In 1972, the Brooklyn Tabernacle could barely draw twenty people to a Sunday service. Today it is six thousand strong, a testament of what God can do when men and women begin to pour out their hearts to God.
And what does heart pouring sound like?
Listen…
The story of what has happened to a broken-down church in one of America’s meanest neighborhoods points the way to new spiritual vitality in our churches, and in our own lives.
Look at this video and see the variety of faces: Red or Yellow, Black or White — the tabernacle today has an interracial membership and a world-renowned choir, but one will NOT find an emphasis on teaching cross-culturalism, numbers, or well-orchestrated worship music.
Instead, look for what God has done when a handful of people humbled themselves and took the Gospel seriously. When believers turn to their last and only resource — their knees — and discover there the life-changing reality of God’s Holy Spirit.
This is what happens when God’s people pray!
By telephone, I called the office of the Brooklyn Tabernacle in the summer of 1997 and spoke with Charles Hammond, associate pastor to Jim Cymbala, pastor of the church for over 25 years. I called to ask about the prayer meeting and prayer movement that launched this congregation out of the depths of brokenness.
“Mr. Hammond” I asked. “How is the Tuesday night prayer meeting going after so many years?” “Well,” Mr. Hammond replied, “we have expanded the prayer meeting to seven days a week. We have members of the congregation coming to the church every night to make prayer. But Tuesday night is still our primary meeting for prayer.”
I was impressed that they were able to keep interest in prayer to the point of having a prayer time every night of the week. Many churches I’ve attended and volunteered music service for have a difficult, if not very hard, time getting a portion of the congregation to commit to regular weekly prayer meeting.
“And now, after so many years of prayer, how does the main prayer meeting go? What level is the interest and attendance?” I ask him. There was a deliberate moment of pause. Enough time for me to reconsider my question, and he replied: “The Tuesday night prayer meeting always packs the sanctuary house!” “And how many people can be seated in your sanctuary?” I asked. His prompt answer was “4,000 seats and we also have people praying in the isles and the hall ways too!”
Early in Jim Cymbala’s ministry at this church he declared the prayer meeting to be the barometer of the church. What happens on Tuesday night will be the gauge by which they will judge success or failure because that will be the measure by which God blesses them.
Jim Cymbala declares, “If we call upon the Lord, he has promised in his Word to answer, to bring the unsaved to himself, to pour out his Spirit among us. If we don’t call upon the Lord, he has promised nothing–nothing at all. It’s as simple as that. No matter what I preach or what we claim to believe in our heads, the future will depend upon our times of prayer.”
The Brooklyn Tabernacle is our witness!
And so, I look to and fro out over our American nation and see a desperate spirit rising as Darkness takes dominion in the hearts of many of our people. Now, I understand the statement: “As goes the church, so goes the nation.”
In Such a Time as This, The Time is Now.. Take Action
What is it really that stops us from becoming mighty prayer warriors in the Lord? God had not changed. He is still superior to anything the enemy can bring against us.
God is waiting for us to take His promises seriously, and to go boldly to His throne of grace. He wants us to meet the dark enemy at the very point of attack, standing against the dark forces in the name of Christ! When we do so, God will back us up with all the power of heaven’s resources.
Heavenly Father, thank you for the mercy you give, and the propitiation you have provided us in Jesus Christ. Please forgive us and our nation of all our transgressions and unrighteousness. Draw us to you, Father, and do a new work of grace in all our hearts. Make us into the kind of people you want. Bring a holy, fresh wind and fresh fire into our spirit to renew our nation. Break our arrogance and the pride of man, but soften our hearts and fill us with your Holy Spirit until all overflow. Aba Father, hear our prayer, extend your hand of forgiveness and favor toward us, and do all this so that the name of Jesus will be lifted high and exalted in America. Amen!
P.S.
Thank you, Katy Lundeen, my dear friend and vocal teacher to my children for bringing this video of the Brooklyn Tabernacle to my attention. It has brought back deep meaningful feelings and good memories from my years as a worship leader and men’s pastor in the Promise Keepers Men’s Ministry.