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
Plans and possibilities...please pray | April 13, 2018
Dear praying friends,
In brief:
Dr. Richard is exploring speaking opportunities in Paraguay.
GPA Angola begins this week (in spite of the rain), GPA Panama next week.
The RREACH Board of Directors plans to meet late April.
With two months to go, 17 Dallas GPA candidates have visas; several more have visa appointments next week.
The bigger picture:
Pray for God to open doors for a pre-evangelistic event and other speaking engagements for Dr. Richard in correlation with GPA Paraguay late April/early May. Also pray for the next LifeRocks media outreach video (coming soon!) as well as a new LifeRocks blog to further encourage pre-Christians toward true peace.
Two other national GPAs take place this month, the Lord willing—Angola (now) and Panama (next week). The word from Angola is that it is raining continuously and pastors are trickling in slowly. Please ask the Lord to bring the right 25 pastors to each. Ask Him to protect them, provide for them, and encourage them deeply.
The RREACH board of directors also plans to meet in late April. “We are moving into some important strategic and tactical times,” Dr. Richard says. Please intercede for God’s direction in how he may “serve and lead RREACH’s upcoming season with divine effectiveness and human efficiencies.”
In approximately two months, we hope to welcome 25 fine, young pastoral leaders from 25 different countries to the 2018 Dallas GPA! So far, we have 17 with visas and 17 flights purchased. Thank you for praying. Please uphold Pastor F from Lithuania, Pastor S from DR Congo, and Pastors S and N from two Southeast Asian countries and their visa interviews next week.
Received: April 29, 2021
In his words: Ramesh Richard April 2018 update | April 5, 2018
Well, I must finally start … 2018. I needed to find a day to begin and Resurrection Sunday/April Fool’s Day provided a definite marker. Between grief and travel recovery (I actually slept two full nights on the 31st and 1st), I told Bonnie I’m beginning a new day, week, month and … year!
Last month blazed with a two-week, five-country, six-city presence and proclamation.
I count all Dallas Seminary opportunities a stewardship and ended my recent chapel talk there with a 1972 photo of two heroes of the Faith together, Billy Graham and John Richard. They both flew to heaven in February, much like they did on an Indian Airlines flight in 1965. Ongoing classroom involvement at DTS has been a wonderful outlet for me to personally proclaim God’s Word.
In Singapore, I roomed with a believer who had just lost his beloved Hindu mother. We grieved differently—with and without hope. He has hope for himself, but not for his mom; unlike myself with hope for both me and my dad. I so overlook biblical riches.
Two cities in India hosted the final services for my dad. The Lord empowered me for His glory, my father’s honor, the strengthening of believers, and Gospel advance through testimonies to an extraordinary life. I got to preach at a church in Chennai from which I have childhood memories of my father as a lay-leader and where I was spiritually shaped. That experience strangely strengthened my resolve to do all I can until I no longer can to serve Christ—like my dad.
I took an overnight flight to Hong Kong for pastoral calls—a couple fighting her cancer; a man fighting Parkinson’s; a man fighting his wife; a couple fighting his health challenge—caring for friends in life’s fights.
Finally I wrapped up with 40 hours in the Philippines with key encouragers, the head of the Philippines Council of Evangelical Churches (who has suggested a GProCongress Philippines), and a wedding, before a 36-hour journey home.
In the multiplying of proclaimers of God’s Word, RREACH accomplished the second GPA Zambia, since the first one in 2013 was mostly a failure. Also, GPA El Salvador graduated 19, who met at a beautiful place within 300 feet of a gang murder. God protects.
And God provides … through you … for me to carry on in proclamation and leadership into the rest of 2018. Our Lord has created time before and I am counting on him to do so again, or at least to compress 12 months into nine. Maybe I will get to share how next January. I intend to start the next year on time, the Lord willing. Thank you.
Received: April 29, 2021
A wave of Resurrection Day prayer! | March 29, 2018
Dear praying friends,
In brief:
Dr. Richard finally began the New Year!
In honor of Dr. Richard’s parents, we’re expanding our care for pastors’ families through The ENLARGE Fund.
The RREACH Ministries team prepares for a major project in Africa.
The Dallas GPA candidate-with-visa count grows to 16!
Above all…
The bigger picture:
Enjoy the view GPA El Salvador pastors had. In spite of gang violence in the area, God kept the pastors safe, and 19 graduated last week.
After the whirlwind of the last few of months, Dr. Richard finally found a couple of days for focused prayer and dedication to officially begin 2018. He now has nine months in which to execute 12 months of plans! Prayer support is priceless to him. Please keep on!
Ramesh has long carried a burden to strengthen pastoral leaders and their families, including widows and orphans, in situations of extreme poverty, social persecution and natural disaster. In honor of his dear parents, John and Manorama Richard, he is expanding RREACH efforts in that area with The ENLARGE Fund. Please pray for this endeavor to raise US$1 million this year.
RREACH Ministries team members meet this weekend, the Lord willing, to work toward a pastoral trainers congress in Africa. Much thought and effort have been given to this, and much more is anticipated. Ask God for His wisdom, protection and provision, and that He will use this meeting to strongly move the project forward.
Praise God -- we’re up to 16 Dallas GPA candidates with visas! Six represent new countries. We have purchased flights for 10 of them. Twelve more pastors are in the admissions process. Our goal is the right 25 young pastoral leaders to comprise the 2018 class.
Above all: HE IS RISEN!
Let’s create a wave of prayer and worship over the earth this Resurrection Day! From where the sun rises in the farthest East to where it sets in the farthest West, whenever and wherever your day begins, let us worship the Lord Jesus Christ and pray blessing forward on our brothers and sisters whose day is yet to begin. And let us pray for many more to trust Him!
From the rising of the sun to its setting the name of the Lord is to be praised. Psalm 113:3
Received: April 29, 2021
In his words: Ramesh Richard March 2018 update | March 22, 2018
Dear praying friends,
I do not know how to write a longer note this month, but not for lack of powerful activity. It just has been a personal blur caused by great earthly loss. My hero, my dad, John Richard, died 17 days short of his 95th birthday. And I have been balancing that reality with the need to continue serving God in Jesus’ name, and my father’s too! What a legacy he has left me.
He lived a full life—of faithfulness and fruitfulness—and now has begun to receive the reward for his earthly labors. I could not make it to be with him at his final earthly breath. Upon receiving the news, my first journal entry was simply: “I want to live like my father and die like my father!”
Two U.S. memorial services were conducted. God was glorified, my dad was honored, believers were strengthened and the Gospel was proclaimed. Several pre-Christian friends trusted Christ in Syracuse, New York. And our son Robby preached at his grandfather’s service in Dallas, Texas. Both brought immense joy to earth and heaven in the middle of grief.
Actually, the month began with me doing what my dad would have wanted me to do—addressing 300 some leaders from about 150+ missions agencies. Many leaders and organizations are part of his legacy. I spent four days of writing in a nice Middle Eastern hotel on a friend’s points, but also got to present the Gospel there at a private dinner for 25, where 10 responded with professions of embracing the Good News. Also, I started back in the classroom at Dallas Seminary after a five-year load-restructure around RREACH’s mega-project, the decade-long Global Proclamation Commission. Heavy and hearty follow-up continues deep and wide in pastoral training and biblical proclamation.
...balancing ideas with opportunities and resources with realities...
Two more memorial services for my dad also took place in India. I will write about them next time. You will benefit reading the outpouring of memories from across the world at www.rreach.org. And you are welcome to add your own. There would have been no RREACH without my dad. And RREACH would not continue without you.
I want to thank my family, board, staff and intercessors for your amazing support through the thick and thin of personal and ministry life. We are in the process of balancing ideas with opportunities and resources with realities. I thank you and need your ongoing help!
Received: April 29, 2021
Visits, visas and vision-casting | March 15, 2018
Dear praying friends,
In brief:
The Lord Jesus blessed Dr. Richard’s trip with deep connections and re-connections.
LifeRocks is getting an update to better engage pre-Christians.
We’re celebrating the completion of GPA Zambia and a 14th Dallas GPA candidate visa approved!
The GProCommission is developing connections across Latin America, Africa and the Middle East.
The bigger picture:
Dr. Richard is en route back to the U.S. after a swift, five-city trip through Singapore, India, Hong Kong and the Philippines. He visited long-time friends, made new friends, cast vision, spoke several times and participated in two memorial services for his dad. He reports that his heart and mind are beginning to adjust after the initial period of grieving. God is using your prayers and expressions of love to help the whole Richard family heal.
RREACH is migrating and updating LifeRocks, our Media Outreach website. Please pray for technological mercies! Also pray for the production and release of the newest LifeRocks video next month. Continue to intercede for more pre-Christians to think more clearly about the Lord Jesus Christ as they view and read our materials.
The fourth national GPA of 2018 is in session. Please ask God to watch over GPA El Salvador attendees and organizers and their families and ministries back home. Praise Him for the 28 young pastors who completed GPA Zambia (2) last week and ask His blessing on their ongoing ministry.
Also thank the Lord for a 14th Dallas GPA candidate who has received a visa. Sadly, another brother who applied this week was rejected. We are waiting to hear results from three others and praying for upcoming appointments for Pastors K from Togo (second attempt), K from Lesotho, and T from Myanmar.
On the GProCommission front, our colleague in Latin America is pursuing partnerships for Spanish pastoral training resources and a mentoring program. Our colleague in the Middle East plans to speak and cast vision at an upcoming conference. Our colleague in Europe is developing alliances with organizations in French-speaking Africa. Please pray for these and for ongoing provision and protection of colleagues and pastoral trainers in all areas.
Thank you!