Tightening Up, Digging Deep, and Upgrading

February and January have been awesome months of tightening up the ministries of Church of Glory Ciesyzn. A few weeks ago, Patrycja spoke, and said that it was time to 'upgrade.' I couldn't agree with her more. Upgrade is in the air, and is being manifested each weekend. This past weekend I trained our first usher and greeters, and made usher/greeter tags. You could feel the strength of having those people in their positions. It brought more order, and peace to our services this past weekend. We also had someone make prayer cloths, and I'll be training prayer cloth ladies shortly. I also have to train the congregation so that they understand the concept of a 'prayer cloth' or a modesty cloth. Could you imagine yourself doing that? Just think, you might be in a church somewhere, training their people to carry a move of God. A part of that training might require introducing prayer cloths for the first time. Spiritual is practical, and practical is spiritual. I've been a prayer cloth lady, and I understand how important that ministry is. When you have people responding to the presence of God, this is a very practical ministry to have at any church. Now that the people are starting to respond to God in a new way, are falling under His power, and getting on their faces...this ministry is being birthed.

Next, I'm proud to announce our newest kid ministry! In English it would be K.T.T or Kids In Training. Translated into Polish, it is something else. So we're calling it D&T, and it will be every Thursday night during corporate prayer. The kids will have expectations, marches, a short bible lesson, praise and worship, and will be trained in powerful prayer. We are raising up a generation of Polish kids that will know how to call upon God, and get answered prayers! We're also adding new people to our kids ministries, and getting them trained to be in Light Kids.

We also added a hospitality ministry to accommodate our Sunday morning visitors, and special meetings that may occur. The hospitality room is undergoing a makeover right now, and is looking so much better. We have a couple of guest speakers coming in a few months, and having a room like this is very important. We also upgraded our helps ministry, and created a schedule of people who take care of God's house. We also tightened up our words team, and put them on a schedule. So, I have been very busy helping organize, helping create, and helping upgrade ministries behind the scenes. The people are getting a chance to live a lifestyle of putting God first, and some are stepping into their first ministry. As mentioned last week, I raised up a girl to organize the worship books after service, and she has turned out to be the right person for the job. Last weekend, I raised up a new singer for the worship team. She had never sang on the worship team before, but she has a right attitude. She had to learn a lot in a short period of time, but she did a great job!
I still have lots of plans in my heart for the months ahead, and I can't wait to do more. I will be in Warsaw after Easter, so I'm trying to accomplish a lot in the time I have left. While I'm gone, they can live this new revival lifestyle out, and enjoy services full of God's presence.

In addition to all these new changes, I have been stretched quite a bit. I've been the praise and worship leader for several weeks. I'm not fluent in Polish, but I am picking up words as quick as I can. Our worship leader, and Pastor's wife, has been recovering from surgery. So I have been standing in for her until she recovers. I have also been writing new songs, adding chords to songs that have been translated into Polish, and learning how to sing in Polish. I have some awesome people that sing on the P&W team that help me; I couldn't do it without them! Plus, we have an awesome guitar player named Michael, and Patrycja's brother who plays drums.

Our services have gotten a lot deeper in the past two weeks as well. I felt that the area in which we live is very 'hard.' The people are also hard, and it has been a reason we're not growing. The Silesian Province is one of the few places in Poland that has Protestants. So we're in a good area of Poland, but the people are still very hard. We felt that we needed to start plowing, 'digging' deeper, and creating a well for God to pour out his presence. We have had some spiritual opposition, but it is happening because we're doing what is right. Our people are fighters, and they are taking their training seriously. So all last weekend, we went to battle, and we dug deep.

I'm expecting great things for this ministry, and for Pastor Marcin's church in the months ahead. I am proclaiming that this will be the best year ever for Pastor Gosia and Slawek! That Pastor Marcin's church would see upgrade, and increase in every area. I can see the changes that are happening in the church in Ciesyzn, and by August of 2015 it will basically be a new church. It will not resemble what it was in August of 2014, because of what God has done. God's honor is being restored, distractions are being eliminated, people are being trained, and stirred. God is showing up, enabling us, and backing this up. It is not glamorous, it is a lot of hard work, but it is right! Watching the people stretch themselves, arise, and get into position is worth it all. I believe that God is going to awaken his church in Poland, and ignite the fires of revival across this land. It is overdue, and it is time.

#PolandArise

Stepping into a God Adventure (The Story of Maria)

I wanted to share a great testimony about how God worked a big miracle in my life. I want to encourage those of you who are praying for loved ones, friends, co-workers, and people who haven't even crossed your path yet. God does answer prayers concerning bringing people into His Kingdom, and He is still in the business of doing miracles. God hears you loud and clear when you cry out for people. I know this to be true in many ways, because I experienced the miracle of my friend coming to the Lord. Maria and I have known each other since we were in 6th grade. We first met in Lompoc, CA at Vandenberg Middle School, and have been friends ever since. After we graduated from Cabrillo High School in 1999, we went our separate ways. In 2000, I ended up moving to Kansas City after my life was drastically rescued by the ministry of Steve and Kathy Gray. I went to their World Revival School of Ministry, and allowed God to restore my life. Each year I went back to Lompoc, CA for visits, and tried to share with people how God was continually changing my life. Unfortunately, it was difficult to find people with open ears and hearts.

In 2011, I was deeply encouraged by my friends Pastor James Kopang and Pastor Dustin Smith. Each of them preached great messages on reaching out to people, and it stirred my heart. I wanted to bring in more people to God's Kingdom, and wanted to see their lives restored. In March of 2011, I made an unplanned trip to Lompoc. I put out on Facebook, "I'm coming to Lompoc, who would like to hang out?" Maria was the only one who responded, and we made a reunion date at Starbucks. We had only one hour, because I had a flight to catch in L.A. I hadn't seen her in a decade, and she hadn't changed a bit. As we got caught up, I noticed that Maria was wide open. What I mean is that she had a hungry heart for God, and I noticed it. I shared the good things that God had done in my life, and it was noticeable. I wasn't the same person she had seen June 9th, 1999. It wasn't because I was older either, something on the inside of me was different. I gave her some sermon CD's that changed my life, and encouraged her to listen to them. I guaranteed her that she would get a 'nugget' each time she listened. As it turned out, Maria put those CD's in her car, and God began to touch her life.

When I got back to Kansas City, I found out that I had lost my job. It was a shock to me, and threw me into one of the biggest faith battles of my life. God was my ultimate supplier, and I never went without. In July of 2011, I was finishing up my summer finals, and my mom called me. She mentioned that she and my sisters were getting together. All of a sudden my faith arose, and I told my mom, "I'm going to California!" She was delighted, and I made the arrangements. It was definitely a faith situation, but God worked it out. While I was there, I made plans to be with Maria. I knew that God wanted to speak to her, so I was ready to listen to what God wanted to say. We spoke together for two hours, and God gave me everything I needed to say. It was what she needed to hear, and I didn't even know it! I invited her to Kansas City for a visit, and headed back east the next day.

Over the next few months, God arranged for me to not only have a job, but go to school full-time. In the meantime, I would check in on Maria, and see how she was doing. One Thursday night in September, I was on my way home from Firehouse. Maria called me and said she was on the World Revival Church website, and saw an advertisement for a conference. She booked a plane ticket and was on her way to Kansas City. That weekend Maria was deeply touched by God, and we had a blast being together! On Sunday morning, we sat on the prayer floor together, amazed at what God had done. I sat there amazed that my friend from Cabrillo was sitting next to me. It was two worlds colliding for the first time. The next day, before we went off to do some sight seeing, I walked into Maria's room. My faith sprang up within me and I said, "Maria, if you ever want to move here, this will be your room."

Sure enough, Maria decided to take a big step, and move to Kansas City. She loved Pastor Kathy, and was intrigued about the classes she taught at the school of ministry. So she decided to move to attend classes at the school of ministry, and take some Pastor Kathy classes. That was the end of February, beginning of March 2012. So this year marks her 3rd year anniversary. As the months passed by, Maria began to change before my eyes. She would come home from the school of ministry, her eyes were as big as saucers. She would say, "did you know...?" Maria grew up Catholic, and didn't really know the Word of God, or even really how to pray. After she spent time reading the bible, being filled with the Holy Spirit, and getting a biblical foundation laid in her life, I saw her arise. I had known her since middle school, and I was seeing things that were still on her life, begin to brake off! She started getting a voice, becoming bold and strong, and gained a new confidence.

Today, Maria works with the 2-3 year olds in Light Church, and carries an anointing to work with children. She always had a heart for children, and she found a niche for that gifting. She also is one of the people who does the words for the praise and worship team of World Revival Church; a trusted position. She cleans the House of Hope and Healing, and has a spirit of excellence in all that she does. She never has a bad attitude, and helps out in places no one even knows about. Maria has a huge heart for people, and when she prays...things happen. That is a drastic change from the person who left Lompoc three years ago.

Like Abraham, the father of our faith, Maria has become a lady of faith. She is the one who said, "it took big faith to leave, but it takes bigger faith to stay." That is definitely a statement of faith, when it comes to stepping into a God adventure. Maria is like a modern day Abraham, because she left everything to go after God. In return, God is raising her up, restoring her life, and using her powerfully. In fact, she is the one I'm trusting to watch over the Shalom Home, my home in Raytown, MO. She oversees the newsletter for prayer, and much more. Maria is a is a huge answer to prayer, and miracle of God.

My encouragement is this, don't give up responding to the Holy Spirit when He nudges you about people. If God puts someone on your heart, call them, Facebook them, text them, and above all else pray for them. 435 highway in Kansas City, between the Kansas and Missouri state lines is saturated with my prayers for people. On my way to work, and on the way back I prayed. I prayed for people and responded to the Holy Spirit. I probably prayed for Maria many times on that stretch of road. So who is out there that needs what you have? I'm sure someone needs a burning bush to get their attention. Are you burning and drawing people to the light of God on the inside of you? Don't be surprised if there's a 'Maria' waiting for you, in your future. Pray that God would open their eyes, and that God would use you to impact their lives.

Song for Maria, "Open my Eyes"

Time Flies When You're Having Fun Working Hard for God

I can't believe it's almost Valentines Day, and I have been in Poland since Christmas. Time is flying, and there is still so much to do. My catch phrase in Poland has been "no rest," and that is the truth. I must confess though that this is a labor of love, and I am so thankful that I'm here. The people in Poland go well beyond to take good care of their guests, and have such a hospitable spirit. Poland is an untapped treasure, and its people are precious. I'm so grateful for both of the churches that I'm a part of, because they treat me better than I deserve.

This week I was busy working with a great friend, translating songs from English to Polish, and getting the worship book system perfected. Apparently I'm in a songwriting mode all over again, because Wednesday night we ended up writing a new song [Come Right Now]. I think by the time Christmas of 2015 hits, we'll have an album ready for the holidays! I also got to raise up a youth girl to do the worship books after the services, and she has been a great person for the job. So things are not only progressing spiritually, but practically. God is really taking this church in Ciesyzn up to a new level, and the people have such a right attitude.

In March, I'll head up to Warsaw for a few days for their women's conference. Pastor Ula, Pastor Agnieszka Onyszcz, and Marta Worbel are the main speakers. I will also be speaking, and that is an amazing honor. Compared to where I've come from, this is more than a dream come true. I remember Pastor Steve saying multiple times, "How about you stay faithful working with kids (or some other ministry), and there will be a day when you'll be trusted with a microphone. I was actually working in Firehouse all those times he ever said that. You know what, he was right! I listened with faith, and stuck to the plan. Everything I learned at the World Revival School of Ministry, the World Revival Network meetings, conferences, and weekly revival meetings are paying off. I have such a wealth of the goodness of God stored up inside of me, and that would never have happened if I had cheapened my commitment to God along the way. So now God has a clay pot, full of his revival treasures that He can share with these people.

Then after the conference, I'll be speaking at their school of ministry about kids and youth. I think I have enough Firehouse stories and experiences to get me through. Ha!  Then right after Easter, I'll head back to Warsaw for two months. It is pretty exciting to get an opportunity to live in this city. If you have never researched Warsaw, I would highly advise it. It is rich in history, art, music, and is the poster child for the word ARISE. This is a city that has literally arisen from the ash and rubble, and is one of the most progressive cities on the European map. Being in Warsaw I'm reminded, 'This isn't the history channel...I'm standing on history!' Warsaw to me is the heart of this nation, and if the capital arises...the nation arises with it. Now it is time for the church in Poland to arise, and Pastor Marcin's group is definitely leading the charge!

While in Warsaw, I'll be working with Pastor Marcin's children ministry, and their school of ministry. Plus, if they need anything else, I want to be available! They have a neat group of young adults and youth that go into the heart of city for outreach. I enjoyed it so much during my last visit, and am hoping to join them once again! So lots of work, and activity ahead. It is going to be stretching, radical, and life changing. By the time I'm finished in Warsaw, it will be June, and I would have been in Poland for six months! Wow! Time flies when you're having fun working hard for God. 

I wanted to thank those of you who are keeping up with the blog, and for those of you who are praying for Poland! It means a great deal to me, and I feel your support here in Poland. Prayer has especially been the turning point for what God is doing in this nation. I can tell people are praying, because I'm seeing the results. I know that I'm only one person, and a job this size takes a lot of people. So even if you can't come to Poland, your prayers are making an impact on real lives. I would like to encourage you to continue to pray for the Churches in Poland; that revival would come to this nation. It is right for people to have a chance at the presence of God, especially those here in this nation. Below, I've put some prayer points for February!

February Prayer Points

• God send spiritual rain on this nation. Soften the ground,  & open the heavens
• LORD Arise! Bring justice for the people
• Give Mary favor with leaders and open doors
• Let the people arise to their spiritual positions
• Prosper this nation
• Unity in the churches of Poland

Also, if you would like to be a part of my monthly prayer newsletter, please email me at:
Revival_revolutionary@yahoo.com. You will be contacted via email once a month with exciting updates, testimonies, and answers to prayer.
#PolandArise

Starting February 2015 With Good News

Church of Glory-Cieszyn has come a long way in a short period of time, and are changing right my before my eyes. Last week when the ladies came back from the Arise conference, we were all excited to hear their testimonies. Our first service with them was Thursday night, our corporate prayer night. During that service, the people came ready and hungry. They were ready to dig deeper, and go further. So I stepped away from the piano, and did some training. I encouraged the people to pray along with the leader, keep their eyes open, and be participants. WOW! The roar that came from them that night was incredible! I was like, "I think I just witnessed corporate prayer." The next night was our Friday revival service, and whatever they prayed was felt all night long during that service. The room felt good, and you could feel God presence. Patrycja preached a great message on laying down your life, putting Jesus first, and changing your priorities.The response afterwards was right, and people were very touched by what she spoke on. Plus the response in prayer was much different than we had ever  experienced. People were on their faces crying out to God, and Pastor Slawek paced while he prayed over us.

Patrycja Polok preaching on 1/30/15

 After I got home from church that night, I was amazed at what God is doing in this group. They are so hungry, and willing to change, just like their leadership. There has been three weeks of a stirring that is going on, and it makes me very excited. Sunday morning I was expecting more of what happened Friday night, but I felt that above our heads was opposition. The atmosphere felt hard, as if there was a stop sign in our way. After two songs I could tell none of our songs on the list were going to work. So I stepped away from the piano, let the drums/electric guitar carry us, and Patrycja grabbed the mic to help translate. I knew it wasn't necessarily the people that were struggling, and the songs we chose would have been fine. However, something needed to break. I encouraged the people to begin to tell God how much they loved him out loud, and draw near to Him. The people responded by crying out to God, and tears began to appear on some faces. The atmosphere began to change, but still there wasn't a freedom in the room. We sang again, but it didn't feel right. So I got from behind the piano again, and Patrycja came back with the mic. This time with passion I cried out "where are the intercessors, where are the intercessors?" This time the people all began to pray and cry out to God. You could feel something shift, and that stop sign was being pushed back. We began to make up our own song, and a moment was created. "Więcej Jesuz" or "more Jesus" arose in the room, and God's presence came in so distinct. 

From there we had two incredible testimonies from Ala T., and Iza S. They shared about the amazing hospitality they experienced at World Revival Church, and how their lives were touched at the conference. Something Iza said, touched my heart deeply. She stated,  

"the first time I came to World Revival Church I thought I was a strong person in the Lord. When I was there I saw how I was not strong, and that my crown needed to come off." 

She passionately encouraged the people at Church of Glory to treat Jesus with honor, and that we can't do church as usual. I about cried when I heard that, because she was someone who had a right response to being around God's presence. She came in one way, and went back to Poland a different person. Then Pastor Slawek got up and preached a powerful message, and afterwards the people ran forward for prayer. This is normal for World Revival Church and churches like it, but this was a real response to God.

This week has been different for me because of the moments and messages that occurred in those services. It threw me into a much needed song writing mode, and by Wednesday night, I had at least 4 new songs ready for the upcoming weekend. I feel that God is creating anthems for the people of God in Poland. Pastor Dustin taught me (around 2008) to become a chronicler of the move of God. You listen to sermons, notate moments, and then try to put what is happening into song format.  Tonight's anthem for corporate prayer was "Lord Arise" or "Panie Powstan." I could feel that 'Lord Arise' is what He wants to do for them, He wants to reveal himself as an unstoppable hero. Poland needs an unstoppable hero.

So again, I sit here amazed at what God has been doing behind the scenes, and the fruit that is coming forth so quickly. The people are changing right before my eyes and arising! They are stepping into position, and taking their training to heart. As a result, God's presence is coming more and more. I can only imagine what their lives will be like six months from now, and how different they will be. I'm expecting increase in every area of their lives, more joy, more freedom, more life. #PolandArise