ST. LOUIS – Pastors are not usually the ones sitting and listening, but more than 700 pastors and their wives from several denominations gathered at the St. Louis Renaissance Grand Hotel to do just that.
It was the second meeting of the Missouri Renewal Project Sept. 24-25 which brought together Missouri pastors to face the need for a spiritual awakening in our country.
Gov. Rick Perry of Texas identified the group as being the “ones on the front lines to renew the culture.” He also said, “A war is being waged against people of faith and we need to stand up for biblical values.”
Perry cited several recent mandates including the financial coverage of abortion through Obamacare and the promotion of same-sex marriage.
“We don’t stand on our own righteousness,” he said, “but, we are covered by the blood of Christ. He gave David the ability to be a king. We have been set free for a purpose, to be His workers on earth and to protect innocent life.”
Laurence White, pastor of Our Savior Lutheran Church in Houston, Texas, agreed that the church is faced with a “cultural revolution and pastors need to awaken the sleeping church.”
“The church is confronted with a collision of worldviews,” White said. “We are to preach God’s Word whether they like it or not. Christians have settled with promises and platitudes about abortion. We have grown comfortable in our coexistence and it is a moral catastrophe. The integrity of the gospel is at stake.”
Ken Graves, senior pastor of Calvary Chapel in Bangor, Maine, believes education of the Scripture is a Christian responsibility.
“The root cause for our moral crisis is Bible illiteracy,” Graves said. “Pastors need to stop treating Scripture as a buffet; we need to make known the whole counsel of God.”
Graves pointed out the reality of Pentecost.
“The Spirit used the sword of God’s Word to cut 3,000 hearts that day,” he said. “All can be against us, but nothing can be against the Sword of the Lord.”
The pastors were also introduced to The Response USA, a series of prayer meetings for our country. Luis Cataldo, coordinator of The Response USA, said this is a critical time for God’s people to come together.
“This is a Joel 2 moment,” Cataldo said. “America is in spiritual crisis. The pastors will lead and the people will respond.”
Information about The Response USA is available on www.theresponseusa.com. A meeting is scheduled in Kansas City on Oct. 27 and in St. Louis on Nov. 1 or 3 at the Destiny Church, 1809 Des Peres Road, (270 and Manchester Road).