Saddleback Church Revival: Andy Wood & Luke LeFevre on God's Move

The Genesis of Revival at Saddleback

• 💡 Luke LeFevre received a prophetic word about a sovereign move of the Spirit at Saddleback Church, initially feeling hesitant due to the church's historical model.
• 🤝 Andy Wood and Luke LeFevre connected via Instagram DM, with Luke sharing his prophetic word about revival, which Andy felt a peace about after prayer and reflection.
• 📖 Andy Wood felt the word from Joel 2 resonated with their upcoming capital campaign, leading to the quick reservation of "ReturnGathering.com" and the Instagram handle.

Spiritual Preparation and Vision

• ⏳ Saddleback underwent 21 days of prayer and fasting, alongside relational work and confession, to prepare for the "Return Gathering."
• 🕊️ The preparation emphasized unity and seeking God's heart, drawing from biblical passages and church history, with a focus on repentance and humility.
• 🗺️ Luke LeFevre's vision included three successive churches (Saddleback, The Village Church, and another) acting as dominoes to spread a move of the Spirit from college campuses to the wider church.

The "Return Gathering" Experience

• 🙏 The "Return Gathering" services, based on Joel 2, involved extended times of worship, preaching, and response, with leaders Andy Wood and Stacy Wood demonstrating deep hunger and commitment.
• 🔥 Friday night services extended until 3 AM, with Andy Wood facilitating and Stacy Wood on her face in prayer, highlighting the leaders' profound engagement.
• 📈 Despite initial concerns about empty seats, anticipation built through prayer and fasting, leading to packed services with people spilling out into the lobby.

Reflections on the American Church

• 💔 Luke LeFevre shared a profound conviction about the American church having fallen from its first love, likening it to Ephesus in Revelation 2.
• 🔥 Andy Wood repented of an addiction to growth and numbers, emphasizing the need to lead with the Holy Spirit's anointing rather than just systems and structures.
• 💧 The concept of "sacred assemblies" from Joel 2 was discussed, highlighting the need for repentance, weeping, and crying out to God.

Navigating Change and Revival

• 🧭 Leaders are encouraged to discern God's plan for their churches and to manage change wisely, working from the inside out to build momentum.
• 🎹 The importance of both competence and consecration was stressed, with leaders needing to develop skills while remaining open to the Holy Spirit's direction.
• ❓ A key question for the church is: What happens after revival? emphasizing the need to be prepared to respond to God's powerful moves.

Resources and Next Steps

• 🎬 A documentary about the Saddleback revival is available at ReturnGathering.com.
• 🗓️ Future "Return Gathering" events will include dedicated time for church leaders to learn and connect.
• ✉️ Luke LeFevre offers a weekly newsletter focused on stirring hunger for revival and prayer, available at luclefever.org/newsletter.