Dear Friends - Gracias!

November! We sure have a lot to give thanks for! It was a month of major success, Kingdom advancement and God’s provision. It all started with worship at the Old City Hall on Friday the 3rd. For the first time in that 100 year old building’s history, a gathering specifically to lift up the name of Jesus was being held and it was full of His presence. We devoted ourselves to prayer (laying hands on the youth and children who were present, and praying for region-wide breakthroughs) shared our resources by taking an offering for a specific felt need, fellowshipped around the Throne and broke bread (cookies) together with glad and sincere hearts. About 120 joined with us in the upper room. I believe it led the way for tremendous breakthroughs this month.

Less than 2 weeks later, close to 30 pastors gathered to spend some time in prayer and worship. Some of these men were new to town, or newly appointed to their pastorate. All of them were hungry to reconnect. Pray that these key men will lock arms in a new way for the Kingdom work across this valley. Pray for clarity regarding the timing of the pending City Festival and, that beyond all the events and planning, we as leaders fall more in love with the region, with God and with one another.

Our website, www.reddingtransformation.com, is now becoming a sharper tool for building the “connect and mobilize” vision. A new feature, THE CURRENT, is up and running. This “community calendar” page is available to promote one-time and on-going events that connect us to each other and to the community. If you live in the area and wonder what’s going on in the Kingdom, now you can one-stop-shop for how to engage in ministry opportunities around town. 

Sharing it abroad...

This month, we shared the vision at Anderson Community (where Les Baugh, our newly elected County Supervisor, pastors) and at Community Baptist of Red Bluff. Both places heard the message of the harvest and the Kingdom and received it enthusiastically. Natalia and our children (Cami, Sofi and Benji) have been amazing in this traveling role, ministering through song and kind word at each location. The Holy Spirit has primed the Church for this message. She CAN come together, IS coming together and WILL CONTINUE to do so, bringing grace to street level and uniting to flood the local daily environment with prayer and ministry.

O Praise Him!

4 or 5 Divine Donations have come literally out of Heaven this month! One day there were bags of clothes stacked on our front doorstep, another day it was food baskets and a HUGE turkey. Some of you served up the ‘extra-helping’ check closing the $3500 shortfall gap to just under $1000 for this year. I believe that God is going to make it up and put us on good footing for next year. Jesus said, “Seek first the Kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things (food, clothes, etc) shall be added unto you.”

Another Positive Note:

At our monthly business lunch, one couple who shared mentioned a certain situation with a current employee which was touch and go. Two days after sharing with us, that situation experienced a HUGE touch and a major go. The employee in question prayed to receive Jesus, right in the workplace, with our friends who had been shepherding her all the way through. God touched her life and the enemy had to GO. Praise God for BOLD marketplace ministers, and amazing opportunities! (Don’t miss our next business lunch, on Dec 13, noon at The Guadalajara Store. You don’t have to be a “business person” to attend. Having the desire to see God at work is what’s needed - and un poco de dinero for some Mexican food.

Seeing it...

Our BIG upcoming project is a vision and implementation DVD resource. The first track will be a 12 minute rendition of the vision which can be shown in small groups. Other tracks on the same DVD would include vignettes, training, testimony, fine tuning and outtakes (which I specialize in). In order to do this TOP NOTCH, we need to move beyond the home video equipment which we’ve been using for our TV shows, commercials, and vision promoting materials. We’ve acquired use of high tech editing equipment, but NEED TO PURCHASE a quality digital video camera. The vision is poised to explode into the whole region, and we want to make it as accessible as possible. This tool will help to carry the message clearly and effectively, farther and wider. Scripting has already been done on the first track. If you’d like to help us connect and mobilize this whole Northern California area, pray about donating to help us buy this needed piece of equipment. Approximate cost: $2300. (You can donate on-line through our website and click on the Donations tab.)

On the Horizon

The Night of Worship Dec. 1 at Old City Hall will be historic. Leaders from multiple regions will unite in one spot and share hearts, merging into a stronger team that night. Dec. 2, we take worship to street level as we declare His praises in our city’s Lighted Christmas Parade. Pray that we GLOW with His light! Over 8000 attend this community event. Dec. 3, we are at the steps of the New City Hall announcing a Culture of Life for Shasta County! It is our privilege to stand in worship with brothers and sisters in Christ who ARE transforming this area with His enabling. Come stand with us!

May God’s transforming power overflow from your life into your home, your family, your community and beyond. God sent His Son to “seek and save that which was lost.” Let’s celebrate His goodness and see to it that no one misses the grace of our God - Emmanuel!

Blessings to you and yours,

Jon Thompson

Redding Transformation Team Leader