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Title: Ferguson rising, the spiritual awakening in middle America
Source:
Washington Times
URL Source: http://www.washingtontimes.com/news ... uson-rising-spiritual-awakeni/
Published: Mar 4, 2015
Author: Christy Stutzman
Post Date: 2015-03-16 09:23:32 by redleghunter
Keywords: None
Views: 1572
Comments: 5
As I write, there is a huge fire burning in Ferguson, Missouri, but it’s not making headlines. The Rev. Al Sharpton and his divisive circus of opportunists blew in and out of town long enough to grab national attention, but those who truly care for the broken community and the long-term healing of the hearts of the people aren’t seeking headlines or shouting in a microphone. Today, the looting and destructive fire of the rioters has been replaced with the fire of spiritual renewal. There’s more than rebuilding going on in Ferguson, Missouri. It is called the Ferguson Response and it is powerful! It’s a direct answer to the “Prayer for Ferguson, Mo.,” I wrote last December and so much more! It is a movement of people turning to God for guidance and help and it is spreading across the Midwest at a fast pace! When the conflict began, Franklin Graham’s crisis response team set up a mobile counseling center and brought in chaplains from all over the country who volunteered to stay for a week and minister to the people of Ferguson in every way possible. This team was on the ground for 90 days, just helping folks navigate the turmoil, confusion and destruction happening in their community and offering hope for healing as well. Many rioters were coming from out of town and helping to incite the violence. The small town was in disbelief at the chaos that ensued. They weren’t at all prepared for the influx of various groups stirring up anger and encouraging destruction. I was privileged to meet one of the young men who led the effort to bring spiritual renewal to Ferguson last December. His name is J.T. Thomas, a new father and trained minister with a heart and passion for finding lasting solutions to the divisions our country faces. He was on the ground in Ferguson as the story unfolded and saw firsthand the pain and brokenness in the hearts of the people. He’s been working with Ferguson area pastors and churches ever since to rebuild and renew the community. As soon as the conflict started, he felt called to go and just recently moved his family from Indiana to Missouri, to carry on the work. As I write this, 40 churches in the Ferguson area are taking part in a massive, voluntary community effort of personal fasting and prayer. According to those involved, they are specifically “acknowledging their corporate need for God’s help.” Pastors from all denominations are working together, implementing programs like Tony Evans’ “National Church Adopt A School Initiative” and others. They are communicating and working with their civic leaders and elected officials to find solutions and solve their conflicts in a peaceful, unified way. Poster Comment: Some of the efforts and happenings in Ferguson that did not involve race hustling and burning down stores.
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"...who, being themselves but fallible and uninspired men , have assumed dominion over the faith of others, setting up their own opinions and modes of thinking as the only true and infallible, and as such endeavoring to impose them on others, hath established and maintained false religions over the greatest part of the world, and through all time;
--Thomas Jefferson, 1786
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