GLOBAL PRAYER NETWORK: Catholic, Protestant and Ethnic Communities Gather Together in Spirit of Unity and Reconciliation at Azusa Now 2016

Jumat, 15 April 2016

Catholic, Protestant and Ethnic Communities Gather Together in Spirit of Unity and Reconciliation at Azusa Now 2016

Despite Adverse Weather Conditions, over 60,000 People Flocked to the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum, and worldwide, more than 100,000,000 Participate through Live TV Broadcasts and Online Streaming in Five Languages.

By Dan Wooding, Founder of ASSIST News Service

LOS ANGELES, CA (ANS - April 14, 2016) – In spite of rain throughout the day, incredible stories of hope and healing are pouring in after more than 60,000 people braved the wet weather conditions to attend Azusa Now 2016 on Saturday, April 9, 2016, at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum, home of two Olympic games.

According to a news release from FrontGate Media, “This stadium-sized worship and prayer gathering brought together a variety of ethnic groups, churches, organizations, denominations and dioceses from across the United States, creating a spirit of unity and a commitment to reconciliation.”

Rachel L. Holden, CEO of the TheCall, the host organization, said, “April 9th was a beautiful day for the Body of Christ coming together in prayer, forgiveness, and commitment to one another to walk in unity. When over 60,000 people gather in the rain and millions are watching around the world, it’s a signpost of the hunger in the Body of Christ for another great move of God in our day.”

She went on to say, “When our staff arrived at 4:30am to enter the stadium, people were already wrapped around it in anticipation for the day ahead. We knew that we were entering into a new day and were humbled to have been a part.”

The inspiring event featured an incredible diverse line-up of speakers, community leaders and musicians from all denominations and ethnic groups, including Lou Engle, an American Charismatic Christian leader, best known for his leadership of TheCall, Apostle Fred Berry, Pastor Gabe Ahn, Bill Johnson, and many, many more leaders, as well as worship artists including Bethel Worship and artists from Native American, Hispanic, Messianic and Korean communities.

“Azusa Now was viewed by hundreds of millions of people around the world, as it was broadcast in its entirety by GOD TV, with additional live and rebroadcast coverage provided by TBN, CBN, JUCE TV, Daystar and the recently launched Holy Spirit Broadcasting Network,” said a spokesperson for the gathering.

In addition, the entire day was translated into Arabic and broadcast to millions of homes in the Middle East, via The Way TV network. Many thousands more accessed the live stream that was broadcast in English, Spanish, Portuguese, Korean and Chinese, through the www.azusanow2016.com website, and also through grassroots channels thanks to the launch of Facebook Live.

Lou Engel during prayer time at Azusa Now

Bishop Andrew Bills, founder of the Holy Spirit Broadcasting Network (HSBN), which streamed the entire event, told ANS, “Audacious prayer (referred to by Alisha Chen) truly prevailed at the Coliseum. With an almost full capacity, the only thunder being heard was from the roaring praise from the diverse multitude that was being given to our Lord Jesus Christ. Despite a few off-and-on rain drops, the very presence of the Holy Spirit of God was felt and visibly manifested in the miraculous healings and through the surrendered hearts of all the attendees.”

Bishop Bills, whose network is based in Orange, California, added, “The Holy Spirit Broadcasting Network was among those in the middle of this wonderful event. On the field interviews were conducted, new friendships were born, new networking doors were opened, new prophetic words were given and, within the next couple of weeks, The HSBN International Network Division, is being launched and will begin airing all broadcasts in other languages.”

You can watch the entire Azusa Now event on their website at: http://www.hsbn.tv.

Note: The original Azusa Street Revival that took place in Los Angeles in 1906, was a true move of God with the profound sense of love and racial harmony that unexpectedly bonded African, Asian, Hispanic and Anglo-Americans together during a deeply segregated period of American history.

“Azusa Now hopes the aftermath of this gathering will restore this rich legacy of Christian friendship and blessing by turning hearts toward one another as a counter-cultural response to the deepening trends of divisiveness and rancor in the ethnic, political and socio-economic spheres of our nation,” concluded the Azusa Now spokesperson.

For more information, please go to the official website at www.AzusaNow2016.com.

For further information, please contact either Lori Heiselman at Lori@FrontGateMedia.com or Terry Warren at Terry@FrontGateMedia.com .

Photo captions: 1) Part of the crowd at the event. 2) Native Americans on stage with Lou Engle, far left. (Photo courtesy/ Zac Miller), 3) Sounding the Shofar at Azusa Now. (Photo courtesy/Kathleen O’Donnell). 4) Lou Engel leading prayer, 110 years after the first revival. (Photo: Courtesy/Dutch Sheets). 5) African-American William Seymour of the original Azusa Street Revival. 6) Norma and Dan Wooding on a reporting assignment for ANS in Hollywood. (Bryan Seltzer).

About the writer: Dan Wooding, 75, is an award-winning winning author, broadcaster and journalist who was born in Nigeria of British missionary parents, and is now living in Southern California with his wife Norma, to whom he has been married for more than 52 years. They have two sons, Andrew and Peter, and six grandchildren who all live in the UK. Dan is the founder of the ASSIST News Service (ANS), and the author of some 45 books. He also has two TV shows – “Windows on the World,” (with Mark Ellis), and “Inside Hollywood with Dan Wooding,” which are both broadcast on the Holy Spirit Broadcasting Network (http://hsbn.tv) -- and a weekly radio program called “Front Page Radio”, which originates from the KWVE Radio Network (www.kwve.com), based in Santa Ana, California, and is carried across the United States.