Pastor Jack Hayford is calling the entire Foursquare church family to prayer today in the wake of the disastrous events in Blacksburg, Va., this past Monday.
“As our nation mourns, it is a sobering reminder of how greatly the entire United States needs the mercies of God and, distinctly, at this moment, the comfort of the Holy Spirit.” The president’s summons to prayer is specifically issued as midweek services are taking place throughout The Foursquare Church, and in anticipation of great concerted focus of prayer as congregations assemble this Sunday.
Pastor Hayford, along with General Supervisor Glenn Burris, will be with the congregation of The Bridge (Christiansburg, Va., Foursquare Church) for a midweek service tonight, Wednesday, April 18. The Christiansburg church is located a short 10 miles from the Blacksburg campus; it is the closest Foursquare church to the school, and one of the students who was shot is part of that local congregation.
Pastor Paul Sheldon expressed gratitude on behalf of The Bridge: “We’re thankful that the wounds suffered by the student from our congregation were not fatal. At the same time, with more than 30 percent of our congregation in either student life or employed at Virginia Tech, we are feeling this tragedy at a unique dimension. We welcome the partnership and are grateful for the intercessory support of our church family everywhere.”
Pastor Hayford, who will be ministering the Word of God tonight as he and the general supervisor represent the whole of our movement, stated: “I had already planned to extend a call to intercessory fasting and prayer to our pastors everywhere as we approach the observance of Pentecost Week.”
He continued, “This event highlights the righteousness of a sensitive spiritual response, not only to this event, but to the broad and deep spiritual needs of our nation. I trust pastors everywhere will let this painful moment engrave in our hearts together our place and mission, not only as proclaimers of the Gospel, but as prayer warriors resisting the darkness that is the source of such evil enterprise as occasions this week’s disaster.”
Over the next two weeks, there will be two special e-mail communiqués to all Foursquare church leaders as the highly significant National Pastors Leadership Summit approaches. It is a call to all Foursquare credentialed ministers in the United States. The summit will be broadcast Friday and Saturday, May 4-5, to Foursquare Live! sites everywhere. To register visit www.Foursquare.org/npls.
