Word Conference Prayer Support

Prayer update:
Dear friends and prayer warriors,
This weekend we have the WORD conference! It’s been a year in the making and we are so excited that it is here.
Coletta likened it to being a little kid before Christmas. Imagine little Suzie and little Johnny, they go to their mom and say, “We need some money, Mommy…but we can’t tell you what it’s for.” And then, little Suzie and Johnny ask for a little more, “Can you take us to the store mommy, but we want to shop by ourselves.”
So, their mommy takes them to the store, gives them some money to shop and watches over them from a little distance – safe enough to be there and help them if either were to fall, or if there was any danger, but with enough distance that Suzie and Johnny get to feel that they are really doing something special for their mom.
She knows—Suzie and Johnny want to get her a Christmas present. Of course, they can’t do anything for their mom that she doesn’t practically do for herself. Little Suzie and Johnny haven’t any money of their own, only that which their mommy gives hem. They can’t get anywhere on their own, only where their mother takes them. Everything they do for their mom is dependent on her giving them what they need to do it. Even the wrapping…Suzie and Johnny have to ask their mom for the wrapping paper, the tape, the scissors… and they even got really frustrated along the way with the process, finding it too difficult for their little hands, so they had to ask their mommy to give them a little help with the wrapping, so they could wrap it pretty like she does.
But none of this takes away from little Suzie’s and Johnny’s excitement to give their gift to their mommy on Christmas day and watch her open it. And frankly, none of this diminishes their mom’s delight with the gift. They wake up, nearly bursting with excitement, go running downstairs, “Mommy, Mommy!” they squeal. “Mommy, open our gift! We can’t wait any longer; we just have to give this to you. We hope you like it mommy! We think you’ll like it – it’s so very like you and we think it will make you happy, mommy! We worked so hard to get it for you and to make it just right, Mommy!”
She opens the gift. It’s not a big surprise. She had been watching over her children very carefully to keep them safe, even helping guide them to just the right thing, without their even knowing it. But, she loves it. She is delighted with it as much as she is honored by it. It wasn’t so much the gift, but the heart of the givers which blessed her so. And as any parent knows, it has blessed her to watch her two little ones work together so thoughtfully and sweetly to prepare the gift.
Well, to be honest, we are all feeling a little like little Suzie and Johnny right now. We are so excited to give this to the Lord, it’s been HIS all along, and we have certainly seen Him subtly guiding us, enabling us, providing for us to give this gift. He provided the funds, the speakers, the volunteers, the space, the resources, the talent, the vision, … everything, really. And we feel that this was all His idea anyway…kind of like He’d been dropping hints saying, “Boy, I really wish someone would help teach my people how to defend My Word.” Or, “Hmmm, there sure is a lot of skepticism right now about who I am, wouldn’t it be great if someone could help speak to that?!” Of course, that’s not exactly how it happened, but you get my point.
But, if we are to be honest, right now, we are kind of in the wrapping stage, and like little Suzie, we are getting a little discouraged with wrapping this present. There are some technical challenges we are facing (those affect Craig the most, for sure.) And our registrations are still really lagging behind all expectations. Those are the main things, combined with just being tired.
As a staff we took yesterday today to fast and pray and seek God’s blessing, and ask him to help us finish getting His gift ready, and we would like to ask you to join us in prayer, as many of you have already been doing…praying faithfully and thoroughly to the end of the conference.
We would also like to ask that you sign up to pray for a specific time during the conference, so that every minute is bathed in prayer. You can go online to sign up here: http://www.wordconference.org/prayer.aspx
We also have a list of prayer requests that we add to, you can see that here: http://www.shepherdproject.com/?p=1739
Finally, I wanted to update you with a few specific requests:
• We have been struck by the level of interest in our conference from people around the globe. Many of our staff have been reading Revolution in World Missions (you can get a free copy from Gospel for Asia here: http://www.gfa.org/resource/.) (Get it. Read it. You’ll be glad you did!) The author talks about how America has like some 95% of the world’s evangelical teaching, and how other parts of the world have pastors with no training, people who are in the trenches and are desperate to be more equipped, to have more theological training. We are excited to be able to make this conference available through DVD and audio to people around the world, but are even thinking that maybe we might consider doing a similar conference in another part of the world. We would appreciate your prayers for future direction, as well as a global impact for this conference.
• We have prayed from the start that we would be faithful to do our part with this conference, but that God would also do something with it that would be truly miraculous, something that only HE could get the glory for. We have done all we could do, radio ads, marketing, etc. to bring in attendance. But, all our efforts have fallen pretty short of bringing results we would expect. Angus Buchan says, “The conditions for a great miracle are great impossibility.” The good news is, we are positioned for a great miracle!!!  We are still asking God to bring in the masses. We feel that he very clearly led us to THIS space, one which could hold up to 5,000 people. HE can fill it!!! And if He chooses to, we will be SO excited to know that HE got ALL the glory for bringing them in! NOT to us, but to YOUR name be the glory, Lord.
• Either way, whether God chooses to bring in a miraculous number of walk-ins or not, we are praying that HE does something there – something HUGE. I don’t know what – but I have specifically prayed that He would show us what He was doing through this –not in 20 years when we hear some story about how someone’s life was changed at the conference, but that He would encourage us NOW by letting us in on a little of His plan.
• Pray against any discouragement that the conference isn’t going according to OUR plan. That we would cling to the fact that God prepared the way and led us here. HE did! And we have this assurance, that in all things, for those of us who love him (and we do!) and who are called according to His purpose (which we were, and we are), then He can and WILL work all things to good (Romans 8:28)!!! Wasn’t it Joseph who said that what the enemy intended for evil, God intended for good???!!! 
• I have had a heart specifically for non-Christians who might come out of curiosity – I am praying there will be LOTS of those, and that they will meet Jesus this weekend!!!
• We know that Jesus changed the world with 12 disciples. We know that God isn’t all about big numbers, but rather big impact. We are asking for both, but also praying that God will make us willing to be “fools for Christ,” and that we count our success as nothing. We desire right hearts as we serve Him.
• On a practical note, I have been thankful for the weather forecast change – we were predicted to have nearly perfect, 70 degree days this weekend. And in CO – no one wants to be inside at a conference in the last few days of a perfect fall. But suddenly we are predicted to have a cold, rainy front come through. That is GREAT for us! People might be more inclined to come to the conference if the outside weather isn’t so inviting!
• Pray that God will be pleased as He opens His gift this weekend. THAT is what it’s all about, more than anything.
I know this is long, but I wanted to share our hearts with you as we go into this weekend. We are in a battle, one that is fought in prayer, in the heavenlies. We cannot fight this one alone. We need you. All of you.
We truly do thank Christ for you!!!!
Stacey Tuttle, for the SPM staff
*Please don’t forget to sign up to pray – we know you are praying anyway, but it’s encouraging for us to see the days literally fill up with prayer during the conference!!!

More prayer requests below:

Please pray for:

• Great attendance (we can seat 5,000 and would love to fill it up!)
• Good relationships with and witness to our contacts at the venue (Colorado Convention Center)
• Protection for our staff and speakers – against illness, distraction, etc. during this critical time leading up to and during the conference.
• Protection against technological issues (we got hit with these the last conference!)
• Registrations!  We eagerly desire that people would come – people who are ready to be equipped to use this material, not just people who seek head knowledge!…  and even for non-believers who might come seeking answers (though the conference is designed for believers)
• We’ve been praying for people to have conversations before the conference which would make them aware of the need to be equipped with answers about how they can know and trust the Bible
• Our radio spots have really begun in full swing, so we are praying for a good return on investment with those
• Our speakers – that God would help them prepare their messages
• For the resource center – that we would have wisdom in selecting both the right resources and the right quantities.  
• For exhibitors – that all our exhibit booth spots would be filled and that it would be a blessing to exhibitors, and to attendees to become aware of other ministries
• Weather – it’s CO…in Oct – it’s completely unpredictable. 
• That this conference would not just be a “success” in worldly terms, but that it would truly fill a need and equip believers.  And that as a result, his people would be more active and productive in making disciples of all people… I so pray that the forces of darkness will be dramatically pushed back in the circles that each of the attendees lives in.
• God would bring the right volunteers to help us at the event
• Financially – we are praying that this event will be profitable enough to equip us to move on to the next things that God calls us to!
• And we have specifically been in prayer that not only would the event itself be a testament to God and his power, but also that the way the event happened, the leaps of faith it has taken along the way would also be a testimony to God and his Glory and Greatness and Power toward those who believe.  We hope and pray that the story of our journey to this conference would in itself encourage other believers to trust God more, to live bigger, riskier, more faith-filled lives.