Extreme Holy Spirit Activity Is Needed – Today’s Church Is Not Spirit-Filled Enough

Even today's most Spirit-filled churches must embrace radical reformation.

Listen to a short podcast as I describe the 2 Chronicles church model, a revelation-driven, prophetic model, that must come to the church, and fast. Then, read this article. It's time for revolution.

TODAY'S SPIRIT-FILLED CHURCH EXPERIENCE

Like most of you, I have quite a memory bank full of church experiences, many of them phenomenal, many of them poor, but most of them quite average, not memorable, good, but honestly disappointing and unsatisfying. There is a collective roar sounding over our nation, a bellowing cry for an end to church as usual. (By the way, here's the definition of bellow: emit a deep loud roar, typically in pain or anger. I think that fits.) People are no longer impressed by a skilled worship team, a perfect flow, professional preaching or big dollar theatrics. They want a mighty move of God. If you listened to the podcast, you'll understand that I'm attempting to bring distinction between today's very good Spirit-filled church experience and the radical reformation that must come. We are all familiar with the Sunday ritual:
  • Be welcomed by greeters, friends and maybe the pastor.
  • Acknowledge the refreshing presence of the Holy Spirit while worshiping for 30-40 minutes or so.
  • Shift into a time for the offering and announcements.
  • Listen to a decent message.
  • Possibly spend some time at the altar as God touches your heart.
  • Shake some more hands and then head out to lunch.
  • Repeat next Sunday
This is a good experience. However, it's not the experience that can call down fire, usher in revival or shake the nations. Massive reformation must come to some very good Spirit-filled churches.

PAVEMENT PEOPLE

1  As soon as Solomon finished his prayer, fire came down from heaven and consumed the burnt offering and the sacrifices, and the glory of the LORD filled the temple. 2  And the priests could not enter the house of the LORD, because the glory of the LORD filled the LORD’s house. 3  When all the people of Israel saw the fire come down and the glory of the LORD on the temple, they bowed down with their faces to the ground on the pavement and worshiped and gave thanks to the LORD, saying, “For he is good, for his steadfast love endures forever.” 2 Chronicles 7:1-3 (ESV)
I believe a mark of revival just might not be full buildings, but rather empty buildings. Prayer and sacrifice resulted in fire coming down from heaven and the glory of the Lord filling the place! When that dramatic, supernatural event impacted that building, nobody could enter. They all hit the pavement and worshiped and declared God's goodness! This is the church experience the remnant is crying out for! Pastors will have to fully stop their pursuits of numeric church growth and shift their efforts to facilitating a white-hot atmosphere of intercession, groans, tongues of fire and prophetic unction. Understand, the church isn't a house of teaching, a house of friendships, a house of evangelism. It's a house of prayer. If a church isn't praying in the Spirit as the very foundation of their ministry, then all of the rest is compromised. Powerless. Out of order. Every person in the church must be fully devoted to praying in tongues and allowing the groans of the Spirit to burn through them. Instead producing an order of service that expects more people to be drawn in, pastors must raise the bar, turn up the temperature and contend with the remnant in otherworldly prayer—fully expecting most others to be repelled. The pretenders will be identified, but so will the faithful and hungry. You will find your remnant when you start offering what the remnant is longing for. We must have a 180-degree response to the ultra-damaging seeker-sensitive movement of recent decades. We can grieve the Holy Spirit no longer by keeping him on a leash, tied up outside of the sanctuary. For too long, people have been expected to leave the Holy Spirit (and the manifestations he brings with him) outside the church building, though they were certainly free to untie him and take him home with them if they so chose. Ichabod churches are numerous and God is absolutely grieved. We should be too. But, let me bring this back to center. It's easy to identify the spiritually dead or the supernaturally resistant churches. This message certainly can target them, but more specifically, it targets the spiritually vibrant churches that I identified above. There are many such churches that are great places to raise a family, to connect with other Believers and to worship and grow in God. But, again, I'm sounding an urgent alarm—this church experience is insufficient. In fact, such churches can become breeding grounds of mediocrity. It's easy to attend such churches and to be casual in our relationship with Jesus. It's easy to be active in sin. It's easy to hide in the shadows. On the contrary, churches that are marked by fire, with everybody praying in tongues, groaning in the Spirit, crying out for revival and contending for holiness, you cannot hide. When everybody is praying, walking, crying, living and groaning in the Holy Spirit, when the fire of God sears them, when the challenge is intense and the atmosphere intentionally aggressive, impurities, sins and resistance are exposed. I've seen it time and again. Sundays must quickly shift. Now. In fact, we are way behind schedule. Instead of shaking hands and greeting visitors and meeting with friends, people will walk trembling into the sanctuary as a roar of intercession explodes throughout. People will be on their faces with deep supernatural groans erupting out of them. Others will be pacing, repenting, kneeling, crying out or exalting God with great passion. Instead of sing-a-longs and sermons, a revelation-driven church will be filled with prophetic decrees, biblical declarations, groans of intercession and messages that shift atmospheres, all while people are shaking, hungering and crying out for fire to fall and for the Holy Spirit to come. You might be surprised at how many visitors actually are drawn to such a life-changing and legitimate move of God. You might also be surprised at how many elders, Sunday School teachers, staff pastors, worship leaders, ushers and pillars of the church run for the exits with complaints and curses in their mouths. This reformation will shake everything that can be shaken, but we can delay no longer. May the supernatural church arise and the stigma of Ichabod be decimated as the Holy Spirit manifests in supernatural wonder again.

Prophetic House of Prayer: Revelation Driven house of prayer model

House of Prayer: A Revelation Driven House of Prayer model is coming to the Detroit region! You are invited to dive into the fire with us!

First! TONIGHT learn more about the coming house of prayer strategy as I teach at theLab on Revelation Driven Prayer! Perfect timing! You can audit this class for $25. Just show up and pay at the door TONIGHT, Thursday, January 31st at 7pm! (Cash, check, credit card)
Revival Church meets at CENTRAL CHURCH, 1529 E. 12 Mile Rd, Madison Heights, MI 48071.


The purpose of this message is twofold:

  1. Explain the new house of prayer model that’s coming soon to the Detroit region
  2. Solicit help to find the perfect property to house it

Revelation Driven House of PrayerRevelation Driven House of Prayer

Simply put, a Revelation Driven House of Prayer is a house of prayer marked by a sharp and vibrant prophetic fire.

We have experienced absolutely stunning miracles throughout the years when we have employed this revelation driven model of intercession. You can listen to some of the dramatic stories that we lived through in Manitou Springs, Colorado. I shared them Sunday at Revival Church. Listen to the house of prayer stories here: http://media.johnburton.net/6670824

This house of prayer model embraces various styles of prayer including decrees, soaking, declaring the Word, worship and others. The common thread is encounter and response to the heart of God.

Additionally, there is a mysterious yet powerful balance between brokenness and exuberant joy. Between repentance and freedom. Grief and victory.

Simply know this, it won’t be a despair driven house of prayer! Sadness, depression, frustration, unbelief and hopelessness are not a part of the strategy! Joy, freedom, dancing, victory and bold authority to advance revival in our region will fuel us!

As we advance together, a powerful and constant prophetic atmosphere will be developed, and we will watch miracle after miracle occur as we respond to the revelation God gives us. It will be an adventure to say the least!

The Revelation Driven House of Prayer Plan

While the specifics can change as we get closer to launch, the plan currently includes:

  • Revival Church is the foundation on which the house of prayer will exist. The property we find will house both (which are really one, but for the sake of communicating this fresh vision, I’m making distinctions.)
  • Two primary weekly encounter services (Saturday & Sunday nights)
  • One Revival Church service (Sunday morning)
  • Joyful, weighty worship
  • Revelation Driven Prayer Monday & Tuesday nights
  • Verse-by-verse Bible study Wednesday nights
  • theLab Class Thursday nights
  • City focused events off site Friday nights
  • Daily noon worship & soaking prayer (Mon-Fri)
  • This model will be reproduced in our Tribes, and in other cities around the world! We are ready to bring our team to your location to help launch a Revelation Driven House of Prayer!

Property Search

  • We are ready to start the new house of prayer immediately. Can you help us find a property? Here’s what we need:
  • Within approx 7 miles of our current location in Madison Heights. Troy, Warren, Royal Oak, Sterling Heights and other nearby places could work well.
  • At least 8,000 square feet, preferably closer to 20,000
  • A large open room that can hold a large stage plus at least 150 chairs
  • Parking for a minimum of 30 cars, preferably over 50
  • Air conditioned
  • Good condition/move in ready
  • Offices and classrooms
  • Zoned correctly and no modifications necessary to house a church (for example, buildings designed for large assemblies must have a certain type and number of restrooms)
  • Approx $2000/month to lease, or a donation of a property to Revival Church
  • Could be an existing church (which would be the easiest), a warehouse, industrial property, etc.

Additionally, we are currently fundraising for the new house of prayer. We need to raise an additional $45,000. We are encouraging people to ask the Lord about making a significant, special donation in addition to regular tithes. Get creative in your giving! Real estate, jewelry, vehicles, etc. will help us reach this goal! You can give online at www.detroitrevivalchurch.com/donate. All donations are tax deductible.

Some have made faith pledge, and you can do the same by emailing us at [email protected]. All it would take is nine people pledging $5000 over the next few months! Just mention the house of prayer property in your submission!

prophetic house of prayer teaching

A Crisis in the Church: the house of prayer

International House of Prayer

1000 Prophetic Intercessors : Revival Church Detroit Strategy

Our intercessors, ministry staff and I are deeply in the place of prayer in our current season concerning the advance of LIFE and the power of Jesus in Detroit.image

This will be no small movement. Mega. That’s the word that God has burned in my spirit. We have an opportunity to dream and see well beyond our own abilities right now—God is provoking many in this region to awaken, move into position and cry out for fire from Heaven!

The Revival Church strategy continues to unfold, and it has become clear that the foundation of night and day prophetic prayer all across the region must be developed—and quickly. It’s time to decree and declare in unity. The groans of our spirit must roar out in unison!

Romans 8:22-23 (ESV) 22 For we know that the whole creation has been groaning together in the pains of childbirth until now. 23 And not only the creation, but we ourselves, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for adoption as sons, the redemption of our bodies.

Romans 8:26 (NIV) In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groans that words cannot express.

1000 PROPHETIC INTERCESSORS

There are three types of people we are seeking to identify:

  1. People who will be uniquely connected with Revival Church team on Sundays and other key times of the week to prophetically pray and advance the mission. They will additionally help serve and give leadership to our satellite churches and ministries in the area, our traveling revival team and other Revival Church entities.
  2. People who are connected primarily with other ministries of the city church of Detroit, and want to be counted among the 1000 prophetic intercessors.
  3. People from other parts of the nation and the world who sense a calling to contend for revival in Detroit and desire to be a part of the 1000 intercessors.

All three groups will be intentionally connected with the Revival Church team via a weekly interactive radio show. That show currently airs on Mondays at 8pm EST at www.detroitrevivalchurch.com/radio.

Additionally, the 1000 intercessors will receive “Rhema style” prayer points each week as we receive them in prayer. They will also be responsible to report back any prophetic data they receive concerning the mission.

REGIONAL STRATEGIC IMPACT

Revival Church is a prophetic and apostolic ministry that has a mandate of helping facilitate revival. As a prophetic revival command center we desire to communicate with other likeminded leaders and help develop strategy for our area.

Revival Church itself will have a central hub, a command center. Out of that central ministry, our plan is to launch satellite churches and ministries in several different sections of the Detroit region. While we will develop according to God’s timeline, our vision is to see twelve or more churches planted throughout Detroit. As a multi-site ministry of night and day prayer for the region, and as we work closely with other churches and ministries, we will develop the reach and the leadership necessary to cover Detroit in continual intercession, ministry and the fire of revival.

If you would like to consider joining with us at any of the levels, we would love to connect. If you are a ministry leader and would like to consider working with us as a partner ministry, let us know. Our heart is to develop a “Revelation Driven Network of Ministries” all around the world.

You can email me at [email protected] or call me at 313.799.FIRE.

Let’s see Detroit experience a fiery outpouring of the Holy Spirit right on schedule!

John Burton

Come full, alert and ready

Sunday’s at Revival Church are geared more toward facilitating a holy staff meeting than a typical church service—we must set a pattern of arriving full, alert and ready to pour out and then to receive key instructions. As a revival command center, we must all assume a military mindset and be exceedingly discerning and ready for advance.

The reason we planted this church was to gather together likeminded people who are contending together for a weighty move of God in Detroit. As we meet and encounter God together in a prophetic atmosphere, we’ll all receive divine mandates and strategies.

THE MOST IMPORTANT HOUR OF THE WEEK

We would like to see as many people as possible rushing through the doors at 5pm every Sunday evening. From 5-6pm we have the opportunity to initiate and facilitate a deeply prophetic atmosphere. As we all pray with passion an hour prior to the service, we’ll be ready for God’s plans for the rest of the night.

A FULL TIME MANDATE

Come full. This is such a key directive for all of us. We have to change the trend in the church world where we burn out through the week and try get refilled on Sundays. This pattern of living is extremely self-defeating and it threatens the mission of Kingdom advance.

Every day be in the place of extreme prayer and intercession. Dive deep into scripture. Listen to sermons from anointed men and women of God online. Be so full and deeply burning in the passion of the Holy Spirit that we experience a spontaneous explosion when we connect on Sundays.

THE OPPORTUNITIES

Revival Church is not a ‘Sunday only’ ministry. We’ll never even begin to fulfill our mission by connecting for a few hours one day a week. Be encouraged to connect at several different points every week so we can compare notes, grow together and stay on the same page. We’ve made it easy by having several of our connect points online, so people can participate from their homes.

  • Mondays- Join our weekly Prophetic Revival radio broadcast. At 8pm EST every Monday head on over to www.detroitrevivalchurch.com/radio.
  • Wednesdays- Head on over to Revival Church for prayer at 7pm.
  • Fridays- Connect at the International House of Prayer East Detroit at 7pm for prayer, worship and teaching.
  • Revival Teams- Join with others each week for discussion, prayer, strategy and other mission critical activities.

THE PLANS

There’s a lot of vision for the future that are connected to our ability to build a strong foundation now. As we grow and develop with fire, love and passion, we’ll watch some important ministry launch in the months and years ahead. Some examples:

  • Revelation Driven House of Prayer- We will be functioning as a 24/7 prophetic prayer center for the region and the nations. As we gain prophetic intelligence from people from around the world, we’ll intercede, proclaim and release the life of Jesus into those situations. This will result in serious shifts in cities and atmospheres around the world.
  • Revival Teams- As we take this fire into churches, conferences and events in cities around the world, we’ll want a team of people who know how to walk in the Spirit, pray with passion and impart the fire of God.
  • Revelation Driven Ministry Project- We’re launching this now, but for it to thrive we’ll have to give it a lot of attention. The call is for everybody to connect at least twice a week with us. Once by submitting dreams, visions and prophecies to www.propheticpulse.com and a second time by participating in the weekly Monday 8pm EST radio show where we’ll discuss those prophecies.

There’s more, but that will give you an idea of the scope of the mission. As we all contend together, with smiles on our faces and fire in our eyes, we’ll be right in the middle of a consuming end-time move of the Living God!

And, in case you haven’t seen it, check out our welcome magazine here!

See you TOMORROW for a night of fire!

Broadcast Tonight : Revelation Driven Revival Centers

TONIGHT at 8pm EST (that’s in only 30 minutes!) we’ll be LIVE ON THE AIR discussing the call for Revelation Driven Revival Centers.

The idea? We must hear God clearly, continually if we are to respond appropriately. We have to know what’s on God’s heart, what his plans are and how we are to facilitate those plans.

We can’t be effective in ministry and in life without the voice of God permeating us every day. What would happen if we had a network of Revelation Driven churches, ministries and houses of prayer that heard God clearly and reported everything back to a Revival Command Center?

My heart is to see this come to pass.

Let’s talk about it TONIGHT!


To listen to the show, visit www.detroitrevivalchurch.com/radio.

To listen using your phone and/or to participate in the live show call (646) 478-4408.