What's APT?

This was our 4th year to partner with Long Hollow Church in Hendersonville, TN and the LH Missions Team to provide Thanksgiving Meal Bags to families who live in apartments that we serve. Each year we go to the apartment management of 4-6 of our apartments to see if they would be willing for us to drop off meal bags for their residents to come pick up. We have never had an apartment manager turn us down. They are usually overjoyed that we would do this for them. It is a huge blessing to the management staff. 

This year we were able to serve 400 families in 6 apartment properties. We were even able to serve a new apartment that you'll hear about in today's episode. 

Today's episode is full of information on how this distribution works, how we even got started distributing Thanksgiving Meal Bags and what we pray will be the result of this year's distribution. We will conclude by sharing what next year might look like as we expand this incredible access ministry. This is where you can get involved.

Three years ago we started promoting a day of prayerwalking in apartments. We started with the few we had at that time here in Middle TN. CityLife now has connections, relationships and friendships with people across the US who have interest and passion for getting the Gospel to those who work and live in apartments. 

We encouraged individuals, churches and nonprofits to choose an apartment near where they live, work, church or school. This year’s NAP Day was November 2 and we definitely had an increase in numbers both in reports and verbal commitments. 

Today’s episode Rod and Gary will discuss what happened that beautiful day on November 2. Our hope is that this episode will encourage you to join us in 2025 and maybe even sooner. 

When Rod, CityLife's Director of Operations, moved from NJ to PA, he was given a large golden framed plaque from friends he ministered with at the Stonecrest Community Church of Warren, NJ. The plaque read,“As the clay is in the potter’s hand, so are you in my hand…” Jeremiah 18:6. This episode is a conversation about how Rod works daily with CityLife to make disciples through Discovery Bible Studies. 

Listeners will hear how true this verse in Jeremiah is, as Rod and Gary share how they are constantly being remolded and reshaped by the hand of God and being sensitive to the Spirit of God. It is crucial as we minister to apartment employees and residents to be sensitive and flexible as God goes before us preparing us and them to experience the will of the Father. This is His work and He has invited us to join Him in His plan to redeem and transform apartment complexes for His glory. 

This episode is a deep dive into helping listeners understand what goes on behind the scenes of CityLife’s MissionLab 615 and what it takes to do a mission experience in our Middle TN apartments. Rod and Gary talk about how we customize, short-term mission trips to share God’s love in apartments. They also will talk about what happens after the mission experience. 
 
CityLife serves churches, collegiate ministries, and faith-based nonprofit organizations to bring their unique skills, talents and God’s love to do hands-on, practical projects in apartments. ML615 is becoming a go to place to experience disciple making in apartments. Come join us in the episode to hear why we do MissionLab 615.

Local churches have been doing apartment ministry for decades however most churches don’t stay. There are several reasons a church’s ministry to apartment residents is not consistent or sustainable. It could be because….

• They can’t get enough workers.
• They expect the residents they serve will come to their church. When they don’t come, then churches may decide it’s not worth it.
• Lack of vision or resources or time.
• Apartment ministry is not a part of the church’s mission vision. They have other priorities. 
• Apartment ministry seems to drain the church’s budget
• Churches don’t see this as a kingdom work. 

This podcast is focused on why churches SHOULD be involved in apartment ministry and why relationships and partnerships will create a sustainable ministry to apartment employees and residents and even vendors. Listeners will be given a clear picture of the role of the local church in serving an apartment complex on purpose and with purpose as a way to fulfill the Great Commission.

How many times have I prayed over and over and eventually began to feel like God was just not hearing my prayers? If you can identify with this, then you might be interested in our discussion today regarding why we pray and how it changes us. 

Prayer aligns our life with God so that He chooses to demonstrate His power through you. The purpose of prayer is not to convince God to change your circumstances but to prepare you to be involved in God’s activity.

You will also hear about how prayer changes us in how we work and minister in the apartments God has called us to serve. 

Prayerwalking is essential for CityLife to be effective in our apartment ministry with employees and residents. Today's episode is a deep dive into the mechanics of prayerwalking. Rod and Gary covered prayerwalking in a recent episode but Casey Cobb, CityLife's national prayer coordinator, will share some very specific things that will help all of us know that we are doing the right things to cover an apartment community with prayer. 

Casey will share some very intentional things to do and what not to do. She will go into great detail on asking the Holy Spirit to use the five senses we have to pray for specific people as we prayerwalk. These practical insights will be beneficial to anyone who wants to prayerwalk an apartment or wherever you go in your daily routine. 

"Prayerwalking is praying onsite with insight!"

Prayer Movements precede Disciple Making Movements. There is no doubt in the history of the Church that strong movements of prayer have resulted in God moving in miraculous ways in the people of God as well as the lost. CityLife has adopted that approach as we serve in apartments. Prayer is the work! The foundation of CityLife is built on praying and fasting. 

This has been on our heart for three plus years to catalyze a prayer movement for and in apartments across the US. 

Apartments are everywhere and more are coming but who is praying for them? Who is serving them? 

We embrace what the late Dr. Henry Blackaby says, "Prayer is not a substitute for hard work–prayer is the work! God does things in and through our lives by prayer that He does in no other way. As we pray and as our attention is turned toward God, we become more receptive to aligning our lives with His will. God will not equip us with His power while we are racing off to our next appointment! His Spirit will not empower us if we are oblivious to what He is saying. He requires our complete attention before He will fill us with the powerful presence of His Spirit." (taken from Experiencing God Day-by-Day Devotional, October 2)

Listeners today will hear the heartbeat of CityLife's national prayer coordinator, Casey Cobb. Rod and Casey talk about prayer and aligning ourselves to God's will, purpose and activities. We suggest that you get a notepad out and take some notes as you listen to Casey's testimony and passion for prayer. 

One of the most effective evangelism tools in the New Testament are persons of peace talked about in Luke 10 and Matthew 10. One way to find persons of peace is to have spiritual conversations with them. Also, spiritual conversations are a great way to start and build a relationship with someone you know or don’t know. It's an opportunity to tell my story and even live my story as it relates to His story. Today’s podcast will be a discussion between Rod and Gary about what those spiritual conversations look like. 

Those who do not Jesus as their Savior deserve much more than a presentation. We desperately need to share Jesus and show the lost who the God of the Bible is with our words, actions and friendship. Lost people don’t need a presentation. They need a demonstration. Romans 5:8 “But God demonstrates His own love for us in this: while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.