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30
Worship Leaders, representing 30 congregations, lead over 16,000 Augusta Christians in worship. Everything was bathed in prayer; Everything
went perfect from the sound to the songs to the invitation and response. You couldn't keep people from wanting Christ. Hundreds truly were reborn
that night.
This section is intended
to share glimpses into our experiences for the purpose of connecting with you on what we think and feel really
matters. The hope is that the information is not too self-indulgent and helps to communicate what this family
and many other friends are really being drawn towards: The presence of God moving more deeply in our hearts,
enough to grow us deeper in Christ and to simultaneously save others in mass. In short, just like you: We desire
revival.
1990 - Charleston: Following a prayer meeting, we witnessed the
Holy Spirit pulling together 51 local congregations and 12 Citadel campus ministries in prayer, sponsorship and fellowship
to present an evangelistic concert with Petra where 3,000+ attended and over 100 people were truly reborn. The presence
of God was powerful and the teamwork with the congregational reps and Citadel on-campus ministries was great! The fellowship
was wonderful. A book could be written on it.
1993 - Greenville: Again the Lord gave the ability (enthusiasm) to recruit exactly 100 senior
pastors together to support a Christian radio station in Greenville, SC during their annual fundraiser. His Radio
grew significantly in influence during this time. This was a good time for me personally too. Allen & Nelline Henderson,
Jim & Ruth Campbell, Gary Miller, Brian Dickert, Ben Birdsong, Rick Freeman, Jay Johnson, Trey Cooper,
Ted McCall, Jerry Michaelson, Britt Dillard, Mike Farrell, Jeanne Pruitt, Peter Lloyd and many others shaped
my life. The whole experience was wonderful. It was a dream come true to work for His Radio and an honor to work with and
learn from this set of people! I miss our talks about the Lord! Brian, Mike and I had heart to heart fellowship here.
The Lord was strong in that back corner room. And Allen and Nelline babysat me for the first five years like adopted parents.
I do miss them.
2001 - Augusta: The greatest
experience was when 30 worship leaders from 30 different churches came together to pray, practice and worship for a worship
celebration. It was named Liberty on the Lake 2001. Over 200 "on-fire" youth made up the choir which
led over 16,000 people in high worship as hundreds came to Christ in dramatic fashion. The weeping at the Cross
was deep and intense. The lives of people were truly changed. It is the closest thing to a potential revival that I have ever
seen. We came to worship a few hours and went home. Next time I think it will go much longer. In April 2002 Lisa and I moved
back to Charleston to work on a Christian-Israeli radio program.
2008 - North Charleston: The 13 months before the final six weeks before May
3rd were exciting, refreshing and incredible as the Lord birthed within us this
prayer campaign. The final six weeks were the most difficult I have ever experienced, with test after test, battling both
things within and without. But people covered us in prayer all the way to May 3rd. And when some of us limped across
the finish line, scores of other pastors and worship leaders stepped up when the moment came and took us all into the presence
of the King. For two and a half hours, nearly 700 people, from every background, worshipped the Lord and prayed as our
area pastors lead. Four different people used the word "huge" to describe the evening in the following days
because many of us discovered that we are not alone in our hunger for God. Some truly believe that
the Park Circle area is ground zero for a major move of God's Spirit in our hearts.
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Lindell Cooley led worship in the year 2000 setting precedent before the big breakthough in 2001. |
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Over 16,000 worship with
a fireworks display. The band led in worship and the fireworks did not distract, but rather enhanced what was already
happening on the Penisula. Worship was being offered up and admidst the worship, the Gospel was passionately proclaimed and
hundreds received Christ that night. The sound board operator, totally unchurched, was on his knees sobbing and surrendering,
as were hundreds of other individuals that had compassionate Christians surrounding them in prayer, embracing and welcoming
them into the Kingdom. People rejoiced for days afterwards, in what I've taken as a glimpse of things to come.
52 local Charleston congregations
and 11 Citadel ministries came together to present an evangelistic concert with Petra at the Citadel's McAlister
Fieldhouse in February of 1991. Each organization truly and fully sponsored the event in prayer, labor and finances.
Three-thousand attended. Over 100 were truly reborn. The behind the scenes fellowship, prayer and strategy meetings
were so wonderful that spontaneous worship times sprung from them. One volunteer, a Citadel cadet with BSU, tearfully and
convictingly conveyed these heartfelt words: "If this were another Tower of Babel to make a name for ourselves, it
wouldn't be worth it. But I can tell that in being a part of this, I will know Him better and count this worth the
effort". We all started boo-hooin' at that moment.
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And the eye cannot say to the hand, "I have no need of you";
or again the head to the feet, "I have no need of you." 1st Corinthians
12:21
The 200 Member Youth Choir wore T-Shirts that one Christian
T-Shirt designer donated to them which bore this motto on the back. "He is Lord of the Church of the Central Savannah
River Area" proclaimed these young people. "It's not the Gospel of 'Jesus and me' but of 'Jesus and
us - a Body'" - Charles Colson
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Future Multi-Church Gatherings
One of the ideas that is in the air
for the future is to hold multi-church outdoor worship assemblies at the River Park Ampitheatre. For now
it is an idea, but one that seems feasible, given the location and the largeness of the area. This would be great. The times
for it would be later, but as comeradery grows between the congregations, it doesn't take a rocket scientist to predict
that there will be numerous events here to lift up the Lord. The Riverwalk Park is simply a great place to get away! The Mayor
and his people have done well here. Who knows that this could be a great place to hold multi-church evangelistic crusades
as well! Rain or shine!
Parkcircleprayer.com is a
parachurch and laypeople's effort, not a congregation, with the sole
purpose of glorifying the Lord by supporting the divine institutions of the family and local congregation through the facilitation
of community-wide prayer events which are led by Christian leaders who are concerned for the souls in the Park Circle - Remount
Road and Rivers Avenue Area and who desire to please the Lord by seeking Him together.
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