7 Questions - State College

7 Questions - State College

State College, PA – Dan

Isaiah 62:1-4 ^NAS Isaiah 62:1 For Zion's sake I will not keep silent, And for Jerusalem's sake I will not keep quiet, Until her righteousness goes forth like brightness, And her salvation like a torch that is burning. ² And the nations will see your righteousness, And all kings your glory; And you will be called by a new name, Which the mouth of the LORD will designate. ³ You will also be a crown of beauty in the hand of the LORD, And a royal diadem in the hand of your God. ⁴ It will no longer be said to you, "Forsaken," Nor to your land will it any longer be said, "Desolate"; But you will be called, "My delight is in her," And your land, "Married"; For the LORD delights in you, And to Him your land will be married.

What is God’s redemptive purpose for our city? Arthur Burke talks about redemptive gifts of cities. State College has the redemptive give of exhortation.

State College started as a university first and then the city. There’s 10-20,000 people a year coming and going. But they are largely influenced only by a very liberal University.

You must give hope to a city and so you must find what God has for the city.

You will no longer be called forsaken. Isaiah 62:5 ⁵ For as a young man marries a virgin, So your sons will marry you; And as the bridegroom rejoices over the bride, So your God will rejoice over you.

Beulah, being married to the land. That’s what God has for us. We are to be married to the land. The city needs persevering leadership. City transformation will not happen overnight. John Trent talks about 2 degree shift that over time takes trajectory way off course.

Dan has been working for 10 years and he is still the “new” guy. The pastors are married to the land.

What is right?

They are married to the land. Leadership extends beyond the pastors.

Isaiah 62:6-7 ⁶ On your walls, O Jerusalem, I have appointed watchmen; All day and all night they will never keep silent. You who remind the LORD, take no rest for yourselves; ⁷ And give Him no rest until He establishes And makes Jerusalem a praise in the earth.

Prayer has been a key part of their ministry. The DNA was set by their involvement with Harvest Evangelism. 7 years ago there were 12 churches that joined together for a unity service (3000 people). The majority of those churches grew significantly.

What is wrong?

The core group lost two of its members. There is a tendency for pastors to not submit to reach the city. The pullout put a halt on the movement.

We need a better assimilation strategy for new pastors to join the group. A lead team strategy means that any pastor who wants to join can. They are working on a covenant that has teeth to it in terms of partnership, finances and leadership.

Pastors say they are for the effort but then don’t show up.

Q and A

Prayer movements are very difficult to sustain. Bob Baake has a good book on concerts of prayer.

How did you form your lead groups? Organically. A lead team is a group of pastors who will gather together and covenant to do something. It’s flexible.