May 8, 2011 – Miami, Florida, United States…Libna Stevens/IAD
Pastor Mark Finley, special assistant to the Adventist world church president for revival and reformation, was the main speaker at a special worship service held yesterday in Miami, Florida, for hundreds of church leaders from throughout Inter-America. The leadership is in town for two weeks of advisory and executive committee meetings.
Pastor Finley challenged his listeners to experience spiritual revival. He spoke during several segments throughout the Sabbath program about the revival and reformation initiative launched late last year by the Adventist world church.
“Revival and reformation is a way of life,” said Pastor Finley. “It is not a dreamed-up plan by the General Conference. It is rooted solidly in the bible. Revival is a renewal of God’s grace in the heart every day.
“Revival is always a personal experience,” he continued. “Revival is not a word, it’s an experience. Reformation is the reforming of the mind and the reshaping of our thoughts into the image of God. It’s allowing the Holy Spirit to guide our lives into harmony with God’s will.”
Pastor Finley further challenged church leaders to inspire others to an experience of revival.
“We hope that that every Seventh-day Adventist leader, every administrator, every pastor, takes the call to revival seriously in their lives to place priority on prayer, on bible study, on mission and on evangelism, and out of the overflow of a new experience with Jesus, share that experience with others,” he said.
It’s the way of life that church leaders hope will be the lifestyle of every member, said Finley.
“Why do we need revival?” asked Finley. “Because our hearts tend to wander, the world around us tends to shape us in its way. So God’s spirit draws us to prayer, bible study and mission,” he explained.
“In the light of the soon return of Jesus and the crisis that our world is facing, the General Conference administration believes that this is a time for a clarion call to reorder our priorities to focus on Jesus in revival and reformation.”
In response to that call, the Inter-American Division (IAD) designed its own revival and reformation initiative called Constant In Prayer, launched earlier this year. Specifically, the initiative seeks to catalyze spiritual revival through constant prayer and study of the bible.
The IAD has already executed special Constant In Prayer programs throughout the territory, including events tailored to children and young people, students and teachers, and its pastoral workforce.
In addition, some half million copies of the book “True Revival: The Church’s Greatest Need” by Ellen G. White has been distributed in the territory, said Pastor Roberto Herrera, coordinator for revival and reformation for the church in Inter-America. PowerPoint presentations on spiritual revival in the three official languages of the IAD territory have also been made available for use in thousands of churches.
“Encourage your pastors to experience and to talk about spiritual revival,” said Herrera as he addressed the leaders. “Wherever you go help the church to have a revival experience.”
During the program, a special panel of top church leaders of the Adventist world leaders answered questions on the role of ministers and the part each church department plays in revival and reformation. Leaders also discussed the challenges they anticipate facing as they embrace the initiative, as well as the expected result of revival and reformation for the church, among other issues.
“Our greatest challenge as ministers is that we become too busy doing ministry, and perhaps start to lose focus,” said Dr. Derek Morris, associate ministerial director of the Adventist world church. “We need to remember our Leader [God] and what He has asked us to do. It’s not just to talk about revival,” he said as he encouraged pastors and leaders to experience revival themselves.
As the worship service drew to a close, Pastor Finley challenged leaders to be shepherds of God leading the flock into the Word of God for a new revival.
“God is calling a new generation to a new radical spiritual revival in this generation,” said Finley. “The spirituality of superficially is not enough for this generation.
Our members are asking more from their leaders, something more than a rehash of old sermons. Many of our members are crying out to have answers to their questions on life on Sabbath morning. They are crying out for the moving of the Holy Spirit in their lives.”
“The Seventh-day Adventist Church today is in a great need for spiritual leadership,” emphasized Finley. “Are you known as a man or a woman that knows God? God must do something for you before He can move through you,” he concluded as he made a call to all leaders to commit to a personal revival experience with God.
Emphasis on Inter-America’s Constant in Prayer revival initiative will continue as a series of advisories will be held in Miami this week.
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
