Disappointing event cancellation : Discuss the coming revival in Detroit : A revelation driven revival command center?
“God forgive us for building kingdoms of man on doctrines of demons in Your name.”- More on this in a moment.
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On a personal level, I’m at peace and confident that revival will not be stopped in Detroit. But, in my spirit I have a holy agitation. An anger toward any demonic strategy against a move of God in this city.
Jay Leno packed out The Palace for two free events recently in Auburn Hills. A secular event with little if any eternal value whatsoever drew people by the thousands.
The youth explosion at The Palace that was scheduled for July 22nd was cancelled due to a lack of church participation. What?! It feels like we had a match in our hand that would be a key igniter of revival and we just threw it aside.
The event was to take place on a Wednesday. Is it possible that churches were reluctant to supporting something that would compete with their own Wednesday evening services? If so, Detroit, we have a problem.
It’s sad and confounding when I hear about churches that embrace a competitive disposition with other churches or ministries. This mindset must be corrected immediately if we have any hopes of city transformation. No longer can we coach people in our churches to avoid other churches and ministries so we can keep them in our own pews.
I’ve been writing my upcoming book Pharaoh in the Church recently, and I feel this message absolutely must get out sooner than later. As leaders, we must have open hands & encourage people to follow the cloud of God’s activity in our city.
This means that much of what the body of the city church is called to participate in may or may not take place within our four man-made walls.
Brian Ming wrote a line in a worship song that should rock us to our core:
God forgive us for building kingdoms of man on doctrines of demons in Your name.
Ahhhh! Wow. This is the theme of the book Pharaoh in the Church. Are we intentionally separating ourselves from the city church? Are we more focused on building our systems and programs at the expense of the city strategy?
A disclaimer: I’m not proposing that the body abdicate their responsibilities to the local church and their local leadership. My book Covens in the Church deals with that directly. However, while the body must be in position and submitted to leadership, leaders must lead with open hands into the the place that God is drawing them.
When revival breaks out, many church buildings will be empty and many others will be packed. Will we participate even if our church is one that is emptied?
I was so encouraged last year when I attended a Sunday morning multi-church gathering in a park in Eastpointe. Several churches cancelled their Sunday morning services and gathered together under a large pavilion and worshiped God together. No worries about how to receive that week’s tithe, no concern about competing ministries. It was a declaration of city unity. It worked so well that they did it again this year.
I can now only imagine what type of fire that would have been lit in thousands of young people at The Palace. We can only ponder the potential of scores of church leaders having a visitation on their face in an atmosphere of burning.
As I’ve considered the causes of all of this, I wonder if intercession was insufficient. Very probably. Is God going to work something powerful through this lesson? I actually think so. I feel a very strong stirring and anointing even as I think about that. We must pray now for that next strategy to come together.
I’ll be meeting with the amazing organizer of the youth explosion to compare notes and see what might come out of all of this. I would love to see
twelve hours of prayer, worship, prophecy, declarations and Leonard Ravenhill style preaching with Holy Spirit unction! We must have a call to holiness, to unity, to preparation for revival in Detroit!
If this is to happen, church leaders, we must be ready to release our people. We must be leading the way. We have to renounce any concern over financial loss. We can’t worry about losing our reputations or our jobs if our programs are failing. We have to hear God’s voice, join the city church, lead arm in arm with other prayer-driven leaders and position ourselves for a sudden move from Heaven.
I am believing that a very strategic burning will take place at the International House of Prayer East from March 24-31. Everybody is invited to get burned at no cost (no financial cost, that is!) during the evening sessions of “The Intensive” at 7pm each night.
If you know of other revival focused events in the city, please leave your comments.
Please be in prayer with me about next steps. I have a strong sense that a ‘fireplace’ of extreme revival focus may need to be developed. A place where the fire is ignited and facilitated with wisdom. A revival command center. A war room where city strategies are organized and implemented. Revelation driven revival central.
We’re also considering a similar launch in Colorado Springs, so we need precise revelation on all of this. We’re in the slightly nebulous phase right now as we’re seeking God for clarity.
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7 Responses to “Disappointing event cancellation : Discuss the coming revival in Detroit : A revelation driven revival command center?”
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We are praying for you and your family, John, back at RHOP in Manitou Springs. I greatly appreciate your boldness in speaking the truth about how the people of God need to adjust themselves positionally and any “unkingdom-like” mindsets. There is certainly no room for any other kingdom-building other than the Lord's in this move of God we are presently in. The line has been drawn. The Lord will not inhabit these other kingdoms, and without His Presence, they are utterly pointless and futile, at best, deceptive and misleading and a gross misrepresentation of the King, worst case scenario. We appreciate you pointing the body of Christ towards the more excellent way. May the blessings, covering and counsel of the Lord go with you.
We are praying for you and your family, John, back at RHOP in Manitou Springs. I greatly appreciate your boldness in speaking the truth about how the people of God need to adjust themselves positionally and any “unkingdom-like” mindsets. There is certainly no room for any other kingdom-building other than the Lord's in this move of God we are presently in. The line has been drawn. The Lord will not inhabit these other kingdoms, and without His Presence, they are utterly pointless and futile, at best, deceptive and misleading and a gross misrepresentation of the King, worst case scenario. We appreciate you pointing the body of Christ towards the more excellent way. May the blessings, covering and counsel of the Lord go with you.
We are praying for you and your family, John, back at RHOP in Manitou Springs. I greatly appreciate your boldness in speaking the truth about how the people of God need to adjust themselves positionally and any “unkingdom-like” mindsets. There is certainly no room for any other kingdom-building other than the Lord's in this move of God we are presently in. The line has been drawn. The Lord will not inhabit these other kingdoms, and without His Presence, they are utterly pointless and futile, at best, deceptive and misleading and a gross misrepresentation of the King, worst case scenario. We appreciate you pointing the body of Christ towards the more excellent way. May the blessings, covering and counsel of the Lord go with you.
John;
I am sorry that your revival for the youth was not achieved…yet.
As a veteran of Detroit ( can you believe I lived there 10 times – yes two generations with GM), I realize that a great struggle with the enemy is there. It has been like that (and worse) for at least half a century.
Unfortunately, churches do respond first to offerings. It is only human to perceive the economic threat there as a real threat. It is only the trick of the enemy. Detroit needed cleaning up, and that will happen as GM departs. God will prevail there and everywhere. It is the faithful that persevere to do His work that will walk the narrow path.
I can relate to the frustration of missions for Him that seem unfulfilled. Yet, your work will not come back void. You have my email if you need it. God bless you for your faithfulness. May you find the strength and courage to continue to fight for Him in the way you see Him leading.
God is faithful, and our timetable is not His timetable.
John;
I am sorry that your revival for the youth was not achieved…yet.
As a veteran of Detroit ( can you believe I lived there 10 times – yes two generations with GM), I realize that a great struggle with the enemy is there. It has been like that (and worse) for at least half a century.
Unfortunately, churches do respond first to offerings. It is only human to perceive the economic threat there as a real threat. It is only the trick of the enemy. Detroit needed cleaning up, and that will happen as GM departs. God will prevail there and everywhere. It is the faithful that persevere to do His work that will walk the narrow path.
I can relate to the frustration of missions for Him that seem unfulfilled. Yet, your work will not come back void. You have my email if you need it. God bless you for your faithfulness. May you find the strength and courage to continue to fight for Him in the way you see Him leading.
God is faithful, and our timetable is not His timetable.
John;
I am sorry that your revival for the youth was not achieved…yet.
As a veteran of Detroit ( can you believe I lived there 10 times – yes two generations with GM), I realize that a great struggle with the enemy is there. It has been like that (and worse) for at least half a century.
Unfortunately, churches do respond first to offerings. It is only human to perceive the economic threat there as a real threat. It is only the trick of the enemy. Detroit needed cleaning up, and that will happen as GM departs. God will prevail there and everywhere. It is the faithful that persevere to do His work that will walk the narrow path.
I can relate to the frustration of missions for Him that seem unfulfilled. Yet, your work will not come back void. You have my email if you need it. God bless you for your faithfulness. May you find the strength and courage to continue to fight for Him in the way you see Him leading.
God is faithful, and our timetable is not His timetable.