Stories of 10,000 Days
That was amazing!...now can someone help me describe what just happened?
It’s hard to put 10 Days into words. The sons of Korah knew the wonder of being in God's presence and described it this way:
“One day in your house is better than a thousand days anywhere else.” (Psalm 84)
Based on their math, my calculations are that 10 days in God’s presence must be better than 10,000 days anywhere else. Jesus, God present in the flesh, multiplied time in a similar way in His earthly life. John's gospel says, "the whole world would not contain the books" if every story about him were told. There's a lot that happens when Jesus is present. One day seems like a thousand and we can only tell a few of the stories.
Stories from 5 Cities:
10 Days is a corporate journey. This year, it involved believers in more than 25 cities coming together to worship, pray, repent, humble themselves, and meet with God. It’s also a highly personal journey, especially for those who set-apart the days to meet with God in fasting, prayer, and repentance.
In this report, we'll give brief snap-shots of five of those cities, linking to some more detailed accounts. Over the next weeks we’ll be sharing stories from even more cities and also some more personal takes on what 10 Days has meant.
Bellingham, WA: Church Leaders Unite
Bellingham had an amazing time of prayer, repentance and unity involving 40 local churches partnering in twice daily prayer hosted at Light of the World Prayer Center and evening gatherings in multiple locations. 10 Days was a significant time of gathering for church leaders in the area:
“On Tuesday the 22nd, prayer coordinators of 35 different churches gathered to repent and pray for our community! On the following and final day, Sept. 23rd, 70 pastors gathered to repent and prayed for one another’s churches! We were honored to have a team from Eugene, OR and Bakersfield, CA with us and it is our desire that God would do more in their cities than our own.”--Jason Hubbard, Director, Light of the World Prayer Center
Wilmington, NC: The Tent!
I spent the first half of 10 Days in Wilmington. It was a taste of heaven on earth! I would highly recommend reading Mike Thorton’s full recap of the gathering. Highly recommend! And there’s lots of pictures too!
The Wilmington gathering took place in a tent on one of the main streets in Wilmington, outside of Legion stadium. 24-7 worship was the heart of the tent, fueled by local and visiting worship leaders. God was tangibly present and many people were drawn by that presence from outside into life-changing encounters with Jesus.
Just a few samples of some of the amazing testimonies:
A Broken foot was healed during a ceremonial foot-washing
Civic leaders of Wilmington lead the city-church in communion
1,500 pounds of fish are fried to feed 3,000 at the tent…for free!
The homeless broke into the communal restroom supply cabinet just as the town had feared. But instead of trashing it, they cleaned the whole restroom from top to bottom!
Most 10 Day gatherings have moved from location to location. There was something very powerful about being in one place and in public. I believe that the Wilmington gathering is something that’s going to inspire other cities and change the expression of 10 Days for years to come.
Hollywood, CA: Going After the Depths of Jesus
This was the third year 10 Days was hosted in Hollywood. Karen Covell and Melissa Haskin did an amazing job organizing 18 different gatherings over the 10 Days. They had a special focus on praying for the arts and artists in Hollywood.
Here are just a few testimonies: "We had an incredible celebration yesterday bringing in Rosh Hashanah…Most of our "Hope in the Hills" family were in the house from 12 – 4 PM, and a few of us were able to hang with Radiance [a partner congregation] all the way to midnight for the 12-hour burn/fasting/prayer. The last couple of hours turned into a full-fledged, packed-out praise party as we sang and danced before the Lord. Hallelujah! God met us on the Hill yesterday.” Naima Letts, Hope in the Hills
"I believe the 10 days were significant in getting God's people to pray & worship. The Holy Spirit increased our desire for Jesus and to see the ministry of Jesus manifested. Prayer and worship is like the Air Force that always makes it easier for the ground troops. Our troops happen to be actors, directors, writers, producers, and others behind the camera crew. We need more times of consecration like this. Being relevant will not be enough. We must go after the depths of Jesus to touch the depths of humanity." Ajay Samuel, PiHOP
Denver, Colorado: One New Man
I love the way that God moves and inspires each 10 Days gathering in a distinct and unique way. Denver took a fascinating but very appropriate approach to the fall 10 Days this year. They saw it as an opportunity to give preference in honor to Messianic congregations in the Denver area. Messianic congregations were invited to host and teach and the entire 10 Days had a distinctly Jewish flavor. The link above has a day-by-day summary. Here are just a few highlights below.
Father Phil Eberhardt writes:
“This fall the 10 Days of Awe was observed by Denver churches and ministries, hosted primarily by our Messianic brethren. Rabbi Stew Lieberman and Rabbi Michael Walker of Church in the City / Beth Abraham hosted our Sunday evening kickoff service for Rosh Hashanah, the feast of trumpets. About 300 were in attendance as we came together in worship and prayer for Israel and for our nation and state….
We thank God for the hospitality and unity among our Messianic brothers and sisters. Many were awakened to the deep roots of our faith in the root of the Jewish Olive Tree. Many times we came back to the passages in Romans 9-11 about Paul's heart and passion for his own people, the root of the Olive tree into which we as gentiles have been grafted. We felt a deep connection to one another through prayer together and I know that our city will experience the favor of God as a result of these One New Man expressions during the 10 days of AWE. “
Boston, MA
God has been doing an amazing work within traditionally Protestant churches over the last 50 years, breaking down walls between congregations and denominations. However, there are still significant barriers both culturally and theologically between Protestant, Catholic, and Eastern Orthodox followers of Jesus.
Kelly Steinhaus has been very intentionally pursuing bringing those walls down in Boston. This year half of 10 Days Boston was hosted by Catholic and Orthodox Christians. This fact alone is worth celebrating! It’s something that was literally impossible as recently as 2012.
Please see the Unite Boston Blog for some great video testimonies from 10 Days.
When Jesus is around, He does more amazing things than books can hold. These are just a few of the stories from five cities that gathered together during 10 Days this year. It’s my prayer that you are grateful, encouraged, and inspired by what God is doing! Thank you Jesus!!! We’ll be sharing more good news in the days to come.
*Photo Credits to Melissa Haskin, Anita Perry and David Therrien