ONECRY is a national call for Spiritual Awakening. It was birthed in the heart of Byron Paulus at a ReFRESH® Conference in Pigeon Forge. God gave Byron a clear, concise vision of what “could be” if pastors and laity across denominational lines were to cry out to God for a revival in our land.

As the Executive Director of Life Action Ministries, Byron is a part of one of the strongest ministries of revival in America. In the most recent issue of REVIVE Magazine, he says, “A repenting church will be a revived church.” I am convinced, more than ever, that we need revival.

The prophetic voices of days past are now in glory. The church is in need of a prophetic voice. I believe it is important for EVERY pastor, regardless of his spiritual gift, to speak with a “thus saith the Lord” voice. The church will not repent if we ignore sin in the church and the consequences of unconfessed sin.

The genius of the vision God gave Byron is that it crosses denominational lines. It is driven by one passion, one purpose—revival and awakening. This is not a Baptist, Methodist, or Pentecostal thing. It’s a God thing. I can see God’s hand all over it.

Have you signed up to be a part of this movement? I was at Life Action for their 40th anniversary banquet when this vision was rolled out. Sherwood Baptist has invested significantly in making this vision a reality by financial gifts and by ongoing prayer emphasis and support.

I was saved in the Jesus Movement. I was influenced as a young believer and minister by Dr. Vance Havner. Revival is in my DNA as a person and a pastor. I long to see it and do everything I can to talk to people on the subject of revival.

This may be our last and best hope. The cloud of blessing is moving off our land. God is moving in power in other parts of the world. Here, we seem to be content to be worldly Christians. I can’t accept that. Nor do I want to resign myself to defeat. I believe the Spirit of God still desires to see the American church return to first love.

It was my privilege to speak at the first ONECRY rally in Memphis in January. To see pastors, staff members, and laity gather to cry out to God for revival was encouraging.

In speaking of revival, Erwin Lutzer said, “Mired in a moral and spiritual crisis, America’s only hope is a national revival.” Tim Keller said, “Explosive reproduction happens only with revival.” Jim Cymbala noted, “All revivals down through history have begun by people saying, ‘God, we’re not satisfied with the status quo.'”

I was privileged to be part of a revival forum at First Baptist Church in Jacksonville, Florida, a few months ago. For two hours Bill Elliff, Jim Cymbala, Erwin Lutzer, Byron Paulus, and I shared about revival and our hope for a  God-sized movement among the people of God.

If you are a pastor, I encourage you to visit www.ONECRY.com/Pastors to get more information. I encourage you to get involved. Pray about what God would have you do. Partner with others in praying for revival. Plead with heaven to send revival to our land.

Millions in America think the answer is in the upcoming election. Although I believe we should be engaged in the elections, I do not believe elections are the cure for what is wrong with America. The cure is in confession, repentance, and crying out to God in desperation.

One goal of ONECRY is for pastors to preach on revival and awakening during the month of September. The hope is that a pastor will preach one message or a series of messages on revival.

If you are attending the Southern Baptist Convention in New Orleans next week, I would encourage you to prioritize your time to attend the Revival Forum on Tuesday at lunch. You can find more details on the Life Action website. The forum will include Sammy Tippett, Byron Paulus, Tom Elliff, and others. I will again have the privilege of sitting in on that panel with men who have a heart for revival.

I would also encourage you to subscribe to Life Action’s REVIVE Magazine. There is now an iPad app so you can download the magazine and get additional resources like videos, slideshows, and more.

I do not believe one message will be sufficient to arouse an apathetic, carnal church. We need to drive this message home. For this reason, I am preaching two series in the coming months. One based on 2 Chronicles 7:14 and the other based on the book of Judges.

In August, we will host our annual ReFRESH® Conference in Albany, and our theme is PURITY AND POWER. It is my prayer that we will have seen the hand of God move in our midst prior to the conference. If not, I choose to keep pressing this message down the court until I see a glimpse of what God has done in past awakenings. If not today, maybe tomorrow. Until then, I’m praying, planning, preaching, and preparing for God to do a mighty work.

Will you join me? Let’s offer up ONE CRY to God for a wind of the Spirit to blow across our land.

Pray for it.

Believe God for it.

Preach for repentance.

Pray for altars filled with repenters.

Pray for holy boldness among church leaders to stand for truth.

Pray for God to raise up a remnant army of intercessors.

Pray for God to sweep through our colleges and universities this fall with a student led revival.