First Friday Fast 2020: East River Road Baptist, February 7
East River Road Baptist Church, Fairfield, hosted a First Friday Fast 2020 gathering on February 7. The church was open from 8 am – 6 pm for people to pray together for the five initiatives outlined by SCBO President Ryan Strother.
- Denominee Process and Future Team — Seeking His future for Ohio Baptists
- Church Revitalization — Seeking His plan for the church
- Church Planting — Seeking His places for church plants
- Pastors and Leaders — Seeking His favor for pastors, leaders and their families
- Awakening — Seeking supernatural gospel impact in Ohio and beyond
Pastors from area churches: Greg Jackson (FSBC, Camden), Danny Rollins (Rolling Hills, Fairfield), Kris Theobald (Kerusso Church, Fairfield), Andrew Hancock (Allison Avenue, Hamilton), and the host pastor, David Haarmeyer led times of prayer and Scripture reading throughout the day. Members from area churches joined as they had the opportunity.
Steve Hopkins (SCBO) led the opening session using Malachi 3:7 “‘Return to Me, and I will return to you,’” says the Lord of Armies.” to set the theme for the day. Psalm 85 provided prayer prompts. The first hour closed with words of the Psalmist: “Will you not revive us again so that your people may rejoice in You?” (85:6) and reminder: “Revival is ultimately Christ Himself, seen, felt, heard, living, active moving in and through His body on earth.” — Stephen Olford (Henderson, Old Paths, New Power, p. 221).
Pastor Haarmeyer writes:
“As I had begun to pray in January about setting a day aside to fast and pray, which has not been a normal practice in my ministry, I began to search more deeply into the scriptures to see what Christ said and what was the practice in the OT. It was such a blessing to study, teach, and preach about what Christ has commanded us in Scripture to do. A hand full of us in January took on the challenge and the impact was huge on the day, our conversations, and our attention to intentional prayer and fasting. As I continued to pray about the following month, God had pressed it on my heart to gather more of our church body but also to include the other pastors and church families from our area. The event went out on Facebook, emails, text, and phone calls... some responded, some declined, and others came. On the onset of spending an entire day at church hearing scripture, praying alone, together, and corporately was a bit daunting for some to take in and for many time that they could not easily set aside... I would encourage you after the fact that it was totally worth it. He says, ‘Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth.’ – Psalm 46:10”
See links and attachments below for more information about the First Friday Fast 2020 initiative.
Go to scbo.org/fast
Our next FIRST FRIDAY FAST 2020 will be April 3. Due to COVID-19, large group meetings will not be an option. Look for ways to do Zoom, conference calls, etc.!
