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CAPTIVES HAVE BEEN SET FREE!
The story of the
Kansas City
National Day of Prayer
May 1, 2008 |
The 2008 Kansas City National Day of Prayer Event was scheduled to meet outdoors at Liberty Memorial in beautiful downtown Kansas City. On Tuesday, April 29th, 2008 our team made the decision to look for a place to move the event indoors. The weather forecast for Thursday was calling for rain between 3:00pm and midnight. We began to pray and to search and finally found Exhibit Hall E in the Bartle Hall Convention Center just two miles north of the Liberty Memorial.
Banners were placed at the Liberty Memorial indicating the change of venue.
The event began at 4:00pm with a Family Prayer Walk which featured seven stations of prayer:
Family – including a living room/dining room set with tables and chairs for families to pray together.
Media – including local Christian radio stations
Education – including a full size school bus and two Christian educators in the public school system!
Military – US Army servicemen and an H3 US Army Hummer
Police – including a police car and police officer
Government – A representative from Senator Sam Brownback’s office included wonderful governmental give-aways and informational pieces.
Church – This was a beautiful station set up like a church with a podium, mourner’s benches, altar with votive candles, an old rugged cross and chairs for prayer.
At the center of the prayer walk was a beautiful prayer wall that symbolized the Western Wall in Jerusalem. It was custom made for this prayer walk. Participants wrote out prayer requests on slips of paper and slipped them into the crevices of the rocks and prayed over those requests. More than 300 people participated by writing out their prayer requests and praying at the wall.
At 5:30, we had live praise and worship music playing by the Praise Band from Christian Fellowship Baptist Church in Kansas City, Missouri lead by Pastor Maurice Gadson. Joining them was a young, energetic Step Team that performed three numbers. They were powerful and exciting – preparing us for a call to worship.
At 6:00pm Messianic Jewish Rabbi, Shmuel Wolkenfeld read scripture from the old and new testament, explained the symbolism of the wall according to II Chron. 7:15. Then he lead a three shofar call to worship. Powerful!!! It caught our attention and we were ready for the next step!
Dr. Daniel Ketchum welcomed the crowd, explained the history of the National Day of Prayer and prayed a prayer of repentance, calling America back to God.
Mr. Rich Bott, Honorary Event Chairman, prayed the Prayer for the Nation written by Ravi Zacharias. He said, “Look around you…here are your prayer warriors in Kansas City!!!” The crowd went wild with explosive clapping!
COL Gary Morsch, M.D. prayed for our military and government officials.
The colors were presented by the US Army
The National Anthem was sung by Linda Boyd.
Lynda Randle encouraged us with her beautiful gospel music.
We sang praise and worship songs with CFBC
Dana Candler shared some of the disciplines of prayer through the eyes of a young mother of two.
Rev. Jimmy Dodd prayed for our Pastors, their churches and their families.
Mrs. Christal Watson brought heaven down as she lifted high our educators and school classrooms!
Pastor Stan Archie discussed the pressures that families are under today and we broke up into prayer circles and prayed for the entertainment industries/media and families in our nation.
Josh Mitchell’s testimonial video-
This is the story of a young man who spent 3 years in Prison for committing armed robbery at a local grocery store. While in prison, his father prayed in desperation for God’s protection. Immediately the father saw a vision of a strong angelic warrior spiral down from heaven. He was riding on a white horse. He went into Josh’s cell and settled on top of him, looked at the father and said, “Fear not, I am with him.” Peace entered the heart of this father. Joshua found favor in prison among the guards and prisoners alike. He drew near to God and the Lord taught Him more about His unfailing love, even when we fail. Josh gave his life completely to Jesus. He will graduate this December from college and wants to go into full time ministry – living his life to fullest for Jesus.
Josh shared his testimony and we realized a connection between the store owners and Joshua’s story. The store owners, Fred and Joann Ball, are long-time supporters of National Day of Prayer. For many years they have printed the NDP Logo on their grocery bags during the entire month of April. The Ball family has been our biggest supporters, prayerfully, by opening their home to our monthly prayer meetings. They have supported our local event financially and have been our biggest cheerleaders! We had no idea that Joshua had committed his crime at one of their grocery stores…but God did! As we were video taping Joshua’s testimony, he talked of how he held the store manager of one of the Ball’s grocery stores at gunpoint while his accomplices took $25,000 in cash. They got away and nearly 2 ½ months later they were caught by police and Joshua was taken to prison for his crime.
At the conclusion of the taping session, I explained a connection between the Ball’s who have supported our event and our planning team and asked Joshua if he thought this would be a good time to seek forgiveness. He was shocked with God’s timing and His unfailing love! He was now faced with a decision that could help him obtain ultimate forgiveness for this crime. We all prayed about it over the weekend and by Monday morning (three days before the event), Joshua was ready to seek forgiveness and Fred and Joann were ready to receive him into their home. Joann tracked down the store manager and had him come over to meet Joshua. Although six years had passed since the crime - the pain and trauma from the event was still there. On Tuesday evening, April 29th the Mitchell family, the Balls and the Fraziers, along with Pastor Stan Archie and myself, assembled at the Ball home and Joshua was able to share his testimony and he earnestly sought forgiveness. Each person involved shared their feelings, thoughts and trials following the event and then graciously extended forgiveness and the families were reconciled that evening. It was the most precious outpouring of love I had ever witnessed.
At the event, Joshua’s testimony was played and Pastor Stan Archie shared the amazing thing that God had done in the lives of these families to bring forgiveness and reconciliation and Freedom! He recognized Mr. and Mrs. Ball by having them stand and a picture taken the night of the reconciliation was shown on the big screen. The crowd went wild! This Captive had been set free! Now he has closure and freedom in his amazing testimony.
Pastor Gary Schmitz, Executive Director of the City Wide Prayer Movement, took the platform and lead us in a prayer of repentance and humility. Helping us all to recognize the fact that we need Jesus and His forgiveness if we are going to live in freedom.
Emmitt Mitchell, Joshua’s father, took the stage to tell more of his testimony and his passion for prayer. (It was, in fact, Mr. Mitchell’s testimony back in 2006 that inspired me to have our prayer gathering on the hill overlooking the city, to pray for revival!) Just as Emmitt began sharing his testimony, the police had us interrupt the program due to tornado warnings in the area. There was an actual tornado on the ground moving toward us. The 1700 in attendance quietly got up from their seats and moved collectively toward the escalators.
A group quietly broke out into the song “I Love You Lord….”
And then a woman came running to Mr.Ball and grabbed his arm and said, “Mr. Ball, thank you for that testimony that was shared tonight. For years I have been living with guilt. 15 years ago, I worked as a cashier in one of your stores and I took $20 from the register. I meant to pay it back, but I never did and I have felt terrible about it ever since. I have never forgotten it. Would you please forgive me?” And Mr. Ball looked at her and said, “Yes! I forgive you!” And she experienced freedom that night, too! Another Captive had been set Free! God worked miraculously through Joshua’s testimony!
While in the lower level there were a few groups of people who continued in prayer and song, while many visited with one another. There was unity and a sense of God’s presence. I recognized at that moment that I had no fear of the impending tornado due to the overwhelming sense of the Holy Spirit. I was safe, in the presence of the Lord and His children. We were not able to reassemble our group and continue our prayer meeting because the weather worsened and people wanted to get back to their homes. But, it was an unforgettable evening, full of surprises and powerful signs of the presence of the Holy Spirit.
God mended broken hearts that night and set captives free! A community was brought together in an absolutely amazing and magical setting that none of us will get over for a very long time. God’s grace is sufficient, His timing impeccable and His love…unfailing! We took so much more away from this prayer gathering than we ever imagined as we planned, dreamed and prayed for this day. God is good! No…make that AWESOME!!!
Enjoying the journey,
Yvette Mabe
Kansas City Event Coordinator
ymabe@comcast.net
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On May 1st Kansas City gathered as a family in Christ. I saw a people without denominational, racial or political boundaries, held together by a spiritual glue. I was thrilled in knowing that the same welcome, warm spirit that dwelled at the National Day of Prayer was just a taste of what God intends for us to all know. During that evening I felt as if I had received a big hug from God.
I produce large conferences for corporate clients. The few times I have worked on church events it has been a struggle for me. The world operates completely opposite of what God intends. Events are marketed, taking advantage of personalities and whatever is trendy at the moment. Sometimes controversial issues are used as bait to lure people to attend or just to create a buzz about the event. However, when working on the National Day of Prayer I had to continually remind myself “this is not an ordinary worldly event, we’re not out to make media stars of anyone, we’re not looking for fame – we are seeking God and sharing his truth. Early in the process I heard a Michael W. Smith song with the phrase, “I fall on my knees, so it’s you that they see, not me, Lord be lifted high.” Whenever I was tempted to operate in a traditional way, I saw myself falling to my knees before God. And that guided me through low points, some difficult decisions and continues to be a reminder that this is not about an organization or one person or about me, but it is about God and the role he has designed for all of us. I never felt in control – because I wasn’t. It took me a long time to realize that God was.
Most people will never understand the “behind-the-scenes” activity that took place when 36 hours before the event, the weather report was calling for severe weather. Originally the north lawn of Liberty Memorial had been selected as the site for the NDP. Its location, overlooking the city and the torch atop its tower was symbolic of what God has called us to do – place him prominently before the world. It is a beautiful location and the carved limestone frieze would have made a dramatic backdrop for a “concert of prayer”. However the safety of everyone involved became a major consideration. High winds and lighting were predicted by meteorologists for Thursday evening. With the help of Gerald Smith and Premier Studios, the NDP team began searching for an indoor location that would accommodate approximately 5,000 people. Bartle Hall very quickly developed as the best possible location with availability. It had taken over a year of hard work by a lot of people to plan this special day, could it all be completely re-planned in such a short time? Everyone went into action to make the change. Yvette Mabe went on radio and contacted media outlets to get the location change out to the public. The website was updated, Churches and volunteers were notified. Rental equipment was cancelled and new arrangements were made to build a stage at Bartle, decorate it and re-plan the event. A little more than 24 hours later people began to stream into Bartle Hall to participate in the Prayer walk and then the service. The presence of God was in that place as Maurice and his worship team began to sing. Many wonderful followers of Christ, prayed, spoke words of encouragement and sang praises. It was truly a unique event in the spiritual life of Kansas City. The event was cut short when a few minutes after 8:00 pm a tornado was sighted within two miles of Bartle. Kansas City Missouri Police Officers had kept us aware of the storm racing around the city throughout the evening. There was a tornado spotted on the ground up north, there was hail and damaging winds down south, to the east and west other reports of damage and dangerous cloud formations. As the sirens blared and the storm raged all around us, we were at the center, in the calm, surrounded by God’s peace. There was never a feeling of fear or danger. At the urging of the authorities we evacuated to an area on a lower level of the building that was considered safe. As we left the room, calmly, there was singing and continued prayer and a sense of community that moved with us as we proceeded down the escalators. Although the service was brought to an end, I was reminded that there is no Beginning or End to God and I must not allow my prayers to be trapped in a schedule, but allow them to be continuous. I was concerned that over a year of hard work by many people had been wasted. But perhaps that work was just the path, the journey, the experience that made May 1st into the day it was intended to be.
I was blessed in many ways by the serious prayer that took place that night. I saw families gather in circles, sitting in small groups, I saw tears of joy and submission. At one point in the program, I was lining up people to go on the platform, listening to the person speaking with one ear and praying deep inside. When I realized there was a group of people, behind me, gathered in a circle that had been praying continually throughout the evening for us all. I was overwhelmed by the grace of God and the incredible sincerity of those he had placed there that night. As rain poured around the city, the spirit slowly soaked us with a renewing energy.
Needing to Kneel
From the day Yvette Mabe called me and shared her vision, I believed the National Day of Prayer event was not a one-day meeting. I saw it as a point to stop and testify to the power and necessity of prayer. I saw it as a mile-post in a long journey. I saw it as an opportunity to remind us all that we must fall on our knees before God, continually. I also saw it as a reminder that I need to get on my knees a lot more.
I heard from many that night about how they were affected by a special insight or experience at the Prayer Walk and Service. I have since heard many other heart-warming stories. For every person there, a story exists and for every life touched directly, many will be affected indirectly. There is an un-ending wave of results from prayer that continue to ripple around the globe today. Don’t let your life get too calm, stir up the spiritual waters.
Phil Arbuckle
Kansas City Event Co-Coordinator
Phil@MeetingTrack.com |
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The journey toward National Day of Prayer 2008 began for me in December 2006, in a job interview with Yvette Mabe. I was applying for a position at Dr. Mabe’s dental office, and Yvette was also looking for someone to help her out at home, and with this upcoming “city-wide event” for National Day of Prayer. I was all for this type of project, since it involved ministry and prayer! At the time, I was not fully aware of the vastness of this undertaking…but excited to be a part of something big for our city.
We began looking ahead to the National Day of Prayer on May 3, 2007, and started planning immediately. I was a little nervous about our time frame to pull this together. In five months, we would be holding an event that most coordinators would begin planning 10-12 months in advance. But, I trusted that God would lead and make his will known.
We first secured our location for the event at the Liberty Memorial in downtown Kansas City. Yvette had chosen this location after seeing it during a dream, and then was reaffirmed the next morning by her husband, who said the Liberty Memorial was the obvious choice for this type of event.
Next, we began talking with local pastors and ministry leaders to begin formulating a program, holding meetings to form a team to work with, and praying that God would guide our planning process!
Only a few weeks after, Yvette received a call from the events coordinator at the Liberty Memorial – there had been an oversight in scheduling, and the venue was double-booked for May 3. We were being kicked out! So, after careful consideration and prayer, we decided to move forward in planning for the National Day of Prayer on May 1, 2008. This was a relief to me, as we would have much more time to plan a special event.
So, for the next year, we held meetings, made phone calls, brainstormed ideas, prayed, and emailed non-stop to put everything together. And by “we”, I mean “Yvette”, because my part was very minimal – but very enjoyable!
I met so many influential people that I would not have without being involved in this. Pastor Stan Archie of Christian Fellowship Baptist Church in KC, MO is a dynamic leader in the inner-city, and he boldly stepped up to offer help and ideas, and was a large influence in shaping our program. Dr. Daniel Ketchum of Nazarene Missions International is probably the most gracious, kind, compassionate man I’ve ever met…he just fills a room with God’s presence! Mike Bickle and Luis Cataldo and Brian Kim, of the International House of Prayer were more than eager to offer their staff and congregations to come and fill our volunteer needs – a huge answer to prayer! Emmitt Mitchell carried the vision of revival in Kansas City all through our planning process, and was a huge inspiration to Yvette in all of this. His son, Joshua’s, testimony of prayer was also very meaningful in portraying the real grace and protection from God in a person’s darkest hours. And of course, Yvette has taught me so much about being faithful and patiently waiting for God’s way, because he will always make it known! She carried incredible vision and leadership throughout this whole process, and never lost sight of the goal.
Leslie Smith
Administrative Coordinator
Kansas City National Day of Prayer
Lesliesmith1230@comcast.net |
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