Seeking Together

By Bishop Kaye Kolde

This year in one of the annual conferences I lead, we began with an evening of prayer and worship. I had been praying for weeks before all of our annual conferences, asking the Holy Spirit to be present in a powerful way and to be the main focus of our gatherings. As we worshipped and prayed, I kept asking God to have His way among us.

I sensed the Lord asking me to go kneel at the altar. Even as a bishop of the Free Methodist Church, I was self-conscious and well aware that no one else was at the altar, and it might not be what people expected me to do. But the leading of the Spirit was clear: humble yourself and pray.

I went forward and fell to my knees, and, in those moments, I told the Lord that I want to do whatever He asks of me to see revival and a Spirit-fueled movement in the church. Time on my knees reminds me that a physical posture can unashamedly demonstrate the posture of our hearts for all to see.

Fast-forward about five weeks to my final annual conference of 2024 where I was singing joyfully with the church. As I worshipped, I sensed the Spirit say, “Get on your knees and pray.”

Although it hadn’t been long since that similar experience where I promised to do whatever the Lord asked to see the Spirit move in the church, I wrestled with God. I was in the front row, of course, and I had a keen awareness that this wasn’t just between me and the Lord. Would others think this is about putting on a show or overtly trying to demonstrate piety?

As I felt the Lord’s presence and love in that place, I submitted, fell to my knees and wept. Sometimes I weep over how resistant, proud, or distracted I am that I fail to humble myself and pray. At times, I weep over how resistant, proud, or distracted the church is that we fail to humble ourselves and pray together.

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“We are the dwelling place for God’s presence, and we are calling the people of God to a time of fasting and prayer together in unity.”

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Repentance + Restoration

Bishop Kenny Martin has reminded us repeatedly of the words of the prophet Joel, “Announce a time of fasting; call the people together for a solemn meeting. Bring the leaders and all the people of the land into the Temple of the Lord your God, and cry out to him there” (Joel 1:14 NLT).

The prophet was grieving the devastation in the land and calling people to repentance. Today we are keenly aware of spiritual devastation in our land that steals or destroys the personal and collective shalom we were created to dwell in. On this side of the life, death and resurrection of Jesus, we don’t have to go to the temple in Jerusalem to cry out to God in repentance and for restoration. We are the dwelling place for God’s presence, and we are calling the people of God to a time of fasting and prayer together in unity.

For four weeks in September, we want as many in our Free Methodist family as possible to join together as we seek God for a mighty move of His Spirit in the church and the world around us. While the 2024 presidential election is a reason to pray for the leadership of our country and the peaceful transfer of power that I grew up taking for granted, we will be directing our prayers beyond the election or the inauguration.

Purity + Power

We will be praying for the purity and power of the church. We will be praying for an awakening and hunger for God that captures a new generation and leads to seeing those who are lost and hurting or angry and far from God adopted by the Father, healed by the blood of Jesus and transformed by the power of the Spirit.

Throughout the history of God’s people, He has responded with the Spirit’s power in answer to the fervent prayers of the people offered in faith. The birth of the church occurred at Pentecost as the believers gathered in prayer together in desperation to see the promises of Jesus realized. Similarly, countless revivals since then began with a story of devoted prayer and earnest seeking.

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“Your prayers matter, and our united prayers align us with the will of God and move mountains.”

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Prayer + Revival

I’ve heard the tale of the Hebrides Revival recounted in many places. The story is said to begin with two praying sisters, Peggy and Christine Smith. One was 84 years old and blind, and the other was 82 and crippled with arthritis. They were homebound and received a report that no young person attended public worship at their church. Rather than judge a generation, they decided to pray twice a week. On Tuesdays and Fridays, these old and frail women humbled themselves and prayed on their knees from 10 p.m. until 3 or 4 a.m.

Peggy had a vision of the church filled with young people and was able to persuade her pastor and a group of others to pray. Eventually and supernaturally, hundreds upon hundreds were moved by the Spirit, repented and turned to Jesus. Revival spread from the little home of two old women across a region. Your prayers matter, and our united prayers align us with the will of God and move mountains.

Shameless Audacity

While many people have said that a denomination can’t be a movement again, we pray to a God who has declared that nothing is impossible for Him. As denominational leaders meet and pray and examine ways that we might change to get out of the way or stop quashing the movement of God, we never forget one important truth: The work is important but meaningless if we are not a church humbly dependent on the Holy Spirit and crying out to God with “shameless audacity” (Luke 11:8).

Will you commit to join with us as we humble ourselves and pray, fasting and seeking together?

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