“Then Daniel went to his house and informed his friends, Hananiah, Mishael and Azariah, about the matter, so that they might request compassion from the God of heaven concerning this mystery, so that Daniel and his friends would not be destroyed with the rest of the wise men of Babylon.” (Daniel 2:17-18)

In the scene at hand, King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon had been greatly disturbed and unable to sleep due to a dream of a great statue. In his state of heightened anxiousness and desire for understanding he called in a group of the “wise” men of Babylon in order to tell him his dream or face immediate and cruel death. Upon hearing this news, Daniel and his friends, part of a larger portion of “wise men” also threatened, respond in a noteworthy manner—they come together, as friends, for prayer and a time to petition the Lord for wisdom, protection, and insight.

Although we are not facing the threat of imminent death due to an inability to interpret a dream, I believe the example above of friends drawing together to pray for provision, welfare, and guidance is nonetheless indeed a blessed and encouraging one. Speaking on behalf of the Intercessor team, I want to express our thanks and appreciation for you likewise drawing together with us as friends to pray for our AFLC and the Lord’s work amongst us.

As you pray in the few weeks to come, please remember these items of need:

• Let us offer praise unto the Lord for the groundbreaking celebration for our new Student Life Center that was held Graduation weekend! This event marks several years of committed prayer and we praise God for His faithfulness in bringing us to this point, and eagerly look to His continued grace and provision as this structure is completed.
• Let us offer praise for a most blessed graduation weekend and the academic year it culminates, and for all of our graduates as God continues His good work in their lives.
• Let us offer praise for 76 completed new student applications received for the fall of 2019. As we praise God for this, we continue to pray for a total of 100 new applications, which we believe will result in 75 new students at AFLBS for the fall of 2019.
• Pray for the upcoming summer team training to take place May 27-31. We are grateful for God’s calling of young people unto this ministry and look forward to the blessing these teams will bring as they proclaim the Gospel through word, activity, and song.
• Pray for the 9 seminarians assigned to congregations and beginning their final step of training in their seminary career.
• Pray for Pastor David Johnson’s team who are heading into the “last lap” of planning, preparing, and praying for our 57th AFLC Annual Conference that will be held June 11-14 at Spruce Lake Retreat Center in Canadensis, PA. May the Lord strengthen and encourage their hearts as they prepare, and may many willing hands be raised up to assist. Also, may we witness all the more during Conference the powerful and effective moving of the Holy Spirit in our midst.
• Pray for FLY 2019 to be held July 1-6 in Estes Park, Colorado under the theme of “I AM”. We seek the Lord’s leading for all decisions in planning and logistics and that all those in attendance would draw nearer to Him and gain a fuller understanding and appreciation of the grace He gives to us in Jesus Christ His Son.
• Pray for our many churches that are currently experiencing pastoral vacancy. May their call teams be granted wisdom, insight, and patience as they wait upon the LORD, and may the will of God be accomplished in the lives of those men seeking a call to a congregation.

On behalf of the Intercessor Team,

Pastor Kirk Flaa, Sioux Falls, SD