Posts by John Burton
From Lakeland: Jeff Garvin THIS SUNDAY at Revival Church
We are preparing for the coming Detroit Outpouring, and we are excited to have Jeff Garvin running the race with us in this region THIS SUNDAY at 6pm.
Visit www.detroitrevivalchurch.com for our address and a map.
Forward this flyer on to everybody you know who has a burning in their spirit for revival in Detroit.
Local church/City church – The coming reformation
When I was leading Revolution House of Prayer in Manitou Springs, Colorado, a common theme was the establishment of the city church. I outlined this concept on the white boards there and we prayed into it fairly regularly.
Here’s a twelve minute podcast on this topic that will help you understand and also pray into the coming shift in Detroit. I write about this in my book 20 Elements of Revival as well.
http://www.cinchcast.com/praytherevolution/1769.mp3
In this City church model we’ll see local churches take on the identity of departments of the larger City church. People will participate at a high level at a primary local church and at lesser yet significant levels at a variety of other ministries.
This will enable one church to focus intently on the few callings in the primary giftings they have been given, while allowing other churches to function in their specific callings and giftings. Churches no longer have to attempt to cover every base. As we work together on a city level we can pool our strengths and giftings.
Someone may primarily be involved in a local church that mainly focuses on evangelism, while also attending other churches on other days and nights of the week that are geared toward teaching, youth, pastoral care, etc.
A great example is the house of prayer movement. They pray as their primary focus. People attend the house of prayer while also attending other churches at different points during the week.
Here’s a simple diagram of this idea from the vantage point of Manitou Springs, Colorado. We’ll see people involved in several different churches and ministries every week. I see this idea coming to Detroit and other cities as well. You can see the larger, easier to read version at http://praytherevolution.com/images/Manitou-Springs-Vision-Map.gif
Incredibly confirming word about Detroit and Canada
I read this on Barbara Yoder’s wall a moment ago and almost spontaneously combusted. 
There are so many confirming elements here, including the “Saul’s” that are awaiting the sudden fire of revival.
I taught about this in Detroit last year. You can listen to “Four Fires” at www.praytherevolution.com/media.
Here’s the word:
THE ARMY IS DEPLOYED IN DETROIT
Chad Taylor
Mar 28, 2003
"Proclaim ye this among the Gentiles; Prepare war, wake up the mighty men, let all the men of war draw near; let them come up: Beat your plowshares into swords, and your pruninghooks into spears: let the weak say, I am strong." (Joel 3:9-10).
I heard the Lord say today during a time of prayer, "THE ARMY IS DEPLOYED IN DETROIT". I could see an awesome gathering of warriors taking place there, not only in the natural but the spiritual as well. A vanguard of angels amassing over the city. I heard the voice of Elisha as I saw this vision unfolding, "And Elisha prayed, and said, LORD, I pray thee, open his eyes, that he may see. And the LORD opened the eyes of the young man; and he saw: and, behold, the mountain was full of horses and chariots of fire round about Elisha." (II Ki 6:17).
As this army began to come together I again heard the command from the throne of God, "THE ARMY IS DEPLOYED IN DETROIT". I saw an accelerated equipping taking place in this city of Detroit and from that equipping came a divine commissioning. From this spiritual capitol city of Detroit a massive offensive was taking place. As quickly as the army had amassed they began to disperse into every corner of the city with the simple apostolic message, "For I determined not to know any thing among you, save Jesus Christ, and him crucified…" (1 Cor 2:2).
A DIVINE DEPLOYMENT
Every bar, brothel, tavern, barrio, and business place was impacted by this DIVINE DEPLOYMENT. What resulted was a genuine Pentecost experience as the upper-room of prophetic experience emptied into the marketplace declaring a resurrected Christ. Great signs and wonders accompanied this DIVINE DEPLOYMENT as the church began to pray, "And now, Lord, behold their threatenings: and grant unto thy servants, that with all boldness they may speak thy word, By stretching forth thine hand to heal; and that signs and wonders may be done by the name of thy holy child Jesus." (Acts 4:29-30).
AN ARMY OF YOUTH
As this vision progressed I saw an army of youth dancing in the streets of Detroit. As in the day of Jesus they were in the temples and public places crying out, "…and the children crying in the temple, and saying, Hosanna to the Son of David…" (Matt 21:15). There was a great spiritual awakening in the hearts of the youth in Detroit. I saw events like THE CALL targeting Detroit in the near future. Great gatherings were filling stadiums and open areas of Detroit as the youth gathered to rend the Heavens, they exclaimed the prayer of Isaiah as they gathered, "Oh that thou wouldest rend the heavens, that thou wouldest come down, that the mountains might flow down at thy presence…" (IS. 64:1).
SAUL OF TARSUS
I then saw major corporate heads and CEO's in Detroit running to Jesus and bowing down as Saul did on the road to Damascus. The word Damascus in Greek means to DECLARE OR TELL. Saul was about to experience a DIVINE DEPLOYMENT and be transformed into an apostolic sound that would DECLARE AND TELL the world of a resurrected Christ. The business sector of Detroit is about to have a SAUL OF TARSUS EXPERIENCE. Detroit will become a model city of finance and blessing, enabling ministries to thrive and outreach the uttermost parts of the earth. Many end-time ministries will base from Detroit and come under a prophetic blessing and covering.
TO CANADA WITH LOVE
I then heard the Lord say, "TO CANADA WITH LOVE". I saw an angel positioned between Michigan and Canada opening the ancient gates between these borders. As these gates opened I saw the Great Lakes on fire. A blessing began to flood into Canada as Detroit was deployed into a greater destiny. A spiritual exchange between these two nations was taking place. I saw recent hostility between Canada and the United States relieved and released as this army amassed in Detroit. A ancient inheritance was released between these two territories as this blessing overtook them. I heard the Lord say again, "TO CANADA WITH LOVE".
PHILIP IN DETROIT
"Then Philip went down to the city of Samaria, and preached Christ unto them." (Acts 8:5). A Spirit of the Evangelist was released in Detroit. The Prophetic Evangelist. No dark place was safe from the sound that was being unleashed. The sound of salvation and redemption. Great deliverance accompanied this thrust of evangelism that was occurring. Demons came out of many. Witchcraft and covens were dispersed and scattered from the anointing of evangelism that was released in Detroit. Many key satanic figures suddenly came to the knowledge of Jesus Christ and were converted. The city became a international city of refuge. As this vision ended I heard the voice of the Lord again, "THE ARMY IS DEPLOYED IN DETROIT".
Chad Taylor
www.consumingfire.com
A trembling and a searing burning is coming to the church of Detroit
First, check out our new website for Revival Church. We may be holding our Sunday evening services at the First United Methodist Church on Greater Mack, so stay tuned for updates. The website is www.detroitrevivalchurch.com.
"The coming moves of God will require nothing short of a revolution of our current structures, models and mindsets. Not an adjustment or an enhancement, but deep reform. The resulting fire and presence of the Holy Spirit will cause us to marvel and wonder why we ever resisted at all."- John Burton
I’m deeply provoked. While I understand the value of due process, something deep within can’t shake the prophetic cry for sudden reformation in our churches.
God zealously loves the church, and I’m convinced he loves it too much to allow it to remain in its current form without some divine pressure.
The church must change. Now. The picture of Amy above is key. She mentioned that revival will only come to Detroit if we go to the place of agony, of groans and visibly shaking screams from our spirit. We must press like Amy did when she was contending for the life of our daughter on stage in Lakeland. Look at her face and never forget it.
I bet I’ve heard similar messages hundreds of times over the last ten years or so, yet we still resort to the familiar.
I simply can’t shake this. Nor do I want to. A burning is coming to Detroit, and we must be contending for it to arrive sooner than later.
This burning will threaten more than most of us are willing to risk. As churches raise the bar, intercede night and day, stimulate the heavy activity of the Holy Spirit and embrace an “I couldn’t care less” John the Baptist style disposition that cries continually for the arrival of Jesus- many will leave. Many will be offended. People we rely on to run our programs, to pay their tithes. Everything is at risk- money, people, reputation, 401ks, mortgage payments- everything.
However, the remnant who aren’t in it for their on security or satisfaction or affirmation will die daily and contend in unity for Jesus to arrive in power.
We, as simple and weak humans, are going to do our best to allow God to form Revival Church with all of this in mind. I believe it’s important for all of us to be in position, fully on fire and ready to burn night and day.
Detroit needs prophetic, cross-bearing churches on fire, night and day, in order for this revival to hit.
Pray for reformation. Pray against the American culture and calendar that has demanded submission. Pray for radical transformation in the church- from the way we pray, to the children’s ministry to the increase of white hot fire in the midst of our events. Pray for an end to Sunday only church. Pray for an end for the need for ‘seeker’ ministry as the flames of God’s fire transform these people in the midst of a shaking, trembling Upper Room style church.
And, in addition to praying for it- let’s just do it. We’re not waiting on God. We don’t have to convince him of the need for revival. He’s waiting on us to just do it.
It’s not enough : Detroit Revival Church : A new sound
It’s not enough. That’s the cry that’s bellowing deep within my spirit. 
I absolutely love and crave a revival atmosphere where the Spirit of God moves freely and in power. I know there is a yearning within many for the same thing, and the Holy Spirit is awakening us to that desire.
It’s important and it’s God- but it’s not enough. God never intended it to be. An atmosphere like that is in some ways a conduit of the greater mission, and in other ways an overflow of the greater mission.
I often hear about people’s frustration about the lack of Holy Spirit activity, freedom and anointing in church services. I understand that frustration. However, we have to be careful not to presume that a breakout service is the ultimate goal.
If we are using the system of the church to give us what we want, what we demand, even if it’s a holy encounter, then we are embracing a religious spirit. My favorite definition of religion is this: Man’s attempt to use God or God’s systems to get what he wants. We can’t use God’s system, but we can and should avail ourselves to it, and to God Himself.
We have to understand that the yearning for anointing and freedom in our church services isn’t primarily due to a God initiated desire to experience His presence alone, it is primarily so we can experience God’s presence which will free us up to know him deeply and fulfill our ministries.
I’ve been in indescribable revival style, Holy Spirit heavy atmospheres that have transformed me forever. It’s common to come out of a service like that with a sense of having experienced the crescendo. It feels great, we experience God, we are free, and we want more! This is good… very good. However, we must be disciplined enough to ask the greater question- what does this new found freedom enable me to do for the Kingdom?
Revival Church will be intently focused on experiencing God in overwhelming and deep ways as often as we can. The tremble in the fear of the Lord must be normal in this church. However, we cannot head home on a Sunday hoping for a repeat the next Sunday as a driving focus. That can’t be our primary thought. We have to look beyond the horizon and see where this manifest presence of God can lead us.
Instead of being satisfied with local church transformation (as wonderful as that is), we must not relent until we experience city, national and international transformation. The powerful encounter with God is in itself a fulfilled mission… without question. We are to pray continually, know him deeply, experience transforming intimacy night and day. Absolutely. But, when we encounter God at this level, we cannot help but to be driven with tears in our eyes for the greater things. For greater revival. For transformed lives. For impact that’s felt around the world.
The experience in the Upper Room in Acts was life-altering to say the least. That encounter however simply could not be contained in that room! It had to explode into society.
If a revival atmosphere in our church isn’t ultimately felt in a much greater radius, you have to question whether it’s revival at all.
Acts 2:1-2 (ESV) 1 When the day of Pentecost arrived, they were all together in one place. 2 And suddenly there came from heaven a sound like a mighty rushing wind, and it filled the entire house where they were sitting.
Acts 2:5-6 (ESV) 5 Now there were dwelling in Jerusalem Jews, devout men from every nation under heaven. 6 And at this sound the multitude came together, and they were bewildered, because each one was hearing them speak in his own language.
Last night I was at an event with Barbara Yoder and she mentioned a new sound that’s coming. I’ve heard others say the same thing. I agree. I believe this sound will be multi-faceted, but it will be without question the sound of God. As in Acts 2, When the sound comes, the multitudes will gather!
The sound of God will invade the house and it will be heard in the city.
Join us for our next Revival Church service… every Sunday at 6pm!
Very interesting video : Prophecy management system
Times are suddenly getting very interesting in the revival/prophetic realm… and especially here in Detroit. I received a phone call from Jeff Garvin from the 
Lakeland revival yesterday. He’s very alerted to the rising temperature in the Detroit area and I’m going to be connecting with him on Saturday in Windsor.
The same is true of Barbara Yoder, and I’m going to be connecting with her in Port Huron tomorrow.
Someone received a very interesting prophecy regarding voodoo, and hours later I received an invitation to minister from a pastor in a nation inundated with voodoo- Haiti. I may be teaching on revival and prophecy in a Bible college there next month.
With all of this going on, we must learn how to steward words, dreams, visions and prophetic data.
Most prophecy is conditional. We have a significant responsibility to hear God clearly and then to steward that revelation.
Imagine a web-based system that connected people, churches and ministries in real time. A system that receives, analyzes, filters and reports on prophecies, dreams and visions submitted via smart phones, laptops and other devices from around the world.
What if everybody in a church had an opportunity to prophesy during a service? What if all of that data was analyzed and submitted via a report to senior leadership as the service is in progress? What if that same data was compared with other submissions from all over the Earth?
This is the Strategic Prophecy & Intercession Management System. It's awaiting a team of brilliant and Spirit-filled people to take on the project.
You can watch the video below, or visit the permanent page for this topic at www.praytherevolution.com/prophecy.html.