God is working to break down barriers
A wonderful and unexpected change has been occurring to the Cry for Awakening monthly prayer gathering. God is bringing diversity and a strong bond with the urban church. In the beginning of Cry for Awakening was for the most part, suburban white churches (with some important exceptions - Good Will Rescue Mission and Bethany Evangelical Free). Initially we began with 9 churches and the Mission as partners in the monthly prayer meeting. Participation of all 10 was inconsistent, but a committed core emerged. Prayer is a challenge, one which Jesus anticipated. He was very explicit on this matter by telling us in no uncertain terms we were to learn to pray and not to give up. (Luke 18:1) There is a simple reason for that - giving up is pretty easy to do.
But God has been faithful and He has begun to change the tenor of this montly gathering. The three newest churches to participate are all African-American congregations. This is something that has been on the heart of Lamb of God for years. It has always been on my heart, and the hearts of many in Lamb to see a deeper connection to diverse congregations in this area. Little did I know that prayer that would be the best way to bring this connection about. What planning and talking could never do, God, by means of praying together, is doing.
This past Wednesday night (June 13th) was a joyous and powerful time together in intercession with members and pastors from West Essex Baptist, Calvary Evangelical Free, Living Waters, Joy Community, InterVarsity, Bethany E. Free, Good Will Rescue Mission and Lamb of God Fellowship. I was tremendously encouraged by the diversity of ages - from 80 to babies. At one point some of the vintage sisters from Living Water picked up the flags and began to wave them in worship. It was so edifying to see young and old, black and white, hispanic, and asian worshipping and seeking the Lord together. There were moments in the meeting where we just broke through… and really began to experience our oneness in Jesus. It felt like one church!
I believe that this is only the beginning of a change which will accelerate in months to come. God is knitting his quilt, the way He wants it. Next month (July 11th) our meeting will be at Good Will Rescue Mission. Think about it… we will gather together in thrift store (its a warehouse large enough for our prayer meeting), and standing along side the men of the Mission, and all these other churches we will cry out together for awakening, our first time as Cry for Awakening in the city of Newark.
I am learning that building a network of praying churches is spiritual work that must be done with spiritual means. My natural inclination is to want to persuade, or to convince others that they need to be part of this. However, the Lord has frequently brought this parable to mind: Luke 14:
I have invited a dozen or more pastors and their churches to attend Cry for Awakening who have not responded. There are at least another six or so that have come a few times but have not committed themselves to consistency. From those numbers you might conclude I’m not too convincing of the necessity of revival and its relationship to unified corporate prayer. I want to tell you it is so tempting to be judgmental or even despairing at the lack of urgency that most pastors seem to have regarding prayer. And then I remember… it wasn’t that long ago that I was unresponsive to these matters. Do I think I’m somehow special because I now have this burden for intercessory prayer? Father, forgive me for not always seeing that even the work of pre-revival prayer is just as much a work of Your Spirit as revival itself.
I know that something is coming. I am confident, not because of anything I see in myself, but in God’s promises and his faithfulness to respond to the cries of his people. By the rivers of Babylon, where we sat down and their we wept when we remembered Zion. We wondered “how can we sing King David’s songs in a strange land?” But God is teaching us to sing, pray and believe that a new day is coming - a day of new wine, and a day of latter rain. Blessed be the name of the Lord.
If you were there, why not leave a comment about the meeting?
June 20th, 2007 at 10:24 pm
Our last few meetings have been particularly sweet, often when we were expecting prayer to be particularly difficult work. Living Waters has brought a joy, a depth, a spirit of submission and supplication that has truly renewed our hoped that God will do something among us that we cannot do for ourselves. Our most recent meeting had a freedom and a rootedness that I have rarely experienced. Two years of praying together has done someting, by God’s grace, to break us down, to teach us, to sift us, and I desire so much more, no matter what the cost.
June 21st, 2007 at 1:18 pm
I very much enjoyed and was moved by the most recent Cry for Awakening. I think that we had a great time of prayer and worship, and not just because I was doing the power point! I am really looking forward to the meeting at the goodwill rescue mission.