Some 1,000 churches across the state joined “Awaken Tennessee,” a 30-day initiative for prayer and fasting.
“Awaken Tennessee” started on January 26 and concluded on February 23. According to The Rogersville Review, 220 churches in East Tennessee and more than 800 churches from Middle and West Tennessee joined the month-long initiative.
This is not about my church or a denomination, we are simply hosting an event in partnership with churches to see true lasting revival take place. —Rev. John Butler, pastor of East Rogersville Baptist Church
Sheldon Livesay, East Tenn. Coordinator for “Awaken Tennessee,” said they distributed 3,100 prayer packets to the churches in the county alone. “Many churches are only giving one packet per family where both the husband and wife have committed to pray, which means well over 100,000 Tennesseans could be involved in prayer during February. Prayer is always the foundation for revival.”
Rev. John Butler, pastor of East Rogersville Baptist Church, said, “This is not about my church or a denomination, we are simply hosting an event in partnership with churches to see true lasting revival take place.”
He shared a wonderful experience the participants had one Sunday. “The Holy Spirit came and took control. From the first worship song, people began to flood the altar for prayer, and continued to do so for restoration and to receive Christ. We haven’t manipulated our people. They came expectant and God simply showed up.”
Dove Award-winning singers/songwriters in Christian music, Terry and Barbi Franklin led worship services for the revival in Rogersville. The couple said they have been praying for this kind of movement for many years. “We’ve been longing to see America’s churches become houses of prayer again and revived in their first love for Jesus.”
Barbi, one of the organizers of Awaken Tennessee, believes that this initiative can be done in other states as well. “If the people of God will press into Him in prayer,” she said. “It always takes pressing into God and pursuing Him. And it absolutely could inspire another great awakening.”
