“For we are God’s fellow workers. You are God’s field, God’s building.”
-1 Corinthians 3:9 (ESV, emphasis mine)
A mechanical room or a boiler room is a room or space in abuilding dedicated to the mechanical equipment and its associated electrical equipment.
(Wikipedia, emphasis mine)
The Greenville Boiler Room is a thing to get excited about. Very excited about. The resurgence of the Gospel in the city of Greenville cannot take place without people praying consistently before the throne of grace. And here’s the thing: we can see the light of the Gospel penetrating the clouds. And the wind that comes from prayer to Jesus will speed the clouds over this city away. The Boiler Room is a very exciting prospect indeed. But I want to make three points about it.
1) The Boiler Room is only a facilitator for prayer.
That is, you should be praying consistently already! If our salvation is grounded upon our loving and living affectionately for the person and work of Jesus, shouldn’t we be constantly communciating with Him? The Boiler Room is for prayer what the Homeless Shelter is for mission: it provides an atmosphere that makes it easier for prayer, but prayer can (and should) exist without the Boiler Room.
I hope you read my post that Matthew posted earlier. I’m guilty just as everyone else about not praying like I walk. If I were to pray to Jesus half as hard as I try to live for Jesus, this city would be changed by now. That statement doesn’t brag about how hard I live for Him, but rather it brags about the power of prayer. That being said, the Boiler Room will provide a great atmosphere for communal prayer and repentance…but those are things that should be happening outside the Boiler Room…not just inside.
2) The Local Church is the Building that the Boiler Room is Powering
If you read the definition of a boiler room as given by Wikipedia, you’ll see that boiler rooms are not ends to themselves. They are simply assistants to the true work. John Piper said it best at a recent conference that Matthew Lilley and myself attended: prayer is the force behind the spear of the Gospel being preached. The Gospel being preached occurs through the Local Church; community prayer (whether in the Boiler Room or elsewhere) fuels that end. Here’s another interesting quote from the Wikipedia article:
Unless a building is served by a centralized heating plant, the size of the boiler room is usually proportional to the size of the building.
That is, the power generated in the Boiler Room should be proportional to the amount of work that needs to be done. The larger the building, the larger the space that needs to be air conditioned. The more lighting that has to be powered. Et cetera. The same is true with relation to prayer and the local church!
In order for the Gospel to move mightily in this city, prayer before the throne of the Sovereign Savior should increase mightily.
Which leads to the 3rd point:
3) Wake Prayer Gatherings
In conjunction with out “Funeral for a City” series through the Book of Lamentations, my local church (Harmony Church) will be hosting ‘Wake’ Prayer Gatherings. The first Wake is schedule for Saturday night, 7pm, June 27th. The focus will be repentance. Not asking God to move on our behalf. Not asking God to provide us with things/favor/finances/etc. We will be repenting of our rebellion, and the city’s. It’s the first step in approaching the Throne of the Crucified One.
I know the “Grand Opening” ‘event’ is a concert and people will show up to that to hear 2 bands…but I think it would be awesome to have a people as passionate about praying awkwardly together as they are about electric guitars and reverb.
Feel free to join us. Bring a friend or 4. And wear some old jeans. 