Thursday, May 6, 2010

Dean Brown's Follow-up Report to the District Board

"To the rest of the country, New England has always stood in much the same relation as England has to America -- that of spiritual homeland and mother country." (B.A. Botkin, author of A Treasury of New England Folklore)

On Monday morning, March 8, 2010, I watched the sun pull itself up over the sleepy mountains as I journeyed to one of Albany, New York’s Consumer Mecca’s - The Crossgates Mall. I wondered about and prayed for the trip that some 40 Wesleyan pastors, denominational executives and parachurch leaders would embark upon that day. The many details had been cared for, the sleepless nights would now slip into distant memory, and God the Holy Spirit would soon begin His faithful work of calling and engaging a new missional force to invade New England with the gospel of Jesus Christ. I could hardly wait!

After a stop at Starbuck’s on the New York State Thruway, our Brown Bus chugged toward the southeastern counties of New York to verify that the hand of God had indeed been at work gathering hundreds of thousands of people in geographical hubs like Poughkeepsie and White Plains/Yonkers. What we became convinced of early on in our excursion was that there is yet a great work to be done in the populous regions of New York for the cause of Jesus Christ.

We then traversed the miles from The Empire State into Connecticut. This lovely and people-rich state yielded much fruit as we perused strategic centers where men and mission, work and women could meet if only we could get there to till the soil and plant the precious seed. A highlight of the Connecticut connection was our visit to Yale University. This seemingly ancient monolith of educational influence instructed us that where once the Word of God was shared, now the skeptic’s diatribe intoned a death knell, embalming the fertile minds of our nation’s youth with secular humanism and anti-God rhetoric. The quiet hallways and pristine walkways bespoke the spiritual barrenness that was evidenced by all.

After an enjoyable dinner in a quaint seacoast village in Mystic, CT and an overnighter in Providence, RI, the eager prayer scouts visited Brown University for intercession and reflection.

I visited with the young Curate of the local Episcopal Parish and heard him describe the rather mundane ministry that was his to endure. I longed to hold the keys to that church in my hands, located as it was in the heart of the university, so that I would fling open the cloudy windows and cast aside the heavy wooden closures to let in the brilliance of the Son of God who gave His life so that those students could hear and truly live!

Minutes and miles later, the skyline of historic Boston, MA came into view - a magnificent site! We emptied the bus out onto the Boston Commons, assigning each participant the task of praying down Godly renewal upon this spiritually open space. Four of us dropped by the historic Park Street Church and heard of packed services and 400+ youth meeting attendances. The doors are open in eastern Massachusetts for those who will turn the handle and enter the region for Christ.

Harvard University, with its mass of students and cultural varieties, stood up to our gaze and challenged us to let nothing deter the engaging of our brightest minds in the ongoing debate for the souls of the persons He died to redeem. We also visited the Prudential Center Skywalk and observed just how huge our vision and determination must be if we’re to reach this city before Jesus returns to reclaim His own.

After a stop in Harford, CT and a drive-through of Spiringfield, MA, we drove back into Albany, the capital city of New York State. It somehow looked more needy than the rest, maybe because our driver took us past some of the most dangerous and spiritually empty neighborhoods of the district. I was afraid, not for my life, but that somehow we might forsake this metropolitan area that has successfully defeated our best efforts in days past. We arrived at our destination as changed people: humbled by the magnitude of the task but quietly determined to become a part of the solution for meeting the spiritual needs of our region.

Today a fiery globe rose over populous New York and bustling New England. Millions of men and women chased millions of sleepy boys and girls from their warm beds to face a new day. Most of these people will confront this day without a personal knowledge that God loves them and that He holds in His nail-scarred hands the key to their eternal destiny.

Members of the District Board of Administration, I hear an old cry arising from the new people who live in the homes, hamlets and towering high rises of our district territories. Subconsciously they mimic the calls of the people of Macedonia some two thousand years ago, who wailed, “Come over…and help us” (Acts 16: 9).

Wednesday, March 17, 2010

We're Home and Ready to Go!

The Tour is over.
Forty of us made the journey.
We were tired, but excited.
We were moved and motivated by lostness.
New England awaits our return.

We just need the right person.
We just need the right people.
We just need the right volunteers.
We just need the right givers.

Is God calling you to help us?
Call us - we're here waiting for you.
We're ready to go to New England!

Tuesday, February 2, 2010

New England Prayer and Vision Tour

Hey, everyone!

Thanks for taking time to listen as I share briefly about a truly significant event in the life of our district.

You probably have a lot of questions. But hold them until after I tell you a litle about the trip.

What are we Doing?
We’re calling this The New England Prayer and Vision Tour. We’re doing this because Jesus said, ”The harvest is plentiful but the laborers are few.”

As you already know, there are tens of millions of people within the borders of our District. Most of them enjoy no Wesleyan witness nor have opportunity to learn about Jesus and His saving and sanctifying grace.

Jesus told us to, “Go, therefore, and make disciples.”

We’ll be planting as many new Wesleyan churches as we can in the years to come. This trip will focus us on where we’re planting and the need that calls for our ardent prayers and support.

Without doubt, most (if not all) of you will participate in reaching New England by praying, giving, and going to help plant new Wesleyan churches!

Why should you sign up?
I’ve been thinking, “While this is about scouting out the land, and praying for God to give us the cities and towns of New England, it’s also about a tremendous opportunity to network with some powerful people in the cause of winning souls.

As we travel, we’ll chat, and question, and listen to each other. I believe that we’ll find the very keys we need to unlock some of our own ministry challenges in our local churches. I’m going because there may never be another chance like this to interact with God and others at this level.

What will it cost?
At this point, it will cost you gas to get to Albany, 5-6 meals on the trip, plus lodging for one night. I’ll know lodging costs once I know numbers. If you bunk in with others, you can cut down on lodging fees even more. Once I have the hotel, you’ll need to call and make your reservation.

Where are we going?
Take out a map after you hang up and follow it south from Albany past Poughkeepsie and Newburgh and run into Connecticut. This is an awesome state. Then chase your finger into Rhode Island. See Providence? Journey northeast toward Boston, MA. We may or may not have time to visit NH on this trip. We’ll see historic places and fast-growing communities along the way. We might get to linger at the grave of Orange Scott in Springfield. We’ll visit the Boston Commons and hopefully walk the grounds of Yale University or Harvard. There’s just so much to see in such a short span. But most importantly, we’ll see thousands of people who don’t know Jesus. That’s really why we’re doing this!

Who is Going and Why?
Pastor Paul and Susan will be there. Jo Anne Lyon (our GS and ECG Director) is going. DS’s from other districts will be on the bus. Chris Conrad from ECG HQ is committed. Dr. Ryan Kozey from The Infinity Alliance has given a thumbs up to the trip. Pastors and spouses are determined to go. Laymen are saying yes. And some or maybe all of the DBA will go. E&CG Directors from other districts (like Phil Struckmeyer from West Michigan) will be on the bus. They’re all going because they see the New England Need and are committed to pray and give so that we can take the land for God!

I believe the Holy Spirit has raised us up to for just such a time as this and I can’t think of a more important event spiritually and missionally than this tour.

Where will we leave from and return to?
The plan is to leave from Albany Int’l Airport on Monday, March 8th and return there late on Tuesday, March 9th. You may park in paid parking or drive in and be dropped off. Glenn Bozak has offered Niskayuna’s parking lot, BUT you’d need to get a ride to airport, which might be tough.

What Do I need from You?

1. I need you to email me at deanc.brown@mac.com or call me and let me know you’re coming. Don’t wait!
2. Invite others to go with you.
3. I need for you join my Committee of 50:

*I need a tech person to bring their laptop to run Google Earth
*I need someone to help locate and communicate with a hotel in the Boston area
* I need someone to draft a prayer guide for the trip.
*I need for you to get in touch with me and tell me what you think I need to know about New England (growth areas, historic information, growth hot-spots among the other churches, and people I should be talking to - anything!

4. Bring your camera and camcorders.

I look forward to seeing you on the bus!

Thursday, January 28, 2010

Welcome to The Vision Tour Blog!

On March 8-9, 2010, a significant event will occur in our district. Fifty-five persons will board a bus in Albany, NY and will spend two prayerful days visiting potential sites for planting new Wesleyan churches in New England. We’re calling it the New England Prayer and Vision Tour.

This is an historic tour and people outside our district borders will be joining us, too, some of whom you would know—Jo Anne Lyon, Chris Conrad, Wayne Wager, CNY DS, Ryan Kozey, of The Affinity Alliance, Phil Struckmeyer, Impact Church, WMI District, and others.

Stay tuned for more information as it become available.