My 40 Day Challenge

I am looking for 40 friends (you would have to be a VERY good friend to do this) so read below carefully.  But I PROMISE to keep my end of the bargain also:

It's time!  3 1/2 years ago I resigned from leading a wonderful church and left the ministry to work on areas of my life long neglected and in need of much transformation.  Five Pastor/Leaders and many others have helped Sallie and I renew our marriage, refocus our life, re-prioritize and heal areas of my life personally, our marriage and our ministry focus.  But it is now time to start making plans to re-enter the calling that God gave me when I was a college student- to lead the body of Christ using my spiritual gifts, talents and abilities.  Sallie is ready too-- really ready!  So I have been thinking and praying and I came up with an idea-- I want to challenge 40 people in my life- close people, people who know us well, who have walked with us, those who love us, to join us in a journey from October 10 to Thanksgiving.  I want you to commit to pray daily for my re-entry to ministry.  In return, I will promise to pray for you and join you in a challenge you may have in your life.  You don't have to take on a challenge to do this...just commit to pray for us.  But if you have a 40-day"er" then I will join you too.  

During this 40-day period I am going to seek the Lord through fasting, special times alone, focused prayer and memorizing scripture.  I want to memorize the book of Ephesians during this 40-day period as a challenge and discipline.  

I will keep in touch with the 40 people regularly.  I will keep you up to date on what the Lord is doing. If you want, I will share your challenge with my other 40-day"ers" (only with your permission!!).  

Here is a little more of an update on my life so you can prayerfully consider this challenge:

On April 15, 2012 a formal Restoration worship service was held at South Hills Church Community (the church we founded in 2000-2001) to restore me to public ministry.  The 5 Pastors and the Denominational Superintendent were there and combined these men had over 150 years of ministry experience.  None of them had ever attended (let alone led) a restoration service.  Apparently it is very rare.  I had never been to one either.   Many of you in my "40" were likely there.  It was a very God honoring night and many people have said that to me.  

While I have been out of ministry, Sallie and I have had to try to figure out how to make ends meet while losing my "job" and having two sons in college.  It was scary I have to tell you.  And of course I lost employment right in the heart of the Great Recession.  I do know this now...God provides.  He is good.  He takes care of His kids.  Sallie has been given great favor where she works and has become the floor charge nurse at her hospital.  She is in charge of all the staff during the three shifts she works weekly.  

I started my own company working in the car business which I picked up a little bit during my days leading South Hills as kind of a hobby or diversion from the rigors of people things.  But that was providential and has been a way for me to contribute to our family's financial needs.  I did read something I found funny some time ago:  it was a list of the least respected occupations in America.  The bottom three:  clergy, automobile salesmen and congress.  If I run for Congress I could be 3-for-3!  ;-)  Not sure the list is accurate but I found it interesting and a bit funny.  

Our kids are doing GREAT!  Kyle, 24, is one class shy of his Master's degree up in Reno, NV in Education. He got his Teaching Credential last spring and miraculously (really) he got a job teaching in a public charter school in Reno.  In Social Studies! Oh, and Kyle is buying a condo/town home in Reno and moves in Oct/Nov.   Kurt, 22, spent the summer as one of the Lead Hosts/Recreation Leader at Hume Lake Christian Camp's High School Ponderosa Camp.  What an amazing experience!  He graduated with a B.S. in Business Management/Marketing in May.  APU invited him back this school year to be an Assistant Resident Director over several off-campus apartment buildings.  They gave him his own apartment.  Our Kailie, 17, is a senior at Coronado High School (both boys graduated from Coronado).  She is the most dedicated student I have ever seen in my life.  She gives the term "Straight A's" new meaning.  Honestly I think she studies six hours each afternoon/evening and is taking this massive SAT Prep course too.  She has several colleges in Texas, California and Oregon on her list.  A year from now Sallie and I are going to be in a very different place in life!

Here's my dream if you want to start praying:  I would like to join the team of a thriving church as the #2 or #3 leader who helps to develop new initiatives, new ministries, helps present staff to succeed and do some teaching/preaching.  I would like to work with men in overcoming areas of sexual sin and brokenness.  I would like to lead some new missions teams/trips.  I would like to be involved in the community and the marketplace helping to bridge the gap to the church for the unchurched.  I would like to help create a really fun, friendly and God-honoring, Christ-exalting, God-enjoying community of people.  That's it.  Please pray for it.

Interested in joining me?  Let me know.  Send the response below back to me:

____  I'll join you!  I will pray for you and Sallie and your family from October 10-Thanksgiving.

____  I can't do that right now.

____ I want to take the challenge too.  Here's what I want to do/need to do, pray for me:   

____  You can share my challenge with others.

____ Keep my challenge between you and me please.

If you want to take my challenge, please cut and paste the above and send an email to:  bretjohnson316@gmail.com