Divine Connections

As of July 2004, Master’s Touch Ministries has asked Radical Restoration Ministries, LLC to provide oversight for our ministry. We are excited about this connection. Our involvement in ministry continues to be through the blessings of relational connections. It is through these connections we see our vision to strengthen churches and leadership. Together we serve and become more effective and involved to make Christ known in the nations.

We serve with people and ministries sharing common purposes that will strengthen local churches both here and overseas. It is a blessing to draw from the wisdom and leadership of Radical Restoration Ministries (RRM) team. For those that are not familiar with their ministry, we would like to share a little about our friends at RRM.

RRM is an emerging apostolic network based in Tri Lakes Community Church of Bristol, IN. They are under the spiritual oversight of Teaching the Word Ministries of Leola, PA. They are committed to the restoration of radical Christianity in our time. They focus their call in the areas of reformation, restoration, and reconciliation.

Dale Stoll is the founder and Director of RRM. He served as Senior Pastor at Tri Lakes Community Church in Bristol, IN for 22 years. He is currently involved in apostolic oversight with nine congregations, including Tri Lakes Community Church. He is active in leadership of the Michiana Regional Pastors Prayer Network. He also leads the Association of Radical Church Networks (ARC NET). He serves the church through teaching, writing, overseeing, mentoring, coaching, and mediating.

Ray Miller is the Associate Director and has 24 years of experience in pastoral care. He provides pastoral care to the leadership families of churches that relate to the RRM network. His heart is to bring wholeness to churches, married couples, and families. He also mentors emerging leaders. Ray is also the founder of Wholeness House Ministries.

The vision of RRM has three parts. First is Reformation and Restoration Ministry, which is presenting the vision for the restoration of radical Christianity whenever and wherever possible, through teaching and writing. Second, is Apostolic Oversight, identifying churches and ministries committed to this vision and assisting them in developing the leadership, resources and oversight relationships necessary to move forward with the vision. Third is Contribution to the Larger Church, which is participating in the “New Apostolic Reformation” of the Church on two fronts. The first front is the development of Apostolic Networks across the church, and second is the Church in the city, especially in the Michiana (Michigan and Indiana) area.

RRM desires to see the following values established in their lives and in the lives of those that they have opportunities to influence. Those values include:

• God-centered, rather than self-centered
• Intimacy with God, rather than narcissism
• Integrity, rather than expediency
• Revealed truth, rather than relativism
• Community, rather than individualism
• Submission, rather than independence
• Servanthood, rather than hedonism
• Multiplication, rather than self-preservation
• Humility, rather than pride
• Excellence, rather than mediocrity

The mission of RRM is to shape the Radical Church for the 21st century by living according to Holy Scripture as the final authority for life, and walking in obedience of the historical radical church, and embracing the present move of God. In the coming months we hope to share more about our relational connection with RRM as it unfolds.

Through our connection to RRM, as well as those that the Lord brings, Master’s Touch Ministries will continue to help build the church and the Body of Christ in which we serve. We also want to provide opportunities for participation in short term mission ventures, provide opportunities for ministries and churches to link together to support church planting ventures as God opens doors, and to send teams of leaders on ministry equipping missions.

Heart to Heart

Moments with the Father

It has been said in many prophetic circles that the year 2004 is the “Year of the Doors.” May we be aware of the doors that are forming before us and be alert to walk through them. As the season is changing in the natural, there is a changing or a shifting taking place. When shifting comes we leave old things and ways behind that have hindered us from breaking through and walking through our doors. Shifting brings shaking and shaking brings forth breaking. Break off old habit patterns, break loose generational ties that bind, and break free! Be alert to the plans and timing of the Lord.

The Lord gave us an impression of a runner in a race that began with fervor, but is weary. If you have been going through times intense warfare, you are not alone. We believe the Lord is calling His Bride to “keep pace” with Him. At times we can rush ahead and be out of sync of His timing, other times we can be involved in the busyness of the day or the tyranny of the urgent, missing His call to be still. We can also be lagging behind what He is calling us to.

An example can be illustrated again by a runner in a race pacing him to be able to finish strong. He keeps pace so that he can endure the distance and win the prize. I believe the Lord is saying, “keep pace, keep pace with Me.” The Apostle Paul instructed Timothy to fight the good fight of faith and to take hold of the eternal life to which he was called. Do not lose sight of His divine purpose to which He has called you. The enemy of our souls desires nothing more than to get us off pace, or off focus so that we expend our energy and do not have the stamina to finish. We lose the prize of the high calling. Do not be distracted or moved. His grace is sufficient and His mercies are new every morning! Stand in the midst of the storm surrounded by the wings of the Almighty as your refuge.

Have you ever heard of a statement like “The Perfect Storm?” What storm can be perfect? The storms wrought by the hand of God that brings us to a place of refining, adjusting, and fine tuning so that light can shine in the darkness can bring forth His perfection. That is a type of “perfect storm.” Storms like hurricanes can bring gale force winds causing residents to board up and protect their property. It has an opposite affect in a spiritual sense. The wind of adversity uncovers barriers and brings forth revelation of the condition of our hearts. We need to be open to the hand of God bringing the winds or the “perfect storm.” In Song of Solomon 4:16 it reads, “Awake, north wind, and come, south wind! Blow upon my garden that its fragrance may spread abroad. Let my lover come into his garden and taste its choice fruits.” Recently we were reminded of His covenant by a beautiful rainbow displayed after a storm. We need not fear the winds nor the rain, because His covenant promise to us is to reveal His love. May we be rooted and established in His love that will cause us to walk in the power through His Spirit knowing that nothing can separate us from His love. It is His power that is at work within us. We believe the Lord is saying, “Embrace the storm.” As we embrace the storm in our weakness we are made strong. There is always refreshing after repentance.

Take time to reflect during the storms and ask God if there is an area of your heart that He desires to reveal truth to. Then, be still and listen for His voice and know He is God. It is during those times of reflection we gain insight. We are broken before Him and refreshed once again for the race that is set before us. We are more in tune with His timing and are able to keep His pace. We pray that you forget those things which are behind and strain towards what is ahead. Continue to press on toward the goal the prize for which God has called you heavenward! May the winds of “The Perfect Storm” result in bringing His glorious splendor to you, His Bride and may His Spirit keep you in His pace so that you can finish strong!

Hungary

We will be returning to Budapest Hungary on September 7 to September 28, 2004 to serve three churches in a regional district of the city. These churches are from different denominational backgrounds such as Church of Christ, Pentecostal, and House of Prayer. You might say this spans broad doctrinal views. It does and we trust God has equipped us to bridge denominational barriers and reflect Jesus to all these brothers and sisters.

Please consider partnering with us in prayer and finances to impact these churches. Some of these pastors serve in different capacities that reach their district, city, region, and nation. It is a blessing to go back and serve some of the same churches we worked with last year. We believe in building long-term relational bonds that will strengthen these local churches by providing encouragement, teaching, equipping, and nurturing these pastors and their wives, leadership teams, and their congregations.

Please remember our team in prayer before, during, and after the mission dates listed.

Master’s Touch Prayer Focus

PRAY FOR:
• The spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of Christ to continue to be revealed for Master’s Touch Ministries. (Eph. 1:17-19)

• To see and hear the council of the Lord and to speak His word faithfully. (Jer. 23:18, 28)

• Prophetic Insight for the people and nations Master’s Touch Ministries serves. (Phil. 1:9-11)

• Integrity in all aspects of ministry and for Godly character to be reflected in all Master’s Touch Ministries is involved with. (1 Thes. 2:4-8)

• Attributes of Jesus Christ to be manifested personally and in all ministry service.

• The Father of glory to continue to root and establish us in His love through His Spirit in our inner being that we may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God. (Eph. 3:14-19)

• Hungary team: Ray & Barb Miller and Charlene Lopez—May His Kingdom come in their lives.

HUNGARY MISSION PRAYER NEEDS:
• For the leadership teams in the different churches our team will serve while in Hungary. May they continue to be encouraged by the Lord and strengthened in the work that has been entrusted to them.

• For the team to build up and prepare our Hungarian brothers and sisters for works of service so that they may reach unity in faith in the knowledge of Jesus becoming mature and attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ. (Eph. 4:11-13)

• For protection, stamina, and divine health as the team travels and serves both in going and returning from Hungary and that the fruit will remain.

• For the three churches we will serve: Tabernacle of David, House of Prayer, and Church of Christ that the Spirit of wisdom and revelation will be released in the hearts of the people. (Eph. 1:17-19)

• For 2 Thes. 3:1 to be manifested in Hungary.

Left:
Hungarian National AGLOW Board

Left:
Joint Worship Service Budapest