Merlin Gonzales

merlin

Merlin founded Faith Hope and Love Intl., which collaborates with churches crossing denominational lines. He has developed the concept of “Mission Trips in Your Own Backyard” to unify the Body of Christ by bringing the love of God into the community. Merlin’s messages and teachings are about raising up a generation passionate for God to build a legacy of transformation. He is an Advisory Council Member for the State of Indiana Office of the Faith-based and a co-host for Religion in the News. Merlin speaks at churches, businesses, government, educational institutions and faith based organizations to encourage people to live out their faith. He is a church consultant helping pastors reach out in their communities to raise and train leaders. Merlin and his wife Annie live in Noblesville, Ind.

FHL’s ‘Don’t just learn it; Experience it’ Luncheon at Outback on 3/25

February 21, 2009 Merlin Gonzales Fund-Raising

A Message From the President of Faith, Hope and Love, International- Merlin Gonzales

“The Hope within You, Living from the Inside Out” is not just a pretty phrase. It is real! With the nation’s economic challenges also come the false hopes that many instill in the minds of people. Many are told that hope is found in the government, companies or other external sources. Although these have influences in our society, you and I can have an even greater impact by transforming our communities. John 17:22-23, “I have given them (the disciples and the generations to come) the glory that you gave me, that they may be one as we are one: I in them and you in me. May they be brought to complete unity to let the world know that you sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me.” This means that we have the Spirit of God within us, and we have the most powerful thing at our disposal: Love. 1 Corinthians 13: 13, “And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love.” Everything will disappear in this world, but no one can take away the love within you and me. The God within us is our hope, and the Love within us can change the world.

You and I are given the tremendous opportunity to transform this generation through sharing the hope within us and by “Living from the Inside Out“.

Community needs are growing while community resources are dwindling…

The weakening economy has created increasing hardship for many people from all walks of life. Your financial support for this Luncheon will help over 500 families that FHL International, Inc.regularly serves throughout the year. Your participation in this luncheon will help the FHL Mobile Food Pantry and you will also enjoy some delicious food yourselves provided by the Outback Steakhouse. While you are with us at the Outback, you will hear an extraordinary testimonial of hope from Al Gibson, President of Crown Coating.

Please come join us! Thank you, Merlin

WHY: To raise awareness of the ‘Hope within us’ and to benefit the Mobile Food Pantry serving 500+ families in metropolitan Indianapolis.

WHERE: Outback Steakhouse 86th/Michigan St Indianapolis

WHEN: Wed. March 25 11:30a-1p

CONTRIBUTION: $25/seat

For more information, please visit our Facebook Event page

FHL City-Wide (Indianapolis) Prayer Initiative: Saturday, January 24, 2009

January 19, 2009 Merlin Gonzales Prayer Groups

Greetings!

I’m writing to invite you to a very important time of prayer that is being held Saturday, January 24th from 7pm-9pm at Providence Ministries which is located at 1602 East 34th St., Indianapolis, IN 46218.

FHL International, Inc. (Faith, Hope, and Love International) was established as a means to strengthen the work of the local church by providing opportunities for local congregations and ministries to lock arms in service to the city and communities of Greater Indianapolis. Today, we recognize and feel the urgent need to respond and join in with the Lord’s command to “pray without ceasing” and we are partnering with God and His people to do just that.

Jeremiah 29:7 says, “If there is no welfare (peace) in the city to which you have been exiled, pray for the welfare (peace) of that city, and you too will have welfare (peace).”

Through various means over the past few years, God has initiated hundreds across this area to begin to pray for the welfare

of our city and our nation. As a result, prayer ministries have sprang up all over the city; giving believers multiple opportunities to come together in prayer. The FHL City-Wide (Indianapolis) Prayer Initiative is yet another small but critical piece to the ongoing work of helping to strengthen our city and push back the darkness through prayer. Our desire is to host a multi-cultural, multi-denominational, inter-generational prayer meeting on a monthly basis where various individuals, churches, ministries, and organizations come together under the banner of Jesus Christ to beseech God on behalf of our city. We recognize the power of corporate prayer and know that unity in prayer is the prerequisite for God releasing His justice and revival in our streets.

FOCUS:REVIVAL/REPENTANCE –

Israel/Nations
America
Indianapolis Communities
Indianapolis Culture/Society, Business (Marketplace), Education, Government, Family
Indianapolis Churches, Ministries, Pastors/Ministers
Personal people you know (lost, sick, hurting, ect…)

Do you have any specific prayer requests or suggestions for prayer covering? If so, we would love to hear from you do feel free to email those to me as well as to forward this announcement to those that you feel would be interested in participating. Will you join with us in changing the spiritual climate of our city, preparing our hearts, and ushering in the breakthrough of God for an entire region through prayer?

Your Servant,

Jonathan Tremaine Thomas

Interim FHL Prayer Director, FHL International, Inc.

Meeting Minutes: FHL Launching Meeting for FHL Week 2009

January 19, 2009 Merlin Gonzales Ministry, Prayer Groups, Projects

FHL Week 2009

Brothers and Sisters in Christ,

Thank you for coming to the (FHL Week 2009 Launching) meeting. We had many new potential Area Coordinators! Here are the meeting minutes for the January 15th meeting on Thursday:

The Vision of FHL International, Inc. and the FHL Week (It’s about Relationships)
Identification of NEEDS and RESOURCES in our neighborhoods and MOBILIZE our community to serve
Projects, services and events are tools to reach out to the community
We plan for all our events and projects but we are flexible to the leading of the Holy Spirit-He runs this ministry
We are planning to have at least 10 Area Coordinators from the following areas:

o Nora/Castleton
o Urban-North
o Urban South
o Noblesville
o Fishers
o Carmel
o Westfield
o Zionsville
o Greenwood
o West
o Avon/Brownsburg/Plainfield
o Fortville/McCordsville
o East

The Area Coordinators’ (AC) Training meeting is on Thursday, Feb 5th, 8a-10a at the FHL office. Please RSVP by Thursday, Jan 22nd by calling 317-578-3370 or by responding to [email protected] . Bring your potential ‘Apprentice’ and leaders
Please see your email for the ‘Invitation Letter’ to your area churches. You can fill in the blanks for your first area meeting. If you let me know in advance, I could come and assist you in casting the vision. Here is the One-Page ‘Save-the-Date’ brochure
Together with www.fhlinternational.org these Links will provide you and your prospective area church partner with multi-media marketing and presentation:

FHL International,Inc.’s Splashcast Video Channel

FHL International,Inc.’s YouTube Channel

FHL International,Inc.’s Facebook Page

FHL International,Inc.’s Wiki Page

Pastor Paul Backer of Central Christian Church in Carmel will be our AC Consultant. He had been an Area Coordinator for Carmel/Westfield area from 2006-2008 averaging 500+ volunteers every FHL Week
Paul Bechtold is the Metro Indy AC Coordinator and will assist you for the FHL Week
FHL Int’l., Inc. has several ongoing ministries such as the Mobile Food Pantry, Kindness Days, Prayer Teams, English as a Second Language, etc.
The FHL e-newsletter will give you updates on a monthly basis. I will send you another email with the e-news
You are invited to come to the FHL Prayer Team launching on January 24 7p-9p at: Providence Ministries, Indianapolis, Indiana 46218. I will send you another email regarding this event. Hope to see you there.

During these tough economic times, our churches need to work closer together in serving those in need. I would like to encourage you to continue to talk to other churches regarding this ministry that was birth in our own city.

God bless,
Merlin Gonzales
President, FHL International, Inc.

2008-the “Year of Love” for FHL International, Inc. and its Mission to our City

December 20, 2008 Merlin Gonzales Ministry

nativity3 FHL International, Inc. has opened its heart to allow the Lord to work through us in lavishing Indianapolis with love throughout the 2008 year. Through the Mobile Food Pantry, Kindness Days, ESL, Alpha Classes and FHL International Inc.’s signature event-‘FHL Week’, thousands of individuals were served.

God is doing mighty things through FHL International, Inc. in spite of the current economic conditions. I think the Lord birthed Faith, Hope and Love, International, Inc. during the boom in 2005 as part of our preparation for the current recession.

As I was sharing a vision with one of our partners about using their facilities as a storehouse, someone mentioned how the Lord had used Joseph during the famine in Egypt. Please read Genesis Chapter 41 to see how God prepared Joseph to build store houses around Egypt. This has been the vision of FHL-not to build a conglomerate ministry but a network of centers to work together towards the common good for local areas and their needs. This is what I mean about “building communities of faith, hope, and love around the world.”

Please read Acts Chapter 2, also. The current economic condition is a wake-up call to our churches and ministries to start working more closely together (See our future article: 2009 is the ‘Year of Hope’.) With the addition of Cars Ministry and the employment of Bill Farrar as Missions Director, FHL is now poised to expand instead of shrink in these tough economic times, leveraging our god-given resources and talents in serving others rather than using them for self-preservation. Jesus said, to “seek first the Kingdom of God and its righteousness and everything will be added unto you.”

We just need to be reminded of the second Greatest Commandment – love God and others, Mark 12:29-31, “30Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.'[b] 31The second is this: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.'[c]There is no commandment greater than these.”

I give glory to God who provided FHL International, Inc. so much. As you have read and heard on the news, countless food pantries are drying up but FHL International, Inc. is now receiving much more than any other time in its existence. God’s economy cannot be explained by human intellect and reasoning. This is the time to have more faith and to rely more on God’s provision rather than men’s wisdom and intellect. (Psalm 146:3)

christmas-box Someone said “You cannot out-give God” and it has resonated through FHL International, Inc. throughout the 2008 year. 2009 is the Year of Hope. As vessels of hope, you and I can be conduits of God’s grace and come along side Him in giving hope to our neighbors. As 2008 come to a close, it is not too late to bless others through your prayers and tax deductible contributions. When you consider your year-end giving, please keep FHL International, Inc. in mind.

Please send your contribution to:

FHL International, Inc.
8383 Craig St Ste. 335,
Indianapolis, IN 46250

On behalf of FHL International, Inc., its staff and volunteers, we wish you a Merry Christmas and Blessed New Year.

God bless,

Merlin Gonzales

President, FHL International, Inc.

Starting out the Season ‘Merry’ With An FHL Kindness Weekend This Saturday, Nov. 22 At Merry’s Bakery

November 21, 2008 Merlin Gonzales Kindness Weekends

Faith, Hope and Love, International, Inc. will be hosting another Kindness Weekend this Saturday, November 22, 2008 at Merry’s Bakery, (317 624-9057) located at 456 N. Holmes Ave, Indianapolis, IN. GoogleMaps: Merry’s Bakery Directions

Volunteers are asked to come at 1:oopm to help set-up and stay till 5pm. Food will be given away from 3pm until supplies last.

FHL International, Inc. prays thanksgiving to our Lord for His provision and wishes to extend our warm thanks to Merry’s Bakery for providing us the warmth of the restaurant on such a cold day. Because of their hospitality and generosity there will be plenty of time to talk and share our love for them and of the Christ and the Good News with many of our neighbors who need nourishing spiritual encouragement.

If you want to volunteer and be spiritually refreshed while refreshing others, please contact Merlin Gonzales at (317) 578-3370 or email us at [email protected]

Bring your hearts and your hands to reach out in love to our neighbors. And if you are unable to come, we welcome your prayers for us! And your prayers for our city, its citizens and their needs.

Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink?
When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you?
When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?’

The King will reply, ‘I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me.’

Matthew 25:37:40