Awakening America Alliance Connects Media, Marketplace, Next-Gen Leaders
The Awakening America Alliance (AAA), comprised of a broad spectrum of para-church ministries, individuals, and denominations, recently convened at WinShape Retreat near Atlanta for their fall Upstream Strategy Summit. These Summits are marked by:
• Strategic Planning and Development of Preach2Engage Resources
• Encouragement and Renewal for National Leaders and Spouses
• United Ministry Efforts for Seeking a Contemporary Spiritual Awakening
This unique blending of key leaders in the arenas of marketplace, next-generation, and media, produced fresh ideas and strengthened relationships among a diverse group of leaders.
In the Media/Marketplace track, Joe Battaglia of Renaissance Communications and Mitch Temple of Provident Films helped bring together an array of producers and filmmakers from around the country to showcase several upcoming releases of faith-based films. Tim Mahoney talked about his 12-year journey that led him to produce Patterns of Evidence: The Exodus, slated for theaters in early 2015. Stephen Kendrick and Roma Downey joined the Summit via video greeting to talk about their respective projects, War Room (Sony Pictures) and A.D. (a new NBC mini-series).
The resounding call from all the project’s producers was for prayer. “We’re asking God to use these productions as a unifying agent in the body of Christ . . . and I believe it’s a catalyst for revival in our generation,” said Stephen Kendrick. The other films promoted were Old Fashioned and Do You Believe?
Tom Phillips with the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association led the Next-Gen dialogue. This track, geared toward welcoming and encouraging next generation leaders, nurtured fresh interaction and strengthened ministry collaborative efforts. Young leaders from across the country witnessed first-hand the power of unity.
Chris McFarland of Pulse Movement shared, “I was honored to be a part of a meeting of key ministry and denominational leaders who are focused on what God is doing in our time and among this generation. Bringing together church leaders, media leaders and next generation leaders, the summit proved to be an inspiring time of fanning the flames of a unique move of God that seems to be emerging in our day and time.”
The Church Revitalization track led by AAA Co-Chair, David Ferguson, highlighted ways the church is being awakened through the Alliance’s collaborative efforts between Pentecostals, Charismatics, and mainline Evangelicals. The Alliance is rallying with Paul Cedar and the Mission America Coalition in pursuit of their Love2020 goal to engage Jesus followers in living a prayer-care-share lifestyle outside the church walls, Monday through Friday.
Love Loud, an initiative of the Southern Baptist Association, is being adopted across denominational lines as the Alliance encourages reaching our cities through demonstrating the love of Christ in tangible ways. “For churches that are plateaued or declining and in need of revitalization, Love Loud is an Upstream Strategy to address the resulting Downstream problems within the church and among communities,” commented Michael Lewis of North American Mission Board—the primary mission outreach of the Southern Baptist.
“There’s this wonderful thing happening as people are gathering together in prayer. They’re unifying across denominations. We’re seeing pockets of the in-breaking of the Kingdom of God, and this may be a moment in history where a last final move of God reaches across the nation,” says Jeff Farmer, Summit speaker and Chairman of Pentecostal Charismatic Churches of North America.
The Alliance recognizes that spiritual awakenings are sovereign moves of God’s Spirit that are often marked by united prayer, courageous preaching, and pastors who are spiritually whole and personally renewed. With this in mind, they are providing:
• Prayer guides focused on the 20 Indicators of Awakening
• Sermon outlines with media elements
• Bulletin inserts and social media graphics/posts
• Mobile apps for spiritual renewal and marriage enrichment
• Other free resources to engage Jesus followers in a prayer-care-share lifestyle throughout 2015 and beyond.
Their ultimate goal is to see a fresh Christ-Awakening across the nation—in every state, every county, every church, and every heart. Gathering leaders from these various spheres of influence not only builds relationships, but reflects one of their foundational principles—“history is transformed among friends.”
Other Summit leaders included Gerard Long, Alpha USA; Dion Elmore, National Day of Prayer; Dave Butts, National Prayer Committee; Quovadis Marshall, Prison Fellowship; Os Hillman, Marketplace Leaders; Bob Bakke, OneCry; Michael Obi, African Strategic Prayer Leaders Network; Gary Frost, North American Mission Board; and Ted Beahr, Movieguide. Many others contributed to the powerful synergy witnessed in the Summit. In the words of Awakening America Alliance Executive Director Kay Horner, “Although opposites attract and add diversity to the harmony of our lives, there is a freedom to relax, explore, and grow in friendships where we experience oneness in spirit and a passionate pursuit of a Christ awakening in America!”
To learn more about the Awakening America Alliance and to access valuable free resources, visit www.awakeningamerica.us or www.preach2engage.com.
(Source: Awakening America Alliance)
