2011 Member Survey Results
A very big thank you to all of you who completed the year end survey! We’d like to do a better job this year at getting that information back to you. This will allow you to get a feel for what the alliance as a whole is up to, as well as provides a tangible story for you to tell your supporters what you are a part of. We’ll start with the basic raw totals. This is the total number of events, people, etc… that you estimate you were part of. Because we had approximately 120 responses out of 400+ total members, we feel that a conservative estimate of the total alliance reach would be twice the amount of the reponses we recieved.
| From 120 responses received | Total estimated for all members | |
|---|---|---|
| # of events 2011: | 6,629 | 13,258 |
| # of attendees at all events 2011: | 4,806,372 | 9,612,744 |
| # of first time decisions: | 232,014 | 464,028 |
| # of rededications: | 115,532 | 231,064 |
| # of partnering churches with your events: | 6,212 | 12,424 |
| # of people you have trained in personal evangelism, FE, or event counseling: | 85,986 | 171,972 |
| # of countries you have done ministry in this year: | 513 | *This number is cumulative, not total. We’ll ask the question differently next year. |
See the charts below for more information we gathered:
Of course, the number and percents only tell part of what you do. Your stories are what brings them to life. Here are a few quotes from your surveys with testimonies of how lives are being changed and how you’ve been helped by the Alliance.
“One young college girl who watched the story of Andy Finch (pro snowboarder) online, also watch his salvation message and prayed and received Christ Jesus as her savior” “We witnessed people attending training in Rwanda coming from Congo, Tanzania, Uganda all of whom are evangelists by calling. we were able to train and then model community outreach and evangelism by social action leading to opportunities for conversational evangelism. “ “Our biggest event that we do is called “Day In The Park”. It is a neighborhood festival outreach with free music and food as well as other entertainment and activities for kids. This year, nearly 7,000 came throughout the entire day. It was a huge success with many responses to the Lord. Jeff Piper, Derek Hoeim, Vic Murphy, Tim Byrne, and many more were so awesome and helpful for us at this event. One story is about a man named Dave*. Dave was very skeptical about Christian and church stuff. He spent a lot of his life as a big time gang member with the “Felony Flatt Kings”. Dave spent about 6 years in and out of jail and was not into the whole God thang. He came to Day In The Park and it sparked his interest. He then came to our church every Sunday after the event. After about the 5th Sunday, he raised his hand to receive Christ!” (*Name has been changed.) “We cannot even begin to explain how much the Alliance has has benefited us. We have probably called Jeff Pieper a thousand times throughout this year. His insight on many different topics have been crucial in being able to stay sane in ministry. We could not have done everything that we have done this year without him, and the whole Creative Arts Alliance.” “…the meeting in December was a great refreshing time and Dave Jones has been a great help to our Board. Also, through the NGA we are now being trained by the Mission Increase Foundation. Thanks!”View original post here.
I love being around evangelists!
Over the years I have been privileged to see God at work when personally involved in the ministries of Luis Palau, Terry Winter, Michael Green and now as I serve with the Billy Graham team. Seeing people come to Christ deeply moves me and brings me tears of joy. I recall a lady I led to Christ the week before, greeting me effervescently: “This has been the best week of my entire life!” How can you ever get tired of evangelism?
While every follower of Jesus is called to be a witness and can lead people to personal faith in Christ the bible recognizes that some of us have the gift of an evangelist. In Ephesians there is one of the few bible references to “evangelists” – but it tells us something noteworthy about their role in the local church.
“It was he who gave some to be apostles, some to be prophets, some to be evangelists, and some to be pastors and teachers, to prepare God’s people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up” Ephesians 4:11-12”
Imagine if every local congregation identified at least one evangelist in their midst and that this person would not only be involved in leading people to Christ but would, more importantly, also be encouraged and empowered by the church leadership to “prepare God’s people for works of service” in this area? What would that look like? What would happen to that church for evangelism?
One church in a major Canadian city caught on to this concept and identified an “equipping evangelist”. His main goal is to regularly and continually train the congregation in effective and relevant personal evangelism; assist and equip department leaders to focus their ministry on reaching people for Christ in their area (such as Sunday School, Small groups, Men’s ministry etc.), be a catalyst for church wide and community evangelistic opportunities and “beat the drum” for evangelism with the church leadership so that it never “falls off their radar”. In the first three months of recognizing this “equipping evangelist” over 90 people came to Christ through the combined efforts of this congregation. Maybe the time has come for congregations everywhere to consider identifying one or more of these “different” equipping evangelists that can help us all make a greater eternal impact for Christ in our communities through our local churches.
David Arrol Macfarlane is Director of National Initiatives for the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association of Canada and can be contacted at arrol.mac@hotmail.com or at 519 503 8380.
“Promised Land” film now screening
Walking on Water has released it’s latest film “Promised Land.” Check out the trailer and visit their site http://promisedlandthemovie.com/ for more details including screening dates and locations.
ABC News Story on LPA
Last month ABC-TV ran a story describing how in Portland, Oregon some 500 churches are serving the city in partnership with the city’s civic leaders. The movement was spearheaded by the Palau Association as part of our Season of Service (SOS) efforts to mobilize the faith community to share the love of Christ in both word and deed. As you know SOS is a component of our evangelistic festivals demonstrating the power of collaboration. Reporter Dan Harris was fascinated that Portland’s evangelicals and the city’s liberal politicians were working together to meet numerous specific needs in the community. Here’s the link to the story:
http://abcnews.go.com/US/video/evangelicals-team-up-with-portland-gay-mayor-for-charity-15222989
Let’s keep praying that our working together as evangelists and evangelistic ministries will result in sustainable Gospel movements in cities around the world as we lift up the name of Jesus and proclaim His Good News.
Brazil Update from Mike Silva
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Thank you for your prayers and financial support of our two festivals in Brazil. God moved in a powerful way and many lives were transformed!
On November 18, we proclaimed the Gospel in Fortaleza. The leadership of the church that invited us (Central Baptist Church) challenged their cell groups to invite their unsaved friends to the festival. The event was held in the church’s open aired tent. There were more than 4,000 people in attendance. The place was buzzing with excitement as the crowd waited for Jaci Velasquez and Salvador to perform. When Mike took the stage he immediately connected with the audience and gave a clear presentation of the Gospel in Portuguese. Many responded to the call to action. Central Baptist is already working hard to ensure that every person who made a commitment to Christ is being followed up with by a cell group leader.
The next festival took place the following night in João Pessoa. We partnered with the City of Life Church to make the outreach possible. The event was held close to the city’s center on one of its most popular beachfronts. The reason for the location was to strategically take the hope of the Gospel into the heart of the city. More than 8,000 people attended the event. Salvador and Jaci Velasquez again thrilled the crowd and set the stage for Mike to proclaim the Gospel. Many responded to the call to accept Jesus Christ. Local leaders told us after the event that there had never been a mass evangelistic outreach in their city before. City of Life Church is working hard this week to follow up with the decision makers.
We thank the Lord for the opportunities He gave us in Brazil, many being “firsts” for us. This was our first Portuguese speaking event (a long time dream of Mike & Crystal’s). It was also our first time to be a part of an outreach hosted by one local church.
Our next evangelistic outreach takes place in March 2012 in Matagalpa, Nicaragua. Please pray for this event. It will be a one-day festival featuring musical artists Tercer Cielo, Raza For Christ, Miss Tani and more. Please join with us in asking the Lord to – even now – begin working in the lives of the people in Matagalpa. Ask Him to soften hearts and draw people to the festival.
View more pictures here:
NGA Member Mario D’Ortenzio on LA Ink
Mario D’Ortenzio, founder of Death2Life Revolution, recently appeared on the TV show “LA Ink” and boldly proclaimed the truth of the gospel. It’s a touching story involving his whole family. View the video below to see the whole story.
Day in the Park – Labor Day 2011
This is Church
Evangelists, musicians, pastors and stunt dudes come together to give inner-city Portland a Day in the Park. On a sunny Labor Day in Portland, Oregon, the grounds of Lents Park were transformed into an open-air village of inflatable jump houses, plywood skate ramps and tents of food and activities. Music varying from freestyle hip hop
to gospel filled the air as local and visiting Christian artists joined the Luis Palau Association’s Next Generation Alliance, Save the City Records and several area churches to host Day in the Park, a free event for Portland’s inner-city community.
“Our heart is really to incorporate all facets and come together as a community,” said Tray Michaels, one of the event’s organizers and an associate pastor at Southeast Portland’s Revolution Foursquare Church. “We really wanted to put on an event where we could get out into the community, shake hands and get to know our neighbors.”
Revolution Foursquare, under the guidance of Lead Pastor Alpha Hayward, began performing park outreaches with its youth ministry over seven years ago. Through collaboration with other ministries, the event has grown into an annual full-day festival featuring a growing repertoire of well-known Christian artists and new attractions such as BMX and skate demonstrations. “It’s an honor to be able to do something like this in the neighborhood you meet in every week,” said Hayward. “It’s definitely a different dynamic when you can see the people you’re reaching out to the next day at the grocery store or the gas station.”
Vic Murphy and John Andrus of Action Sports Outreach, 
together with skateboarding pro Tim Byrne and team members from SkateChurch Portland, performed air-defying stunts throughout the day. Murphy concluded each show by sharing his testimony and proclaiming the Gospel to the crowds of delighted adults and children.
“Our main goal is proclamation evangelism,” said the BMX rider, who has taken his characteristic mix of stunts and evangelism across the world. “Whether it’s big or small…we just want to serve and partner with others to help them reach people for Christ.” Byrne summed up the event in a single word: Community. “People are drawn to this and they don’t even know why,” he says. “It’s the idea of what the Church is—Capital C. This is Church.”
This year, Save the City Records brought nationally-known artists Group 1 Crew and Byron “Mr. Talkbox” Chambers to perform at the event. When he learned about Revolution Foursquare’s park outreaches, Derek Hoiem, 
president of the burgeoning record label, decided to come alongside the effort and help it grow. “It was really a big science experiment,” said Hoiem. “Our own cities have become our mission fields. We go where the people are.”
The collaborators expressed a hope that this community-based outreach model would become the norm among churches. “That’s one of our visions—to get churches to do it in their own neighborhoods,” said Michaels. “We really want other people to catch this vision, learn how to relate to their community and go outside the box.”
Victory Weekend!
This weekend Steve Wingfield is at Bristol Motor Speedway as his team puts on an extraordinary event adjacent to the “fastest half-mile” track in the NASCAR circuit. The opening event last night featured an interview with 3 Christian NASCAR drivers, the music group Sidewalk Prophets and Steve as well. (Steve was also invited to do the invocation for last night’s race.) He’ll also be joined by NGA/Livin it member Vic Murphy and his BMX bike! For more information, visit http://www.victoryweekend.com/.
Steve Interviewing Michael McDowell, Blake Koch, Eric McClure.
Steve and Jerry Caldwall, the General Manager of the Bristol Motor Speedway.
Andrew Palau: We Are Ambassadors
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An ambassador, by any standard, is a privileged position. In the USA, the President handpicks this high-ranking diplomatic official. It is the ambassador’s job to bring any message from a country’s leader to the people and rulers of the land to which they are sent. The message must be communicated officially, clearly, and well. An ambassador need not create the message, but rather simply deliver it.
It is important for you to think about this role because it is one that has been given to you by God Himself. If you are in Christ, you are Christ’s ambassador. It is “as though God were making his appeal through us” (2 Corinthians 5:20). What an honor! What a challenge! We are God’s ambassadors.
How does this privilege work itself out in your life? These days, I am experiencing the challenges as well as the rewards of serving as Christ’s ambassador. As I share the Good News I often see many people respond positively, signaling the beginning of true life change! Sometimes, I feel great about the delivery and other times I perceive that the message was not well delivered or received. However, it tends to be when I’m the most nervous and uncertain that someone will share with me how God miraculously worked in their life, and then I most clearly see God working through HIS message.
Though of course I want my delivery to be the very best, it is the message of the Good News itself that carries power to change a life. It is not the messenger; it is the power of God! He wants to use you! God will present times and places for you to deliver His message. Have you discovered these opportunities?
Keep your eyes peeled and pray. Look into resources that will equip you (we have excellent tools designed to help you share your faith). Study what other people do and say. Write out and use your own personal story. Consider memorizing the four spiritual laws – the verses are like gold! Ask God for creative ways to deliver His message. Let His Spirit and Word guide you. I challenge you to re-double your efforts. Take time on your knees before the Lord listening to His voice.
Thank you for being an ambassador and a co-laborer, partnering with the Palau team as we carry God’s message together to those in great need. Indeed, YOU MAKE A DIFFERENCE.
Mike Silva Update from Puerto Plata, Dominican Republic
Mike Silva is just wrapping up his Puerto Plata Festival in the Dominican Republic. It has been an amazing event! Other Alliance members joining him were Vic Murphy, Justin Benedict and Jenna Silva. Here are a few updates from the team:
14,500 and counting…
We thank and bless the Lord for the harvest that He drew this past week in Puerto Plata.
We estimate that over 70,000 people attended the festival Friday night –with more than 14,500 decision cards received! Saturday night is estimated at over 80,000 in attendance and decision cards are still being counted. 2,155 counselors were trained to assist in praying for decision makers. The Mayor and the Governor both received Christ! 48 radio stations in the Dominican Republic, Cuba, and Puerto Rico aired the Festival and we are waiting to hear about the response of the Festival online as well.
In addition to the massive attendance and response to the Festival, we don’t discount the many lives that were changed through the MSI Serve Team during the week leading up to the festival.
There is so much for us to be thankful for. We praise the Lord for the work that He did.
Saturday Night
All of Dominican Republic’s biggest leaders took the stage last night and the governor presented Mike with a plaque holding “The Key to Puerto Plata.” He is only the second person in the city’s history to receive the high honor – the first was the President of the Dominican Republic. God gave Mike tremendous favor in this city; and in his words, he is “humbled and forever grateful.”
More than 70,000 people were estimated to be at the Festival on Friday night and over 14,500 made decisions to accept Jesus Christ! Praise the Lord!
Tonight kicked off with Miss Tani and her dancers at Festi Kids! They were a big hit and thousands of children attended (total number TBA). Team member, Vic Murphy, performed BMX tricks right on the stage and the crowd roared with enthusiasm! Raza for Christ and Alex Campos were the main bands throughout the evening, but hands-down, the most thrilling part of the night was when Mike clearly and effectively presented the Gospel message in a way that captured the audience and prompted the hearts of thousands more to say yes to Jesus! The Holy Spirit moved in a mighty way tonight in Puerto Plata… what a Festival to remember!
Sunday the team will visit local churches and minister to fellow believers through praise and worship and studying God’s Word together. Please pray for our team as some of the men will be giving messages and presenting the Gospel yet again. “Our job is to step forward and cast the net”, Mike said at a team meeting Thursday night. Tomorrow will be another opportunity, and for so many souls… this is just the beginning!
To see the original post and more pictures, visit his blog.
