Elizabethtown, Pa Revival Report
June 12, 2006
THIS IS IT – A REAL BREAKTHROUGH HAS HAPPENED
In his heart a man plans (devises, plots) his course (journey), but the LORD determines (directs, prepares, establishes) his steps (goings.) Proverbs 16:9
A short report of the work that the Lord is doing among His people in Elizabethtown and the surrounding central Pennsylvania region.
During the third week of May, 2006 the Lord allowed us to have four days of a gathering with a number of congregations joining together each night. The theme of the gathering was “RETURN TO THE LORD.” The speaker was a little known prophetic evangelist from Ukraine named Jim McCann. As Jim outlined the messages of radical repentance and taking the standard of New Testament Christianity seriously, because the days are numbered for our nation, many hearts were turned upside down.
It wasn’t that Jim preached something dramatically new or unknown, it was that he declared something vaguely familiar with a piercing anointing and an authentic pure life to back it up.
By Saturday night Jim had called for a public repentance of the idols in our lives, and in the Church, and in our nation. We had a bonfire and burned, books, cds, dvds, and even symbolically smashed a TV. It was the real thing, deep searching, powerful conviction and total commitment that things would be different. This was all preparation for what was next.
By Sunday morning more churches were getting involved and aware something was going on very serious and deep. Two congregations joined the host church and had a joint service that Sunday morning. A powerful message on fighting for our next generation was released and a time of confession and repentance took place at the end of the service. Deep prayers of repentance for failing our youth by letting them have a watered-down Christianity and a lukewarm church came forth. The Sunday morning service didn’t end until 2:30 PM.
Then came the Sunday evening service with almost everyone returning from the morning service. This was a time of application. How were we going to live out this spirit of devotion and repentance? There were prayers for the five-fold ministry and anointing for all who would help lead the Church out of this place of complacency and compromise. This meeting went until 11:15PM
But it is the lasting fruit that is phenomenal. A great cleansing of the house of God is taking place. Elders are repenting of sin. Leaders are confronting long standing issues in their congregations. Many marriages were touched and healed. People dealt with things long forgotten. Fleshly habits have been dealt with like excessive TV watching, smoking for mature believers, taking computers and either getting passwords for protection of the filth of the Internet or simply getting rid of the whole computer.
There is an URGENCY, and a HUNGER that has never left us since that week of meetings. Jim McCann is back in Ukraine but the fire for genuine transformation burns powerfully. The local congregations that have been working together have joined up for a WEEKLY joint service of worship, prayer, and reinforcing the critical truths of revival.
Within two weeks of this gathering a joint prayer gathering was held on the Global Day of Prayer, this event brought together 22 churches for an evening of heart cry for the nations. God was present with His people. This was another first for our communitry in a long time.
It is a NEW DAY in CENTRAL PENNSYLVANIA. There are Charismatics, Mennonites, Christian Missionary Alliance, Brethren in Christ, Pentecostals, Church of God, and independent churches all working together. There are more battles to face – but there is a shared determination, as never before, not to return to the past days of division, powerlessness, compromise, lukewarm-ness, and little impact on the communities that we live.
We have all been purified deeply. The message of breaking up the fallow ground of compromising hearts has been released with power and identified as a key part of the work of transformation. The Lord has released a furtherance of His glorious work of reviving His Bride. We realize that we must continue to PLAN our journey, but the Lord will DIRECT our steps.
Praise God for all the cleansing, faith, and vision that is being released. These are things that have not been seen in over 24 years in our region. The seeds of genuine revival are beginning to produce fruit in our churches. And these seeds are producing a convicting, and purifying work of deep change of heart. Some are offended by this “negative” message, but more are edified by the GRACE that comes through radical obedience. Pray that the Church of Elizabethtown, and all of Central Pennsylvania would live the life and DO WHAT GOD IS CALLING HER TO DO.
Blessings,
Don Lamb
Partnership For Revival
508 Hess Road, Elizabethtown, PA 17022
717-367-0863
donnetlamb@earthlink.net
Location: Harrisburg Area, PA, United States
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