News and Updates!

Outreach Team at the Papago Ct on Saturday

Pastor Troy with Lamar on the Rail Road tracks during outreach


RAVEN MINISTRIES
"When you see it like HE saw it...you will do it like HE did it."
P.O. Box 113196 Metairie, LA 70011
(504) 304-6535

01/11/06


QUICK UPDATE:


We had an awesome weekend of ministry in Northern California this past week! God really showed up in a powerful way and ministered in a truly special way. Even though this was my first visit to the churches that I was at, it seemed like a "homecoming event" for me. I initially met these guys at an outreach in Tijuana, Mexico last year that I was helping my friend, Bobby Chance with ( www.streetwiseministry.com ) and then several teams came to help us immediately after Hurricane Katina hit. It was such a blessing to see them and have the opportunity to "thank" them all personally for their generostity and compassion in the wak of such a tragic event.

TIME LINE:

Friday, January 6, 2006: Caught a late afternoon flight out of New Orleans to Atlanta, where I connected with Terry Shuff of Raven Midwest ( http://ravenmidwest.blogspot.com/) who had flown in from South Bend, Indiana to join me for the 5 1/2 hour "red-eye" into Oakland, Calf.

We arrived in Oakland around 11:30 PM and picked up our rental car for the hour long drive across the San Francisco Bay to our destination in Santa Rosa, Calf just north of the city in the Napa Valley.

Saturday, January 7,2006: Rudy Gonzales of West Coast Raven (www.UGO4GOD.com) picked us up along with his daughter, Maddie (she and her sister CeCe) were the ones who gathered 1500 toys for the Streetwise Christmas Party in Tijuana last month! I was excited to finally meet these two "Legends of Outreach Ministry" face to face and I was not disappointed! Maddie is 11 and CeCe is 9! There is a lot of history yet to be written about these two power-houses for the Kingdom---stay tuned!

We connected with the rest of the team later than morning for an outreach to "Popago Court" which is an area that is literally in the "wrong side of the tracks." It was amazing to see how the community changed as we crossed over into this area known for drugs, gangs, and violence---but praise God that things are changing!

The team, about 25-30 people, showed up and began to set up there in the middle of the dead end street--- that is no longer a "spiritual" dead end for those living in the Papago! They had brought chickn to BBQ, chips, sodas, and clothing for the people as well. The teams began to fan out and invite the people over to eat and receive ministry.

That is where I met Pastor Russ and Teri Clifford of Hope Chapel West (www.hopewest.org) who jumped in and really helped Rudy when Lori was going through here medical things (praise God she is now TOTALLY healed of cancer!). Pastor Russ and Teri are just awesome people with a passion for the Lord Jesus and the community. It was then that he invited me to come and preach at his church the next day.

I began to "explore" the area and walked down by the railroad tracks and found "Lamar" sitting alone by the tracks and sat down next to him and began to talk. We had a good conversation and I shared with him why I was there and what the Lord Jesus was doing. He graciously accepted by invitation to come and eat and while there were blessed to pray for and minister to him as well.



Terry Shuff invited me over to meet three young men from the community that he was able to share the Gospel with that gave their hearts to Jesus as well! Jose, Sergio, and Edgar prayed right there in the street and committed their hearts to Jesus. It was a great day of ministry.

That afternnoon I was scheduled to preach at the two Saturday Services at Hope Chapel East (www.hopechapel-sr.org) with Pastor Dan Boyd. This is Rudy & Lori Gonzales' home church and where many of the (11) teams that blessed us by coming to help after Katrina atttend church. It was a blessing to be there and worship with Hope Chapel worship leader, Jimmy (http://culturedrivenlife.blogspot.com/) who was on the first team from Santa Rosa that showed up with the RV that Bobby & Dot Chance donated for our family to live in after being flooded out by Katrina.

That first service, I brought a word out of Exodus 25 called, "There is Glory Beyond the Veil" concerning the need for each believer to fulfill his place in the Priesthood of Believers by living beyond the normaly of the "outer courts" and press beyond the veils (flesh) that restrict each of us from doing what God has commissioned us to do (win souls).

In the 7:00 PM service, we had another great crowd--and I got to see my bud, Brian Bennett who had just arrived back from Central America where he had spent the week constructing a church. In the late service I preached a message called, "Who do you say that I am" which was really (7) verses of promise, (4) verses of problem and (1) verse to provide the solution to the present condition of the church. Tehse message may be available by emailing www.hopechapel-sr.org and asking for a copy.

Sunday January 8, 2006: That morning we took off early because our friends Bobby & Dot were in the area preaching at Hope Windsor (Hope is kicking in No-Cal). Bobby and Dot had just come in late the night before from preaching the funeral of his nephew who was tradgically murdered in Mississippi. It was good--as always to see them and we then took off and went to Pastor Russ' church where I would be speaking at.

Pastor Russ and Teri are just awesome folks and their kids, Ashley and Nick are just as amazing. I preached a message that morning called "Let's get talked back into the Cross" which you can listen to by going to their website www.hopewest.org and clicking on the sermon page (it is there in mp3 format).

That evening we just "chilled" at Rudy and Lori's house with their family and Bobby & Dot and Pastor Russ and Teri came over as well. It was just good to sit and talk about Jesus with people who love Him and love doing His will. I am looking forward to seeing the Santa Rosa team again real soon for our Mardi Gras outreach next month---you should really consider coming to and meeting them!

Terry Shuff and I got up at 4:00 AM and drove to Oakland where we once again flew togther to Atlanta and went our seperate way back home from there. It was a very special time of ministry and I thank those of you who pray and support the work of RAVEN that enables us to take the vision into cities, neighborhoods and churches across this nation.

THIS WEEK:

We will once again be out in the "Quarter" taking the Gospel to the lost and dying on Bourbon Street. If you are in the area and would like to join us, call me at 504-304-6535 and let me know. We would love to ahve you and could use the help.

This Sunday morning at 10:00 AM at the First Assembly of God in New Orleans (www.NolaFirstAG.org) with my friend, Pastor Daniel Flanagan. It is such an honor and a priviledge to be speaking at a church with such a rich history in the city and to be there with a man of such devotion and wisdom as Pastor Flanagan. If you are in the area--come out and be a part of the service!

NEW VIDEO on the website: If you have not yet been to www.BigGrace.com you need to go and see the new "Rescue" video that was uploaded yesterday. It is an update of one that had been there previously. Go check it out---you will be blessed.

Pastor Alex and Holly have been "on the road' the past couple of weeks. They were in Hereford, Tx ministering for a few days and then in Austin, TX. They just finished (3) days of meetings in Abilene and should be back in New Orleans by this weekend. I'll post more details later.

LATER THIS MONTH:

I will be in Amarillo, Texas on the 21st abd 22nd of January. I will be hosting a RAVEN Meeting there in town for all who desire to participate in the Mardi Gras outreach. The group from Amarillo has long been such an amazing team. Most are "combat-vets" and always an awesome addition to our team.

I will also be stopping by More Church (www.amarillomore.org) with Pastor Daryl Roach to update them on the ministry here in New Orleans, then later that day at Friends & Family Fellowship with Pastor Joe Kirkwood to do the same. Both of these ministries were a tremendous support for the work in the wake of Hurricane Katrina and I am thrilled to be able to go and thank them personally for their love.

LOOKING AHEAD: Mission Banquet at First Baptist Church in Fairfield, Texas. This is where our good friend and co-laborer in the harvest, Barry Capps attends. Barry and his "Fairfied" team are awesome soul winners here on the streets of New Orleans.


We love you and appreciate you continual love and financial support, without which we would be vastly limited in our abilities to do what God has called us to here in New Orleans, across this nation and BEYOND. Your prayers and support this month send us to those needing Jesus!


Blessings,

Pastor Troy D. Bohn

Provebs 11:30