News From the North...
If the last few days is any indication, then March will be barreling down on us like a pride of lions! Lots of rain and wind in our neck of the woods, and all the snow is gone. While not completely unheard of, this is certainly not our norm.
We are so excited about how the school of ministry curriculum is coming together. In spite of the busyness of life – work schedules, kids, deaths in the family, illnesses – Mark has been able to get the basic outline for the syllabus put together for the first phase of the school. The first part of this process has been identifying the subjects that will serve as the foundation stones for these students. Subjects like, How to Study Scripture, Basic Doctrine, Getting Whole, Practical Reconciliation, and Basic Discipleship.
The second part of this process has been identifying the study materials we will be using. This is a daunting task in and of itself if your theological library is anything like ours. There are lots of great resources out there on any one of these topics. What we are trying to do is cull through this collection of material to identify the best of the best – books that have a history of impact, influence, and changing lives. Some of the books we are looking at are: “Knowledge of the Holy” by A.W. Tozer, “Face to Face with God” by Bill Johnson; “Christian History Made Easy” by Timothy Paul Jones; “Humility & Absolute Surrender” by Andrew Murray and “Introduction to the Bible” by Bud and Mary Ann Cassidy, as revised by Mary Ann & Jennifer, to name a few.
The third part has been to take a look at the general structure of the school. Will we have small groups? Will we have intercession groups? What will the group sizes be? How should they function? What is the relationship between the groups and the larger class and how is that facilitated?
All of these questions have to be answered in order to tackle the next part, which is the flow and context for studying these subjects for the students. Some subjects can and should be part of a larger classroom setting. Other subjects will be deeply personal and are more suitable for smaller group settings.
Whew – I don’t know about you but, that’s a lot! And really, it’s just the beginning.
UPDATE ON 2015 ITINERARY
• Romania - We are working on putting together a Spring trip to Romania to continue the planning for the school, with a second trip in the Fall.
• Kenya – a church in Idaho is partnering with us on this front. Preliminary plans are for a Fall trip for Mark with a team from this church.
• India – Fall trip in development
HOW CAN YOU HELP?
Prayer Support – Calling all intercessors! Nothing happens in, around, or through LTI without prayer. Please pray that His love, will and kingdom would be established in all that we do. We would love to get to know our prayer sponsors better. If you are or would like to be a prayer sponsor for us, please email us at ltimissions@gmail.com.
Mentor Network – Are you a seasoned minister? Do you love seeing the next generation come in to their own? If this is you, or someone you know, please consider contacting Mark at markdyar@gmail.com or by phone at (907)957-3070 for more details.
Financial Support – We are anticipating a travel budget of $15,000 for 2015 and will continue to update this number as the specifics for each trip come into play.
For our personal support goal, the challenge is that it takes $50,000+- a year just to cover the basics. That’s a big number, and it stretches our faith. It helps to break it down.
Here’s a snapshot of what $51,000 in financial partnerships could look like:
To partner with us financially, please fill out and return the enclosed Return Receipt.
Doing the work of the kingdom takes people, prayer and finances. Any way you chose to give is greatly appreciated.
Yours for the Kingdom,
Mark and Julie Dyar
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