New England has recieved the moniker “The preachers graveyard”. It is a very broken area of the US and it is continually amazing to see how little people seem to care.
Well it’s no secret to those who read my blog that I and others have been working really hard to change the idea in this community that the church can’t come together.
It started with a few pastors meeting and praying and the excalated to 6 of them and all the youth pastors meeting separatly. These are regular meetings monthly with the expressed purpose of praying and talking about unity.
We have as leaders noticed something as of late though. We are all dealing with similar issues and we are being attacked spiritually on the same “plane”.
Now I already made a note about how at my church Lifepath Church we decided to postpone the youth ministry for the summer. After a meeting with the local Youth pastors we realized they were wrestling with the same issues and decisions and we all committed to a summer of prayer together.
The pastors also committed to monthly gatherings for the congregations , going from church to church, for 6 months. We came up with the not so over used, but highly effective name 1Prayer.
Fast forward to last night.
Let me preface this real quick. Inviting people to pray is almost like asking people to go to the dentist. It’s uncomfortable and scares the crap out of people so people don’t go. Most churches prayer meetings are small and full of just women.
Last night we had our first 1Prayer meeting at Graceway Church of Christ. 8 Churches were represented. In RI where I am the churches are not huge. Between 6 churches we have around 1000 members total. This first multichurch prayer meeting had an attendance of well over 100 people.
I need to make the readers of my blog realize how insane that is. Aquidneck Island where I live before last year may just have been the mecca for all things disunity. Church hopping and sheep-stealing became an epidemic and fear within the churches grew to a level that is just sad to think about.
God has been speaking something new to the church. Something new that may sound surprisingly old.
“It’s MY CHURCH”
Last night at prayer pastors got up and repented before the congregations for holding back the move of God because of thier own bitterness and fear. Many tears were shed and walls were broken down.
We realized he have to fight for EACH OTHERS LAND. Not just our own. So we united as one church lifted the pastor and the church that we were in. And the Holy spirit shook the place like I have never seen in a multichurch meeting.
There was an overall sense that This night WILL go down in history as the catalyst of change in New England.
I will end with this… If you are a Christian in RI (and everywhere) and you are not moving forward. You are sitting on your hands. Jesus is calling you to rise up, to show up and to join the Army of the Lord.
Misty Edwards song says somthing that we need to hear during this time:
I can hear the rythm of the Lion of the Tribe of Judah
Cause He’s doin a new thing, so we’re singin a new songHe’s not a baby in a manger anymore
He’s not a broken man on a cross
He didn’t stay, in the grave
And He’s not stayin in heaven foreverPeople get ready, Jesus is comin’
Once again I’m gonna shake everything that can be shaken
Once again I’m gonna break everything that can be brokenAre you ready, are you ready for this?
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