anti-god theories and philosophies promoting self-relevance over a trust in the divine, and coming away owning a faith in God that still believes, are the most clear examples of a living sacrifice.

No less than our grandparents whose faith sustained them in a desert of need before science came of age with its cures and solutions, believers who own their faith can serve God even with all that secular know-how. They have found a way to steer a straight course through shifting currents of time and thought. Like Paul, they have their own way of explaining things because they don’t speak christianese, to use Richard Wurmbrand’s term. To church goers who speak christianese and know all the terms and phrases but not the experience that accompanies the real ownership of that truth, a Paul-like thinker might sound confusing or even blatantly ridiculous.

Nominal proponents of Bible truth, who are accepted as believers because they can quote catechisms of creed or have a cursory knowledge of some Bible stories, or

can quote the preacher—let me be frank—are dying out! Those who have lived comfortably on the fringes of Christian thought without a true understanding of what being a living sacrifice is all about—you have to read the rest of Romans 12:1-2 to catch my drift here—the church goer with no more interest in Christ than a devotion to form and a social acceptance that accompanies a membership in a notable religion will find him or herself caught in this undercurrent of modern thought and swept helplessly out into the sea of popular ideas with a reasoning that denies faith. Like the “Borg” in the series Star Trek, the Next Generation, they will be assimilated. Resistance will be futile because that takes a living faith. That takes owning the truth that has through the ages given hope and peace to generations of believers through life and death.

That takes living one’s faith. It’s only a sacrifice because it is a life devoted to God.

This article was taken from Rev. King’s blog from November 12, 2012. You can read more from Rev. King at www.johnhking.com.

Owning Faith (cont.)

Rev. John King

World Impact Update: The Gardners in Germany

Over the last several months we have traveled many miles over 8 states visiting with hundreds of pastors, churches and individuals. We want to thank you all for your hospitality, prayers and financial support. We have seen Gods hand so clearly over the last few months as we ministered and met with so manyamazing people. We are certainly humbled.

On May 31st we close on the sale of our home in Rochester, NY and are excited to let you know that we leave for Germany on June 11th. While in Germany we will be working with the Steiger International Training Center in Krögis as well as traveling into Poland to the SLOT festival. We will be preparing new missionaries, evangelists and pastors from all over the world to reach the lost in their own nations. We ask that you continue to give monthly so we are enabled to do the work God has called us to.

Our two boys, Ethan and Joel, are very excited to be with us this summer in Germany. They are both looking forward to what God has in store for them and practicing their German.

Please pray: for our family’s protection as we travel, for enough monthly support to do the work we are called to do, and favor with all we meet. We will return the end of August to finish raising the rest of our monthly support. We hope to be back in Germany on a fulltime basis by January 2014. We ask that you open your hearts to the hopeless of this generation we are reaching with the light of the Gospel.

If you have not had us visit your church yet please send us an email. We are filling our schedule very quickly for the fall and would love to share with you what God is doing in former broken and lost lives.

We are excited to have you a part of what God wants to do in Europe this summer.

An Exhortation Michael MadeleineThe last week the city of Detroit was celebrating its 300th anniversary I discover in the Detroit News that the Madeleine family had a remarkable connection to the founding of the city. In a list of founding families there was the Madeleine family name.

Unfortunately the news agency reporting this information closes the day before I could contact them. However, a search through the historical records of the Burton Historical Library turned up a collaborating bit of information. A female, surname Madeleine, traveled from Montreal/Quebec to Detroit at the time of Detroit’s settlement.

While I cannot prove that this settler was a part of my family Madeleine in France, I have received what I believe to be an insight from the Lord. If only by name, I have a connection to this city then in a sense I have a vested interest in the well-being of Detroit.

It is as if I “own” a part of Detroit, if you can understand me. Therefore I now carry a greater sense of responsibility to pray for Detroit than ever before. And this I will do as often as possible, LORD help me..

1294 Rutledge RoadTransfer, PA 16154

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