Pacificministries India #5

Pacificministries India #5

It is impossible to describe the slums of Mumbai.  Many Westerners were first exposed to through the Academy award-winning movie "Slumdog Millionaire".  The relentless 100° heat with 90% humidity, the sickly sweet smells of rotting garbage, dust, children crying and others playing cricket in the narrow lanes.  Other women chatter as they wash clothes and others create cheap necklaces and other trinkets they hope to peddle to tourists.  But there is another sound in these slums.  The sound of clapping hands and voices raised in a song of praise.  It is the sound of the church.  Believers gathering to worship.  I was privileged to to be a part of that sound in some half-dozen House churches in the slums of Mumbai.  

In the late afternoon as I was walking through the hot sun back to our air conditioned car, I said to the Lord,  "If you once again chose to walk the face of this planet, I believe you would visit this place first."  He said simply: "I am already here".  

I feel so privileged to have been with the least of them. Thank you for continuing to pray for my health and travel safety.  I am back in Delhi with Rodrick Gilbert, his family and his Ministry team.  We have the joy of three days together before I leave Tuesday evening for a 29 hour journey back to the land of McDonald's and Starbucks.  I have been hamburger free for nearly 20 days... have run out of Starbucks instant coffee, and am very happy. 

Bless you,

Darrell

Pacificministries India #3

Friends....

Heading to Mumbai tonight....meetings with Johnson Samuel whowe met in Victoria last fall. Rodrick has been delayed 5 days in Switzerland because of the ash cloud.  I have adjusted my schedule and essentially traded 3days now in Mumbai and hopefully.....(please pray as Rodrick desperately wants to be home for his extended family...especially his cousin who was murdered a few days ago for preaching)

I have been fighting a bug...but the ladies have been pumping me prayer and drugs!  I WILL MISS MIKE....here is his report:

Mike

Wow is our God great! Hi everyone from India, it’s Mike.  We have had an amazing time in the Lord here in India.  God blessed us with great encouragement for so many people.  We are overwhelmed with Gods love for his people.  He has given us his love for the people as well. He gave us the ability to see who people are in him so clearly.  He has great gold in his people here, and it has been such an honor to have him choose us to be here.  Through all the prophetic encouragement and healing touches, one thing stands clear to me more than any one thing. The Holy Spirit built everything up to a word to be released at the end of our time with the men. The words were spoken about who they are in Christ, and he revealed how he sees them.  They also saw who he is in truth, not  in religion..  The word spoken was what their greatest ministry is.  That ministry was to their wives.  Earlier we had broken up into two groups.  We were wanting to know their greatest desires and greatest miracles, their stories.  Everyone in my group of guys greatest desire was ministry.  The culture here has some bondages to how women are supposed to be, and what they are to do.  I felt every spirit in the room get quiet.  It was a tangible manifestation for both myself and Darrell.  What was amazing to me about it was no one was speaking and you could feel their spirits change. At the end I felt like I had a prayer for it, but I first wanted to ask them a question.  The question was do they feel like God had loved them over our days with them.  They all raised their hands to say yes.  I then said that that was JESUS LOVING THE CHURCH.  I then said that he had just given them an example of how they are to love their wives. So I prayed that they would become a example of how men should love their wives in this nation.  I prayed that it would be like a nuclear bomb that expands throughout this country and over takes the stronghold that has been set up here for years and years.  We need to pray that the word would not be stolen from their hearts, and that it would bear fruit, and fruit that remains.  Thank you all for your prayers for us, I have felt that covering over us the whole time here.  

Please continue to pray for our travels back home for me, and for Darrell going to Mumbai with the meetings there.  

God Bless you all, Mike

Joyce Prepchuk's testimony:

After several years of wanting to return to India to minister, the opportunity came this March, and by March 31st I was on the plane to Delhi! It is nothing short of a miracle that all the pieces of this plan came together. I got my visa in just one week (a miracle), but I still had no travel itinerary. It wasn't until late in the day of April 30 that my travel was finalized (another miracle), and early the next morning I was on my way.

 

I joined 4 other women and traveled to the north of India to minister in 2 separate seminars for the beautiful ladies of India. They eagerly received the Word in the sessions and small groups, and then took it out to the local neighborhoods. What a thrill to hear their testimonies of confronting false religions and presenting the love and power of our risen Lord! We prayed for healing for many, and saw many healed. On the last night a young Hindu lady was brought for healing. She was unable to conceive and said that if Jesus healed her she would receive Him as her Savior. She felt the presence of our wonderful Lord and left rejoicing.

What a powerhouse of potential these ladies are for the kingdom of God, and what a joy it's been to be a small part of it!

Pacificministries India #2 Healings and Rodrick's Cousin Killed

Friends...

Good news...and sad news.  Persecution of believers in this country is very real.  Rodrick, a church planter who I will be with this week received this news:

My cousin Mr. Sonu Gilbert's son 'Amit Gilbert' was ministering in Salaiya

near Betul, central India, on April 17th, and was attacked by Bajrang Dal

(The group that worships the monkey god). They apparently sized Amit, killed

him and threw in a well. Please pray for his mother Mrs. Rani and father Mr.

Sonu Gilbert.

Please pray for the following:

o   The Holy Spirit will bring His comfort to the entire family and

relatives

o   This family has been walking far away from the Lord but pray that this

seed of martyrdom will result in the salvation of the entire extended

family, and many more.

o   That those persecuted Amit, will come to the repentance and find their

salvation in Jesus

o   This story of Martyrdom will not be used by Satan to bring fear and

discouragement in the body, rather will raise the level of faith,

commitment, shrewdness, and vision of those laboring in the Northern India

o   The enemy will be defeated and the Lord be glorified in great measure by

a great Kingdom movement

"When he opened the fifth seal, I saw under the altar the souls of those who

had been slain for the word of God and for the witness they had borne; they

cried out with a loud voice, "O Sovereign Lord, holy and true, how long

before thou wilt judge and avenge our blood on those who dwell upon the

earth?" (Rev 6:9, 10)

I also request you to forward this mail to all that can help in prayer

mobilization.

Rodrick Gilbert

From Mike:

Greetings everyone at home and abroad  from Siliguri, this is Michael Baird.  Our time here has been very powerfull, and fulfilling.  The first two days were great getting to know people and moving prophetically.  The LORD has much gold in his church here. On Sunday  the normal church service was very fun for us.  The end of the service came and many people came to us wanting prayer for healing for various  different ailments.  Physical problems like shoulders, knees, heals and feet, and backs, and ears.  There was one ailment that moved my heart with great compassion.  Samuel's daughter brought a girl with polio to the service.  I remember seeing her come in and thinking I hope that we get to pray for her.  It was  like the friends tearing open the roof and lowering down their friend to JESUS for him to heal him.  When we prayed for her I felt the fire of GOD all over her.  She said she felt like she was going to fall down, but she didn’t .  She then said that she felt like everything was shaking.  I asked her if it was on the outside or the inside. She said that it was on the inside, and I said that it was good that GOD was working.  A little while later she was walking on her own, where before she had to have help.  We are so thankful and blessed that we were chosen to be here to pray for these wonderful people.  We are humbled and strengthened  how the LORD has used us.  I look forward to seeing you all soon, GOD BLESS YOU ALL, Mike 

I got to pray for many babies!

Bless you.

Darrell

Pacificministrie India #1

Friends....

What can you say when you meet a man with NO Christianity in his family background but lived alone in a forest in Nepal  rejected by his family and one night has a visitation...a literal encounter with Jesus who simply asks him to follow Him.  "Andrew" is one of 40 leaders who have come for a time of refreshing. Mike Baird and I are doing more than well even after a 29 hour flight and massive culture shock!  Please do not stop praying for us as we are surrounded by demonic  Hindu influences.  Listen to worship (2Min) and our audio report (7Min)

The women's team report is here...we will join them for a combined celebration Sunday.

Thank you for  praying and giving.

Mike and Darrell

LOCATION CHANGE FOR THIS SUNDAY WORSHIP AT THE RIVER

Dear Friends of Pacificministries and Worship at the River,

An important announcement:

We will NOT meet at our usual Troutdale location this Sunday, April 11.  The new address is 362 NE 219th Ave Gresham, Oregon 97030 at Word of Life Church pastored by Rod and Kathy Smith.  They are located in the Clear Creek Business Park at  NE Glisan and NE. 219th Ave ibn Gresham. The meeting time is the same: 6PM   New Map to April 2010 Worship at the River

My mistake for informing all of you that this Sunday's the 14th, I was looking at March 2010... Sunday is April 11th! (Thanks to those of you who caught this)

We look forward to worship and praying over Mike Baird and myself as we leave for Delhi India Monday morning and Joyce Prepchuck already there.

I apologize for this late notice.  We will also post a notice at the Sam Cox Building Troutdale location.  Please feel free to forward or phone others of this venue change.

Darrell and Carlene

http://maps.google.com/maps?q=362+NE+219th+Ave,+Gresham,+OR+97030&ie=UTF8&hl=en&f=q&hq=&hnear=362+NE+219th+Ave,+Gresham,+Multnomah,+Oregon+97030&ll=45.527122,-122.434146&spn=0.003059,0.006968&z=18&iwloc=A

Pacificministries Update (India and Mongolia)

Dear Friends,

Just a quick reminder for those in the Portland/Vancouver area of March Worship at the River this Sunday the 14th at 6 PM in Troutdale.  Monday morning, Mike Baird and I leave for Mumbai, New Delhi, and Siliguri India.  Samuel Chacko in Siliguri will host us for a men's conference, and we will minister with Rodrick Gilbert in New Delhi.  Linda Baker Kaahanui (Rolland Baker's sister) and five other women (including Joyce Prepchuck from Portland) will be concluding 2 women's conferences and we plan to celebrate with a combined service Sunday, March 18. Many believers have suffered persecution in this part of Northeast India, and it will be our joy to encourage leaders many who are traveling long distances from mountainous regions.  Updates can be found on Linda's blog or Pacificministries.

Paul Vermes from Victoria and I returned a week ago from Mongolia, and just as my internal clock has adjusted to Pacific Time, I am off again.  I received this picture and note from Bolor, one of the Mongolian young worship warriors we were privileged to serve. Some 40% of Mongolia's 2.7 million people live in poverty, which is likely to worsen after the coldest winter in three decades killed 4.5 million animals.  But God's hand is on the church in Mongolia! In Bolor's words:

Hello dear  brothers Paul and Darrel. I'm Bolor from Mongolia which you came and served 2 weeks ago in Immanuel church (Chinzorig). I encouraged by you, God has strengthened me by His own. Actually I missed you guys after you left Mongolia. I noted your prophitic word and keep praying to come His will in my life by your prophit. I wanna be man of God who is warrior and lives for Him only.

Amen!  This may seem just like a photo taken during prayer, but I believe it captures the moment when two guys from Canada and the United States simply laid their hands on Bolor and spoke of the Father's love and destiny for him.

Bolor introduced the Mongolian worship song "Minii amidraliin buhii l udruud" (rough translation: All the Days of My Life I Will Praise You... I Will Live for You Forever) 

Many of you have commented how much you sensed God's anointing on it. Download it HERE

Thank you for allowing this ambassador to travel to obscure places to bless and encourage young men like Bolor, and for praying for Mongolia and the upcoming trip to India.  We are still short of funds for the meetings.  We want to bless the pastors and completely cover their travel, meals, and the lodging for the week.  If you'd like to contribute you may use PayPal or P.O. Box 1401, Port Townsend, WA 98368.

We bless you and look forward to seeing you this Sunday at the River. 

Darrell and Carlene

This Is Good

So for this Valentine's Day I decided to "speak" the love language that my wife speaks the most to people she loves; food. She has a gift for preparing, presenting and downright enjoying a great meal with friends. It's one of the ways she communicates and receives love. I had the idea to make something for her so that she would experience what others do by her taking the time it takes to plan the meal, buy the ingredients, prepare the items, cook them at the right time and in the right order so that every item of the meal comes together hot, not undercooked or over cooked, but perfectly! Not to mention she makes it look so effortless...like a pro!

Me on the other-hand, I can barely make cereal or toast! But be that as it may, I decided to cook her a Valentines meal with the help of my boys. I settled on steak (really though, this meal was for her, I just shared in the benefits). Well you just can't grill up a slab of meat and serve it up as a meal exactly now can you? So what else can I put along-side such a fine cut as a rib-eye? Salad. Yes. Ceasar. Vegetables. Yes. Asparagus & broccoli. Perfect! What else? Oh almost forgot! Appetizers! Ok, so crackers, cheese-spread, anti-pasta plate with olives, marinated peppers, salami-slices, prosciutto-mozzarella roll. Perfect! A glass of Chardonnay before the meal and a glass of red with the meal! Perfect! 
 
Oh my gosh! I have to go buy all of this now! With the boys? At the grocery store? What have I gotten myself into! No turning back now, let's go! Upon returning from the store it's time to prep the food. The boys set the table, music on the stereo, praying all the way through for help, we finally got everything together and ready to serve. Appetizers first, meantime get the grill hot and ready, in and out of the back door between grill and oven, the boys had already made the brownies for dessert later and it seems like everything is going relatively smooth. Well, that was until I looked closely at the ingredients for the glaze I was about to make for the topping on the steak. 
 
It was measured for six to eight steaks; I had two! 
 
It seemed like everything was about to fall apart! Remember, I'm a guy. I need it to be idiot proof! Exact directions with exact measurements, times, temperature etc...what do I do now? Then it hits me; "the ingredients are the same, the measure is the only difference". Ok! I can do this! Everything resumes and we're back on track! Pull the meat off the grill, tent with foil (Gina taught me that too), plate the veggies, drizzle the glaze over steaks, pour the red wine, boys call Gina down to the table and we sat and enjoyed a Valentine's Day meal together. We were able to give to her what she gives to us and so many. Love via food. 
 
THE INGREDIENTS ARE THE SAME - THE MEASURE IS THE ONLY DIFFERENCE
 
Over the next couple of days I began to hear the Holy Spirit bring this back up to me in a couple different ways. I see this in scripture and in the world around me. But one place I want to focus in on in this letter is where I see it in the Church. Yes, the Church. 
 
For four years now theRoots has been an official "entity". A Church. Some would struggle to see it as a church because they don't see some of the key "ingredients" they expect to see when looking at a "church". There's no building to begin with. No church offices with front office receptionist. No pastoral offices because there really isn't an official "staff". No children's playground or program. No youth ministry wing or youth ministry program. No parking lot, ushers, greeters, church bulletins, or tithe baskets. 
 
There's a post office box and a website. Once a month there is a gathering at our house of about 30-80 people depending on the weather and what the sport-season at the time is. Yet in some strange way there is an undeniable reality that a "church" people refer to as "theRoots church" does exist. But where is it? What does is look like? How does it work? What do these people who call their "church" theRoots do the other 29-30 days of the month?
 
IT BEGINS WITH THE INGREDIENTS
 
Jesus is King of Kings. And yet the Kingdom is with Him. He brought the Kingdom with Him and then placed it within us. 

Jesus is the Head of the Church; His people. And wherever two-or-more are gathered He is there with them in the midst. He is the Head, presiding over the gathering or two or two-thousand. He directs their movement through the Holy Spirit in them, upon them and with them. And it is this very thing that makes the ingredients the same but the measure different. He uses His Word, His Apostles, Prophets, Evangelists, Pastors and Teachers. He uses whatever He desires to use in order to direct His church. Mostly, He uses love. 

As we read through the New Testament we see that there are times, especially in the book of Acts, that there seemed to be a very large multitude of people gathered in one place as something significant happened or happening. Brings to mind the Day of Pentecost, or after Peter's message in response to the Holy Spirit's baptism that day of about 120 people. It happened multiple times as Jesus walked throughout Israel and healed people, did miracles and taught them of the Kingdom of Heaven. Yet when it comes down to it we see the "life" of the Church not just in activity but in relationship. Specifically in relationship to God and to others.
 
The life of the Church is not carried on the activities people alone. It is carried in the people themselves. In the OC the Ark was carried on the shoulders of the priests, but in the NC the Presence of God is carried in the hearts of men & women. No wonder Jesus said that where two or more are gathered in His name he would be in their midst. In the OC there was division of Jew & Gentile. In the NC there is One New Man in Christ. A "New Creation" in Christ. The Church. The people in Christ, the people of Christ. When Jesus looks upon the world He sees ONE Church; those who belong to Him. 
 
The measure changes when we look at a nation. It changes again when we look at a region. It changes again when we look at a city, a town, a neighborhood, a home. But the ingredients are the same. Jesus and His people. 
 
Once a month theRoots gathers in our home for "church". People ask me what time does it start. I tell them 10:00am because if anyone comes earlier you might find us all running around trying to get dressed! But once people arrive; "church" has begun. Do you see what I mean by church is not carried on the activity of people alone? Church is when two or more gather in His name; Jesus. When we intend to be with one another because of our relationship to Jesus and to one another; this is church. It may be carried out in being together, but it resides within us too; just as the Kingdom does. 
 
We bring food and drinks to the gathering so we aren't hungry and can hear what the Spirit has to say over our talking stomachs! But in the same way we each bring a food item that makes the meal a banquet, we too, when we gather, each bring a "spiritual" element to the table. Each of us has been given gifts. We bring them and use them for the good of others and the glory of God. The more we bring the more it looks like a banquet. We worship, pray, bring words of prophecy or testimony or teaching or encouragement. The measure varies with how many people show-up on any given gathering, but the ingredients are the same; Jesus and His people.
 
Why am I going to such length to say all of this? My point? My point is I (we, the Crozier's) don't want to mislead anyone in any way shape or form in what Church looks like or could look like or where and how it happens. 954 Capri is not the only place theRoots comes alive. theRoots is like a zip-code, that's all. It's a name given to a group of people within a certain region in San Diego that have a relationship with God and each other and choose to intentionally be with one another in Christ. However that may look is entrusted to those in the relationship. But "the CHURCH" is the official name and designation of those people. The "CHURCH" of Jesus Christ is the PEOPLE of Jesus Christ. 
 
I would suggest that you each consider how to be & do church yourselves. Start with your family. Or start with a friend. Two or more remember? The ingredients are the same, the measure scales accordingly. Find a way to bring the "ingredients" together as best as you can. Ask the Holy Spirit to direct you, lead you, empower you and anoint you. Whether you decide it is for prayer, Bible study, worship, serving, fasting, reading through a book together, sharing a meal together, going on vacation together, the beach, a short-term missions trip, it can be so many different ways and measures, because the ingredients remain the same; Jesus and His people. 
 
REDUCTION = FLAVOR
 
When making a pasta sauce, a glaze or something of the sorts, you begin with a certain quantity of ingredients but then over time and with heat the ingredients are broken down to bring out all of their individual characteristics. Together, these bring an aroma and a flavor that apart from one-another could never exist. The same is with the Church. It seems that it always starts with a large amount of ingredients but over time and "heat" the reduction process begins and all the flavors begin to surface and mix together to create something unique and magnificent! All the while the "Head" Chef is carefully working and watching over the ingredients in the pan. 
I want to exhort you to "pour yourselves out" on His behalf. Come together with your family, brothers and sisters in Christ as often and in as many ways as possible. Let Him be Head over all of us and our activity together. We will find all the ingredients we need within one another and within Jesus Christ. 
 
Tim Crozier · Encinitas, California · theRoots Church Network · www.therootschurch.org