PRAYER ON THE SQUARE IN LAURINBURG, NORTH CAROLINA

"PRAYER ON THE SQUARE"

 The Laurinburg Exchange 

Thursday, May 31, 2012

Deputy Sharonica Smith, Matthew Sanders, and Eddie Howard hold hands during Wednesday s prayer session.

Scotland County Christians are reaching across racial and denominational barriers to try to save their shared community.

“Laurinburg and Scotland County have a lot of challenges,” said the Rev. Michael Edds, pastor of East Laurinburg Pentecostal Holiness Church. “We have a high crime rate and the highest unemployment in the state. We have a lot of gangs, we have a lot of poverty, we have a lot of drugs. We’ve come to the conclusion that it’s not the government’s fault, it’s not the police or the sheriff’s department’s fault - it’s the churches’ fault.”

On Wednesday, Edds led the second installment of “Prayer on the Square,” a prayer group meeting on Wednesdays at noon at the corner of Church and Main streets in Laurinburg. Both meetings have attracted some 30 people, all of whom share a common goal: to combat Laurinburg’s culture of drugs and crime through prayer.

“In the last 10 years there have been 51 murders,” said Ruthann Ammons. “In a county of 30,000, that’s a lot, and it’s young people. We want our community turned around. These kids are just going to hell with the drugs and the violence. There have been too many kids shot and the churches have got to step up and turn it around.”

The meetings address the common problems that plague Scotland County rather than religious or political differences.

“We’re committed to coming out here and praying for our community as a group of all races and all denominations,” Edds said. “We’re not going to fight any politics; we’re here to pray.”

“It’s not about what denomination, what color you are or what church you go to, it’s just a collective group of people,” Steph Smith added. “God has really been blessing us to get together to change the city, but from a prayer standpoint first. God has some work that he wants us to do, and we’ve been a little slack on it.”

Many believe that it is time for them to step outside of the familiar walls of their own churches in order to make change in the community.

“It’s time for God’s people to stop playing church and start being the church,” said Laura Sanders. “We are, no matter what denomination, the body of Christ.”

“God did not save Daniel from the lion’s den, he saved him in it,” said Robert Currie. “He did not save the Hebrew children from the fiery furnace, he saved them in the fiery furnace. We have to take action. God parted the waters and the children of Israel walked across the dry land. God didn’t pick them up and float them across it. We have to put out an effort.”

The group is open to all who wish to join in, and will meet every Wednesday at noon at the park on the James lot across from First United Methodist Church.

“If it rains, shines, or snows, we’re going to be here every Wednesday,” said Edds.

Edds hopes that a shift away from the flawed and divisive behaviors sometimes practiced within the Christian community will in turn bring improvements in Scotland County at large.

“We’ve focused on what divides us, and denominational splits, and all of these silly issues,” he said. “It’s time that stuff ends. God said that if we’ll repent and turn from our wicked ways, He would hear us from heaven and heal our land. The healing of this county and this city and these communities is us praying and calling on God to come down. We’re praying for a great awakening in this town.”

Some know firsthand the difficulties of escaping a criminal lifestyle, and wish to help others by showing them how to live a Christian lifestyle.

“Everything that I prayed for, God has given to me, and he’s going to put me to work on the streets,” said Eddie Howard. “I used to be a street rambler - I must have been on drugs for 15 years or more and God saved me. I want to let them know that they can change their lives and things can turn around for the good.”

The group embraces a “love the sinner, hate the sin” philosophy, and prays that the lives of criminals can be changed to the benefit of all.

“We’re taking our community back,” said Edds. “Get saved or get busted is what we’re going to tell these gangs. It’s not us, it’s God that we’ve invited to take over the town and the county. We love people. We love the gangs, we love the drug dealers, we love all of these people - we love their souls, but they’re going to stop the crime because we’ve had enough.”

Group members say that meetings will continue until the community is satisfactorily transformed, but in the short term, progress is measured one person at a time.

“If all of this was just for one person to get saved, it was all worth it,” said Matthew Sanders.

"An Appalachian Dawn - Christians Took Their Town Back!"

"AN APPALACHIAN DAWN" - THE REMARKABLE REVIVAL IN KENTUCKY "Manchester, City of Hope," Kentucky Population 2,200by Ben Mutti          Isolated in the heartland of Appalachia, the city of Manchester, Kentucky, appeared to be the unlikeliest place for societal breakthrough to occur. Located in Clay County, any attempt to “change” the dysfunctional way of life was considered futile. With the decline of the coal and salt industry, and their best years seemingly behind them, a 1964 CBS news report gave Manchester the dubious distinction “Depressed City, USA.” Forty years later, Clay County still could not escape from its “backward” stereotype, being listed as the sixth poorest county in the United States.          And that was not all! In 2001, the Drug Enforcement Agency included Manchester in a region listed as the “Painkiller Capital of America.” This notorious nickname did not bode well for a county that actually had more people residing in prison than people residing in the county seat.          While Clay County's outcast image has always been a hard pill for the area to swallow, its outlaw image has always been widely renowned. In a TV exposé by the HistoryChannel on Clay's family feuds, it was reported that four local clans killed more than ten times the number of family members than those killed in the infamous Hatfield and McCoy rivalry. This prevailing mountain man mentality, along with a sectarian church mindset, furthered the notion that Clay County resembled the O.K. Corral. The community was devoid of all hope.          That is until May 2, 2004, when 63 churches and 3,500 people united together as community catalysts to march against drugs. Like troops advancing upon a city, these civic pilgrims for progress joined together under the direction of church leaders who publicly repented before GOD for their lack of civic involvement. Their slogan was, "Get Saved or Get Busted!" Suddenly, a pulse could be felt; hope had been resuscitated. Many felt this climactic prayer event helped break the vice-like grip of drug addiction that had tormented daily life.            The following year, Manchester became the only area in the region where painkiller prescriptions actually decreased. Beyond that, drug arrests would increase by a staggering 300 percent. Where favoritism, fraud, and extortion were once the law of the land, government corruption would soon be uncovered. Within three years, public officials, including the mayor, the city supervisor, the assistant police chief, the 911 Director, the fire chief, the circuit court judge, a handful of city councilmen, county commissioners and county clerks, would all be exposed and jailed for racketeering, distributing drugs, and voter fraud.          As newfound stakeholders in society, churches and citizens partnered together with law enforcement to root out this crime and corruption. In fact, a court watch program was initiated by the churches, and with the help of their Congressman, a local Jesus-based rehabilitation center was completed in 2008.       As a result, a profound optimism had instantly been injected into everyday life. Local drug dealers soon began surrendering their lives to Jesus and getting delivered from drug addiction. This fresh adrenaline also caused high-ranking officials like the new mayor and the sheriff to begin advancing the kingdom cause of Christ in their respective spheres of influence.       According to Sheriff Kevin Johnson, the church partnership with the police was “the best thing to happen to Clay County.” Furthermore, this uncommon collaboration, “Operation: Unite,” has become the model for the entire state.          Consequently, in 2007, the city council voted to change the name of the city to “Manchester: City of Hope.” As a result, this obscure community has become a regional influence, receiving desperate calls from 49 different states, and five foreign nations, all soliciting Clay Countians for guidance in their battle against drugs.           Not only are students now being drug tested in school, Bible elective courses are also being offered in high school. Meanwhile, Clay County was chosen as having the model-reading program for children in the state in 2008, significant for a region traditionally plagued with high illiteracy rates.          Remarkably, in the Fall of 2009, with bated - breath, the city announced that a recycling company would be coming to Manchester, bringing a breathtaking 1,400 new jobs; this despite the rest of the nation stumbling through a global recession.          Last, but not least, located near the Kingdom Come National Park, Clay County now possesses one of the largest Rocky Mountain Elk populations in the country; and with turkey, bear, and deer populations making a comeback, a new campground and new bike trail accent a tourist industry on the upswing. Manchester city water was even chosen in 2008 as having the best tasting water in a statewide competition. In fact, the local water treatment plant is now selling “Hope Water” as a commercial product.          With this unusual avalanche of events, there is no question that Manchester’s cup of blessing is running over. What seemed like a mountain that was insurmountable is now becoming possible with GOD. Ironically, a community once considered "behind the times" has now become a compelling story for our times.

  

"JESUS IN THE RICE FIELDS: CHINA'S REVIVAL IN THE COUNTRYSIDE"

"JESUS IN THE RICE FIELDS: CHINA'S REVIVAL IN THE COUNTRYSIDE"


Even though it is forbidden for Chinese Christians to share the gospel in their country, CBN News has obtained exclusive images of Christians worshipping in the countryside. Revival is sweeping China.  Millions are accepting Christ.  Miracles are occurring like in the Book of Acts!  In a few years, China will become the largest Christian nation in the world!  God is mightily at work in this great nation!

NATE LYTLE: BRAIN INJURY MIRACLE!!

Nate suffered a traumatic brain injury when he fell off a ladder at work. Doctors gave him little chance of survival.  Christians gathered at the hospital to pray.  What happened next shocked the doctors!  The Great Physician came and took over