Corey Jones, a pastor at Crossroads Tabernacle in Ft. Worth, TX, shares his transformative journey from running a church focused on gimmicks to becoming a praying congregation. He describes the pivotal moment when he realized 'the glory had departed' and how that revelation pushed him towards deeper spiritual authenticity. The conversation delves into the power of collective prayer, the need for humility, and the revival that followed, emphasizing the importance of seeking God earnestly for a vibrant church community.
Pastor Corey Jones emphasizes that genuine church transformation relies on a vibrant prayer life rooted in God's presence rather than mere growth strategies.
The pivotal moment that led to a praying church involved Pastor Corey recognizing the departure of God's glory and seeking true repentance and humility.
Deep dives
The Power of Prayer and Presence
The podcast emphasizes the transformative power of prayer and experiencing the manifest presence of God within the church community. Pastor Corey Jones shares his personal encounter with God's glory during his upbringing, particularly a pivotal moment in his teenage years where he witnessed a powerful move of the Holy Spirit in his father's services. This profound experience instilled in him a passionate desire to build a church that prioritizes prayer and the presence of God, demonstrating how genuine encounters can lead to deep spiritual commitment. He highlights that the essence of ministry is not solely based on methodology or church growth strategies, but significantly relies on cultivating a vibrant prayer life rooted in divine presence.
The Journey of Transformation
Pastor Corey recounts his early struggles as he attempted to revive a dying church in East Fort Worth, facing significant challenges from an unresponsive congregation. Despite employing various strategies focused on growth, his efforts led to frustration and burnout as he recognized that true transformation could not occur without God's presence being at the center. A pivotal turning point in his journey came when he openly sought God's guidance, experiencing a revelation that His glory had departed from the church. This realization propelled him to lead his congregation back to humility and prayer, ultimately fostering an environment where brokenness and genuine repentance could flourish.
Building a Praying Church
The discussion culminates in Pastor Corey's vision for establishing a thriving praying church, highlighting the immediate effects of dedicated prayer on transforming lives in his community. After returning from a significant prayer meeting, he committed to leading his congregation in prayer, which resulted in remarkable changes as previously lost individuals began seeking God and experiencing healing. The atmosphere shifted, with people openly confessing and repenting of their sins, such as a former stripper choosing to abandon her past after an encounter at the altar. This illustrates the potency of prayer as a catalyst for revival, emphasizing that a focus on the altar and communion with God should be foundational to church life and leadership.
In this episode, Chad interviews Pastor Corey Jones from Crossroads Tabernacle in Ft. Worth, TX. Pastor Corey recounts the moment Jesus revealed to him that "the glory had departed" from his church. Exhausted from trying every gimmick and trick under the sun to grow the church, the LORD had to bring Corey LOW to give him the GREATER vision he had for the church to be a PRAYING CHURCH. Pastor Corey's church radically changed to a PRAYING CHURCH some 26 years ago and haven't looked back or quit crying out to God for a move of his SPIRIT.
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