Books like Fresh Wind, Fresh Fire: What Happens When God's Spirit Invades the Heart of His People

Book Review: Fresh Wind, Fresh Fire By Jim CymbalaIn 1972, a young married man who did not have a background in ministry took over a dying congregation in a tough, inner-city neighborhood at the urgent request of his minister father-in-law. Less than twenty people were attending services, the building was in disrepair and there was no money for even basic necessities. Yet within a few years the congregation was much larger and thriving. It eventually began to number in the thousands and developed a nationally-known choir. But the biggest change of all was within the lives of the pastor, his wife and the members.What happened? The Holy Spirit happened. Answered prayer happened. Fresh Wind, Fresh Fire is the first-hand account by that pastor, Jim Cymbala and his experiences with the Brooklyn Tabernacle in New York City. He writes of how the tiny church was almost ready to close its doors when one Sunday, he was unable to even preach the sermon. He stopped speaking, said he couldn't go on and asked the congregation to pray. Afterward, things began to improve a little. Then he instituted a weekly prayer meeting in which the members would pray for the pastor, the church service, that God's will would be done. Over time, the little church began to grow spiritually and numerically.That doesn't mean that circumstances became easy. The church was located in a rundown neighborhood that was a hangout for alcoholics, drug addicts and prostitutes. Sometimes one of the locals would wander in off the streets and into services. In other cases, members would actively walk the neighborhood and tell the residents about Jesus. Through the members' testimonies, example and yieldedness to God, some people with even the most desperate of lifestyles accepted Christ and God turned their lives around.Fresh Wind, Fresh Fire tells story after story of profound hope, of God changing lives. Cymbala is very emphatic that all of this was in response to the continual prayers of the members. He makes a strong case that prayer is the backbone of a church, that only group prayer can revitalize a church and turn lives around. He also said that historically, all Christian revivals have been preceded by massive amounts of prayer.His book is not only an inspiring read but one we all need to apply.-- Frank Lewandowski