By Randy Hales, Special to the Message
GIBSLAND – One hundred and fifty members of churches in Bienville Baptist Association gathered recently at historic Mount Lebanon, where Charles Middleton is pastor, to bring to a climax 21 days of prayer.
Each of the 21 churches in Bienville Association were encouraged to choose a day to pray specifically for a spiritual awakening. All the churches were invited to end the emphasis at Mount Lebanon.
On January 22 they gathered for a season of prayer. God was present! Confessions, prayers, and testimonies brought tears to many eyes.[img_assist|nid=7885|title=Prayer Warriors|desc=One hundred fifty members from 21 churches in the Bienville Baptist Association gather at Mount Lebanon Church to bring to an end 21 days of prayer for Spiritual Awakening.|link=none|align=right|width=640|height=480]
The meeting began with songs of praise and worship. Bob Jameson, chairman of the Bienville Awaken Committee, shared about how the season of prayer would be observed. He said there would be no agenda. We would silently wait in prayer and allow God to move us to confession, prayer, or testimonies as the Holy Spirit directed.
In the silence God began to move hearts. What followed can only be described as a move of God’s Spirit.
Mount Lebanon is the site where the Louisiana Baptist Convention was organized. Many of our churches were planted from the early visionaries of Mount Lebanon and her Bienville Association sister churches. The Bienville Associational leadership felt meeting in this historic setting would provide the ideal platform to approach God in humbleness and prayer.
We acknowledged His grace and the belief that God has a plan yet to be fulfilled in our world. Although we Bienville Baptists had a good beginning at Mount Lebanon, due to apathy, sin, comfort, and neglect, we have not accomplished God’s perfect will and plan.
After confession and prayer one woman was led to sing the song about God’s table and house being full, but there were no workers for the harvest. As a result of our hearts being touched and cleansed by God’s Spirit, we left with a renewed commitment to reach our world for Christ.
Randy Hales is director of missions for Bienville and Webster/Claiborne Baptist Associations.