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A House of Prayer For All
Nations
6/20/04
"On reaching Jerusalem,
Jesus entered the temple area and began driving out those who were buying and
selling there. He overturned the tables of the money changers and the benches of
those selling doves, and would not allow anyone to carry merchandise through the
temple courts. And as He taught them, He said, "Is it not written: "My
house will be called a house of prayer for all nations? But you have made it 'a
den of robbers.'" The chief priests and the teachers of the law heard this
and began looking for a way to kill Him, for they feared Him, because the whole
crowd was amazed at His teaching."
Mark 11:15-18
After
clearing the temple, Jesus proclaimed His vision of His future Kingdom as the "house
of prayer for all nations." This radical, revolutionary vision was
the same dream He shared when He began His ministry three years earlier in His
hometown synagogue of Nazareth. At the synagogue Jesus presented His vision of
forging both Jews and Gentiles into a united kingdom. This sermon was so
revolutionary that
"all the people in the synagogue were furious when they heard this.
They got up, drove Him out of the town, and took him to the brow of the hill on
which the town was built, in order to throw Him down the cliff."
(Luke 4:28-29)
"Contrary to our
superficial thinking, there was never a distinction in His mind between domestic
and foreign missions. To Jesus it was all world evangelism." (The Master
Plan of Evangelism, p. 23) A true disciple of Jesus shares His vision of
winning a lost world in their generation. He is willing to pay the same price as
the dreamer - martyrdom. After Jesus' baptism, He went out into the desert to
pray and fast for forty days. When Jesus selected His apostles, He prayed all
night. When He wrestled with the cross, He prayed in the Garden of Gethsemane
until He was ready to carry out the will of God as the ultimate sacrifice. Jesus
never prayed without acting and never acted without prayer! His prayers "of
loud cries and tears" focused on glorifying God by completing God's
purpose for His life. (Hebrews 5:7)
Though
a small congregation in God's "house of prayer for all nations,"
the Portland leadership has laid before the congregation goals that are
attainable by prayer.
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Let us pray for
the Spirit to appoint Elders in the Portland Church in 2005. (Acts 20:28)
Presently, there are three Elders-in-training.
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Let us beg God
to send out two mission teams in 2005. (Acts 1:8) The first of these two
will be led by Jay and Angie Hernandez to Bend, Oregon in the summer of
2005.
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Pray that the
Lord of the harvest will rapidly multiply the number of disciples in the
Portland congregation. (Acts 6:7) Already in 2004 God has increased our
January 1st membership through baptisms, restorations, and move-ins from 120
to 182! At this rate God would more than double our family in 2004!
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Pray for the
targeting of five major cities (domestic and foreign) that previously had
"ICOC discipling churches" which now have been scattered and have
abandoned God's dream of world evangelism and His plan to accomplish this
task by discipling.
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Many lament the
closing of the Upcyberdown portal at the end of this month. We are very
grateful for all the sacrifices of time and finances of all the disciples in
San Francisco involved in this extraordinary effort. Presently, prayers are
being uplifted to God to make sure that prophetic voices as well as many of
the services provided by Upcyberdown continue. (2 Timothy 4:1-2) Therefore,
the Portland Church will launch a new Internet ministry entitled
"Upcyberdown21" by the end of the summer of 2004. This name
conveys our dream to "turn the world upsidedown"
(Acts 17:6 RSV) in the 21st century!
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Pray for us to
boldly preach the Word only in the fear of God, not men. (Ephesians 6:19-20)
Let me express my appreciation to the Portland leadership (House Church
Leaders) and the entire congregation for your constant prayers and financial
support to serve now and in the future as a "Missions Evangelist."
This role will allow me to have two definitive focuses. The first is to
continue to lead and mature the Portland Church working side by side with
our House Church Leaders. The second aspect of this role frees me to help
plant churches such as Eugene, Oregon as well as assist plantings in other
parts of the world, without financially burdening these new congregations.
(2 Corinthians 11:7-9)
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Pray for the
unifying of all disciples in the church universal* that have God's dream of
a Kingdom, a movement that will someday be called "a house of prayer
for all nations." To God be the glory!
Kip McKean
Missions Evangelist
*The
Mandate of God for World Evangelism Part VI: Clarification by Definition
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