After More Than 20 Years, Larry Tomczak Reflects Upon Returning to Site of Brownsville Revival
While recently driving to Pensacola, Florida, where we would celebrate our 46th wedding anniversary, my wife and I drew upon a mosaic of memories. It was a place where our lives intersected with millions who were radically transformed by what happened at Brownsville Assembly of God Church more than 20 years ago.
When a historical, supernatural visitation occurs in an obscure, lower-income locality, drawing over 4 million people from around the world, it gives you goose bumps. Think about it. More than 20,000 people genuinely converted, with people waiting in long lines in the hot sun all day to be a part of it. For five years I was integrally involved, so I’m sure you can understand why we would make a return trip to the site.
Walking the grounds reminiscing and at times wiping away tears, I thanked God that I was able to also teach regularly alongside Dr. Michael Brown in the Bible school that exploded almost overnight from a handful to over 1,100 students. Two of our children were part of it, and now one of them is leading a thriving Atlanta church with his wife, whom he met at BRSM (the Brownsville Revival School of Ministry), and the other is an executive assistant in a national Christian ministry promoting Spirit-led generosity.
At the center of this Holy Spirit outpouring were two core values: the presence of God and humble repentance before a Holy God.
God Fix America?
Here’s a question asked often, yet basically off the mark: “How can we get God to fix America?”
Instead we should be asking, “What is holding back the presence of God that truly can transform America?” We need to recalibrate our thinking so that our focus is not so much on our creature comforts or clever ways to accumulate more bodies in our buildings but rather on the honor of God and hosting His manifest presence, which ultimately brings the change supernaturally.
Senior Christian leader Tony Evans says it best: “Multitudes want God to bless America. Few truly want one nation under God.”
Everything must start with God, not the blessing or our bailout in this moment of cultural crisis. With all our political division and disastrous policies, the absolute priority must not be the GOP but rather GOD!
Nehemiah’s Magnificent Obsession
In a time of moral and civil decline, Nehemiah started rebuilding the walls of the city of God. His magnificent obsession was that once again the presence of Almighty God would be experienced among the people of God. Hosting God’s manifest presence is integral to all awakening and revivals, and the key components are humility, holiness and hunger for God.
It’s the same for America at this pivotal time — a tipping point in our history. The ways of God are becoming so easy and clear that only the obedient will follow.
Nehemiah reminded the people of God’s promise to Moses that “If you return to Me and keep My commandments and do them, though your outcasts are under the farthest part of the heavens, I will gather them from there and bring them back to the place where I have chosen to establish My name” (Neh. 1:9, MEV).
An Astonishing Invasion
Vladimir Putin followed the same strategy as Hitler and Stalin in his invasion of Ukraine. But in different parts of the world there is a different kind of invasion — the presence of God bringing transformation to cities!
George Otis Jr. has traveled the globe, documenting places where God’s presence has invaded a city and brought about genuine transformation. If you have ever watched any of his videos portraying what happens, you will be both impressed and profoundly stirred. Google his Transformations documentaries and you will be spiritually blown away!
For example: Not long ago a minister from Egypt declared the breathtaking things God was doing there and elsewhere to transform cities. Hearing testimonies of places where Muslims are being miraculously converted, prisons are being upended by the gospel, youth are being radically saved, crime is dropping, evangelism is exploding, economic conditions are improving dramatically and leaders are uniting together to testify to the manifest presence of God in their midst imparts hope and encouragement to us here in America.
One Egyptian brother told of how his country experienced incredible upheaval yet he saw in Isaiah 19 how God prophetically foretold Egypt being shaken of its idols so that it would manifest God’s unshakable kingdom! Is this upheaval happening in our nation so we likewise will turn from our idols, stop trusting in our ingenuity and programs and humbly turn back to the living God?
Turning Back to God
Allow me to give you another example to stir your heart to seek after God’s transformative presence the way we experienced it in the Brownsville Revival. This one is very personal to me.
Almost 45 years ago a mixed-up, drug-addicted, pleasure-seeking young man was radically converted and came to me asking if I would disciple him. We became best friends and today maintain our covenant relationship, inspiring each other and others to believe God for a third Great Awakening in our day.
That young man is now Dr. Che Ahn, the president of Harvest International Ministry, a global apostolic network in over 65 nations! He’s the International Chancellor of Wagner University and courageously stood up to Gov. Gavin Newsom in California to inspire the entire nation to not be cowardly in the face of oppression today.
Che boldly declares, “Our nation is facing one of its darkest hours and now is the time for God’s people to usher in the greatest revival!”
Che believes that at this critical moment in history, we are being offered a divine invitation. In the face of escalating chaos, national conflict and global shaking, God has a bulletproof plan that is currently unfolding in unprecedented ways. Historic revival is on God’s agenda, and it’s our turn to respond and turn our nation back to God!
Che has just released a phenomenal new book titled Turning Our Nation Back to God Through Historic Revival (available on Amazon). Bill Johnson, Cindy Jacobs, Jim Garlow, Samuel Rodriguez, Lou Engle, Eric Metaxas, David Barton, Mat Staver, Lance Wallnau, Mike Bickle, Dutch Sheets, Mario Murillo, Former Gov. Sarah Palin, Dr. Chuck Pierce and I heartily endorse this timely book and encourage everyone to get it today!
Here’s the Deal: Che and I shared together for an hour on the phone weeks ago and it was the perfect preparation for me as my wife and I revisited the site of the Brownsville Revival!
Years ago, lightning struck the roof of the Brownsville church, and when Doris and I were there recently, we saw that there had just been another unexpected mishap that caused part of the roof to literally collapse!
John Kilpatrick, the former senior pastor and primary overseer of the spiritual outpouring, said that locality is the “lightning capital of the country”! For some strange reason I don’t think Satan appreciates all that happened and continues to happen through multitudes who have a special place in their hearts for revival in our day.
Are you one of them?
“O LORD, I have heard the report of You … O LORD, revive Your work in the midst of the years! In the midst of these years make them known” (Hab. 3:2, MEV).
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