July 15, 2003
FSM 361 CM/FM
Special ACTION FSM #1
10/00
Copyright © 2000 by The Family
Dear ones,
We love you! We have been thrilled to receive many testimonies and reactions from you about how the era of action is being fulfilled in your lives, and how the Lord is helping you to become Activated!
CROs from NACRO and SACRO teamworks, along with Family members with fruitful follow-up ministries in Brazil, hosted several sets of meetings in Mexico about the Activated (Conéctate) program.
With the latest Action Series GNs as their guide, these meetings resulted in an explosion of excitement! As you will see, those who attended not only learned how to work on enlisting Activated subscribers, but heard testimonies and tips on how to do more intensive follow-up as the continuation of the Activated vision, suggestions on how to draw their converts, friends, and contacts into more study, fellowship, growth, and discipleship. Those attending also experienced more unity between themselves, more love, greater cooperation, just as the Lord promised the Activated program would bring.
In this FSM are some highlights of the meetings. Also accompanying this Conéctate mag is the first in a set of FSMs from Tommy and Juan, whose Homes, like others in Brazil, have established successful follow-up/live-out ministries. These testimonies were shared at the meetings in Mexico. In coming FSMs we will share more Activated testimonies from other parts of the world, as well as classes, tips, and lessons.
This begins a series of Special Action FSMs, which will give you a taste of what the Family around the world is learning as they put the counsel in the Action GNs into practice. For further on down the line, as Peter shared in The Family's Future and Expansion Program! (ML #3308), a more comprehensive follow-up handbook, classbook, and student's manual is being worked on, which will provide your Home with an organized study plan and approach for teaching and shepherding your converts, friends, and new disciples. But in the meantime we pray these Special Action FSMs will be a help and inspiration in getting started implementing the Activated vision in your Home. It's a big step for our Family to move into greater emphasis on ministering to those outside our folds, but we think you'll agree that it is a very exciting step that promises great rewards!
In fact, the promises our dear Husband has given are already starting to be fulfilled, thank You Jesus! We want to hear how the era of action is coming to pass in your life, so please let us hear from you as the Lord leads you deeper into the Activated ministry. The Family needs your lessons and testimonies! We love you!
Love, WS
By Tommy, follow-up ministry in Brazil
As we were planning the Mexico Conéctate (Activated) meetings, we were sent keynote prophecies received at Mama and Peter's Home for the meetings. Here are excerpts:
(Jesus speaking:) I have given you, My avant-garde in Mexico, the training and love, and have now equipped you with the tools you will need to be true shepherds [of My sheep].
Lovest thou Me? Feed My sheep. You have asked Me to send you to a needy field. I have done so! Will you now deny yourselves, go out and bring in My sheep that are bleating for Me to help them? Are you willing to sacrifice, to give, to love, and to care enough to be My shepherds?
Who will go? Where are the shepherds? You joined My army to give your life in battle for Me. Now I ask you to give it all you've got! I will repay!
It's a new day for Mexico, and a new stage in your growth as a field. This field, while very fruitful, has been a bit stagnant for a while, and it's time for a revolution, for an uprising in the spirit that will set the Enemy on his heels and result in great victories won and a great reaping of My sheep throughout the land! Yes, there will be more souls won than ever, more Word getting out than ever, more sheep fed, more contacts and kings and supporters met, and more disciples won, too! Are you with Me? (End of excerpts.)
These heavy-hitting prophecies sent from the Folks' Home set the pace for a full month of Conéctate meetings in Mexico. To kick off the vision there was the promoting of the magazine itself, as well as the next phase and ultimate goal of the Activated program: the feeding of sheep and expanding our fellowship to include more new disciples and others working with us who may not live in our Homes!
When we all got together for the preparatory meetings (Andrew, Jason, Abner, and Phoebe from NACRO; and Pedro, Sam, Ezekiel, and Tommy from SACRO), we really had no idea how much the Lord had already planned—nothing short of a total revolution! We had thought the meeting would basically be inspirational for the Family in Mexico, to clarify the new Era of Action vision of how to better use the Activated mags in follow-up, and learn about the overall vision, tool distribution, residual income from subscriptions, etc. (see More Activated Financial Benefits for You! in GN 908, ML #3308:64-71). But the Lord had much more than that in store, indicating that this was definitely Mexico's hour in every way!
With the recent arrival of the Letter, Our Activated Future (ML #3298, GN 895), the Lord wonderfully provided the script for the meetings. When we studied the GN more in depth, we realized that there were two main prophecies in it and these gave us a basic agenda for the meetings:
A. What the Era of Action Holds! (par.94-128): This section relates to the first step—really pushing the mag itself. That in itself will put the Word into the hands of the sheep, eventually bringing them to our door. It will also give regular and consistent feeding to those we're already ministering to who we sign up for subscriptions.
You are now entering the days of action, the era of action. The days of training are over, and now you go forth as trained, specialized soldiers to battle. So many laborers will come to your gates and join your fold! You see the humble beginnings of the Activated program, but you have no idea what is to come of it. Your vision is minute compared to what I know will blossom from these humble beginnings (par.97, 102).
B. Is There Enough Time to Achieve This? (par.147-171): This section explains in greater depth how total and far-reaching the coming changes will be, affecting every aspect of our life!
I wish for My Family to grow, and thus you must open your doors wide. You must enlarge the borders of your tent. You must make it poss-ible for others to join with you. Open the gates! Let people enter into the folds. I wish for this era of action to be an era of growth—growth of the body. In order for this to happen, you must each participate. You must each change your mindsets, your -methods, and your modes of operation. You must see the need to follow up, to feed, to nurture, to become shepherds of those who are not only living within your walls but those who live without (par.151-153).
We were all amazed at how wonderfully the Lord supplied the content for the meetings simply with the arrival of the new GN! Each of the two main days of the meetings opened with excerpts of these two prophecies. Together with the keynote prophecies we had received from the Folks' house the day before the meetings started, these messages served as the basis for what we covered.
When we got together during our three days of preparation and planning before the meetings, the Lord and Dad spoke loud and clear, saying this was to be a major explosion of growth and fruitfulness, and not just another push. It was almost scary to hear the things the Lord had in store for Mexico in the current era of action.
We saw that there were two phases of this push:
Phase one: Getting out the Activated mag and plugging into the overall plan, which involves quite a bit of technical input-how the residual income plan will work, filling out the subscription forms, etc.
Phase two: Winning outside witnessers, members and disciples and establishing a local work.
The Lord indicated that these phases were equally important and needed equal emphasis in our meeting.
Other instructions from the Lord for the meetings:
He wanted us to express how the Lord was melting together the two CRO areas for the strengthening of the Mexican work, which He had described as a jewel in both crowns (that of North America and South America) in a recent NACRO meeting.
He wanted us to make a joyful noise and major on high-level praise and music, as this would be the key to victory and helping everyone forget about their problems and enter into His gates with thanksgiving! He also showed that He wanted us to dedicate an entire evening to loving Him in song unitedly!
He wanted us to talk to as many people as possible in between meetings on a personal level to find out how everyone was feeling and simply to show them love. He asked us to scout out possible bellwethers for the upcoming national follow-up committee, which the Lord said would come together and be a ballast for upcoming retreats, training, and technical support for the upcoming discipleship explosion.
The recent persecution here in Mexico (see GV #92, Pray for Our Brethren in Bonds) was a warning as to the urgency of the Lord's intentions that there be no delay in implementing the new Activated vision here in Mexico.
The video from the Brazil follow-up work would help the brethren better visualize how their Activated Future here in Mexico could be implemented.
Our role as leaders of the meeting was to be as servants, loving and supporting the battle-weary troops.
He said that the size of our task was so great that He would only be revealing it one step at a time, and then as the actual size of the vision was revealed, we were not to worry or faint in our minds.
Dad himself shared how much he had always loved Mexico and that he was particularly interested in this mission. He said he would be helping engineer each step from behind the scenes.
The Lord said He wanted to use the story of Mexico to echo around the world, as He has a tremendous future for this country.
Our united effort as a team would speak as a sample for those striving for unity in order for this vision to become a reality! In unity there is strength!
There was a vision of a cornfield at different stages of growth, showing how each farmer had already been laboring, but now needed assessment as to how to get his corn to grow better, as he'd gone as far as he could. This would be our mission during these meetings—to help assess each one's progress and help them take the next step.
He shared that the purpose of these meetings was two-fold, in that there will be much shepherding and inspiration needed, as well as putting a foundation on the practical aspects of the Conéctate vision and how to get it in motion in this country.
He gave the vision of the valley of dry bones, and the Lord blew His Spirit on them and they came to life (Ezekiel 37). One breath and they came together as a body—it doesn't have to be a long process.
We were able to have lots of fun together as a team, living in a little house supplied by a live-out member and enjoying one another's fellowship. The Lord's blessing seemed to be about the camp in every way as we united in prayer and prophecy for the battle ahead.
By Phoebe, Conéctate Desk
After the Lord confirmed the need for the Conéctate/Follow-up meetings to be held throughout Mexico, things moved quickly. An introductory note was sent to the Homes, and only a few weeks later the meetings started.
In order to encourage as many people as possible to attend and benefit from the input, two identical meetings had originally been planned in the three main geographical areas of Mexico, bringing the total to six meetings.
On August first, we held the first Mexico Conéctate meeting in a little town not far from Cuernavaca. Only thirty people attended, which at first seemed like a trickle compared to the amount of leadership present (five CROs and two VSs, as well as two representatives of the follow-up work in Brazil, and two representatives from the Conéctate Desk in Mexico).
This was our warm-up meeting. The dear brethren didn't know what to expect, and some confessed that they had never seen so many leaders at the same time. Some were wondering whether they had come to close down the work, or to somehow revive it! Young people just arriving at the meeting went straight to the shepherds they knew, asking point blank, What's this all about? Many people had come for the fellowship rather than for the actual content of the meetings, as they thought the main gist would be to simply urge them to go push Conéctate subscriptions and sales.
But everybody (organizers as well as attendees) soon found out that these meetings were different, and that the Lord was the One leading and working out mighty changes through the new era of action vision and anointing.
Between the inspiration of the live band (for the first meeting we had Pedro, Sam, Vas, and different local brethren leading the inspirations) and the powerful traditional Spanish Loving Jesus songs, the vision-building Word, the practical witnessing and financial tips related to the Conéctate program, and the articulated vision to start making disciples of all nations again, hesitations and second thoughts quickly melted. People opened up, entered in, and eagerly participated.
Many Homes had originally planned to just send one representative to one of the meetings in their area, but by the second meeting in Cuernavaca, word had already gotten around that these were not run-of-the-mill meetings. 20 extra people came to the second set of meetings, 10 of them without even a reservation! We all squeezed in and mattresses were put on the floor of every bedroom in order to accommodate the extra attendees.
It was spiritually electrifying to see the snowball effect starting and gathering momentum. One brother who was not planning on coming testified that his wife, who had come to the first meeting, returned and told everyone in their Home: Guys, we have to re-evaluate our lives. There is a revolution happening, and everybody in our Home needs to go to the meetings. And they all came!
Young people who had attended the first meetings persuaded their parents to come to the second meetings, and vice-versa. The ice was broken, and everyone was eager to receive the new era of action vision and whatever the Lord had for them in order to implement it.
We had brethren not only from Mexico, but from as far away as Costa Rica, and even Argentina and Uruguay. It was a blast!
The snowball effect continued on to the third set of meetings, in Morelia. We had originally planned two meetings in Morelia, but because of too few people making reservations for the second one, after counseling with the local Homes it was decided to combine both meetings into one. And lo and behold, a whopping 100 people attended, compared to the 60 or 70 originally expected!
The testimonies kept rolling in: Young people were testifying that after years of searching and frustration they had finally found what they were looking for in the Family through attending the meetings. Teams came all the way from Costa Rica, Guatemala and El Salvador, to take the vision back with them. The inspiration level was very high!
As of this writing, we still have one set of meetings before us, for the north of Mexico, and we are expecting the snowball effect to continue with many brethren coming from the States, so stay tuned for our next report!
By Pedro, SACRO
Teamworking has been a real key during these meetings. I don't think any of us feel we could've done the job without each other or with a smaller team. Everyone involved played an important role in making these meetings what they've been.
Merging representatives from NACRO and SACRO for this venture was very uniting. None of us really knew what to expect, and it was only when we got together for three days right before the first set of meetings to pray and hear from the Lord that He unfolded His plan and it all became clear. We were thrilled at how much the Lord had in store for us, and thus for the precious field of Mexico. Once He revealed His plan, as Tommy said, we realized He had provided the script in the Letter, Our Activated Future. It was all there, crystal clear.
We got the immediate goal starting right now to do what we can to push the Activated program, and the longer-term goal to feed His sheep personally more. This is with the vision of winning not only full-time disciples, but especially to make disciples in spirit of those that are not able to drop out and forsake all, which are the majority of those we minister to.
Most every meeting and even the inspirations have been led by combined teams from NACRO and SACRO. It is fun to work together and it goes along with something we've been sharing during the meetings: that the key to success in this new era of action is uniting efforts and working together. We all need one another. No one individual person nor any individual Home will be able to fully see the fulfillment of all the Lord wants to do during this exciting time. But if we work together on a Home level, as Homes on a city level, and as Homes on a national level, we'll be able to do much more. And the Lord now took it further in getting us to work together on a continental level. Praise the Lord!
By Sam, SACRO
A big part of these meetings has been inspirations—praising and loving the Lord together. It has been at these times that many have been able to forget the past, let go of the weights, and just fly high in the Spirit. In each set of meetings we've had a Loving Jesus inspiration night. It's been wonderful to love the Lord together and each time, the Spirit falls with such power and love that it's absolutely mind-blowing. These times have been a healing balm of His love for all, helping to touch and strengthen everyone's spirit immensely.
One thing that everyone appreciated was that the meetings and inspirations were in Spanish. Both Mexicans and foreigners expressed how thankful and happy they were about that. It had been a while since they were able to sing many of the songs that started the Revolution in the Latin world, so it was a wonderful surprise and delight for all to listen to and enjoy these songs.
These meetings have been a continual Holy Ghost sample since day one, and with each meeting that we've held, His Spirit comes through with the same power and strength as the first. It's been encouraging for us on the meeting committee to see the Lord do it over and over again. Though we got tired and weak in ourselves, His strength and anointing was unmistakable upon all while we gathered together for those three powerful days of each meeting.
By Tommy
During our preparatory meeting, the Lord showed us to hear from Him as to the general order of the program, as it would be repeated five times in the various meetings. So this is basically how it went:
After everyone arrived and got set up in their rooms, we started the first night of the meetings with a lot of music. Then Pedro read the keynote prophecies from the Folks' house about how it's Mexico's hour, etc. Then Jason (North American CRO living in Mexico) gave a keynote on the Activated vision and the strengthening of the Mexican work.
On the next day there was a thorough explanation of the Activated program (including the good news about residual income for the Homes) by Mexican Josué, the business manager of the Conéctate Desk. In the afternoon, Phoebe presented points on filling out the subscription coupon, and she shared stats from the Activated ministry in Mexico and around the world. Then the floor was opened for questions and answers.
That night, which was the second night, we had a beautiful Loving Jesus inspiration with a live band. We invited some of the closer live-outs to come and participate and get the vision.
On the next day, the team from Brazil opened by reading from the Activated Future GN, the section Will We Have Enough Time? We then shared the vision of what the Lord has done in Brazil in the follow-up explosion, showing a video that Johnny B. and team put together right before we left. It is about 30 minutes long and shows an overview of the work there with live-out disciples over the last 4 1/2 years. It really came out well, with parts of interviews Johnny had done over the years with the live-outs and us. Pedro, Ezekiel and I made comments as the video went along. Then we passed out sheets of paper entitled What Is That in Thy Hand? where all filled out inventories on their current sheep to see where they can start to implement the vision of regularly feeding them through Word classes and training them to become disciples at some level or another.
In the afternoon we gave a class called The 7 Steps to Feeding the Sheep and Building a Work, very similar to other classes we have done for the Family in Brazil, in particular for those who are starting from zero. We also made a little 12-week outline for the Activated mag so that anyone could start his own Conéctate group, using the mags as part of the curriculum. This makes it easy to get people started, and it links personal follow-up with Activated.
Then on the third night we had a dance with the band. Hot stuff! By this time, the Lord was already working in people's lives, giving them a new vision for starting a work, working together with others, and winning their city for Jesus.
On the last morning, just before the departure, we had a communion and list-burning where everyone put down the things they'd like to forsake. It was touching, as many people asked forgiveness for past bitterness, etc. The meetings have been life-changing for virtually everyone in Mexico.
By Sam
The Lord used the Loving Jesus inspirations to touch people with His Spirit and cause a revival in the hearts of all present. When sharing testimonies about the meetings shortly after our last set, we all testified to the marvelous happenings and manifestations of His Spirit which occurred on each of our LJ nights.
In each of our three-day series of meetings, one night was set aside especially to spend time with the Lord together. We'd set the scene with dim lights and a romantic atmosphere. After each love song to the Lord, we'd open the floor for people to say love words, prayers of thankfulness, and to express their dedication and love to the Lord. It was magical. The Lord's Spirit was so warm and all encompassing during these times; it took over and covered each person with a sparkling blanket of light. Hardly anyone could keep back the tears.
In the last set of meetings, something occurred which I'm sure left a mark on our lives. I have rarely seen such a powerful manifestation of the Lord's Spirit as occurred on that night. About halfway through the inspiration, there was a group of young people who began weeping and pouring out their hearts to the Lord in prayer. It was as if they were taken over by a mighty wave of the Spirit, and they were oblivious to the other 100 people in the room.
Their prayers were so heartfelt and sweet. Basically they asked the Lord for forgiveness, a change in their lives, renewed vision, more dedication, etc. The fire was contagious, and before long the whole room was in flames. People were weeping, praying, and prophesying one after the other. It got to the point that no one wanted to stop, and the meeting went on into the late hours of the night. It was absolutely breathtaking. What happened that evening will change our lives forever.—I know I will never be the same! It renewed faith and strength in me, knowing that what He's promised, He is able also to perform!
By Pedro
Another super experience during these meetings was to see how powerful it is to sing love songs to the Lord together. I had experienced this at the Summits and to a certain extent during some Home meetings here and there, but this was special. Most everyone that attended had things in their hearts about the past, differences with their brethren, perhaps resentments in regards to being FM and being treated differently, etc. But during the Loving Jesus nights, everyone was melted together as one. After praising and loving Him between songs, the Lord led us to finish those evenings by singing My Family, My Family, asking everyone to hug each other. It was always very moving.
By Jason, NACRO
It is hard to properly put into words the powerful impact that the Conéctate vision and these meetings have had in the way of healing hearts and renewing love and unity amongst the brethren here. It was nothing short of a miracle of the Lord's Spirit, and so beautiful to watch. It seemed like everyone wanted to break out of the chains of the past that had held them back from really taking off for the Lord in Mexico. The trumpet sounded: Let's do it for the sheep, as well as If we don't get on board we'll die spiritually! That gave everyone the extra push in the spirit they needed to break free from any bitterness or resentment which had them bound. It was wonderful!
I can honestly say that I have never witnessed such an amazing transformation in meetings we've held here in Mexico before. It was definitely beyond anything we did or said, and was just a work of the Lord's Spirit moving and working in everyone's heart and life. In fact, a lot of the time we didn't know what was going on, but felt like the Lord was the Pilot giving us the ride of our lives. Thank You Jesus! We would just stand back and marvel at what He was doing. The Conéctate and discipling vision was like a spiritual thirst quencher, and you could see the fruit of the brethren receiving the Word, and how it can immediately work in practical terms.
At previous meetings the vast majority of our personal times with people was spent on problems with this, that, or the other, but this time most of the personal times with people were about how they wanted to get on board with this new vision, and forsake the weights that have had them bound so they can really take off and be the disciple winners the Lord wants them to be. Almost every talk-time would end with someone of our dear Family saying, I want to leave the past behind and be what the Lord wants me to be, so could you please pray for me? It was so precious, as you could feel everyone's desperation to want to be part of the Lord's solution and to bring the Conéctate vision into their lives and Homes. Praise God!
More than any meeting I have ever attended here in Mexico, with this one I felt like we were just being carried along by a wave of God's Spirit. On so many occasions the Lord would take control of the meetings, and pour out His Words in prophecy. There were such spiritual highs it was hard to come back down afterwards! This made leading the meetings so much easier, as we didn't have to worry about leading so much, as the Lord always took control anyway, which simplified things so much. Ha! I think everyone saw, too, that it was the Lord Who was moving, because what was happening went far beyond anything we could've mustered up ourselves. You really got the feeling that we were witnessing a major move of God—ready or not here it comes!—and no one wanted to be left behind.
By Jason, NACRO
Another beautiful thing the Lord did through these meetings was to melt everyone's hearts together regardless of whether CM or FM. Status got to be a non-issue, as everyone was so united by the vision of really claiming Mexico for the Lord. We have so many precious and dedicated co-laborers in our FM Family here in Mexico; we saw how much potential each of them has in reaching and winning those they minister to to the Lord and the Family.
The Lord also explained that the teams from North and South America working together as one team here in Mexico would help to emphasize the subject of unity, as although we are far apart, through these meetings the Lord has really made us one team for His glory. And on a personal note, I wanted to say that the team from SACRO coming has been like a dream, and such an answer to our prayers. The help of Pedro, Sam, Tommy and Ezekiel has been invaluable; they have been wonderful teamworkers and mates. God bless them!
The Lord made a point about the importance of unity here in Mexico across the board, both within Homes themselves, between CM Homes and CM Homes, between FM Homes and CM Homes, as well as between FM Homes and FM Homes.It is such an important ingredient in making the Activated vision happen here in Mexico the way the Lord wants it to, like the quote, The blessings don't precede obedience. Unity seemed to be a key factor the Lord highlighted a number of times, which He wanted to bring out in these meetings.
The Activated vision has been a great leveler. As one Fellow Member mentioned in one of the meetings, just because a Fellow Member ministers to someone who is a real sheep doesn't make that sheep any less of a sheep than a sheep who is witnessed to by someone who is CM. Ha! So through the meetings we saw the need for our working together.
We also saw that as our primary focus starts shifting from thinking and looking so much at ourselves and resultantly at our many flaws and problems, to focusing more on our main job of winning the world (which includes feeding the sheep and making disciples of all nations), the less we'll worry about who we are, and concentrate more on what we're doing, and whether we're truly fulfilling the Lord's calling in our lives regardless of our status.
Another point is that in many areas getting local churches or Discipleship Groups* rolling is going to take unity and lot of cooperation between the CM and FM Homes. So if we are going to make progress in this direction we're going to have to operate more as a team. By pooling our talents and resources in every area we will be able to accomplish more, and make a more tight and fruitful team for the Lord. (*Discipleship Groups, as they have been coined by some Homes in Brazil, are circles of sheep and friends who, after Word and fellowship, want to go deeper with the Lord—to the point of becoming disciples! So they join a Discipleship Course for applied Word study, increasing their commitment to witness, help, change, and generally become genuine followers of the teaching, as the word disciple means [whether they actually live in a Home or not]. They become involved in many Home activities, and organize some of their own. See the The Live-out Discipleship Revolution FSM 362, for more explanation of how many friends became live-out disciples in Brazil.)
It was just amazing to see the dynamics of the Spirit at work. As we all united our hearts and minds on the subject of follow-up and multiplying ourselves through winning disciples in obedience to the Lord's Words, our problems became so much less important, and in some cases seemed to melt away completely, thank You Jesus! Let the light in, and the darkness flees of itself!
Everyone acknowledged that it was going to have to be the Lord to make all this work, as the Enemy is so quick to try to get in by causing disunity, which is such a hindrance to our sample and fruitfulness overall, and affects the sheep who pick up on it. So we ended every meeting with communion and united prayer for a clean, new heart. Many broke down in tears as we asked the Lord to prepare us to be used in the ways He has promised He wants to in this new era of action.
By Pedro
The idea of inviting Fellow Members to these meetings was fantastic. It sent a tremendous signal to the field, was unifying, and bore very good fruit, it seems. It was like a healing balm for many FMers, who apparently are still not treated too well at times by some CMers on the field, sad to say. We truly need each other and need to work together as one to fulfill the vision the Lord has in this era of action and this new day for Mexico. Throughout the meetings, there was no distinction made as to whether anyone was CM or FM, but rather all were addressed as Family members, period. I met a lot of very precious FMers, not knowing what category they were, and it was pretty neat to be able to talk to them without any barriers, so to speak. It was a real fulfillment of what the Word says. It also showed the power of the Spirit because, admittedly, when the Spirit falls, everyone becomes one and shines with the Lord's Spirit.
By Tommy
Several Family teens had a real turnaround as a result of the meetings, seeing that things are truly happening and that the Family is alive and kicking! The live band was enjoyed by all ages, and one young person said this was the most inspiring meeting she'd ever been to as it was pure Spirit with no System music, coolness, or worldliness. Actually several of the cooler teens got so turned on, they sat in the front for the meetings and became roadies, attending as many of the repeat meetings in different cities as they could, and helping out in various ways.
One young person whose parents are Fellow Members told us about a recent near-death experience he had. He works at the Chrysler assembly line here in Mexico City as a supervisor. A pile of materials weighing about one ton fell right on top of him and should have crushed him, but at the moment of impact he saw an angel who pushed him out of the way. Then the angel took him on a spirit trip of his life and showed him how he needed to work things out in the bad relationships he had with his father and his brother. The angel continued that after this was resolved, his life mission would be revealed to him.
Since this accident (about six months ago), he has been working on these relationships. He said that things were pretty much worked out and that now was the time for his mission to be revealed. He was a bit scared, but felt that the Conéctate meetings would hold the key. At the last meeting, he had a vision of an angel in the room with all of us, anointing us for the harvest ahead. Several others saw the same angel! This was a complete turnaround in the life of this young man, as he has basically been working at a secular job, not very plugged in to the vision, but once he got it, he is experiencing a revolution and is now a roadie attending all the meetings.
Several of the precious local FGAs expressed that these meetings are exactly what we needed to help define what our united goal is. One FGA commented: The vision for us veterans coming back to life through follow-up is just what we needed, as we wonder what is to happen to us in our second half of life!
The brethren who already have follow-up ministries going were the most turned on, commenting how they really needed this united vision and everyone getting on board to work together so all the talents can be pooled. This way the Family can show its strength once again, as this unity was always a key during every harvest period of our Family's history.
One old-timer, when she saw how many leaders and shepherds were participating in the meeting (from NACRO and SACRO) was quite impressed and said: When I saw all these leaders together in one place I thought one of two things was happening: Either they've come to shut the work down or they've come to revive the dead!
Many commented how they were glad that the meetings were held in Spanish, as before they were usually held in English, with the nationals in the back of the room getting a running translation in Spanish. This time it was the English-only speakers in the back of the room getting the translation! Refreshing!
By Ezekiel, follow-up ministry in Brazil
Between the meetings in Cuernavaca and Morelia, Tommy, Phoebe, and I spent a few days at the Cuernavaca Home. It was the Lord's set-up as we were able to participate right away in the Home's witnessing activities, and the very first day after the meetings they had visitors coming over to the Home unexpectedly.
The keynote prophecies had mentioned that the main thing we needed to do was to be willing to receive the sheep, whether or not we felt ready! As unprepared as they were, the Home members opened their doors and were a good sample of putting into practice the many ideas that were shared at the meetings. As the Lord had promised that things would move fast these days, so they did! From the beautiful reaction of the visitors, our precious local Home members could see that the sheep aren't so interested in seeing a perfect Home. They come for spiritual feeding and don't see the button off the vest, just as it was in the early days of the Family when dozens of disciples joined every week despite the less-than-ideal living conditions!
During our stay with this precious Home, we went to visit an old-time friend in a city close by. When we sat down and showed her the Activated magazine, she right away subscribed for herself as well as for a friend of hers, whom she said is in need of lots of help. This sweet lady has known the Family for a long time and has helped us very much through the years. We took some time to explain our meetings to her, the new vision, and how she can be a big part of it. It was beautiful to see her reaction when we mentioned that even in her present situation she can also be a disciple and a big part of the Family, helping us to win the lost. Her face lit up and she commented how she had been waiting for that for some time, to participate more and be working hand in hand with us. Praise the Lord! What a fulfillment of the era of action!
While in the Home, the Lord had another surprise up His sleeve: One of the Home's friends, an influential doctor, invited David and Rebecca to a country farm to witness to the young people there, along with his two teen daughters. Tommy and I were able to go along, and it turned out to be a full-fledged Meaningful Meeting with over 40 people present. We sang a bunch of songs, then asked everyone to briefly answer the question: Who is Jesus to you? to break the ice and get everyone participating, even the shy ones. We then passed out the first issue of Conéctate, read The Man of Love, then prayed so everyone could receive Jesus. At the end we sang What Are You Going to Do When You Get to Be 25? One of our standard strategies with new sheep is for several of us to extend our arms to them, looking in their eyes as we sing, All we want to say is that we love you! The doctor was very inspired about our ability to witness to the youth (especially his own daughters), as he is an active church member, but his girls can't handle the churchiness of it all.
The vision to start youth groups as part of Our Activated Future is getting everyone turned on to not just witnessing, but to winning live-out disciples for the Lord! The Home really caught the vision and now plans to hold parties for the local youth, then start a Discipleship Group with retreats, a yearly curriculum, etc. Just being there to help them with a few tips during the first few days after the meetings seemed to help things move along in the new direction the Lord is leading!
(Editor's note: More good news is that you don't have to work out your own curriculum for feeding your Activated sheep or those you are following up on. As Peter explained in The Family's Future and Expansion Program [GN 908, Part 3 of the Action series], a six-month basic course is being prepared for that purpose. This will include a teacher's handbook, class book, and the student's manual. These books will put the material in your hands and enable you to teach your converts, friends and new Family members. Further courses will follow, so that the complete program covers the basics of Christianity all the way through advanced discipleship. Please pray for those who are working on this monumental job.)
By Sam
Witnessing miracles also happened right in the first set of meetings. The meetings were held in a hotel near Cuernavaca, and because the main meeting room was directly in front of the reception desk, all the people working there, including the owners and their daughter, were present in all the meetings. At first we were a little concerned that the contents of the meetings would be too much for them, but we took it to the Lord and He confirmed that it would be okay to proceed and not hold back.
I'll tell you, I've never seen such a drastic and amazing and speedy transformation in a group of people as I saw happen those three days to the owner, his wife, daughter, and staff. By the end of the meetings they looked like Family members. They joined us for the Loving Jesus inspiration, as well as the dance on the last day, and you couldn't tell the difference between them and us. They were on-fire and totally overjoyed in the Spirit. Their 17-year-old daughter was able to get a powerful witness from many of the young people who attended the meetings. Several times a group of young people gathered round to sing songs and witness one-on-one to her. At the end, she was talking about joining the Family and told me that she had never seen anything or anybody as amazing and wonderful as all of us in the Family.
It was beautiful to see the way that these meetings helped not only our own Family to get a new vision and inspiration, but that He used them to also bring new disciples into His Kingdom. When we left at the end, they hugged and cried with everyone. It was beautiful.
Here's more news on the results of pushing the Activated program at the Cuernavaca Home, where Ezekiel and others visited right after the first set of meetings (see page 14).
From a note by Robin, Cuernavaca Home, to the team holding the Conéctate meetings:
Dear everyone,
I wanted to write you a quick note and tell you about our first local Activated meeting with our sheep. It was more like a get-together. We had 28 visitors including the children. We started off with a puppet show for all, and then while the kids had activities downstairs, we had a meeting with their parents. We sang songs (everyone sang along from songbooks that we just put together). We did the Dr. Chainbuster skit, then sang some more, and had icebreaker time. Whoops! That's probably supposed to come first, but despite any lacks or disorganization on our part, the Lord's Spirit came through beautifully! Thank You Jesus! basically beyond words! Thank You Jesus!—And the best part is that we've barely dipped our toes into it all!
When we finished we had a beautiful love feast, just like after a Family-only inspiration, with everyone hugging each other! After our love feast, Marcos explained to everyone about Conéctate, and about our goal of starting groups.
(Editor's note: Many of you Homes have in the course of your follow-up held Bible classes for your friends and sheep, or Church of Love meetings. As was mentioned earlier, some Homes in South America have found it very fruitful to draw people further in by organizing those being followed up on into small groups. They meet regularly not only for Word study, but inspiration, heart sharing, prayer, and fellowship. This can go a long way in not only deepening our friends' intake of the Word, but in supplying their needs for feeling a part of the Family, and for getting to know other believers who are at the same stage as they are, as well as winning their own sheep they bring to the group. Goals and activities can be discussed, and questions brought up in a friendly atmosphere where the input will benefit others who may have the same questions. Usually people are grouped together with those they have a lot in common with, so that there could be, for example, a young people's group, or a couples' group, or a group of people who have decided to commit to discipleship. These people often become good friends with each other, as well as with you, and thus a peer group is established that provides support, love, and prayer for each other.)
We thought we were done for the evening, but no one wanted to leave, so we got out our songbooks again and must have sung every single song in it! Thank You Jesus for one of the most beautiful days of our lives!
I talked to our friend Penelope today, and boy, is she inspired!! I explained about wanting to get together this week to discuss and pray about how we can get a youth group started in Cuernavaca. She must have told me at least 10 times, Si! Lo vamos hacer! Si, lo vamos hacer! [Yes, we're going to do it! Yes, we're going to do it!] Also, Jonathan showed up today. He's 19 years old, one of the guys we play basketball with, and the sheepiest of the bunch. He definitely has potential to be in the same group with the doctor's girls (see Ezekiel's testimony on page 15 about the get-together at the doctor's home, and how his girls received the Lord along with friends they had invited over).
A couple of days ago our Home discussed the importance of seeing what we have in our hand, as far as the friends, contacts, and supporters we already have on the line, and how many groups we already have. We're going to continue to pray about this.
Please tell everyone we send tons and tons of love and you're in our daily prayers! In thinking about you all, I thought of the song You Have No Idea How Far Your Love Has Gone! GBAKY!
Love and prayers,
Robin for the Cuernavaca Home
P.S. August 30—A sweet little testimony from yesterday: I took Laura (4) and Lawrence (3) to see the woman owner of a shop close by. Actually she is the mother of Jonathan, the guy we play basketball with, who wants to come over for weekly meetings. Laura and Lawrence sang a couple of songs and this lady just lit up. She was so touched and asked them to sing more and more songs. The kids did so well! They shone and sang with boldness, God bless them! They came back home beaming, happier than ever! Not only do we need this follow-up revolution to set our hearts on fire again, but so do our little ones.
Tomorrow we're having a couples' group in Mexico City, and on Friday night we're having a get-together here for the youth. It looks like the doctor's daughters will come and at least five to seven others may come too. Today David went to the market and he's going to present to our closest contacts the idea of having get-togethers in one of their houses there each week, after the market. The sky really is the limit! Please keep us in your prayers!
From Joy (FGA) of Dan, August 2000, a reaction after the Conéctate meetings.
Dear Mama and Peter,
I love you so much and wanted to thank you for all the effort that went into the Mexico Conéctate (Activated) meetings. To say they changed my life is an understatement. They gave me new life—for without a vision the people perish.
Like many others, this had been a year of intense spiritual battles for me. I had been feeling like I was hanging on by my fingernails and that the Lord had taken away all the crutches in my life. I had been going to the Lord for personal shepherding and getting as much Word as I could throughout the day, but the attacks on me were so heavy that I felt like I was losing my mind. I have to say I have been in a wonderful situation with minimal problems; what it really came down to was that the Enemy wanted to steal away my crown, convincing me I was getting too old to have a useful place in the Family.
There was one thing in my life during these last few months, however, that was going well. More than well—beautifully. That was the area the Lord was blessing and told me to throw myself into: witnessing and follow-up. It was the spiritual cure-all and was the weapon that was more powerful than any other in fighting the Enemy.
Even at my lowest points, when I began witnessing I would forget about myself and the Lord would use me in spite of myself and all my mistakes and problems. In spite of the fact that I am getting older and feeling I have to slow down in other areas, when I would let Him, He would lead me to the most needy, most wonderful people at moments I least expected it. And as I poured out, He poured in a flood of the healing waters of the joy of my salvation.
What I am saying is so simple, so basic. It was a lesson I learned 28 years ago when I first joined, my second week in the Family! Ha! But it is a lesson I had brushed aside, thinking there were other more important things to do. So needless to say, I was a ripe and receptive audience for the meetings.
Just walking into those meetings with their emphasis on the national language, with no barriers between brethren who were CM, FM or whatever, just a meeting of people who loved the Lord and wanted to harvest and see the Lord fulfill the promises He's been giving us for so many years—it was thrilling. It wasn't like other inspirational meetings or Family camps; it wasn't just a high; it was a how-to on having a revolution. And it began in my own life.
I want to thank all those who have invested in these meetings. I see that Mexico is a ripe and ready field. Souls fall into our hands and cry out for more feeding. The harvest is plenteous and we need laborers to work at our sides. They don't have to have 20 years of Family training. They don't have to have overcome all of their spiritual weaknesses. They don't even have to be CM. They just have to want to---want to come and help us reap the harvest in Mexico.
It's really wonderful talking with the ones who led these meetings, all such dear, sweet people with a vision. I eagerly look forward to all the New Wine on the Activated program and am praying about how to put landing gear on this in our area. In the meantime, I'm also praying about how to streamline our Home, how to clean up and oil our childcare machine so it will be smooth-running and functional and we will be able to do as much as we can to be faithful with the sheep the Lord has given us.
I realize it is a challenge in every way to rise to this new day of witnessing and bringing folks into our Homes. I am really thankful to be a part of this.
With much love,
Joy of Dan
The Lord Leads Us to Form a National Follow-up Committee
By Jason, Mexico
(Written after the Mexico Conéctate Meetings)
In our SACRO/NACRO CRO meetings here, the Lord led us to discuss what our follow-up to the Conéctate meetings should be. One of the first proposals we discussed was to gather together those who have already been taking up the torch in this respect [follow-up] and hold a meeting with them to plan the coming months' discipling events, among which we hope will be our first National Retreat [for contacts, friends, and live-outs] here in Mexico. Wow! Exciting!
It's been astounding what the Lord has been doing since the meetings, as little discipleship groups have already begun to pop up in a number of cities. Since the brethren are so hot on the subject right now, we felt it would be good to gather together the movers and shakers in this department to further consolidate some of the things which were just briefly touched on at the recent Conéctate meetings. The idea of forming a National Follow-up Committee is quite exciting, and something which the Lord is leading us to put together to further the Activated/discipleship vision at both the city and national level.
In a way the Lord kind of tricked us, as towards the end of the meetings all the sermons we were pitching to the Family here started pointing right back at us. When you preach it at yourself, it sure takes on a whole new meaning and perspective! Some of those sales pitches and sound bites included phrases like Don't be surprised if things radically change in your Homes, and in the way things presently operate. Your present schedules may get thrown out the window. God bless our dear Family who responded enthusiastically to the challenges which the Lord presented in the prophecies, but we are seeing that it is also going to affect us as shepherds just as drastically, as we may also have to reevaluate many of our present priorities and see how they measure up to all the Lord is pouring out to us and the field in the New Wine. Thank God for change! We sure need it!
Here are excerpts of a prophecy regarding our first National Follow-up Committee meeting:
(Jesus speaking:) I have invested much in each one of these My children, and I wish to call them out to be an active part of the solution to making Conéctate and the discipling vision take off here in Mexico. My plan is to spread the burden on the shoulders of these within your flocks who can be used more in a co-working capacity in the follow-up department.
You can bet on the Enemy trying to cause discouragement, dissension, and misunder-standings, but as you bravely face every obstacle with determination to not let this vision slip, no matter what the Devil may try to do, this will equal a great victory for My glory.
Through the Conéctate meetings which were just held around the country, a new spark of faith was born, and through My Word and the breath of My Spirit I continue to fan this flame. Right now this fire is burning in the hearts of each of My children that attended, so you, the caretakers of My flocks, must tend to the needs of your flock. You can't leave every man to his own tent for too long without a follow-up meeting, where you can discuss and pull down from My heavenly vaults of unending wisdom the direction you need for this new and exciting discipling ministry here in Mexico.
This will be time well spent, and what thou spendest I will much more than repay an hundredfold. You care for My Work, and I will care for you. You will never regret having given your all for Me and the lost, who I now not only want you, My children, to win, but to bring into My Family fold. (End of message.)
(Later Jason writes:) There are so many neat and encouraging testimonies I still want to write regarding the fruits of the Conéctate meetings. One is that representatives from Homes in the three cities in our local area got together to pray and hear from the Lord about our first regional seminar/event for our local sheep and friends.
It was hard to even wrap up the meeting, as the Lord had so much to say about how we should go about hosting this event. Meeting with the other Homes with follow-up and ministering to the sheep as our focal point was wonderful, exciting, and so uniting. Wow! It has been such a faith-builder for everyone to see that it is really happening, that the Word is not returning void, and that the Lord means business. The Homes that attended brought recent pictures and shared testimonies about the Activated get-togethers they have already had with their local sheep, who basically said, It's about time! They were so ready and thankful for the fellowship and an opportunity to get fed.
Since the Conéctate meetings we've seen little flocks consolidate all around the country practically overnight. We are encouraging everyone to write up the testimonies, as they are nothing short of a fulfillment of what the Lord has been saying. And there is so much more to come.