Seeing the City with Fresh Eyes

The Keystone Houston team has been in the city for 6 years now, and in those 6 years we've undergone many changes - things like splitting to 2 locations, running a school for a bit, restructuring leadership, etc. In fact, the only 'original' team members that we still have are LJ, Nicole and Jacob. And even LJ and Nicole have been working their way out of the team lately to pursue a greater role in the Keystone Project.

The way that God has developed this team has been great, and everyone that's a part of it now is totally committed to making disciples, whatever the cost. But we've noticed that lately the team has gotten caught up a bit in the day-to-day ministry, and more and more we lack a perspective of the greater vision. The thing is, since none of the new team members were a part of moving into the city and spiritually mapping the city, they naturally have a hard time owning the Kingdom work of the whole city for themselves.

So basically, we're excited to share the gospel and teach our disciples, but sometimes we lose sight of the fact that there's a whole city here to reach beyond our own apartment complexes. And because of it, our strategic nature as well as our sense of urgency have been diminishing.

So the past couple weeks we've taken a bunch of time to make trips as a team to different areas of Houston, both to minister as well as to view the enemy's strongholds up close. The goal is that as we witness in-person the diligent, constant and shameless work of the enemy throughout the city, we'll have a greater sense of urgency to get the job done as well as a keener awareness of the strongholds we'll have to work through right in our own neighborhoods.

Last week we spent time prayer walking through the Montrose area, which is the gay capital of Houston, where we prayed over many clubs, one of the secular universities there containing a 'gateway' to the city, a field where a large mosque will be built (one of the largest mosques in North America) and a few other buildings.

Last night we visited Hermann Park, which is somewhat the heart of Houston. Throughout the park we prayed against the many Masonic strongholds of the city. Tonight, then, we might prayer walk Bissonnet, which is one of the most heavily prostituted areas of the city.

Please pray with our team as we continue combating the enemy and discovering strongholds. We know that as we continue to intrude into the enemy's territory we're opening up ourselves to more spiritual attacks. So (1) please pray for spiritual protection, (2) please pray each one of us would have a larger perspective of what God wants to do in and through us this year, and (3) please pray that we would be prepared for our retreat this weekend and that God would be able to use it to spark fresh passion and fresh unity.

Thanks guys!

A Potential 1st Generation Disciple

About a month and a half ago Keegan joined our team. He's a 23-year-old (actually just had his birthday yesterday) from Indiana who felt called by God last year to give his life to making disciples. After going through a Keystone internship last summer, God eventually brought him to the Houston team.

Since being here, Keegan's been a great asset to our body, especially through his diligence and insight as he's gone with many different team members ministering to our disciples and ministry contacts. He's been faithful with everything that's been asked of him, and he's taken the role of a servant to the team many times. But now that a month and a half has gone by, he's looked back and realized that he still hasn't been able to find someone here that he can confidently call a first generation disciple.

A lot of his time so far has been spent joining others' plans, but the last couple weeks it's been a goal of his to network as much as he can in order to find his own contacts and some potential disciples. While he was knocking on doors yesterday in his apartment complex (Los Arcos) he came across a teenager named Juan (not the boy in the picture), who was really friendly and open. They only talked briefly, but Keegan could see that he had some leadership qualities. Also, most Hispanics we've met in Los Arcos aren't too friendly, so Juan really stood out to him.

Keegan plans to continue meeting people each week, whether it's people he passes outside or people he meets at work or other residents of Los Arcos, but he definitely wants to begin testing Juan for discipleship. The next step is to see if he's willing to hang out sometimes, and I know right away Keegan will try to share with him why we're here and what we hope to accomplish.

Please be praying for Keegan. (1) Pray that God would open a door into Juan's life and that Keegan would have wisdom and boldness in ministering to him. (2) Pray that Keegan would continue meeting the right people that he should be pouring into. (3) Pray that Keegan would adjust well to his new job as a housekeeper, which he just started yesterday, and that he'd be a light to his co-workers. Thanks guys!

Prophetic Insight Amongst our Team

During Monday's team time, we were able to gather the various prophetic visions, verses, and words that members of our team have received from the Lord over the past month. It was neat because a majority of them all came together as a specific season that God is preparing us for. It was cool to see His faithfulness in seeing how the various prophetic things spoken to our team all related, unintentionally (fleshy speaking). After compiling and processing the information, our team feels that 2017 is a BIG year. In 2016, our team as a whole experienced countless trials, including physical sicknesses, some depression, maintenance issues, etc. We feel that through the various things God has revealed to our team, He has told us "I'm bringing you out as you walk in my grace through these trials!" Next, we feel that He is reminding us to humble ourselves as we prepare for this new work He has prepared for us. We will be praying collectively and individually, asking God our specific role in this upcoming new work. Lastly, God has told us "you have a job, finish it!" We know our job is to make disciples and turn the whole city of Houston to Him through that, and He has reminded us to "press forward on mission with fresh urgency!"

Please join our team in praying for these revelations. Pray we would be faithful to live them out and that we would seek Him first!

Recent Prayer Requests

Here are a few recent prayer requests from a few of our team members.  Just a snapshot of what's going on in our lives recently!
Along with these please pray for our team against infirmity and distraction. Each household has been consistently struggling with either sickness, physical problems, or physical distractions for the past two months. Please war with us!

I've recently have been meeting with Purnima more this past month and we went to Regina's last week and she chose to start being discipled and asked for the Spirit of God to fill her. She's a Nepali Christian but also has been following worldly ways more and more in the past year or two. Today we looked at the greatest commandment and what it means to love God and love others. Please pray for Purnima as she disciples Regina, great intentionality and faithfulness to the Lord on each end. Thanks!
-Lacey 1/7

At tun tun naing's with Zach and Susana. Explaining life after death and the final judgement. Pray that he's able to understand. He's still scared of coming back to live as an animal (Buddhist background). The good news is He's been carrying this worry to Christ
-Hannah D 1/6

Please pray for protection and favor as we engage in warfare prayer inside Madrasa Islamiah now, that we connect with persons of peace.

-Damion and Jerome 1/6

Please pray for imam, we are unpacking Ephesians 2:4-5 at the mosque and the meaning of "grace" from Burmese to English...

-Jerome 1/4

 

 
Hey guys. Hannah's and I just got to Muh Jae's house. Please pray for us as we have in our hearts to share somethings. 

 

We felt led to come here tonight, I felt like God wanted her to know that he loves her. No one (according to her) has ever told her that God loves her. Hannah felt like God was saying he had not forgotten her. Psalm 34:18.  

 

I was able to share creation to Christ with her and she said it was difficult to believe. I was also able to share my testimony and asked her if she would like to receive Christ. She was uncertain but said she would think about it and was willing to pray this week to ask God if this story is true. Please pray with me that God would reveal himself to her.

-Zach and Hannah 12/27

 

 

Going to go through repentance with my mom. Please pray it's deep and freeing.

She opened up in new ways tonight. It was mainly going through what she's dealing with right now so only a few things, but I could feel her heart was sincere in it and I'm trusting God to continue this work in her. Baby steps. Praising God!  

 -Lacey 12/23 

 

 

Please pray for a man Abraham, a Syrian who has been here several years. He called me tonight, and wants me to teach him the computer, office, Excel, etc. Pray boldly that he would be a first generation disciple. He knows English well and is attending a university in Houston. He is young, but is a leader among the Syrians at Pelican (apt 701). Keegan and I will be meeting with him this weekend. 12/23

Time with Abraham went very well. Teaching him computer programs and basics of Excel and Word. He wants us to return tmrw night. Pray for further relationship and for the spirit to lead 12/25

Please pray if awake. Haha. We are still with Abraham. He has 5 friends over one of them Abdulmalek who has engaged in deep spiritual conversation. God is at work. Pray for the spirit to lead 12/27

-Chris B

 

 

God bless and thank you for your prayers! 

 

Troubled Teen

Lately the guys have been ministering to a 13-year-old Nepali boy, Nikash, and we’d like your help in praying that God would transform his heart. He’s been discipled a couple times in the past, but he never remained very faithful. The main problem is that his parents drink often, and his father can be abusive at times. Because of a lack of love in the home, Nikash has sought a sense of belonging the past year or two in a small group of older teens, who aren’t the best role models. In order to be accepted by them he began drinking and smoking marijuana, and he’s recently started using cocaine.

Several teammates have been pouring into him the past few months to help him escape that lifestyle, but despite expressing several times that he wants to follow Christ he seems to keep returning to his old friends.

Our new team member Damion has spent a lot of time with him lately, since he had a very similar childhood, and just last night he ended up counseling the family through some conflict. The parents were drunk and treating the children badly, and the father ended up punching out a window, which caused his hand to need some first aid. Nikash ended up staying at the guys’ apartment, which has been happening more and more for him to escape a rough home life.

Obviously if things escalate in the home then more severe measures will have to be taken. But we are hoping and praying that God will supernaturally intervene and transform hearts. Please be praying for wisdom so we know how to proceed in ministering to the family and pray for Nikash to recognize the futility of the path he’s traveling. Thanks!