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 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.
Received: April 29, 2021
September daily prayer reminders | August 31, 2019
1 Ramesh Richard: to be humble before God, sensitive to needs and have clear direction in all areas of life
2 iProMission: good preparation for Dr. Richard's upcoming ministry trip
3 GProCommission: direction and provision for the program of the Global Proclamation Congress for Trainers of Pastors of Latin America & the Caribbean
4 Media Outreach: God to draw many to the Lord Jesus through Life Rocks videos
5 National GPA: GPA Cape Verde attendees to be connected, united and strengthened as they meet 9/5 – 9/14
6 Dallas GPA: referrals of qualifying pastors from new and under-represented countries for the 2020 Dallas GPA
7 RR: the Richard family to grow closer to the Lord Jesus and to each other
8 GProCommission: smooth registration processes for GProLATAM&CARIB Congress
9 RREACH: creativity and collaboration as staff and teams serve
10 Media Outreach: direction for the development of online material to accompany video series on peace
11 GProCommission: blessing on the continuing follow-up with pastoral trainers
12 iProMission: travel mercies and empowerment to speak about the Lord Jesus as Dr. and Mrs. Richard start a ministry trip
13 Dallas GPA: opportunities for graduates to teach what they learned at the GPA to other pastors
14 National GPA: clear vision, fresh energy and enduring connections for GPA Cape Verde graduates as they return home
15 RR: to be humble before God, sensitive to needs and have clear direction in all areas of life
16 Dallas GPA: protection of Dallas GPA graduates as they pastor in many different situations
17 National GPA: favor on organizers as they recruit pastors and attend to logistical details
18 Media Outreach: pastors around the world to be edified and encouraged through PastorReach videos
19 RREACH: good participation in RREACH Giving Day
20 RR: continued mercies and encouragement for Dr. and Mrs. Richard as they travel and serve
21 Dallas GPA: pastors to continue to preach biblically
22 iProMission: the right outlet to publish Dr. Richard's book
23 National GPA: opportunities to hold academies in more countries
24 GProCommission: God to bring the right pastoral trainers to GProLATAM&CARIB Congress
25 Media Outreach: Dr. Richard's writing and talks to reach many pre-Christians
26 iProMission: God to speak through Dr. Richard at a church multiplication conference
27 Dallas GPA: wisdom in selecting candidates for the 2020 GPA
28 National GPA: lasting connections and strengthened faith for national GPA graduates around the world
29 RREACH: staff to grow in their commitment to and love for the Lord Jesus
30 iProMission: productivity and creativity as Dr. Richard writes and prepares for speaking engagements
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 August update | August 27, 2019
Dear praying friends,
Summers are usually “off” for professors. Mine are not. The Dallas Global Proclamation Academy (GProAcademy), held at Dallas Seminary, keeps me teaching on the seminary campus for a month. Soon after sending all 28 pastors to their homelands, we went into project evaluation, decisions and actions.
The very next day, I left on an enjoyable but intense two weeks at CRU’s Institute of Biblical Studies in Fort Collins, Colorado, where I taught on the subject of GOD-BIBLE-HOLY SPIRIT to about 60 students. We do share a ministry “DNA”!
Upon return to Dallas, I plunged into planning meetings for the 2020 Global Proclamation Congress for Pastoral Trainers of Latin America & the Caribbean (GProLATAM/CARIB Congress). RREACH’s board and staff and Dallas Seminary colleagues attended the private signing ceremony of the first event of the next 10 years under God’s sovereignty. Would you be with us June 27, 2020, in Dallas for the public launching of our next decade? How’s that for a save-the-date alert?
RREACH also hosted a national GProAcademy graduating 24 pastoral leaders in Antigua and Barbuda, and I got to address them by video just before their graduation.
With death always being intrusive and interruptive, Bonnie and I rushed to Texarkana, Texas, to comfort the family of RREACH’s founding board chairman, as well as preach at Fellowship Church there. George Goode’s life was well lived, well run and well fought!
The month ended with holding an afternoon workshop for 28 African-American ministers in Albany, Georgia. They had gone through my Preaching Expository Sermons book for nearly six months under the tutelage of eminent preacher, new Dallas Seminary board member and urologist Dr. Frank Glover. In addition, RightNow.Org (the “Netflix of Christian Bible Study”) has just released an eight-video series on my preaching method.
Thank you for sending me to proclaim God’s Word with your prayers. May the Lord amplify the proclamation globally and multiply the proclamation locally.
Received: April 29, 2021
An invitation to pray for the people of Jammu and Kashmir | August 19, 2019
Dear praying friends,
Seldom do I ask for some one else’s prayer requests to be distributed through our systems, but I would like this request from Rev. Joseph D'Souza to go to as many as possible networks.
Warmly,
Ramesh Richard
Christians around the world ought to pray for Kashmir as tensions in the region have spiked since Aug. 5, when India removed its long-established "special status," bringing the India-administered areas of Kashmir into direct control of the central government.
The decision exacerbated India's already strained relationship with Pakistan and prompted Pakistan's prime minister to threaten to globalize the issue and alarmingly escalate the situation by stating that "Pakistan would keep all options on the table."
I'm calling on Indian, Pakistani and all Christians to a simple task that transcends the complexity of the issue and the enmity that has long existed between our countries because of it. Christians ought to pray to Jesus—the "Prince of Peace"—that peace would reign in our countries and in our region as God has called each of us to "seek peace and prosperity" for our countries, according to Jeremiah 29:7. The prophet continues, "Pray to the Lord for it, because if it prospers, you too will prosper."
And I'm calling them to do so intensely. Since the British partition of the Indian subcontinent in 1947, India and Pakistan have fought three wars over the Kashmir region. Hundreds of thousands of civilians and military officers have died on both sides of the border in armed conflicts and episodes of inter-communal violence. The last thing the region needs is another war, especially when both nations have nuclear weapons.
All of this has been especially complicated in recent years by cross-border terrorism as Pakistan's prime minister himself recently recognized that 30,000-40,000 terrorists operate on Pakistani soil.
Putting it all together, in just over 25 years over 45,000 people in Jammu & Kashmir have died in cross-border militant encounters between the countries and from terrorist attacks originating in Pakistan. When India cites national security concerns for its decisions in Kashmir, it's not without cause.
Yet, the status-quo situation in Kashmir has long been unsustainable, and by some act of divine providence maybe this disruption could result in a solution as the Indian government and the people of India embrace Kashmiris as fellow citizens of India. That, however, might require a divine miracle, a miracle entirely unlikely if God's people do not pray.
And as they pray for a peaceful and permanent resolution to this intractable conflict, they should keep in mind that the security situation remains tense as curfews are still imposed, as new questions have arisen about the citizenship rights of some people living in Kashmir, and as India's national leadership and judiciary deal and work through the implications of the decision made by the government. They should also pray for Christians, Hindus, Muslims and others whose religious freedom has sometimes been caught up in these political conflicts. Ultimately, Christians should pray that no one will give license to hate in any form, always recognizing the inherent dignity in every human being and their God-given freedom of conscience.
As a Christian leader, and on behalf of the All-India Christian Council, I'm grateful for the generosity and kindness shown by our Christian friends around the world to commit our strong, yet also delicate, region to the hand of almighty God.
May we, as the apostle Paul prayed, have the privilege to "lead a peaceful and quiet life, godly and dignified in every way" (1 Tim. 2:2b, ESV).
Rev. Joseph D'Souza is a Christian theologian, author and human and civil rights activist. He is the founder of Dignity Freedom Network, an organization that advocates for and delivers humanitarian aid to the marginalized and outcastes of South Asia. He is archbishop of the Anglican Good Shepherd Church of India and serves as the president of the All India Christian Council.
asianews.it/news-en/Indian-Bishop-calls-on-Christians-around-the-world-to-pray-for-Kashmir-47758
Received: April 29, 2021
New outreach video release and more | August 16, 2019
Dear praying friends,
In brief:
Thank God for the new LifeRocks pre-evangelistic video set to launch next week.
Praise Him for churches’ growing interest in RREACH ministry.
Pray for Dr. Richard’s recording session for PastorReach videos.
Uphold the team organizing the Global Proclamation Congress for Trainers of Pastors of Latin America & the Caribbean.
Pray for national Global Proclamation Academies starting next week in Honduras (women’s) and Kosovo.
The bigger picture:
Another LifeRocks video will, the Lord willing, go public next week. Praise God for the message of “Decongesting the Sad Soul and Dark Heart” and how the production came together. Pray for a massive number of pre-Christians to see it and want to know more.
RREACH values every individual and entity which gives time, encouragement, finances, prayer, skills and more to make this ministry possible. We thank God for how His Body works together to grow. Several churches have expressed increased interest in the ministry. Praise God! Pray that the Lord Jesus will guide them and us in developing these connections.
The Lord willing, Dr. Richard plans to film a number of new short videos for PastorReach next week. Each video features Dr. Richard’s response to a question asked by a pastoral leader. Please intercede for discernment as he prepares and for the team making sure production runs smoothly.
The GProLATAM&CARIB Congress Organizing Team is climbing a massive mountain in preparing for the Congress, to be held in Panama City, Panama, the Lord willing, in October 2020. Ask God to bless them with discernment, dependability and drive as they serve. Only He can and will make it happen!
Two national GPAs are scheduled to begin late next week in Honduras (women’s) and Kosovo. Please pray for those organizing the 10-day pastoral training events, the right 25 attendees and God’s Spirit to move mightily to connect, unite and strengthen pastoral leaders.