ROCHELLE –– “There’s a revival, and it's spreading life a wildfire in my heart. Sunday morning, Hallelujah and it's lasting all week long.” – Old Church Choir by Zach Williams

Signs are around town, bracelets can be spotted on wrists and prayers are being lifted up throughout the community. Leaving many asking ‘What is Revive Rochelle?’

Pastors from eight area churches have been gathering once a month for lunch, fellowship and prayers together. The lunches began as business meetings close to 20 years ago with an agenda and budget. The last few years as new pastors came to Rochelle, the meetings switched from business to friendship and the pastors have come to support each other.

While the pastors have set aside the differences in each denomination to focus on God, they are encouraging their congregations and the community to do the same.

“Revive Rochelle is an effort among the churches to encourage members to grow in faith and an opportunity to reach out in the community and bring a renewal,” explained Doug Forsberg.

Forsberg is the pastor at First Presbyterian Church Rochelle. Along with First Presbyterian seven other churches are involved with the revival: New Hope Fellowship, Harvest Baptist, Living Water Community, Faith Lutheran, Rochelle United Methodist, General Baptist and The Bridge.

While the pastors do not know the outcome of the revival they are focusing on God’s will and their current plan.

The pastors have spent the month preaching on 2 Chronicles 7:14: “if my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and I will forgive their sin and will heal their land.”

Like Zach Williams sings in Old Church Choir the revival in Rochelle is last throughout the week beyond Sunday morning in the church building.

Each day the pastors, their congregations and the community are given a specific bible verse to read and a prayer request. On Sundays, prayer requests are for churches in the community other prayer requests include businesses, schools and the local government.

Dan Sargeant of Hew Hope Fellowship explained, “Revive Rochelle is a multi-church movement to seek God and what He has for us as a community.”

“The goal is to recognize individual churches don’t need to compete but need to be the body together,” Sargeant added. “We are all the body of Christ. In 1 Corinthians 21 it explains, ‘the eye cannot say to the hand ‘I don’t need you’ and the head cannot say to the feet, ‘I don’t need you’.’ All the churches play a different role in the community and we are stronger together.”

Rob Hamilton is the pastor at Rochelle United Methodist Church and involved with the revival.

“Revive Rochelle is really a grass roots come together of pastors from eight churches seeking spiritual renewal for our church people and community,” explained Hamilton. “A renewal can be an inward spiritual renewal, economic, physical or social justice. We hope to seek God to bring renewal in many ways.”

“A renewal is an awakening to God’s call in our lives and our response to God’s love,” explained Forsberg.

He added, “our goal is two fold. One, to bring together churches and Christians of Rochelle so we can work together as Jesus calls us to. Two, an opportunity to call the whole town to Christ.”

While the goal may be to bring a focus to Christ regardless of denomination it is also to spread the love of God.

“I really appreciate how people are talking about [Revive Rochelle]. Neighbors are talking with neighbors and friends are talking with friends,” stated Hamilton.

Worship service

The month long prayer focus will end with a community worship service on Sunday, Sept. 24. The service will be held from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. at Rochelle Middle School. Lonnie Riley will speak during the service on his personal experience of the power of 2 Chronicles 7:14 in Lynch, Kentucky. He was part of a movement of prayer, seeking, humility and repentance, which brought healing to the people, churches and region.

The service will also include a time of worship, video and communion.

Hamilton explained the highlight of Revive Rochelle is the community of area churches coming together.

“The fact churches who have very different opinions and beliefs can come together on shared love of Jesus to seek a revival for Rochelle is a highlight,” stated Hamilton. “The worship service is not the end but a mile marker on the way.”

Sargeant added, “I am excited to see what God is going to do with this. We don't have an agenda, it is about what He wants.”

Any community member who is looking to get involved in reviving Rochelle is encouraged to attend the worship service on Sunday evening, reach out to any participating church and like ‘Revive Rochelle’ on Facebook. The Facebook page features the daily bible verse and prayer request.