Downtown Revival by Obiageli Ukadike
“Then one of them said, ‘I will surely return to you about this time next year, and Sarah your wife will have a son.’ Then the Lord said to Abraham, ‘Why did Sarah laugh and say, ‘Will I really have a child, now that I am old?’ Is anything too hard for the Lord? I will return to you at the appointed time next year, and Sarah will have a son.”by --Genesis 18:10, 13-14
The account, in Genesis 18, of Sarah being blessed in her older age with a baby is a magnificent, powerfully true testament to God’s promises being filled even through people who may be lacking in faith.A few years ago in the Downtown Singles Ministry, we were in a time of strengthening our love for one another and rekindling our love and fervor for the lost. We were fighting to overcome our diminished vision of what God could do through us, but we were still worn. We were earnestly praying for more men to feel empowered to lead not only by God but also by the women that supported them.
The singles had an incredible vision to see these prayers come to fruition by God’s grace. We were full of hope that we could be a shining example of the fruits of the spirit but like Sarah were not fully convinced that God would do what he said he would do.
As we continued to pray and be led and believed in by our Ministry Leaders (Larry and Kim Reed) and our shepherding couples (Joe & Patrice Gattozzi and Robert & Joycelyn Shavers) we were assured that God absolutely had a plan for us - “…plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.” --Jeremiah 29:11b.
C.S. Lewis wrote in his book Mere Christianity, "We are like eggs at present. And you cannot go on indefinitely being just an ordinary, decent egg. We must be hatched or go bad."
As a ministry, we decided it was time for us to hatch. As we grew in our love for the lost, God blessed the singles ministry with 12 baptisms or restorations in 2012; in 2013 - 14; and to date we have had 4 baptisms this year! Some of the people baptized are pictured above.
In answer to our prayers, of the people who have been baptized in the last year, half of them are men willing, eager, and passionate to lead in God’s church! Church-wide, the spirit of God blessed us with close to 50 people baptized or restored. By faith we will strengthen and mature each other as we continue loving one another and our neighbors…TO GOD BE THE GLORY!!
Moreover, in September of 2013, the Downtown Region of the Boston Church multiplied into two regions, one north of the city in Arlington and the other remaining in the heart of the city. At that time, 27 full-of-faith disciples went with the church north of the city. In the Downtown Region alone, the number of Bible Talk leaders has grown from 6 to 30 leaders and assistants; including 3 new brothers who have stepped up in faith.
We are excited about where we've come from, and how God worked even when we were weak in faith. We look forward to what God has in store for 2014 and beyond!