Fanning the Flames in February, 2017

A Report on the Work of Evangelist Rick Flanders in February of 2017

It’s wonderful!  God has me working with Him to encourage revival all over the place this year!  And it’s a year that begins with many of God’s servants thirsting for contact with Him.  No kidding.  This is a very exciting time to live and serve the Lord.  God is paving the way for revival.  As one who prays for revival, I want to keep you posted on what I am doing.  Here is where I went in February.

• PARKER MEMORIAL BAPTIST CHURCH (February 4 and 5) in Lansing Michigan. Pastor Jim Green of this well-known church in our state’s capital city, asked us to come over on the first weekend of this month in connection with our working together for the Michigan Revival Conference.  The idea was to teach about revival and prayer in a special service on Saturday night, and then in all the regular services on Sunday.  We began with a sermon on praying for revival from Second Chronicles, and continued in a progression throughout the Lord’s Day.  These are very good people, and many, I think, are on the revival road.  Parker Memorial has always given God the benefit of the doubt, in my estimation.
• “BENDED KNEE” PASTORS’ PRAYER SEMINAR (February 9) in Pleasantville, Iowa. Here is something new.  Last December, a church in Indiana hosted a one-day seminar for pastors about praying biblically, in private and with others.  You may remember my report on how well attended it was, and the wonderful things God seemed to do for those who came.  Pastor Wayne Van Gelderen and I were the teachers.  Now many more churches across the land are arranging to sponsor the “Bended Knee” seminar at their own places.  This good church in Iowa hosted the second seminar, which was also blessed of God with very good attendance, and with the working of His Spirit in the lives of the Lord’s servants.  More “Bended Knee” seminars are planned for later this year.
• FUNDAMENTAL BAPTIST CHURCH (February 12) of Kinross, Michigan, in the Upper Peninsula. Pastor Rader asked me to come to this amazing church to encourage prayer for revival, and promote participation in the Michigan Revival Conference, June 18-25.  We met with the Lord in wonderful services that moved us along the revival road.
• COBEAC BAPTIST BIBLE INSTITUTE (February 13-16) “Church History” was the subject of a class I taught at this good school located at one of the country’s best camps. It was helpful for me to put together a broad summary of what the Lord has been doing for the last two thousand years, and taught to young adults in four days.  I think it was good for the students, too.
• BIBLE-BELIEVING BAPTIST BRETHREN (February 14) Northern Michigan Baptist Bible Church in the Alanson/Burt Lake region of Michigan in the northern part of the Lower Peninsula (near the Mackinaw Bridge was the location of this pastors’ meeting where I got to preach and to present the cause behind the upcoming Michigan Revival Conference. Pastor Rusty Chatfield put this together.  He is playing an important part, both among the pastors and before the throne of God, in the revival movement in our state.
• GOSPEL BAPTIST CHURCH (February 19-24) in Poland, Ohio, near Youngstown. This was a revival campaign in a wonderful church that has recently gone through a hard time, which has obviously been brought about by the devil.  We had a very good week, with good attendance at the meetings.  On Sunday, many made important decisions, including some young people in the morning that got saved.  Night after night, the Lord was leading us, and many met with God on their needs, and had needs met.  Pray for Pastor Ron Royalty and his church as the Lord revives them.
• FOSTORIA BAPTIST CHURCH (February 26) just ten miles from our home. Pastor Steve Henry asked me to come to his church to teach about prayer and revival.  We have many old friends at Fostoria, and look for them to participate in a significant way in the revival movement.
• THE VICTORY CONFERENCE (February 27-March2) at the Falls Baptist Church, outside of Milwaukee, Wisconsin. We love to be at this revival conference, and were really helped in many ways this year.  The theme was the Christ-Walk, and God unfolded the truth day by day.  Unquestionably, there was revival at this gathering.  Thanks for praying.

As you can tell, I am involved in many ways in the movement connected with the Michigan Revival Conference.  This is an important part of what God has me doing in 2017.  Please pray regularly for this conference, for the planning of it, for the revival efforts leading up to it, and for my role in it.  Also, here are suggestions for individuals and churches burdened to promote revival in my state and help the Michigan Revival Conference, June 18-25.

1. Set aside the dates of the Conference and plan to attend it, if possible, as God directs you. The meetings are set to happen in Clio and Bridgeport, June 18-21, at Gaylord, June 22 in the evening and June 23 in the morning, and in Kinross, June 23-25.  Of course, we hope a great multitude of believers in Michigan will attend, but we also want to see folks from other places.
2. Go to the Conference website (ReviveMichgan.com) to get information about this effort.
3. Send an offering to help with Conference expenses before the meetings begin. The MRC bank account can be reached by sending a check made out to Landmark Baptist Church to 701 Field Road, Clio, Michigan 48420, with Michigan Revival Conference on the memo line.  The Saginaw/Flint area meetings will cost $10,000 and the up-north meetings $5000.
4. Volunteer to sing in the Conference choir, serve as a Conference usher, or help in the Conference nurseries. Send your name if you can help to drrickflanders@gmail.com or to flanders@landmarkbaptistclio.org.
5. Pray every day for revival in the churches of Michigan.

Thanks for your interest in my ministry, and your prayers.  In March, I will be preaching at Pensacola Christian College, in chapel and at the Enrichment Retreat.  I will also preach at a revival campaign in Leduc, Alberta, and teach on the Revival Tour of Israel.  Keep on praying for me.  Thank you.

RICK FLANDERS  Acts 1:8