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
Connect, unite, strengthen | December 2, 2013
Dear Friends,
GPA Mexico, Nov. 7-16 , was a huge success, and we are happy to share some praises and pictures with you!
RREACH staff who attended GPA Mexico called it one of the best-organized national GPAs with some of the highest caliber pastors. Although only 21 pastors attended (four who had committed were unable to come), RREACH staff members were pleased to see the delegates were younger - many under age 30 and most under age 35.
Attending pastors represented churches of various sizes (from 35 members to 1,000 members) and different denominations. They traveled to GPA Mexico from all over the country, some riding buses for 10 to 12 hours just to attend.
"Many of the pastors are missions oriented, both internationally and locally, and several had faced harsh persecution in some of the villages where they minister," said RREACH special projects coordinator Robby Richard, who attended GPA Mexico, adding that some had been threatened with stoning or being burned alive. "We had a session from an organization that currently is in Mexico with the express purpose of stopping religious persecution."
Because of Mexico's cultural diversity, including many different indigenous tribes, Bible translation was another important topic for GPA Mexico delegates. For example, Pastor Rolando (Dallas GPA 2011 grad and GPA Mexico organizer) teaches and preaches in Zapoteco and has only the New Testament in his language. Wycliffe Bible translators taught on that issue at GPA Mexico.
National GPAs are intentionally designed to combine training and fellowship. Delegates are strengthened by training that revolves around pastors’ weekly and primary felt-need for effective preaching undergirded by their basic, daily need of a vibrant biblical spirituality.
At GPA Mexico, one pastor remarked "GPA Mexico has changed totally my vision to the work of God, it has refreshed it and has given me a worldwide and eternal vision..."
GPA Mexico pastors playing soccer
To connect and unite pastors, national GPAs are designed to keep pastors in near constant fellowship with each other - over meal time, through team-building activities and even in intentional room assignments. Ultimately, pastors are connected to each other and therefore peer-nourished. Christ’s church is unified where denominational and personality differences might have, in the past, caused dissension.
One GPA Mexico delegate commented, "Praise the Lord for RREACH and GPA. Thanks to God that I was elected to participate and have now a network that will be with me during the next 30 years. Now I am not alone."
Please continue to pray for GPA Mexico delegates as they carry on in their ministries. Pray that the training and friendships they received at GPA Mexico would undergird their pastoral health and that they would multiply the training by sharing it with other pastors.
Also, please pray for GPA Ghana delegates, who just finished up their national GPA. More on that to come!
For His glory,
Edie Ross
prayer coordinator
Received: April 29, 2021
"Whoa! Did you get all that?" - a fellow traveler's thoughts on Africa | November 12, 2013
Dear friends,
Thank you for continuing to pray for Dr. Richard and RREACH. We have much to praise God for, and much to continue to lift up in prayer.
Three friends of RREACH accompanied Dr. Richard on his travels to Africa, including board member Shelby Barnette and Sherman, Texas couple Jeremy and Sherry Knight. Jeremy Knight wrote to friends and family, compiling some of his thoughts on the trip. He graciously shared that report with RREACH, and we'd like to share it with you.
We hope you'll join us in praising God for His work through Dr. Richard and RREACH as you hear about it through the eyes of a fellow traveler.
One highlight was witnessing the pastors who previously attended a Dallas GPA facilitate and serve as peer coaches at a national GPA, teaching 25 to 30 of their fellow pastors in both South Africa and Zambia. Man did these guys hit it out of the park!
I realized that these were the 35th and 36th national GPAs conducted as a result of Dallas GPA graduates fulfilling their challenge to "take it back and pass it on," and that these national GPAs represent close to 1,000 pastors trained in the last four years. What's more, each of those 1,000 pastors represent another 10 to 25 pastors in their circle of influence.
RREACH, Lord willing, will plan national GPAs in 136 countries before the end of the decade. There also is a massive congress (the Global Pastoral Trainers Congress) planned in Manila, Philippines in early 2016.
Whoa! Did you get all that??
This doesn't even scratch the surface in defining the "Only God"-possible multiplication factor we witnessed. I must trust the Holy Spirit to allow the reality of this to soak in, as we also struggle to digest God's incomprehensible outreach and love for humanity.
Captain and Mrs. Knight also were able to witness Dr. Richard's efforts to reach opinion leaders with the gospel, which they described as another trip highlight.
Please join us in praying for both national GPAs and the upcoming Global Pastoral Trainers Congress. Stay tuned for more information on both.
For His glory,
Edie Ross
prayer coordinator
Received: April 29, 2021
An update on Africa, full report to come | October 24, 2013
Dear friends,
Thank you all for your prayers for Dr. Richard's trip to Africa. We learned this morning that Dr. Richard has safely landed in Dallas. Praise the Lord!
Dr. Richard reported that he was not able to meet with the president of Zambia, but did meet the chief political officer, who introduced himself as a born-again Christian!
Dr. Richard also asked us to join him in praising God that both the national television and national radio interviews went well and are airing today—Zambia's Independence Day and the 100th birthday of their capital city of Lusaka.
We hope to bring you a full trip update very soon!
For now, please continue to pray for GPA Zambia, which will end on Saturday.
For His glory,
Edie Ross
prayer coordinator
Received: April 29, 2021
From Zambia to you: A greeting from Ramesh Richard | October 21, 2013
Dear friends,
Dr. Richard is currently ministering in Africa, and sent this video greeting this morning (Monday afternoon Zambia time). We are so excited to share it with you.
[youtube=http://youtu.be/fAJkJ67iI68]
Please also rejoice with us over some praises from Dr. Richard's trip across four countries in Africa, and please join us in prayer for the remainder of his time abroad.
Praises
Dr. Richard had the humbling privilege of personally leading a Zambian ambassador (who some in Zambia have referred to as a possible "kingmaker") to trust in Christ. Dr Richard reported, "I sent him away rejoicing!"
Praise God for an evangelistic event where 50 attended and at least two responded to the Gospel message.
Praise God for a dinner Dr. Richard attended at the home of the head of southern Africa's wing of a global beverage corporation. The man, Hindu by faith, came to the evangelistic event Sunday night and heard Dr. Richard speak on Unmasked: Facing the Mystery of Evil. While the man seemingly only wanted to prove his religiosity during his dinner with Dr. Richard, his chauffeur was eternally rescued! Please continue to pray for the man, that what he has been told about the Lord Jesus would weigh heavily upon his heart until he has no response but to submit his life!
Prayer requests
Please pray for wisdom and articulation as Dr. Richard has received a sudden invitation to speak on national television in Zambia on Tuesday. Pray that God would speak through him and that many would be brought closer to faith in the Lord Jesus after hearing Dr. Richard.
Also pray for Dr. Richard as he conducts a national Christian radio interview, which will be aired on Thursday, the Zambian Independence Day and the 100th anniversary of the city of Lusaka. Pray that his words would encourage, uplift and motivate Zambian Christians and that the airing of it on such an important holiday would carry God's message far and wide.
Finally, pray for the potential opportunity for Dr. Richard to meet with the President of Zambia, who has said he will meet with Dr. Richard if he (the President) is back in Lusaka by 1 p.m. (6 a.m. Dallas time) Tuesday. Pray that the President does make it back to the city and that the Lord would use their meeting to bring glory to Himself.
For His glory,
Edie Ross
prayer coordinator
P.S. Stay tuned for reports on GPA South Africa and GPA Zambia.
Received: April 29, 2021
Ministering to pastors in Africa, praying for pastors in Asia | October 15, 2013
Dear friends,
Thank you for continuing to pray for Dr. Richard and RREACH. We have a flurry of requests to share with you!
1. Please pray for Dr. Richard as he ministers in four countries in Africa, including encouraging pastors at two national GPAs (South Africa and Zambia), giving an evangelistic talk to opinion leaders in Zambia and attending a series of meetings, among other ministry activities.
Pray specifically that the Lord would strengthen Dr. Richard in body and mind as he will be keeping an intense schedule. Also pray for travel safety and for effective meetings.
2. Please pray for GPA South Africa, which is happening now, and GPA Zambia, which is scheduled for October 17-26.
Pastors at GPA South Africa
Pray that pastors attending would come with eager hearts and minds, ready to learn.
Pray that they'd be encouraged by the fellowship with other pastors.
Pray that they would be strengthened to better lead their congregations and would multiply their training to other pastors in their communities.
3. Please pray for those on India's East Coast, which was badly damaged by a cyclone this weekend. News outlets are reporting that 1 million people evacuated the area and are returning now to assess the damage. Twenty-five people died.
Please pray especially for pastors in this area who are faced not only with dealing with the damage to their own properties, but also are called to minister to their hurting congregations in the midst of this natural disaster.
For His glory,
Edie Ross
prayer coordinator