Prayers of repentance, restoration, reconciliation and renewal were poured out across the country June 17, 2020, as Foursquare members joined together online to intercede in the wake of the racial turmoil that has rocked the United States in recent weeks.
Asking for forgiveness for the past, wisdom for civic and church leaders, and for Christians to seize the opportunity to be messengers of God’s love and grace, eight black Foursquare ministers led the Foursquare family through prayers covering topics from government and church to policing and the next generation.
The virtual gathering—“Committing to Justice and Reconciliation”— marked the culmination of three days of corporate prayer, fasting and lament called by Foursquare President-Elect Randy Remington. In special daily updates, participants had been guided in prayer for lament that would bring healing, for God’s love to be over Foursquare, and for unity through the Holy Spirit.
Welcoming viewers, Randy said that he had been longing to join with the Foursquare family in prayer in response to recent events. “There’s something right about us gathering in intercession and encouragement, lifting up each other’s hands in prayer, as well as contending for something that God wants to do by His Spirit, through our lives, in this day and in this hour,” he said, inviting them to join in “going to wage war against the powers of darkness and declare the truth and the goodness of God, and praise and worship together.”
Life Pacific University students Johnny Knox and Jenny Donis led songs of worship that interspersed the series of short prayers—by turn somber and hopeful—opened by Marcus Rabb, lead pastor of Impact City in Inglewood, Calif. He read Isaiah 58:6-12 before praying for a renewal of hearts and minds that would bring “Your kingdom of righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy spirit to everyone.”
Next was Aaron Hunter, assistant to Paul Otremba, Foursquare Missions International area missionary to Central and South America, who called on God to “hear our weeping, hear our sorrows, as You recognize the condition in which we find our land, the division, the labels, that have plagued our country for way too long.”
Midway through the 60-minute service, those watching online were invited to join in guided lament responsive reading led by Jennifer Thigpenn, lead pastor of The Oasis (Panorama Full Gospel Foursquare Church) in Mission Hills, Calif.
“Let’s keep praying, and then let’s keep presenting ourselves as an answer to the very prayers that we’re praying.”
—Randy Remington, president-elect
Other prayers were led by Antonio Sims, senior pastor of True Worship Church (Ferndale Metro Foursquare Church) in Ferndale, Mich.; Nakisha Wenzel, co-pastor of King’s City Church (Kings Mountain Foursquare Church) in Kings Mountain, N.C.; Ruth Hudson, co-pastor of Restoration Church (Huntsville Foursquare Church) in Madison, Ala.; Lucindra Williams, director of LifeGroups at Lifehouse (San Antonio North Foursquare Church) in San Antonio; and Billy Foster, senior pastor at Bethel Family Church (Sedalia Foursquare Church) in Sedalia, Mo.
The event closed with a replay of “The Blessing” ensemble video recorded by Foursquare worship leaders from across the country, which was featured in Randy’s May 31 online inauguration service. Introducing the song, he noted that “a lot of words of anger and hurt are being said to one another” right now, but God’s people were called to be a blessing.
He urged participants to continue in prayer after the service concluded. “Let’s keep praying,” he encouraged. “The Scripture exhorts us to devotion in prayer. We are called continually to pray and to not quit, to be devoted to prayer and to continue in it, to keep on asking, keep on seeking, keep on knocking. So, let’s keep praying, and then let’s keep presenting ourselves as an answer to the very prayers that we’re praying.”
View the “Committing to Justice and Reconciliation” event.
