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!
Monthly Prayer Calendar
For brief daily prayer points, click here for our monthly calendar.
Prayer Updates
Dallas GPA: June 6 | June 6, 2014
Dear friends,
Praise the Lord, six of our 2014 Dallas GPA delegates have safely arrived and we are expecting 19 more today.
Please pray for the Dallas GPA, including:
Continue to pray that all of the GPA pastors will have safe travels, ease going through customs, no flight delays/changes, no missed transfers and that their luggage will arrive in Dallas. Also, please pray that the pastors enjoy good rest while on the plane and a quick recovery from jet lag.
Pray that each airport pickup goes smoothly.
Pray against any logistical issues related to housing at Dallas Theological Seminary.
Pray that each of the pastors will acclimate to their new surroundings, such as their new bed, roommates, food, and routine.
Pray that all of the pastors will connect and bond with their classmates and that lifelong personal friendships and ministry networking relationships begin upon arrival.
Thank the Lord for our partnership with Dallas Theological Seminary, as they house, feed and care for the pastors. Pray for the seminary staff as they have extra responsibilities during the GPA.
Pray that all the work taking place behind the scenes to make the GPA successful goes smoothly.
Pray for the RREACH staff and that they stay healthy and safe during the GPA.
Continue to pray for protection over all equipment being used for the GPA/RREACH.
Pray for all graduation banquet logistics, the program preparation and for Dr. Richard as he finishes up his banquet talk.
Pray that the pastors will dedicate this time to God and His will for their lives.
Pray that the pastors will seek to serve the other pastors, working together as the body of Christ.
Pray that God will be glorified throughout the 2014 GPA.
For His glory,
Edie Ross
prayer coordinator
Received: April 29, 2021
Meet the 2014 Dallas GPA delegates | June 3, 2014
Dear friends,
Thank you for your continued prayer for Dr. Richard and RREACH! Over the next three weeks we will have many GPA-related prayer requests to share with you. Today, we'd like to help you get to know the pastors.
The Lord has provided 25 fine, young lead pastors from 25 countries, including four never represented before at a Dallas GPA (Bhutan, Cambodia, Nicaragua and Angola.
RREACH staff and Dr. Richard have been in contact with these pastors over the last few months and are eagerly awaiting their arrival. Correspondence with this group has been encouraging and also enlightening to us, and we wanted to share a few of their notes with you.
"It has already been a challenging time for us just preparing to honor the dedication we feel you and all the GPA team has for serving us with a Christ-like heart and attitude. We appreciate that very much. Please, know in Christ that you and all the GPA team and efforts have been in our hearts and prayers daily. I believe it won't stop even after the GPA June, 2014 happens. I feel, as I think you dreamed in the beginning, as we are like the Family of God Christ intended the Church to be. Dreaming, praying and acting together for the Glory of the Father." - Pastor N, Brazil
"I live in community where there is no electricity. I need to pay to get my laptop charged and some times even though I have the money they are not ready to charge it, so some time even though I would like do something very quick it takes me time. I have a lot to do and I praise the Lord for having lots to do for His glory." -Pastor A, Haiti (writing about his delay in sending needed information)
"Sometimes I feel a bit anxious as I think of this trip. I cannot wait to come. It is going to be one of the longest trips I have ever had. It will be my first time to be in the USA. You can just imagine. It is going to be an experience. I am always praying for the GPA team and for a fruitful experience." -Pastor J, Zimbabwe
Please pray for the delegates:
That all of the GPA pastors will have safe travels, ease going through customs, no flight delays, no missed transfers and that their luggage will arrive in Dallas. Also, please pray that the pastors enjoy good rest while on the plane and a quick recovery from jet lag. Pray that each airport pickup goes smoothly.
That the pastors' spouses, children and families are safe and well taken care of during this extended time away. Pray that each of the pastors will be able to contact their spouses after arriving in Dallas.
Please pray for Dallas GPA preparations:
For Dallas Theological Seminary as they finalize rooms, classrooms and menus in preparation for the arrival of the pastors.
For RREACH staff as we welcome the pastors to Dallas and the United States, that we can meet their needs and assist them as they begin their three-week GPA stay.
Please pray for Dr. Richard:
That God would use him as he welcomes and leads the ninth class of the Dallas GPA.
For time, clarity of thought and creativity for him and the other Master Coaches as they prepare their lessons for the Dallas GPA.
For God to supply him the energy he needs during the three-week Dallas GPA.
For His glory,
Edie Ross
Prayer coordinator
Received: April 29, 2021
Urgent: Brazil visa needed | June 2, 2014
Dear friends,
Please join us in praying for this urgent request below, received from Dr. Richard this morning. Dr. Richard has traveled to Sao Paulo, Brazil to attend the Lausanne Consultation II: Towards Biblical Partnership in Global Theological Education. He is to speak at the consultation and is co-leading a session on "effective partnership that links formal and non-formal education models." However, upon arrival he learned that he needs a visa to enter the country.
Dear everyone:
Unless the Lord wanted RREACH to spend His money and my energy/time in this apparent waste, I am hoping against hope for a hurriedly granted, temporary visa into Brazil in the next few hours.
I took the overnight flight to Sao Paulo. Immigration did not permit me into the country since I didn’t have a visa. The last time I came to Brazil, I did not need one….relations with the U.S. were better and there was reciprocity between the countries. This matter should have been checked.
The airline should not have let me on the flight without a valid visa. They have already paid a fine for flying me to Brazil, and let me know that this happens every day! My flight to Dallas is at 9pm tonight. Friends are working with the one government branch to see if an authorization can be granted today, but they are reputed to be bureaucratic.
Humanly speaking, it is critical for the 2016 Global Proclamation Congress for Pastoral Trainers that I be at this event of the most influential theological educators in the world. On the other hand, God might be making me irrelevant to its success. I simply consider this as part of the kind of challenges we shall face in this next season. But I will labor, striving with His mighty power that works within me (Col. 1:29).
Would you pray that the Lord would open the way to get in? And that I would use the day well regardless.
Travel tired, but basically thankful,
rr
Thank you for joining us in prayer on this important matter. We will update the blog as we hear from Dr. Richard.
For His glory,
Edie Ross
prayer coordinator
Received: April 29, 2021
Notes from the pastors | May 27, 2014
Dear friends,
Thank you for continuing to pray for Dr. Richard and RREACH. As we prepare for the 2014 Dallas GPA here at the RREACH headquarters, other RREACH ministries are being carried out by Dallas GPA graduates around the world.
On Sunday, GPA Rwanda came to a close. We are awaiting a final report, but heard from one of the organizers (Pastor JB, a 2014 Dallas GPA graduate) that 30 young pastors were in attendance.
Pastors were connected and united by sharing their testimonies, visiting area churches together and even through friendly games of volleyball. They also were strengthened by lessons on expository preaching using Dr. Richard's Scripture Sculpture method.
All of the National GPAs are special, but this one was a great encouragement to us as it included a man we have longed to see. Right before GPA Rwanda began, we received a note from Pastor I from Rwanda, who was accepted as a 2014 Dallas GPA delegate, but was denied his visa and therefore unable to attend.
I once again want to thank you for following up with me even when my visa application was rejected. Yesterday, I received a call from Dallas referring me to the national GPA here and I immediately contacted Pastor E and Pastor JB. So, it's my pleasure to inform you that I will be able to attend the national GPA here in Kigali starting today. As we are still praying for each other, may God bless you abundantly. In his service, Pastor I.
Pastor I (Right) and Rajiv Richard at GPA Rwanda
Please continue to pray for Pastor I and all of the GPA Rwanda delegates as they take the training they received back to their home churches and villages.
Dallas GPA
Thank you for continuing to pray for the pastors attending the Dallas GPA. As you know, Pastor A from Syria was selected and obtained his visa, but was waiting to receive his passport. He wrote recently to let us know that, because of elections there, he does not believe he will receive it in time. He said this:
I do believe that our Almighty God is able to do miracles. But, on the other hand I know there are many arrangements you have to do, that's why I thought to apologize, although my coming would add a lot to my life and ministry as well.
My church and I were so encouraged and personally I was interested and waiting to be part of GPA 2014 with high expectations...
Will be praying for you all and for GPA 2014. Please keep holding me on your prayers.
Please also continue to pray for *25 2014 Dallas GPA delegates who will be joining us, the Lord willing, in Dallas in just under two weeks! Stay tuned for a closer look at who we are expecting to join us this year.
For His glory,
Edie Ross
Prayer Coordinator
*Pastors with secured visas represent the following countries: Angola, Bangladesh, Brazil, Bhutan, Burkina Faso, Cambodia, Cuba, Dominican Republic, Fiji, Haiti, Hungary, Indonesia, Lebanon, Liberia, Mexico, Mozambique, Myanmar, Nepal, Nicaragua, Pakistan, Tajikistan, Tanzania, Togo, Trinidad and Zimbabwe.
Received: April 29, 2021
GPAs: From Myanmar to Dallas | May 14, 2014
Dear friends,
Thank you for your continued prayer for Dr. Richard and RREACH! We have exciting updates to share with you today.
GPA Myanmar:
GPA Myanmar brought together 31 young pastors from different regions, different denominations, and most of the different major ethnic groups. For 10 days they ate, studied and played together near the ancient city of Bago, Myanmar.
The pastors braved 100-plus degree heat and extremely humid conditions to sit in the classrooms and learn from our five Dallas GPA grads and Master Coaches. It was the first time that many had been to that part of Myanmar (about 50 miles from the capital city of Yangon).
The country only recently opened its doors (2011), and economic growth and development in the country has exploded. This has brought new challenges for the church in Myanmar, and the GPA Myanmar cohort will now be able to face them together. Several of the pastors mentioned that this GPA will be an event that will have an impact in shaping the Christian landscape in Myanmar throughout the next few decades and beyond!
Dallas GPA:
Our 26th pastor has received his visa. Pastor P from Indonesia received his passport at the end of April, completing our 2014 Dallas GPA class! Praise the Lord.
Unfortunately, Pastor I from Rwanda was unable to obtain his visa. Please pray for him.
Please also continue to pray for Pastor A from Syria. He has obtained his visa, but had to reapply for a passport. The Syrian government has granted his passport, but he has not yet received it from them.
For His glory,
Edie Ross
Prayer coordinator