October 18 & 19, 2010

After a time of praise and worship, we had the opportunity to watch "An Appalachian Dawn", a story of community transformation in Manchester, Kentucky.

After that we discussed what spoke to us from the video, and it was agreed that we must not be tempted by a reprieve in our immediate problems. We don't want to lose desperation because of success or positive movement. We must not trade freedom for just extended chains. We saw that churches became the spiritual voice in the community when they put down their agenda and came together to fight a common enemy. We saw the need to become more proactive, maybe asking city officials to ask pastors to view the video together. We need to use this video as a tool. We can see the value in getting the mainline churches involved. It was evident that God gave Manchester churches direction. We could see that they developed relationships between pastors. Therefore, we must look for those pastors who are truly desperate. Overall we must see that this is something God must do.

We went into a time of worship and prayer, and we prayed about those things. During prayer God gave a word to Alanna about us moving to a new level of maturity and to enjoy the journey.

"My children, I want you to know this day as you come to Me, I have heard the things you have spoken. I draw them close to Me. I'm going to give you many of the things that you've asked Me for. I want you to understand that as you go through the coming days, it will require new levels of maturity for you individually, your families and your churches. There is a new maturity level that is required to handle the things that I will give you. There will be ideas and suggestions and there will be ways that I speak through different people that you do not expect for I will give you the next step to take.
Just bring your ideas to Me, and I will give you the discernment you seek.

"Bring them to Me, and I will make it clear to you. Many times I will work through individuals who don't understand what they are hearing from Me. Just as sometimes you might be walking through the woods, and the wind blows on your neck. You're not sure if there is a mosquito back there or it's just your hair. You put your hand back there to figure out what is going on. That will happen many times to the people I speak to and to the people I give dreams to and the people that I share the desires of my heart. I want you to be aware. I want your sensitivity to Me to be heightened. I want you to be lifted up so that you can hear my heartbeat in all that I have to say. That is a good time, My children, you are in a very good time. Don't make it too heavy. Don't make it too complicated. Find the joy in what it is you're doing in all that I have to give you. There is joy in my heart.

"I look down at this situation and I see all the things that I'm going to bring forward. I'm happy about that. I want you to be happy that. I want you to be joyful in the way I reveal myself to you. I will show you My glory. I will show you things you have asked Me for and things that you have not. I have so many good things that I want to layer into your situation. Let me be creative with you. Let me be creative in how I interact with you and how I speak to you. I want you to know that there are people all around this tri-state area and the city that are prepared; they just don't know it yet. The part of the discernment I will give you is that you will be able to meet them on the street, in the grocery store or in a restaurant. All at once you will have the discernment to know that that person is prepared and ready. They just don't know where they fit yet. I do have all the pieces out here. I do put them all together. They fit perfectly. You just don't know some of them. I'm going to let them interact with you and bump against you and rub up against you in ways so that you understand what's going on.

"Rejoice, My children, rejoice this day for all I have to give you. There is much I have to say. Let your ears be open and your heart be receptive for there is much I have to say in this time and day and in this age. There is much I have to say and much I have to do. I have a group that I want to work with that wants to work with me. I'm excited about where you are, the stage you are in and the steps you are about to go into. Let joy be on your heart, My children. Enjoy all that I do through you for I truly enjoy each one individually. Stay close to Me and listen for I have many things to say to you. Be blessed this day."

The Holy Spirit convicted Darrell to turn to Isaiah 6. From that he showed God did not show up to the temple until three kings had to die before His presence could return to the temple. The question was, "What kings in our lives have to die so that God's glory could be manifested glory?"

Then Dana mentioned how God says He's excited and He's giving us these things.

Mike shared his revelation about putting to death this tendency to determine his significance by what he sees rather than by what God says.

Paul talked about how we must believe this is God's movement. Alanna discussed that this is a process of God helping us to move to higher maturity levels. We must get ready to move in more power. Darrell pointed out this maturing process is to be something that God guides us through.

Mike asked the question, "What was Manchester's focus of unity, and what is our focus of unity?" Darrell said it must be on the Lordship of Jesus Christ.

Then Mike asked the question, "What is the greatest distraction that the enemy is using against us?" Mike shared how the Holy Spirit spoke to him earlier in the week that the spirit of religion's primary ploy is distraction. We talked about how it takes great discernment to see the difference between a "good thing" and a "God thing". Ronnie pointed that we have worked hard to guard our hearts of our youth from alcohol and drugs, but have we guarded them from heartless religion? He pointed out that this cutting that many teens do is a physical picture of temporary relief. He sees the same thing in the spirit of religion-doing temporary activities that don't have any long term benefit because they are not of God.

Tuesday Morning

After a time of praise and worship, Alanna felt Jesus express His excitement, because this group gets it. They understand God's desire for the Body of Christ walk together in a close relationship.

Then Mike gave the summary of the previous day's discussions. Darrell talked about why the temple was not built for 15 years. These people took their materials and built their own place. Paul pointed that our problem today is that churches are looking inward, not outward.

Mike talked about the focus was building their own things, not the things of God. Kevin pointed out that the enemy gives us the freedom to build our own focus. Greg mentioned that he struggled with what is supposedly a pastor's focus, a local church or a building a citywide church. Peter pointed out that that's the next level of maturity. We must be both. We must build a local church and the citywide church, the kingdom of God in our community. Kevin pointed out that the problem is that one church thinks they can do it all. In reality we need each other. Mike felt that was the key to what God is revealing to us. We need to pray that pastors have a revelation that they need to pray for building both a local church and a citywide church.

Dana said that we need to focus on communicating the right vision. Darrell pointed out that the scripture said not to strip their own houses, but they were to go forward and build God's house. Ronnie mentioned that Mission Tri-State is not building; rather we're building and connecting a house of God. This needs to come out of our heart.

Mike pointed out that Mission Tri-State is actually building a network like tunnels between churches so they can be connected. Ronnie read from 1 Corinthians 12 about the Body of Christ needing each other. All these gifts come from one, because God wants us to be one body. Mike pointed out that this is the new level of maturity God is calling. We're to ask Him to give this bigger vision to more pastors.

Darrell pointed out that the word "church" includes the ecclesia that was sent forth and the diaspora-the church which is dispersed. David said that the key word is "integrated"; this is the key term that every part needs to be connected to the others.

Garry had a vision of fire burning grass picturing he is burning away the old so that there can be a whole new growth. In this new growth there was connectedness of what God was allowing to break forth.

We agreed that the new mission statement for Mission Tri-State is: "A passionate call to all believers to connect as a team for God's purpose." We felt it was important for us to use the proper terminology in the future as we talked to other leaders. This is part of the new level of maturity. We felt convicted that God would draw others in this hour. We felt the summary of what God is speaking to us was that in this next season that God would begin to draw others to this clearer vision that He is helping us to communicate. We should use "An Appalachian Dawn" video as a tool to invite other pastors and community leaders to unite under this clearer vision. Another definition of Mission Tri-State is "an integrated prayer network" that allows Christ to manifest in our community. We want to communicate the great value of churches in our community so that Mission Tri-State might drawer them together as an integrated Body of Christ.

Mission Tri-State * 1906 Rt.75 * Kenova * WV * 25530