Greetings!

I have just returned from the Chattanooga/Cleveland, Tennessee region of the U.S. with a sense of hope for revival in our nation. God moved in a marvelous way in our Heart-Cry for Revival-Southeast Tennessee conference. More than fifty churches participated in some way. However, these were much more than “church meetings.” God met with us.

As I spoke on Tuesday evening at one of the churches, God touched a man in the audience. He groaned, stood, walked to the altar, fell on his face, and cried to God in repentance. About the same time, another man came from the opposite side of the auditorium and knelt at the altar. A third man then came down the center aisle and fell at the altar, seeking God for His forgiveness. I was still preaching. Before I ever gave an altar call that night, there were about fifteen people at the altar. Once I invited people to come to the front of the church and seek God to send revival in their lives, the front of the church was filled with people surrendering their lives to Christ.

Yet, this church wasn’t the only one involved in this work of God. More than fifty churches participated in the meetings. Five of the larger and stronger churches hosted the event. People from the other churches came to one of those five churches each evening. There were five speakers (see the list of speakers at the end of this letter) that rotated to each church. Similar reports were given about each church every evening.

The method utilized was a unique way of calling for revival in one region of America. It took the emphasis off a “personality,” and placed the emphasis on the message of revival. The speakers were all united around the message, and that produced a spirit of unity among the churches. God has promised to honor unity among His people.

There were several surprises during the days that we ministered in Tennessee. One of the greatest surprises was the consistent attendance at all of the meetings. Every church was full during every service. Even more surprising were the seeking hearts that filled those churches. There was an attentive spirit that I’ve not seen in America in many years. From the time that the music began to the time that I concluded speaking, a quiet and attentive spirit permeated the meetings.

The altar call in all of the churches was also a great surprise. People came in great numbers to the altar seeking God for revival in their lives. That didn’t happen in just one church, but in everyone that participated. For instance, when I came to the conclusion of the message at one church, the altar was filled with people. After some time of prayer at the altar, I concluded the service. However, the praise group continued singing and more people came to the altar. After they finished singing, more people came. It seemed as though we couldn’t conclude the service. People just stood, sat, and cried in the presence of God.

These meetings were directed towards the church. We used the name, Heart Cry for Revival, as our theme. However, there were not only Christians who were revived, but also people came to Christ during these meetings. One couple gave their hearts to Christ one night. They were then baptized the next night. Prior to the meetings, they were on the verge of divorce. However, God reunited the hearts in the baptistery of the church that night. After baptism, they embraced and kissed for the first time in a very long time.

Another man gave testimony of God changing his life. Although he had previously been a deacon in his church, he had been in a fight a couple of months earlier. The man with tears in his eyes told of the bitterness and anger that had been in his heart since childhood. He spoke of the pent up anger that lingered in his life for so many years, keeping him from becoming the man that God desired. However, he shared how God worked to show him that the root of his anger and bitterness was his pride. God broke him. He repented, and asked God and the church to forgive him.

Perhaps you can see why I’m so positive about the potential for a spiritual revival in America. Families restored. Angry people transformed. The presence of God interrupting a message. The altar filled and tears flowing from hungry hearts. God is not finished with us. He wants to move mightily in the land.

Please be praying for Sammy Tippit Ministries as we continue to proclaim His name. I’ll be in an “undisclosed country” ministering to persecuted Christians at the end of April and also in South Africa for a national conference on revival in May. Pray for God to give me wisdom in all of the places that He sends us. God bless you, and thanks for your love and partnership in His kingdom’s work.

Sammy Tippit

Speakers at Heart Cry for Revival - Southeast Tennessee:
Henry Blackaby, Richard Blackaby, Francois Carr, John McGregor, Byron Paulus, Sammy Tippit