This is a special issue of the Empower Forward Impact.
The Apostle Paul wrote, “I planted
the seed, Apollos watered it, but God gave the growth.”
1
Corinthians 3:6
Scripture is overly clear about our tasks
and God’s task in church development. We plant and water, but we cannot produce
the growth. We can build the staves of the barrel, but we cannot fill the
barrel with water, only God.
God is without question Good and Gracious. Our hearts
remain stirred for growing healthy, reproductive churches. There is always a
desired impulse within us to become increasingly productive.
It
has been said that the quality of the local church is people. You increase the
quality of your church by increasing the quality in the heads, hands, and
hearts of the people. For your information, research shows us that churches committed
to the Natural Church Development church health process and those who continually
devote themselves to this process have experienced an 85% success rate in improving
the health of their church and seen their attendance grow significantly. One of
the essential characteristics of Empower Forward is that we are firmly
committed to ministry excellence, and want to inspire church leaders to dream
and develop fruitful churches.
- Sue’s opportunities
- · Leighton’s Health
Some time ago, many of you are not aware that while
walking on the ice, Leighton suffered a severe fall. His feet went straight up and he landed
directly on his head. As a result of complications Leighton was in the hospital
for 6 month. He was released and is showing remarkable evidence of God’s
healing power. Now that he is back to work, please continue to pray for
Leighton as he finds himself fully applying his life to God’s calling with
engaging and captivating insights.
As a result of these circumstances, we had a
meeting with our Mission leadership and it was requested consider being be
placed on Senior Retired Status of the Assemblies of God, USA. Leighton also
resigned his position with the A/G U.S. Missions.
This, by no means, will suspend our ministry
activity, but we will continue to work through Empower Forward to resource
pastors and churches. Our hearts are still stirred by the thousands upon
thousands of churches dotting the American landscape that have lost their way. They
may have a storied history, but attendance is lagging and
few, if any people are coming to faith in Christ through their ministries. In
the face of shrinking attendance and lagging spiritual growth, many pastors and
church leaders are understandably discouraged and demoralized.
So many of these churches have no one to resource them or coach them. How can these churches change direction and get back on course? How can they recapture a sense of passion for the mission Jesus Christ has given them to fulfill? The first step to turning things around is hope. Empower Forward can offer this hope by helping church leaders discover what is most needed to make a new start. Our hearts are stirred anew! Pray as we endeavor to grow in the grace and mercy of God and seek His maturity and His will for our direction at this time.
“God is able to make all grace
abound to you so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good
work.”
2
Corinthians 9:8
We hope that as you have read this IMPACT,
God will have increased your appetite to pray for us.
As some have already indicated, with the
tremendous challenge before us, they would like to continue to give
financially. If you would like to continue giving financially to the Joneses, please
give through the Empower Forward website (www.empowerforward.org) and click the
“Give To” page. Please note: Empower Forward is a non-profit, 501(c)(3) status
organization and all donations are tax-deductible. We will give you a year-end
receipt. Any contributor will not be able to give further funds to Leighton and
Sue through A/G missions and receive Assemblies of God missions credit. However,
if finances will no longer be an item of future giving, we will certainly,
without question, wish you to maintain your much-needed prayers.
It’s hard to find the right words to
express our gratitude for you and your commitment to prayer and faithful giving
to God’s ministry of Leighton & Sue Jones. Because of you, we were able to touch
so many lives around the world. These last 31 years have been such a wonderful experience
of God’s hand at work as we ministered by His grace. Please watch the video of
the many people and places we helped.
We love you from the bottom of our hearts.
You have graced our lives and so many around the world and for this we will be eternally
grateful to our Lord for you.
To see just some of the faces of people whose lives Jesus touched as a result of our partnership with you, please enjoy this video: