Only God
RREACH’s first operational value is “Only God.” One way we recognize and live our dependence on Him is by beginning, covering and ending every aspect of ministry in prayer, with thanksgiving.
Dr. Richard says, “Prayer precedes ministry,” and as the Lord continues to open doors for his ministry, we realize afresh the need for prayer.
Please take a moment to pray and praise over the updates on this page, featuring a daily prayer calendar at the beginning of each month. Also let us know how we can pray for you!
Prayer Calendar
Prayer Updates
In his words: Ramesh Richard October update | October 25, 2019
Dear praying friends,
Two witnesses, Bonnie and my faithful colleague David Brugger, remarked, “You’ve not had much of a break this summer!” I knew I had to listen when the ones who know me best make the same unsolicited comment. Yet last month became one of the busiest ever—running without resting!
Writing a 4,000 word article on the problem of Christian leaders who defect, I was filled with sadness over this grave matter. You will receive the pastoral comment soon. Pray that God will use it to comfort loved ones and confirm those disappointed in their leaders.
An extended call with the TOPIC (Trainers of Pastors International Coalition) board on how an organization founded and backed by RREACH must thrive on its own proved illuminating. TOPIC plays a key role in sustaining training of pastors inside nations.
The biggest demand of the month was a two week overseas trip. Fortunately, Bonnie went along. The fine ministry Haggai International asked me to speak five times at their 50th anniversary in Bali, Indonesia, to 600 delegates from 69 nations. We also spent 60 hours in the Philippines meeting dear friends. Bonnie has been with me all over the world, though she does not relish leaving home. So we both were glad that she did very well, though our recovery from jet lag is taking much longer than it used to!
God allowed us to exceed the financial goals set for the RREACH Giving Day, thanks to many a friend like you. Our next big goal is ThanksGIVING Tuesday. Pray that a friend’s surprisingly large gift will inspire others to double it by December 3.
I ended the month speaking to the Global Alliance for Church Multiplication, made up of 300 church planters from 150 organizations ministering in 25 countries. Then at Legacy Bible Church, Sherman, Texas, where I could speak to my heart’s delight at 50 minutes a talk. Remember, a sermon is not how long it is, but how long it feels!
God is returning RREACH to its charter: To undergird my proclamation of God’s Word, even as it amplifies the proclamation globally and multiplies it locally. Maybe next month’s ministry structure will permit me to rest on the run! I can never say enough thanks for you!
Received: April 29, 2021
Committed into God's unfailing hands | October 18, 2019
Dear praying friends,
In brief:
Please pray for God’s protection over the national Global Proclamation Academy starting next week in South Asia.
Ask God to direct us in distributing Dr. Richard’s books, articles and talks.
Pray for Dr. Richard’s speaking engagement this weekend and video-recording sessions next week.
Praise God that registration is open for the 2020 Global Proclamation Congress for Trainers of Pastors of Latin America & the Caribbean.
The bigger picture:
Rising sociopolitical tensions may affect pastors traveling to and from the national GProAcademy scheduled next week in “the most dangerous country in the world,” found in South Asia. Organizers plan to move ahead, saying, “God is in control and we commit ourselves into His unfailing and secure hands.” They have recruited a fine group of young pastors from different denominations across the country and pray for “a zeal of learning spirits.” Please pray over this national GProAcademy.
Pray for discernment, connections and creativity as we seek to make Dr. Richard’s products—books, articles offering biblical perspectives on current issues, short outreach videos, mentoring podcasts for pastors, and more—available to various audiences. One current, specific request is a publisher for a manuscript addressing a major challenge to the Lord Jesus.
Your prayers over Dr. Richard’s speaking engagements mean more than you can know. Thank you for lifting him up as he exercises his gifting. This weekend, the Lord willing, he will speak at a church in the Dallas area (he doesn’t do this very much!) and next Monday he is scheduled to record numerous videos. Pray for his preparation, strategy, revision and presentation, all in the power of God's Holy Spirit.
Tremendous effort went into preparing the registration system for the 2020 GProLATAM&CARIB Congress and we praise God that it is now open! We also praise Him for all who labored on it. Please intercede for ongoing recruitment efforts—we want the right 500 pastoral trainers, trouble-free registration, and all that is needed to pull off this strategic event for a growing region.
Thank you for praying!
Received: April 29, 2021
Preparation, productivity, progress | August 10, 2019
Dear praying friends,
In brief:
The Global Proclamation Congress for Trainers of Pastors of Latin America & the Caribbean is one year away. Please pray!
Praise God for Dr. and Mrs. Richard’s safe and productive trip to Southeast Asia.
Pray for effective writing and content creation time for Dr. Richard this month.
Pray for upcoming national Global Proclamation Academies in South Asia, Ukraine and Guatemala.
The bigger picture:
Dallas GPA graduate Pastor J represents the upcoming GProLATAM&CARIB Congress at a conference in Brazil.
Praise God for the progress He has granted toward the GProLATAM&CARIB Congress, to be held, the Lord willing, October 12–16, 2020! The Lord willing, registration opens this week in Spanish, English and Portuguese, the official languages of the Congress. Please pray with us for the right 500 trainers of pastors to attend, a smooth registration process, and Christ-likeness, creativity and capacity for all those behind the scenes.
Dr. Richard and Bonnie enjoyed a fruitful time at Haggai International’s 50th anniversary celebration, at which Dr. Richard spoke five times. He is always grateful that God condescends to use him, even while recognizing that his gifts are bigger than his person. Praise God! Dr. Richard appreciates prayer as he prepares, strategizes, revises and presents, all in the power of God’s Holy Spirit.
Pray for this month to be fruitful as Dr. Richard focuses on writing projects and preparations for future talks.
We thank God for the national GProAcademies held in 10 different countries this year. Please pray that graduates will continue to preach biblically and connect. Also intercede for upcoming national GProAcademies in South Asia, Ukraine and Guatemala. Ask God to bring the right 25 pastors, protect organizers and attendees, and provide in every detail.
Thank you for praying!
Received: April 29, 2021
October daily prayer reminders | September 25, 2019
1 Ramesh Richard: to be humble before God, sensitive to needs and have clear direction in all areas of life
2 GProCommission: good communication within the worldwide team organizing the GProLATAM&CARIB Congress
3 iProMission: preparation, strategy, revision and presentation for Dr. Richard’s upcoming speaking engagements
4 Media Outreach: productive day of filming new LifeRocks videos to engage pre-Christians
5 National GPA: GPA Democratic Republic of Congo South graduates to apply what they have learned and remain connected as they return home
6 Dallas GPA: wisdom in selecting the right 25 candidates, at least five from new countries
7 National GPA: God’s hand to be on organizers as they recruit attendees and navigate unexpected details
8 iProMission: a mainstream publisher for Dr. Richard’s new book
9 GProCommission: good response as recruiters spread the word about the GProLATAM&CARIB Congress
10 Media Outreach: Dr. Richard’s LifeRocks videos to reach many unreached people
11 National GPA: graduates to remain connected, faithfully study God’s Word and prepare expository sermons
12 Dallas GPA: nominations of good candidates from new and under-represented countries
13 GProCommission: selection and availability of the right speakers for the GProLATAM&CARIB Congress
14 National GPA: openings to hold national GPAs in more countries
15 RR: Ramesh to be humble before God, sensitive to needs and have clear direction in all areas of life
16 Media Outreach: fresh ideas as the team considers ways to engage pre-Christians with LifeRocks messages
17 National GPA: protection of organizers, attendees and graduates from spiritual opposition and physical harm
18 iProMission: direction as Dr. Richard considers possible speaking engagements
19 Dallas GPA: the right Master Coaches for the 2020 GPA
20 Media Outreach: guidance as Dr. Richard films another set of PastorReach videos to answer pastors’ questions
21 National GPA: attendees of a GPA in South Asia to learn to preach and live biblically, 10/21–30/2019
22 GProCommission: registration and communication technologies to work smoothly
23 RREACH: preparation for the RREACH board retreat to be held, the Lord willing, 10/25–27/2019
24 iProMission: time Dr. Richard can dedicate to writing and preparing messages
25 RR: physical and spiritual health for the Richard family
26 Media Outreach: many who have never really heard about the Lord Jesus to engage with LifeRocks videos and spiritual counseling
27 iProMission: Dr. Richard to be a ready instrument in God’s hand to proclaim God’s Word
28 GProCommission: interpreters skilled in the “trade language” of pastoral training available in Spanish, Portuguese and English
29 Dallas GPA: graduates to continue to encourage one another and pass along their training
30 National GPA: graduates of the GPA in South Asia to apply what they have learned and remain connected as they return home
31 National GPA: GPA Guatemala attendees to learn to preach and live biblically, 10/31–11/09/2019
Ramesh Richard proclaims God’s Word;
RREACH amplifies the proclamation globally and
multiplies the proclamation locally.
RR – Ramesh Richard
GPA – Global Proclamation Academy
GProCommission – Global Proclamation Commission
iProMission – Ramesh Richard’s personal proclamation
GProLATAM&CARIB Congress – Global Proclamation Congress for Trainers of Pastors of Latin America & the Caribbean, October 12–16, 2020, Panama City, Panama
Received: April 29, 2021
In his words: Ramesh Richard September update | September 25, 2019
Dear praying friends,
Summer is over and school has begun across our neighborhood and at Dallas Seminary. The highlight of the month was our annual faculty retreat, where we envisioned a new year of eager students soon to face the reality of competing demands of professors for attention, time and work. Yet, the discipline needed for a lifetime of ministry is set in motion at a place of formal training. I am so grateful to belong to a peer-community of friends, family and co-workers preparing students for the future of the Faith. DTS is my formal setting of ministry.
Moreover, for faster delivery of better training to more pastors at lower cost, RREACH provides me with non-formal training opportunities and systems. Through the symbiosis and synergies between Dallas Seminary and RREACH, God permits my life to be fruitful and useful for evangelism and church health.
GProAcademy Kosovo concluded in neighboring Albania, a land with only about 2,000 evangelical believers. RREACH has now equipped young pastoral leaders there for two or three decades of preaching, thinking and living biblically. We also hosted a women-only GProAcademy in broken Honduras. Pastors’ wives, women who teach women, and other women met for 10 days of connecting, uniting and strengthening for a lifetime of effective service to the Lord Jesus.
At the end of each national GProAcademy, I Skype in for a half-hour graduation charge—a most beautiful, humbling experience. Having studied a book of mine, the delegates seem exuberant when they meet the author. They cheer, laugh and even sing what they learned on the video conference call.
Quickly advancing communications technologies provide speed and spread of such non-formal training of pastoral leaders. Recruitment has already begun for the 2020 Dallas GProAcademy—pray for 25 pastors from 25 countries and that, God willing, some of those graduates will come to DTS for formal training. Actually, the most recent PR videos of DTS students feature RREACH GProAcademy graduates from Asia. Synergy and symbiosis at work and in evidence!
You, too, are friend, family and co-worker “in the proclamation of God’s Word and the building up of Christ’s Church worldwide.” Those words form the last part of the DTS mission statement and drive several initiatives of RREACH. Thank you so much.