Accidentally, a newsletter from the Chic Shaver Center for Evangelism was sent to him. When Pastor Ron Moser of the Abundant Harvest Community Church of the Nazarene, Pratt, Kansas saw it he remembered his old evangelism professor from Seminary. He contacted Dr. Shaver, invited him to hold a revival, heard him say “Yes”, hung up the phone, and said to himself, “What have I done?” He had sleepless nights after that with fears that people wouldn’t come.
You see, Pratt Church was a small church, averaging 20-30 in the Sunday morning services. Pastor estimated night crowds might run 13-15. The church had not had a revival since 1992.
Someone questioned me as to why I would go to such a small church. I myself wondered how the local church could pull this off. Yet, having pastored two church plants with small beginnings, and having been converted in a church that averaged less than thirty-five a Sunday, I knew the significant impact small churches could have.
Ron Moser and his church prayed and planned. They heard about the Revivalism Fund which would make grants to small churches to enable them to have a revival series. They applied and won a grant. The church began to set aside their share of funds for the revival. And they prepared outstanding advertising with fliers, newspaper, district paper and personal invitations. They arranged for special music and a children’s program Sunday morning from MidAmerica Nazarene University’s team, Gospel Station. Evenings featured special music from Free Methodist, Allison Reed; Kingman Nazarene pastor Paul Jackson; and Leonard Pohl, Baptist. And folks from their churches visited the services.
The church asked for the four hour seminar, Witnessing Without Fear, to be held on Saturday. They promoted it with other district churches and people came from Meade, Elkhart, Kingman and Rev. Tom Boese, pastor in Winfield, even rode his motorcycle 125 miles in 30 degree weather to attend. When the Pratt people saw 27 show up for the seminar, they suspected something very good was happening.
There had been few altar seekers in recent years, but when 40 attended Sunday morning, six came to the altar for commitment. Young adult Stacey said she had slipped away from her relationship to the Lord, she renewed that relationship Sunday morning, and as she left the final service Wednesday night she was positively glowing. Tom had begun attending the church regularly recently and he came to pray holding hands with his wife. He came to assurance of his salvation that morning, began Basic Bible Studies, and by the end of the week was trying to help another couple find Christ’s help for their lives and marriage.
O, but Sunday night would be a test - would we see the 13 or 15 Pastor predicted? Some Free Methodists helped the crowd and 41 people showed up. Board member Kent knelt at the altar, believed God to sanctify him through and through, testified Monday night he’d had a wonderful day and got up early so he could have a devotional time with Christ.
Monday we had 24; Tuesday, 34; and the closing Wednesday of 41. Perhaps Tuesday was a high point when the crowd was challenged to be the people God could trust and the church to be the church God could trust (Mt 24: 44-51). Five knelt to become those trustworthy people.
Member Vi said she now realized God had something for her to do. Further she reported, “I didn’t want to go to that [Sat] seminar. I thought it would be so boring. I left so excited. It helped me so much”. Bruce said God has blessed us because of prayer and organization.
The church housed me in a most comfortable motel, provided a food allowance, covered my transportation expenses, and gave parsonage allowance and salary far beyond what I had imagined. The Revivalism Fund enabled this church to have its first revival since 1992 and do so in a most positive fashion. I had thought for some time about giving to the Revivalism Fund. After this obvious demonstration of its effectiveness, it seemed as if the Lord prompted me “It’s time!”. So I’m sending the first check for this fund from our Evangelism Center.
On Tuesday Pratt Nazarenes committed to be the people and the church God could trust. On the very next day the invitation came from Dr. Millhuff to write this article for Evangelist’s Perspective - so now Pratt Church not only speaks to Pratt but is giving a message of hope to thousands of small churches across the nation. Ron Moser’s note to me was kind: “Thank you for not despising the day of small things in Pratt, Kansas. You have treated us with dignity and honor and optimism just as if we were a church of a thousand, and who knows that if our Lord is willing, we just may become one day”. And I say “thank you” - Pastor, Pratt Nazarenes, Revivalism Fund, and the Lord.
Dr. Chic Shaver