Note: Please forward this newsletter to your friends, networks, fellowships, co-workers, college and career ministries, and all young adults who may be interested in participation with a global mission initiative in our generation!
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SVM2 (Student Volunteer Movement 2)
www.svm2.net |
December 2004 |
SVM2 is a global mission initiative among the younger generation calling new message bearers to a life of abandoned devotion to Christ and the urgent global proclamation of His gospel.
Remember to participate in December's day of prayer and fasting on Thursday!
IN BRIEF
1. Abandoned Devotion Reflection by David Smithers
2. Global Proclamation Reflection by Evan Burns
3. Testimony by Steve Haack
4. Fall Review
5. 100 Days of Prayer and Fasting for 100,000 Message Bearers
6. A Call to Mobilize your Peers
7. December Day of Prayer and Fasting
8. What is the SVM2 Initiative?
9. All Hands on Deck
10. Resources
11. Recommended Reading
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Abandoned Devotion Reflection |
THE PRIVILEGE AND POTENTIAL OF PASSIONATE PRAYER
By David Smithers
David is an author and teacher of historic revival and carries a powerful passion for revival in this generation.
“And when they had crucified Him… Jesus cried out with a loud voice, and breathed His last. Then the veil of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom.” - Mark 15:24-38
The sacrifice of Christ has made it possible for all men to have a passionate relationship with God. Jesus died on the cross so that we might walk and talk with our God and Father…Jesus suffered on the cross so that you can passionately pray! What a privilege and yet so many of us fail to use it. When we neglect prayer, we do far more than merely neglect some religious exercise, we are neglecting the very presence and person of Jesus Christ Himself. A lack of prayer communicates that we are not interested in coming close to God’s heart! Some sadly assume that the only reason Jesus died on the cross was to deliver them from the torments of HELL! The cross of Christ does much more than that; it removes the stain and filth of our sins that prevent us from enjoying the presence of a holy God. The cross secures for us a private audience with the King of Kings here on Earth. What Adam and Eve forfeited through willful disobedience - the privilege of unlimited access to God - has been restored to all those who put their faith in Christ for the forgiveness of sin. Are you taking full advantage of the privilege of prayer? Do you daily or even hourly use the access you have been freely given to enter into the Father's presence? The veil has been rent and God’s door is standing wide open. What are you waiting for? “Draw near to God and He will draw near to you.” -James 4:8.
Neglecting the privilege of prayer trivializes the presence of God and disregards the cross of Christ’s love, but it also reveals our lack of true concern and compassion for those who are in eternal danger! Such unlimited access to God’s heart through prayer affirms the fact that as born again Christians we have an incredible amount of influence with God. Think of it, we can go to God anytime we want and ask Him for anything on behalf of ourselves or even others. “Now this is the confidence that we have in Him, that if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us.” - I John 5:14. With such assured access and influence in prayer comes a GREAT amount of responsibility. Are you using your blood bought influence with God to rescue the lost and hurting souls who are headed for Hell? As incredible as it may seem, God has sovereignly chosen to deliver the perishing through our frail prayers. “Ask of Me, and I will give You the nations for Your inheritance, and the ends of the earth for Your possession.” - Ps 2:8.
In times of great need, men naturally seek the surest and quickest path to victory. For the Church, that path is still Christ-centered, faith-filled prayer! God has placed before us an open door of limitless power and potential through the means of intercessory prayer. That is, IF we grasp by faith what the Lord has already promised and placed in our hands. Regardless of your age, education, race or gender, God is eagerly waiting to use your prayer life to change the world! “Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of NEED.” -Heb 4:16
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Global Proclamation Reflection |
THE TASK OF GLOBAL PROCLAMATION DEMANDS PERSERVERING PRAYER
By Evan Burns
Evan is a graduate student at Wheaton College and the Chicagoland Coordinator for SVM2.
Persevering prayer is key to overcoming the hard-hearted resistance of the lost. Immediately following the Lord’s Prayer in Luke 11:5-9, Jesus taught a critical lesson about the role of perseverance in prayer.
To teach us persevering prayer, Jesus uses a strange parable about a man who persistently asks for bread from a friend. The friend gives the man the bread, not on the basis of their friendship, but because of his persistence. “I say to you, though he will not rise and give to him because he is his friend, yet because of his persistence he will rise and give him as many as he needs” (Luke 11:8). If an earthly friend can be moved by persistence, imagine how much more it will accomplish with our heavenly Friend.
There are a few fundamental lessons on prayer in this parable. First of all, notice what Jesus says about their relationship: Even though they are friends, the one friend will not get up and get a loaf. So, that implies that it is not our relationship with God that finally determines whether or not we get what we ask. Granted, our relationship with God is the reason He hears our prayers at all, but that is not always the final reason for why He answers them. Often, God will answer our prayers based on our persistence. Our perseverance and ceaselessness in prayer proves our faith. “When faith ceases to pray, it ceases to live” (EM Bounds). Our faith is tested by the resolve of our perseverance. In prayer, faith does not necessarily determine how soon our answers will come; rather, faith determines how long we will persevere until those answers come. Faith and perseverance are inseparable.
It is interesting to read the rest of the passage in light of the surrounding, immediate context. In verse 8, Jesus just finished emphasizing that persistence in prayer is what often determines the outcome. And then in the following verse, Jesus continues with statement, So I say to you, ask [a??te´?], and it will be given to you; seek [??te´?], and you will find; knock [????´?], and it will be opened to you. Each of the Greek verbs (ask, seek, knock) are in the “present active indicative” tense. The nuance of this tense can imply continuous action. Since the surrounding context clearly emphasizes persistence in prayer, which is continuous prayer, it would make sense to translate the verbs in verse 9 as such: keep asking, keep seeking, keep knocking. This continuous nuance emphasizes the idea of persistence in prayer that Christ is stressing so heavily.
Persevering prayer is essential for overcoming the resistance of lost peoples. We must keep banging on the door of heaven, hounding God to blow apart the daunting resistance of the hostile peoples. We must not tire; we must not relent; we must continually fight on our knees. We ought to focus on God’s power to soften their hearts. Resistance of the heart must be confronted head-on with resistance in prayer to never give up.
Editor’s Note – The two writings above were not intended to both be about prayer but it is the way that the Holy Spirit led each of the writers. I think that through this He is trying to communicate something to us that I don’t want us to gloss over quickly. There is a cry in the heart of God for an increase in all out devotion to prayer in this generation. Let us respond to Him in this moment by consecrating ourselves afresh as prayer warriors who take this calling of global prayer and intercession seriously.
By Steven Haack
Student Leader at Hope College
God was moving in awesome ways at the Abandoned Devotion Gathering at Hope College on Friday, November 12. After pressing into God for almost six hours, people were wondering how the time had gone so quickly! Spirit-led prayer on many different topics highlighted the evening. The prayer times were well balanced with sets of worship songs, inspirational video clips, and convicting messages from Ryan and Kelly Shaw as well as Hope College students. By the end of the evening, there were 7 people that signed the Message Bearer commitment card, and almost 40 others interested in further exploring the SVM2 vision and how it might pertain to their lives individually and as a community. A few students in particular shared testimonies during open mic time of how God spoke to them right then and there about their future in cross-cultural ministry. Besides these people, it was evident that the Lord was moving in many other hearts as well. Conversation afterwards indicated a desire to seek God more intimately and passionately than ever before. It would not be surprising to see more gatherings like this at Hope in the future with a continued growing interest in what God is doing on a global scale. There is hope at Hope.
This grassroots student mission movement is beginning to take off as more and more students and young adults are becoming aware of it and taking up the vision as their own. SVM2 exists to help initiate, serve, and facilitate student mission movements on campuses and in churches globally. There are various materials that we would love to send you to help you and your ministry get involved in the growing movement.
One of the initiators of the movement in a given place are Abandoned Devotion Gatherings held in cooperation with the various campus ministries on campuses around North America. These are elongated gatherings (4-8 hours) of seeking God through extended worship, uncompromising challenges, and radical prayer to see the message of Jesus spread globally in our lifetime. These seek to stir students up to envision their campus or ministry ablaze for the nations and to work towards a prayer and sending movement to be established.
Abandoned Devotion Gatherings took place this fall in the following locations:
 Syracuse University
Cornell University
Georgia Tech University
Cal Berkeley
Moody Bible Institute - Chicago
Hope College – Holland, MI
UCLA
If you would like information about having an Abandoned Devotion Gathering hosted on your campus, or would like a resource manual for how to put one on yourself, contact info@SVM2.net.
Multiple Global Prayer Teams are being launched on campuses and in churches as students are recognizing the void of global prayer in their circles. They are responding to Jesus’ fervent appeal in Matthew 9:37 to “pray the Lord of the Harvest to send out laborers into His harvest.” Young adults want to be about the Father’s business and these prayer teams are a very practical way that they can make a difference around the world.
Students are committing themselves to “GO”. They are being called to long term involvement and they are rising to the challenge in response. Some who have never considered that they would be used of God in some capacity around the world are committing themselves not knowing what this will look like, but making room for the Lord to use them globally. None of us know the road ahead but we tell the Lord with open hearts, “God, I will GO for you!”
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100 Days of Prayer and Fasting for 100,000 Message Bearers |
A few weeks ago while spending time worshipping God and just enjoying His presence I (Ryan Shaw) sensed Him whisper something into my heart and my thoughts. It was quick and I wasn’t sure if it was my own thinking so I immediately asked Him if this was really Him. When I did a sense of peace rushed over me. I heard Him say, “I want you to pray and fast TV for 100 days and seek my face for young adults to be launched in cross cultural ministry.” Initially I thought that this was something He was asking of me personally but as I talked with my wife about it, it soon became clear that maybe this for a wider group of people who would take up the challenge as well.
Because of this, on January 1st we will begin fasting from watching TV for 100 days and use this time to seek God for 100,000 new message bearers to be catapulted into global, cross cultural ministry among the forgotten. We invite you to join us! Tell your ministries, churches, and friends about this call to prayer for our generation’s involvement in global proclamation. Gather together with others (Global Prayer Teams, etc) and pray together like never before. Let’s activate everyone we can as we corporately lay down the idol of TV and instead seek God on behalf of the nations and our generation. You may feel that God is asking you to fast something other than TV, be led of the Lord in this endeavor. We are after the spirit of a fervent and committed lifestyle before the Lord. Be on the lookout for future updates about this. We will continue to have the monthly Day of Prayer and Fasting as well during this season.
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A Call to Mobilize your Peers |
One of the ways we sense the Holy Spirit leading is to reproduce what is currently taking place within SVM2 more broadly. A way to do this is by launching what we are calling “Spread the Vision” teams. These are groups of ideally 4 young adults who are somewhat recently graduated who travel to different parts of the nation and visit campuses, churches, etc., hosting Abandoned Devotion gatherings on a regular basis (hopefully weekly) and doing other meetings challenging the younger generation with launching student mission movements in their communities of believers. We have been creating a manual for getting into the hands of student leaders on campuses to equip them towards this end.
The vision we have is to see a couple of these teams launched next Fall (2005) that would travel through the fall and then again for the Winter and Spring of 2006. We are looking for current seniors with leadership giftedness, good speaking skills to communicate the vision, a deep love for the Lord and what He’s doing globally, administration and organizations skills, good people skills, a mentoring component to new younger leaders they would be connecting with on campuses, visionary thinking, and a ton of other strengths that could serve the larger movement God is raising up presently. Though the team wouldn’t start traveling until the Fall of next year, they would need to begin organizing meetings and gatherings for the Fall in the Spring of this year. The teams would also need time to raise support, etc. so we would need to have a Spread the Vision team set by February or early March.
If you are interested in more info related to this exciting opportunity send a message to Ryan@SVM2.net
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December Day of Prayer and Fasting |
Don’t miss out on standing with many others around the world from the younger generation on this coming month’s SVM2 Day of Prayer and Fasting on Thursday, December 2nd. Attached to this e-newsletter is a prayer guide for the day to give us focus as we cry out to God together for our generation and it’s involvement in Global Proclamation. Gather your friends together on campus, in your church, or in your dorm room and seek His face in prayer and intercession with all your heart! Remember to spend the day fasting from food as well and giving the extra time to seeking God on behalf of the least reached and forgotten around the world!
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What is the SVM2 Initiative? |
SVM2 is an global mission initiative among the younger generation calling new cross cultural message bearers to a life of Abandoned Devotion to Jesus Christ and the urgent global proclamation of His gospel.
The Two Pronged Vision of the SVM2 Initiative:
A. Going
The “going” component of the SVM2 Initiative is to corporately, across the younger generation, call forth 100,000 new message bearers from around the world, who will “GO” to the least reached areas of the world for at least two years following graduation.
B. Praying
The “praying” component of the SVM2 Initiative is to inspire a grassroots prayer movement among the younger generation by encouraging the initiation of 50,000 new Global Prayer Teams and periodic campus-wide Abandoned Devotion prayer gatherings on campuses and in churches which dedicate themselves to praying for the expansion of the kingdom of God globally and the younger generation’s involvement in this great endeavor.
As each mission minded student, mission fellowship, campus ministry, and collegiate ministry in a local church commit to their part in calling their peers to a greater standard of going & praying, momentum is gained and the opportunity for those that are least reached to have the gospel proclaimed to them is made possible. This is done with the knowledge that other young adults around the nation and world are committed and involved in the same endeavor.
Ways to implement the SVM2 Initiative in your community of believers:
1. Commit to and sign the Message Bearer Creed and challenge your peers on campus to make this longer term mission commitment as well. You don’t need to know where you will go or who you will go with at this point, simply step out in faith trusting that God will lead the way regarding the specifics of carrying it out. Please go online and fill out the Message Bearer Creed form at http://www.svm2.net/index.cfm?PAGE_ID=224&EXPAND=104 We want you to receive a Message Bearer Manual to get you growing in the three parts of this commitment (see below). We also want you to receive various encouragements and resources by way of e-mail, so let us know your contact info at the above site.
2. Initiate one or more Global Prayer Teams in your community. Why not invite other student leaders to start groups of their own, and create an environment of radical, global prayer and intercession on campus? A Global Prayer Team is a gathering of students or young adults getting together for prayer with a focus on reaching the world for Christ in our generation, local and global revival, and for an increase of missions vision on their campus or in their church. Go to the website http://www.svm2.net/index.cfm?PAGE_ID=44and scroll down to find and download the Global Prayer Team Handbook to get you started, or to connect an existing prayer group to the SVM2 network.
3. If you are a student leader on your campus or in your church, consider giving a portion of your time and taking on the role of Student Coordinator in your community. Contact Paul at paul@svm2.net to receive a Student Coordinator Handbook full of information regarding SVM2, its strategies and resources, to help you see this grassroots initiative take off. A Student Coordinator is one who commits to being a voice and an organizer to see the SVM2 Initiative implemented on his/her campus, campus fellowship, or local church.
4. Participate and promote the November Day of Prayer and Fasting held on Tuesday, November 2nd this month. Attached to this newsletter is a prayer guide that can be used for focused prayer and intercession on this day.
5. If you are a leader of the younger generation and want to learn more about the SVM2 Initiative and how to implement the various strategies in your ministry, contact Paul at paul@svm2.net to receive a Networking Partners Notebook. It clarifies the vision of the SVM2 Initiative and details ways that each of its strategies can be implemented within a specific ministry by the individual leader among the younger generation.
6. Consider hosting an Abandoned Devotion Prayer Gathering on your campus or in your church. We can send you all the necessary materials to get you on your way to an extended meeting which challenges students toward involvement in reaching the least reached, and crying out to God in prayer for the nations. Contact Kelly at Kshaw@SVM2.net for more information.
7. God may be calling you to greater responsibility in this endeavor. If you would like information regarding becoming an area or state coordinator for SVM2 in your geographical area, contact Ryan at ryan@SVM2.net.
Message Bearer Creed
By God's grace, as a Message Bearer, I covenant to:
Abandoned Devotion
Wholeheartedly devote myself to the person of Jesus Christ and be committed to the marks of a true disciple.
Global Proclamation
Sacrificially pursue revival and the spread of the gospel in the midst of the forgotten, through disciplined prayer and the commitment to go for two years or more.
Spread the Vision
Intentionally influence others to develop an awareness of the global purpose of God toward the aim of their personal involvement.
Visit the SVM2 website at www.SVM2.net to get your hands on various resources that will prove helpful to you as you seek to influence others with a passion for Abandoned Devotion to Jesus Christ and the urgent Global Proclamation of His gospel. Go on-line to http://www.svm2.net/index.cfm?PAGE_ID=44 to download any of the following resources.
1. The research booklet called This Generation for the Nations. This is a compilation of a nationwide research project that took place in 2002 which sought out the various trends taking place in the student world with regards to missions vision and involvement. This research was the precursor to the launching of SVM2 as many of the findings were implemented into the various strategies looking toward a movement in our generation.
2. The Fellowship of The Unashamed. A powerful quote made by a young African pastor who was martyred for his faith. Read it! Pray it! Live it!
3. Prayer for My Generation. Use this as a launching point to pray for various areas relating to this generation of young adults and their Abandoned Devotion for Christ and their role in Global Proclamation.
4. The 2-Year-Go Opportunities list. Look over this list to find organizations and ministries that cater to a two year term among the forgotten peoples of the earth. Use it to contact these organizations for info for yourself and encourage others to use it as well.
5. Next steps... Steps to Abandoned Devotion, Steps to Global Proclamation, and Steps to Spread the Vision. See http://www.svm2.net/index.cfm?PAGE_ID=185&EXPAND=185 to download these lists of Next Steps to take.
6. The Global Prayer Teams Guide contains helpful information for students and others who desire to gather together for prayer toward God's global purposes. We would be happy to send a free copy to you by request to info@svm2.net
Abandoned Devotion - Books for personal discipleship:
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The Attributes of God by A.W. Tozer
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Intimate Friendship with God by Joy Dawson
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No Compromise: The Life Story of Keith Green by Melody Green
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Passion for Jesus by Mike Bickle
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Revolution! by Michael Brown
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The Calvary Road by Roy Hession
Global Proclamation - Books concerning reaching the world
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The Great Omission by Robertson McQuilkin
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Hudson Taylor's Spiritual Secret by Dr.& Mrs. Howard Taylor
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Let the Nations be Glad! by John Piper The Missions Addiction by David Shibley
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The Move of the Holy Spirit in the 10/40 Window by Luis Bush
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Operation World by Patrick Johnstone
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Scaling the Wall by Kathy Hicks
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Imprisoned in Iran by Dan Bauman
Click on for further description of these titles. You can also find them at www.amazon.com, www.cbd.com or www.usa.om.org/books
SVM2 Abandoned Times
Phone: 519.268.8778 / Fax: 626.398.0784
Email: info@svm2.net / Website: www.SVM2.net
If your are not on our monthly e-news mailing list and would like to be included, contact us at info@svm2.net Any other questions, or to be removed from this mailing, may also be directed to info@svm2.net or simply hit "reply".
SVM2 Team
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