God is stirring, not only evidenced in our services each week, but also in pockets and places all across our community. I am convinced that the time is now for pastors and churches and believers in this area to seek the Lord with fervency and passion, asking Him to rend the heavens and pour out revival and awakening in Southwest Georgia.
I’ve been part of prayer gatherings with local pastors, encouraging meetings where vision and unity are the theme – it’s like nothing I’ve seen in my nearly 27 years here. This fall could be a significant moment for our region. What if God showed up? What if we linked arm in arm as the Body of Christ for the sake of this place we call home? It could happen.
ReFRESH® is an integral part of who we are as a church, and this year I believe it’s a vital component of what God is doing in our midst. I want us to move beyond just getting here ourselves – I want us to encourage this congregation and beyond to seek God. Invite your friends and coworkers. Spread the message of your desire to see revival in Southwest Georgia. Pray and ask God to work beyond Sherwood and stir the Body of Christ as a whole in this community.
Here’s an idea of what’s in store so you can be prayed up and prepared for all that’s coming…
Mark Bearden will be here Sunday, September 11, to preach in our morning and evening services. He will help us understand the important link between our prayer preparation and God’s moving in our midst during ReFRESH®. This will also kick off our Week of Prayer, September 12-16, prior to the conference.The Worship Center will be open each day from 7:00 am – 7:00 pm to pray individually or in groups. We are encouraging Sunday School classes to choose a time slot and pray together as a class.
The ReFRESH® Conference is September 18-21. I’m excited to welcome Bob Bakke and Matt Lawson to the ReFRESH® team in Albany. The Lord used Bob and his messages in Boston last year to cut us to the quick and stir our hearts for what is possible when the church believes God for another powerful move of His Spirit. Matt, one of our church plant partners, will lead a youth rally on Sunday morning and will speak at SCA each day during the week. Mark Messick will be leading ReFRESH® for Kids Monday-Wednesday evenings for first through fifth graders. You can find a full schedule of events at www.albany.refreshconference.org.
On Friday, September 23, we are a host site for the CryOut! Prayer Simulcast for women. From 7:00-10:00 pm, thousands of women from around the country will gather for corporate prayer focused on five key areas: personal, families, churches, our nation, and the world. Each segment will feature a different leader(s) and will include Scripture reading, a short devotional focus, corporate interactive prayer, and worship. The evening will originate from the True Woman ’16 Conference in Indianapolis and will be hosted by Nancy DeMoss Wolgemuth and Bob Bakke. Ladies, please make plans to attend and invite other women in our community to join you! More details and info can be found at www.cryout16.com.
First Baptist Albany will be hosting a OneCry Conference the week following ReFRESH® (September 25-28). We want to support them and seek the Lord for revival and awakening together, particularly on Monday and Tuesday evenings that week at 6:30 pm. More details and info can be found at www.firstbaptistalbany.org/OneCry.
The opportunity is before us. We’re hearing countless stories of divine encounters and changed lives. It’s happening in our services and throughout this community each week. We can either make excuses and talk about it from the sidelines, or we can find where God is working and join Him there.
I’m joining Him…are you?