Benign and Undisruptive

I've been in Boston for about 4 days now. Actually, I'm in Cambridge near Harvard University. It has been late (that's putting it mildly) in developing, but we now have a venue for our 40 days of prayer and fasting. Right now I'm sitting in a Starbucks across the street staring at this old building. I met with the pastor of First Baptist Church yesterday to hammer out the final lease details. It's a beautiful historic church in Central Square that was originally built in 1817. It will serve as our base of operations for the duration of the 40 days. There will be 12 two-hour prayer sets each day to create an unending 24/7 atmosphere of intercession before the Lord. Our young people will be living and sleeping on the premises, so the next few days will be intense for me to get the place ready. When I said it was "historic," what I meant to say was that it's really old and not in great shape. I have to build temporary walls and dividers in the main vestry for our young people to live. Not sure how that's gonna work.

I can't help but ask, "What am I doing here?" Honestly, I could have never thought of a scenario in my life that would have ever brought me to Harvard University. This institution supposedly produces the best of the best. And yet here I am- a poor boy from a poor family. And not all that bright either. Maybe Peter kinda felt the same way. Did he ever look back and say, "What am I doing here? I'm just a fisherman." God seems to like using weak and simple instruments whether it be to kill giants or bring down the proud. Maybe it's because a simple person is just stupid enough to simply try. God will offend the mind to get at the heart. There is such a prideful, haughty spirit that pervades the atmosphere here. Unfortunately, the Church is no different. I'd like to say that we've been universally welcomed by the locals, but that's not the case. On the contrary, we've met opposition from established Christian groups that have said what we're doing isn't welcome here. Why's everyone so worried? All we're going to do is pray, right? Afterall, prayer is oh so very benign and undisruptive, right?

Wrong. I believe the heavens are already beginning to quake at what's coming. This Baptist minister I met with yesterday told me a very interesting story. For the last year local pastors from the Boston area have been randomly contacting the First Baptist Church and telling them that their building was supposed to be a house of prayer. That's a confusing word for someone who had no paradigm for it. He has now welcomed us into this strategic location and seems excited about what God is about to do. God is preparing the way for something revolutionary. House of Prayer is rumbling everywhere. 24/7 is beginning to vibrate throughout the Body of Christ. Harvard has no idea what's about to hit it. All I can say is that it won't be benign, and it won't be undisruptive.