Phil's Blogs

IBSA @ Prayer ~ Urgent Request

Phil Miglioratti — Fri, 10 Feb 2012 18:36:23 +0000

We received a prayer request today from an Illinois M family serving in the Middle East. It is because of security concerns that we have removed some information.

Please take a moment to pray for the following concern.

Thanks.

Serena Butler, Illiniois WMU Executive Director

We have bad news to share and request your immediate prayers. Our daughter’s boyfriend, Tim, is a U.S. Marine serving in Afghanistan. Tim was struck by an improvised explosive device. Tim lost both his legs above or at the knee. His right arm is severely damaged and they are hoping they can save it. The praise is that there appears to be no head trauma and internal injuries.

Tim and our daughter met while in high school together. Tim is from Philadelphia but has grown up overseas. Tim is 20 years old. We have the following prayer request.

Please pray for healing and restoration of his right arm.
Tim might not be aware that he has lost his legs because he is under sedation.
Please pray for God’s grace and comfort to deal with the loss.
Please pray for Tim’s family.
Please pray that Tim’s parents will be able to join him in Germany where there is a major medical and rehabilitation facility.
Please pray for our daughter as she is dealing with this tragedy and we are not able to be with her.

Thanks for your prayers,

…finish your fast, your prayers and then return to your old ways

Phil Miglioratti — Fri, 10 Feb 2012 18:01:09 +0000

A lady in our group sent me this quote yesterday (very sobering): William Booth – “In answer to your inquiry, I consider that the chief dangers that confront the coming century will be religion without the Holy Ghost, Christianity without Christ, forgiveness without repentance, salvation without regeneration, politics without God, and heaven without hell.”

Tozer’s devotion this morning offers me little today: ‘Have you noticed how much praying for revival has been going on of late (no doubt, this was in the 1950″s)- and how little revival has resulted? I believe our problem is that we have been trying to substitute praying for obeying, and it simply will not work! . . . .The pastor calls his people to pray (as we saw in January,2012 with all the prayer movements and emphasis). the tide of feeling runs high and it looks for a while as if the revival might be on the way. But it fails to arrive and the zeal for prayer begins to flag. Soon the church is back where it was before and a numb discouragement settles over everyone.”

I said it before all the 21 day prayer guide efforts and calls for prayer were initiated. You cannot come to the end of January, finish your fast, your prayers and then return to your old ways. Something has to happen that takes us deeper. We have to stay resolved, no matter the costs. Are we willing to pay the price? And the answer demonstrated by the church is, ‘NO’.

Where does this leave us? One person told me that I am ‘consistent in beating the drum of prayer’. And I will continue. I will continue to stay on my knees. These things do not push me away from prevailing prayer, nor lose hope. They push me closer and more urgent to having an answer. Grab hold of the horns of the altar and will not let go until He comes. Are you resolved today? Are you faithful? Are you obeying?

“I will pour water on them that are thirsting” Lord, we are parched and in desperate need of Thee.

until,

pastor dan biser

Denver 2012 ~ a National Leadership Consultation

Phil Miglioratti — Fri, 10 Feb 2012 16:59:17 +0000

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Broken for Community

Phil Miglioratti — Thu, 09 Feb 2012 23:59:02 +0000

To reach a community with the hope of Christ you must first bring together a group of individual people from vast backgrounds. You need to find the businessperson, the teacher, the administrator, the pastor and church along with the students. Once you put them all together you have a missional community or a team that is ready to tangibly bring the hope of Christ to the community. For us here in central Wisconsin I’ve seen that through working with students in the Juvenile Detention Center along with tutoring and so much more. I’ve seen students, youth workers, businesspeople, community leaders and etc. lock arms to reach a community and I’ve personally had the privilege to watch it all play out. YFC has been the facilitator but ultimately the networks of people involved have been the heart and soul of this ministry to reaching a community for hope.

More @ >>>

Adam Fischer is the Executive Director at Central Wisconsin Youth For Christ.

Marriage Champions

Phil Miglioratti — Thu, 09 Feb 2012 13:17:09 +0000

Marriage Champions,

Below is a news article (Fox News) that is fascinating and tremendously relevant to us as believers – especially the week before Valentine’s Day when everyone is thinking about their love live (or lack of it)! My hope is that we can all use it or reference it when we encourage couples in our weekend worship services.

If we can mobilize the body of Christ across Chicago and with a loud voice say, “we want to help build strong marriages and relationships” then we will become a model city in this movement. If you haven’t already, will you encourage your congregation to register online atwww.datenightchallenge.com/chicago and to download the mobile app if they have a data phone? The content is incredibly fun and interactive, and there are literally hundreds of local church sponsored events and resources (your stuff!) people can connect to for help and hope.

Please use any or all of the attached resources to provide to your people. Together we can move from making a dent to making a difference!

Bill Yaccino

Executive Director

Christ Together, Chicago

www.ChristTogether.com

224-612-3166

FOX NEWS commentary by National Marriage Week USA executive director Sheila Weber was number 5 on google news yesterday! “A New Path to Upward Mobility–Get Married and Stay Married.” Full text below.

On February 7, 2012, U.S. Congressional Representatives spoke for 45 minutes on the floor of the U.S. House of Representatives to commend Americans to celebrate National Marriage Week USA. Elected officials encouraged Americans to strengthen their own marriages, to promote the benefits of marriage for our nation, and to encourage caring citizens to reach out and help others. Photos from a U.S. Congressional Reception and the video of floor statements are on the home page of www.NationalMarriageWeekUSA.org.

Full Text Below

A new path to upward mobility — get married and stay married

By Sheila Weber

Published February 07, 2012
FoxNews.com

Marriage, we have just learned, is a major cause of the growing great divide among American upper and lower classes.

Last week, in advance of National Marriage Week USA (Feb. 7-14), I took note of fresh news about marriage that should make every American stand up in alert attention.

In mid-January, the Pew Research Center told us 72% of all adults ages 18 and older were married in 1960; but today just 51% are–a record low.

This means fewer folks are getting married, or staying married–not a great sign since research proves children (our future citizens) do best when raised with both parents. It’s also not a great sign, since we need to replenish our younger population in order to maintain fiscal provision for the aging baby boom generation.

Then a new book, “Coming Apart,” by Charles Murray, says that a retreat from marriage among the working class is a key factor in the growing economic divide in America.

Murray says that marriage is more or less holding its own among the upper middle and upper class, but falling off a cliff among the working class and lower class. Perhaps Occupy Wall Street should take notice.

“Coming Apart” cites statistics from a theoretical upper-middle class town, showing 99% of children lived with both biological parents in 1962 and 84% of children did so in 2004.

Admittedly that’s a drop, but nothing compared to the theoretical working class town where 96% of children lived with both parents in 1962 yet only 37% did so in 2004.

Research is overwhelming on the fact that this disadvantages children on an enormous scale–think increased teen pregnancies, increased prison populations, and children who grow up with no modeling for how to attain healthy marriage in the next generation.

So what can be done? New York Times columnist David Brooks, who cites “Coming Apart” as probably the most important book of the year, calls for a two-year mandatory national service program to teach responsible behaviors. (Murray cites a loss of the four core American values–marriage, honesty, industrious, and religion–as all contributing to the growing economic woes of the working class.)

Brad Wilcox, head of the National Marriage Project, calls for creators of film and television to promote the values by which the elite live, but because they are stuck in the grips of nonjudgmentalism, do not promote the values of marriage, hard work, obeying the law, and faith as the path to human flourishing.

In these economically challenging times, we must commit ourselves to lowering the high cost of retreat from marriage.

The Institute for American Values reports that 40 percent of all American babies are born outside of marriage today, and taxpayers spend at least $112 billion a year for divorce and unwed childbearing.

Charles Murray reports that less than 5% of white college-educated women have children outside of marriage, compared with approximately 40% of white women with just a high-school diploma.

The National Center on African American Marriages and Parenting reports that 72 percent of all African-American babies are born outside of marriage. The vast majority of men in prison are from fatherless homes. We can’t build prisons fast enough–prison population has jumped from 300,000 to 2.3 million in 3.5 decades.

Single motherhood most often impoverishes women and children.

Marriage builds the economic stability of children, supports the raising of a healthy next generation, and is a cornerstone for the economic health of our nation.

So here’s an equally compelling solution. Let’s call for a marriage education movement to sweep across the nation. Leading family therapists estimate that only 3 percent of couples ever seek therapy and usually only when there is a crisis, which can sometimes be too late.

This is why caring leaders are creating a new national observance designed to strengthen and support marriages, called National Marriage Week USA to be observed from February 7 to 14 each year.

If you are fortunate enough to be in a marriage, I encourage you to take care of it.

Whether you are married or not, Americans should be supportive of promoting marriage prior to childbearing and the strengthening of marriage at all socio-economic levels.

Nothing short of the future of our country, and our way of life, depends on it.

Sheila Weber is Executive Director, National Marriage Week USA (Feb. 7-14) and the Let’s Strengthen Marriage Campaign.

Let’s strengthen marriage!
Sheila Weber
Executive Director, National Marriage Week USA
www.NationalMarriageWeekUSA.org
sheila@nationalmarriageweekUSA.org

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Prayer Prompts from IMB

Phil Miglioratti — Wed, 08 Feb 2012 21:00:15 +0000

Possessed instruments
A Christian couple who purchased traditional musical instruments to connect with local Southeast Asian culture heard music in their living room in the middle of the night. Discovering an instrument playing on its own, they prayed over it and the playing stopped. But proving God’s power in the spirit world has been difficult.

Praying for politicians
When the senate isn’t in session, Argentine Baptist Miguel Angel Parisi often sits down to pray at each senator’s desk, interceding specifically for his or her needs and decisions. “The most important thing a Christian can do is pray,” says Parisi.

Pray

KOMpray: What’s it worth to you?
What would 100 concrete blocks and a couple of pieces of sheet metal be worth to you? Probably not a lot, but to “D,” it’s his income. Yet he’s willing to give it up to follow Jesus. Read more at KOMpray and plug your kids into prayer with this website or electronic newsletter you can download.
Weekly Prayer Highlights
“I came here to escape the flood waters, but I found the living water,” said a man seeking help at a flood refugee center open by a Thai church. Many churches in Bangkok were underwater themselves for more than two months. Now believers are meeting again, thanks to relief donations from Southern Baptists – and busy following up on new contacts made as they helped others in their communities. Read more at Weekly Prayer Highlights and keep your congregation or weekly prayer group informed with requests and praises from around the world.

Prayer Evangelism ~ Choose 2

Phil Miglioratti — Wed, 08 Feb 2012 03:34:29 +0000

Choose2: Commit to Pray Twice a Day What could God do with a passionate people? That’s potential. According to the 2010 Annual Church Profile data reported by Illinois Baptist churches, there are148,546 active Southern Baptists in Illinois. At the same time, here in Illinois, there are 8.2 million lost people living all around us. They change our oil. They take our money at the drive-up window. They help us find something in the hardware store. They work in the office next to us. They teach our children. They live in the house across the street. They are broken, hurting, empty, spiritually blind, lost people living without hope. They are girls and boys, moms and dads, grandmas and grandpas living without Jesus. What could God do with 150,000 Illinois Baptists who loved their unbelieving neighbors enough to choose to pray for them? What could God do with thousands of passionate Illinois Baptist school children praying for their classmates and teachers? That’s potential. This is the heart of Choose2. It’s every Southern Baptist in Illinois choosing to pray by name for two lost friends, neighbors, or coworkers twice a day and seeking to build a relationship with them for the sake of the Gospel. What could God do through your church? What could God do through your family? What could God do through you? That’s potential. James 4:2 says, “you have not, because you ask not.” Let’s ask and watch what our God can do. Will you join me? Will you Choose2? Tim Sadler IBSA, Director of Evangelism and Discipleship Ministries				Choose2 Resources Initial copies of all Choose2 materials will be sent to churches Jan. 2012 at no charge. To order additional materials after Jan. 2012 contact: Tim Sadler at (217) 391-3131 or TimSadler@IBSA.orgor Barbara Halleman at (217) 391-3127 or BarbaraHalleman@IBSA.org. Brochures Choose2 brochures explain the concept of Choose2 and its implementation.Free, while supplies last. Poster Choose2 Commitment Sunday announcement poster. Free, while supplies last. Commitment Cards Choose2 commitment cards are specially designed so individuals can record and carry the names of the two lost people they have committed to pray for twice a day. Choose2 commitment cards are also equipped with the REACH prayer outline to aid in intentional prayer time.10¢ each. Wristbands Give every person who commits to praying for the salvation of two lost family members or friends a wristband as a visual reminder to pray. 50¢ each.
Choose2: The Steps “You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit and that your fruit should abide, so that whatever you ask the Father in my name, he may give it to you.” John 15:15 ESV Choose2 Goal: every Illinois Baptist “choosing” to pray twice daily for the salvation of two lost friends, family members, neighbors, or co-workers. Step One: Choose two friends, family members, neighbors, or co-workers who do not have saving faith in Christ. What criteria should my friend or neighbor meet, other than being lost? He or she should be someone with whom your life regularly intersects. It needs to be someone you work with, live near, or with whom you have frequent contact. - People you choose could include a son or daughter; brother or sister; father or mother; your child’s school teacher, principal, or coach; the kid who mows your lawn; a waiter or waitres Make every effort to build a deeper relationship with your Choose2 friends and neighbors.s at a restaurant you visit often; or someone in your neighborhood. - People you probably should not choose include those who live across the state or friends from high school you haven’t seen in years. Step Two: Commit to pray for their salvation twice a day. Ask for God to: - Give you an opportunity to share your faith with them. “Continue steadfastly in prayer, being watchful in it with thanksgiving. At the same time, pray also for us, that God may open to us a door for the word, to declare the mystery of Christ …” Colossians 4:2-3. - Make you bold to share your faith. “… praying at all times in the Spirit, with all prayer and supplication. To that end keep alert with all perseverance, making supplication for all the saints, and also for me, that words may be given to me in opening my mouth boldly to proclaim the mystery of the gospel, for which I am an ambassador in chains, that I may declare it boldly, as I ought to speak.”(Ephesians 6:18-20) Why should we pray? Our chief motivation should be born out of a genuine desire to see others saved. “Brothers, my heart’s desire and prayer to God for them is that they may be saved.” (Romans 10:1). Some specific things we can pray for are that God will make them curious about spiritual things, that they will clearly grasp their need for a Savior, and that God will surround them with other witnessing Christians. Step Three: Invite your Choose2 family and friends to at least two events at your church this year. - Small Group or Sunday School class - Worship Service - Vacation Bible School - Fall Festival - Revival or Crusade - Block Party Choose2: Ideas for Implementation Implementation Ideas for Churches - Devote a Sunday or a series of Sundays to focus on the lostness of your community. - Lead your church to commit not only to choosing two lost family members or friends, but also to praying for their salvation twice every day. - Make sure church members who commit to choosing two lost people receive a Choose2 pr - Establish a time during the worship service to allow people to pray for their Choose2 family and friends. ayer reminder wristband and commitment card. - Incorporate time to pray for Choose2 in Sunday School or small group times. - Provide quarterly evangelism training. - Encourage your church to invite their Choose2 family and friends to your church’s attractional evangelistic events, such as Friend Day. - Encourage church members to look for ways to serve or minister to their Choose2 family members or friends at least twice this year. Implementation Ideas for Parents - Lead your family to choose another family, then invite them to dinner at your house twice this year. - Make Choose2 part of your daily family prayer time. - Teach your children to pray evangelistically for their friends. - Choose other parents whose children play with yours or participate in school activities together. Implementation Ideas for Students - Choose a classmate or a friend from your bus stop. - Choose a kid from your neighborhood with whom you play. - Choose a teacher, coach, or professor. - Invite your friend to IBSA’s Youth Encounter (ISBA’s winter evangelistic conference), your church’s DNOW (student discipleship weekend retreat), or Super Summer (ISBA’s week-long summer camp). - Invite your friend to your youth group’s Bible Study time. - College students can invite lost friends to at least two BCM meetings this year. What Should I Do When One of My Choose2 Family Members or Friends Trusts Christ as Their Savior? - Rejoice! Then begin to walk the journey of faith with them. - Encourage them to profess their faith publicly through believer’s baptism. - Give them a sincere invitation to your church and Bible study group. - Seek to meet weekly or bi-monthly with them outside of church services to disciple them. - Lead them to Choose2. - Don’t feel like you’re finished! Choose another lost family member, friend, or associate to pray for twice a day for his or her salvation!

Attention Pastors

Phil Miglioratti — Wed, 08 Feb 2012 00:24:46 +0000

Dear Friends,

Have you made plans to attend the 2012 Rediscover National Conference? Join with us, as Pastor’s John MacArthur and Jim Cymbala take the stage together for the first time. Both are passionate about pastoral leadership and those who fight day-to-day in the spreading of the Gospel.

Don’t miss out on this opportunity, as these pastors, along with many others, celebrate the power of prayer and the Word. This conference promises to be an event of transformation and encouragement for any leader’s soul. Glean from the multiple generations of pastoral experience, and attend our powerful breakout sessions that will be taught by church leaders from all around the country.

Topics will include:

-Leading a Movement of Renewal in Your Church

-Building a Praying Culture in Your Church

-Maintaining Endurance in the Ministry

-Surviving Attacks Against Your Family

-Mobilizing a New Generation in Prayer

-Blessing of Prayer: Motivating Your People to Experience the Blessings of Prayer

-Women’s Panel: focused on encouraging women in ministry

-Men’s Panel: focused on encouraging men in their leadership ministry

Break the bonds of spiritual fatigue, and regenerate your passion for the glory of the Gospel, as you gather with us!

To learn more, watch this brief video announcement:

Click Here

SPACE IS LIMITED!

Regular Cost: $110

For a limited time, the first 500 to register pay only $85

Visit us at http://www.64fellowshipconferences.com/national.html for more details and learn how you can take part in this extraordinary event.

We encourage you to register quickly while this special is still available.

For details on registration click here.

Yours in Christ,

Daniel Henderson

SBC @ Prayer ~ Focus on St. Louis

Phil Miglioratti — Tue, 07 Feb 2012 23:42:25 +0000

This week’s prayer emphasis focuses on Send North America: St. Louis, NAMB’s church planting strategy to mobilize and reach the city for Christ. There are many church planters and ministry leaders already working to reach the city and more on the horizon ready to enter the field. As we focus our hearts and prayers on St. Louis this week, we want to come around the church planters working diligently to reach their communities for Christ. Join us in praying for this ministry and the specific challenges in reaching St. Louis for Christ.
Send North America: St. Louis
Pray for Send North America: St. Louis, a church planting initiative to spur church planting efforts in the city through partnership with church planters and Southern Baptist churches. Ask that God send more in service to the city while also blessing the ministries of those already working to reach St. Louis for Christ.

Sharing the Gospel
Pray for church planters to have the courage to openly and frequently share the gospel with the people in their communities around St. Louis. Ask that God provide unique opportunities for evangelism as well as a peaceful and responsive spirit in the hearts of those hearing the truth of Christ.

Catch the Vision
As Send North America: St. Louis efforts kick off, pray that the vision will spread quickly in the area. Pray that the pastors and churches already in existence in the city will catch the vision and work with new church planters as they attempt to spread the gospel through church planting in St. Louis.

Urban and Ethnic Plants
Pray that God would raise up church planters with the desire to specifically plant churches to reach the urban and ethnic populations of St. Louis. Ask that these planters would come with a specific vision and heart to see evangelism and change in these specific parts of the population.

Church Partners
Ask that God would touch the hearts of potential church partners to come alongside church plants in St. Louis. Pray that these partners would be willing to commit to aiding church planters with finances, time, prayer and resources.

A Prayer-CARE-Share Opportunity

Phil Miglioratti — Sat, 04 Feb 2012 03:10:54 +0000

SATURDAY, MARCH 3, 2012 | 8AM – 5PM

Heart for the City is partnering with Renew Chicago of Park Community Church and Moody Theological Seminary to host the 10th annual Service in the City!

Join us on Saturday, March 3rd as we partner with ministries in 15 different Chicago neighborhoods.

This is a great opportunity for individuals, families and small groups to share the love of Christ and witness God at work in our city.

Where to meet: 820 N LaSalle Blvd. Chicago, IL 60610 (map) | Alumni Student Center (Wells St), 2nd floor

*Free parking permits available at registration table.

Cost: Adults $20 | Children $10 (includes breakfast, lunch and t-shirt; children – meals only)

Contact us: serviceinthecityx@gmail.com.

Download: Postcard | Flyer | Ministry Sites | Schedule | Email