Fresh Wind, Fresh Fire

Fresh Wind, Fresh Fire
 “God likes to see his people shut up to this, that there is no hope but in prayer. Herein lies the Church’s power against the world.” -Andrew Bonar

Fresh Wind, Fresh Fire tells the story of the Brooklyn Tabernacle – a church in the heart of downtown Brooklyn, New York. Many of you may be familiar with the Brooklyn Tabernacle from their world famous choir. But long before there was a world famous choir, there was a struggling church on the brink of closure. Fresh Wind, Fresh Fire tells the story of how that struggling church became the thriving ministry it is today.

The story of the Brooklyn Tabernacle centers on one central theme – prayer. Early in his ministry there, pastor Jim Cymbala became so desperate that he realized God was the only one who could save the Brooklyn Tabernacle. The church had no money in the bank and almost no one in the pews. Homeless people and drug addicts populated the neighborhood where the church was located. The outlook was grim. As pastor Cymbala puts it in the book, “We had to have a visitation of the Holy Spirit, or bust.”

Pastor Cymbala began to cry out to God on behalf of the church. Soon, members of the church joined him in prayer. The weekly prayer meeting became central to the life of the church. Sure enough – the Holy Spirit visited and the rest is history.

If you love the church and want to see her mission succeed, if you need some motivation to jump-start your prayer life, this book is for you. While I don’t agree with all of Jim Cymbala’s theology, Fresh Wind Fresh Fire is one of the best practical books on prayer I’ve come across.

Your Pastor and Friend,
John Knox Foster