Join the MVMNT: FDAP
On October 24th, 2019 Anthony Dumas continued our MVMNT series, and he spoke about what happens when a community follows the Holy Spirit together.
Lives are changed, people are moved, and the kingdom is expanded.
One example is with Barnabus and Saul in Acts 12:25 - 13 : 1-5!
Another example is a MVMNT that sparked the rise of the Apostolic church across America began by William Seymour in the early 1900s! The Holy Spirit led him in ministry all over the US, and he ended up in Los Angeles preaching in the Pentecostal faith. A revival started where he preached at 312 Azusa Street to many different cultures, spreading of the Gospel across our nation in the end!
This story was an amazing example of kingdom movement through one man’s calling and the movement of a community.
How exactly does a community work together under the Spirit’s leading?
In the account of Acts 4: 23-31 , we can see a pattern emerging. Anthony gave us the Acronym FDAP to remember it by:
Fellowship
Direction
Action
Prayer
A community gathers together - eating, fasting, just doing life and fellowshipping with one another! They seek direction and discernment together through prayer, and as soon as they receive it, they move. They act immediately. There is no dawdling.
Erik spoke on the passage of Acts 6: 1-7 a while back about some Jews and widows that were not being fed? They picked 7 brothers to take over the process of getting everyone fed. They FAPD’ed!!
William Seymour followed the Holy Spirit’s leading and a major MVMNT happened at 312 Azusa Street. They held prayer meetings that lasted for hours and that included testimonies, as well as spontaneous praise and worship. Services were not prearranged. They grew through prayer and by discerning the Holy Spirit together.
Dr. Reve’ M. Pete wrote an article about the Revivals:
People of every race and nationality were found in the crowds that converged on the mission. No respect of persons was found among the worshippers. The rich and educated were the same as the poor and uneducated. Pride, self-assertion and self-importance could not service there. Races were completely integrated. There was no racial prejudice in the service. African-Americans, Caucasian-Americans, Chinese, and Jews attended the services. Because of this, Frank Bartleman believed and exclaimed “The color line is washed away in the blood.
Dr. Pete also said:
The following leaders came to Azusa Street Mission and spread the Pentecostal message in individual states: G. B. Cashwell in North Carolina, Glenn A. Cook in Indiana, C. H. Mason in Tennessee, Samuel Saell in Arizona and Rachael Sizelove in Missouri. Others took the Pentecostal message to other countries. They include R. E. McAlister who took the message to Ottawa, Canada and T. B. Barratt, a Norwegian Methodist who took the message to Sweden, Norway, Denmark, Germany, France and England. Many of these leaders founded Pentecostal denominations.
Seymour knew his calling and continued to move until he got to where he was supposed to be and that must have been 312 Azusa Street. And from there, preachers brought this MVMNT all over the globe continuing towards “the ends of the earth.”
We see, that when people pray, listen, fellowship and move when called, God moves with them, and the message of the Good News continues. This is the Church. We are the Church.
How do we take what we have heard and create even more movement?
How do we continue to move?
How do we as the church become more attuned to the Holy Spirit?
It could be through our time together with the Worship Team, getting things together for Hands of Hope, in our House Churches, our Rooted Groups, praying with the prayer team….
Where do we go from here?
Fellowship: Attend Common Table, meet for Coffee, gather for book studies, hang out with each other, join Rooted, form a House Churches, keep meeting and growing together.
Direction/Discernment: Listen to what the Holy Spirit is saying.
Action: Do, it! Leave the fear and judgement behind move on the call of the Holy Spirit
Prayer: Continue to attune your prayer life with others and ourselves.