This Was September 2010

The Revival Ministry of Dr. Rick Flanders

We have come to the end of a wonderfully blessed month, and are praising the Lord for blessing us as He did.  Thank you for your prayers!

September 5-8, we were with Pastor Joshua Johnson and his people for a revival campaign at the Calvary Baptist Church of Delta, Ohio (near Toledo).

Actually we got there on Saturday the fourth for meetings with the men of the church.  We began with a talk on the promise of Matthew of 18:19 (how important and powerful are these words from the Lord Jesus).  Then we had a prayer meeting, and Lord met with us, helping us with His presence and His guidance.  It was a life-changing time.  Then we ate lunch (prepared by the ladies), and came back for one more session.  In the second meeting, the men and I studied our authority against the devil in the book of Ephesians.  Some said that the Saturday meetings were some of the most significant of the campaign.  The meetings, Sunday through Wednesday, were used of God to revive a number of God’s people, and we saw the principles of revival at work.  On the last day, Pastor Johnson and I got to lead a man to Christ who came to the service that night.  Actually, we made several important contacts that week, and sensed the leading and power of Spirit in both the meetings and the visitation.

September 12-19, I was in Springfield, Missouri, with Pastor Steve Brudnak and the United Baptist Church for an eight-day revival campaign.  I believe we really saw the Lord work here, too.  The first Sunday in October (pray for them about this) they have planned an “Open House” as a way to reach the folks who live in their needy community.  So we spent a lot of time during the revival campaign, out at the doors, witnessing for Christ, and inviting people to church.  These were amazing hours of good work.  We (numbers of the members participated, some of whom were really new at this) had many “divine appointments,” found many (no kidding, many) “prospects,” shared the Gospel again and again, won at least one to Christ at his home, and saw God work in many ways.  Bill, the man at whose home I got to stay, went door-to-door with me, and at our first visit, a boxer dog met us at the door.  The thing that was interesting about this is that Bill has boxers, and the man we met had a good conversation with him about the breed.  Then he told us about his life, about his relationship with God, and his concerns.  We had a great visit with him, and I expect that United can reach him for Christ.  It was a wonderful campaign, and much good was done in the congregation, and word I have since received indicates that a new start in prayer, in faith, in vision, in evangelism, and in walking with Christ has come to many in this good church.  We prayed for revival, and the Lord gave a measure of it, I am sure.

September 29, Toni and I were with our friend, Pastor Terry Redlin, for a revival campaign at the Cornerstone Baptist Church of Blissfield, Michigan.  The church has experienced several months of trial, and we felt the meetings came at the right time.  I taught in Sunday school on the church as a self-healing body (from I Thessalonians 5:11-24).  The adult class I addressed responded well to the amazing truths of this passage (including the possibility of living Christianity 24/7!), and I pray they will do good things for the health of the church.  Sunday morning in the main service I was led to preach from Joshua 3-5 on the revival theme of preparing for God to do wonders.  On Sunday night we learned from John 15 about abiding in Christ in order to bear fruit.  An interesting and encouraging aspect of these meetings was the attendance of folks from the Calvary Baptist Church of Delta, Ohio (twenty some miles away), where God did such a good work at the beginning of the month.  Some of them came to every evening service, and they brought with them good news of God’s continuing work among them, and also warm, revived hearts!  I talked about resisting the devil Monday night, about Jesus as the Savior of the world on Tuesday, and on Wednesday night about preparing the way of the Lord.  During the day on Wednesday, Pastor Redlin and I did some door-to-door visitation in a subdivision near the church, and God led us to a man with many questions about what the Bible teaches.  The man grew up in Vassar, which is the rural town just five miles down the road from where I live!  There was abundant evidence of divine providence in our visit with him, and I am sure Pastor can get back to him and bring him further down the road of truth.

We are thanking the Lord for what we saw Him do this past month, as well as for what we are hearing from the three churches where I preached.  Do pray for all of them today, and then take note of the places I am to preach in October:

1. Fundamental Baptist Church of Kinross, Michigan, Sunday the fourth and in the “Old School” Conference on Monday.
2. North Country Baptist Church of Millersburg, Michigan, October 10-14, in a revival campaign.
3. Tomah Baptist Church of Tomah, Wisconsin, October 17-22, in a revival campaign.
4. Nolensville Road Baptist Church of Nashville, Tennessee, October 24-29, in a revival campaign.
5. October 31 beginning a revival campaign at Victory Baptist Church of Chester Springs, PA.

We also want to ask you to remember two other matters of concern as you pray for us:

1. Our trip to Africa in January, and the funds we need.
2. The new ministry of The Book of John Project.

Your labor in prayer is not in vain.  We are seeing the reviving work of God among His people every week.  It is an exciting ministry, and you are having an important part in it.  I thank you from my heart!

RICK FLANDERS (Acts 1:8)