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
Praises from across Africa | December 2, 2014
Dear Praying Friends,
Thank you for praying Dr. Richard across Malawi, South Africa, Uganda and Ethiopia over the past two weeks. Here are a few photos from Uganda for you to enjoy.
Dr. Richard, Robby Richard and four of our Dallas GPA grads who minister in Uganda
The Lord willing, Dr. Richard will arrive back in Dallas today. He has a busy schedule coming up.
Please pray for:
The RREACH Board meetings this week
Dr. Richard's two speaking engagements and trips (within the U.S.) next week
Several special gatherings with long-time and new-to-RREACH friends
Received: April 29, 2021
"We have learned a new thing...": praise/prayer update from Africa | November 25, 2014
Dear Praying Friends,
Praise: GPA Mali accomplished!
Against earthly odds, 21 pastors graduated from GPA Mali last week. Master Coach Pastor MN reported,
It was a new experience which challenged us in a new way. We have learned a new thing to trust God more in hard situations. The world news highlights on Mali: Ebola, Jihaddists, etc., and not enough attendees in the first three days, really shook us. If it were not for Christ's sake we could have decided otherwise. But now, we have joy and thanksgiving in our heart. As Paul said, 'We have kept the faith,' and RREACH has shown how much it cares for the Church of Christ, for it could have cancelled the Mali national GPA."
"We are thankful to God for His grace, care, protection and provision throughout the whole GPA Mali.
Dr. Richard's Journey Through Africa
Dr. Richard is grateful for the prayers sustaining him through less-than-ideal circumstances when he first reached Africa. His hosts' warm spirits blessed him through a busy first few days in Malawi and South Africa. Please continue to intercede for him as he heads, the Lord willing, into a large pastors conference and evangelistic events in Uganda, as well as GProCongress vision-casting gatherings with leaders in Uganda and Ethiopia. Also pray for organizers and attendees.
Thank you for praying!
Received: April 29, 2021
Connecting, uniting, strengthening brothers and sisters in Africa | November 21, 2014
Dear Praying Friends,
Connecting, uniting, strengthening brothers and sisters in Africa
Thanks for praying for my bags to arrive...they did, with everything intact. I don't have to borrow shirt and socks anymore!
Dr. Richard just sent the above message from Lilongwe, Malawi, where he is casting vision for the GProCongress for Pastoral Trainers, speaking at an apologetics conference and giving two Sunday morning messages. He left for Malawi three days ago, arriving after 37 hours of travel to multiple vehicle breakdowns, a long stretch without water, no electrical power, no Internet connection and no luggage. Flights only go to Malawi once every 24 hours, so he was praying for his bags to arrive on the next one. We praise God they did, and without a thing missing!
Malawi is the first of four countries on Dr. Richard’s itinerary. The Lord willing, he will meet with leaders in South Africa, Ethiopia and Uganda regarding the GProCongress, as well as speak at a large pastors conference and evangelistic event in Uganda.
Indeed, thank you for praying, and please continue to pray for:
Health and safety
Strong mobilization for the GProCongress for Pastoral Trainers
Physical, mental, emotional and spiritual empowerment as Dr. Richard prepares for a grueling set of engagements upon his return from ministering in Africa
The Richard family as this will be Dr. Richard’s first time away from home over Thanksgiving in 38 years
Behind the scenes: RREACH Board and Staff
Please pray for RREACH’s dedicated board of directors and staff. When ministry intensity increases for Dr. Richard, it increases for the entire RREACH team. We need the Lord’s wisdom, creativity and sustaining power to serve with excellence and efficiency. Pray for our continued growth in those areas and in encouraging one another.
GPA Mali
The Lord answering prayers for GPA Mali
Pastor MS, MO and MN
The Lord is graciously hearing our prayers for the national GPA in Mali! Twenty-one of the 25 young lead pastors recruited to attend made the trip despite poverty, peril, impeded travel and a sudden Ebola outbreak. Organizing pastor MO, Dallas GPA 2007 grad, traveled more than 1,000 miles and used only his phone—not a computer—to pull the event together. In spite of the difficulties in Mali, Dallas GPA grads Pastor MS from Togo (2013) and Pastor MN from Burundi (2012) joined him to run the GPA. “I am very grateful for this opportunity to serve pastors in Mali,” MS said. Please ask the Lord for a powerful finish to the GPA this weekend and for His ongoing provision and protection as all return to their families and ministries.
Received: April 29, 2021
A moment for praise | October 24, 2014
Dear friends,
Thank you for your continued prayer for Dr. Richard and RREACH. Please take a moment to share in our praise for the many ministry opportunities God has blessed us with over the last month.
Personal Proclamation
Brazil: The Lord answered our prayers for Dr. Richard’s trip to Brazil in a mighty way. About 100 people, 50 percent non-believers, gathered for the evangelistic event, at which Dr. Richard’s talk was translated by our 2014 Dallas GPA grad from Brazil, Pastor N. Sixty people turned in response cards, with 30 of them indicating they had decided to trust the Lord Jesus Christ. A Palestinian attendee said this was the first time he had enjoyed hearing about Jesus.
Greece: We praise God for a recent opportunity for Dr. Richard to travel to Greece—his first time in this land of significant Christian history—where he had the opportunity to encourage Campus Crusade for Christ Global Operations Conference attendees. While visiting Mars Hill, the site where the Apostle Paul proclaimed the Lord Jesus Christ to the very religious (but pagan) people of Athens, Dr. Richard was asked by the tour guide to speak briefly and pray. It was a moving experience for this servant, whom God has gifted and called to proclaim the Lord Jesus.
Ministry Training:
Global Proclamation Congress for Pastoral Trainers: Praise the Lord, RREACH has confirmed the venue for the 2016 GProCongress. The event will take place at the world-class IMPACT Center outside of Bangkok.
The Congress seed team met in September to discuss logistics and program issues, and is meeting today and tomorrow to focus on recruitment and program. Please continue to pray for excellent communication, creativity and efficient execution of tasks toward the Congress.
Also praise the Lord for key GProCongress connections He provided during Dr. Richard's trips to Brazil and Greece, as well as during quick stops in London and Vienna while traveling to and from Greece.
Dr. Richard also has been invited to present the Congress to the Global Alliance for Church Multiplication gathering in San Diego, California. The GACX is working to facilitate the planting of 5 million churches by 2020—but up to 70 percent of church plants fail. They need adequately trained pastors, and RREACH’s GProCommission vision to connect, unite and strengthen 100,000 pastoral leaders by 2020, for which the GProCongress for Pastoral Trainers is a key catalyst, will help meet that need.
National GPAs: Twenty-four pastors from around the country attended GPA Botswana last month, most of them very young, which was to be expected given that the evangelical community in Botswana is only 20-30 years old. Pastor B, a Dallas GPA grad who organized GPA Botswana, was, for example, elected head of the Evangelical Fellowship of Botswana at age 28.
GPA Botswana attendees
Attendees were especially diligent in their studies, which bore fruit during the graduation ceremony when one attendee preached a sermon that "blew us all away," according to a RREACH staff member who attended.
2015 Dallas GPA: We have begun accepting applications to the 2015 Dallas GPA. Please pray for more applicants from countries never before represented at a Dallas GPA, as well as an increase in qualified applicants and additional response from our referees.
Media Outreach:
Dr. Richard is beginning work on his 2015 Media Outreach messages. Although the platform has changed, this is RREACH's 16th year undertaking an effort to use the power of media to share the good news of the Lord Jesus Christ.
For the last couple of years, RREACH has harnessed the reach and power of social media to share this message. Visitors to RREACH's LifeRocks Facebook page (which has garnered 545,000-plus "likes") are driven to our program-specific www.LifeRocks.org website where they can watch a pre-evangelistic message by Dr. Richard, register for more information and connect with our follow-up evangelism team.
For His glory,
Edie Ross
Prayer Coordinator
Received: April 29, 2021
"Blessings from Botswana where the Lions Roar!" | September 19, 2014
Dear friends,
Thank you for continuing to pray for Dr. Richard and RREACH. Please join us in praising God for an update to this request.
GPA Botswana:
GPA Botswana began yesterday with 21 pastors under age 39. Organizers are hoping a few additional pastors will arrive today.
Please pray:
For these pastors to be connected, united and strengthened over the next 10 days.
For organizers and RREACH national GPA staff who anticipate a few challenges—the host will have limited availability, as he is running for office and has a busy schedule.
For Pastor R from South Africa and Pastor N from Swaziland, who are traveling to help (Pastor N is even spending his own money to attend!) Praise the Lord for these faithful friends, generous with both their time and money.
For Rajiv Richard, National GPA coordinator, who is at GPA Botswana and keeping us updated on prayer requests. (He sent us the blessing that entitles this post!)
GPA Togo:
GPA Togo came to a close on Sept. 6.
GPA Togo participants
According to organizers, the participants were "challenged far beyond their expectations." Organizers said participants were particularly interested in Scripture Sculpture as a "new and exceptional method of expository preaching."
One participant said "We never have had such a conference in Togo," and organizers reported that many of the delegates have requested for GPA Togo to be a yearly occurrence. (RREACH helps with the cost of the first National GPA in each country. Several countries, including Venezuela, Liberia and Uganda, hosted subsequent events of various sizes at their own cost! Pray that GPA Togo could be added to this list.)
Please continue to pray for those who attended GPA Togo - that the skills and connections acquired during the GPA will bear fruit in their ministries.
For His glory,
Edie Ross
prayer coordinator