Matthew July 11th, 2008
July, 2008
I am writing with great anticipation regarding continued growth of ministry in the Indiana state capitol. Over the past several years I have been in contact with a few groups that conduct ministry in various capitols across this great country. One such group is Capitol Ministries. There have been times where I have needed advice with a particular issue and I called them and they gave the sound, specific, and biblical advice I needed. As we came to know our respective ministries the Lord drew our hearts to pursue a more official association. I have spent many hours in prayer, fasting, and counsel over this issue and have determined to partner with Capitol Ministries. I have already discovered the blessing of having friends in this unique field of ministry.
Here is a list I have compiled a list of questions that were posed to me while seeking counsel:
1) What is Capitol Ministries? Capitol Ministries was started 12 years ago with the goal of reaching every legislator every year with the gospel of Jesus Christ. It is made up of more than 20 men who are currently working in their respective states to reach that goal. They are not political in regards to issues and have a solid biblical foundation on teaching the commands of Christ to all nations. (Matt. 28:18-20)
2) Will you still make day-to-day decisions and allow the Lord to direct the ministry as He has in the past? Yes, I will maintain autonomy in the ministry and continue to be sent out as a missionary and under the authority of my local church. It is my goal to continue to be a help to local churches around the State in relational ministry with elected officials.
3) Why make a change when God is so clearly working through you now? Through the exponential growth of this ministry, I have seen the need for a solid infrastructure under me. Capitol Ministries provides that in many ways including website assistance, contribution management, e-mail and other technical support, national financial accountability, numerous administrative helps, and years of experience in this type of ministry.
4) Will you still have to raise all of your own support? Yes, I will continue to rely on God to “pay the bills” through the Lord leading His people to be a part of this ministry. From churches to individuals, your sacrificial giving has and will continue to directly impact my family’s ministry here in Indiana. The ways to contribute to the ministry have been expanded. If you still would like to write a check, it can be made payable to:
Capitol Ministries 1121 L Street, Suite B-8, Sacramento, California 95814.
Please indicate in the memo that it is for Indiana, and it will go into my separate Indiana account. I will have remit envelopes available soon.
5)Will the name of the ministry here in Indiana change? Yes, the new name will be Capitol Ministries Indiana. However, I will still have the prayer blog - www.publicservantsprayer.org .
If you have further questions or comments please feel free to contact me. Thank you for all of you faithful prayer and support these past four years of ministry. I am looking forward to many more years ahead! I also have a new e-mail address of matthew.barnes@capmin.org. Please allow new mail from this address if you would like to continue to receive the regular updates.
Matthew May 27th, 2008
Senator Tom Wyss’ wife, Shirley Wyss, has been battling cancer for some time now and she has recently passed away. Please pray for him and his family. As the article pasted below indicates, they were married for 43 years and had two daughters and four grandchildren.
Associated Press
Posted: May 26, 2008
FORT WAYNE, Ind. — Shirley Wyss, the wife of state Sen. Tom Wyss of Fort Wayne, has died after a long fight with breast cancer. She was 66.
Wyss (WEESE) died Saturday at her husband’s legislative residence in Indianapolis, where she had undergone treatment at the Indiana University Medical Center. Tom Wyss said his wife had been diagnosed with cancer in 1992 but had been free of the disease for 14 years when it returned two years ago. The couple had been married 43 years. Other survivors include two daughters and four grandchildren. A funeral Mass will be at 11 a.m. Wednesday at St. Peter’s Catholic Church.
Wyss is a Republican who has represented the Fort Wayne area in since 1985.
Matthew May 19th, 2008
I would like to begin this post by thanking everyone for your continued prayers for me and this ministry. The Lord is so faithful!
We just arrived back home this morning around 2:00 a.m. from a ministry trip to California. We were able to meet with some new friends that minister in state capitols throughout the U.S. It was so refreshing to be able to share stories and receive encouragement from like minded individuals.
I would also like to thank all of you who visit this website on such a regular basis. I have mentioned the statistics from this site to many different people, and they are very impressed with the numbers! To God be the Glory, great things He hath done!
Matthew April 23rd, 2008
Here is a link to an interview I did for the Indiana Christian Chamber of Commerce.
Matthew April 3rd, 2008
I received a call from the Statehouse late in the afternoon on Tuesday regarding a special prayer request. It was for former Clerk of Courts John Okeson. He was in his forties with three children and entered the hospital with flu-like symptoms. He passed away that evening. Please pray for his family and friends. Click here for more info and a picture.
