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
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!
Received: April 29, 2021
For more and better proclamation | March 9, 2018
Dear praying friends,
In brief:
Ramesh Richard has two memorial services for his dad in India this weekend.
The latest Dallas Global Proclamation Academy candidates applying for visas were rejected.
GPA Zambia wraps up this week; GPA El Salvador is coming.
The GProCommission team is sourcing pastoral training content for updates and blogs.
The bigger picture:
Dr. Richard is to participate in memorial services for his dad this weekend in Delhi and Chennai, India. Please continue to intercede for the Richard family. Also intercede that many will embrace the Good News proclaimed at these services.
Two Dallas GPA candidates were denied visas this week. Strong prayer is still needed on every applicant’s behalf. Pastors scheduled for interviews next week include M – Haiti, J – Vanuatu, S – Gabon, and M – Burkina Faso. We’re also beginning to search for airline tickets. Please pray for good itineraries at the best possible prices.
Zambian pastors studying how to preach an expository sermon.
The second national GPA held in Zambia finishes this week. Thank God for the 28 young pastoral delegates and ask Him to further connect, unite and strengthen them as they get back into the daily demands of ministry and life. GPA El Salvador is coming March 18. We pray for God’s Word to be proclaimed more and better in every reach of the globe as a result of national GPAs.
The GProCommission team is always on the lookout for high quality, engaging pastoral training material that is applicable across many cultures and contexts. Pray that God will alert us to such resources. Pray, too, for more pastoral trainers to become connected, united and strengthened through our efforts.
Received: April 29, 2021
Halfway, underway, upcoming | March 1, 2018
Dear praying friends,
In brief:
We are now halfway—13 Dallas GPA candidates have visas!
GProLearning.org now features 5,667 curated pastoral training resources in 13 languages.
GPA Zambia 2 is underway.
Ramesh Richard speaks in DTS chapel Friday, March 2, and has an upcoming four-country, five-city trip through Asia.
The bigger picture:
We praise God for the progress in pastors obtaining travel visas to attend the Dallas GPA this summer. Please keep on praying. Pray that those who have been rejected will have peace despite the great disappointment and clear guidance about reapplying. Pray for Pastors D from Niger and N from Indonesia, who have appointments March 7. And pray for the GPA team working tirelessly behind the scenes.
We’re excited about the growing library of curated pastoral training resources at GProLearning.org. Please ask God to lead us to many more excellent materials in many languages, and for volunteers who can help curate non-English language resources. Also continue to lift up GProCentral colleagues as they learn a new process of tracking activity. Pray that this will improve how we serve pastoral trainers even in the remotest areas of the world.
A national GPA is just beginning in Zambia. Thank God for all the effort put into it. Ask Him to bless them with the right 25 delegates, wisdom in managing details, and transformation for the Church in Zambia. Please ask these blessings over upcoming national GPAs scheduled for El Salvador, Panama, Paraguay, Chile and in an undisclosed region.
Dr. Richard is set to visit five cities in four Asian countries over the next two weeks. We’re so grateful for the travel mercies God has granted him. Pray for continued protection over him and his family as he travels. Pray for his appointments to be productive. Especially remember him as he prepares for two memorial services in India in honor of his dad.
Finally, Dr. Richard is to speak at the DTS chapel service on Friday, March 2. If you’re in the Dallas area and wish to attend, let us know. Thank the Lord for this opportunity and request His hand to be on Ramesh as he prepares and speaks. Thank you!
Received: April 29, 2021
Balancing needs and realities | February 22, 2018
Dear praying friends,
In brief:
A pre-Christian couple who attended an event with Dr. Richard has requested Bibles from the believing friends who invited them.
Ten pastors now have visas to attend the 2018 Dallas GPA! Four more have interviews next week.
GPA Zambia starts March 1; GPA Laos March 8.
Ramesh Richard is scheduled to speak at the DTS chapel service Friday, March 2.
The bigger picture:
Just a few weeks ago Dr. Richard talked with a group of pre-Christians in a closed country. He got word from the organizers this week that “by God’s Grace we were able to give two Bibles to two of my colleagues, on their request.” Praise be to the Lord! Please keep praying for these and many others newly exposed to the Lord Jesus.
Another praise: Ten pastors are now visa-approved for the Dallas GPA! Of the pastors who had interviews this week, one was approved, one denied, and one we have not yet heard from. Four more visa interviews are scheduled next week: Pastor M – Senegal, Pastor N – Pakistan, Pastor S – Tanzania, and Pastor J – Bolivia.
GPA Zambia (2) starts Thursday, March 1, the Lord willing, with GPA Laos following on March 8. Each national gathering is precious to attendees and strategic to effectively proclaiming the Lord Jesus to large numbers of individuals. Ask God to bring the right 25 pastors to each, to protect all involved, and to connect, unite and strengthen them for His glory.
Friday, March 2, Dr. Richard is scheduled to speak at the Dallas Seminary chapel service. Please pray for God’s hand to be on him. As many have kindly advised, the process of grieving his dad’s passing will take time. Yet, he also hears his dad's voice in his head and heart citing John 9:4, "Night comes when no man can work." Pray for wisdom, peace, energy and patience in balancing needs and realities.
Received: April 29, 2021
A legacy of love and proclamation | February 16, 2018
Dear praying friends,
Ramesh Richard with his dad, John Richard, in 2015
In brief:
The Richard family is gathering for John Richard’s memorial services in Dallas this weekend.
Dallas GPA visa count: 9. Four pastors are from new countries! Several more pastors, however, have been denied.
Dr. Richard is preparing for an international ministry trip in March.
The GProCommission team is looking for more GProCentral colleagues, i.e. teammates who personally connect with pastoral trainers and leaders.
The bigger picture:
Dallas services for Ramesh Richard’s father are scheduled for Saturday, February 17. A service in Delhi, India, is set for Saturday, March 10. Please continue to pray for the family. And pray that God will extend John Richard's legacy of love for the Lord Jesus Christ and passion for spreading His Word, to His glory.
Three Dallas GPA candidates have visa appointments next week: N from Bangladesh, C from Burundi, and S from DR Congo. Pray that they will be able to join the nine already approved, four from the new countries of Gambia, Macedonia, Mauritius, and St. Kitts and Nevis. Seventeen additional pastors are still in pre-visa application stages. Pray for the Lord’s direction and provision as they and we work through the process.
Please ask God to lead clearly as Dr. Richard plans a March trip to South East Asia. Ask for the right ministry opportunities to mature and for Dr. Richard’s capacity for scheduled and impromptu ministry moments while adjusting to the earthly loss of his dad.
GProCommission colleagues actively connect with pastoral trainers and leaders to encourage and network them in their ministries. These regional teammates are a critical element of our strategy to strengthen pastoral trainers to produce 100,000 better trained pastors by 2020. Colleagues are especially needed in South East Asia. Pray for the Lord to bring the right people on board.
Thank you so much.