January marks many beginnings. This year, January 1 marks a new day, a new week, a new month, a new year, and a new decade. We are entering 2020 with all the hopes, opportunities, and dreams that originate in the freshness the season. Just as the previous “20’s” changed our world socially and spiritually, I believe this next decade has the power to transform the church and our world in similar and significant ways.

Many Christians and churches are starting the new year with an emphasis on prayer and fasting. Christian leaders who have encouraged this previously are Bill Bright, John Piper, Ronnie Floyd, Steve Gaines, Jentezen Franklin, and many others. Today, there is great hope and expectancy for another great spiritual awakening in America and the nations during a time of so much division, pain, and global uncertainty. A new generation is hungry for God to move in great power and is embracing the call to fasting and prayer as a primary tool to advance the gospel.

You can learn more through social media by following #RoaringTwentiesFast along with a call for fasting found at: https://www.thinke.org/roaring-twenties-fast.  Dr. Malachi O’Brien says, “The call for one million young people to fast and pray is historic but must not be about any one church, leader, organization or denomination but rather a collective of believers young and old who sense that God is about to do something historic in the roaring twenties. Actually, many are fasting already. My friends and I want to see those stories shared and see a new generation marked by the same hunger and passion of great spiritual leaders of the past.” 

At Severna Park Baptist Church, a guide has been prepared to facilitate our specific prayer and fasting emphasis in 2020. Prayer focus 2020 booklet large. The next several weeks will include sermon messages to teach and motivate us in this discipline. Let us dedicate ourselves to the Lord and ask God to work in and through us for His glory and furthering His great name in our community and beyond.