Inter-America: Church officially launches its Constant in Prayer spiritual revival program

February 14, 2011 – Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic….Libna Stevens/IAD

The Seventh-day Adventist Church in Inter-America made a special appeal to its more than 3.3 million members to seek a spiritual revival through prayer and the study of the Bible during the official launch of its spiritual revival and reformation program via satellite on Saturday, Feb. 12, 2011.

More than 13,000 Adventist leaders and church members crowded El Palacio de los Deportes in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic, to witness the three-hour program. The event was carried live through The Hope Channel, Esperanza TV and 3ABN Latino and dozens of radios stations throughout the Inter-American Division (IAD) territory.

Themed “Constant in Prayer”-Inter-America’s comprehensive spiritual initiative following the Adventist World Church’s recent appeal for revival, reformation, discipleship and evangelism-will take Adventist leaders and members through a 160-day prayer journey for spiritual revival and joint activities throughout its 21 church regions.

Adventist World Church President Pastor Ted N.C. Wilson was the keynote speaker. He called on the hundreds of church leaders from throughout the Inter-American Division and the thousands of members to seek a committed spiritual revival, proclaim God’s truth, and be ready for soon coming of the Lord.

“We have to work together as God’s people, to proclaim God’s truth in Inter-America,” said Pastor Wilson, as he spoke of using the means of communication such as radio stations and television to fill the airways with the message of truth.

“We must call for revival and reformation to all for a humility that will allow us to work through us, for we cannot initiate revival and reformation, we can only place ourselves in God’s hands and then the power of the Holy Spirit will take control,” he added.

Pastor Wilson thanked the government of the Dominican Republic for its religious liberty and freedom to allow its citizens to express their love for God and asked for the church to continue to pray for leaders in government and for the expansion of the church work in the country.

“The Seventh-day Adventist Church today in the Dominican Republic and in Inter-America exists for one purpose, to proclaim the Three Angels’ Messages of God’s righteousness, His grace and great love for us,” emphasized Wilson as he challenged Adventists everywhere to do good wherever there is need.

“Let Seventh-day Adventists be known as people who practice Christianity. Let your humble lifestyle be shown of your beautiful relation with heaven, and most of all that you always point people to Jesus and His soon coming,” added Pastor Wilson.

Pastor Wilson concluded his message by challenging leaders and members to plead for revival and reformation from God and to plead for the Holy Spirit.

It’s the pleading for God’s transformation for a revived church that prompted IAD leaders to launch its “Constant in Prayer” initiative via satellite.

“The church in Inter-America has always been identified as a church that prays,” said Pastor Israel Leito, president of the church in Inter-America, as he spoke to the attentive crowd. “We have this revival event today to thank the Lord, to tell the Lord that we want to be a people ready for His coming, and tell the world that we are a church that is ‘Constant in Prayer’ and will remain so.”

Top leaders from the 21 church regions in Inter-America stood by as Pastor Leito lit each candle held by each president as a symbolic gesture to show their commitment to spiritual revival in their respective territories.

The program also highlighted the various activities that will take place as children, young people, students, and pastors, as well as families will be led on a journey of prayer during the coming weeks and months throughout the division.

Hundreds of children and young people took center stage as they marched and shouted their commitment to praying and reading the Bible, while leaders promoted the upcoming territory-wide March 12 event to focus on prayer for children and young people.

In the same way, hundreds of ministers from the Dominican Republic stood by to represent the thousands of pastors from throughout the division territory who will be leading congregations into a spiritual revival and will be especially prayed for during a division-wide activity on April 30.

Leaders also announced the plan to dedicate a special day of prayer and worship for its more than 169,000 students and 10,047 teachers throughout its 1,027 schools and universities in the Adventist educational system of Inter-America. Plans are for special revival activities to take place on April 6 for schools and universities in Mexico and April 26 for the rest of the territory.

Prayer in the home was also highlighted in the event as it will take the main focus in Inter-America for church members to pray in their homes and reach out to their neighbors in prayer on June 10, 2011.

Both IAD Publishing Associations announced that every Sabbath School lesson quarterly from April to June will be accompanied by the book entitled True Revival by Ellen G. White. Thousands of magazines on the Constant in Prayer initiative were distributed in the stadium while the launching event took place.

Highlighted in the satellite program was the inauguration of a new radio station operated by the church in the Dominican Republic.

Drama and musical presentations highlighted the emphasis on the need for spiritual revival and reformation in the church in Inter-America.

The satellite program ended as Pastor Wilson appealed to Seventh-day Adventists to renew their commitment to God.

“God wants to do something special,” he said. “He wants to do something extraordinary in these end times.”

Already in Inter-America, church regions have embraced spiritual revival and reformation as part of their strategic plan to strengthen the church. Hundreds of churches have begun their prayer and fasting vigils in hopes that spiritual revival will take center stage in every church throughout the territory.

Plans are underway for another spiritual revival satellite event on July 23, 2011, from El Salvador

For more information on Inter-America’s Constant inPrayer Revival and Reformation program, visit us at www.interamerica.org

To view our photo gallery, go to www.flickr.com/photos/interamerica

Resources

Constant in Prayer: http://prayerrevival.interamerica.org


Facebook – http://www.facebook.com/pages/Prayer-Revival/137873816275961

SpanishResources

Constantes en la Oracion: http://estamosorando.interamerica.org/

Facebook in Spanish http://www.facebook.com/pages/Constantes-en-la-Oracion/173416709365170.