Francis Chan, Hillsong United, Pope Francis Will Pray for Revival This Saturday

sermonindex Jul 14, 2016

NEW YORK ”” Influential evangelical leaders throughout the U.S. will fly to Washington, D.C. this weekend to join a crowd of as many as 1 million Christians to pray and worship together for the nation.

Inspired by Nick Hall, founder of PULSE, "Together 2016" is a prayer and evangelism movement to empower the church and awaken the culture to Jesus. Americans are being urged to unite on the National Mall, July 16, to offer prayer that God will change the hearts of individuals and thus change the nation.

"It's a gathering for all people to come together under the banner of Jesus. The only agenda is Jesus," Hall told The Christian Post. "It's the church from all backgrounds ”” Lutherans, Catholics, Pentecostals. It's going to be worship, it's going to be prayer, and it's going to be lifting up Jesus and praying that He changes our hearts individually. We're talking about a reset in our lives and ultimately a reset in this generation. We really believe that there's a heart issue and that God wants our heart."

The college pastor came up with the radical idea of uniting pastors and Christian leaders from all denominational backgrounds to join 1 million people at the free event in hopes of inspiring true revival in America.

"We feel like throughout history and throughout Scripture when times get rough there's only one solution for people of faith and that's to call the people together," he said.

Hall spoke of past generations, dating back to biblical times, where the people of God gathered and prayed. He felt the need to spearhead this event because he maintained that this generation is in dark times and it has not had a gathering of this magnitude to pray.

"The Gathering is just about Jesus, there's a lot of gatherings for different causes but we really believe there's something about just dialing it back and saying, 'We need Jesus more than anything else' and [letting others know] that Jesus is for everyone and that Jesus changes everything," Hall continued.

T

TMK Jul 14, 2016

Amen?

sermonindex Jul 14, 2016

Hmmm. I wonder if the Muslims and the LBGT have been invited do this? For that matter what about the Mormons and the Jehovah Witnesses?

Just wondering. Since we got the Pope involved in this.

sermonindex Jul 14, 2016

Bro are you being cynical with your "amen".

sermonindex Jul 14, 2016

Uh saints am I missing something here? We have Francis Chan and the pope praying together for revival? We have evangelicals and Catholics coming together praying for revival?

Am I the only one in the forum that sees something wrong with this picture? I mean is this the same Francis who was reaching out to Hindis, Muslims, and the LBGT wanting to include everybody under one big world religion?

Will somebody please correct me if I'm wrong. But there is something wrong with this picture.

D

dolfan Jul 14, 2016

I am choosing to ignore the big and seek out the small. Protestant, Catholic, Pentecostal, whatever that calls itself Christian --- it just makes no sense to me about the bigness of events, names and gatherings.

Let's assume Pope Francis had the same sort of mind as Francis Schaeffer and that he's not Pope Francis. Doesn't help the situation: still big.

There is not a moment in American history where a publicized prayer event turned the course of men, hearts or circumstances. The big worship. The big names. The big men. Oh, God repent of us our bigness! "We are so big we HAVE to be heard, Lord!" "See us Lord? You HAVE to see us now! Look how many of us there are singing and praying and look who this is on the stage, Lord? The POPE is even involved, Lord. Do we not mean anything to you at all?!?"

No, my friends. I know our brother Blaine takes issue with this on the Catholic involvement. I don't disagree. But, it just seems to me that, even without that, this is a performance. Perhaps well intended on some level, so I won't be harsh. But I will be honest. This is not brokenness. This is bigness.

May I tell you what I would ask those who plan this? Did Dallas precipitate this? Are we now in a place where we are calling out to God because there is a frenzy in the nation? Would you even be doing this now over the sinfulness of the church if Dallas had not happened? Are you even doing this now over the sinfulness of the church? Or, are you simply driven by a sense of crisis? What are you praying FOR? What will you ask God to DO?

Brothers and sisters, I submit to you that I think this gathering is more symptomatic of our problem as the church than it is seeking God in truth to awaken her. I hope I'm wrong. But, I see branding and bragging and more of the same.

D

dolfan Jul 14, 2016

Replying to myself: :)

This event was planned farther back and I want to acknowledge that.

My assessment is even less hopeful, though. This is all part of the larger darkness of the American Evangelical church as a whole.

Dismantle the big. Unwind the web of success, prosperity and repent of what passes for Christianity in this country. That's something to get together for. As it looks, Together2016 may turn into Together2017 and 2018 and is just another conference with a slate of big names designed to get Christians to spend money on other Christians.

sermonindex Jul 14, 2016

Saints,

The reason I posted the event again was because of the title including the term "revival". This shows how mis-informed believers are towards the use of that word, when they "pray for revival" is the term I wanted to highlight. It is interesting that even catholics now are seeking to use the term. Strange days we are living in.

sermonindex Jul 14, 2016

Brother I do agree. I was looking at the Catholic involvement. But you also bring up the idea of size. In America we tend to think that bigger is better. Also associate some big names with it and God is going to bless it. I think this will be just another large evangelical extravaganza with no substance. A lot of noise but no power. Though there may be some brokenhearted saints praying at this gathering, I don't expect much to come from it.

Simply my thoughts bro.

sermonindex Jul 14, 2016

Brother I would so agree. Strange days we are living in. Catholics praying for revival??? Being a little cynical I would have to ask what are they praying to revive???

I guess next we will see prayer events with Muslims and Mormons and Jehovah Witnesses praying for revival.

Okay enough cynicism. :-) But then brother I wonder with the deception that's going around???

Brother Blaine

T

TMK Jul 14, 2016

Matthew 7:1, 3 "Don’t criticise people, and you will not be criticised. For you will be judged by the way you criticise others, and the measure you give will be the measure you receive.” "Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother’s eye and fail to notice the plank in your own? How can you say to your brother, ‘Let me get the speck out of your eye’, when there is a plank in your own? You fraud! Take the plank out of your own eye first, and then you can see clearly enough to remove your brother’s speck of dust.”

Read the description of the event again. Taking it at face value what is wrong with it? What, alternatively, should they be praying for? Why always think the worst of people and cast doubt on their motives?

R

RogerB Jul 14, 2016

I read it's about unity. I see the Vatican as wanting the Christian believers to be reconciled, to come back home.

Pope Francis recently gave a speech and in it he mentioned the story of Joseph. How the Israelites had money. He said you can't eat money. They had to go down to Egypt to buy corn. They had to be reconciled with their brother in order to eat.

Take a look around and you are seeing food being used as a weapon today. In Venezuela, Russia, North Korea, Iran, and the lists go on. Be reconciled to my way or you want eat is the message today and the one that's coming as food, seed, and water are being bought up.

Kind of like the mark of the beast. Can't buy or sell even though you have money; you have to be reconciled with your brother and take his way or else.

The unity sought for in DC may be something quite different than what it appears. We live in an age of great deception.

T

TMK Jul 14, 2016

Maybe the pope will get saved while hanging out with Francis Chan. Wouldn't that be something. Maybe that's what we should be praying for.

B

brothagary Jul 14, 2016

Give me jesus ,,who cares about theoligy ,,bad theoligy ,,lets all come together for jesus ,,and sing combyya,,its not about theoligy who cares what we believe ,the importaint thing is ,giving jesus our heart ???

J

JFW Jul 14, 2016

Brother Todd,

Ha! That would be something:))

Honestly I'd love to just listen to that conversation,...Francis C. really has a way about him that I just can't help but admire and my imagination finds lots to smile about with a Francis C. on P. Francis dialogue;)

T

TMK Jul 14, 2016

You're on the right track Gary!

sermonindex Jul 14, 2016

. Pope Francis said on November 30 that Christians and Muslims were ‘brothers’,

F

forrests Jul 14, 2016

"Give me jesus ,,who cares about theoligy ,,bad theoligy ,,lets all come together for jesus ,,and sing combyya,,its not about theoligy who cares what we believe ,the importaint thing is ,giving jesus our heart ???

Brother Gary, this statement is wrong and dangerous for many reasons. While I do know that the Pharisees had fairly good theology and missed Jesus with their blind hearts...and I have contended with a man (a supposed minister of the gospel) who said "theology is life"; my response being: "No, Jesus and the Holy Spirit are life," - I would never say that one can just disregard doctrinal purity and truth and go along with anything (this is a false dichotomy: "Theology/doctrine is all" vs. "Theology/doctrine is nothing").

But all throughout scripture we are warned not to be deceived. Jesus Himself does no small amount of warning about false prophets and false christs. Paul, Peter, John, Jude, James, and the writer of Hebrews all warn about error and correct faulty thinking/theology.

Scripture tells us to "test all things" and exhorts us not to be "babes in understanding". Just about all of Scripture exists to teach us the truth of God and prevent us from falling for deception.

The sentiment that says:

"lets all come together for jesus ,,and sing combyya"

is also very dangerous. Scripture is clear: some preach a different Jesus.

The heart *must* be humble and surrendered to Jesus Christ, but the *mind* must also be renewed by the word of God and we must understand Christ/truth in order to abide in Him and stand firm against "every wind of doctrine" and the "fiery darts of the wicked one."

Just think, if you love your wife and someone began to misrepresent her in your presence and to say that she condones things that she really hates, and then claims to be her friend - would you not only stand by and let that go unchallenged, but would you befriend that person and not try to correct them? Now what about when professing sheep do the same with the Shepherd?

Jesus says:

"Blessed are you when men hate you, and ostracize you, and insult you, and scorn your name as evil, for the sake of the Son of Man. Be glad in that day and leap for joy, for behold, your reward is great in heaven. For in the same way their fathers used to treat the prophets...Woe to you when all men speak well of you, for their fathers used to treat the false prophets in the same way."

Who was it that used to mistreat the prophets of God? Who is Jesus referring to here? Not the Egyptians or Babylonians...it was the Jews that hated their own prophets (and loved the false prophets).

Woe to you when all that name the Name of Christ speak well of you, for they often love the false prophets.

We need to walk circumspectly and test all things.

A "who cares what you believe" attitude is incredibly naive and dangerous and likely betrays a spiritual shallowness (for almost every chapter of the bible screams in opposition to such a perilous mindset).

sermonindex Jul 14, 2016

.
"During his hour-long speech, but smiling Pope Francis was quoted telling the Vatican's guests that the Koran and the spiritual teachings contained therein are just as valid as the Holy Bible."

"Jesus Christ, Jehovah, Allah, these are all names to describe an entity that is distinctly the same as around the world."

"We can accomplish marvelous things in the world by merging our faiths and the time for such a movement is now."

And you accuse me of judging???

F

forrests Jul 14, 2016

Brother Blaine,
While I agree the Pope is an evil man and not a Christian at all - I exhort you to check your sources. Correct me if I'm wrong, but it seems that your alleged Pope Francis quotes are all taken from a "National Review" article...

The issue is that the National Review is a fake news site. Pope Francis likely never made those statements (at least not publicly). We do need to play by the rules and, "by the mouth of two or three witnesses let every word be established," (unless you personally witnessed him make these statements in a public speech).

Can you provide references so we can verify the Pope Francis quotes? Thanks brother.

Though I do agree that the whole event in DC is not according to the will of God and find it to be very dangerous (end time) error and deception.