Spiritual Awakenings by General Secretary Dan Coleman

Spiritual Awakenings

By. General Secretary Dan Coleman

    Great Spiritual Awakenings have swept the world over the centuries. They have changed lives and the very culture in which we live. During the month of February, I had the privilege to be in Charleston, South Carolina, to attend the annual PCCNA Conference, of which the Pentecostal Church of God is a member. Along with other members from the Prayer Commission, I visited the Anson Street Presbyterian Church, the location of one such Spiritual Awakening that took place not long ago.  

   It was at this church during the summer of 1857, a time when our nation was greatly divided over slavery, that black and white believers began a prayer meeting petitioning God to send a Spiritual Awakening while waiting for the outpouring of the Holy Spirit. Contrary to popular opinion, the first shot of the Civil War was not fired at Fort Sumter but within a praying congregation of Christians, who were seeking the Lord and not a political remedy. That shot came just a few blocks from the very harbor Fort Sumter guarded.

     For months, the congregants intentionally and patiently sought the Lord, and then one evening it happened. While in prayer, what felt like a surge of electricity struck Pastor John L. Girdeaux’s head and filled his entire being. Before he called the prayer meeting, he had preconceived within his own mind what God’s eventual visit would be like. He would then simply dismiss the prayer meeting and resume his regular preaching schedule. But something greater was happening – something beyond him, and this would not be dismissed. The pastor first heard, then looked up to behold the trembling and tears of the others. The Holy Spirit had come upon the entire congregation and there they were, 48 black Christians and 12 white Christians – 60 in all – with everyone weeping, worshiping, and praying for the souls of lost neighbors and loved ones.

     When God came to the corner of Anson and Calhoun Streets, a powerful chain reaction occurred. For the next eight weeks nightly meetings followed, reaching crowds numbering from 1,500 to 2,000. God visited Charleston as thousands from across the city and every background were saved. Congregations from every background grew. The spiritual atmosphere over Charleston was altered, and a window for revival had been opened to an entire nation. Revival historian Edwin Orr cites the great impact of this event, which preceded another very important event to be held more than 700 miles away. 

   The spiritual, ripple effect of God’s move in Charleston eventually reached New York City. Roughly 30,000 men were idle on the streets of New York and drunkenness was rampant. God raised up a praying 48-year-old businessman-turned-lay-city-missionary named Jeremiah Lanphier. This man had started a noon prayer meeting for New York businessmen at the North Dutch Church on Fulton Street in the Financial District of Manhattan in September 1857 (just a couple of blocks from what many years later came to be known as Ground Zero). 

     Out of a city of more than 1 million people, six people showed up a half hour late to that initial gathering. This small group decided to meet the next week and the number grew to 14. The next week there were 23. The following week there were 40. Within weeks there were thousands of business leaders meeting daily. God moved so powerfully that the prayer meeting spread across the nation. It is estimated that nearly 1 million people were converted out of a national population of 35 million over an 18-month period, including 10,000 weekly conversions in New York City for a season. If we had this kind of revival today, it would mean the conversion of 10 million people across America.

   Why are these and other powerful stories of Spiritual Awakenings so important today? Because it reminds us that God can do it again. God is still in the business of moving in Charleston and in New York City and all across the United States of America. He has done it before, and my prayer is that we would be the kind of people through whom he could do it again. So what do we do? Well, someone has to be a John Girdeaux or a Jeremiah Lanphier – someone has to pray. What about you or what about me? You could be the one that hits your knees on behalf of your city, on behalf of your community. You could be the one that helps lead the way in your own community. It has to start somewhere, and in 1857 it started with one, then six, and then thousands. And today, it may be back to one. That ONE might just be YOU! Prayer is the one thing more than anything else that connects us to God, but it also connects us to one another.  

     Many things have changed since 1857, but in many ways things are not so different. Today, the church is faced with many challenges. We are a nation in turmoil and in need for God to pour out the Holy Spirit on our broken, confused, and imperfect world. We are helpless and hopeless without Him. We need His grace and guidance, so that we can continue to focus on our mission and answer His call to go into the entire world to preach the gospel of Jesus Christ.  

What Will A 2nd-Century PCG Look Like? By Dr. Wayman Ming Jr.

WHAT WILL A 2ND-CENTURY PCG LOOK LIKE?

Dr. Wayman Ming Jr.

The PCG remains positioned to write a brand new chapter of promise. In just two years, we will celebrate our PCG Centennial — 100 years of "Proclaiming Bible Truth in Pentecostal Power." Afterward, a 2nd-Century PCG will begin! What will a 2nd-Century PCG look like? Will it be missional? Will it be re-formational? Will be be transformational? Will we truly make a difference in this end-time harvest? For years, I have declared that God birthed the PCG with a unique contribution to make in America and around the world.

WE ARE PCG, but what does that mean for a 2nd-century PCG?

REFLECTING ON MY PAST

Kimberly and I are both products of the PCG. As a young boy of eight years old, I was called into full-time vocational ministry on the cement floor of the Michigan campground. As PYPA presidents, my parents, Wayman and Karen Ming, hauled my brothers and me all over the state of Michigan for nine years. I suppose my entire family continues to be huge fans of both the Detroit Lions and Tigers for that reason. I grew up attending junior and senior Bible Quiz matches, and my brothers and I participated in the early years of our Teen Talent Expos. 

Even though my wife, Kimberly,agrew up in an Assembly of God church, she consistently attended the Central California District rallies and camps. These experiences culminated when she attended and graduated from Messenger College with two bachelor degrees — one in Biblical Studies and another in Pastoral Ministries. As the Southern Missouri District women’s ministry director and then general secretary’s wife, she couldn’t help but develop an amazing love for the women’s leaders and women of the PCG. She was ordained in the Southern California District and will now be the first Messenger College graduate serving as the first lady of the PCG.

When I moved to Joplin, Missouri, in 1988 to teach at Messenger College, I was a 22-year-old kid who left everything behind because I loved the PCG. I was immediately adopted into the International Headquarters’ family, and the Gees and Minors were not just denominational leaders for Kimberly and me, but spiritual parents. They invested in us and challenged us to dream some dreams for God and the PCG. And we did! During the nearly 25 years we lived in Joplin, we dreamed that God would equip and empower a vibrant, life-giving movement to significantly impact America and the world.

Over the years, Kimberly and I have marveled at the way our lives have intersected with previous PCG general superintendents/bishops, their wives, and families. 

      • As lead pastors of Joplin Family Worship Center, we were blessed to pastor some of the amazing family of Bishop R. D. Heard — Charles and Alice Burkhart, Stephen and Melissa Perry, and their children. 

      • As a mentor and friend, Bishop Roy Chappell invested in us often. In fact, his daughter, Janiece Nye, served as my personal secretary for many years, and her husband, Bill, was one of my most trusted, loyal leaders at JFWC.

     • Of course Bishop James and Diana Gee were adopted parents, and we were so honored when our beloved friend Julie Gee invited us to speak at Bishop Gee’s funeral a few months ago.

     • As the district bishop of Southern Missouri, Kimberly and I were privileged to serve under the leadership of Bishop Phil and Sharon Redding. They were wonderful leaders and friends. 

     • Interestingly, my family grew up in Michigan with Bishop Charles and Barbara Mosier and their family. In fact, Bishop Mosier and I traveled together for three weeks overseas, and he introduced me to our amazing PCG family in Brazil and East Africa. 

     • My service as the general secretary alongside Bishop Charles and Janice Scott will always be highly regarded as they (and their family) remain dearly loved by Kimberly and me.

     • Finally, before we arrived in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, Bishop Loyd Naten actually held our adopted daughter, Grace Eden, in his hands when she was only four days old and saw her in person before we did. Bishop Naten and his wife, Trisha, and their family have been part of the Ming family for many years. 

VISIONEERING A MISSIONAL MOVEMENT

In the coming months, I will begin sharing the details of a strategic plan for a 2^nd-Century PCG. In faith, if I may be so bold, I am confident that a MANDATE has been placed before “all of us” to “Visioneer a Missional Movement.” Notice the phrase “all of us” because this mandate isn’t based on a man, but a mission. If our Lord tarries, “all of us” will experience the privilege of leaving lasting footprints for God’s glory.

As I pray about a 2^nd-Century PCG, I see re-formation written all over it. God will show up! God will do something supernatural in our midst! Without hesitation, we must move past our dependence upon ourselves and become absolutely dependent upon Him! We must be dependent upon Him to equip new ministers and missionaries for kingdom impact! We must be dependent upon Him to help us grow our churches, impact our cities, and empty Hell from our part of the world! We must be dependent upon Him to engage more unreached people groups and impact more nations around the world than ever before! Listen, loved ones, unless the Lord builds the house, we labor in vain who build it. 

In the near future, I am hopeful that we will begin to witness an extraordinary intentionality from our PCG leaders to filter everything through the grid of “missional impact.” The boat has already started turning in that direction with our commitment to “ONE MISSION,” but we must accelerate our pace and move past an emphasis on the PCG machine to the PCG Mission! 

We must repurpose our systems and strategies that reflect a “top-down mentality” to a “bottom-up mission.” We must establish actionable plans to equip ministers and missionaries, grow our existing churches, and plant new churches. I believe that one of the first steps toward accomplishing this will including transitioning the model of our current national office toward an International Mission Center. Candidly, we need to move from existing as an “American church with a Global Mission” to a “Global church with a Global Mission.” By God’s grace and power, these values will become intentional and incremental.  

BELIEVING FOR HIS PROMISE

Even though I am sharing some words that seem general and broad at this time, I want you to know that they are filled with God’s promise! In fact, I will be passionately working with our ministry directors, General Council, and General Board to develop the initial plans to incrementally implement two emphases over the next two years — celebrating our Centennial 

So I want to ask you to “believe for HIS promise.” Will you believe with me that God has a “fresh Pentecost” reserved for a 2^nd-Century PCG? Will you believe with me that we can turn our focus from the machine to the mission? Will you believe with me (as written in Ephesians 3:20) that God can do “exceedingly abundantly above” by His power working in us? 

During the last night of our 2017 Convention, I met little Maria Ramirez at the altar. What an extraordinary young lady from Arkansas! She was weeping before the Lord, and after we finished praying, I asked her, “What is your name, sweetheart?” She replied, “Maria Ramirez.” I said, “How old are you?” She said, “I am nine.” I continued, “Why did you come for the Convention?” She said, “I am in persuasive speaking because I want to be a preacher.” 

When she said that, I had a difficult time containing my tears. But finally I choked out the words, “Maria, I want you to know that when I think about you, I am going to pray for you.” Then she looked at me with all the boldness a nine-year-old could muster, and she said, “And I want you to know that I’m going to pray for you every night.” Afterward, she laid her hand on my shoulder and started praying fervently over me. That prayer was one of the most anointed prayers I’ve heard in a long time.

Loved ones, if you want to know what a 2^nd-Century PCG will look like, it will look like little nine-year-old Maria Ramirez fulfilling her calling. 

Thank you for allowing Kimberly and me to serve you and our PCG family during this divinely providential moment in the life of our church.