PRAY CENTRAL
FLORIDA
Dear
Fellow Prayer Warrior, October, 2007
Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord
Jesus Christ. This month I want to high-light two very special events - the Set apart for God Leaders Retreat and the Greater Orlando Christian Film Festival.
Set apart for God Leaders Retreat – October 15th
– 18th
This
retreat with Pastor John Mulinde from Uganda, Pastor Mark
Daniel and intercessors from Uganda will be a special time in the Lord’s
presence. The following is from one of their e-mails. “This retreat is not only
for the traditional leader, but anyone who has a heart for what God is doing
and who God will use. Most people that God used in the Bible were not people
with standing or position; they were people who had a heart that He could raise
up and mold into a leader for Him and His work. We are looking for people who
have a stirring in their heart, who are hearing God's call, and who are willing
for God to use them to lead their family, their neighbors, their school, their
business, their friends, their church, or any others into the presence of the
Lord for His purposes in our nation.” The retreat will be held at the Florida
United Methodist retreat center near Leesburg, about an hour from Orlando. The
cost ranges from $250 for a single room and all meals to $50 if not staying or
eating on site. For more information call 407-846-8300 or visit www.WTMAmerica.com.
Greater Orlando Christian Film
Festival – October 18th – 25th
Please pray for a great harvest of souls at this year’s
festival (as we have seen in previous festivals). Also pray that the Lord of
the harvest would send forth laborers into the harvest field. Lost people come
because Christians bring them. Ushers are needed to seat them and clean up,
counselors are needed to pray with those who respond and get their information
for follow-up, workers are needed at the media sales table and tract tables,
and intercessors are needed to under gird it all in prayer. This is truly an
outreach by the Church in Central Florida; I encourage you to be a part of it. This years free movies include “Facing the Giants”, “Pilgrim’s
Progress”, “Hidden Secrets”, two “Vegge Tales” and
many more. For those who aren’t familiar with this outreach, there is an
altar call for salvation after every movie and many people are saved at nearly
every showing. To volunteer or see all the movies and show times visit www.greaterorlandochristianfilmfestival.com
or call 407-581-6243. This year’s
Festival will again be at the Regal Cinemas Winter Park Village 20.
Ongoing
Prayer Themes - please include some of these when you pray for the city -
An increase in the manifestation of God’s supernatural
power – healings, signs, wonders
Wisdom and blessing for our president and other
national, state and local elected officials
God's redemptive purposes to be fulfilled in Central
Florida
Unity of the Body of Christ and purity in the Body and
in relationships between leaders
Pastors to pray together and lead their churches into
praying with other churches
Vision Orlando, Space Coast Prayer Network and Deland
pastors
The scourge of abortion to be removed from our city
Homeland security
Pray for the peace of Jerusalem
See page 2 for Current Prayer Events
An E-mail version of this
newsletter (with more stuff!) is also available - send me an E-mail to sign up.
See this newsletter on the web at www.christiansnet.com/praycf/praycf.htm.
George Kern, 405 East Jersey St., Orlando, FL 32806, 407-245-1132,
praycf@juno.com
PRAY CENTRAL
FLORIDA
Page 2 October,
2007
Please verify the event
details with the contact person or web site before attending.
For
additional Christian events see the Z88.3 events web site - http://zradio.org.
September 26th – November 4th – 40 Days for Life – Strategy for prayer,
on-site witness at abortuaries and public education.
For details see www.40daysforlife.com.
For ongoing outreaches at local abortuaries see www.thegreatnewsorlando.com/Schedule
or call 407-245-7999.
October 15th – 18th – Set apart for God Retreat with Pastors
John Mulinde and Mark Daniel and intercessors from
Uganda. Location: Leesburg. Cost: $50 if not staying on site. Info: 407-846-8300,
www.WTMAmerica.com.
October 18th – 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. - Central
Florida Christian Chamber of Commerce
Networking Luncheon at the Sheraton Orlando Downtown. For more info call
407-290-1943 or visit www.cfchristianchamber.com.
October 18th – 25th – Greater Orlando Christian Film Festival – many Christian movies
each day, bring lost friends and volunteer.
407-581-6243, www.greaterorlandochristianfilmfestival.com.
November 1st – 3rd – Releasing of Eagles Conference. John Paul Jackson, Paul Keith Davis, John Kilpatrick,
worship by Lindell Cooley. 407-574-3309, www.thebridgeorlando.com.
November 11th –International
Day of Prayer for the Persecuted Church.
www.persecution.com/idop
Daily – various times
– Worship House of Prayer - get a
taste of IHOP without having to fly to Kansas City. Location: 120 W. McKey St., Ocoee. Web site
for info and schedule: www.worshiphouseofprayer.com,
or call 407.877.5970, ext. 201.
Weekdays –
9 a.m. to 3 p.m. – all day worship and prayer hosted by Love of Christ Ministries (Mack McCambridge). Location: Faith World church, Orlando. Call
407-292-0966 for info.
Tuesdays – 6:00 a.m. - Sanford Ministerial Fellowship -
Pastors Praying for Sanford. Info: Jim
Bradshaw - 407-322-4371, jimbrdshw@bellsouth.net.
Tuesday and Friday
mornings – Full Gospel Businessmen’s
Fellowship. Fellowship
and bible study breakfasts and monthly evening meeting. Contact Joseph Shaia for info -
407/682-3216.
Tuesday
evenings - 6:00 p.m. – Community Healing & Prayer Service. All Saints Church, 338 East
Lyman Av. Winter Park.
Call 407-647-3413 for info. www.allsaintswp.com.
Tuesday
evenings - 7:00 p.m. - Servants of the Most High Interdenominational
prayer group meets in the Longwood area. For more info, call Maureen at
407-332-7286.
Second Tuesday
– 6:30 p.m. – Aglow – women’s
fellowship and prayer meeting for Apopka/Ocoee. Contact: Rhonda, 407-884-0238.
Thursday
Evenings – 7:30 p.m. Oviedo Healing
Rooms - Healing in the Name of
JESUS through the Power of GOD's Presence and Prayer. 145 W. Broadway Blvd., Oviedo. Call 407-529-7111 for
appointment (suggested but not necessary) www.OviedoHealingRoom.com.
Friday
evenings – 7:30 p.m. – International Concert of Prayer – prayer for
Orlando, USA & the world. At Greaterlife Church in
Oviedo, call Pastor Jeff Good for information at 407-365-5950.
First Saturday of month - Prayer
for Muslims - 10:00 a.m.-Noon, Orlando. Peter Shadid
- 240-6272.
Second
Saturday of month – 9:00 a.m. - KNEC (Kingdom Network Empowering Communities)
–Orlando.
Contact: Bishop Helligar – 407-299-6677.
Second and Third
Saturdays – 5:00 a.m. City-wide Prayer
Meeting. Hampton
Inn at 7448 International Drive, Orlando. Sponsor: Pastor Mary Norman,
321-276-5352.
Third Saturday of month – Prayer
for the Persecuted Church. Longwood. Email
amystrang@aol.com.
Pray Central Florida – Praying for Central
Florida and encouraging the Church in Central Florida to pray
And
here is the extra stuff you don’t get with the snail mail version...
=================================
(1) 40 Days for Life – now through November 4th
(2) MUSLIMS’ RAMADAN NIGHT OF POWER – Tuesday October
9th
(3) Cityreaching
Conference Call Oct. 18th
(4) National Leaders Retreat with Pastors John Mulinde and Mark Daniel – October 15 – 18
(5) Sign up for
LifeNews.com
(6) North Omaha Transformation
*NPPN -
NATIONAL PASTORS' PRAYER NETWORK - US
A
Ministry Network Of The Mission America Coalition
OUR
VISION-
Identify
And Encourage Pastors' Prayer Groups In Cities And
Communities
Across
America So That Pastors Lead Their
People Into Praying For And Sharing Christ With Everyone In Our
Nation.
Subscribe
to the NPPN: http://www.nppn.org/subscribe.htm
*************************************************************
(1) 40 Days for
Life – now through November 4th
40 DAYS FOR LIFE
National pro-life campaign begins in September
An aggressive nationwide campaign, which will kick off September
26, 2007, is focused on 40 days of prayer and fasting, 40 days of
round-the-clock peaceful vigil at abortion facilities, and 40 days of
aggressive community outreach. The significance of 40 days comes from examples
in sacred scripture where God transformed individuals, cities, and nations in
40 day periods. "Just think of the transformation God could accomplish
when individuals and communities across America unite this fall for 40 days of
prayer and fasting, pulling out all the stops to end the violence of
abortion," said Shawn Carney, spokesman for the 40 Days for Life campaign.
According to Carney, the campaign has already proven successful in seven
communities in Texas, Washington, Wisconsin and North Carolina. "The first
40 Days for Life that was conducted in College Station, Texas exceeded all of
our expectations," said Carney. "In just 40 days, over 1,000 new
pro-life volunteers were activated; more than 25,000 households were reached
through a grassroots door- to-door effort; local, state, and national news was
generated; and most importantly, the local abortion rate was slashed by
28%."
Read more at Pro-Life Breakthrough
INTERCESSORS FOR
AMERICA
P O Box 915 Purcellville, VA
20134
Fax 540-751-0984 ifa@ifapray.org
web: http://www.ifapray.org
**************************************************************
(2) MUSLIMS’ RAMADAN NIGHT OF POWER – Tuesday October
9th
From: "Intercessors Network" <Intercessors.Network@Telia.com>
To: "Intercessors Network" <Intercessors.Network@comhem.se>
Date: Wed, 3 Oct 2007 16:58:00 +0200
Subject: SHORT NOTES-mailing # 543
MUSLIMS’
RAMADAN NIGHT OF POWER
The Quran teaches that Jews and Christians are corrupted
peoples not to be trusted. Because Islam is imperialistic and non-Muslims are a
bulwark against its advance, Islam requires that they be converted, subjugated
or eliminated. This is why Islam is such a powerful source of conflict and
religious persecution.
The ‘Night of Power’ is when Muslims believe the gates of heaven are opened and
Allah is especially merciful and attentive to their prayers.
Traditionally it falls in the last 10 days of Ramadan but is most widely
believed to be the night of the 27th day of Ramadan: Tuesday 9 October (in
2007). Millions of Muslims around the world will stay awake through the Night
of Power, seeking divine mercy.
Please pray that the true God of salvation will graciously and mercifully
reveal himself to them in answer to their prayers.
**********************************************************
(3) Cityreaching Conference Call Oct. 18th
From: "Carolyn O'Brien" <info@cityreaching.com>
Date: Mon, 8 Oct 2007 11:25:34 -0500
Subject: Monthly conference call Oct. 18 - Research & Cityreaching
D.
Michael Lindsay will be our guest on the next monthly Cityreaching call Thursday, Oct.18th at 11:00
a.m. Eastern Time. The focus will be The
Impact of Research on Cityreaching
and Community Transformation.
Lindsay
is a sociologist who specializes in issues surrounding leadership, religion,
and culture. The author of several books, scholarly articles, and research
reports, Lindsay has recently completed the nation’s largest and most
comprehensive study of public leaders who are people of faith: Faith in the Halls of Power: How
Evangelicals Joined the American Elite by D. Michael Lindsay
(Hardcover - Aug 29, 2007)
To
participate in the call, reply to this email requesting the dial-in #.
Transcripts of previous calls are available at www.cityreaching.com at the View and Listen tab.
To check
other publications by Michael Lindsay, go to
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/search-handle-url/102-0124125-3064932?%5Fencoding=UTF8&search-type=ss&index=books&field-author=D.%20Michael%20Lindsay
For
complete bio, go to http://www.owlnet.rice.edu/~mlindsay/biography.html
We hope
you will join us for this stimulating call. There will be time for Q
& A discussion.
Carolyn
for
Phil Miglioratti, Call Host and National Facilitator
MAC City/Community Ministries
*************************************************************
(4) National Leaders Retreat with Pastors John Mulinde and Mark Daniel – October 15 – 18
[The
retreat is in Leesburg and the late fee has been waived so you can still sign
up at regular price]
From: World Trumpet Mission America <SCordner@wtmamerica.com>
To: praycf@juno.com
Date: Thu, 6 Sep 2007 17:32:47 +0000 (GMT)
Subject: August 2007 Newsletter
National Leaders' Retreat . . . . . . . . October
15-18, 2007
We're
very excited about the upcoming retreat. We have people coming from a number of
cities in many different states! The purpose of this retreat is not only to
learn, but to be in an environment with others of like mind—those with a
heart's desire to be surrendered and set apart—those who are willing to lay
down their lives and do whatever is necessary to see God move and bring
transformation to this great nation of America. Come and let's meet together,
pray together, and seek God as a nation. We can never be satisfied with where
we are with the Lord, there is always another level of surrender, a deeper
walk, and a greater depth of knowing Him—we can never exhaust the Great and
Awesome God!
Our heart is to bring the body together for God. This retreat is not only for
the traditional leader, but anyone who has a heart for what God is doing and
who God will use. Most people that God used in the Bible were not people with
standing or position; they were people who had a heart that He could raise up
and mold into a leader for Him and His work. We are looking for people who have
a stirring in their heart, who are hearing God's call, and who are willing for
God to use them to lead their family, their neighbors, their school, their
business, their friends, their church, or any others into the presence of the
Lord for His purposes in our nation.
Our prayer for this retreat is that God will bring His people together, stir a
fire, and awaken spirits as we pray for one another and see God at work. We
hope that people will leave the retreat with an understanding that there are
others they can turn to for support and encouragement, knowing that God is not
only working in their own community, but across the nation.
If you feel God has given you a heart for your community, then you have a place
in this retreat, and we welcome you. We encourage you to register as soon as
possible; after September 17, a $25 late fee will be charged for each
registration.
Please feel free to forward this to anyone who has a heart for revival and
transformation. Click here for more information and for
registration! - http://wtmamerica.com/wtm8_040.htm
************************************************************
(5)
Sign up for LifeNews.com
From: "LifeNews.com" <news@LifeNews.com>
To: praycf@juno.com
Date: Mon, 10 Sep 2007 10:56:07 -0400 (EDT)
Subject: Help LifeNews.com Impact the Crucial 2008 Presidential Elections
Dear Pro-Life Friends,
In advance of the crucial 2008 presidential elections, LifeNews.com is looking
to reach more people with pro-life news and information.
Because of the incredible long-term impact the 2008 elections will have on abortion, euthanasia, and stem cell research, it's important that pro-life people receive the latest pro-life news and information. LifeNews.com is launching an ambitious project to triple our number of email news subscribers to 208,000 by Election Day next year.
We hope LifeNews.com can help play a significant impact by informing, educating and motivating such a large number of pro-life advocates before the election.
We need your help to find thousands of new subscribers for our daily and weekly email lists and below is a list of a few ways you can help us out:
1. Help us grow our email lists by sending us the email addresses of your pro-life friends and family for a complimentary subscription to our pro-life news service. You can send those email addresses to us at news@LifeNews.com.
2. Link to LifeNews.com on your web site. We receive dozens of new LifeNews.com readers every day from those who visit our web site. Please link to LifeNews.com on your web site, blog or pro-life group's web page. You can find images to use on your web site to link to LifeNews.com by going here. You're welcome to download the images and use them on your web server for the link.
3. Send a note to your group's email list and ask your supporters to sign up for our free pro-life news. They can send the message "subscribe weekly" or "subscribe daily" to news@LifeNews.com.
4. Consider passing out a flier for LifeNews.com at a local pro-life or other pro-life friendly event. If you would like a master copy of a flier you can make copies of to support LifeNews.com, please email us.
5. LifeNews.com is looking for pro-life groups that would like to receive free advertising in our email news reports in exchange for helping us obtain more subscribers. If your group is interested, please contact us.
6.
Use news from
LifeNews.com in your newsletter or publication. We encourage you to
use news from LifeNews.com in newsletters or other publications your group
mails to its members. There is now no charge to do this. We simply ask that you
credit LifeNews.com each time you use a news story and that you
encourage your members to visit our web site and sign up for our free pro-life
news. We would also appreciate a donation to help us keep the news free. Please
do not reproduce LifeNews.com stories on your web site, though you are welcome
to link to them and to use a paragraph or two teaser.
Finally, if you would
like to support LifeNews.com financially, below is our handy form for you to
fill out and send in a donation. We've always said we don't sell or rent your
name or email address to anyone and we don't.
May God richly bless you and your family.
For their lives,
Steven Ertelt
LifeNews.com
*************************************************************
(6) North Omaha
Transformation
[long but encouraging and
instructive]
Apostles Roundtable
http://groups.google.com/group/apostlesroundtable?hl=en
apostlesroundtable@googlegroups.com
TOPIC: North
Omaha Transformation Information
http://groups.google.com/group/apostlesroundtable/browse_thread/thread/a7eedfb06479fccf?hl=en
Date:
Fri, Sep 28 2007 9:01 am
From:
Apostles Roundtable
North
Omaha Transformation
:Information from the Fusion Ministry Site
Why North
Omaha?
While the
journey of these North Omaha pastors began some years ago,
it took a significant turn in April 2006 when they
attended a Pastors'
Retreat
where Wes Adams and Rhonda Hughey were speaking on
presence-
based revival and transformation. The Lord spoke to the
leaders from
N. Omaha
clearly about the issue of prayer, repentance and
transformation of their community. They heard the instruction of the
Lord in 2
Chron. 7:14 and desperation gripped their hearts.
They
recognized their hearts had grown sick from hope deferred. That
recognition contributed to their desperation.
They felt
challenged by the transformational vision of what God wanted
to do. But the devastated condition of their community,
in spite of
all their ministry for many years, seemed an
insurmountable and
unmovable mountain of impossibility. After years of ministry no
long-
lasting fruit was evident from all their individual labor.
The reality
was that their community was worsening on their watch!
The
response of these pastors was immediate. Thursday evening some of
them went home from the leaders' retreat and began to
repent to their
families for their spiritual neglect and failure. Then on
Sunday
morning they repented to their congregations, and to their
surprise
the Lord came and began to minister to them in powerful
ways!
Following
a subsequent consultation with the Fusion Ministries team,
the Lord confirmed to them to take a fresh look at their
community and
what He desired to do among them to bring healing and
transformation.
They set
their hearts on the Lord and took responsibility for the
"village" of N. Omaha. It's fair to say that these
leaders, their
families and their congregations, even the community itself,
will
never be the same!
What
followed was a year of repentance. Leaders continued to repent to
the Lord for their lack of stewardship of their village.
Leaders began
repenting to one another and reconciling their hearts over
wrong
attitudes, offenses, etc. This repentance carried over into
their
congregations; and as it continued the Lord began to draw near to
them. Soon the presence of the Lord increased in their
services.
People
were getting physically healed of serious maladies and some
financial miracles began occurring, etc.
During
this early stage, an amazing thing happened. As the Fusion
Ministries
team began to walk alongside the leaders in N. Omaha, the
Lord
began to knit our hearts together. We realized that the Lord had
called us to become partners in His Kingdom purposes for N.
Omaha! On
a foundation of friendship and submitting to each
other, the Lord
began to rest on us, speaking to us, directing us,
encouraging us. We
had no clear plan of action but we agreed to pursue the
Lord together
and see where we ended up!
In January
2007 the N. Omaha leaders decided to participate in the
"Divine
Experiment" that God had suddenly given Fusion .
Without much
information (because the Lord had so recently spoken to us about
this), they abandoned themselves to a 21-day fast, a time
of
consecration and separation from the spirit of the world. They
turned
off their cell phones, stopped most regular church
activities, added
early morning, daily prayer meetings, turned off their
televisions,
stopped non-essential shopping and indulging in entertainment
and
other forms of idolatry. They fasted
food and many other things to
make themselves irresistible to God's presence!
Much to
our surprise, the Lord's response to them was immediate and
powerful. Within the first couple of days, dramatic
breakthroughs were
occurring and powerful testimonies were being shared. The Lord
was
doing much more than we expected. (See the January
Participant
Testimonies
on: www.thedivineexperiment.com). We realized the Lord
wanted to draw near to His people once they returned to Him
with all
their heart.
N. Omaha
pastors and congregations participated in the Divine
Experiment
again in March and the Lord continued to move and take them
deeper into His heart.
When it
was suggested that the community was prepared for the actual
transformation process and that the Fijian Healing the Land team was
open to coming to lead them through that process, the
leaders
responded again with an immediate "yes" and with
abandoned hearts to
whatever the Lord wanted to do among them.
At every
point and decision, the Lord's will and the fullness of His
Kingdom purposes was their objective. No matter how challenging this
process sounded, they never compromised or held back. They
never
insisted on their own way or tried to protect their own ways
and
"culture". They desperately wanted God to come to their
village!
So we
said "yes" together to the most incredible journey of our lives!
The first
transformation process in a Western World community was
scheduled for Omaha, July 2007... As God promised in 2 Chron. 7:14,
when His people who are called by His name humble
themselves and pray
and turn from their wicked ways, He will HEAR their cry!
He will
FORGIVE
their sin! And He will HEAL their land! God has begun
responding to their response as He promised.
What are
the keys of the N. Omaha story?
It's
important to consider both the context and the process of the N.
Omaha testimony. First, we are talking about a remnant of leaders and
congregations - 7 to be exact. We are NOT claiming that all the
churches in N. Omaha are involved presently in this process.
Neither
is anybody claiming transformation of the whole
community at this
stage!
What we
believe is happening is the Lord has put a stake in the ground
and given the beginning of a real breakthrough of revival
and
transformation in the community because of the obedience of this
remnant of believers. Certainly this is not the whole of
ministry
processes going on in the community. What has and is occurring
is the
process focused on presence-based transformation.
It is
tempting to look at this breaking through with its encouraging
signs and fruit and just want to "pick the
fruit", or to find out what
has happened and try to replicate it. We must be very
clear regarding
this - we can't look at the transformation process and try
to just do
that in our communities. The journey of the N. Omaha story
started 14
months ago! Don't forget they spent over a year preparing themselves
through humility and repentance, changing of mindsets, reconciling,
praying and fasting, restoring broken covenants. If we want
to see the
fruit of THAT, then we must follow THAT process and prepare
ourselves. There are no shortcuts to Transformation!
Each of
these leaders had some things in common before April that made
their hearts ripe for the transformation message:
Desperation
for their community which was filled with violence,
bloodshed, immorality, poverty, broken families, hopelessness,
etc.
The
cumulative effect of years of failures from past ministry attempts
to fix the community on their own and through their
individual efforts
or programs. This contributed to their desperation
They had
the heartbeat of the city. They were already in touch with
its pain, its history. They had a burden but were without direction
forward.
They each
wanted the community to be transformed but understood none
of them could do it by themselves. Brokenness and
humility was already
present in their hearts. They had been in the wilderness for
a long
time.
Their
mindsets were not focused on hope from another event or program.
Their
hope was in a Person, and seeking wholeheartedly His Kingdom as
a lifestyle, a journey and a process.
Principles
Identified During the Preparation Process:
After
watching "up close" these leaders work together for over a year,
several critical transformational principles are evident!
This list is
a brief summary of some of the more important
principles:
Humility of the leaders. They live out a lifestyle of humility before
the Lord and before each other, before their
congregations and other
leaders in the community. In their humility they work
together closely
with ministry "partners" such as Fusion
Ministries who they recognize
carry particular revelation and ability to serve them in
their
transformation journey. They submitted to the word of the Lord when
they heard it because they realized they have never been
this way
before.
Willingness to quickly repent. They live out a lifestyle of
repentance. One of their mottos is "we refuse to be offended".
They
work through disagreements, community ministry, with open
hearts.
Pride
never gains a foothold among them, so the Lord is able to stay
close to them.
Absolute dependence on the leading of the Lord. Another key motto for
them is: "we don't know where we are going".
Desperation for their devastated community. These are leaders whose
hearts are literally breaking over the ravaging effect of
the enemy on
their families, friends, congregations and community. They
have hearts
of compassion and enter into the role of intercession
with a desperate
cry for justice and mercy and breaking in of God's power.
Willing
to respond quickly, not procrastinate. If God is moving and
speaking they will respond immediately.
New corporate identity. Their new corporate identity as leaders and
congregations, along with the identification of their
"village" gave
them confidence and validation that God would lead them to
success.
Repentance
begins with the household of God. The conviction that what
is going on in the streets won't change until they get
it right INSIDE
the church
Kingdom culture. They didn't gather a large group of leaders and find
the lowest common denominator for unity. They
intentionally kept the
group small, until a Kingdom value system and culture was
established.
No quick
fix. They understood the amount of work to be done inside and
they had patience with God's process, they didn't rush
ahead.
Adjusting priorities. They adjusted their calendars to make meeting
weekly and praying for the Kingdom to come to their village
their
highest ministry priority.
Presence-based unity. The Lord's presence in their weekly prayer
meetings motivated them to be together.
Kingdom camaraderie. These leadersmoved from
being pastors to brothers
to friends. They no longer relate to each other
according to
ministerial titles and positions.
Revival
of Repentance in N. Omaha
by Dr. Wes Adams
What I
witnessed in Omaha for eight days was the most authentic,
multifaceted revival of repentance that I have seen in my
lifetime.
There are
three dimensions of repentance that I witnessed that I have
never seen before to the degree that occurred. (1) Leaders themselves
led the way in repentance with their families and their
congregations.
(2) Seven
congregations with their leaders went through repentance
corporately and simultaneously over a fourteen month time
climaxed by
an intense 9 days. (3) Family and extended households
went through
repentance together led by teams who themselves had gone through
the
process of repentance.
At all
these levels there was pubic confession of both past and
present sin.
Generational cycles of sin were identified, repented of
and broken.
Husbands and wives confessed sin to one another, both
past and present.
The hearts of fathers were turned toward their
children in humility and confession of failure and
neglect. As the
Bible
says, when the hearts of the fathers are turned to their
children, then the hearts of the children will turn to their
fathers
and parents in confession and reconciliation. This we saw
over and
over again.
Over 70
households were led by Healing the Land Teams in
confession of
sin and reconciliation.
Numbers of these household included parents,
adult children and grandchildren. Before it was over many entire
families were weeping together their way back to God and love
for one
another.
During
the process, some evenings were public services where there was
corporate and public confession of sin. This was not just
identificational repentance, but many times intensely personal. What
we came to realize is that no sin in reality (and
effect) is private.
Sin has
consequences not just for the individual, but defiles other
people, contributes to defilement of the community and as
the
Scripture
teaches clearly ultimately to the defilement of the land.
All
dimensions of sin was confessed and repented for publicly and
corporately.
The
repentance led to a fresh experience of God's forgiveness and
grace, and also to a washing and cleansing both at the
individual and
corporate level.
On the
final Sunday night the testimonies of what the Lord had done
the past seven days were profound. Times of corporate
thanksgiving and
praise together followed before God.
The week
helped me understand more fully the New Testament description
of the revival of repentance under John the Baptist's
ministry.
During
his ministry the people came from great distances and publicly
confessed their sin and were baptized for sin's remission and
cleansing. It says that
John the Baptist came in the spirit and power
of Elijah to turn the hearts of the fathers to their
children and the
children's hearts back to their fathers.
The New
Testament also testifies that Jesus came "at this time" and
publicly identified with the revival. Jesus was attracted to a
revival of repentance then; and he will be attracted to any
revival of
repentance now.
The first
major step on the journey to transforming revival is surely
a revival of repentance in the spirit of that of John
the Baptist.
Early
Evidence of Transformation
In the
early stages of the transformation process, most of the work
God is
doing among His people isn't visible to those looking in on the
community from a natural perspective. Many people today are
looking
for a charismatic revival service when they look for
evidence of
transformation. Others doubt anything is improved if the work God is
doing isn't yet complete. For instance, you can drive
through North
Omaha
today and see the condition of the neighborhoods and conclude
"there isn't any transformation here". But if you LIVE
in North Omaha,
you would witness not only change in the church and
families but even
some early indication of change in the community itself;
drive-by
shootings have diminished, there are new community development
and
renewal efforts, crack houses are closing, prostitutes
getting saved,
families being restored, etc. And, there is a sense of joy and
expectation in the atmosphere, replacing the hopelessness and
oppression that prevailed upon North Omaha and it's people until
recently.
As we
watch the beginning of the spiritual awakening and early stages
of transformation in North Omaha what is the
"fruit" of God's presence
among His people? Is there discernable evidence that a new
season of
transformation has begun?
It's very
important when we talk about transformation that there is
tangible evidence of God's favor and attention on the
community. If
you can't find evidence that things are different than
it's not
transformation. Transformation even in the early stages is not
merely
subjective opinion, if God is at work in a community in a fresh
way,
than a careful look will provide great encouragement!
Some
indications that God is at work in a new way:
Church/Families:
Leaders
are walking in humility and deep unity with one another
Leaders
and their congregations have made repentance a lifestyle
The
corporate village of 7 congregations is functioning with a Kingdom
perspective
A spirit
of repentance continues to hover over the people and
congregations as the Lord takes them deeper to root out all issues
that hinder intimacy with Him.
God is
turning the father's hearts toward their children and the
children in response are turning back to their parents. Where
they was
once alienation, there is now embracing, restoration of
relationship
between fathers and children
The
spiritual atmosphere is beginning to change so that people are
being drawn to church, have a desire to pray often as the
corporate
body and are free from the oppression and bondage of sin
People
are being healed physically much more frequently
There is
an increased hunger and appetite for God
The
presence of the Lord is evident when the people gather
There is
a spirit of conviction among even unchurched people
The
healing and restoration of families in continuing! Not only is the
Lord
continuing to bring healing to the families that went through the
transformation process, many more families are now asking to go
through the same process!
Community:
Crackhouses closing!
4 crackhouses have closed since the journey of transformation
began! 2
closed during the first week of the Divine Experiment and 2
more the
week following the Healing the Land Process. The last 2
crack houses
were on the same street where we stayed and met every day
during the
process!
Favor
with City Officials - leaders of the community are encouraged
and watching with expectation of what God is doing
through the North
Omaha
Village
New
Economic Development Planned
Some of
the first fruit of the pastors praying together for 14 months
was released shortly after the Healing the Land Process
was completed.
A week
following the process the Omaha Herald had this headline in the
local news section:
"3
Key Areas Identified for N. Omaha Renewal"
In the
article three areas were identified as "keys to renewed
economic vitality in north Omaha". These areas were
exactly the areas
of N. Omaha that were targeted and prayed for in the
Healing the Land
Process.
The first
area is a business center and office park the article
reported "This is a business location second to none in
the city". The
second area is a housing district where reconstruction would
allow new
cultural and entertainment areas in addition to "retail
villages". The
third area is the park literally across the street from the
church
where all the transformation meetings took place during the
Healing
the Land Process! The city wants this park to become the
"new central
gathering place" for North Omaha!
Mike
Green, a leading Omaha businessman, said "This is not a cookie-
cutter approach to neighborhood revitalization". Green
said "Not in my
lifetime have I seen something of this kind have the potential
for
such a significant impact.
Why is
this important?
A common
occurrence in transformed communities is that the government,
both local and national will begin to invest into villages
that have
spiritually returned to covenant relationship with the Lord.
First,
the Lord brings healing and restoration to the people,
families and
land and then oftentimes, the government will also respond
with offers
to bring natural transformation/improvement in new
schools, roads,
etc. As a result
you see the partnering lessening of poverty,
improvement in education, etc.
A once
despised, devastated, ignored part of the city all of a sudden
has captured the interest of the broader community.
Rather than
continued neglect, there is fresh interest and hope to bring
change.
That
change begins in the spiritual but will continue in the natural.
When the
eyes of the Lord turn to a community, His favor will rest on
it. As a result other people begin to care for it in an
increased way
whether they are believers or not. The Lord begins to cause
people to
"tend the garden" of the community where He is moving.
10
Indicators of Transformation:
How do we
know if a community
is on the journey toward
transformation? What do we look for? Can you discern if the presence
of the Lord is increasing in a community?
During
the last several years of researching and documenting case
studies of transformation in the world, George Otis, Jr. has
identified 10 common indicators that transformation is occurring
in a
city or nation.
Political
leaders publicly acknowledge their sin and dependence on God
(2 Kings
11:17-18, 23:2, Jonah 3:6-9)
New laws
and business practices are put into effect (2 Chron.19:-10,
Nehemiah
10:31)
The
natural environment is restored to its original life-nurturing
state (Lev. 26:4-5, 2 Chron 7:14,
Ezek 34:27, 36:29-30)
Economic
conditions improve and lead to a discernable lessening of
poverty (2 Chron 17:3-5, Psalm
144:14, Isaiah 60:5, Amos 9:13)
There is
marked change in social entertainment and vices as Kingdom
values are integrated into the rhythm of daily life (Ezra
10:-4, Neh
8:10, Ecc. 10:17, Acts 19:17-20)
Crime and
corruption diminish throughout the community (2 Kings
12:13-15,
Nehemiah 5:6-12, Isaiah 60:17-18)
Volunteerism
increases as Christians recognize their responsibility to
heal and undergird the community
(Isaiah 58:10-12, 61:104)
Restored
hope and joy leads to a decline in divorce, bankruptcy and
suicide
(Nehemiah 12:27-28, 43, Isaiah 54:11-14, 62:3,7, Jer
30:17-19,
31:11-13,
Hosea 2:15)
The
spiritual nature of the growing socio-political renewal becomes a
hot topic in the secular media (2 Chron
20:29, Nehemiah 6:16, Isaiah
55:5,
Ezek 36:36, Acts 19:17)
Overwhelmed
by the goodness of God, grateful Christians take the
embers of revival into surrounding communities and nations. (2 Chron.
17:9, Is.
61:6, Acts 11:20-26)
(Excerpt
taken from "Desperate For His Presence",
Bethany House
Publishers,
2004)
North Omaha
is experiencing the early stages of several of the above
indicators: political leaders acknowledge their dependence upon
God,
marked change in community vices, crime decrease,
Check out
the stories and more at our blog spot:
www.transformationnorthomaha.blogspot.com
*********************************************************
Pray Central Florida – Praying for Central Florida and
encouraging the Church in Central Florida to pray.
To subscribe to or unsubscribe from this Pray Central
Florida monthly prayer newsletter send an E-mail to praycf@juno.com