Two weekends ago, the National Mall in Washington, D.C. became a literal tent city at the “Awaken the Dawn” event. Participants set up more than 50 tents, one to represent each state in the U.S. as well as others to represent Israel and various U.S. regions. The white tents offered a welcome refuge from the sometimes-rainy weather that at times threatened to put a damper on the event, but alas, nothing and no one was able to do that. Participants were focused on the presence of God and not the weather.
What took place during those days was remarkable. There was 24-hour-a-day prayer, intercession, praise and worship going on in the tents. There was fervent crying out to God. On October 9, the last day of the event, Awaken the Dawn joined Rise Up/The Call for a big-stage event involving prayer, worship and teaching about the Gospel message.
Important Issues Discussed and Prayed Over
Speakers at Awaken the Dawn included Lou Engle, Francis Chan, Mark Gonzales and Heidi Baker. Musicians who led the throngs in worship and praise included top singers like Nicole C. Mullen. But ultimately, the focus was on no one speaker, musician or participant. Ultimately, the focus was purely on God.
At the massive event there was discussion of new initiatives, such as outreach and evangelism to millennials and projects to bring racial reconciliation. And there was much prayer about the issue of abortion and other important issues facing the nation.
Why Now Is the Right Time
“Nothing like this has ever been done before in our nation’s capital,” said David Bradshaw, Leader of the Awaken the Dawn movement, Lead Pastor of Awakening Community Church and head of the Fredericksburg Prayer Furnace. “Washington, D.C. will be a resting place for the presence of God and a staging ground for missions. Awaken the Dawn is a worship movement, a prayer movement, and a missions movement. Our dream is to see a generation galvanized with the glory of Jesus and the presence of God—a millennial generation who ushers in the next Great Awakening. It’s not just an idea. It’s not just talk. It is time for this generation to take its place in history.”
Awaken the Dawn took place when it did because of the times we live in and the sense of urgency by the movement’s leaders to engage in a rescue mission to the United States and to the entire world. Bradshaw is filled with spiritual hunger, prayer worship and the knowledge of God. He has a sense of urgency about the times we are in. Bradshaw wants to see the Third Great Awakening being in the U.S. as a result of active prayer and mission that takes place both day and night.
Innovative Initiatives and Plans
The goal of the event was for the event itself to be a springboard for further activity, such as mobilization of leaders throughout the country in each region and state to develop relationships as part of a grassroots movement. That movement is focused on preaching the Gospel and commissioning the people of younger generations to then take the Gospel to the nations of the world as part of a modern-day Jesus Movement. The goal of the movement is also to bring unity out of division and to be centered around the presence of God, worth of Christ and Great Commission.
Those organizing Awaken the Dawn, or ATD as it was also called, plan more activities after the October event. That includes their hope to gather people as soon as 2018 at all 50 state capitals and on more than 500 college campuses to worship God and praise Jesus.
In addition to the multitudes who traveled to Washington, D.C. from all over the country, many more participated in the event through livestreams, Facebook and other Internet locations. So the reach went far beyond the nation’s capital.
With troubling news and tumultuous times being commonplace around the United States and world these days, the Awaken the Dawn event couldn’t have come at a more perfect time. Let’s hope and pray that the event will lead to revival in the land and hearts changed for Christ worldwide.
~ Christian Patriot Daily
