Greetings!
This weekend I'll be joining almost 350 participants from around 70 countries in New York City at the Transform World 4/14 Window Global Summit. As you know from your own involvement and interest in Transform World's 4/14 Window Initiative, the decisions that will be made and the strategies that will be laid out during these meetings have the potential to set a course for child development and discipleship, evangelism and equipping of leaders of tomorrow, that could literally change the future of the entire world.
Much work has gone into this initiative over many months, and the Summit will serve in some ways as the culmination of one phase of the project and a catalyst for the next phase of ministry as the number of participants worldwide increases, the mission, vision, and outcomes are refined, and ministry strategies and models are proposed.
One of the unique aspects of this initiative is the opportunity for international collaboration and the leadership's commitment to discovering and developing holistic approaches that can cross cultures and contexts and serve as models for other ministry initiatives. This has been evident even in the planning and preparation for the Summit and in laying the foundation for strategic planning and implementation of the initiative. Summit steering committee members, track facilitators, and 4/14/ initiative collaborators hail from Northern and Southern Hemispheres, Eastern and Western cultures and represent a wide diversity of denominations and professional expertise, all working out of a mutual respect for one another's gifts, experiences, and knowledge.
It is also evident that this initiative is a movement of God's people, building upon a foundation of prayer, discernment, and a leading of God's Spirit. A commitment to prayer, a maturity of faith, an understanding of Scripture as well as of the challenges and opportunities facing the world's children are hallmarks of 4/14 Global Initiative collaborators.
We covet your prayers throughout the coming week. We request your input into the finalization of the 4/14 Window Global Initiative Handbook. And we look forward to partnering with you over the next decade in reaching the new generation to transform the world for Christ.
To provide you with "real-time" reports throughout the Summit, we'll be sending you daily newsletters with updates on that day's activities, and reports from various tracks. Stay tuned!
Martha Anderson
Transform World newsletter editor
National Director, Centurions Program of Prison Fellowship / BreakPoint
Join Us in Prayer and Fasting on the 4th and 14th
Praying the Apostolic Prayers for the 4/14 Window
Biblical prayers reveal the burning heart of God. The apostolic prayers are a great gift to the Church, giving us a wealth of insight into the language of God's heart, revealing His great passion and strategy for His Kingdom.
The Bible promises us that prayers according to God's will surely come to pass (1 Jn. 5:14-15). We have certainty that God-authored prayers (canonized in the Bible) encompass the perfect and pleasing will of God, which He has graciously given us to co-labor with Him to see His purposes released in the earth.
Ephesians 3:16-19 declares:
(16) that He would grant you (His son or daughter, a servant leader to His Body through Transform World), according to the riches of His glory (boundless and limitless power and grace), to be strengthened with might through His Spirit in the inner man (supernaturally strengthening the heart, mind, will, and emotions of all the servant leaders of Transform World),
(17) that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith (the exchanged life--no longer I but Christ who lives in me, Gal. 2:20); that you, being rooted and grounded in love (unshakable in Him, fully understanding the greatness of His love; perfect love casts out fear, 1 Jn. 4:18),
(18) may be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the width and length and depth and height--
(19) to know the love of Christ which passes knowledge; that you may be filled with all the fullness of God.
"Father, saturate us with revelation of the love of Christ which far surpasses our mental capacity. Soak our souls, our minds, our wills, and our emotions. Grace us to get away to the secret place to feast on Your love and goodness, and transform our striving labor into trusting, joyful co-laboring. Your yoke is easy."
At the end of this newsletter, please also see "Praise Reports and Prayer Requests."
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Kingdom Collaboration to Reach a New Generation
By Luis Bush
"Raising up a New Generation from the 4/14 Window to Transform the World" (a.k.a. 4/14 Window Global Initiative) is a bold process of collaboration and mobilization that seeks to obey God's call to this new missional focus. This global initiative or movement begins with a 4/14 Window Global Summit, 6 to 8 September 2009 in New York City, with more than 350 participants from more than 70 countries, over 250 of whom are from overseas.
The primary building blocks of the 4/14 Window Global Initiative are national, track and prayer based initiatives. The functional dimension is defined by the more than fifteen tracks. The geographical dimension of the 4/14 Window Movement is fueled by national 4/14 initiatives. The partnership between the geographical and functional aspects of the 4/14 Window Global Initiative reflects and draws on the strengths of God's people in both the north and the south.
Our approach recognizes the growing contribution of leadership and ideas and ministry approach from the Majority World, also referred to as the Global South, Non-Western and Two-Thirds World. if you haven't done so already, take some time to download and read the 4/14 Window Global Initiative Handbook Draft for a more in-depth look at what we hope to accomplish. The purpose of the handbook is to explain the process we plan to use - to fulfill the core mission of this global initiative. It incorporates the core ideology and the overall 7- year strategy. The Handbook presents perspectives on the emergence and developmental impact of 4/14 city, state, national and continent wide initiative. It describes the role, functions and draft of the strategic plan of the global tracks that will be initiated during their formal launch at the September 2009 4/14 Global Summit.
God is calling us to a new missional focus: the 4/14 Window golden age of opportunity to transform the world. God is calling us to radically change the way we view children and to respond to their strategic importance and rightful place in His Kingdom. This often ignored and suffering people group can be transformed into a precious window of opportunity. In God's hands, this enormous and largely ignored people group can become agents of transformational mission under the headship of Jesus Christ. Won't you join us?
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The 4/14 Window Global Initiative
A Strategy for Reaching a New Generation to Transform the World
The following is excerpted from the 4/14 Window Global Initiative Handbook draft. You are invited to read the entire document at 4/14 Window Global Initiative Handbook Draft and offer your own input and suggestions for further revisions at handbook@4to14window.com, particularly with regard to the Vision, Mission, Vivid Descriptions of Outcomes, the 4-14 Covenant Draft in Appendix A, and the 4-14 Missiological Tasks in Appendix B.
The core ideology of the 4/14 Window Global Initiative includes the Mission Statement/Purpose, the Vision Statement and the Vivid Description (7 years). It answers the question: How do we know when we have accomplished our vision in the future? (This core ideology remains in draft form until there is agreement by the participants at the first Summit in September of 2009.)
Mission Statement/Purpose
Mobilize the body of Christ worldwide to invest in reaching, equipping and empowering the 4/14 generation to maximize their transformational impact while they are young, and mobilize them for continuing impact throughout the rest of their lives.
Vision Statement
The younger generation will be recognized by the body of Christ worldwide as one of the primary agents of transformation (holistic mission) and will be making a difference in the seven societal spheres/ mountains of cultural influence (Arts & Entertainment, Business & Technology, Education & Science, Family, Government, Media, and Religion) in the nations.
Vivid Description of Outcomes
Note: The vivid description answers the question: How do we know when we have accomplished our envisioned future? It projects forward seven years and provides indicators to review the results.
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We should pray and open the way for global and significant movement of prayers among the children and youth like never before!
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A significant movement among local churches globally having a primary focus of holistic discipleship of children and youth.
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Programs, curricula and teaching / training strategies massively developed to equip the 4-14 generation as effective agents of transformation. These will be made available to local churches, mission organizations, Christian development organizations and Christian schools globally for implementation.
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In every country possible in the world, there will be at least one seminary or Bible College, effectively operating an HCD (Holistic Child Development program to prepare ministers and church leaders to mobilize, empower and equip the 4-14 generation to be agents of change.
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Significant mission movements among 4/14 generations connected through effective global networks.
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Strong global Christian advocacy network to fight injustice-affecting children (exploitation, abuse, child labor, and children's rights) recognized by the UN and other global institutions and feared by child abusers.
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School renewal movements across the globe that operate out of a new (21st century) approach to children using the Biblical value of holistic child development.
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An awakening to occur among local churches in the Global North producing collaborations with churches in the Global South to release children from the bondage of all forms of poverty.
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The massive development and use of culturally relevant and biblically sound entertainment for children, especially in the Global South.
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Significant capacity (experts) for developing contextual, biblical resources (books, games, educational materials, etc) in the Global South.
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Significantly increased focus on reaching and discipling children among most service organizations, mission agencies, philanthropic organizations, Christian NGOs and other charitable organizations.
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Praise Reports and Prayer Requests
Over 350 leaders from every region of the world will gather in New York City September 4 to 8 to be part of the 4/14 Window Global Summit. These leaders have committed to serve a movement focused on reaching and raising up a new generation of children and youth, ages 4 to 14, to impact their generation and the world.
You are invited to join us in prayer for this important leadership gathering. Please pray for:
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The Holy Spirit to fill this movement with His Presence and Power, Zech 4:6.
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The body of Christ worldwide to make children, ages 4 to 14, a top ministry priority, Luke 18:16, Mark 9:37, Mark 10:16.
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Leaders gathering in New York to have God's clear strategy as they plan, Isaiah 55:8-9.
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There to be authentic unity and effective collaboration among leaders, John 17:23.
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Provision for all the needs of the Summit, the attendees, and the strategies that will come out of the deliberations, 2 Cor. 9: 8-11
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For 100 fold fruit that remains for His glory. Matt. 4:20
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