May 6, 2011 – Miami, Florida, United States…Libna Stevens/IAD
Constant in Prayer, a spiritual revival initiative launched by the Seventh-day Adventist Church in Inter-America earlier this year, are three words that have been buzzing throughout its vast territory. Constant in Prayer seeks to motivate each church member to be in a closer connection with God through constant prayer and study of the bible.
Church leaders from the Inter-American Division (IAD) territory’s 21 regions met yesterday and today at the IAD headquarters in Miami to discuss the progress of the initiative and further strategize on how to tailor its message to their local congregations.
“It is important that you are here representing thousands of people in this our first meeting with revival and reformation coordinators in our Division,” said Pastor Roberto Herrera, coordinator of the Constant in Prayer revival initiative for the IAD.
The church has already executed special programs across the territory promoting prayer revival for children and young people, students and teachers, and the church’s pastoral workforce. However, many local churches have not heard of Constant In Prayer, according to Herrera. “The first job is to organize the structure of the prayer revival in your union with your local fields and churches,” he explained.
“Our main focus and responsibility as pastors and leaders is to care for the spiritual life of our church members, that is what we have been called to do,” said Herrera. “It’s about creating an environment that leads members to seek a closer relationship with God through a personal revival experience.”
“With the kind of strength and growth of our churches, this division cannot afford to neglect the spirituality of our members,” he continued. “That is why the IAD is making a call to all its leaders and ministers to care for the church. We want to unite with you in prayer and in effort as we push for this Constant in Prayer revival initiative.”
It’s not about pushing for a spiritual revival because our church may be dead,” said Pastor Israel Leito, president of the church in Inter-America, as he addressed revival coordinators. “On the contrary, if there is one place the Lord is pouring out blessing upon blessing, it is the IAD.”
Pastor Leito cited as evidence the fact that the church in the IAD has grown from one million to 3.4 million members in 10 years. In the same time, the 12 church regions have grown to 21, and the 60 local fields have swelled to 106. He added that, in spite of the fact that most of the countries in the IAD have weak currencies, the membership has remained strong and loyal in stewardship, making the IAD the second highest in giving in the world. He said the growth is also due to a dedicated pastoral force and a consecrated laity. However, he said the call for revival and reformation is keeping church leaders on their toes.
“A call to revival is a call to make God the center of your life, to depend on the Holy Spirit re-evaluating your life thoroughly as leaders and preparing the church for that [revival],” he said, adding that the church has invested resources and funds to ensure the church is mobilized into spiritual revival.
During the meeting, revival and reformation coordinators had the opportunity to pray together and report on the fruits of their labors.
Pastor Victor Burgos, who is coordinating the Constant in Prayer initiative in El Salvador, said pastors and leaders are experiencing that revival already.
“We are trying to establish this culture of spiritual revival,” said Burgos. “It is the biggest challenge, yet with humble fear and trembling we face it and are moving forward in our churches to foster this revival.” The church in El Salvador has prepared special study guides on prayer and revival for church members, prayer sessions are going on in churches and schools and ministers are unifying efforts for revival throughout the country.
For Enedys Veloz Rodriguez, who is leading the Constant in Prayer initiative in Cuba, efforts are boosting the already organized prayer department on the island. Established in 2002, the prayer department, which was organized in the church headquarter office and its four regions, has seen its fruits of answered prayers throughout dozens of churches and groups, said Veloz.
“In each of our churches we have a prayer coordinator and that person oversees four other coordinators which head prayer groups with children, the youth, the house-bound elderly and women,” explained Veloz. “Now, Constant In Prayer has strengthened this ministry.”
Since the year began, churches from the western tip of the island began fasting vigils and it is carrying throughout the island as prayer vigils from the eastern tip will make its way westward to complete the special prayer program on the last Sabbath in December.
The church in Cuba has also began praying for its ministers and families as well as aspiring ministers studying in the seminary for a stronger spiritual revival among other prayer activities.
Pastor Ricardo Marin, revival coordinator for the South Central American Union which oversees Panama, Costa Rica and Nicaragua, reported on the series of materials already printed and available to leaders and church members.
“I am so convinced of this prayer initiative,” said Marin who shared that he wakes up before 4 a.m. every day to pray for more than 200 pastors each by name. “This has been a wonderful movement in our territory.” Already booklets of sermons on prayer and spiritual revival have been distributed among churches.
Marin said that in Nicaragua each of the dozens of youth clubs has an assigned revival and reformation coordinator promoting the initiative to hundreds of young people.
Leaders also discussed plans for the upcoming Constant in Prayer initiative focused on families in more than 100,000 homes throughout the IAD territory to promote a prayer revival to friends and neighbors on June 10, among other upcoming initiatives.
Inspiring for personal revival and reformation is what the church leadership is called to do, added Herrera. “The time has come for a complete revival and we must all be on board as leaders.”
Setting that tone for revival continues throughout the upcoming meetings, departmental advisories and executive committees set for the next two weeks.
To find out more about Inter-America’s Constant in Prayer initiative, visit us at
www.praying4revival.org and www.estamosorando.org
To view the photo gallery visit www.flickr.com/phogos/interamerica
For news updates on Constant in Prayer initiative throughout the IAD, visit us at www.interamerica.org
Resources
Constant in Prayer: http://praying4revival.org
Facebook – click here
Spanish Resources
Constantes en la Oracion: http://estamosorando.org
Facebook click here
