Evangelist Pat Schatzline is seeing people rush to the altar.
In an era where “seeker-friendly” and “easy believism” seem to be the norm in churches already fighting an uphill battle with the culture, Pat is seeing the opposite happen: an intensity to seek God at the altar.
As he travels the U.S., Pat is preaching on the altar and tying himself to it (see Ps. 118:27). The response has been overwhelming. He has also begun giving wooden altars, like the one shown here, to churches and ministries. On Friday, he and his wife, Karen, came to our offices and presented this altar to Joy and me. It reminds us of the altars that stood in the front of many churches during our growing-up years. Today, it seems few churches have a literal altar.
But an altar represents something about people intently seeking God. It is a place of repentance and anointing.
I recorded a podcast with Pat and Karen. They spoke of how this message grew out of a powerful service near Orlando last fall while the power was still out after Hurricane Matthew. The church, Trinity Assembly in Deltona, was full despite the lack of air conditioning. Hundreds streamed to the altar, and Pat has been preaching about its importance ever since.
Pat and Karen are working on a book with our publishing house called Rebuilding the Altar, and we have created a website at rebuildingthealtar.com. The book will release in late summer, but we have advance review copies available for pastors and leaders who feel drawn to this message about altars and a fresh anointing.
I believe listening to this Strang Report will encourage you. Of course, we’ll promote the book, and I’ll write more on this topic later. But for now, if you are a pastor who wants an advance copy, please email [email protected] and we can send you one.
Spending time with Pat and Karen, seeing their passion and hearing their message has rekindled something in me to seek God in a new way for a new season. I pray this short blog and podcast will do the same for you. {eoa}
