3 Keys for Cultivating Revival in Family
While living together or being a part of an intentional community can be very messy at times, it is also one of the most beautiful experiences one can have. Family accelerates growth. We can’t step into the fullness of our destiny apart from our tribe.
The following are three ingredients or ways of doing life modeled after Jesus that we have embraced as a part of the Destiny House experience the past six years. We hope and pray that our rhythm will inspire you to intentionally gather with your tribe to run after Jesus with everything inside and be launched into a greater measure of your destiny.
1. Cultivate Connection (Family)
We have regularly set aside one night a week exclusively for family time. This includes making and sharing a meal together, spending time catching up and sharing testimonies, connecting, and an opportunity to receive prayer/ministry if needed. What happens during each family night might change each week but the primary goal is connection. Impartation, teaching, or equipping may be released at times but that is not the regular focus of these times together. Some of our family nights have turned into the Holy Spirit falling upon us all and end in pure worship to Him, others have ended in a round circle of each person doing a rap, and one time we all went out for ice cream. The key is to set aside time each week simply to be with each other and connect at a heart level. Consistently make time for each other and have fun!
2. Cultivate Hunger (Fasting & Feasting)
We have regularly fasted as a community on the first day of the week (Mondays) so we can grow in our hunger for God. We skip two meals and then come together in the evening to share dinner and break our fast together. This works best when it’s a potluck style meal and everyone is involved in preparing the meal together and eating a common meal. Many revivalists have experienced their defining moments while on a fast. Read Feasting on God: The Lost Art of Fasting by Jennifer A. Miskov.
3. Cultivate Space for Encounter (Worship)
We have regularly set aside a time each week to open our doors to host a worship/encounter time together as family. This is open to all ages and we love it when children can join in. Dance and creativity also has a special place in the worship gathering. The emphasis and focus of this time is on loving and adoring Jesus. The purpose of our worship time together is Encounter and to spend time in the Secret Place together as a community. It is to see Jesus face to face, to know Him more, to love Him with our whole hearts. These gatherings are not about us seeking God to answer our prayers or give us things. It’s not even a place where we come to seek healing; it’s all about JESUS (Psalm 27). We want our time together in family to honor and love Him well.
These worship times together and even the song choices we use are all about adoring Him. While praise, thanksgiving, and songs crying out to God are all good, our emphasis and focus is simply ADORATION. We want to set down our agenda, our problems, and simply worship Him because He is worthy of it all no matter what we are going through. And it’s powerful to do this week after week in the context of family, showing up and being vulnerable before God together even if sometimes that’s the last place one wants to be. Part of this practice is learning to show up and worship in community no matter what is going on in our lives. We consistently love on Jesus in the context of family and praise Him because He is worthy and never changes even if our circumstances do (2 Chronicles 20). Stewarding this well of encounter together also sharpens us to stay unified.
So while we show up to our times set aside to worship together with one focus, many times as a result of us pouring our love out to Jesus, the Holy Spirit comes and marks us with the Father’s transforming love. Many times people weep and God heals deep things in their hearts without anyone even praying for them. Creativity is stirred as we create space to worship God with all of our hearts, minds, souls, spirits, and bodies. Art, and dance are released regularly as a part of the worship team. We dive into the river of the Holy Spirit and move wherever God takes us which looks different literally every week. Influenced by the Welsh Revival, our meetings are worship focused. In the beginning of the meeting, we briefly welcome guests, have a few people share testimonies, someone will give a very brief word, then we will go straight into worship, encounter, and then ministry however the Holy Spirit is leading.
Example of our Destiny House Rhythm
This is the rhythm we’ve shared for more than 6 consecutive years that represent our core values of Glory, Honor, and Destiny
1. Family: Commit to family night each week with Feasting together (Monday Nights)
2. Hunger: Commit to fasting one day each week (Mondays)
3. Encounter: Commit to worship in the context of family one time a week (Friday Mornings)
*Once a month on a Saturday night we also regularly hosted an Encounter Worship Night for more focused impartation, equipping, teaching to be released.
If you have been stirred and want to learn of the history of Destiny House and how to develop a revival community