Workers, Open Doors, Provision, Lasting Fruit

Five years ago we started Power Hour Sidewalk Sunday Schools in an inner city neighborhood called Lincoln Park in Hampton, Virginia. We believe the Lord told us to give Him five years in this community. We began a labor of love reaching the children. It expanded to a mentoring ministry for eleven to thirteen year olds. From there we were able touch the lives of the children's parents. We have ministered faithfully for those five years.

Pastor Mark Geppert (www.seapc.us)discipled and mentored us in our early years of ministry. Mark's main ministry focuses on prayer. He taught us a long time ago that when praying for ministries, cities and nations to focus the prayer in four areas. Those areas are workers, open doors, provision and lasting fruit.

On most Thursdays over the last five years I spent time on Buckroe Beach walking and praying for the Lincoln Park ministry. One fourth of that time I have asked the Lord of the harvest for laborers. I have cried out for workers to help our small group of volunteers who faithfully showed up to reach the children of Lincoln Park. The next quarter of my time on the beach was spent asking God for "Open Doors". We needed open doors in the community. We needed open doors in the hearts of the children and the adults. We asked for open doors with the local government and the housing authority. The next fourth of my prayer was for provision. Someone once said, "Salvation is free, the delivery system is expensive." Our popsicles and snacks cost $40 each week. We needed prizes, balloons, object lesson materials, and sound equipment. We never lacked in the provision for the Power Hour each week. The last fourth of my prayer time was spent asking God for lasting fruit in the lives of the children we ministered to. Some of those prayer journeys on the beach were with my wife, Debra, or ministry interns. Most of the time it was me and Jesus.

Debra and I attended a commissioning service for three churches who are taking over in Lincoln Park. I was approached about a month ago by the leader of this endeavor who asked what our future plans were in Lincoln Park. I informed him that we were finishing our work there but we were concerned about just concluding without a plan for the future ministry there. He shouted "Hallelujah!" as he informed me of the plans of these three churches. At the end of the service this evening, the pastor leading the service asked for all the workers who were going to be involved in the Lincoln Park ministry to come forward. Most of the people in the service proceeded forward for prayer. It looked like a hundred or more. Debra and I wept. In my mind I saw every step made on those prayer walks. I thought of how I cried out for workers! This was beyond what I was asking for or imagining.

Do not give up! God hears every prayer and He answers them above and beyond what we could ever ask of think.