The Indy 500

Just like the cars that participate, the Indy 500 ministry outreach time is fast approaching!!  For your planning and information purposes, this year's Indy 500 ministry trip is being organized and led by Wayne Sanders of Common Ground Ministries.  For more information including where to register and pay for the event, please visit their website: http://cgmok.com/

God bless you!

Prayer Needs; May 22, 2013

Hi Prayer friends,

 

                We have about all the men placed in camps.  This has been the most strenuous Indy I have had for enlisting men due to problems, weddings and graduations.  I need prayer now for my health as I have a sore throat and chest congestion.

 

Thanks for your prayers.

 

Love ya’s

 

Fred

James 5:16

 

PS:  Next week some of us will be meeting looking at the future of NGL as this will be my 40^th Mardi Gras coming up and I will be 75 years old next year.  I would appreciate your prayers for that meeting.

Prayer Needs, May 19, 2013

Hi prayer friends,

This is THE WEEK OF THE INDY 500!!!!

We need prayer for:

·         Administration meeting tomorrow when we put all of the men registered in groups!

·         For wisdom in laying out the agendas for each camp.

·         For favor with God, each other, the police and the crowds

·         For anointing and safety for all the men and our families.

·         For favor with our host churches.

Thanks for you concern and prayers.

 

Love ya’s

 

Fred

Jeremiah 33:3

Prayer Needs for May 16, 2013

Hi prayer friends,

We are preparing for the Indy 500.  I have never seen a time that so many of our “leaders” have other legitimate commitments.  So this will give more men who have been with us before opportunities to move up in leadership.  We will have two camps which will mean having two of everything.  I am excited about having a camp at each end of the track.

• Right now, we need prayer for the Lord to bring forth more men for this mission opportunity. 
• On man, from Georgia, just contacted me about his desire to be baptized at Indy.  So I called Pastor Eugene at the Baptist church and he will have the baptistery up and running.  I believe we will see several men desiring to be baptized.  Oh happy day!!!
• Our Administration staff will meet tomorrow and we need your prayers as we work on staffing our two camps.

Thanks for your love, prayers and support.

Love ya’s

Fred
Philippians 4:19

Hi Prayer Friends,

The Indy 500 is coming up May 24-26 in Indianapolis.  We have had many obstacles and need your prayers.  Due, in part, to mechanical failures, we are behind on enlistment and need for the Lord to stir men’s hearts for this important mission.

• Pray for men from the different areas of the country to be stirred and bring others with them.
• Pray for the second camp to be secured as problems have arisen with that camp.  I plan to go by to talk with them when Kent and I go to Indianapolis.
• Pray for Claude Ogden’s wife, Marty, as Claude just passed away a few days ago.  Kent Lewis and I will be going over to Indianapolis for the Memorial service. 
• Our daughter Jill, her husband Craig and our granddaughter just returned from taking Josie back to China to visit her homeland.  They promised Josie that when she graduated from the eighth grade that they would take her back to visit.  It was wonderful hearing their stories last night.  Thank You Lord for being with them on their trip and bringing them home safely.

Love ya’s,

Fred
THY WILL BE DONE!

Prayer Needs for April 29, 2013

Good morning!

We have had computer problems at the office and couldn't send out promos for the Indy.  So, I haven’t been able to get “feedback” from the different areas.  Indy is tough at it’s best as many kids and more grand kids graduate about that time, but more this year due to “’SNOW DAYS.”  My computer got a virus and hasn't worked for a few days with e-mail.  It cost about $500.00 to get it fixed yesterday.  I have been frustrated and tired and old.  So I have limited my time with people that I know as I didn't have the energy to spare.

Our Administration, Dave Munson, Roger Lipe, and I will meet this Friday deciding on how to put the event together using one church to host us or putting one group at a church at the other end of the track.  If we have a lot of people, two locations would work well.  Decisions need to be made on who will run the camps and so on.

Pray for the Lord to call forth His laborers for this mission.

Thanks for your prayers.

Love ya’s,
Fred
James 5:16

Prayer Needs for April 26, 2013

Hi prayer friends,

We are trying to prepare for the Indy 500 Outreach.  We have had computer problems that wouldn't allow the promos to go out so we are running behind.  Please pray for the Lord to intervene in this process as this seems to be an attack from the devil.

We are wrestling with whether to have the one camp like we had last year or to have a camp at each end of the track which would allow each group to witness on their end of Georgetown Street on Saturday night and meet in the middle for a combined service.

When I was a boy growing up on a farm in Southern Illinois I would listen to the Indianapolis 500 car race on the radio.  I never dreamed that I would not only get to go there, but take hundreds of men through the years to share Jesus at the “Greatest Spectacle in Racing.”

No Greater Love Ministries had 242 men at the Mardi Gras in February and the momentum has carried over with many of the men.  Brent Alexander, from Christ church, organizes a group of clowns to go over and share Jesus at the St. Patrick’s Day parade in St. Louis. Max Vick continues to lead weekend groups sharing Jesus at events in Tennessee.  The Okies are in Honduras concentrating mainly on San Pedro Sula.  Sarge and Sue are preparing to return to Vietnam.  Marvin and Karen Steinke continue to take groups to Honduras.  Sylvia continues to take groups to Honduras.  I am so proud of all the ones who have gone out from NGL.

It continues to be my prayer for the Lord to use each NGL event to “promote” men into His purposes throughout the world, the church and in each family.  God honors faithfulness.

Thanks for your prayers and support,

Love ya’s

Fred
Philippians 4:13

The Indy 500!

CALLING ALL MEN OF GOD!!!!!

It is time to “Rev up your engines” and come with us to the Indy 500, May 24-26. God needs you to come to the Indy this year and to enlist all the men you can to come with you. This year our theme is “How to Keep on Track”.  Let’s pray for each other to become all God would have us to become for Him, our families, our churches and our world. I am so thankful for you and your dedication to the Lord and His work through No Greater Love.

The Bible says, “The fields are white unto harvest, but the laborers are few.” It is our goal to provide opportunities for men to hear the call of God. We will share the basics of the Christian life and help each man realize he can go with Jesus to any country in the world using our principles and methods. Many ministries have risen out of NGL. How will you ever know just how high and far you can fly if you never stretch your wings and get a fresh vision from the Lord.

People are confused, hopeless and upset about all that is going on today. One can always find God at "WITS END CORNER!" What better time to share JESUS CHRIST as the only hope. This is the easiest day to share Jesus that we have ever had. So let's suit up and go for it!

Round up all the guys you can and meet us at the Indy 500. It will be a big help if you can get everyone to register on line at (www.nogreaterlove.org) If that’s not possible you may print the application and mail them to Dave Munson as soon as possible. Pre-registration is very important and helps make our event run much smoother.   Please use the attached flyer to recruit other men!

Thanks for your participation and help.

Because He cares, we go!

Fred
II Chronicles 16:9a, "“For the eyes of Jehovah run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to show Himself strong in the behalf of them whose heart is perfect toward him.”

Prayer Needs, April 11, 2013

Hi prayer friends,

Jan and I went out to Rapid City, SD to attend our son in law, Craig’s, retirement ceremony from the Air Force.  It was really special and we are proud of his years of service in the military and his medical mission trips to Liberia.  Now Jill, Craig and Josie will be staying with us until the 20th when they will take Josie on a trip to visit China for 19 days.  She is so excited to get to visit her homeland.

I need prayer today to get the “ball” rolling for the enlistment for the Indy 500.   I have a call in for a second place to house the men for the event.  I am waiting for a response.  I am asking for “favor” with the pastor and church IF THAT WOULD BE GOD’S WILL.  Join with me on that please.

·         Pray for the Lord to stir up laborers for His kingdom work with us at the Indy 500.

·         Pray for the Lord to call forth men from this mission for His purposes.

·         Pray for favor with the police and with the crowds.

·         Pray for the Holy Spirit to come down mightily and that we receive all that we are willing to give Him room to work in our lives.

Thanks and have a blessed day!!

Love ya’s,
Fred

Hebrews 10:25 Is my verse for the day!  I am going to especially look throughout the day for people I might be able to encourage, especially strangers.  It made me smile just thinking about it!!!!

2012 Indy 500: Thank you for Praying!

Hi prayer friends,

Thanks for your prayers and support for our Indy 500 Outreach over the weekend. God is ALWAYS so good to us. He is more willing to meet with us than we are to meet with Him and I know He waits each morning to see and meet with us.

We had 112 registered. They came from 10 states, 29 different churches and 7 pastors. I love the variety of people God sends our with us on His mission. We had 8 people under 20 years old and 8 people over 70. The weather was great. The witnessing was awesome and the crowds were receptive. It is always a pleasure to stay at Covenant Baptist Church where we have stayed for over 20 years. This year it is called New Covenant with Pastor Eugene Simmons as the pastor and everything worked out great.

Pray for us this week as we process the individual evaluations. Pray that each man will treasure what the Lord did in and through him on this trip. Pray the Lord will thrust forth many of these men into His service throughout the world.

Thanks again,

Love you,
Fred
Isaiah 48:17-18

Last Call for the Indy 500!!

LAST CALL FOR THE INDY 500!! 

This is the last weekend to recruit.  Let’s get with it Mighty Men of God!!

I remember when we used to see a sign that had Uncle Sam on it and it read-----“Uncle Sam NEEDS You!”  That is where we are today with the Indy 500.  We will have a roll call of the States and then see who responded to the Lord saying---“Whom shall I send, and who WILL go for me?”  Will you join with me and say with Isaiah-----“Here am I, O Lord, SEND ME?”  “Many are called, but few prove themselves to be chosen.”

I was reading in I Chronicles about how the Lord gave David victories fighting against his enemies.  Then David replied that the victory was not about him, but about Israel.  The Lord spoke to my heart: No Greater Love Ministry is not about me, but about all of us who are willing to answer the call to go forth to do battle for our Lord.  We make such little use of what the Lord is willing to do in and through us.  He said that we can ask Him and He will give us the nations for our inheritance.

Today, Marvin and Karen Steinke have over 20 people in Honduras.  Sarge and Sue McDonald are in Vietnam.  Mark Krupa is in the Czech Republic.  Jim Bates just returned from the Amazon.  Troy Benitone led a group to Liberia, Africa. Common Ground just returned from Honduras. God is still looking for willing men to go forth throughout the world.   It is still the Great Commission (ADVENTURE) for all of us.  The song lyric that continues to challenge me is “But the question comes to me as I think of Calvary, IS MY MASTER SATISFIED WITH ME?”

Let’s be like Andrew in the Bible, who was not satisfied to just know Jesus for himself, who went to get his brother.  Let’s all of us who claim the Name of Jesus, bring every man we can to experience the Lord and feel His pleasure as we  lift up the Lord together at the Indy 500.

Each event we go to together allows us to build on the previous event.  I am so thankful for all of you who work with us faithfully realizing that as we love and trust the Lord we get closer to the Lord and to each other.

See you at the Indy!!

Love ya’s,
Fred

  

Weekly Prayer Request, May 16, 2012

Hi prayer friends,

It is only 10 days until we will be at our Indy 500 Outreach.  That is always a great experience for all of us.  We will all be at one church which makes for a great time of fellowship for all of us to get together.  Indy is great as we will  do our prayer walk on Friday night and then the big parade on Saturday with our clowns.  You can go to our website at www.nogreaterlove.org and see our promo video of the event.  On Saturday night we get to do ourk Jesus march  singing and carrying the cross through the crowd on Georgetown Street and then cap it off with our Street Church service on the street.  On Sunday morning we will be at all the gates going into the track holding our signs, passing tracts and preaching to the crowd going into the track.

Pray for the Lord to call forth men for His purposes and for the Lord to speak to all of our hearts as we get in the “flow” of God.  I believe the Lord will call forth men at this event to go forth into the mission fields of the world.  Pastor Jim Bates will be there and he has recently returned from a mission trip down the Amazon.  Tom McDonald will be returning from his recent deployment to Africa. Common Ground has recently returned from Honduras.   I can hardly wait to hear their testimonies.  I pray the anointing on them will break forth and energize us to hear the Lord calling us forth to foreign missions.

PRAYER NEEDS:

1.       Pray for laborers

2.       Pray for our administration team as we arrange the groups for the event.

3.       Pray for the anointing of the Lord to be upon us.

4.       Pray for Marvin and Karen Steinke as they have a group from UMC in Mascoutah, Illinois  this week in San Pedro Sula, Honduras

5.       Pray for Sarge and Sue McDonald as they will be returning from Vietnam for a year of furlough.

PRAISE REPORT:

                Report on Jeff  Pursley who was so ill at Mardi Gras that he almost died:

                5-11-12

Good evening, Friends!

I'm sitting here with Jeff, and he has asked to let you all know how he's doing.

No wheel chair, no walker, no long term disabilities.

He is about 85% recovered... at least that's what he says.

I usually have to slow him down daily.

He has returned to work, but not as hard as before. 

He now spends a lot of time doing office work, and driving around.

He is not on ladders yet, and steps are still difficult. 

We are sad that he will not be able to attend the Indy trip, or the one scheduled to Guatemala.

But the Lord is good, and there will be other opportunities.

We would like to thank each and every one of you who have been so faithful with your prayers, and supported us in so many ways!

It is true that when the times are hard, you find out who your "real friends" are.  And we are so blessed to have you.

We pray a special blessing for you tonight, for God's face to shine upon you, for Him to be gracious unto you, and for His mercy to flow through you. 

Peace to you all, through Jesus Christ!

Jeff & Jeannie Pursley

Thanks for your love and support,

Fred

Psalm 133:1  “How wonderful, how beautiful, when brothers and sisters get along!”

Weekly Prayer Needs, May 1, 2012

Hi prayer friends,

Roger Lipe, Dave Munson and I are meeting this morning for an administrative meeting preparing for the Indy 500 Outreach. I would appreciate your prayers for us to have wisdom about how to go about some of the things that need to be decided.

Please pray also for favor in places to house us at the Indy.

Pray for laborers for the work of the kingdom at the Indy.

Thanks for your help in prayer.  - Fred

Weekly Prayer Request; April 16, 2012

Hi prayer friends,

- This Friday is our monthly Board meeting. We will be working on the Indy 500 evaluations from last year to see what needs changing and what needs to continue. Pray for us to see what the Lord is showing through those who were on the field.
- I have a possible place to stay for the second camp at the Indy. I hope the pastor of that church will contact me and then if he does, Carl Johnson and I will go over to look It over. Pray for the Lord’s will to be done in that.
- Dan Vawser updated our Indy promo video and it is up on our website and on U-tube. You can get it by going to our website at www.nogreaterlove.org or going to “fred bishop” on facebook. Pray the Lord will use this video to speak to men’s hearts.

Thanks for your prayer and concern. I can always tell the difference as I see the Lord open and close “doors.”

Love ya’s,

Fred

Calling all Men of God!

It is time to “rev up your engines” and come with us to the Indy 500, May 25-27. God needs you to come to the Indy this year and to enlist all the men you can to come with you. This year our theme is “BOLDNESS.” Let’s pray for each other to become all God would have us to become for Him, our families, our churches and our world.

We had a great Mardi Gras experience as our FIRST leg of our “TRIPLE CROWN” for the year. Now we are about to embark on our SECOND LEG at the Indy 500. In September, we will have our THIRD LEG at our Annual Men’s Retreat. I am so thankful for you and your dedication to the Lord and His work through No Greater Love.

The Bible says, “The fields are white unto harvest, but the laborers are few.” It is our goal to provide opportunities for men to hear the call of God. We will share the basics of the Christian life and help each man realize he can go with Jesus to any country in the world using our principles and methods. Many ministries have risen out of NGL. How will you ever know just how high and far you can fly if you never stretch your wings and get a fresh vision from the Lord.

People are confused, hopeless and upset about all that is going on today. One can always find God at "WITS END CORNER!" What better time to share JESUS CHRIST as the only hope. This is the easiest day to share Jesus that we have ever had. So let's suit up and go for it!

Please round up all the guys you can and meet us at the Indy 500. You can see our Indy 500 Promo Video at www.nogreaterlove.org It will be a big help if you can get everyone to register on line at (www.nogreaterlove.org) If that’s not possible you may print copies of the application and mail them to Dave Munson as soon as possible. Pre-registration is very important and helps make our event run much smoother.

Thanks for your participation and help.
Because He cares, we go…

Fred

II Chronicles 16:9a
“For the eyes of Jehovah run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to show Himself strong in the behalf of them whose heart is perfect toward him.”

Indianapolis 500 Outreach

No Greater Love Ministries

May 25-27, 2012

Meeting Location: Covenant Baptist Church

4201 West 30th Street, Indianapolis, IN

$100.00 per man

$50.00 per dependent child

$40.00 additional per man only if you're riding the NGL bus

(The bus leaves Christian Life Center in Herrin, IL at 9am.

Please contact Dave Munson to reserve your seat.)

www.nogreaterlove.org

Prayer Requests for April 12, 2012

Hi prayer friends,

What a great Easter!!!!! I pray it went well for you and your churches. Easter is always a great time to invite people to hear the good news!!!

Prayer needs:

- Pray for our promotion for the Indy 500

- Dan Vawser is getting our “promo” video ready. It should on the website in the next few days at www.nogreaterlove.org

- Pray for the Lord to call forth “laborers for His harvest” and to speak to all our hearts as we get closer to Him in his Kingdom ventures.

- We still have favor at Covenant Baptist Church in Indianapolis for one camp. We have been staying there over 15 years.

- We need to have one more location to keep another group. Pray for this to come about as the Lord would have it.

Thanks for love and prayers,

In His service,

Fred

Mathew 9:38
"What a huge harvest!" he said to his disciples. "How few workers! On your knees and pray for harvest hands!"

Weekly Prayer Request; April 1, 2012

Good morning prayer friends! What a great season of the year. Actually we have had spring weather throughout most of the past winter. Here are our greatest prayer needs for this week:

- We are needing prayer for the Lord to call forth men for the Indy 500 Outreach May 25-27.

- We are needing one more place to host one of our camps.

As this is Holy week, pray for the Lord to quicken in many people their need for Jesus and bring them out to Easter services to worship the risen Savior! As we see all the new life around us and the beauty of the flowers and trees, let’s all renew our relationships with the Lord for new life in and through us.

Thanks for your love and prayers.

Love ya’s,
Fred

2 Peter 1:3 The Message (MSG), "Everything that goes into a life of pleasing God has been miraculously given to us by getting to know, personally and intimately, the One who invited us to God."

Prayer Requests for Week of March 28, 2012

Hi prayer friends,

Thanks for your prayers for our board meeting last Friday night as we had some important decisions to make. The meeting was one of our best meetings with good discussion and input on some issues.

- Jeff Pursley got to go home from the hospital after being in the hospital in Hattiesburg, MS for 26 days. Ron Kuhnert brought Jeff and Jeannie home in his motor home. Jeff is still not able to walk on his infected leg. Let’s believe the Lord to restore that leg to full use.

- We had reports from board members who had just returned from Honduras and Africa and the Lord blessed both mission trips.

- We reviewed the camp sites from the Mardi Gras trip. One church will not be available for next year, but another came in to take its place. PTL!!

- We had a good discussion on how to conduct our Indy 500 mission trip. We plan to have two camps. One will be for those who can come early and work the streets on Friday night and the other will be for those who have to come later because of work.

- Pray for us to find the second camp location as I work on that this week.

- Pray for the Lord to call forth men for the Indy 500 Outreach in May.

I want to thank all of you who pray, support and participate in No Greater Love.


Love ya’s lots!

In His service,
Fred

3 John 1:2, New American Standard Bible (NASB), "Beloved, I pray that in all respects you may prosper and be in good health, just as your soul prospers."

Prayer Requests for March 23, 2012

Hi prayer friends,

Tonight is our March Advisory Board Meeting at the Methodist Church in Du Quoin, Illinois. This will be an exciting meeting. We will be going through the evaluation forms of each man from our Mardi Gras Mission trip last month. We need prayer to see what God blessed and what we need to change for God to bless in the future. Pray that we will see who the Lord is moving along and who needs to move to a different position for the Lord to move them along as well. I have been through the evaluations and now the Board will do the same tonight.

Tonight we will hear from Jerry Johnson who has just returned from a mission trip to Liberia, Africa and from Marvin Steinke who has just returned from Honduras. I know we will all benefit from the “afterglow” of their experiences. That is always exciting.

We will be working on how to go about our Indianapolis 500 mission trip in May. Pray for us to have wisdom as to what the Lord would have us do concerning this trip.

Thanks for your prayers,

Love ya’s,
Fred

Psalm 2:7-8
New Living Translation (NLT), "The king proclaims the LORD’s decree: “The LORD said to me, ‘You are my son. Today I have become your Father. Only ask, and I will give you the nations as your inheritance, the whole earth as your possession."

Weekly Prayer Update, June 21, 2011

Hi prayer friends,

We had a great NGL Board meeting last Friday night at Christ UMC in Fairview Heights, Illinois. Bernie Kneale and Marvin Steinke hosted us. Bernie had the meal catered. It was great. I find that meetings and food go hand in hand. If the food is good, the meeting will be also. We had 21 men with us.

It was good to have Jimmy Murphy with us again as he will be heading back home to Wyoming. Craig LeQuatte will be leaving for Rapid City. South Dakota with the Air Force for the last two years of his military career. Roger Lipe was in Italy. Marvin Steinke is heading for Honduras. Bob Gay is also on a trip.

Dan Vawser led us in praise and worship. Then we reviewed the evaluations from the Indy 500 Outreach. The evaluations proved out that it was the best outreach we have had in years. The prayer walk on Friday night set up the entire weekend. We were all in one camp and that gave us the best leadership possible. I had more fun and feeling of accomplishment than I have had in years. Mark Jordan ran a great camp with all the leaders helping out. The food was served by Ron Kuhnert and Jeff Pursley. The biggest problem was that we didn't have "headsets" for the march.

I am spending time now with my brother in law, Mervin Hampleman, and my cousin, Joan Kuhnert in the hospital in Carbondale, Illinois. Please remember them in your prayers. Pray also for Sarge and Sue McDonald as they are back on furlough from Vietnaam.

Thanks for your friendship, prayers and support.

Love ya's,
Fred

Psalm 119:66