Awaken the Dawn…I will.

During May 12th-16th, RIHOP traveled up north to Fredericksburg to take part in Awaken the Dawn. It truly was more than a conference. Speakers provoked a generation to live as Nazarites (Numbers 6). Of course, the idea of the Nazarite isn’t so much that they had long hair and didn’t drink wine or eat grapes. They were set apart to God. They would give up legitimate pleasures for the sake of being set apart to God. Filled with radical, holy love for Jesus, these “set apart ones” become voices in their spheres of influence of something better than the American Dream. There is a hope that is better, a love that is stronger. They live for the love that is better than wine, better than life  (Song. 1:2; Ps. 63:3).  Each speaker built upon the theme of the previous speaker, mostly by accident since they didn’t have hardly any contact with the other speakers.

I had the privilege of watching as the Lord met hundreds of young and old alike, drawing them into a lifestyle of consecration to God in fasting and prayer. One staff member said it like this: “It was like they were reading my journal and then talked about it.” At one point, 3 staff members all had the same vision of flying through the stars toward heaven. We found this out later as we each discussed the experience. It was so cool to say: “oh, no way! you saw that too?! Jesus is so good!” In all of the fun and exciting things in the conference, this phrase has stuck in my head: “its unto justice released in the earth.”

Now that the conference is over, my heart’s desire is to see what was imparted get sent like shockwaves through the streets of Richmond, Virginia. There is some awesome, exciting stuff happening here! Whenever you used to drive through Richmond, you would see spotlights shining into the night sky. Following those lights to their source you would find a Gentlemen’s Club right off highway 95. We have been praying for Club Velvet for over 3 years to close its doors. We had received a prophetic word that the battle for this city was between two “Moore’s.” Sam Moore, who owned Velvet and Matthew and Sherrie Moore, founders and directors of RIHOP. As we pressed in through prayer, Sam Moore had to shut his doors. My prayer is that healing would arise in that place that abode death and seduction for so long. I pray for Sam Moore to know the mercy and love of Jesus (Jesus did it to Saul, making him Paul, its not beyond reach!). I pray for the dancers, the clients. Let healing of hearts break forth to know Jesus.

We are seeing people getting saved, hearts coming alive in the Word. I have heard 3 testimonies of supernatural provision in the last week. People are donating computers and Bibles, but most of all hearts are excited about encountering Jesus.

We are also seeing connections with other ministries. C28, a Christian clothing store is now helping us advertise our internship. The regional director for the Virginia stores walked into RIHOP yesterday, asking us to help promote the store. He took over 100 flyers for our 30-day internship in July to place on the counter of his store. He left asking, “Can I invite Christian young people to come? Maybe sign onto a worship team?” Of course I said yes.

Here are two things to be in prayer for RIHOP: The Immersed Internship in July and the First Annual RIHOP Walk-a-thon. Immersed is a 30-day internship dedicated to raising up messengers who will be a voice in their community as they devote themselves to a lifestyle of prayer and fasting. These voices in the wilderness will go forth after 30-days of immersion in the RIHOP prayer room with a vision of loving Jesus and reaching their spheres of influence for Him. We are also doing a walk-a-thon to raise money for inner-city schools. This is an amazing opportunity for us to serve the community. We will be walking a 5k as we pray over different places through the city.

I want to leave you with some ways that you can give toward my ministry as an urban missionary at RIHOP. The exciting things that I’ve written only happen as they are financed. As a pastor of a new church plant and missionary, I live on the financial support of others. No gift is too great, no gift is too small. Would you consider becoming a partner with me in this ministry? you can email me at shawnjarrard@gmail.com for more details on how to give. Donations are tax deductible.

God bless you.

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