what is god up to?

Dear Family of Faith,  It is Monday evening and I have just returned to the church office after Becky and I enjoyed having dinner with a young woman in our church named Kristin Finnestad.  More about her in a moment.  My purpose for coming back to my study was to write this month’s pastoral letter to you.  I have been asking the Lord to show me what it is He wants me to share with you and I believe He has told me.  It has to do with reiterating the call I shared this past Sunday to beseech God to send spiritual revival to Faith.  So here goes … I am “officially” asking you once again … Please join with me and pray, pray, pray for Almighty God to show Himself great by sending God-sized revival to Faith Baptist Church!  
One thing I know for sure, He is giving us some very significant glimpses of how much He truly wants to answer this prayer and give us this gift of revival.  Let me share with you some of the “signs” I see the Holy Spirit showing us to convince us of our Heavenly Father’s heart to bring revival to this body of believers.
Let’s go back to Kristen Finnestad, who is a member of Faith and who has served for years here as a spiritual leader in her peer group.  Kristen has just been recently appointed by Converge (the name of the group of Baptist churches with which we are affiliated) as a career missionary to Argentina.  She is praying to leave the States for South America in September of 2011 after raising her support. You’ll be hearing lots more about her upcoming plans for service to Christ in the year ahead.  But for now, I just need you to know that this incredible sister in Christ is on fire to spread the Gospel in Argentina to young men & women her age and then disciple them into a growing walk with Jesus.  My sense is that, when revival comes, God will add many more “Kristens” to lifetime missionary service from our ranks at Faith.
Then there was our staff meeting today.  There was so much joy and laughter together as we recounted the amazing baptisms we all witnessed at Faith this past Sunday.  Disneyland refers to itself as the “happiest place on earth.”  Today I think that place was our church office!  When God sends revival, the joy of the Lord re-ignites in the souls of His people.  The Lord is seeking to rekindle this happiness of heart not just for the staff, but literally everyone who is part of this church that He wants to pour out His Spirit upon!
Wow … and how ’bout those baptisms!  History was made here at Faith this past Sunday.  For the first time baptisms were held in our “new” auditorium which really isn’t that new anymore.  One long term, prominent member of Faith told me that he had never seen baptisms in his over 25 years at our church.  There are many like him.  But God has transformed all of that.  He desires to send revival and when that happens there will be more conversions and baptisms than we ever imagined … more stories of God’s grace than we ever thought possible. By the way, we already have people who have expressed a desire to be in the next “batch” of baptisms.  Praise God!
Last but not least, when I came back to the office tonight to work on this letter there was a men’s small group Bible study happening in a room down the hall.  I said “hello” to the guys and they told me they were talking about the words of Jesus that I had quoted in Sunday’s message from John 14:12 when our Lord said,
Believe in Me; the works that I do you shall do also; and greater works than these shall you do; because I go the Father.
Listen, when all the men, women, students and children of Faith start honestly hearing these words, truly believing these words and genuinely acting upon these words, then Biblical,                  God-sent-revival is not far behind!
So I ask you again, Please join with me and pray, pray, pray for Almighty God to show Himself great by sending God-sized revival to Faith Baptist Church!  Hunger for it!  Thirst for it!  
As I close, I want to thank you for your financial partnership in this ministry.  You need to know that we just approved our ministry budget for fiscal year 2010/2011.  Meeting budget will require everyone’s help.  So, please use the enclosed envelopes to join with Becky and me in tithing to Faith, 10% of whatever income God blesses you with.  Sharing together financially in ministry is indeed His chosen means for funding our outreach, facilities, ministers and missionaries.  Again, I want you to know that your leadership team pledges to pray for the spending of every amount received that Faith will use it to touch lives for Christ throughout eternity.  May the Lord bless you and bring revival home to Faith!  Love you …
Your brother in Jesus,

Pastor John K. Nagle

Posted Thursday, May 6th in news .