In this issue:
Jeff Marks and Renewing God's Covenant with New England
Report on Pastors’ Prayer Summit
April 21 Massachusetts Pray-ers Gathering
April 20-22 Events with Dr. Bob Bakke, Executive Director, Global Day of Prayer USA
May 17 -27 Ten Days of Prayer, Northfield, MA
May 27 Global Day of Prayer – New England

Jeff Marks and Renewing God’s Covenant with New England

Jeff Marks
Executive Director

New England Concerts of Prayer

I’d like to invite you along on my spiritual journey, which began in 1962 at Dartmouth College in Hanover, New Hampshire, before I was even committed to Christ. As a student I sensed something at the school that I could only describe as an ancient good which I could not explain, but it stuck with me.

I went on to law school and became interested in legal aid to the poor. I went to work for the Department of Housing and Urban Development, in the Office of the General Counsel in Washington DC. I rapidly became disillusioned with government efforts to help the poor. It seemed that all the funds went into the pockets of special interest groups. Ultimately what remained of the money funded programs that did not work very well. So I kept searching for something that might help people.

In the midst of this search I encountered the Fellowship, the people who organize the Presidential Prayer Breakfast. They were doing a number of things that dramatically impacted the lives of the inner city poor. This drew me to them, which led to an encounter with Jesus that radically changed my life. The Lord called me to leave everything and follow him. So with my wife Marjean, I left Washington and my law career to go into a faith ministry.

I took a short journey where the Lord supplied confirmation. For the first time in my life I experienced revival. As I was flying home, the shortest verse of the Bible came to mind.  “Jesus wept (John 11:35).” What was He weeping about? The thought came: He is weeping for me. Suddenly I grabbed the little airplane pillow, buried my head in it and burst into tears. I realized for the first time how much Jesus loved me.

On the first night back at home, I had a dream. In it the Lord told me to address a crowd of thousands. I had seen those crowds during the Vietnam War demonstrations. There were up to 50,000 people gathered.

I awoke feeling really disturbed, and went into the living room. Halfway across the room I encountered an incredible Presence. More

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Report on 8th Annual Boston Pastors’ Prayer Summit

Dale Atlas
John 17:23 Ministries

Seventy pastors and leaders gathered at the 8th Annual Boston Pastors’ Prayer Summit from March 20 – 22 at Wonderland in Sharon, MA. We once again enjoyed the power and personal refreshment as available only when the Body of Christ comes together in the presence of our God, simply to worship Him.

For 48 hours, from Tuesday to Thursday, our intention was to “stay vertical” and focus on our Lord. We kept this first and foremost during prayers, meal time conversations, and late night fellowships.  

The retreat was permeated with the sense that we are at the beginning stages of revival. One brother, walking boldly through the group, declared God’s desire that each one of us not leave the Summit without assurance of the Lord’s coming revival. But another brother, lying prostrate in the middle of the circle, humbly proclaimed God’s desire for our cleansing through repentance. The group experienced the tension of being led simultaneously into repentance and into revival.   

There is convincing evidence that we are at the beginning stages of a revival. For a number of years, God has been sending people from all over the world with this message. Hundreds have been sent to live and pray here; to visit; or to send encouragement by e-mail.  Emmanuel Gospel Center documents a new church planting in the Boston area every thirty-six days, as part of the continuing “Quiet Revival”. 

Additional evidence of a coming revival is seen in the ever-increasing number of unbelievers who seek to know the Lord. One sister shared that our experiences here and now match the experiences she and her husband had while ministering in Brazil shortly before revival broke out. 

As a third form of evidence, we also discovered our hearts are longing for revival with a passion that won’t quit, even when we sometimes tire from this journey. God Himself has placed this passion in our hearts.

As we do at every Summit, we celebrated the Lord’s Supper during our final evening together. We enjoyed the unity and love for one another that grows deeper with every Summit meeting.  Sometimes in words, and sometimes in silence, we anticipated and wondered at whatever actions the Lord will perform before our next Summit.

We encourage you to plan to set aside time in early April 2008 for the 9th Annual Boston Pastors’ Prayer Summit. Please watch for details.

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April 21 Massachusetts Prayer Network /Covenant for New England Pray-ers Gathering

To worship and hear from God; to pray for our cities, towns, state, region and beyond

In this month’s special Prayer Meeting, we will gather with pray-ers and worshipers from all over the state for a special event at Jubilee Christian Church. See prayer tables below.

Registration is not necessary. More information: E-mail Linda Clark or call 617-848-0922.

Date: Saturday, March 10

Time: 9:00 - 9:45 am for first-time visitors, Territorial Leaders, Zone Coordinators and Prayer Liaisons

10:00 am -11:00 am: Worship & hearing from God
11:00 am -12:15 pm: Prayer
12:15 pm -12:30 pm: Fellowship

Prayer Training: "Intercession", given by Doug Tunney, Director, Youth with a Mission, Boston

About the Massachusetts Prayer Network

This organization is part of the fifty-state United States Global Apostolic Prayer Network, formed in 1990 by a group of concerned Christian leaders who dared to believe the United States could once again be a nation "under God." Linda Clark is the Massachusetts State Coordinator.

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April 20-22 Events with Dr. Bob Bakke, Executive Director, Global Day of Prayer USA

Congregación León de Judá Sunday Services

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Join Us for Ten Days of Prayer, May 17-27, Northfield MA

Fonathan Fitz writes: Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,

Before the first Pentecost, our Lord told his disciples to wait for His empowering in Jerusalem. They obeyed, and sought God in united prayer together with 120 others. At the end of 10 days, the Spirit descended and the Church was born.

This year, God is inviting us to do it again--to wait for Him for 10 days in united prayer, just as the apostles and 120 did so long ago. This time, He has not given us any promises about what He will do, He simply asks us, "Come, seek Me." I ask you, paraphrasing the words of Zechariah, "Let's go at once to seek the Lord of hosts--I am going, will you come too? (Zech. 8:21)” more

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May 27 Global Day of Prayer – New England

Covenant for New England, an organization of pastors, ministries and lay leaders, whose purpose is promoting unity and spiritual vitality in the church, is sponsoring this year’s Global Day of Prayer New England. Gather to pray and worship God with thousands from New England live and millions around the world via satellite downlink. For more information, go to www.gdopNewEngland.org.

Date: Pentecost Sunday, May 27

Time: 6 to 9 pm

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Learn about other Covenant for New England events.