WHY KANSAS CITY?? (-Andrew Strom)
Posted by: prophetic <prophetic@...>
wondering why it is that Kansas City has been on my heart
for so long - why I am so deeply stirred and burdened for this
one place. It has been this way for ten years now. It is as if I
cannot let her go. Below is some history to help you understand:
WHAT HAPPENED IN KANSAS CITY?
-Andrew Strom.
A lot of people have heard of the 'Kansas City prophets',
though some may have a rather negative reaction to that
phrase. People associate something unsavory with it. But
the origins of that movement are far from unsavory. In fact,
I believe that God wanted to do something very powerful in
Kansas City that has been at least partially lost or derailed.
In late 1982 a young preacher by the name of Mike Bickle
shifted to Kansas City to begin a work there following
several powerful prophecies that he should do so. (-He had
been pastoring in St. Louis up to this point). Today Mike is
a well-known Christian author, speaker and founder of the
'International House of Prayer' in KC. But back in 1982 he
was simply an unknown 27-year-old pastor and intercessor
who commonly spent several hours a day in prayer. Just
before arriving in Kansas City he had had the most powerful
visitation of God that he had ever experienced, where a holy
presence filled the room and he heard what he described as
"the audible voice of God". He was literally trembling under
the fear of the Lord. He had never experienced anything like
it in his life.
During this visitation God told him that there would be "four
standards" upon which the work in Kansas City was to be
built. These were: (1) Night and day prayer; (2) Holiness of
heart; (3) Unwavering faith; and (4) Extravagant giving to the poor.
He was also told that this work would "touch the ends of the
earth" but that he must guard against those who would try to
"tone it down" in any way. The Lord also placed a very strong
emphasis on one particular statement that He made that day:
"I am going to change the understanding and expression of
Christianity IN THE EARTH in one generation."
As you can imagine, Mike was stunned by this experience,
and resolved to follow through on every aspect of what God
had spoken to him. The story of what followed could be
dismissed by skeptics as the most arrant fiction - except for
the fact that it truly happened just as I am telling you. Please
do not dismiss it. Everything I am relating here did actually
happen, and there are plenty of witnesses still around to confirm
the truth of what I am saying. It is a mind-boggling story.
A friend of Mike's had discovered, while researching the early
history of Kansas City, that the founding fathers had actually
named her "The Prophetic City". And almost as soon as
Mike began his meetings there, he found that a number of
the prophetic Christians in town felt compelled to join him.
This was a little unnerving, as he had never been surrounded
by such people before.
Not long after his arrival, Mike had a dream in which an angel
literally appeared to him and said: "Proclaim a fast - to pray
night and day for Revival in the city and the nation. Five hundred
people will gather. It will be like unto Daniel 9." (-Which is the
passage that recounts Daniel's 21 days of prayer and fasting).
Mike couldn't get the dream out of his head and the very next
day one of the prophetic people that he had met said to him:
"You had a dream last night in which an angel spoke to you,
didn't you? I myself saw the same angel and he told me, 'Give
the young man Daniel 9 and he will understand.'" Mike was
utterly astonished that someone could tell him his own dream
like that! The prophet went on to say: "500 people will gather.
And to show you how important this gathering is in God's
purposes, God will send a comet, unpredicted by scientists,
to show that this whole thing is of Him."
Now, it is important to understand that Mike was a complete
"nobody" at this point. He was new in town and his little
church probably numbered less than 50 people. Who on
earth was he to proclaim a fast and gather a multitude to
pray for 21 days? Yet he knew that God had placed a calling
on his life, and he decided to go ahead. The day chosen for
the beginning of the fast was May 7th, 1983.
To Mike's astonishment, over 500 people responded to the
call! They prayed eighteen hours a day for 21 days, crying
out to God for Revival. And not only that, just as the prophecy
had stated, right when the fast was beginning an unknown
comet was suddenly reported - a comet passing so close to
earth that it was easily visible to the naked eye for several
days. It was absolutely amazing.
(The Comet IRAS-Araki-Alcock made one of the closest
known approaches a comet has made to Earth in the last
200 years - in early May 1983).
This was just the beginning of a whole series of incredible
events that showed that God was restoring the 'Prophetic'
ministry to the church. In fact, I regard this as the founding
of the modern Prophetic movement as we know it today.
Some people have argued with me that there are several
different "streams" of the Prophetic, and this is certainly
true to a degree. There is 'MorningStar' and Bill Hamon's
stream, for example. But it is very clear to me that the
"foundations" of today's Prophetic movement, and the
great explosion that we have seen in the Prophetic ministry
over the last 20 years, stem directly back to Kansas City.
This was the founding movement, the watershed-event that
God used to kick-start the whole thing in modern times.
And sadly, about 8 years later, it all came apart in a terrible
spiritual "train-wreck". I am not going to dwell on the
reasons, or apportion blame in any particular direction. (By
this time a number of well-known prophets such as John
Paul Jackson, Bob Jones, Jim Goll and others had been
involved for some years). But suffice it to say that there
were a lot of mistakes made and things began to spin very
badly out of control. The 'Kansas City prophets' (as they
came to be called) ended up being featured in a very negative
light in Charisma magazine (-with 'front cover' exposure)
and a Kansas City pastor circulated a very damning report
about them all over town. One of the prophets got involved in
a quasi-sexual relationship with a woman, and others were
simply asked to leave town. The whole 'prophetic' side of the
ministry seemed to blow apart. (-This was around 1991). The
prophets scattered everywhere.
It truly was a disaster. Not just for the Prophetic movement,
but for the Church as a whole. For I am convinced that what
God wanted to raise up out of Kansas City was a prophetic
voice to call the Laodicean church to repentance before it
was too late (-particularly in America). That was the ultimate
goal. (There were prophecies referring to this). But all that
we are left with now is a hollow shell. And I am convinced
that this "train-wreck" affected more than just Kansas City.
I believe it greatly impacted the entire Prophetic movement
for the worse.
Ultimately, the Prophetic movement was not supposed to
be just about 'revelatory' experiences or great dreams and
visions. It was not supposed to be about selling books or
holding conferences. It was supposed to bring a word that
would shake the church out of her slumber - that would
pierce her heart with 'godly sorrow' and deep repentance
before it was too late. It was supposed to bring shaking
and change. It was supposed to act as a 'John-the-Baptist'
to the nation. That is what has very much been lost - I am
convinced of it. What a tragedy.
After 1991, Mike Bickle's church in Kansas City seemed
to meander along for quite some time, wondering what to
do with itself. (-It was quite a big church by this stage).
Eventually Mike left pastoring to concentrate on raising up
a 24-hour prayer centre in the city. This has been a huge
success, and you have to commend Mike for at least
resurrecting something out of the mess, and fulfilling one
of the original "four standards" - ie. Night and day prayer.
But as for the 'prophetic' side of things, little of it truly
remains. So much has been lost.
I am personally convinced, however, that the Prophetic
mandate over Kansas City has never been rescinded -
and that the original calling still remains. When I was
preaching in Kansas City recently I told them this very thing.
I believe it very strongly. In fact, for ten years now I have had
such a burden to see Kansas City come into her promises
and fulfill her calling. Until recently I had never even visited
the place, as I was living thousands of miles away at the
"ends of the earth" in New Zealand. But the vital importance
of Kansas City haunts me even now, and I am unable to let
her go.
There is a great move of God hanging over the city that I do
not believe has been "aborted" but more "suspended". It has
been left hanging. And time is running out. It is probably the
most prayed-for city in America. But there is still a terrible
danger that all may be lost. I literally cannot stand the thought
of it. All those years of prayer by so many people. All those
confirming signs. Such a promising move. What a victory for
the devil if he can keep it from happening. It simply cannot be
allowed. And the most serious aspect of all is this: -What
happens to America if her 'Prophetic city' is lost? What if the
church never hears the 'voice' that was supposed to rouse
her from her slumber? Will she awaken in time or will she
lose her Revival?
As of this date, these questions remain unanswered.
God bless you all.
Kindest regards in Christ,
Andrew Strom.
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