Dear Friends and Praying Saints,

Just over three weeks ago, there was an amazing gathering Anaheim, California. The following is a press release from Harvest.org.

"Pastor and evangelist Greg Laurie’s annual Harvest Crusade concluded this past Saturday, July 19, with a capacity crowd of over 45,000 at Angel Stadium. With an additional 200,000 online viewers, the one-night event also saw more than 6,500 people make professions of faith, marking one of the most powerful responses in its 35-year history. This marks the second consecutive year the stadium has been packed out for the event.

"'It doesn’t matter if you’re young or old, or if you’re rich or you’re poor,' Laurie told those in attendance. 'Your life feels like one long scroll, and no matter how far you swipe, you’re still empty inside. What you’re looking for isn’t found on a screen or an AI voice. It’s found in a living God who has a plan and a purpose for your life tonight.'"

They are planning a large baptism at Pirate Cove as they did last year this coming Saturday. It will surely be a glorious and life-changing event for the thousands who will take the step into the waters of the Pacific Ocean!

The wonderfully encouraging part is that this was just one event in one place. Whatever we are aware of is just a drop in the bucket compared with all that's going on around the globe by God's grace. In spite of difficult circumstances and heartbreaking needs almost everywhere we look, He is building His eternal kingdom. 

And the beat goes on... In my July email, I mentioned that there had been a large gathering in London on July 4th, when "more than 2,000 people—most of them young adults—packed into Saint Church's Hackney location for an all-night prayer and worship gathering." 

Again, this was not an isolated event. That is made evident by a front page from one of the largest British newspapers two weeks ago.  As society becomes more secular, many young people are beginning to search for something deeper and more meaningful. They're starting to see that the promises of modern culture — success, status, and self-gratification — often leave them feeling empty. Gen Z and older alike are seeking something lasting and true. Sounds so familiar—almost a re-run of what happened to many of us in the '60s and '70s. The prospering post-WWII world just didn't have what we "baby-boomers" were searching for... until we found Jesus, or better said, He found us!

During the summer holidays here in the UK, there are lots of activities for kids out of school. Many summer camps are organised by churches and inter-church ministries where kids can have an immersion experience in Bible study and teaching, worship, prayer and just plain fun. The 24/7 fellowship is such an important element of these experiences, and  there is always good and lasting fruit as a result. Our local Mt Zion Baptist Church participates in one of these camps and many lives are changed forever. And again... this was just one of many, many more events for school-aged and young adults as well—family camps, Christian worship festivals, etc.

We had the privilege of being in the prayer team for a large group of kids, mostly in the 13-18 year-old range. Firestarters brought 80 young people from Scotland and 40 from Wales to Swansea for 8 days of teaching, fellowship, and evangelism on the streets. 

As I said, there is far more happening than meets the eye, but as we share with others, we just keep hearing more good news. On Sunday we went to the Bible College of Wales for the Sunday meeting where we met a group of about 30 who came mostly from the USA for a week of praying and visiting important revival places, etc. Each one had stories we would have loved to have had opportunity to hear! 

Our old friend Jeff Roberts shared an excellent message from Ephesians 3:17-20 about being "...rooted and grounded." I love how verse 18 says, "[that you] may be able to comprehend together with all the saints..." Through the eyes and ears of so many we are enabled to take in more and more of what the Lord is doing through His love for a lost world.

One morning in early June I noticed a beautiful young goldfinch fluttering desperately trying to free itself from our bird feeder. Somehow one of its feet had slid down and gotten jammed between the steel bars that spread out to each side. It was totally trapped and would have died without my help.

What a picture of our human situation. Unless God reaches down and helps us, we are dying and lost in sin, having no hope without God in this world. Jesus said in John 6:44, "No one can come to Me unless the Father who sent Me draws him; and I will raise him up at the last day."

This is the sure hope that empowers our prayers for revival and God's intervention in our world today.

Dick & Gladys