Franklin Graham coming to Tacoma this weekend
If my understanding is correct, this blog is not being used much as of late.
In any case, I am hours away from wondering what great spiritual move might take place in our region this weekend as the church of Pierce County hosts the Pacific Northwest Franklin Graham Festival at the Tacoma Dome.
This event has been literally years in the making. Much prayer and intercession has been going upward for an opportunity of this scale to come to our region.
I wonder if any tangible evidence will be manifest after this weekend? I wonder if there will be a measurable change, not just in the church setting but in our community culture?
- Will our public schools be different?
- Will our crime rates drop significantly?
- Will poverty be minimized?
- Will love for our fellow man be more evident?
- Will divorces go down?
- Will spousal abuse be a thing of the past?
- Will children be more loved and cared for in a strong family setting?
- Will the killing of unborn children be significantly decreased?
- Will the purity of love be saved and reserved for the marriage bed?
- Will the acceptance of porn in our community, find a one way road out to hell where it came from?
- Will fighting between turned to better listening and concern for the well being of the other?
- Will our political leaders be empowered with courage to lead this culture of change?
- Will our young people find a place in our hearts again because we have pushed them away in our selfishness?
These and countless other pains and evils have plagued the people of this region and by default has created a culture of oppression and heaviness that had affected all spheres of our lives, both physically and emotionally along with spiritually and financially.
Will there be a tangible difference as a result of this Pacific Northwest Franklin Graham Festival?
Has the Spirit of God ordained this event to showcase His power?
Will the name of Jesus Christ ring through out this region and blow over every high thing that would dare stand opposed to Him?
Only time will tell.
Dean Johnson
1 Comments:
I have many of the same questions as you have about what will be the outcome from the praying, planning, preparation, and outcome of this event. However, I do have a great expectancy and am believing that has gone into this will have an effect. There were over 200 churches involved and there were key relationships developed here in the greater Tacoma area, and more followers of Christ are working together to see the kingdom of God come forth.
Sure we all want to see a mighty revival and outpouring of the Spirit of God in our region - and I am one who prays for this. But I will tell you that what went into this event was not in vain, because it was not just about the event - it was about the church (the people who follow Jesus) rising up and working together in faith for His greater purposes.
We all know that we can not make things happen on our own, but we also know that the Lord moves in and through His people - it is His agency of choice, it is His plan (and He does not have a plan b).
I am thankful for the opportunity to have served together with many who labored in faith and prayers to see things happen here in Tacoma. As I said, I am expectant for what is happening and what will be happening. It's about hearing and doing, it's about letting the life of God come forth from the people of God. Some of the outcomes of this initiative may never be known publically - but there are lives that were changed and will be changed because of what happened, and that is a good thing, that is a great thing. Other outcomes are the new relationships and networking many Christians - there are people who are continuing to pray and serve together, there are many who are even more committed to seeing the Lord move and reach lives here in Tacoma, Pierce County, and more..
You know, it is okay that we will not know all the outcomes, because if there were a bunch of big splash things that happened, we might start to worship them and focus on them instead of on the Lord. We people have this amazing ability to be religious and try to build systems. However, if the outcome is the activating of the followers of Christ into more ministry, more prayer, more evangelism, etc then we can all be confident that this whole thing was worth it. Do we really need to see a big splash, or do we simply need to continue to serve the Lord and let our lives be a worship to Him? I have seen people stirred up in the Lord and start stepping out more in ministry, it is my prayer that this will continue, that we will see a more and more people catching onto the vision of being an active and alive Christian - becoming people who daily do little things that are going to make huge impacts eternally.
It's about Jesus and living lives that lift Him up. It's about being faithful to serve and to minister and to each day cooperate with the Holy Spirit.
Blessings to you
Jay Becker
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