Women's Retreat in Haines

Hello to all you ladies out there, this is a personal invitation to attend the Greater Things Women's Retreat at Haines Christian Center, Haines, Alaska. Come and experience the presence of God and be refreshed, refired and renewed! Services start Friday March 12 @ 7pm, Sat. the 13th @ 10 am (complimentary lunch provided after morning session)and 6:30pm, and Sunday morning @ 11am. Renee' Duncan will be our speaker. Hotel accommodations are available at, The Captains Choice Hotel with discount rates for bookings under the Greater Things Women's Retreat reservation. Registration due by March 5th, call or email 907-767-5606 greaterthings@live.com We are excited to see you!!!! God bless Pastors Wayne & Jane Cowart Haine's Christian Center A/G

Women's Conference Overseas

It was such a joy for me to be able to connect in south India with Renee and the team from Alaska. It seemed surreal--I kept pinching myself to make sure it wasn't a dream to have those familiar faces here with me so far from home!

The Women of Destiny conferences that they participated in were wonderful. The numbers of women that came to receive ministry was almost beyond belief. It is a huge cultural swing for women to be free to participate in such an event and even during this time more pastors opened up to encouraging their women to attend. After each service every woman received personal prayer thanks to the commitment of the team.

Thank you so much, Alaska AG for sending this wonderful team to India. They were a blessing to me, but even more importantly to thousands of women.

It's the Network!

In January, a motion prevailed at Presbytery that the Alaska District Council would be known as the Alaska Ministry Network. You may find yourself scratching your head, wondering why such a change is necessary. In this post, I will suggest what it means to operate as a network.

I have had opportunities to ask a few younger ministers in Alaska what comes to mind when they think of “the District.” Answers usually include connotations of centralized authority, voting, or unfamiliarity with what exactly a District is. Let’s be honest, when we are talking about the District, many are thinking about the people working at 1048 W International Airport Rd, or perhaps a Presbyter. Webster’s definition of a district is, “a territorial division, as for electoral or administrative purposes.” The District is thought of as “them,” or the existing leadership structure.

Websters defines a Network as “a fabric or structure of cords or wires that cross at regular intervals and are knotted or secured at the crossings; an interconnected or interrelated chain, group, or system.” Simply put, the Network is “us.”

To function as a Network, we must first be relationally connected. Have you ever attempted to print something from your computer, only to realize that the printer was disconnected from the network? The Network works best when all components are connected. The biblical record is very clear that ministry is meant to happen together. When you are not plugged in, you are not connected to the strength of the network.

A Network shares resources. When Paul experienced financial need, the church in Philippi chose to share their financial resources with him. This concept is prevalent throughout the Bible. Resources would encompass both financial resources and human resources. If you have someone in your piece of the network who has a preaching or teaching gift, why not share that gift with other churches occasionally, especially a church in need of a preacher? This requires a shift from a mentality of building up our little piece of the network to building the Kingdom.

A Network embraces diversity in ethnicity and style. The great thing about an office network is that you can hook up several types of machines, and they will work. The Alaska Ministry Network is greatly strengthened by ethnic diversity. We are incredibly blessed to have brothers and sisters from multiple ethnic groups who bring valuable contributions to the Network. We are also privileged to have many different styles of ministry represented in the Alaska Ministry Network. This helps to broaden the network and allows us to reach more people in Alaska.

The Network is not simply a name change. It is a metaphor to help us understand how we should operate, similar to the metaphor of “the body” given by Paul in 1 Corinthians 12. I believe this is the concept our forefathers envisioned when they coined the term, “voluntary cooperative fellowship.” Let us work together in the harvest fields of Alaska to fulfill the Great Commission until He returns.

~Brad Kesler

From the Superintendent

For several Presbytery meetings we have spent time praying and discussing among ourselves where the Lord wants to lead us as an organization. As a result of our conversations, we have realized the need for developing a Strategic Plan to guide us into the future. This past October, our Presbytery made the decision to spend the first 40 days of the New Year praying specifically for laborers for the Alaska Harvest Field. Also, as a Presbytery body we committed to be in prayer for our January meeting where we would intentionally spend a day working on a Strategic Plan.

January Presbytery was filled with excitement and enthusiasm as we went to work. While the Strategic Plan is a working draft and still being developed, the Presbytery adopted a new mission statement:

“Glorifying God and fulfilling the Great Commission, the Alaska Ministry Network partners to produce vibrant followers of Jesus Christ; promoting relationships, providing resources, and equipping leaders.”

With the adoption of the new mission statement, the Presbytery voted unanimously that the Alaska District Council of the Assemblies of God be known as, or referred to as, the Alaska Ministry Network. This better describes what we exist for and are striving to be, as defined by the General Council Bylaws, Article V. Section 2. The Role of the District:

“The district is primarily relationship based. The district should facilitate a network for resources and relationships and provide training for credentialed ministers and local churches.” (General Council Bylaws, page 112)

We are not changing our legal name. We will still be the Alaska District Council of the Assemblies of God. Our legal name will be reflected on all legal documents and in our Constitution and Bylaws.

The Presbytery also voted unanimously to call our annual District Council, the Alaska Ministry Network Conference. District Council is part of our nomenclature and woven into the fabric of our Organization. It may take time for us to make the shift and fully embrace this new terminology. However, Ministry Network says that we are making an attempt to place a greater partnering emphasis on promoting relationships, providing resources, and equipping leaders. It states who we are really striving to be. The terminology is culturally relevant to this current generation. It may encourage young leaders to become relationally involved in our Ministry Organization. Our Business Administrator, Brad Kesler, has written an apologetic for Ministry Network that will be posted next week. Please read it. It helps explain some of the rationale. This post, along with Brad’s, will be featured in the upcoming issue of The Journey.

Spice It Up -- News in India from Renee

It is a wonderful thing to see the glory of God reflected in the faces and eyes of the people of India. We have just completed 3 seperate women's conferences totalling over 3600 women with a few men thrown in and it was a powerful time. This conference known as the Women of Destiny is breaking new ground in India and doing it across denominational lines. The women are being released and it is evident that God is in the movement.

We were blessed to have Jackie Tallent and Joni Middleton join the team and Shelley Hollis for this endeavor. Jackie and Joni have expressed how much this has been a blessing to have people from home here. We have spent the day gathering food to make food baskets for families in the slums of India. We were able to purchase enough to provide for almost 500 families for a whole month. We will be leaving shortly to deliver them to the families in the slums and pray for them.

The young ladies who are traveling with us are stepping up and revealing God as they minister. Please pray for Amanda she came down sick tonight and Shelley is needing rest. We will minister in the Bible School tomorrow and then with the Bible School Lady teachers on Thursday and then leave for Sri Lanka. Your prayers are needed, please pray for covering for the young ladies especially.

Renee Duncan

Spice it Up - World Reach Team

Holy Spirit Conference!

Dr. R.T. Kendell has blessed us incredibly with his rich teaching ministry. He first taught on total forgiveness. He then taught a series on Yesterday's Man, Today's Man, and Tomorrow's Man, based upon the biblical narrative of Saul, Samuel, and David. Yesterday's Man still holds the crown but has lost the anointing. Tomorrow's Man has the anointing, but must wait until the right time. "The worst thing that can happen to a man is to have success before he is ready." Dr. Kendell will be ministering tonight at 6:15.

Joe Purcell has been assigned to teach on faith and healing. He has shown us that Jesus healed all of the diseases he encountered, and that He doesn't change! Joe highlighted the importance of meditation upon the Word of God. Meditating on the Word of God has a powerful affect on our lives. Joe has also been teaching at the youth services being held at the same time as the adult services. Joe will be ministering tonight at 7:00 on healing.

Dr. David Thomas was tasked with speaking on the Holy Spirit and Mission. He helped us understand that both sign and wonders AND suffering is part of the DNA of the Gospel. Signs and Wonders are present to confirm the Word and advance the message of the Gospel. Last night, Dr. Thomas spoke on the manifest presence of God and that we should live with a strong desire to walk in the manifest presence of God. This morning, he powerfully connected the events on the Day of Pentecost with the background of the Jewish Feasts. The bottom line is that Pentecostals are HARVESTERS!

We were also blessed to have Pastor Eduardo from El Salvador speak. He preached an incredible sermon on Monday night and God moved powerfully during the altar time. Thanks MCA for co-sponsoring this event, you have been great hosts! You can still make the services tonight, or if you are unable, watch the event live at http://www.alaskaag.org/.

Busy AKSOM Weekend

Lattis and Sharlotte were conducting classes for Emmonak and Alakanuk this past weekend.

They also had an opportunity to minister to the church in Alakanuk on Sunday morning.

Wade held classes in Juneau for students from Southeast Alaska and also ministered in Sitka on Sunday.