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
So that many more will come to know | February 9, 2017
Dear praying friends,
In brief:
Rev. Dr. D. John Richard, Dr. Ramesh Richard’s father, has been called to glory.
Our book shipment arrived in time for GPA St. Lucia. The pastors are now heading home.
National GPAs are coming up in Zambia, Laos, El Salvador and Central African Republic.
We’re updating LifeRocks, our Media Outreach initiative.
Eight Dallas GPA 2018 candidates have visas! Three have appointments soon.
GProCommission is mapping out how to best use social media to serve pastoral trainers.
The bigger picture:
Dr. Richard and all the family of John Richard appreciate your care during this fresh time of grieving. Dallas services are scheduled for Saturday, February 17, 2018. An India service is being planned for March. Please see https://rreach.org/rev-dr-d-john-richard for details, an obituary, and some precious testimonies of how the Lord used John Richard to influence many worldwide for Him. Pray that his legacy will strengthen across time and geography so that many more will come to know the Lord Jesus.
We asked you to pray for a shipment of books for the pastors attending GPA St. Lucia. They arrived this week! Praise God. Pray for the group as they graduate and return home. Pray for preparations for national GPAs beginning in March: Zambia (2), Laos, El Salvador and Central African Republic. Also lift up preparations for many more coming throughout the year.
We’re revising the look and feel of LifeRocks, our Media Outreach initiative. Thank God for the many who have been exposed to the Lord Jesus through this platform! Pray for direction in the details so the message can go out effectively. Ask the Lord to continue drawing people—both previous and new contacts—to Himself through LifeRocks.
God has provided eight pastors visas to attend the Dallas GPA this summer! We thank Him. Pastor A from an undisclosed country had his appointment and is waiting for a final decision. Pastors I from Rwanda, B from Ethiopia, and M from Mauritius have appointments next week. Please pray.
GProCommission is developing a holistic social media strategy for connecting, uniting and strengthening pastoral trainers. Thank the Lord for this tool and intercede that we will employ it wisely.
Received: April 29, 2021
Updated: D. John Richard memorial service information | February 5, 2018
D. John Richard
(February 20, 1923 – February 3, 2018)
A graveside service begins at 3 p.m. (with a viewing open at 2:30 p.m.) on Saturday, February 17, at the Chapel of Hughes Family Tribute Center, 9700 Webb Chapel Road, Dallas, TX 75220 (https://www.hughescrownhill.com/directions). A memorial service with reception follows at 5 p.m. at Northrich Baptist Church, 1101 Custer Road, Richardson, TX 75080 (http://www.northrich.org/overview/). A celebration for the life of Rev. Dr. D. John Richard in India is also anticipated. Details will be announced soon.
Memorial gifts to honor this bond servant of the Most High One may be made to International Friendship Evangelism, which ministers to international students primarily at Syracuse University (www.friendshipevangelism.org), to Action International, which evangelizes, disciples and develops primarily underprivileged people in urban areas (www.actioninternational.org), and/or to RREACH, a global proclamation ministry which evangelizes leaders and strengthens pastors to reach large numbers of individuals worldwide (www.rreach.org).
Rev. Dr. John Richard’s family is deeply grateful for the outpouring of love, memories and prayers from all over the world at this important time.
Received: April 29, 2021
My hero, my dad | February 3, 2018
Dear praying friends,
My hero, my dad, D. John Richard, just entered heaven to receive his eternal reward for a full life and fruitful labors (Saturday, February 3, 2018), just 17 days shy of his 95th birthday. It happened very fast. He fell last Sunday, and five times since then. We're grateful and sad.
I'm headed to Syracuse...just arrived in Dallas last night after 16 nights away. I wrote memories of him on my 15+ hour flight home, having just talked the exact streets and places of youthful life with him.
Please pray for all of us. We have our Christ's Resurrection hope for His believers-followers...or we would be of all people most miserable!
I borrow from John 1:6: "There was a man sent from God. His name was John."
Warmly,
ramesh richard
Received: April 29, 2021
Follow-up, fruitfulness, family | February 2, 2018
Dear praying friends,
The brief:
Dr. Richard’s ministry in two difficult countries was fruitful
Five Dallas GPA candidates now have visas; 23 others will be applying/reapplying
Dr. John Richard (95), Dr. Richard’s father, is ill
GPA St. Lucia is in progress
High-level security issues forced the cancellation of a national GPA
The bigger picture:
Dr. Richard’s meeting with friends of friends in a restricted area led to good discussion and ongoing interest. He also had a somewhat impromptu opportunity to speak with young entrepreneurs. Praise God and pray for good follow-up and transformed lives.
We thank God for five Dallas GPA candidates with visas. Five have been declined, although four plan to reapply. Pray for the pastor wrestling with the disappointment of not being able to come. Also pray for these pastors with upcoming appointments: T, Cameroon; K, Liberia; E, Brazil; S, Gabon; A, undisclosed.
Dr. John Richard (95), Dr. Richard’s father and “spiritual hero,” is having health issues. Please ask the Lord to watch over him and guide the family in caring for him.
GPA St. Lucia began February 1. Pray that the young pastors attending will be specially connected, united and strengthened. Also pray that a shipment of books they need will arrive in time.
The international events team is aiming for 25 national GPAs this year—a large undertaking. Pray for new ways to establish connections for national GPAs. One scheduled for pastors from a closed country had to be cancelled because of high-level security issues. Please pray for the brothers and sisters courageously proclaiming the Lord Jesus there.
For the very best…of many…everywhere.
Received: April 29, 2021
Still writing...keep praying | January 25, 2018
Dear praying friends,
Dr. Richard appreciates your ongoing prayer for his writing time. He hopes to get in some productive hours today and next week, with a break in between for speaking engagements. Please pray that the Lord will block internal and external distractions (which seem to multiply inopportunely!) and grant him insight and progress.
A get-together in the next few days offers Dr. Richard the chance to meet new friends and talk about life. Pray that this will be an extraordinary time of fellowship and open the door to lasting relationships. Pray, too, for his time speaking to missions leaders in a country with escalating challenges yet enormous potential.
The GProCommission team continues to labor industriously. Lift up the GProCentral arm, 11 dedicated colleagues located across eight time zones who speak a cumulative 20 languages. They make about 2,100 calls/emails/messages each month to encourage pastoral trainers in over 68 countries, as well as assist with GProCommission material translation.
For the 2018 Dallas GPA, we’ve now accepted 24 pastors, seven from new countries! We’re waiting to hear the results of two visa interviews and praying over five more coming up for R from St. Kitts and Nevis, D from Niger, E from Angola, L from Lesotho, and M from Burkina Faso.
Thank you for praying with and for us!