2013: The Year in Review

I pray you had a joyful Thanksgiving and will have a wonderful Christmas! 
​
2013 has been a year of transition for us so I wanted to send this update to some fellow pastors and friends. At the beginning of this year I felt urged by the Lord to fully devote myself to the mission: “To see the church reformed to authentic Biblical and supernatural Christianity”.Practically, that meant being freed up from dealing with the day-to-day operations of NorthGate Church, which I founded in 1988, to focus on this mission. My son, Ryan, became the lead pastor of NorthGate in March, as most of you know.

I have been traveling to churches for years now, but in the last two years the Lord has given me an increasing burden for leadership. I have found many of this “new breed” of leader the Lord told us was coming. He made it clear to me the most effective way to awaken, transform and reform the church is through leadership. The need is great as most pastors have few mentors & pastoral depression and burnout is epidemic. Ray Hughes once said, “You can tell who the pioneers are by all the arrows in their backs”. I remember well my early years of pastoring and the desire I had to know someone older and wiser who could offer friendship, encouragement and the wisdom I needed as I planted a church. Hearing from more leaders every week, I am becoming more a friend and “Pastor to Pastors”. We expect the Lord to increase this burden and would like to help others avoid pitfalls and encourage them for growth and success.

I was blessed to lead a Leadership summit in Brownsville, Texas that significantly effected hundreds of leaders in October, 2012. I was invited in February of this year (for the third year) to South Africa to be with my friend, Surprise Sithole, and to preach at his annual Pastors Advance. This was followed by a trip to Kenya and Uganda. I was able to speak in many churches on this 3-nation trip and to many pastors. In October, 2013, I traveled to Kuwait, where I was invited to do a prophetic conference at a great church. Thirteen different nations were represented there and the power and presence of God was awesome! The Lord sovereignly connected us with the leadership there. In addition to these trips, NorthGate hosted conferences with David Hogan, John Paul Jackson and Dr. Michael Brown where I led leadership gatherings that ministered cumulatively, to over 250 different pastors. I have since been invited back to South Africa next year and hope to return to Kuwait soon.

Many of the overseas trips are costly, but we believe more of my support will come from these activities. Could I please ask for your help? Any gift of any size is greatly appreciated, but regular monthly support will free up funds in our church and allow me greater freedom to expand this vision. Would you consider adding me to your personal or church mission budget for 2014 in the amount of $166 a month? My life message is “living a supernatural lifestyle” the 166 hours a week not in church, so that’s why the $166 amount and, of course, larger or smaller amounts are welcome. Your partnership can allow me to help more leaders transition to the new thing God wants to do in this hour.

Years ago, many in our church saw visions of “pastors” in business, finance, education, all throughout the marketplace…. whose “flocks” met in corporate settings. The church is not able to be contained so we expect to see more in this arena as well. Please pray for us to have favor and grace in this new adventure; a step of faith!

You can give Online HERE.
​
Or you can write a check and send to: 
​NorthGate Church – ATTN: Marc Lawson – 9876 Main Street, Suite #250 – Woodstock, GA 30188

Of course, it will go toward your 2013 taxes if sent in by December 31. Any gift will be greatly appreciated.

“The generous man will be prosperous, and he who waters will himself be watered.” Proverbs 11:25 

Thank you for your friendship and partnership in the Gospel. 

Blessings – Marc Lawson