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Make a Difference in an Ex-Offender's World

67% of the women in Arizona prisons return within 3 years. Christian ex-offenders need to hear that God loves them, they are significant to Jesus, and empowered by the Holy Spirit. They need to grow in understanding that their true identity is in Christ, and discover practical ways to change their thinking and behavior so they do not return to their old ways... and to prison.Your love offering will make it possible for Christian ex-offenders enrolled in the Women's Discipleship Program at Along Side Ministries to hear the good news about their identity by attending the 8-week class "Who Do You Think You Are?"Will you help us make a difference in their lives? We need to raise $50 per woman to cover materials, administrative and travel expenses.Please write "ex-offender class" in the memo section of your check and send your gift to: Greater Reach Ministries at:

Greater Reach Ministries
8283 N. Hayden Road # 258
Scottsdale, AZ 85258

Or online: donate here

Jesus Defies Culture: The Woman at the Well (excerpt 4 of 5)

You are joining in the middle of a series of posts with excerpts from my book, “Who Do You Think You Are?” focusing on Jesus’ encounter with the Samaritan woman at the water well (John 4:1-30).

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We also know that Jewish leaders of the day considered a woman incapable of a religious education. Jesus engaged her on a deep spiritual level of conversation almost immediately, challenging her understanding of religious teachings. She tried to keep the conversation at the surface, asking about the proper place for worship. Jesus let her ask, then gently guided her back to a level where He could engage her heart. He taught her that what was really important was not where you worship, but whether you worship in spirit and in truth. That was pretty deep for a conversation at a well.

Not only did Jewish leaders consider a woman incapable of a religious education, they saw her as UNWORTHY. Jesus deemed her capable AND worthy of learning … worthy enough to offer her salvation. He tells her that if she knew the gift of God and who it was asking her for a drink, she would have asked Him and He would have given her living water. Jesus invited her into God’s eternal plan.

Finally, women were not considered reliable witnesses in Israel. If Jesus had wanted to spread His Good News through a “respectable” method, He would have had such an encounter with a man. Instead, He chose a Samaritan woman who so changed by their interaction that the first thing she does is witness to her community. She runs and shouts throughout the village, “Come, and see a man who told me everything I ever did. Could this be the Christ?” (verse 29). The Samaritan woman goes from avoiding people in the morning to seeking them out in the afternoon! What happened to her? Do you think her view of herself was changed? What happened to the shame she surely must have felt earlier that same day?

On so many levels Jesus defied tradition and culture in this encounter. Before they met this woman felt alienated, used, and abused. But in this one brief conversation she is given a profound message about her true value—one she had likely never heard in all her years. Through their encounter she became both a member and a messenger of God’s Kingdom. Jesus changed her life! She was liberated, His redeemed image-bearer. She received and responded to His unconditional acceptance of her. This is how Jesus Christ wants to change you today.Stay tuned for the next post with more from "Who Do You Think You Are?"

Romania Recap

(video: Dr. Beasley teaching in Romania with translator)

Our Romania team returned on Tuesday evening from their week long trip to Arad, Romania where they taught women at a conference. The conference attendees included church planter's wives, ministry leaders and those who want to begin women's ministry in their churches. Workshops ranged in topic from 'Conflict Resolution' to 'How To Take Care of Yourself', a greatly needed topic for women in Romania.

As many of you know, this was a Pilot Program to pave the way for our Global Training Institute for Women that we plan to launch in Eastern Europe during Fall 2011. The team received positive feedback about their teaching and time in Romania. Here are some comments from our Romanian ministry partner, Daniela Pribac:

"All the responses to this Pilot Program are extremely positive, all the women felt enriched, encouraged and equipped on a personal level and also for the ministry they are involved in. We were all blessed and glad by your presence, the way you interacted with the women and by your teaching which helped women realize how important it is to be equipped to be able to equip others. And thus Acts 1:8 be realized also through the ministry we do together multiplying what God invested in us."

Thanks to those of you who came alongside to pray and financially support this particular trip! God provided further confirmation for us on this trip as we develop our GTI plans. We continue to prayerfully plan and dream to accomplish a big vision for God's Kingdom. Please pray along with us for God to provide our needs for this project.

U.S. Team Members: Kristin Beasley, Rosanne Burck, Simone Lake and Caye Siller

Multiplying Our Message

Class is back in session today as Dr. Kristin Beasley and Caye Siller co-teach the class, Who Do You Think You Are? for 18 more women over the next 8 weeks. Not only does this equate to Greater Reach communicating the truth of a woman's identity to more people, but GRM hopes to multiply through these women.

As a result of the last two classes taught, God has begun to open doors into other churches to teach women and has allowed us to teach the material to a small group. Other women who have taken the class feel more empowered to serve in their area of gifting, and others are thinking up ways to reach more women with the message of their truest identity.

We look forward with great anticipation that which the Lord will choose to do with this group of women as they discover the truth about who they really are. Not to mention, we at Greater Reach enjoy the opportunity to build more relationships with women of all ages and stages of life through the class.
Please pray for Kristin and Caye as they teach and for this new group of women as they learn and grow in the Truth.