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HOPE4kYIV #024 ---- 9/25/04

Posted by: lifeunlimited <lifeunlimited@...>

 
                    HOPE 4 KYIV
                                   NUMBER 024
                               September 25, 2004
 
                   The “In-Pact” Prayer Newsletter of
                         Bob and Jo Ann Tolliver
                       Missionaries to Kiev, Ukraine
 
 
 
Dear Friends, Family, and In-Pact Partners:
 
Well, this past month has been an action-packed month of adventures and thrills.  Where do we start??!!!
 
Personal Updates:
 
+  The "Blindow Winds" are wonderful ---- just what we wanted, professionally done, correctly installed, and highly effective.  And, relatively inexpensive ---- nine blinds in five varying sizes, custom measured and created, delivered and installed right on time for around $80! 
 
+  Bob's dental work is nearly complete with the really big job done last week ---- two bridges and three crowns in one sitting.  He has a few minor things to be completed later, and Jo Ann has an appointment in early November to have a crown replaced.  Except for Bob feeling like he's got a permanent wad of bubble gum on one side, everything is great.  It will take some getting used to, but it's nice to have a decent smile again.
 
+  Continued good news on Nicole Grace.  While there are still major issues to face in the future such as probable heart surgery, her condition is stable and continues to improve.  She's up to about 8.5 pounds and will be four months old the tenth of next month.  She continues to "beat the odds" and we know it is because of the thousands of intercessors around the world praying for her.  We cannot thank you enough for that.  It appears that she does not hear, but this will not be confirmed for yet another few months when they can do some hearing tests.
 
+  Our health continues to be pretty stable.  We still both have chronic problems with our feet and our lower backs.  Jo Ann has been having a physical therapist come once a week to give her an adjustment and massage, and this has helped.  Bob is just "grinning and bearing" it.  As you know, we both walk or take public transportation everywhere, so our legs get quite a work out.  Bob mentioned recently that he felt his legs were in better condition than they had been in 30 years, but was sorry to admit that that fitness didn't rise above his belt.  We'll average walking ten to fifteen miles a week.  Yesterday, for example, we walked about five miles by the time the day was over.
 
Ministry Updates:
 
+  The Congregational meeting on September 5th was well attended, although not as well as we had hoped.  And, it served its purpose of getting the attention of the congregation.  Bob prepared a well-designed and understandable PowerPoint presentation that took them through the past years and pointed them toward the future.  All of a sudden the people realized that the plan will not change, and the presence of an IMB missionary as pastor will end by December, 2005.  They discovered some of the many missed opportunities they had let pass by to begin preparation for the transition.  And, they came to understand some of the things that will be necessary in order to make a good transition.
 
Bob reminded them of the four non-negotiable criteria for our continued ministry here . . . .
>  approval by the IMB of our extension request (which they granted),
>  successful assumption of financial responsibility for our rent and ministry expenses by January 1, 2005 (yet to be accomplished),
>  physical and family circumstances (taken a day at a time), and
>  the willingness of the church to take necessary action (seems evident, but time will tell). 
 
He then pointed out eight actions that he felt needed to be initiated immediately since past efforts had failed . . . .
>  re-establish prayer as our priority foundational ministry,
>  immediate creation of a Pastoral Shepherding Team (for ongoing leadership no matter who the senior pastor is),
>  begin developing new leaders for the future,
>  begin developing a home group prayer and Bible study ministry,
>  take personal financial responsibility for the church's ministry,
>  begin seeking one-to-three-year partnerships with churches in the U.S. to help make the transition,
>  begin seriously praying for and looking for our own meeting place, and
>  setting some specific deadlines for these things to take place.
 
The response was overwhelming and positive.  We think the message finally got through beyond the small leadership group for the first time in over a year and a half.  On their own, they made the following decisions:
>  Make prayer our priority, and set aside the month of September to pray about the following:
>  Decide what kind of church we will be in the future ---- International or Ukrainian, English speaking or native speaking.
>  Create the Pastoral Shepherding Team from qualified and willing men.
>  Ask God to prepare now the man who will be our next pastor.
 
+  The church's 10th anniversary celebration was all that we had hoped for and more.  Even though there were numerous glitches and plans that were never completed (such as a color photo booklet, memorabilia displays, and official greetings from various former pastors and agencies), the occasion was still above and beyond anything the people could have hoped for.  More than 100 people attended our Saturday picnic.  In spite of the fact that the people at the conference center were over an hour late in serving lunch (which required our deleting some of our planned activities), we still had an incredible time. 
 
The Sunday services saw over 150 people attend a service so packed with praise, testimony, preaching, and great music, that we actually ran out of time even though we began an hour early.  Sadly, most Americans couldn't have endured our 3.5 hour service, but everyone here had a ball.  Finally, at 3:45, we cut things off because our host church had to have the sanctuary for their choir rehearsal.  We will conclude our celebration tomorrow with lots more praise and worship, special music representing Turkmenistan, Angola, Cuba, Peru, Venezuela, Ukraine, Russia, and America, testimonies, the announcement of our intent to begin the church's fourth new church plant (A Spanish speaking congregation), and a concluding message on "Open Doors".  Wish you could be here!
 
+  During the past two months, God has placed us in varying relationships with people and churches from America.  This is truly an answer to prayer.  As you know, the future of the church really depends on involvement from westerners.  At this point, the manpower and financial resources from our Ukrainian members cannot sustain the church as it makes this transition.  While the church must become fully self sufficient, it cannot happen overnight; it must have some partnershipping for the next two or three years.  So, we praise God that He seems to be affirming that need.  You can see the excitement in the eyes of our Ukrainian members, whose lives have been filled with disappointments and abandonments from former governments, past efforts, and ministry agencies that flooded the area in 1991 when the west finally had access to eastern Europe.
 
+  We have already begun the first steps of creating an "elder leadership" model through a Pastoral Shepherding Team".  Three men have already agreed to serve on this multi-national team, and we hope to have about eight.  In addition we will create a "leader in training" group of young guys to be equipped to carry on the process as attrition moves some out and others in.  We are also talking seriously about finding a way to have our own place to meet.  Things have changed so much in Kiev, both economically and politically, that this will be a monumental undertaking, but something that is still a key to the future growth of the church.  We believe IBC has the potential to actually become the "premier" leading English-speaking church in the entire Oblast (state).  We know of no other English speaking church that has the vision for the area that IBC has.  We believe the church is here at a strategic time in history because of the location and significance of the city to history, to the present, and to the future in this region of the world.  Kiev is pivotal, and, therefore, IBC is strategic.
 
+  English classes and Bible studies have resumed.  Our Sunday adult Bible study will begin tomorrow with Marie Herling leading that group.  She's an able teacher from America who continues living here even though she's retired.  English classes have lots of new students and some new teachers as it continues its refining adjustments.  We currently have four levels, and will add others as needed.  Bob resumed the study of Genesis after a month break in August, and began a study on the life of Abraham last Tuesday.  It looks like Genesis will not be completed before we leave for the States, so we're already praying for someone to pick it up while we're gone.
 
Future Plans and Prayer Requests:
 
+  We will actually be at IBC only four more Sundays of the year because of travels.  We have a Kiev Team Leadership Retreat the week-end of October 17th, we attend the International Baptist Convention's annual Evangelism Conference and Annual meeting in Aviano, Italy  beginning October 22nd, and then leave November 10th or 11th for the US, where we will be speaking and doing missions mobilization and enjoying Thanksgiving and Christmas with family.  We already have six speaking engagements scheduled, with two more simply waiting for dates to be set, plus the possibilities of several others yet to be verified.  You can see that, with only seven weeks available for all that plus holiday time with family, it's not going to be a vacation by any means.  We will return immediately after the New Year in time for Ukrainian Christmas January 7th.  Pray that we'll have safety, health, and good success on our ministry travels.
 
+  Pray for substitutes to carry on our multi-faceted tasks and ministries while we're gone so much this Fall.  Pray that we'll be comfortable being gone; we are really concerned that our absence will not cause even one thing to slow down while we're away.  Pray that people won't even miss us.  Pray that things will go better without us, and that the church will see that and become excited over it.
 
+  Pray for Jim, Deanna, Nicole Grace, and the other children as they continue their adjustments to living a day at a time.  Pray that they will receive these new boundaries as God's way of bringing greater focus to their personal lives and to their ministry as a team.  Pray that their church will continue to be supportive, caring, and serving, as they have been all along.
 
+  Pray for daughter Cheri, Bob, and their five children as the kids continue dealing with the residual affects of past cultural and family influences.  Such things sometimes affect choices and actions that can damage their personalities, spiritual growth, and Christian witness.  It's amazing just how hard it is to uproot thought and action patterns that have in the past grown deep into the soil of their personalities.
 
+  Pray for Debbie and the girls.  We have no recent report, but assume she still is suffering from what might possibly be MS (still undiagnosed after four years), and from other long-term issues.  Pray that her vision will return and that she can return to a healthy and independent life with the girls.
 
+  Pray for Cindy, Kevin, and Christopher as they seek to raise the remaining $1500 monthly support needed before they return to Colombia in the next month or two.  Pray that God will raise up many more churches and individuals who will become part of their undergirding team.
 
+  Pray that IBC will become a church fervent in authoritative, steadfast, courageous, faith-based prayer, and that God will respond supernaturally to the requests they make to Him.
 
+  Pray that the Pastoral Shepherding Team will be assembled quickly, and will be made up of godly, Spirit-filled men who will pay the price of leading by example with servant spirits.  Pray that the church will receive, honor, respect, and respond to their leadership and ministry.
'
+  Pray that God will choose Bob's successor, whenever that is to be.  Pray that he is already being prepared.  Pray that the PST and the Leadership Council will effectively prepare the church for that man.  Pray that God will, in the meantime, put together a rotating team of men from the States who can provide seamless, ongoing pastoral leadership; pray that they would be gifted and equipped with exactly the teachings that are needed at the moment for the church.
 
+  Pray that God will provide the perfect partnerships between IBC and churches in America.  Pray that pastors and churches in America will be stretched to understand how they can be involved with "hands on" missions through partnering with missionaries.
 
+  Pray that God will reserve, protect, and provide for our own building for IBC.  Pray that it will be exactly what we need, that it will be available at the time we need it, and that God will provide both the financial resources and the manpower to prepare it and make the move.
 
+  Pray that God will make it clear to the two of us exactly what He wants us to do, and will reveal the timetable perfectly for whatever adjustments are needed on our part.
 
Finally:
 
As you see, dear friends, we've had a glorious month, and we also have a daunting future.  From them both arise some God-sized prayer requests.  Please don't take them lightly.  Print them off; post them where you'll see them;  lift them to the Father every day.  This task is so much greater than we have resources to assume.  We have no other alternative but to cry out to Him.  Fearful of sounding melodramatic, we still must declare that the future of IBC is clearly an affecting part of the future of eastern Europe.  If we did not believe that, we'd not be here. 
 
Long ago we abandoned the "ministry as usual, with no particular purpose" mentality.  We're not special people, but we are convinced God called us to a special ministry in these latter years of our lives.  If you see what we're doing here in Kiev as "just another missionary" or as "just another missions ministry", then you should not be part of our prayer team.  We've asked God to make every one of the more than 1,500 individuals who pray for us to become mighty in spirit, passionate about the Gospel, faithful in service, and courageous in prayer in our behalf.
 
Your prayer for us and for IBC at this time is more critical than it's ever been.  God has opened doors that are too great to attain, but too big to miss.  Just as King Saul when he saw Goliath said, "he's too big to fight", we instead say with David, "he's too big to miss!".  We hope you will join us in that type of confident, authoritative, and bold intercession.
 
If you want to check up on us more regularly, please consider signing up for "Shoulder To Shoulder", Bob's weekly e-letter which often contains updated stories, sign up for "PrayKIEV" prayer letter, and also visit the websites listed below.  Bob hopes to update the Webshots album soon, and also add a new Webshots website exclusively for the church.
 
Thank you for being our friends and supporters.  We cherish it all.
 
In His Bond, By His Power, and For His Kingdom,
 
Bob and Jo Ann
 
IBC - Hope4Kyiv
   Bob: 
lifeunlimited@pobox.com
   Jo Ann:  grandma12@pobox.com
 
Our Websites:
   http://www.hope4kiev.org  for the general work in Kiev.
   http://community.webshots.com/user/01lum for access to our family and
    ministry photo albums.
   http://www.praykiev.org for information on our city-wide strategic prayer movement.
 
To receive "PrayKiev", a monthly (or more) prayer letter on a city-wide prayer
   network, send a blank message to praykiev-subscribe@associate.com.
To reach the "PrayKIEV" website, go to http://www.praykiev.org.
 
For weekly spiritual encouragement and current stories of our work here,
subscribe to "Shoulder To Shoulder", a letter to "lift up hands that
 
For Back Issues of . . .
   "Shoulder To Shoulder" go to http://www.welovegod.org/groups/shoulders .
 
 

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