A New Day!

The first of this month, April 2014, I began a new chapter in my life and ministry.  In God’s providence, through a series of divinely orchestrated events, I have been invited to become the executive director of the Twin Cities House of Prayer (TC-HOP).

Those of you who are regular readers of this blog have undoubtedly picked up on the fact that prayer has been the preeminent burden and focus of my heart over the past year from my many posts on that topic.

My personal prayer, breathed by the Holy Spirit has been “Lord, make me a house of prayer for all nations.”  Over the course of time, as with any God inspired prayer, He has been answering.  As a result there had been a growing passion within me that cries for the “kingdom of this world to become the kingdom of our Lord and of His Christ.” (Revelation 11:15)

Starting with me, where spiritual journeys of transformation always begin, my scope of prayer has expanded in concentric waves outward to include my home, my church and the church at large.  All of these constitute His “house,” His dwelling place.  It is the same house to which Jesus issued His mandate that first Palm Sunday after His triumphal entry into Jerusalem when He declared “My house shall be called a house of prayer for all nations!”

Although TCHOP was not on my radar screen 4 months ago, HOP was.  In fact I had already become a HOP FAN guy! (House Of Prayer For All Nations guy).  Now as I look back at God’s sovereign hand, I stand in awe of how He was preparing me for this new season of ministry.

Twin Cities House of Prayer has been in existence for 14 years.  It was birthed in the spirit of MaryLynn Christopher and has been carried faithfully by her and her husband Terry, and a cadre of other committed worshippers and intercessors.  With a vision to raise up a place of 24/7 worship and intercession in the Twin Cities, they have spent countless hours before the throne of grace, trained over 30 interns and sown house-of-prayer seeds.  In addition, over the years they have facilitated many prayer events while networking with other ministries who also have a heart for prayer.  Although a round-the-clock 24/7 house of prayer has yet to be realized, the word of the Lord spoken to Habakkuk the prophet rings true for TCHOP. “The vision awaits its appointed time; it hastens to the end—it will not lie. If it seems slow, wait for it; it will surely come; it will not delay.” (Habakkuk 2:3 ESV)

I am genuinely excited and humbled by this new assignment from the Lord.  I am excited to be pursuing my passion and investing my spiritual gifts with a group of people who share a kindred spirit and vision for prayer.  At the same time I am humbled before the Lord to be entrusted with leading such storied ministry in expanding it toward seeing the full vision become reality.

I would covet your prayers as I assume the role of executive director.  At my initiative we are praying and fasting as a ministry for three things:

1. Clarity of Direction in this new season for TCHOP – a New Wineskin, if you will, for the Holy Spirit to fulfill His purposes for establishing a 24/7 praying church in the Twin Cities.
2. A Permanent Home after 14 years of meeting in various churches.  We are believing God for a centrally located place with approximately 4000 square feet that has adequate parking and 24/7 accessibility and security.
3. Resources – people whose hearts have been touched by God with a burden for establishing a House of Prayer for All Nations through investing their prayers and/or finances to see it become a reality.

As with any new “job” I have a lot of acclimating to do.  Presently much of my time is devoted to getting to know all those who call TCHOP home and becoming acquainted with what God is doing across the Christian landscape in the Twin Cities with regard to prayer.  Our vision is to find like-minded individuals, pastors, churches and ministries who have a passion for prayer and heart to partner in answering Jesus’ 24/7 HOPFAN mandate.

You can find out more about Twin Cities House of Prayer on our website at www.tchop.org or by contacting me directly at [email protected].

I will look forward to sharing with you from time to time what God is doing in and through TCHOP through this blog.

Thank you for your prayers.

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