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Pastor Holds Weekly Bible Studies With Trump's ENTIRE Cabinet
Apr 21, 2017 by Will Maule HELLO CHRISTIAN
It has been revealed that cabinet officials attend a weekly Bible study group led by pastor Ralph Drollinger, who has said that he is committed to "making disciples of Christ in the Capitol," according to Fusion.net. The meeting was discovered when Fusion obtained a copy of Energy Secretary Rick Perry's daily schedule. Drollinger has praised the new administration for its power to “change the course of America in ways that are biblical.”
Drollinger, of Capitol Ministries, has also praised now Attorney General Jeff Sessions, who he says “hungers and thirsts for the Scripture," and who defended himself honorably in the senate confirmation hearings. “I’ve had the distinct honor of teaching him on this subject, and many others,” Drollinger said. “There’s nothing more exciting, when you’re a Bible teacher, to see one of the guys you’re working with—to see him or her articulate something you’ve taught them when they’re under the gun.”
Vice President Mike Pence, HUD Secretary Ben Carson, Education Secretary Betsy DeVos, Energy Secretary Rick Perry, Attorney General Jeff Sessions, CIA Director Mike Pompeo, nominee for Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue, HHS Secretary Tom Price, and Scott Pruitt, head of the Environmental Protection Agency, have all sponsored the Cabinet Bible study.
When Trump announced the nomination of so many Capitol Ministries students to Cabinet positions, Drollinger was delighted. “It follows then that the sudden rise of Pence, Sessions, and Pompeo—all men who are disciples of Jesus Christ—serve to vividly illustrate the truth of 1 Timothy 2:1-4!” he said.
“Suddenly these men who have been discipled by the Church are in prominent positions of authority to change the course of America in ways that are biblical.”
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A former gang leader whose life was completely turned around after becoming a Christian has opened up about his faith in an article for The Gospel Coalition.
David Washington is now the pastor of Kingdom Covenant Church in Chicago.
He spoke out about his violent past and says it was his coming to Christ that "saved his life."
Realization
Washington joined the "Gangster Disciples" around the age of 12. He became a drug dealer in his teens and went on to become gang leader.
It was not long before he was arrested and facing a possible 15-year prison sentence for armed robbery and unlawful use of a weapon.
His gang threw him a going-away party the day before he was due to plead guilty in court. It was here that he was struck by the realization of what he had done.
"I had this experience of looking at myself in the mirror and saying, 'You threw your whole life away for nothing,'" Washington said.
Convinced and Converted
Washington says that although he was an agnostic at the time, he decided to ask God for help. The next day, the judge dropped one of the charges and sentenced Washington to one year of house arrest.
"I was convinced God was real after that", he said. "And once convinced, there was no turning back. I gave God everything I had."
He says he "never went back to doing drugs" after this and began sharing the gospel with members of his former gang.
"I began to go to the same people I used to lead and tell them, 'I gave my life to Christ. This is real. I'm pleading with you to come out of this.'"
'Love of Jesus'
Washington became involved in youth ministry and prison ministry at Salem Baptist Church. He also studied at a local Bible college before getting a master of divinity in theology.
He has now started a church on the south side of Chicago that works alongside members of the community who are in prison.
Pastor Harvey Carey said Washington started his church on the streets "because that's where he was won".
"He's saying, 'I know what it's like, but let me show you the love of Jesus.'"
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Faith Marie Baczko, pastor of Yahweh's House Fellowship and president of Headstone Ministries International and Schools of The Last Wine, shared a new word from the Lord about the year ahead, which she says will be a tremendous year for the U.S. that will "affect all nations and all peoples for the better."
In the prophetic writing, which she shared with readers of The Elijah List, she wrote, in part:
When I sought the Lord for His word for 2017, He gave me Psalm 68 with an emphasis on verse one: "Let God arise, let His enemies be scattered..." An unprecedented, momentous and extraordinary year has now shifted into full throttle with the inauguration of Donald Trump as the 45th President of the United States. As the anointing of the Presidency has now fallen upon him, a REPRIEVE has begun, and God is moving to restrain and push back the powers of darkness.
In this time, God will thrust a prepared people in the Body of Christ and in the secular world, into an hour of history prepared by God for a fresh Outpouring of His Life; this will come with a fresh release of divine strategies and breakthroughs in innovation, medicine, technology, industry and for clean air and energy—deception will be exposed and hidden truth revealed!
Doors will open for many Christians who have known the call on their lives and have been perplexed by the wait to see its fulfillment. Many have not understood that the coming forth of their ministries was timed for the great REPRIEVE now coming on the earth—a time set to offer the world an opportunity to recognize and receive the Living God—our King, Jesus Christ, and to gather in a great Harvest of souls as His reward. For countless souls, this will be a great opportunity, hence an urgency for an army of harvesters—laid down lovers of God—to run the race of strength set before them.
As I contemplated the words, "Let God Arise," the Lord began to highlight some points related to this Arising! I sensed both His question and His answer of, "How does God arise!"
God showed me that He can ARISE spontaneously in the earth, but more often than not He arises IN HIS PEOPLE! God highlighted the need right now for His people to be preparing themselves for His Arising! I recently had an encounter in the middle of the night through which God began to address many issues to take note of in this new season.
The first was that as He moved to take His people to higher heights, with a greater measure of the Holy Spirit, the enemy would also increase his offensive! However, He reminded me that this is the Year of Victory ordained by God and showed me that the roar of satan might be loud, as he intends to make a lot of noise and stir a lot of trouble, but that ultimately he is restrained and bound in his attempts to steal, kill and destroy!
Yes, there will be great battles, but we have been given the VICTORY to accomplish the purposes and the will of God! God says that we are to stir up our faith to believe, and stir the gifts given to us to accomplish our mandate! We are to fan into flames the passion He has deposited inside of us and begin to move out at His Command without fear!
And also:
This will be a tremendous year for the United States of America that will affect all nations and all peoples for the better, if we so choose! God is about to ARISE over the Land of America in extraordinary ways! This year on August 21st, the Great American Solar Eclipse will occur! This will be the first total eclipse in four decades and will be visible only over continental United States—it will be the first time in ninety-nine years an American Eclipse is visible from coast to coast. The Eclipse will cross 10 States beginning in Oregon and ending in North Carolina, crossing a stretch of 70 miles; the next one will be in 7 years.
In a year characterized by a multitude of sevens, God is marking this incredible year of the Trump Presidency with the Great American Eclipse, a time where HE WILL ARISE within and through this nation to do great and marvelous things for all!
That they may know from the rising of the sun to its setting that there is none besides Me. I am the LORD, and there is no other. Isaiah 45:6
So shall they fear the Name of the LORD from the west, And His glory from the rising of the sun; When the enemy comes in like a flood, The Spirit of the LORD will lift up a standard against him. Isaiah 59:19
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What happens when the pastor drones on and on and you just want to get to the next thing?
For one little boy, he took matters into his own hands—and baptized himself!
"Do it," Jordan Warrick shouted with excitement before he pinched his nose and dunked himself.
Three seconds later, his head popped up and he declared, "I'm baptized!"
Amen? Amen!
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ORLANDO, Fla. -- Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump is laying out a plan to protect pastors from the IRS.
On Thursday, he addressed hundreds of faith leaders at a Pastors and Pews conference in Orlando, Florida, saying the government has been trying to hinder the influence of Christians in the political system for years.
"Christians have been silenced like a child," Trump told his audience Thursday afternoon. He says it is particularly a problem with the Obama administration.
His speech encompassed the current trials Christians have been facing in recent weeks and over the past few years in the country when it comes to freedom of speech -- limitations he says have come mainly from the White House or connected to it.
His solution? Repeal the Johnson Amendment.
The 1954 legislation created by then Sen. Lyndon B. Johnson limits the free speech of pastors, essentially threatening to take away a church's or non-profit's tax-exempt status for endorsing or opposing a political candidate.
"They get absolutely hit with the 501(c)(3), which is the tax exempt status, which is a tremendous hit. It's a shattering hit, and it really keeps them silent," Trump told his audience Thursday afternoon.
"Free speech is being taken away from people who are saying good things, not bad things. And if I can do that, I will have done a great thing for religion as a whole, and it's so important to me," he said.
Trump knows it's a major selling point to get Christians from the pews to the polls.
"The words I said today are so important. I was honored to get the ovation I got, but they understand. I think it will be a tremendous achievement if we can get it done, and I know we can get it done," Trump told CBN News.
"If we can get elected, that's why I say on November 8, everyone has to get out and vote because four years ago evangelicals didn't get out and vote. Christians didn't vote," he said.
The business mogul is trying to change that by attending events like Thursday's Pastors and Pews conference -- and by showing a softer, more humble side.
"In your RNC acceptance speech, it was a really endearing moment, you thanked evangelicals for their support but you said, 'I don't necessarily always deserve it.' Why did you say that?" CBN's Jenna Browder asked.
"Well because I think I'm not perfect, and because I think I'm less perfect than some people," he replied. "But I have certain abilities that are good, like, being able to do things, and I think I'll be able to things that will be really great for the evangelicals and others and they understood that."
But some are willing to look beyond that. In fact, many evangelical Christians believe that Trump has been chosen "for such a time as this."
But Trump shied away from the notion that this is a divine calling.
"Well, you know I've heard that from others, and I've heard it from pastors. I've heard it from others. You know I really don't even want to think about it because it's too big of a burden," he told CBN News.
"But I can say this, that if I can do what I say I can do -- and I'm not only talking with the military and building it up and safety and security, 'cause our country is in bad shape in so many ways -- I'm talking, we can open up the voices of great people and the pastors and the ministers, and the priests and the rabbis and the people of religion. I think that will be something I will be so proud of," he said.
Divine calling or not, Trump says he's a friend to Christians.
"They believe so much in religious liberty as I do," Trump told the Pastors and Pews audience Thursday. "Without religious liberty, you don't have liberty."
And that's exactly what evangelicals want to hear. But Trump still has his work cut out for him. Most of these pastors who attended the conference are on board, but admit he wasn't their first choice.
"We don't know what we're going to get from Donald Trump, but we do know what we'll get from Hillary Clinton," one pastor said.
While the attending the Pastors and Pews event was a move in the right direction for Trump, only time will tell if it translates in the polls.
*CBN neither supports nor opposes any candidate for public office.
Pastor in Germany Pays Price to See Spiritual Revival
German Pastor Olaf Latzel (CBN)
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Germany was the birthplace of the Reformation and was once a base for world missions. But much of Germany today is covered by a profound spiritual darkness, as are most Western nations.
Those who refuse to compromise on the teaching of Scripture pay a price.
Bremen Pastor Olaf Latzel knows full well that there is a cost for speaking out boldly—especially in today's Germany, where traditional Christian teaching is viewed by many as bigoted, hateful and even "un-Christian."
Latzel has been attacked in the media, investigated by the local government, and even denounced by fellow pastors. His crime? Refusing to bend a knee to political correctness.
No Compromise
"I'm only preaching the gospel in a clear way," Latzel said. "I think it is my duty to do this preaching in this way for our Lord."
In his sermons, Latzel cuts no corners. He soft-pedals nothing. To some, he might sound mean when he attacks other religions.
But Latzel is standing against what he sees as a spirit of compromise that seems to have swallowed Germany and the German state church.
In the process, he has angered the German establishment and even a lot of German pastors.
Latzel said the chief battle in the German church today now is over who God is.
According to Latzel, some Christian pastors have said, "Allah and Jesus Christ, the Christian God, are the same god."
"But if you ask a Muslim, 'Does your god have a son?' he would say no!" he continued. "Our (Christian) God has a Son; His name is Jesus Christ. So they are not the same."
"If you speak out loud and clearly about the truth of the Bible, that there's only one way to heaven and this way is Jesus Christ, there is only one God, the Father, Son and Holy Spirit, and there is no other god beside Him, then you have a problem," he said.
Seventy German pastors gathered in Bremen last year to denounce Latzel behind a banner celebrating "diversity."
The public prosecutor investigated him for hate speech and then cleared him, and the Bremen parliament passed a resolution against him.
It was reportedly the first time a German pastor has been condemned by a German parliament since World War II.
But far from backing down, Latzel said the real problem is that, in his estimation, most pastors in Germany's state church have not been born again.
"I think over 80 percent of the pastors in the national church in Germany are not reborn," he said. "And that's a great problem, and because of this, they make their own doctrine. The Bible is the Word of God; it's our law, chapter by chapter, book by book, sentence by sentence, letter by letter."
Latzel pastors at the historic St. Martini (St. Martin's) Church in Bremen, where around 1679 the church's pastor, Joachim Neander, wrote the great hymn, "Praise to the Lord, the Almighty."
Latzel enjoys saying that Pastor Neander also got in trouble for preaching the gospel boldly.
Some pastors would have been rattled by so many attacks against them. But Latzel, who comes from a family with a long military tradition, said he is in a "war" between Christ and the devil, and the attacks reassure him.
"This is one sign that you are on the right way in your preaching, when you get problems," Latzel said. "If you preach the gospel of Jesus Christ and everyone is clapping his hand, then you have a problem."
"Because if you're telling the truth from the Bible, then the devil will come and he will fight against you in several ways; he will fight against the Word of God," he said.
A Tool in God's Hand
In fact, Latzel admits his concern is not becoming discouraged but getting a big head.
"I (have received) more than 10,000 emails ... so many persons came to me and said, 'You are a great pastor,'" Latzel said. "And the more persons came and told me this, something happened inside me and, 'Oh, I'm really this great pastor.'"
"And the devil comes here and says, 'Yes, yes. You are great,' and that's not good," he continued. "I am nothing. I am only a sinner. I am only a tool for Jesus Christ. And when Jesus can use this tool, give any honor to Jesus Christ. I am nothing."
The great hymn of St Martin's Church says, "Let the amen come from His people again." Latzel believes revival is coming to Germany and he asks Christians to pray for his country.
"I ask you, brothers and sisters in America, please pray for Germany. Pray for awakening," he pleaded. "Pray that the Word of Jesus Christ will go out and reach persons who are lost so that Jesus can save them."
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Children, whose parents set a firm foundation, will most likely stay in the church. (Lightstock )
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"What do we do about our kids?" The group of parents sat together in my office, wiping their eyes.
I was a high school pastor, but for once, they weren't talking about 16-year-olds drinking and partying. Each had a story to tell about a "good Christian" child, raised in their home and in our church, who had walked away from the faith during the college years. These children had come through our church's youth program, gone on short-term mission trips and served in several different ministries during their teenage years.
Now, they didn't want anything to do with it anymore. Somehow, these mothers' ideas for our church to send college students "care packages" during their freshman year to help them feel connected to the church didn't strike me as a solution with quite enough depth.
The daunting statistics about churchgoing youth keep rolling in. Panic ensues. What are we doing wrong in our churches? In our youth ministries?
It's hard to sort through the various reports and find the real story. And there is no one easy solution for bringing all of those "lost" kids back into the church, other than continuing to pray for them and speaking the gospel into their lives. However, we can all look at the 20-somethings in our churches who areengaged and involved in ministry.
What is it that sets apart the kids who stayin the church? Here are just a few observations I have made about such kids, with a few applications for those of us serving in youth ministry.
1. They are converted. The apostle Paul, interestingly enough, doesn't use phrases like "nominal Christian" or "pretty good kid." The Bible doesn't seem to mess around with platitudes like: "Yeah, it's a shame he did that, but he's got a good heart." When we listen to the witness of Scripture, particularly on the topic of conversion, we find that there is very little wiggle room. Listen to these words: "Therefore, if any man is in Christ, he is a new creature. Old things have passed away. Look, all things have become new" (2 Cor. 5:17).
We youth pastors need to get back to understanding salvation as what it really is: a miracle that comes from the glorious power of God through the working of the Holy Spirit.
We need to stop talking about "good kids." We need to stop being pleased with attendance at youth group and fun retreats. We need to start getting on our knees and praying that the Holy Spirit will do miraculous saving work in the hearts of our students as the Word of God speaks to them. In short, we need to get back to a focus on conversion.
How many of us are preaching to "unconverted evangelicals"? Youth pastors, we need to preach, teach and talk—all the while praying fervently for the miraculous work of regeneration to occur in the hearts and souls of our students by the power of the Holy Spirit! When that happens—when the "old goes" and the "new comes"—it will not be iffy. We will not be dealing with a group of "nominal Christians." We will be ready to teach, disciple and equip a generation of future church leaders—"new creations"!—who are hungry to know and speak God's Word. It is converted students who go on to love Jesus and serve the church.
2. They have been equipped, not entertained. Recently, we had "man day" with some of the guys in our youth group. We began with an hour of basketball at the local park, moved to an intense game of 16-inch ("Chicago Style") softball, and finished the afternoon by gorging ourselves on meaty pizzas and 2-liters of soda. I am not against fun (or gross, depending on your opinion of the afternoon I just described) things in youth ministry. But youth pastors especially need to keep repeating the words of Ephesians 4:11-12 to themselves: "[Christ] gave ... the teachers to equip the saints for the work of the ministry, for building up the body of Christ."
Christ gives us—teachers—to the church, not for entertainment, encouragement, examples or even friendship primarily. He gives us to the church to "equip" the saints to do gospel ministry in order that the church of Christ may be built up.
If I have not equipped the students in my ministry to share the gospel, disciple a younger believer and lead a Bible study, then I have not fulfilled my calling to them, no matter how good my sermons have been. We pray for conversion; that is all we can do, for it is entirely a gracious gift of God.
But after conversion, it is our Christ-given duty to help fan into flame a faith that serves, leads, teaches and grows. If our students leave high school without Bible-reading habits, Bible-study skills, and strong examples of discipleship and prayer, we have lost them. We have entertained, not equipped, them ... and it may indeed be time to panic!
Forget your youth programs for a second. Are we sending out from our ministries the kind of students who will show up to college in a different state, join a church and begin doing the work of gospel ministry there without ever being asked? Are we equipping them to that end, or are we merely giving them a good time while they're with us?
We don't need youth group junkies; we need to be growing churchmen and churchwomen who are equipped to teach, lead and serve. Put your youth ministry strategies aside as you look at that 16-year-old young man and ask: "How can I spend four years with this kid, helping him become the best church deacon and sixth-grade Sunday school class teacher he can be, 10 years down the road?"
3. Their parents preached the gospel to them. As a youth pastor, I can't do all this. All this equipping that I'm talking about is utterly beyond my limited capabilities. It is impossible for me to bring conversion, of course, but it is also impossible for me to have an equipping ministry that sends out vibrant churchmen and churchwomen if my ministry is not being reinforced tenfold in the students' homes. The common thread that binds together almost every ministry-minded 20-something that I know is abundantly clear: a home where the gospel was not peripheral but absolutely central.
The 20-somethings who are serving, leading and driving the ministries at our church were kids whose parents made them go to church. They are kids whose parents punished them and held them accountable when they were rebellious. They are kids whose parents read the Bible around the dinner table every night. And they are kids whose parents were tough but who ultimately operated from a framework of grace that held up the cross of Jesus as the basis for peace with God and forgiveness toward one another.
This is not a formula! Kids from wonderful gospel-centered homes leave the church; people from messed-up family backgrounds find eternal life in Jesus and have beautiful marriages and families. But it's also not a crapshoot. In general, children who are led in their faith during their growing-up years by parents who love Jesus vibrantly, serve their church actively and saturate their home with the gospel completely, grow up to love Jesus and the church.
The words of Proverbs 22:6 do not constitute a formula that is true 100 percent of the time, but they do provide us with a principle that comes from the gracious plan of God, the God who delights to see His gracious Word passed from generation to generation: "Train up a child in the way he should go; even when he is old he will not depart from it."
Youth pastors, pray with all your might for true conversion; that is God's work. Equip the saints for the work of the ministry; that is your work. Parents, preach the gospel and live the gospel for your children; our work depends on you.
Jon Nielson is the college pastor at College Church in Wheaton, Illinois. Jon is currently working toward his Doctor of Ministry degree at Trinity Evangelical Divinity School. He has authored two books: Bible Study: A Student's Guide (P&R, 2013) andThe Story: The Bible's Grand Narrative of Redemption (P&R, 2014).
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Kel Mitchell tells PEOPLE his journey to faith. (YouTube)
Suicidal and 'Deep in Sin,' Nickelodeon Star Reveals How He Found Faith
In 2004, former Nickelodeon teen star Kel Mitchell says his life was falling apart as his marriage to Tyisha Hampton was ending.
"I felt like I'd hit a wall," Mitchell, 37, told PEOPLE. "I was like, 'Okay. I need to figure out what I need to do in my life.'"
While dealing with his divorce, Mitchell says he had encountered a "confusion moment" in his life.
"I have been through so many ups and downs in my life," Mitchell wrote on hisblog. "Suicidal, divorce, drug and alcohol usage, deep in sin, dealing with the loss of loved ones to gang violence, debt, hurt, pain, vanity, lust, heartbreak, feeling LOST looking for answers."
At that time, the former star of Nickelodeon's All That says he decided to return to the faith he learned while growing up on the South Side of Chicago where his grandfather was a pastor.
"I was trying to figure it all out on my own. But what I needed to do was turn to Him," says Mitchell, who now stars in the new Nickelodeon sitcom GameShakers. "Once I found that clarity with Christ, I knew everything would work out."
Today, Mitchell says he's found "peace" thanks to God.
"I enjoy living this life," Mitchell says. "I don't let things frustrate or worry me anymore. I don't do that because I have peace in my heart. I have God."
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Prophecy: The Apostolic Mantle Is Coming on First Nations People
Native American churches like this one will be part of a great spiritual renewal. (Flickr )
In the Bible "firsts" are always sanctified or set apart by God. The Bible begins in Genesis, the book of beginnings or "firsts" of things, and then throughout His Word "firsts" continue to hold a special place with God.
The firstborn is blessed, first fruits are desired and first love is the term God uses to describe man's relationship with Him. It was during my recent trip to the Southwest that God showed me how much He honored "firsts" with His love for the First Nations people in America.
I was enjoying a great time of ministry in Arizona with my wife and son. We had taken some down time to relax and take in the sites. During our travels in the state, I shot some footage in Sedona and really felt a strong stirring in my spirit about the Father's prophetic plans for that part of the country.
Traveling across the state to take in some canyon views, we pulled into a park that hosted several craft stands with Native American jewelry and other items. I walked over and was looking at all the beautiful pieces when something deep inside of me broke loose. It was like a dam releasing a rushing river. I was overtaken with a surge of love and intercession for the Native American people. I had to walk off by myself and begin to pray in the Spirit.
When we left that area what was happening on the inside of me did not leave. We traveled on to Williams, Arizona where I was scheduled to minister. It was during this meeting that we began to pray for the Native American population and First Nations people throughout the world. Again, I experienced a tremendous surge of the Father's love and His dreams for the people who have often been mistreated, misunderstood and overlooked.
Then the word of the Lord began to burst forth from my belly:
I am sending the apostolic into the Native American population to give the young men and women hope and dreams not from natural men but from the hand of God Himself, the ultimate Father."
The apostolic mandate and mantle is coming upon the Native American lands and the First Nations people. The reservations shall become revival zones. The Lord is raising up revival hubs in Native American lands. He's raising up places of power, apostolic destiny and glorious outpourings. I see Houses of Prayer being established upon the reservations. These are places that will host the presence of God and release intercession.
I see apostolic mothers and fathers being sent to the land to release dreams, destiny, strategy and apostolic DNA. There is a sending mantle and assignment coming forth in this hour for First Nations people.
This word bubbled up out of my spirit with such passion that it was evident God was speaking and proclaiming His love for these people. I had not studied or had much exposure to the Native Americans, nor heard much about First Nations people but this word was connecting me to these people.
Although this word was new to me, it was a validation of what God has been speaking. Jeremy Stands Overbull, pastor of Arrow Creek Christian Center in Pryor, Montana, and founder/director of Crow Awakening writes this ...
"I believe that the Crow Nation is being raised up to play an integral role in what God is going to do with the next great outpouring. It is our belief that America will never walk into the fullness of revival until Native America steps into their rightful place as the host people of this land. We are no strangers to revival. We have had several revival outbreaks that seemed to happen right before a revival in America. As of late, our tribe has been one of the only nations in the world to make public law proclaiming Jesus Christ is Lord over the Crow Nation. This law is significant because we have the right to govern our people without having outside influence from the United States Government. We believe this will be important because, as the laws in America will target churches and ministries and try to govern what they say, ministries and churches on native reservations will be able to freely preach a true gospel without threat or interference from the government. We believe there is about to be a shift, with reservations becoming revival outpost pockets throughout the United States." —Jeremy Stands Overbull
I see and hear in the Spirit prophetic sounds coming forth from the reservations and First Nation lands. There is a new breed of Native American warriors and Davidic minstrels coming forth. I see a movement of musicians, intercessors and minstrels arising from the First Nations people. There are sounds that will release the glory of God over the land.
It is a new era in worship in the territory! This is a now moment for worship to arise. There are Davids tucked away in the wilderness with a sound of desperation that will burst forth releasing captives and bringing forth glory.
Dr. Billy Graham was quoted as saying that the greatest moments of Native history lie ahead of us if a great spiritual renewal and awakening should take place. He went on to say that the Native Americans have been a sleeping giant and that the original Americans could become the evangelists who will help win America for Christ! Remember these forgotten people.
This is a call in the Spirit for prayer! God is releasing a burden in the hearts of people to begin to pray for the Native American people and First Nations people around the world. He wants His light to shine forth upon them and within them. I call forth intercession now to partner with heaven's heart towards these precious people. There is a birthing in prayer that will bring forth the fruit of this word.
There is an urgent call in the Spirit for apostolic fathers and mothers to go and sow into the reservations! This is key to what God is saying. It is going to take divine partnership and a tearing down of walls that would try to separate. It is also going to take a strong apostolic thrust. Hear the call, heed the call and go forth! There is a David call for young Native American and First Nation men and women to arise with dreams, vision and unity to give birth to revival hubs minis-tries, houses of prayer and outpouring meetings. The favor of the Lord is coming upon those who will step out and do what Abba is putting in their heart.
"When the poor and needy seek water, and there is none, and their tongues fail for thirst, I, the Lord, will hear them, I, the God of Israel, will not forsake them. I will open rivers in high places, and fountains in the midst of the valleys; I will make the wilderness a pool of water, and the dry land springs of water.I will plant in the wilderness the cedar, the acacia, the myrtle, and the olive tree; I will set in the desert the fir tree, and the pine, and the box tree together" (Is. 41:17-19).
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1 Big Reason Spiritual People Are Leaving Churches
Spirit-filled people are leaving churches for this one reason. (Flickr)
"And my speech and my preaching were not with persuasive words of human wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power, that your faith should not be in the wisdom of men but in the power of God" (1 Cor. 2:4-5).
A solid and stable friend of mine has left three churches in the last decade. She attended all of them for a period of time and then left.
In the first church, the pastor stopped having guest ministers in and the church began to dry up.
In the second church, there was a small stirring of the Spirit for awhile, but then the church turned to the seeker friendly philosophy and tongues were confined to the back room.
In the third church, again it was alright for some time, but then the leadership began to move in a different direction and incorporate modern church growth principles and Madison Avenue tactics that grieved the Holy Spirit, and everything changed. Soon greasy doctrines slid into the church. She had no choice but to leave again.
To those really seeking to encounter God, soon the fancy stage, the bright lights, the cool bands, and the video screens, just become white noise to them. They want Spirit and fire.
There was a season in Catherine Booth's life, the wife of Salvation Army founder William Booth, where she visited different churches in her area "looking for burning words".
Smith Wigglesworth had a similar experience where the Spirit kept telling him to come out of dead works and dead churches. He continued to move with God throughout his entire life.
One day a youth leader made an appointment with his pastor to discuss the implementation of a new program for the young people. The pastor, a deeply spiritual man, listened patiently. After the young man finished talking, the pastor responded with these words: "Mom (his wife) and I have found over the years that prayer, the Word, and moving in the gifts of the Holy Spirit have always got the job done."
Think about these examples. The same thing is happening today. When pastors and church leaders fail to follow the plan of God some people leave because they are not being spiritually fed and fulfilled. Sometimes they cannot even articulate the reason they are leaving. They may tell you it's because of the music, or the preaching, or the youth and children's programs, but the underground reason may be because they are not encountering God any more.
I've read articles and exit polls about the many reasons people leave their churches, but most of them are surface reasons. They make it so complex and complicated causing more pastors and church leaders to continue re-hashing over the many ideas they could implement to increase their numbers. But is that what it's really about? The numbers? The Catholics have numbers; the Muslims have numbers; the Mormons have numbers. I would rather have 300 hungry-for-God people than 3,000 who want to be entertained.
Think about the many revivals throughout church history. Think about the ministers God has used to pioneer some of those revivals. It was the presence and power of God in these meetings and on these ministers that drew the people. Throughout history people have always craved the supernatural. I know that the local church also caters to people's natural lives and natural needs, and cannot be run like a revival. But the people also need continual renewals and re-fillings of the Holy Spirit.
If the presence and power of God are in manifestation and people still leave, what of it? Do you really want those kind of people in your church? Conversely, I know many spiritual people who are exiting their churches for lack of rain. They are not leaving due to offense or pride. They are not backsliding and leaving God, but they are leaving deadness, lightness, and superficiality. There is a cry in God's people for the waters of the Spirit and fresh new wine.
"My soul thirsts for You; my flesh longs for You in a dry and thirsty land where there is no water. So I have looked for You in the sanctuary, to see Your power and Your glory." (Ps. 63:2-3)
It is amazing what leaders can build and do without God, especially right here in America. But that doesn't mean that God's stamp of approval is on what you are building or doing. Divine power can only manifest when there is an end to self-sufficiency. If you become lukewarm and stop hungering and thirsting for the Spirit you will become a disappointment to God. I don't care how big of a building or how many people attend your church.
I love the local church. I love pastors who truly lay down their lives for the people they serve. I believe the local church to be the hope of the world. But God wants to move. He has a plan. He has a purpose. And if we don't line up with it He has no choice but to move where He finds His people and His leaders hungering for His presence and power.
I have a pastor friend who is leading a thriving church. The adults, the youth, and the children are on fire there. He has several guest speakers and at least two revivals every year. There is an expression in his church of a diversity of the Holy Spirit's ministries and manifestations that is rare today. He is a man of love and prayer and he listens to the Lord. By today's standards he is unconventional in that he refuses to compromise prayer, the Word, and the moving of the Holy Spirit and implement the newest church growth programs or the latest fads.
This church has constant revival because there is liberty in the Spirit for the Lord to do what He wants to do. This church is producing spiritual people and not clock watchers and time servers.
Pentecostal meetings use to be called the gate of heaven because of all the manifestations of the Spirit and power of God they had. Testimonies of changed lives were frequent. These churches were known for tongues and power. One of the big reasons we are not seeing the power and the glory of God in many of our churches today is because we don't pray in tongues long enough until the Holy Spirit can take hold with us and give birth to these things.
Oh, people of God! Oh, ministers of the Lord! May we come to the end of our own wisdom, strength, and sufficiency!
"Not that we are sufficient of ourselves to think of anything as being from ourselves, but our sufficiency is from God" (2 Cor. 3:5).
The apostle Paul was careful to place the focus of the people he ministered to on the power of God and not on the wisdom of men. He did not want to bring attention to his own persuasive words or enticing speech. He did not want people to place their confidence on man's ability, or charisma and personality. There was nothing in his ministry that was natural. With fear and trembling he sought to make Christ manifest everywhere he went.
Too many churches have lost the glory because their pastors and ministry leaders live too much in the natural. Get back in the Spirit. May we fall on our face and pray, and let the Spirit of God have His way.
Pockets of true revival are breaking out across America. Want to know more about the next great move of God? Click here to see Jennifer LeClaire's new book, featuring Dutch Sheets, Reinhard Bonnke, Jonathan Cahn, Billy Graham and others.
Bert M. Farias, revivalist and founder of Holy Fire Ministries, is the author of several books including The Real Spirit of Revival and the newly released My Son, My Son—a beautiful father-son memoir co-written with his son Daniel for the purpose of training up a holy generation. He ministers inter-denominationally and cross-culturally in nations, churches, conferences, crusades, on the streets, and in homes. He and his wife also host The Holy Ghost Forum—a school of the Spirit. Follow him at Bert Farias and Holy Fire Ministries on Facebook or @Bertfarias1 on Twitter.
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