God brings revival to church in transition

Master’s student Nirintsoa Mamitiana arrived at his “Revive This Nation” preaching assignment during a time of transition. Roughly four weeks earlier, the senior pastor of the church at which he had been assigned to preach resigned and moved to another church. The congregation supported this decision, and so there was no hurt, but nevertheless, the church entered a time of change. The church’s youth pastor stepped into the role of interim pastor and began seeking the Lord’s direction for the future.

During these somewhat uncertain times, Mamitiana arrived from Southwestern Seminary to preach a week-long revival at this Florida church. Though the people were slow to respond, by the week’s end, God had used Mamitiana to spiritually impact them at a key time in the life of the church.

Mamitiana brought his family along with him, and each time he left the house, his young son said to him, “Daddy, we are going to pray together. I will lay my hands on you. And we’re going to go and preach the Gospel.” (Furthermore, many conversations were begun by Mamitiana’s son, who walked up to strangers and said, “My daddy is a preacher. He preaches about Jesus.”) With such encouragement and prayerful preparation, Mamitiana preached in the power of the Spirit, inviting people to taste and see the goodness of the Lord.

In the first three services, however, no one from the congregation responded. Mamitiana was not discouraged, though, as he could sense that the people were “receiving something.”

Before he preached his fourth sermon, Mamitiana received a four-page letter from the church’s worship director. The director wrote of his frustration over the congregation’s lack of response, adding that he himself was led by the Spirit to come forward during Mamitiana’s invitations, but felt glued to his seat. He concluded with the encouragement that the Lord was definitely at work during the revival, if only in his own heart.

That night, Mamitiana preached about being ambassadors for Christ. After he invited the people to respond to this message, the interim pastor’s wife stood up and shared a testimony with the congregation of how she had recently engaged her boss in a Gospel conversation at work. Realizing the significance of such obedience, Mamitiana invited others in the church to commit to share their faith as she did. In response, 20 people stood up to make that commitment—to bring the Gospel to their friends, coworkers and neighbors.

The worship director led the people in a hymn of worship, and then, sensing that the Spirit was still calling His people, Mamitiana extended another invitation. Seven people responded and rededicated their lives to Christ.

The following night—the last night of the revival—Mamitiana presented the Gospel and invited one final response from the church, and five people gave their lives to the Lord. God had truly done a great work within the church that week.

“It was amazing to see what God was doing in that church in this transition time,” Mamitiana says. “That’s what makes me really encouraged. They are in this transition, the pastor does not really know yet what he wants to do in the church, but all of those people came every night and were just faithful to seek the Lord.”