The Solemn Assembly

 Put on sackcloth, O priests, and mourn; wail, you who minister before the altar. Come, spend the night in sackcloth, you who minister before my God; for the grain offerings and drink offerings are withheld from the house of your God.  Declare a holy fast; call a sacred assembly. Summon the elders and all who live in the land to the house of the LORD your God, and cry out to the LORD.  Alas for that day! For the day of the LORD is near; it will come like destruction from the Almighty. Joel 1:13-15

In two days Austin Christian Fellowship is having a solemn assembly similar to that described by the prophet Joel above. We’ve cancelled all three of our regular weekend services and are having 1 event for all ACF men, women at children at Hill Country Bible Church at 2:30. The special service will include worship, prayer, a season of confession led by the ACF elders, an appeal on behalf of the next generation, and a call to repentance and turning back to God.

Will you please pray for us? Many in our congregation are praying and fasting for this event. And other believers all over the city have joined us by fasting and praying with us. Will you join in by praying and/or fasting for this event sometime between now and Sunday?

Here’s what we’re praying for:

1. Brokenness. We are not broken of our sin and over the overall condition of our culture. There’s no grieving over the wrecked families and lives that sin destroys. Brokenness is a gift, and we’re praying for God to grace us with it this weekend.

2. Pray that God starts a work in us that spreads well beyond us. I have heard from pastors all over the country that they may not be far behind us in calling their respective congregations to solemn assemblies. True revival is always sparked by strong seasons of brokenness, confession and repentance. It’s also contagious. If God were to bless ACF this weekend with an outpouring of his Spirit that forever changes the landscape of our church, that outpouring would no doubt spread to other Christians and churches in our city, state and even country. Will you pray for that?

My personal belief is that only a sweeping revival that begins in God’s Church can delay and/or even prevent the inevitable judgement of God that is coming to America. No nation mentioned in the Bible nor witnessed in history was able to escape the judgement of God when they acted like we are acting now. We are not exempt. As Paul reminded the Roman believers:  So do not become proud, but fear.  For if God did not spare the natural branches (Israel), neither will he spare you, Romans 11:20-21.

Pray with me. Let’s believe God together for a sweeping movement of his Spirit that restores purity to his Church, passion to his people, and thus the promise of hope and a future to our nation.