I hope you’ve had a truly blessed week! As we journey through life together, I want to take a moment to remind you that the God we serve is intimately involved in our lives. He cares deeply about each of us, and the lines of communication with Him are always wide open. Whenever you need to talk, He’s right there, listening and ready to guide us.
One of the most inspiring stories from church history is that of Jeremiah Lanphier, a man whose unwavering commitment to prayer ignited a movement that changed the spiritual landscape of America. Born in 1809, Lanphier experienced a life-changing conversion to Christ in 1842 under the impactful preaching of Charles Finney in Lower Manhattan. After spending twenty years in business, he felt called to serve the North Dutch Church as a local missionary. Starting on July 1, 1857, Lanphier hit the streets of New York with a burning passion to share the Gospel. However, despite his relentless efforts, he faced discouragement as few conversions resulted from his outreach.
Determined to make a difference, Lanphier decided to harness the power of prayer. He invited local businessmen to his church for a weekly lunch-hour prayer meeting. After diligently distributing flyers throughout the city, he anxiously prepared a classroom for the very first meeting on September 23, 1857. What should have been a moment of excitement turned into disappointment when he found himself alone in the room as noon arrived. Yet, in that moment of solitude, Lanphier chose to pray. Thirty minutes later, he heard footsteps approaching, and six men entered the room, joining him in prayer. At the end of that gathering, they committed to return the following week. To his astonishment, twenty men attended the next meeting, and as word spread, the group grew larger. They soon transitioned to daily prayer meetings, necessitating a larger venue to accommodate the overflow.
Within just six months, an incredible 10,000 men were praying daily for revival in New York City, prompting churches to open their doors to this powerful movement. Even more remarkably, this fervent prayer effort expanded to cities across the country, leading to a nationwide outpouring of God’s Spirit and resulting in over one million individuals coming to faith in Christ within two years. This powerful account serves as a profound reminder that even the smallest actions driven by faith can lead to incredible transformations. Just as Lanphier's determination to pray made a monumental impact, we too are called to engage in persistent prayer for our church, our families, and our community.
As we seek God together, let us recommit ourselves to fervent prayer and ask for His divine movement among us. Together, may we embrace this opportunity to seek God, believing for a fresh revival that will bring hope and healing to our community.
In Christ’s love, David Peñate
