Embracing Revival: A Journey of Faith and Service

 

Summary

The journey of faith is often marked by moments of wandering and return, as well as the call to serve in ways we might never have imagined. My own path began in a Christian home, where I accepted Christ at a young age. However, like many, I strayed during my college years, only to be drawn back by God's grace. This return ignited a calling to ministry, leading me through various roles until I became the senior pastor of our church 22 years ago. This journey has been anything but boring, filled with abundant life and purpose.

Our church's mission has been deeply rooted in the desire for revival, particularly in the St. Croix River Valley. This vision was affirmed by a prophecy from 1948, which spoke of a revival that would bring miracles, restoration, and an unending outpouring of God's power. This prophecy has fueled our prayers and actions, leading us to plant churches and seek God's movement in our region.

In 2017, a pivotal moment occurred during a church planting training session. Despite my initial reluctance, I was challenged by the idea that a healthy church should plant a new church every two years. This challenge resonated with me, especially after witnessing rapid church growth in other parts of the world. It was then that God impressed upon me the vision to plant 24 churches in 10 years. This daunting task seemed impossible, but God reminded me that our role was to prepare for revival, not to start it.

Since then, we've been committed to prayer and action, establishing the River Valley Fellowship of Ministries to support this vision. Over the past seven years, we've planted seven churches and adopted three more, building a foundation for even faster growth. Our efforts have been bolstered by a vibrant internship program, which has brought young leaders from around the world to join our mission.

The revival we longed for is already unfolding, with lives and marriages being restored. Our church community is actively engaged, from an 80-year-old woman praying for new church locations to a 13-year-old learning to support our tech needs. This movement is a testament to the power of vision and obedience to God's call. We are reminded that God's plans are vast and require our participation, regardless of age or perceived qualification.

Key Takeaways:

1. The Journey of Faith and Calling: Our spiritual journey often involves periods of wandering and return, but God's grace is always present to guide us back to our calling. Embracing this journey can lead to a life of purpose and abundant service. [04:19]

2. The Power of Prophecy and Prayer: Prophecies can serve as powerful motivators for prayer and action. The 1948 prophecy for the St. Croix River Valley has been a catalyst for our church's mission, reminding us that revival is both a promise and a responsibility. [08:41]

3. Vision and Obedience in Church Planting: The call to plant 24 churches in 10 years seemed impossible, but obedience to God's vision has led to remarkable growth. This journey underscores the importance of preparing for revival and trusting in God's timing. [10:03]

4. Empowering the Next Generation: Our internship program has been instrumental in raising new leaders, demonstrating that preparation and mentorship are key to sustaining church growth. Young people from diverse backgrounds are stepping into roles of leadership and service. [14:23]

5. Revival is Here and Now: Revival is not a distant event but a present reality. Lives are being transformed, and communities are being revitalized as we actively participate in God's work. This movement invites everyone to engage, regardless of age or experience. [17:06]

Youtube Chapters:

- [00:00] - Welcome
- [02:00] - Personal Faith Journey
- [04:19] - Rediscovering the Call
- [06:30] - Prophecy and Revival
- [08:41] - Vision for Church Planting
- [10:03] - The Role of Prayer
- [12:17] - Establishing RVFM
- [14:23] - Internship Program
- [16:00] - Current Church Growth
- [17:06] - Experiencing Revival
- [20:13] - Engaging the Community
- [22:00] - Empowering All Ages
- [25:04] - Prayer for the Discouraged
- [26:47] - Encouragement for the Unqualified

Study Guide

### Bible Study Discussion Guide

#### Bible Reading
1. Acts 1:8 - "But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth."
2. Matthew 28:19-20 - "Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age."
3. Isaiah 55:11 - "So is my word that goes out from my mouth: It will not return to me empty, but will accomplish what I desire and achieve the purpose for which I sent it."

#### Observation Questions
1. What was the prophecy given in 1948 about the St. Croix River Valley, and how has it influenced the church's mission? [04:19]
2. How did the pastor's experience at the church planting training in 2017 change his perspective on church planting? [08:41]
3. What role does the River Valley Fellowship of Ministries (RVFM) play in the church's vision for planting 24 churches in 10 years? [12:17]
4. How has the internship program contributed to the church's mission and growth? [14:23]

#### Interpretation Questions
1. How does the prophecy from 1948 serve as a motivator for the church's mission, and what does it reveal about the power of prophecy in guiding church actions? [04:19]
2. In what ways does the pastor's journey of faith illustrate the concept of wandering and return, and how does this relate to the idea of calling in one's life? [04:19]
3. How does the church's commitment to prayer and action reflect the biblical principle of preparation for revival, as seen in Acts 1:8? [10:03]
4. What does the pastor's story about the 80-year-old woman and the 13-year-old boy reveal about the inclusivity of God's call to participate in His work? [20:13]

#### Application Questions
1. Reflect on a time when you felt distant from your faith. What steps did you take to return, and how did that experience shape your sense of calling? [04:19]
2. How can you incorporate the power of prayer and prophecy into your daily life to guide your actions and decisions? [08:41]
3. What practical steps can you take to support your church's vision for growth and revival, even if it seems daunting or beyond your current capabilities? [10:03]
4. Consider the role of mentorship and preparation in your spiritual journey. How can you actively seek or provide mentorship within your church community? [14:23]
5. How can you engage with people of all ages in your church to foster a sense of community and shared mission, as seen in the pastor's examples of the 80-year-old woman and the 13-year-old boy? [20:13]
6. Identify one area in your life where you feel unqualified to serve. How can you trust in God's provision and step into that role with confidence? [26:47]
7. What is one specific action you can take this week to participate in the ongoing revival within your church or community? [17:06]

Devotional

Day 1: Embracing the Journey of Faith
The journey of faith is a dynamic path marked by moments of wandering and return. It is a testament to God's unwavering grace that guides individuals back to their calling, even after periods of straying. This journey is not just about returning but also about embracing a life of purpose and service. Each step, whether forward or backward, is an opportunity to grow closer to God and to understand His plans for one's life. The journey of faith is a reminder that God's grace is always present, ready to lead us back to a path of abundant life and service. [04:19]

Hebrews 10:23-24 (ESV): "Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for he who promised is faithful. And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works."

Reflection: Think about a time when you felt distant from your faith. What steps can you take today to draw closer to God and embrace your spiritual journey anew?


Day 2: Prophecy as a Catalyst for Revival
Prophecies can serve as powerful motivators for both prayer and action. The prophecy from 1948 concerning the St. Croix River Valley has been a driving force for the church's mission, reminding believers that revival is both a promise and a responsibility. This prophecy has fueled the church's desire for revival, leading to actions such as planting churches and seeking God's movement in the region. It highlights the importance of being attentive to God's promises and being proactive in preparing for their fulfillment. [08:41]

Amos 3:7 (ESV): "For the Lord God does nothing without revealing his secret to his servants the prophets."

Reflection: Consider a promise or prophecy that has been significant in your life. How can you actively participate in its fulfillment through prayer and action today?


Day 3: Obedience in Church Planting
The vision to plant 24 churches in 10 years seemed daunting, yet obedience to God's call has led to remarkable growth. This journey underscores the importance of preparing for revival and trusting in God's timing. It is a reminder that while the task may seem impossible, God's plans are vast and require our participation. The church's commitment to this vision has resulted in the establishment of new churches and the growth of a vibrant community of believers. [10:03]

Isaiah 55:8-9 (ESV): "For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, declares the Lord. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts."

Reflection: What is one area in your life where you feel God is calling you to step out in faith? How can you take a step of obedience today, trusting in His timing and plan?


Day 4: Raising the Next Generation of Leaders
The church's internship program has been instrumental in raising new leaders, demonstrating that preparation and mentorship are key to sustaining church growth. Young people from diverse backgrounds are stepping into roles of leadership and service, contributing to the church's mission. This initiative highlights the importance of empowering the next generation and providing them with opportunities to grow and lead. It is a testament to the church's commitment to nurturing future leaders who will continue to advance God's kingdom. [14:23]

1 Timothy 4:12 (ESV): "Let no one despise you for your youth, but set the believers an example in speech, in conduct, in love, in faith, in purity."

Reflection: Who is a young person in your life that you can mentor or encourage in their faith journey? What specific action can you take this week to support their growth and development?


Day 5: Revival as a Present Reality
Revival is not a distant event but a present reality, as lives and communities are being transformed through active participation in God's work. The church's efforts have led to restored lives and revitalized communities, demonstrating the power of vision and obedience to God's call. This movement invites everyone to engage, regardless of age or experience, and to be part of the unfolding revival. It is a reminder that God's plans are vast and require the participation of all believers. [17:06]

Joel 2:28-29 (ESV): "And it shall come to pass afterward, that I will pour out my Spirit on all flesh; your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, your old men shall dream dreams, and your young men shall see visions. Even on the male and female servants in those days I will pour out my Spirit."

Reflection: How can you actively participate in the revival happening around you? What specific role can you play in your community to contribute to God's transformative work today?

Quotes

"I grew up in a Christian home, was saved when I was four years old, and lived for God, you know, all the way through school and high school and went to college and made some of the really dumb decisions that people do as a college student and walked away from the Lord for a number of years. But by his grace and mercy, and a really long story, came back to the Lord and knew from that day forward, I was called to the ministry, called to serve him however he wanted me to do that." [00:01:42]

"For the last previous 20 years before that, I had been praying for revival in our area. We had been praying with our youth groups, with our church. Our church has seen levels of revival. And I began to study it and pray that there would be an outpouring of God in our area. And what is your area for our audience? Yeah, so our area is from Solon Springs, Wisconsin to Prescott, Wisconsin. There's a river, it's called the St. Croix River. And it's 150 miles long." [00:03:41]

"Actively for revival in that region in that area and in 2004 we were praying for revival we were in a prayer meeting we were praying for revival and a woman that I did not know came up to me with a big smile on her face and and she said she goes it is so exciting that you're praying out the the the the valley prophecy for this area and I said ma 'am I don't know what you're talking about I don't know anything about a prophecy Wow and so she goes well I'll bring it to you and and basically the prophecy was given in 1948 and it was two different missionaries that did not know each other but an individual heard both prophecies wrote them down and what it said was just before Jesus returned that there would be an outpouring of God at the headwaters of the St. Croix River travel all the way down it and then a hundred miles in both directions Wow and that that revival would be full of miracles signs and wonders the power of God restoration of lives restoration of marriages and and it would continue until Jesus returned Wow and that's one of the things that just you know excites me so much is that you know you when you study revivals revival start and end and for a revival to not end is actually quite special." [00:04:19]

"When you came? And I didn't want to be there. We had planted two churches and then there had been a long break and I thought that part of my ministry was done. I came begrudgingly, I was not in a good mood, sat in the back. But the speaker said something that caught me. He said, a healthy church, any healthy church that's preaching the gospel of Jesus Christ, a healthy church should be able to plant a church every two years. Wow. Every two years? Every two years. And I just, it just, something went off in me and I raised my hand and I said, who? Who is doing it? And he kind of smiled and he goes, well, I don't know anybody in America, but he says, I know they do it all around the world in Africa and Asia and South America." [00:06:10]

"Of Europe and I had literally that year before watched six churches start in one year wow a church was in a certain area an individual walked to the next town because they didn't have a car they didn't have uh you know mass transportation witness to someone they got saved a church started there the oldest member oldest christian member of the church who the one who had been born again the longest became the pastor yeah somebody and and that church began to grow and then somebody from that church walked to the next town and and started and got somebody saved and it grew we watched six churches start in one year wow from that moment on god god just messed with me the rest of that training and at the very end um i was sitting ready to give my presentation of what i had learned in the class and the holy spirit spoke to me and he said he said i want you to plant 24 churches in 10 years and i was like what how in the world can anyone plant 24 churches in 10 years and sorry i get no no it still gets me every time i know the presence of." [00:07:10]

"And when whole cities get saved, and revivals, that has happened many times in the world and here in the U .S. during the Great Awakenings where whole cities would get saved. When that happens, there's not enough churches. There's not enough churches in a community, in an area. And a lot of where we are is rural. And so there's a lot of towns where there used to be a church. There used to be a community church or a country church. And then it just dissolved. Dissolved away to nothing. And our heart is to reemphasize churches back into those communities. And so we began doing that the first year. That was 2017. Through the whole year of 2017, we prayed. We started with prayer. Prayer, prayer, prayer. Exactly. Nothing happens without prayer. And we can do things in the natural, but if we want God to do something, he wants us to pray it out. He wants us to hear his voice." [00:09:01]

"Yes, amen, amen. And so, at the time, like I say, we had planted two churches previous to that, and so the pastors of those two churches and another gentleman who's an evangelist, we began to pray weekly, and over the next year, and since, and then in 2018, we planted our first church in this movement, in this part of God's plan. And then, also in 2018, to be able to handle that kind of growth, that kind of, you know, personnel, I mean, it was, it was, you know, 24 churches means 24 pastors, because that's the way we do it. Every church has its own pastor, its own worship team, its own youth pastor. Our goal is to train up the saints to do the work of the ministry, and we're training people up to be able to pastor these churches, to minister within them, and so on." [00:10:28]

"And to empower. And so we began RVFM, River Valley Fellowship of Ministries, in 2018. And from that time, now, flash forward seven years. So we are seven years into this vision. We have seven, I'm sorry, we have seven churches that we've planted, and we have three churches that we have adopted. And that was a part I never really knew about, understood, but God has definitely opened the door. There's so many churches that are aging out and waning, and it just, our heart breaks for that, because why start completely over when you already have a church that God has put there?" [00:11:23]

"Is to be able to come alongside of them and help them. And maybe we have a pastor that they need or a youth pastor who can do outreach and things like that. So that has become a part of what we're doing as well. So we have 10 churches currently, but also in that seven years, because some of the people in our church, and I know sometimes when I lay awake at night, I think about, well, we're seven years into a 10 -year vision and we're not even halfway there. And the Lord spoke to me one night. He said, what do you mean? He says, you now have the groundwork and you have the infrastructure to move faster. And that's exactly what we're experiencing is a quicker move." [00:12:57]

"Where we could only plant one church every couple of years, we're now as a group of churches, group of ministers who pray together weekly still. We have a prayer meeting. You were up and visited one week and there can be anywhere between 15 and 30 people in those prayer meetings now praying for revival, praying for these churches and ministers. We can start doing it systematically faster because we have the resources, we have the manpower. And then one of the coolest things that's happened, which we would have never been able to script, was through a relationship with a Bible school." [00:13:41]

"Absolutely. Yeah. Hallelujah. Father God, I lift up anyone who's discouraged, anyone who's been hurt, anyone who's been, who's bored and is looking for more in you. Father, I thank you that your word says that no eye has seen, no ear has heard, no mind has conceived what you have planned for those who love you. And I thank you, Lord, that applies to everyone. Everyone that hears this, everyone that sees this, everyone who sees it in the word. It applies to them. And I thank you, that plan is so big, they can't do it alone. And so Father, I pray that for each person that they find that place that you've called them to plug into, that you've called them to be a part of, and that they become a part of the body of Christ again, and that they use the gifts and talents that you've given them. And I thank you, Lord, that you've allowed them to further the kingdom of God." [00:23:01]

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Transcript
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