Spirit-driven prayer Friday at the Old Stone Church!

Join us tomorrow, Friday, April 8th at 10pm for fiery prayer for revival at the Old Stone Church in Branson!

First, have you read my latest article? It’s on the need for regional prayer movements.

You can check it out here: Regional Prayer Movements: A seismic shift in strategy is the only hope for our churches, regions and nation.


The next prayerteam.tv event is tomorrow!

We’ll start right on time at 10pm tomorrow, Friday, April 8th.

This is an exciting adventure in prayer that will move from site to site on Friday nights.

You can always see upcoming prayer events on our site at www.prayerteam.tv.

The Old Stone Church will host us tomorrow night. It’s located at 4th and Pacific downtown Branson.

Invite friends and get ready for a night of fire!

Can I give you a call? Let’s connect about ministry in your region!

Let’s connect about ministry in your region!

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Hi!

My name is John Burton and I am praying for new Kingdom connections with pastors and leaders both in this nation and around the world.

I’d love to give you a call and hear more about your ministry. Is there a time that would work?

If you feel it would benefit your ministry, we can discuss scheduling a church event or conference in your region that would powerfully encourage you and your team!

I don’t require a minimum honorarium or a minimum sized crowd. I will sleep on the floor if it means revival can be fueled in your region!

In the meantime, my bio can be viewed at www.johnburton.net if you’d like to take a look.

The short version is:

· I’ve planted two churches, one in Colorado and one in Detroit.

· I’ve written eight books on the topics of prayer, reformation and revival.

· I directed one of the primary internships at the International House of Prayer in Kansas City.

· I crave being in God’s presence with other hungry people!

· I also believe strongly in the local church and would love to serve your mission.

You also might consider hosting theLab Intensive. This 2-3 day school of fire will equip and encourage your church and leadership team. Learn more here: www.thelabuniversity.com/intensives.

Contact me any time via email at [email protected] or phone at 719.231.6000.

I can’t wait to hear from you!


clip_image002Dear John,

When we invited you we anticipated an unusual move of God in our church but had no idea how much you would ignite the fire of God in hearts and set us on the path to revival. What a tremendous week it has been! Thanks for all that you, through the anointing of the Holy Spirit, have invested in us this week. One of these days there will be a mighty sound coming from the south. It will be the sound of revival and of a raging fire of the Spirit in Haiti. READ THE ENTIRE LETTER HERE.

Jean Heder Petit-Frere

The vision of theCore | One opportunity of many for significant end-time leadership at the Detroit Prayer Furnace

An end-time army of burning ones are coming together to serve with passion in Detroit!

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Give leadership to the prayer movement in Detroit

The vision is hot and ready for you jump into. We want to help you understand the vision and what you can expect.

Habakkuk 2:2 (ESV) And the LORD answered me: “Write the vision; make it plain on tablets, so he may run who reads it.

The following is required for everybody who participates in theFurnace, theLab or theCore:

  • A high standard of holiness
  • Financial partnership (tithe)
  • 6pm Saturday War Room Prayer

Who is theCore for?

Burning men and women of God who are desperately hungry, disciplined and available to commit at a high level.

At the Detroit Prayer Furnace we have three specific opportunities for you to lock into a lifestyle of prayer and ministry. Is theCore right for you? Maybe and maybe not.

Here are the three ways you can connect:

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theFurnace

If you simply want to connect with other fire-breathers and involve yourself in a fiery culture of intercession and prophetic ministry, theFurnace is for you.

theFurnace is an extremely important part of our culture, and some of our most effective leaders may land here instead of theCore. Why? Because we highly value marketplace leaders and others who have more limited availability due to their assignment in the workplace or their place in life.

Anybody can start in theFurnace at any time, and even stay there without ever participating in theLab or theCore. Simply communicate your desire to lock in with our team, agree to the minimum commitments (see above) and burn with us as often as you can each week!

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theLab

theLab University is a school of fire that prepares people for Holy Spirit baptized ministry.

We strongly encourage everybody in our community to enroll in theLab University. This is a focused, intense training environment that will unlock your destiny and set you ablaze!

theLab will also instruct you in the core values of the Detroit Prayer Furnace, the vision and how to best engage in our unique culture.

Everybody interested in joining theCore, a team of 40+ leaders in the Detroit Prayer Furnace, must successfully complete one three-month session of theLab.

You can get more info here: www.thelabuniversity.com

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theCore

theCore is made up of leaders and emerging leaders who have successfully completed theLab, and who have the desire to serve on a focused, consecrated and submitted team of end-time warriors.

The vision is white hot—this team will be locking arms with fellow soldiers in continual prayer, training emerging leaders, carrying the fire to the cities of the Earth and modeling Acts 2 unity and consecration.

theCore Commitment

Keep in mind, for the sake of continuity, unity and corporate strength, we have unapologetically and intentionally raised the bar of commitment very high for this team—with very little, if any, flex.

Our target size for this team is only 40. We consider theCore to be our primary leadership team who serve under our senior staff, and, with this in mind, the commitment is the same as senior leadership.

Most people at the Detroit Prayer Furnace will serve with joyful passion in theFurnace. Some will get equipped in theLab. Few will choose to participate on theCore.

theCore is made up of ministry leaders who are able to consider this commitment primary over employment and other endeavors. Keep this in mind as you chart out your connection plan at the Detroit Prayer Furnace. You may not be able to join theCore due to other life focuses, and that is OK! theFurnace is an excellent place for you to connect AND you can participate in nearly every ministry and event that theCore does—just at your own pace.

While the commitment at theCore will work best for those who don’t work at all, there may be, depending on the specific situation, enough flex built in to the schedule to allow for some outside employment if necessary.

Keep in mind that local travel is required when the team is involved in regional events. These events can take place at any time, which is a key reason extensive availability beyond our regular weekly schedule is required.

  • The full time commitment works out to be approximately 12-14 hours a week.
  • The part time commitment works out to be approximately 9-10 hours a week.

Opportunities for those on theCore include:

  • leading prayer watch teams
  • teaching
  • developing ministries
  • leading traveling teams
  • advancing the prayer movement

theCore team is firmly devoted to consecration and modeling the lifestyle of an end-time forerunner.

theCore commitment includes:

  • FULL TIME: Four prayer & ministry events per week
  • PART TIME: Two prayer & ministry events per week
  • A high standard of holiness
  • 5pm Saturday meeting
  • 6pm Saturday intercession
  • Monthly small group at John and Amy Burton’s home
  • Traveling locally (and further if available) for ministry events
  • Financial partnership (tithe)
  • Continuing education

If you want to join theFurnace, theLab or theCore, we want to hear from you! Please email us at [email protected] TODAY! We will give you info on how to get started.

Of course, you don’t have to participate at any level! If you simply want to enjoy our events, come on out!

A season of shift | God, church, ministry and revival

My gut says there is a remnant that is feeling the same raw emotions I am about God, the church and revival.


Sometimes it’s therapeutic to simply write—and let the raw emotions of one’s heart to be exposed to the masses in the hopes that a few can relate. I’m absolutely wrecked and near tears regarding the dire need for end-time warriors to emerge! Rise up burning ones! Be awakened to the alarms of Heaven!

23 years ago I was alone in an empty church room in Dayton, Ohio. It was a crossroads moment for me, much more than I realized.

I had witnessed a lot of what we are familiar with in the Charismatic stream—people dancing, falling over, praying in tongues and exhibiting a lot of passion. Some of it was legit, some of it was not—and I knew it.

I craved God so deeply, though I had never truly experienced him—or, at least I hadn’t in a way that I was immediately convinced I had an encounter with a supernatural force. I wanted God to touch me in an undeniable way—but, I had no patience for anything fake. It must be a legitimate move of God in my life.

I told God, “If you aren’t really a healer, a powerful force, a mighty God, a sign and a wonder, I don’t want anything to do with you…but, if you are, I’ll die for you.”

That simple yet profoundly deep, emotional cry of my heart changed my life—and it has caused me trouble. I didn’t realize it then, but I had just signed up for a very lonely life. Those who would run with me at that pace would be the most precious people in the world—but they would be very few and far between.

I signed up as a forerunner—and today my heart isn’t satisfied if I’m not moving aggressively, with extreme commitment, with a team of other end-time forerunners—or raw, hungry emerging forerunners. I am possessed by the Spirit of God with a never ending passion for finding those people.

SHIFT?

If you know me, you understand the daily wrestling of my heart. I’m provoked, troubled, wrecked—yet joyful and expectant. The vision God has given possesses me, and I will see it to the end!

That being said, can I try to relate to you? I, like you, have emotions and a lot of unanswered questions and I wonder what in the world is going on at times! It’s not uncommon for me to consider just what God means when he says it’s time to shift. What is that cost? What will I really have the guts to lay something down so that I can pick the new thing up? Is it possible that he’s calling me to something radically uncomfortable and out of the box? Absolutely.

I have actually come to the place of understanding the true impact of the ministry may not be felt for another one hundred years or more. This is actually not uncommon. Consider Jeremiah. I think of people like Leonard Ravenhill who may not have seen even a fraction of the impact that they will ultimately have during their lifetime.

I tend to ponder and pray a lot, and I’m at my best when I lay all of my cards on the table and give God permission to radically shift my life. I’m in that place now. What is God saying? How will our current, ongoing efforts of intercession and training emerging leaders in our ministry impact the world? Of course, as we continue to pray and equip at Revival Church and our various ministries, there will certainly be a significant handful of people who will be transformed now—but what about the vision for masses of people who will live and breathe Jesus, serve with passion, pray continually, burn hot and change the world? When will they emerge? The laborers are truly few.

I think about the hundreds of houses of prayer that closed last year alone. Where are the forerunners and intercessors that were assigned to those ministries? Will they not respond?

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One of the greatest challenges is leading a “church” with all of the baggage and false-expectations that are attached to our American understanding of it.

Though I hear so much about how people are “tired of church as usual,” when presented with the cost of the reformation, church as usual becomes the more desirable direction.

I’d strongly encourage you to watch a video about a dream I had the other day. It’s titled “Assisted Suicide.” The dream was intensely personal and it revealed something hard core: the church is attempting to kill off the prayer movement. Those who don’t pray will aggressively react against those who do—and it will increase as the end draws near.

Of course, as you’ll see in the video, quitting is not an option—but the emotional desire to do so is an important indicator for us! The enemy is most forceful with the breakthrough is near.

WATCH THE VIDEO HERE: http://youtu.be/VXP3h6SHrls

WHAT’S EXPECTED?

We have to break through the resistance, cares of life and other life issues and lock in. Period.

The end-time army of forerunners will be so radically distinct from typical church goers that it will sear your spirit just by looking at them!

The coming church won’t fit into our busy lifestyles. It will jealously demand our full attention and that we take captive the distractions to the prayer movement.

For me, I need 40 people—weak yet disciplined and hungry for revival—who will run with joy this race with us.

The call? Show up. Pray always. Burn continually. Serve passionately. Die daily. Give cheerfully.

Sign up for theCore Leadership Team here: www.detroitprayerfurnace.com/thecore.

I still hold out hope that this small group of zealots in Detroit will have enough Upper Room power to turn this city upside down.

I’m also looking for 1000 people, from all parts of the world, who will pray every week for Detroit. This mission is so simple, yet the enemy is fighting fiercely!

Sign up for the1000 Intercessors for Detroit here: www.detroitprayerfurnace.com/the1000.

WHAT’S NEXT?

What’s next? The advance of the prayer movement! The enemy will feel the impact of burning prayer!

If it’s only me and a handful of other fiery people, so be it. It’s time to pray and shock the planet!

Let’s go!

Let’s connect and talk about how you can join theCore leadership team at dpf

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Join theCore at the Detroit Prayer Furnace!

Hi!

Just wanted to touch base regarding the revival movement in Detroit.

We are still contending after four years here in Detroit, and our next step is to identify 40 people who will be a part of theCore leadership at the Detroit Prayer Furnace.

We are also seeking 1000 intercessors to cover Detroit each week in prayer.

I’d love to talk with you personally about the opportunity!

God is equipping key prophetic people, and you most definitely have a role!

We’re connecting with pastors and leaders as well, so spread the word!

Check out two things:

  1. A brand new video that I just uploaded here on the need for prophetic town criers: http://youtu.be/bZmo_OJKXxY
  2. Info on how to join theCore here: http://www.detroitprayerfurnace.com/2013/08/15/how-to-join-thecore-and-the1000-in-detroit-thecore-leadership-team-at-the-detroit-prayer-furnace/

Let’s connect!

John Burton

Contact me here: www.johnburton.net/contact

John Bevere Answers: ‘When Should I Leave My Church?’

John Bevere Answers: ‘When Should I Leave My Church?'

I’m often asked, “When should I leave a church or ministry team? How bad does it have to get?”

I respond, “Who sent you to the church you presently attend?”

The majority of the time they answer, “God did.”

“If God sent you,” I reply, “do not leave until God releases you. If the Lord is silent, He is often saying, ‘Don’t change a thing. Do not leave. Stay where I have placed you!’”

When God does instruct you to leave, you will go out with peace, no matter what the condition of the ministry: “For ye shall go out with joy, and be led forth with peace” Is. 55:12, KJV). Therefore, your departure will not be based on the actions or behavior of others but rather on the Spirit’s leading.

So leaving a ministry is not based on how bad things are. To leave with an offended or critical spirit is not the plan of God. It is reacting rather than acting on His guidance. Romans 8:14 (NKJV) says, “For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God.”

Notice it does not say, “For as many as react to difficult situations, these are sons of God.”

Almost every time the word son is used in the New Testament, it comes from the two Greek words teknon and huios. A good definition for the word teknon is “one who is a son by mere fact of birth.”

When my first son, Addison, was born, he was John Bevere’s son by mere fact that he came from my wife and me. When he was in the nursery in the midst of all the other newborns, you could not recognize him as my son by personality. When friends and family came to visit, they could not pick him out except by the nametag above his crib. He did not possess anything that set him apart. Addison would be considered a teknon of John and Lisa Bevere.

We find teknon used in Romans 8:15–16. It says that because we have received the spirit of adoption, “the Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children [teknon] of God.” When a person receives Jesus Christ as Lord, he is a child of God by fact of the new birth experience. (See John 1:12.)

The other Greek word translated sons in the New Testament is huios. Many times it is used in the New Testament to describe “one who can be identified as a son because he displays the character or characteristics of his parents.” As my son Addison grew, he started looking and acting like his father. When Addison was 6, Lisa and I took a trip and left him with my parents. My mother told my wife that Addison was almost a carbon copy of his daddy. His personality was like mine when I was his age. As he has grown, he has become more like his dad. He now can be recognized as John Bevere’s son, not only by the fact of his birth but also by the characteristics and a personality that resemble his father’s.

So, to put it simply, the Greek word teknon means “babies or immature sons,” and the Greek word huios is most often used to describe “mature sons.”

Looking at Romans 8:14 again, it reads: “For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, these are the sons [huios] of God.” We can see clearly here that it is the mature sons who are led by the Spirit of God.

Immature Christians are less likely to follow the leading of the Spirit of God. Most often they react or respond emotionally or intellectually to circumstances they face. They have not yet learned to act only on the Spirit of God’s leading.

As Addison grows, he will progress in character development. The more mature he becomes, the more responsibility I will entrust to him. It is wrong for him to stay immature. It is not God’s will that we remain babies.

One way the character of Addison has grown is by facing difficult situations. When he started school, he met up with some “bullies.” I heard some of the things these rough kids were doing and saying to my son, and I wanted to go and deal with it. But I knew that would be wrong. For me to intervene would hinder Addison’s growth.

So my wife and I continued to counsel him at home, preparing him to face the persecutions at school. He grew in character through obeying our counsel in the midst of his suffering.

This is similar to what God does with us. The Bible says, “Though He [Jesus] was a Son [Huios], yet He learned obedience by the things which He suffered” (Heb. 5:8, emphasis added).

Physical growth is a function of time. No 2-year-old child has ever been 6 feet tall. Intellectual growth is a function of learning. Spiritual growth is a function of neither time nor learning, but rather of obedience. Now look at what Peter says: “Therefore, since Christ suffered for us in the flesh, arm yourselves also with the same mind, for he who has suffered in the flesh has ceased from sin” (1 Pet. 4:1, emphasis added).

A person who has ceased from sin is a perfectly obedient child of God. He is mature. He chooses God’s ways, not his own. Just as Jesus learned obedience by the things He suffered, we learn obedience by the difficult circumstances we face. When we obey the Word of God that is spoken by the Holy Spirit, we will grow and mature in times of conflict and suffering.

Our knowledge of Scripture is not the key. Obedience is.

Now we understand one reason why we have people in the church who have been Christians for 20 years, who can quote verses and chapters of the Bible, who have heard a thousand sermons and have read many books but still wear spiritual diapers. Every time they meet with difficult situations, rather than responding by the Spirit of God, they seek to protect themselves in their own way. They are “always learning and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth” (2 Tim. 3:7). They never come to the knowledge of the truth because they do not apply it.

Truth must be allowed to have its way in our lives if we are going to grow and mature. It is not enough to give mental assent to truth without obeying it. Even though we continue to learn, we never mature because of disobedience.

John Bevere is a popular speaker at conferences and churches and the author of best-sellers The Bait of Satan and The Fear of the Lord. He is host of The Messenger TV show and directs Messenger International ministry. This article was excerpted from his popular book The Bait of Satan.

The ministry’s next phase : Developing our team

The vision is becoming more focused and we’re gathering together an expanded ministry team.

I have been trembling and awakened to a new place since the first of the year—since we have gone to a new place in prayer at Revival Church. I am SO EXCITED about the testimonies that are arising from theLab and other ministries. People are COMING ALIVE!!!!!

The purpose of this message is to call together an expanded and deeply connected and focused team of revivalists to join us in the ministry.

I’m raising up a brand new ministry team.

Some of you have been with us for quite some time—and I’m asking for you to sign up again… for a brand new and intense phase of ministry.

Here’s what the plan is:

  • The Revival Church/John Burton Ministries team will be deeply involved in the dynamic and continually developing mission together several times a week.
    • theLabThis is the primary mandate at the moment and must be the main focus for all of us. Those running with us as a part of the ministry team will be traveling from church to church together every Friday night. Additionally, it’s imperative to make every noon prayer meeting that you can. Keep in mind, I’m calling EVERY pastor, intercessor, revivalist and burning man, woman and child of God in Detroit to be at EVERY Friday night prayer meeting. We certainly need as close to 100% participation from those connected to Revival Church and our ministry as possible. We are modeling a part of the reformation in the church for the rest of the city.
    • 1000 Intercessors—As we all do this together, we’ll be sounding the alarm for every person in the Detroit region that’s called to initiate revival to also attend theLab. We’ll be modeling this lifestyle of intercession and urgency to the region and all spreading the word and calling the 1000 leaders into position. The call isn’t to ‘sign up’ but to ‘show up’.
    • Ministry Events (other venues)—An important element of the vision is to take the fire into other venues. The ministry team will be with me as I minister in other churches to impart the burning of the Holy Spirit, to cast the vision of theLab and the 1000 Intercessors and to pray throughout the event as I speak. This morning at Salt River was an excellent example. It was powerful and we had some of the people ministering revival as a part of the service. However, we were under manned. We’ll have to become more strategic as we plan on future events. It’s important for the entire team plus the entire church body to stay together to advance the cause of revival. **My heart was to have every person associated with Revival Church with us this morning to encourage Salt River… many people were missed… it wasn’t the same without you!!!
      • NOTE: I need people to step up to handle certain roles such as marketing, setting up speaking engagements, working on travel arrangements, intercession, etc.
      • NOTE: The next ministry event that we need every team member to serve in is the Fire in February event in Dearborn. We’ll be launching the event with theLab style fiery prayer and intercession. With only 60 people or so at Revival Church, we absolutely need every one to show up for each service. REGISTER at www.awakeningnet.us.
    • Ministry Events (hosted by theLab)—This is a huge vision and it will require a huge team. Right now we need the team (which should be at least 30 people strong) to form and get to work searching for property, hosting prayer events, connecting with potential guest ministers, networking with other churches in the area, etc. Everything from small conferences to large stadium events will need everybody to work hard together.
    • Revival Church—This is the briefing for the rest of the week. What is happening at theLab and at ministry events will be briefed on here, prayed through, etc. Additionally, the call to action will be sounded here and we’ll all ensure we’re on the same page and ready for our instructions and assignments for the rest of the week. This will be a place of wild and free worship, zealous prayer and clear impartation.

Contact me at [email protected] or 313.799.3473 to discuss your participation. This new team includes people that have been on my staff for quite some time and it will include many others who are ready to clear their calendars and invest with passion into the pursuit of revival in Detroit.

Worship Team Small Group : Radiant Worship photos

Are you a musical, worshiping revivalist? Now is the time!

We are developing our worship experience at Revival Church and we’re adding singers and musicians NOW!

One week from tomorrow on Thursday, April 29th at 7pm you are invited to our brand new WORSHIP SMALL GROUP. Try outs and all the information you need will be discussed that night.

If you are interested, contact me asap at [email protected].

Your commitment will include a weekly Thursday night small group, pre-service prayer and the Sunday service (whether you are singing/playing or not that week).


What a night we had with Radiant Worship! How fun and freeing that was!

Thanks to everybody who helped pull it together, and everybody else who embraced an atmosphere of wild freedom!

The anointing was strong… God is getting us ready for encounter after encounter at Revival Church!

Don’t forget to register for the upcoming Michele Perry event at Revival Church here: www.detroitrevivalchurch.com/events.

Here are some pics from that night:

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See you Sunday at Revival Church!

John

Road Trip! Join me tomorrow in Detroit

If you subscribed to our REVIVAL TEXT ALERTS, you already received this info. If not, you can subscribe by texting the word REVIVAL to 41411, or by visiting www.praytherevolution.com/subscribe.

Tomorrow evening, Tuesday, March 9th at 8pm I’ll be ministering in downtown Detroit.

I’d love to have all of my revivalist friends with me to cover the night in prayer.

The address is 2535 Michigan Avenue, Detroit, MI 48210. It’s a prayer group that moved their regular meeting from their house to a church building.  (though, they didn’t tell me the name!!)

ALSO, get your passport ready and join me for another road trip to Sarnia, Ontario, Canada at 10:30am on Good Friday. I’ll be ministering at Revival Nation Church.

Let me know if you plan on going to either of these events!

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