The Race for Revival

An Amazing Fact: Jamaican sprinter Usain Bolt is the undisputed world’s fastest man—reaching nearly 28 MPH—despite the fact that his intimidating 6-foot-5-inch-tall frame causes him to experience more wind drag than his competitors. Still, he wins races by overcoming this “wind drag handicap” by relying on his much longer strides and the nearly 1,000 pounds of force he applies when his feet contact the track surface, which is twice as much as you and I can generate!


Dear friend,

Can you imagine having twice as much power when you run? That’s what makes it possible for Mr. Bolt to sprint 110 yards in under 10 seconds. Friend, as we run the final stretch of Earth’s history, we need twice as much power—a double portion—from the Holy Spirit!

Yet, when you look at Olympic statistics over the past century, you’ll soon discover that no matter how much lighter our running shoes are and how much more scientific our training regimens are, Bolt is still only about two seconds faster than the 100-meter gold medalist … in 1896!

Plus, a lion can still run twice as fast as a man. That should remind you of our nonstop battle with the devil and our human nature. No matter how much we strive to improve our world with new technology and “better” government, the lost human heart is pretty much the same as it’s always been: Wars, greed, immorality, and violence still fill the headlines.

Jesus warned it will only get worse from here. Just as wickedness filled the world before the times of Noah and Lot, “so also will the coming of the Son of Man be” (Matthew 24:37). “Evil men and seducers shall wax worse and worse” (2 Timothy 3:13). With Jesus’ coming so near, no wonder selfishness, hate, and chaos reign!

And that’s why it is so sad to witness this same spirit of worldliness gripping God’s people. The church today clearly and urgently needs a transformation!

A Cure for Laodicea
Have you ever worried about inviting a new visitor to your church? Perhaps you occasionally hear teachings that do not square with the Bible—or perhaps you’re worried how worldly, unloving church members will treat your guest.

This is why we need revival and reformation! We must prepare our churches to receive in truth and love the new believers who will come out of Babylon and into our sanctuaries. Jesus is calling our Laodicean congregations to “be zealous and repent”! (Revelation 3:19).

Will you join with Amazing Facts to take the unique message of revival and reformation to the whole world? This isn’t hyperbole—I truly believe God is calling you and me to help prepare the church for His soon return by doing all we can to trigger true revival. We both know that a genuine revival can only be brought by the Holy Spirit, but through prayer and the proclamation of His Word, we can help facilitate this great work!

But to do that, we’re going to need your commitment to stand with us and the full, everlasting gospel.

Revival on the Rock
So in January, Amazing Facts is heading to Kingston and Mandeville, Jamaica, to present a weeklong revival and evangelism series. The high point will be a church rally in one of the largest cities in Jamaica! It’s the first time God has called this ministry to reach these precious people—and my prayer will be that God can use this event to revive the remnant church and reach even more souls for the kingdom.

The church there is hungering for genuine revival. They see the signs. So this new series, called Kingdom Characters, is designed to be an evangelistic resource and to inspire personal spiritual recommitment throughout the Caribbean … and beyond.

I will be sharing powerful biblical stories of how God worked in the past and how He wants to work through His people today. At the same time, we will be conducting intensive evangelistic training through our AFCOE program—so that ministers, Bible workers, and laypeople will be equipped to reach others for Christ. This is a full-fledged, all-out mission effort in Jamaica!

Even better, you will be able to watch it anywhere on AFTV and the Internet—and we’ll be recording it for future mass distribution to the worldwide church!

An Ideal Location
I believe God wants Jamaica to be a launching point of a new revival movement. You might be surprised to discover that Jamaica is among the top five countries that contact Amazing Facts—and the seed there is ready to be harvested! Additionally, with more than two million Jamaicans scattered around the world in tightknit communities like New York and England, the influence of what we share on their island home will give this revival exponential potential!

Jamaica also has the highest per capita of Sabbathkeepers in the world. What better place to present a powerhouse revival and reformation message? Plus, North Caribbean University is hosting the event, meaning we’ll plant these soul-winning messages in the hearts of energetic young people who will lead our church in the future.

I believe our churches in North America, which can tune in live, will be impacted by this series immediately—and the rest of the world will soon follow. Don’t you see how important this is today?

On a personal note, as my father lay dying in a Miami hospital, a Sabbathkeeping nurse from Jamaica came in to care for him. She saw the name on his chart: “Batchelor.” She had no idea he was a well-known Florida tycoon and asked him if he was related to Doug Batchelor, the pastor on TV. He perked up and said, “He’s my son.” She responded enthusiastically, “I watch his program all the time! You must be very proud.” He answered, “I am.” This story warmed my heart, as the nurse spent quite a bit of time with my father. I don’t know everything they discussed, but it gave me hope that they had talked about God and eternity together.

That’s one reason I’m so grateful for the spiritual boldness of Jamaican believers. They are ready to be a centerpiece of revival—but they need your help. Jamaica is not a wealthy country, and most of the production and broadcast expenses for this series will rest squarely on Amazing Facts.

Let’s make it possible by doing this work together with your gift today!

A Race for Revival
The Bible compares the Christian life to a race:

Since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith (Hebrews 12:1, 2).

… and we are nearing the finish line! As we have been planning this series, I know Jesus is urgently pleading for a revival on a worldwide scale—so He can return to take us home. But the churches are just not ready to receive the outpouring of the Spirit and the flood of new believers that will pour into our doors.

And you and I know that the devil will not make this easy. If all Amazing Facts did was present smooth, ear-tickling sermons—Satan would be happy to sit back and let it happen.

But because we’re bringing a bold message of true liberation from sin, the devil is standing up to challenge us every step of the way. We need to have your prayers, and we need to have your willingness to share in this burden.

To present the Kingdom Characters message in Jamaica, the Philippines, and far beyond will require an investment of $150,000 for travel expenses, advertising, distribution of Christian resources, and DVD reproduction. Will you prayerfully consider being a vital, trusted part of starting 2015 with real revival in His church?

Usain Bolt is fast, yet Solomon said the race of faith is not always to the swift, nor the battle to the strong (Ecclesiastes 9:11). It is only God who can give that everlasting prize to His people! So I’m asking you to believe in revival and the message of Revelation, to believe that Jesus can still do a great work of harvest before He returns. Your gift, of any amount, will help present this message to Jamaica and far beyond … and here at home … through every means possible.

The revival of God’s people is the most urgently needed message for our times. And it begins with fully surrendering our hearts! Will you join me now and be a part of this great opportunity to revive His church and finish the work? God is Spirit, and His worshipers must worship Him in spirit and truth!

For Christ and revival,

Pastor Doug Batchelor
President, Amazing Facts

Amazing Facts is a non-profit, donor-supported ministry.
We greatly appreciate your prayers and financial support.
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