KANSAS CITY'S "LOST" REVIVAL-by Andrew Strom.---------------------Why we shifted our family (-six children) and our entire ministry from New Zealand to Kansas City in 2004.-Why I have carried a burden for Kansas City for over ten years - from the other side of the world.-Why I believe that Kansas City is the key city for Revival in America.-Why KC's Revival cannot be allowed to be "lost".--------------------A lot of Christians do not seem to realize how much America owes to the great Awakenings and Revivals that God has sent at regular intervals for the past 250 years. Most seem to think it is the "Constitution" that has made America what she is. But I tell you, if it weren't for the sweeping Revivals that God has sent again and again, then it is possible America would only be a fraction of the nation she is today. Spiritually, those Awakenings brought the people back to God, time and time again - before it was too late. They were Revivals of deep repentance and turning from sin. Yet even now, the devil is at work to destroy everything that remains. I have studied Revival history for many years, but it only dawned on me recently:- There is a 50-YEAR PATTERN to these Awakenings that God has been sending to America. Do you realize that roughly every 50 years, GOING BACK CENTURIES, a massive Revival has hit the USA? This is almost unique in history. Do you realize what would happen if the devil managed to stop this pattern occurring? It would be a disaster of colossal proportions. And guess what?- The next Awakening is due right now. It has been 50 years since the last one and the "window" is opening again. But I have to ask the question:- Is the church in America ready? For many years, the whole theme of my ministry has been Revival, Repentance and Prayer. But I have to say that I have never come across a place that has more CONFIRMED prophecies of Revival over it than Kansas City. There are many places that have grand prophecies over them, but I am talking here about CONFIRMED promises from God. To me, these are so strong over KC that I have staked my entire family's future, and shifted half way around the world to be here. That is how strongly I believe these things. I am convinced that Kansas City is UTTERLY CRUCIAL to God's plan for the next Great Awakening. In fact, without her I believe that all may be lost. And yet as things stand right now, this Revival seems to have been largely de-railed. The agonized cry of my heart for the last ten years has been - "This move CANNOT be allowed to be lost". I had no idea when God would ever allow us personally to come to KC, but I carried this burden for years. I could not help it. When you understand the history of what happened here, I think you will see why. I hope you find the below history enlightening: KANSAS CITY'S "LOST" REVIVALA lot of people have heard of the 'Kansas City prophets', though some may have a rather negative reaction to that phrase. People associate something unsavory with it. But the origins of that movement are far from unsavory. In fact, I believe that God wanted to do something very powerful in Kansas City that has now been "lost" for over a decade. I believe that ultimately He wanted to raise up "John-the-Baptist" type preachers - the 'Charles Finneys' and Jonathan Edwards of today's generation. (-For God has used such 'prophetic' preachers in every Revival). But sadly, it seems that the Kansas City movement spun apart before these "John-the-Baptists" could arise. Here is what happened: In late 1982 a young preacher by the name of Mike Bickle shifted to Kansas City to begin a work here following several powerful prophecies that he should do so. (-He had been pastoring in St. Louis up to this point). Today Mike is a well-known Christian author, speaker and founder of the 'International House of Prayer' in KC. But back in 1982 he was simply an unknown 27-year-old pastor and intercessor who commonly spent several hours a day in prayer. Just before arriving in Kansas City he had had the most powerful visitation from God that he had ever experienced, where a holy presence filled the room and he heard what he described as "the audible voice of God". He was literally trembling under the fear of the Lord. He had never experienced anything like it in his life. During this visitation God told him that there would be "four standards" upon which the work in Kansas City was to be built. These were: (1) Night and day prayer; (2) Holiness of heart; (3) Unwavering faith; and (4) Extravagant giving to the poor. He was also told that this work would "touch the ends of the earth" but that he must guard against those who would try to "tone it down" in any way. The Lord also placed a very strong emphasis on one particular statement that He made that day: "I am going to change the understanding and expression of Christianity IN THE EARTH in one generation." As you can imagine, Mike was stunned by this experience, and resolved to follow through on every aspect of what God had spoken to him. The story of what followed could be dismissed by skeptics as the most arrant fiction - except for the fact that it truly happened just as I am telling you. Please do not dismiss it. Everything I am relating here did actually happen, and there are plenty of witnesses still around to confirm the truth of what I am saying. It is a mind-boggling story. A friend of Mike's had discovered, while researching the early history of Kansas City, that the founding fathers had actually named her "The Prophetic City". And almost as soon as Mike began his meetings here, he found that a number of the 'prophetic' Christians in town felt compelled to join him. This was a little unnerving, as he had never been surrounded by such people before. Not long after his arrival, Mike had a dream in which an angel literally appeared to him and said: "Proclaim a fast - to pray night and day for Revival in the city and the nation. Five hundred people will gather. It will be like unto Daniel 9." (-Which is the passage that recounts Daniel's 21 days of prayer and fasting). Mike couldn't get the dream out of his head and the very next day one of the prophetic people that he had met said to him: "You had a dream last night in which an angel spoke to you, didn't you? I myself saw the same angel and he told me, 'Give the young man Daniel 9 and he will understand.'" Mike was utterly astonished that someone could tell him his own dream like that! The prophet went on to say: "500 people will gather. And to show you how important this gathering is in God's purposes, God will send a COMET, totally unpredicted by scientists, to show that this whole thing is of Him." Now, it is important to understand that Mike was a complete "nobody" at this point. He was new in town and his little church probably numbered less than 40 people. Who on earth was he to proclaim a fast and gather a multitude to pray for 21 days? Yet he knew that God had placed a calling on his life, and he decided to go ahead. The day chosen for the beginning of the fast was May 7th, 1983. To Mike's astonishment, over 500 people responded to the call! They prayed eighteen hours a day for 21 days, crying out to God for Revival. And not only that, but just as the prophecy had stated, right when the fast was beginning an unknown comet was suddenly reported - a comet passing so close to earth that it was easily visible to the naked eye for several days. It was absolutely amazing. (The Comet IRAS-Araki-Alcock made the closest known approach that a comet has made to Earth in the last 200 years - right then in early May 1983). I have to say, as someone who studies Revival, I have not come across ANY Revival movement in history that has had a more powerful beginning. This was just the start of a whole series of incredible events that showed that God was restoring the 'Prophetic' ministry to the church. In fact, I regard this as the founding of the modern Prophetic movement as we know it today. Some people have argued with me that there are several different "streams" of the Prophetic, and this is certainly true to a degree. There is 'MorningStar' and Bill Hamon's stream, for example. But it is very clear to me that the "foundations" of today's Prophetic movement, and the great explosion that we have seen in the Prophetic ministry over the last 20 years, stem directly back to Kansas City. This was the founding movement, the watershed-event that God used to kick-start the whole thing in modern times. And it was supposed to lead to all-out Revival. But sadly, about 8 years later, it all came apart in a terrible spiritual "train-wreck". I am not going to dwell on the reasons, or apportion blame in any particular direction. (By this time a number of well-known prophets had been involved for some years). But suffice it to say that there were some crucial mistakes made and things began to spin very badly out of control. The 'Kansas City prophets' (as they came to be called) ended up being featured in a very negative light in Charisma magazine (-with 'front cover' exposure) and a Kansas City pastor circulated a very damning report about them all over town. One of the prophets got involved in a quasi-sexual relationship with a woman, and others were simply asked to leave town. The whole 'prophetic' side of the ministry seemed to blow apart. (-This was around 1991). The prophets scattered everywhere. It truly was a disaster. Not just for the Prophetic movement, but for the Church as a whole. For I am convinced that what God wanted to raise up out of Kansas City was a prophetic voice to call the Laodicean church to repentance before it was too late (-particularly in America). That was the ultimate goal. (There were prophecies referring to this). But all that we are left with now is a hollow shell. And I am convinced that this "train-wreck" affected more than just Kansas City. I believe it greatly impacted the entire Prophetic movement for the worse. Ultimately, the Prophetic movement was not supposed to be just about 'revelatory' experiences or great dreams and visions. It was not supposed to be about selling books or holding conferences. It was supposed to bring a word that would shake the church out of her slumber - that would pierce her heart with 'godly sorrow' and deep repentance before it was too late. It was supposed to bring shaking and change. It was supposed to act as a 'John-the-Baptist' to the nation. That is what has very much been lost - I am convinced of it. What a tragedy. After 1991, Mike Bickle's church in Kansas City seemed to meander along for quite some time, wondering what to do with itself. (-It was quite a big church by this stage). Eventually Mike left pastoring to concentrate on raising up a 24-hour prayer center in the city. This has been a huge success, and you have to commend Mike for at least resurrecting something out of the mess, and fulfilling one of the original "four standards" - ie. Night and day prayer. But as for the 'prophetic' side of things, little of it truly remains. So much has been lost. I am personally convinced, however, that the Prophetic mandate over Kansas City has never been rescinded - and that the original calling still remains. When I am preaching in Kansas City I tell them this very thing. I believe it very strongly. In fact, for ten years now I have had such a burden to see KC come into her promises and fulfill her calling. Until 2003 I had never even visited the place, as I was living thousands of miles away at the "ends of the earth" in New Zealand. But the vital importance of Kansas City haunts me even now, and I am unable to let her go. There is a great move of God hanging over the city that I do not believe has been "aborted" but more "suspended". It has been left hanging. And time is running out. It is probably the most prayed-for city in America. But there is still a terrible danger that all may be lost. I literally cannot stand the thought of it. All those years of prayer by so many people. All those confirming signs. Such a promising move. What a victory for the devil if he can keep it from happening. It simply cannot be allowed. And the most serious aspect of all is this: -What happens to America if her 'Prophetic city' is lost? What if the church never hears the 'voice' that was supposed to rouse her from her slumber? Will she awaken in time or will she lose her Revival?... As of this date, these questions remain unanswered. All we can do is keep preaching and praying until the new 'John-the-Baptists' arise. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Today, Andrew Strom has an itinerant ministry based in Kansas City. Here is his email to contact him:prophetic@revivalschool.com
