Psalm 2:7-9
7 The king proclaims the Lord’s decree:
“The Lord said to me, ‘You are my son.[a]
Today I have become your Father.[b]
8 Only ask, and I will give you the nations as your inheritance,
I feel I have not done a great job explaining why we are having the Appalachia Awakening Conference July 18-21st.
One of the hardest things of being a part of such a spiritual dynamic, growing, thriving Church like this, is there are so many things going on at any given time. This is a great problem to have, but it presents the challenge of appropriately and effectively communicating the various events upcoming with the vigor and extent they deserve. Especially concerning the upcoming Appalachia Awakening Conference (AAC). This event really is more than just another conference. If you have been a part of this Church for more than 5 years you’ll know that this is another fulfillment of prophecy and us faithfully advancing into the call to reach Appalachia that we have carried for many years. When we first heard the call to go into Appalachia, all we knew to do was that. Just GO! Through that obedience to go, Holy Spirit has confirmed that call, with many signs, wonders and miracles. We have seen Jesus do some pretty amazing things through the years as we have traveled up and down the mountains preaching the good news to those in our region who have been bound up by religion, addiction and poverty. But over the last few years God has expanded that call and has refined our approach in how we reach Appalachia. Not only are we GOING, now, we are also receiving, sending, and multiplying the harvesters into the harvest field. God has been sending us devoted believers, not only who bring a desire to worship with us, but also carry a hunger to be plugged into the call of Appalachia. The Lord has been sending us believers from all over, to train, raise up and then send back out to establish His Church in parts of Appalachia that we may never reach without them. It’s remarkable to know, we have sent out two Church planting families in the last year alone. It’s an incredible sight to behold. What a shame it would be, if we did not recognize what Jesus is doing and hold tightly to it. Jesus is building a strong, healthy and passionate local Church with well discipled, on fire believers, right here in Livingston TN, called First Church. The growth is undeniable and a joy to be a part of, but it is not the sole goal of what the Lord is doing. From this place of strength and health, He is also building a network of life groups, house Churches, and large Churches that will carry revival fire into Appalachia. It’s already happening, and will only increase as we move forward. After much prayer and seeking the Lord on how to best build structure that will bless what He is doing, the way forward became clear. As a regional network in Appalachia, we need to fight to maintain connectivity and the family atmosphere we have become so accustomed to here at First Church. We want the same anointing to be palatable and accessible for all the partner ministries we work with in our region.
This is the major point of the Appalachia Awakening Conference. We want to create a space for those within the network and even those who are outside but still love what Jesus is doing, to find connection, support and encouragement. As the movement grows, we want to make time and space for those who are pouring themselves into Appalachia to be refreshed, re-energized, and re-commissioned in their respected calls to the place we call home. In a sense a spiritual homecoming, where each of us can remember we are part of a greater family, with a glorious call.
I believe that yes this will be a Holy Spirit filled, powerful event. Just like Fire School, we are going to draw heavily from our leaders in the Kaleo family. We are going to see Jesus touch people in profound and life changing ways. I also believe that this year's conference will be another step into God’s call for our Church, and will cause us to accelerate into the call to see Appalachia ablaze with revival fire. If you haven't signed up yet, I encourage you to do so. It brings me great joy that we get to do this together.
Love,
Pastor John
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