Weekly Schedule

&

Prayer Requests

January 20-26, 2013

Articles and General Information:

Mandatory Reporting - Again in the News. Employees of Victory Christian Center, a mega-church (17,000 members) in Tulsa, OK have been charged with not fulfilling the requirement for timely reporting of child abuse. A former employee of the church (a 20 year old janitor) has been sentenced to 55 years in prison after pleading guilty to raping a 13-year old girl in a stairwell within the church facility plus other sex crimes committed within days of the rape. Employees of the church, including two youth pastors, did not report the rape to authorities until after two weeks following their initial awareness of the crimes. They have claimed they were doing an internal investigation to verify the accusations prior to notifying authorities. Parents of the girl have also filed a civil suit against the church.

REMINDER:  If a pastor, church leader or employee has "reasonable cause" to believe anyone under the age of 16 has been abused, their legal obligation is to notify the county authorities (county department of health and human services) immediately.

Dangerous Calling, by Paul David Platt (Crossway 2012) "My experience with hundreds of pastors is that many sadly function in a regular state of gospel amnesia. They forget to preach privately to themselves the gospel that they declare publicly to others. When you forget the gospel, you begin to seek from the situations, locations, and relationships of ministry what you have already been given in Christ. You begin to look to ministry for identity, security, hope, well-being, meaning, and purpose. These are things you will only ever find vertically. They are already yours in Christ."

Districts Youth Event. Please continue to share your stories and we will pass them on.  God showed up in many wondrous ways. Over 2,500 teens were present to learn, grow, pray, worship, have fun, serve, and celebrate God's working. Also, 100,000 meals were packed and now ready to be shipped to Haiti. Again, thanks to all who made it so successful !!!!

Discipleship. What is your definition of "disciple"? Jesus only used the word (Greek word mathetes) six times. John 8:31-32; John 13:34-35; John 15:8; Matthew 10:24; Luke 14:25-33; and Matthew 28:18-20. How do these passages impact your disciple making pathway?

BOXES FROM THE HEART

Boxes from the Heart is a way your congregation can help families/individuals affected by Hurricane Sandy in a personal and tangible way. By collecting cards of encouragement, prayer letters, and gift cards, your congregation is able to connect personally with victims of the disaster. These families have been referred by a local church in

the New York area. Boxes from the Heart will provide you with a brief bio, address,

phone number and the supplies needed for mailing.

If you are interested in this ministry or need more information, please contact

Heidi Viars (920.229.6488), This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it or http://boxesfromtheheart.net

For more information click:  Informational sheet

Upcoming Opportunties/Programs:

We are fortunate to have Chris Brown from North Coast Church in the San Diego area at our Spring Conference in Waupaca on April 12th & 13th.  Chris will be presenting "The Art and Practice of Communicating Effectively from the Pulpit" which he and Larry Osborne have presented several times in a two-day seminar at the cost of $399.  Mark your calendars and plan on joining us in April.  You'll be glad you did!

2013 Cadre Training:  February 28-March 3 - Bill Allison will be leading the training on Becoming the Youth Leader Jesus Wants to Be. Planning, programming, and organizing are essential components of a great ministry.  But God made you for more.  Way more.  The good news is you can become the leader Jesus wants you to be.  Bring your Bible and we'll explore:

* How walking closely with Jesus overflows into your friendships

* What  a Jesus-like disciplemaking way of life looks like for students and leaders

* Why discipleship is good but disciplemaking is better

* God's bullseye for disciplemaking

* Why relationships matter in disciplemaking

* How to be a disciple who makes disciples who make more disciples

You'll leave encouraged and equipped to be the youth leader Jesus wants you to be.  Please send Rob Weise an email at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it by February 13th and let him know if you're planning to attend and bringing a team. For planning purposes, he will need to know how many you are bringing.  For more inforamtion click on the flyer or visit the Cadre website at cadreministries.com .

The Center for Family Development presents its annual marriage enrichment seminar with Bill and Pam Farrell. Join in February 22-23, 2013 at Highland Community Church in Wausau. For more details click on Understanding and Delighting In Your Differences!

Pastors & Wives Retreat at Timber-lee Christian Center February 25-26, 2013 - Steve Johnson will be speaking at the retreat this year on Remaining Healthy in Ministry:  Five Strategies for Guarding Your Heart.  For registration or information click on the brochure.  There is constant pull in daily life, within ministry challenges, and from cultural expectations that seek to pull apart marriage, families, and ministries.  Join this years retreat and expect to be empowered by hearing specific ways that you can protect your relationships, your vocations, and your vision for the future by guarding against the erosion of a healthy and balanced life.  Steve offers an excellent assessment tool for couples attending the retreat called ENRICH.  The discounted cost is $30 per couple and he encourages couples to complete the assessment before the retreat.  It makes the reflection time more valuable and shows where changes are needed as well as encourages couples where they are doing well.  If you are attending the retreat and are interested, email or call Steve Johnson at  This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it or 1.800.681.2374.

Bethany EFC, La Crosse will be hosting the The No Regrets Men's Conference on February 2, 2013. The cost for attending the simulcast in La Crosse is $20.00 per attendee and this includes lunch.  Tickets can be purchased by visiting Bethany's website at www.bethanyefc.org click on the "No Regrets" logo at the bottom of the home page and you'll be directed from there to purchase your tickets.  For more information about the conference or questions concerning purchasing tickets, call the church at 608-781-2466.

Highland Community Church, Wausau will be hosting the The No Regrets Men's Conference on February 2, 2013. The cost for attending the simulcast in Wausau is $20.00 per attendee and this includes lunch. Information and registration available at

www.highlandcommunitychurch.com .

FINANCIAL NEED

There is a financial need for a FLD Church Plant.  If your church is willing and able to help, a young FLD church plant in rural Northeastern Wisconsin has a critical financial need.  Please call Ray Olson (715.498.4288) or

Gaylen Nagel (715.252.1566) for details.

Schedules for the upcoming week:

Superintendent Gaylen Nagel:

Monday-Wednesday:  Trinity; DS meetings and interviewing

Thursday:  FLD Ministry Center

Friday-Saturday:   Kenosha

Church Multiplication Director Ray Olson:

Sunday:  La Crosse contacts

Monday-Tuesday:  Chicago - Trinity Seminary; EFCA Start Team meetings

Wed:  FLD Ministry Center

Thursday-Saturday:  Green Lake Conference Center;

City Team Discipleship Training - tentative

(info at http://events.r20.constantcontact.com/register/event?oeidk=a07e6k42aw4b71a090f&llr=9slnpdeab)

Prayer Request:  Please pray for strength, protection, wisdom and encouragement for our church planters, as several of them are facing real difficulties and stress.

Missional Movements - 1500 years ago! Our TMC Multiply TEAM is reading The Celtic Way Evangelism, by George G. Hunter III.  I did a brief annotation (realize the statements from the book have been greatly abbreviated) of two chapters for our discussion this past Tuesday and make them available to you here.

Church Health Director Don Price:

Sunday:  Grace Bible Fellowship, Washburn - Installation of Pastor Rick Utecht

Monday-Wednesday:  Trinity - Interviewing students

Thursday-Friday:  FLD Ministry Center

Prayer Request:  Please pray for our time at Trinity interviewing students.  Pray that the Lord will direct us to guys that would be a good fit in our 12-13 openings in the FLD.

Student Ministries Director Rob Weise:

Sunday-Tuesday:  Wausau - OASIS Youth Pastors & Wives Retreat - Stoney Creek Inn & Conference Center

Wednesday:  Rice Lake - Senior Pastors Network

Thursday:  Green Bay - Follow-up on Districts w/Hotels

Friday:  Off

Prayer Request:  Please pray for the 40 couples that will be coming to OASIS in Wausau. Pray that the Youth Pastors and Wives would be encouraged in the marriages and ministries. Shane/Heather Stacey from the National EFCA will be joining us and sharing with the group!