Watkiss & Tell

Brandon's Speaking Ministry

This has been a year that God has positioned my heart and ministry to receive depth in His word to develop my speaking ministry.  God has birthed a number of messages and teachings in me that will help elevate people closer to God's heartbeat for the lost.  DRM and PI are offering a number of topics through our "Life Conferences": (great for pre-trip and post-trip ministry to the local church and missions teams)

Communicator: Brandon Watkiss
The Giving Life - Investing into the Kingdom of God through your pocketbook and calendar
The Destined Life - Fulfilling the personal will of God for your life
The Creative Life - Based on God birthing and developing dreams/ideas that effect reality
The Urgent Life - The desperate awareness of the need for God
The Discipled Life - Facilitating personal depth and development through a mission trip experience

Communicator: Doug Reed
The Deeper Life - A conference about advancing past your pre-conceived limitations
The Restored Life - Based on my restorative and self-worth teachings which are the core of D.R.M.
The Pure Life - The subject matter here is on wholeness and a the spiritual implication of sex
The Outward Life - Evangelism / Missions are the themes here and my approach is about practicality
The Relational Life - Getting back to God's original intention for loving relationships of all types

**We had a great Sunday at First Assembly in Beaver Falls, PA.  It was great to be back with many friends and to see what God is doing at the church.  Thank you Pastor Poole and Sharon for  a great day!

Footage from Monterrey Mexico

The spring break trip to Monterrey, Mexico (week-2) was full of divine opportunities that ended up touching many lives.  Often just talking about what takes place on a short-term missions trip doesn't do it justice or provide the exposure it deserves to the many people that provided the means for it to even happen.  I believe that is why it is so important to have pictures and video of the most precious faces when telling them that Jesus loves them and has a hope and future for their lives.  I would like to thank Pastor Rodney  & Kate  for their leadership and the wonderful team of young people they brought to Mexico from Ignition youth ministries, they answered the call to GO and MAKE disciples!  Check out the video by clicking here.

**Later this week I will be sharing about a new area for my speaking ministry that will help connect many churches and more people to God's heartbeat for the lost.  It will provide a powerful teaching/resource for pre-trip and post-trip ministry to elevate the short-term missions experience.

A Great Weekend of Ministry

We had a great Sunday with our home church in Robinson!  Pastor Nathan and Joie are great friends and they're doing an awesome job leading people to a greater understanding of God's Word and the leading of the Spirit in ones life.  Ashley and I enjoy the opportunities we have to be a part of what God is doing at New Life and seeing the great favor upon the ministry that is taking place.  I spoke Sunday on the subject of "Hearing the voice of God", it is always a great reminder that in order to hear His voice clearer...we need to get closer!

**This coming weekend I will be speaking at Beaver Falls A/G.  I was on staff with Pastor Poole for six years as the associate pastor.  We are looking forward to spending sometime with many people who have a special place in our hearts and ministry.  Pastor & Sharon are God's choice servants and they will always have a special place in our lives.  (I'm the son Sharon never wanted) haha : )

PS Don't forget to VOTE today if you live in PA!

Ministry Momentum

Great things our happening in our ministry!  God continues to open doors of opportunity for speaking and provide favor for partnerships with churches, missionaries, and organizations to work together to do deep things for the kingdom.  Thank you for your prayers!

This past Sunday night at South Hills was a great night of momentum for the kingdom!  We had six people come to the Lord for salvation and many responded to go deeper in their relationship with God, deeper in their work for the kingdom, and deeper in their commitments.  Thank you Pastor Stepp for a great night of ministry with your people and your leadership example to many pastors.

**Tomorrow I will be speaking at Christian Assembly in Beaver Falls, PA (my backyard), I looking forward to being with Pastor and Sandy Russo for a powerful service.  Pastor Dale has been a pillar of longevity for the greater Beaver Falls area for the past 20 years and he is also the overseer for the entire Christian Church of North America. missions department.

Luke and his new ride

Happy Birthday Luke (3)

Three years ago today is when I became a father.  I can't believe how fast it has gone and how much joy Luke has brought into Ashley and I's life while walking through parenthood.  We have enjoyed every stage of Luke's life and we are looking forward to him becoming a big brother this summer.  Yesterday was a great day for Luke...we went and got him his first car and he also found out that he was getting his little baby sister.  (what more could a man want than a fast car an a girl) haha!  Luke has wanted a race car to ride in for the last few months, we ended up getting him a Pontiac Solstice.  He is really excited about his birthday and getting in his new ride after it charges for 18 hours.  We went the electric route instead of the gasoline route!                                                                     

Baby Watkiss Revealed

Yesterday afternoon we found out that our little baby is very healthy, developing right on schedule, and that we will be having the first baby girl born into the Watkiss family from out of my siblings.  Ashley and I thought it was going to be another boy, but Luke was right...he is going to get his little baby sister!  We were surprised that the baby is a girl and excited at the same time!  The picture on the left is our little baby girl taken during the ultra sound.

Back Home for the Weekend

I flew back into Pittsburgh last night and got home around 11pm.  My trip to Kansas City was great and very productive for '08'-'09' PI vision/planning.  Doug and I had some great opportunities to discuss all that God has done this past year and the great favor HE is giving us for 2009 missions projects.  The next two months will be some of the most instrumental and developing months we have seen thus far with Partnership International.  We will be finalizing all of our 2008 trips and facilitating an additional 300 people on trips this year and at the same time developing all of our 2009 short-term missions projects/trips.  It's exciting times!

**Tomorrow I will be at our home church for the morning service and then speaking at South Hiils Assembly tomorrow evening. Additional Note/News: Ashley has an ultra sound on Monday to find out if we are having a boy or girl in August!  (we are looking forward to finding out the gender of our new addition to the family)

People at the Airport

I'm sitting at gate D-87 in Pittsburgh Airport waiting to board my Midwest flight to Kansas City, MO. Airport travel can be very interesting at times because it involves people. I'm a people watcher and my wife can testify of this in my life. I have always enjoyed watching people and listening to their conversations from a distance...ok confession time! Anyhow, I just witnessed a couple arguing behind me and using the most nasty language I've ever heard in a public place with out hesitation or conviction. It was all over a book being miss placed that they couldn't find, it got ugly! Two minutes later they found the book in a pocket outside one of their bags and the fight stopped and they left the scene. I was amazed of what came out of their mouths all over a book, the reality is...most of our arguments and frustration in life comes from miss placing our perspective and focus in life. This was a bad scene for this couple and the rest of the 100 plus people at gate D-87, but I'm sure that most of those in the surrounding area learned a lesson or two on what matters in life.

**I'm flying out to KC today to meet with Doug for a few days and do some PI planning for 2009. Tonight I'm speaking at a great youth ministry in Kansas City Evangel Temple Pastor Jason Bucan is a great youth pastor and I' looking forward to spending some time with him and his awesome students!