An Invitation to Share in Fulfilling the Vision for Building the Community of the Cross
The photo above shows the PRMI Ministry Team in Black Mountain, praying for God’s provision for building facilities and guidance in developing the program for the Community of the Cross.
We are most excited about the way God is enabling the fulfillment of the vision of the Community of the Cross. We have already experienced miracles of Jesus’ presence and reality. He is the One building the Community and calling us to cooperate with Him in fulfilling the vision of this being a place for prayer, equipping and sending.
To continue to develop, it is urgent that we move forward with the building of additional facilities that will support and enable the ministry at the Community of the Cross. We have completed putting in the infrastructure for water and sewage and have constructed our first living unit which is being used as our office. But there is much more to be done!
We invite you to join in this great work of building a place of encounter with Jesus Christ that will support of the world-wide movement of the Holy Spirit. We have the awesome responsibility of building foundations that will create a place to support the Gospel of Jesus Christ for generations to come.
We as PRMI ministry staff and Board of Directors cannot do this all by ourselves! Would you please join us? We truly need your help if God is to provide what is needed to move forward with this vision. You may be called to share in this work by:
Praying – for the provision, people and empowerment needed to continue to fulfill the vision of the Community of the Cross.
Participating – in the work of building not just facilities, but the dynamic Spirit-empowered community that exalts Jesus Christ and makes the ministry possible. We are designing these buildings to be built by volunteers, so we will need your practical gifts of building.
Giving – financial gifts, both large and small for the building of the facilities and the continuing development of the ministry (which includes the support of those called to build the ministry).
This is indeed God’s work but He has chosen to work through us. So please speak to the Lord about what your role is to be.
Thank you so much for joining us in building the Community of the Cross, a place encounter with Jesus Christ – for prayer, equipping and sending.
In Christ— Rev. Dr. Brad Long
Wednesday, February 14, 2007
Principles for Building the Community of the Cross in Cooperation with the Holy Spirit
Since obtaining the land for the Community of the Cross in 2003, we have been on a journey of learning how to cooperate with the Holy Spirit in the fulfillment of this vision.
This journey includes developing the program as well as the facilities to enable the program that will accomplish God’s purposes for this place.
The dynamics of cooperating with the Holy Spirit have been summarized in the following foundational principles, which function like DNA for the long-term development of the COC facilities and program.
A team of volunteers came down from Michigan to build the sunroom on the back of the house.
This becomes a real family and community-building event as all share in preparing food. Not only are facilities built but more importantly, so is Christian community.
Mary Ellen leads a prayer meeting for the youth group that just finished cleared the land for the future prayer house.
This was an amazing experience of working together that gives glory to God and is building this place set apart for prayer equipping and sending.
All those in leadership at the Community of the Cross are required to be members of the PRMI Dunamis Fellowship. This helps insure that we are all centered in Jesus Christ and being led by the Holy Spirit.
- Ministry at the Community of the Cross is offered at no charge. This includes program, meals and accommodations. We invite all to give as led by the Holy Spirit to meet these expenses and to fulfill the prayer, equipping and sending vision of the Community of the Cross.
- We welcome all participants in the ministry at the Community of the Cross to share in the work needed to be a fellowship – cooking meals, clean up, etc. Working together provides a context for the working of the Holy Spirit.
- We are designing buildings and facilities that can be built incrementally (organically) which is consistent with God’s provision, the development of the community and its program.
- We are designing the facilities in such a way that volunteers can participate in the actual construction, thus helping to build community and enabling many people to have a share in this place.
- We are designing and building facilities that, in their scale and quality, fulfill the ministry vision and are responsive to the unique environment of the Community of the Cross.
- The master plan and the individual facilities of the Community of the Cross will be designed and built from the specific “pattern language” that has been agreed upon by the development team as being most consistent with the God-given vision for the Community of the Cross.
As we are implementing these fundamental principles both in program development and in designing and building facilities, the Holy Spirit is creating a context uniquely suited for bringing people into an encounter with Jesus Christ for prayer, equipping and sending.
