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December 22, 2008
Dear friends and family of TheCause, 
Since our birth as a ministry in 2004, TheCause has been on the frontlines of prayer assignments that were both logistically challenging and spiritually demanding, in the extreme. It's impossible to describe the spiritual burden of pioneering these kinds of prayer projects or the immense amount of work that goes into organizing them. Whether it was walking 730 miles with 70 young adults on a prayer journey along the Trail of Tears... or managing stadium logistics and marketing for TheCall Nashville where 70,000 people came to fast and pray and 10,000 did a prayer walk... or coordinating a cross-country outdoor worship and prayer tour with up to 300 people travelling and camping, with 5 bands in 8 cities... or outdoor worship meetings on Hippie Hill in San Francisco for thousands... the task was exhilarating but exhausting. It's been our joy and passion as a ministry to do these things and we know that they are all training and practice for what the Lord has called us to. However, ministry and life go through seasons and the Lord has made it clear He does not want us to burn out by continuing this intense pace, right now. Instead of doing these large events, 2008 has been about building in the spirit and the natural. I received a very strong prophetic word that if TheCause did not invest the next two years to prepare for what the Lord is going to do next, we would not be ready and we'd miss it. If we fail to sow the seed in this season, through diligent preparation, we will fail to reap the harvest that is coming! The Lord has given us glimpses and promises of mass worship gatherings in fields, attended by tens of thousands of young people and America in the midst of a massive youth revival. This vision has not dimmed but we must spend time on personal spiritual growth, strengthening families and friendships, receiving detailed strategy from the Lord and expanding our infrastructure if we are to be adequately prepared for this next phase in our calling. TheCause School Last year, we returned from San Francisco with fifty young people who joined us for our discipleship program after God's Summer of Love bus tour. Many of them came from troubled backgrounds but the Lord has shown us that the coming harvest will contain many of these broken but precious lives. So many stories of redemption and miraculous change have come out of the past eighteen months! One young man in particular had a dramatic encounter with God. While we were worshipping on Hippie Hill, he was shooting drugs in the bushes. He heard the audible voice of God say, "Go with them or you will die!" Since then, he's come off hardcore street drugs. The love of Christ has transformed him into a new man and he was recently reconciled with his praying Baptist parents! There's a young generation seeking fathers and mothers who will love them, mentor them and help them accomplish their destiny in practical ways; this will always be the heart of TheCause. Mountain Mandate Conference Shawn Bolz, Ken Storey, Lance Wallnau, Chris Berglund and I shared on taking the "seven mountains" through intercession, prophetic revelation, business and the creative arts. These "seven mountains" are the systems and structures that shape every aspect of society and are the keys to discipling a nation: the family, education, government, media, entertainment, business and religion. Many people told us that this was the most relevant conference they had ever been to and how, for the first time, they had a sense of their destiny! The messages on God's Renaissance in the Arts and the Coming Marketplace and Youth Revival gave many people an understanding into where they fit in the Kingdom and that God's call to ministry goes far beyond what happens in the four walls of church. 
Outdoor Prayer and Worship at the Capitol 1 Timothy 2:1 reminds us that prayer for those in government is an on-going, unceasing mandate for the Church. One of the most moving events this year was a 24/7 prayer and worship gathering in front of the Capitol Building in Washington, DC. We were on the west lawn facing the Houses of Congress beneath a large, white cross. For a full week we did nothing but praise Jesus and worship Him, as tourists from around the world and onlookers walked by. The presence of the Lord was so strong it was tangible on that lawn! This was an unforgettable and intimate encounter with the King of Kings right outside this symbol of human power. Foundations for the Future 2008 has been a year of laying strong foundations for the future, both spiritually in intimacy with the Lord and practically by upgrading our buildings to make more efficient use of our space. The Lord made it very clear that He wanted us to finish renovating TheCause facilities and that investing in our physical infrastructure is a necessary part of getting things in order for the Lord's purposes. A clear sign of God's favor on this project was a very generous donation of 100,000 bricks! We were also given $40,000 worth of used lumber from MorningStar Ministries and someone else donated a semi-truck needed for hauling supplies etc. One local contractor gave us three more cabins that can house 18 additional people, while another contractor blessed us by building a brick facades, laying brick walkways and doing professional stonework while his crew was between jobs! 
Our lakeside prayer room has been expanded to become an attractive 200 seat facility with updated bathrooms, additional community seating areas, a dining room, kitchen and four more offices. Many of our current and former students and staff have pitched in to help with painting, landscaping, and general repair work. In January, we plan to resurface the parking lot, put the final touches on the landscaping, and finish up installing the cabins we were given. A New Base - One of the important assignments the Lord is giving us for 2009 is to plant a second base in Moravian Falls, NC, approximately 90 minutes north of Charlotte, NC. This base will play a critical role in preparing and training the next generation of leaders in prayer, the prophetic and in missions and this location is important to the Lord's purposes. This scenic mountain region has a rich spiritual heritage, an on-going history of angelic visitations and an atmosphere that can only be described as an "open heavens." Over the years, Moravian Falls has been the home to many respected prophetic leaders, such as Rick Joyner, Bob Jones, Bobby Connor, Larry Randolph, and others. Its roots go back to the Moravians, for whom the town was named. They were a remarkable group of believers who had endured religious persecution in Catholic Europe. They were known for their love, unity and devout, simple lifestyles and their lasting legacy was a commitment to prayer and missions that is unmatched in church history. They pioneered under harsh conditions. With no hope of returning home, they packed their few belongings into coffins since they expected to die and be buried on foreign soil. Many early missionaries sold themselves into slavery to be able to minister in slave colonies like the West Indies. In 1727, the Moravian Community in Saxony commenced a round-the-clock "prayer watch" that continued nonstop for over a hundred years, as they prayed for their brothers on the mission field and for revival! Twenty-five years later, in 1727, the Moravians purchased almost 100,000 acres in North Carolina to establish a settlement where they could continue their work among the Indians and their lifestyle of prayer, community, hard work and trade. When their bishop signed the title deed, he dedicated the land to the Lord forever to be a place of prayer. I share this remarkable story with you because it is closely linked to what the Lord is calling us to do. In the Moravian model, the community was self-sustaining and healthy. Everyone had practical skills and practiced a trade or business, alongside their fervent commitment to the house of prayer. They were often highly educated and even had a school for girls, something that was unheard of in their day. Our vision is to build a House of Prayer in Moravian Falls and a missions base where students can learn practical, modern missions skills, grow in intercession and receive deeper Biblical teaching with a focus on daily communing with the Lord. On a personal note, I feel a great sense of destiny and purpose about this project. I have discovered that I am of Moravian descent. My family owned properties in Europe and my great-grandparents came to America as Moravian missionaries. Like them, I have always had a heart for missions, prayer, community living and business. 
Because of the breathing-taking beauty, the peace and the presence of the Lord here, many people come to Moravian Falls to seek the Lord, to write, paint or simply be refreshed. In addition to staff and student housing we will be building prayer-retreat cabins where our friends and partners can stay for times of personal renewal. We are exploring environmentally-friendly building methods and hope to use solar power, well or spring water and plant gardens and orchards to create a sustainable community. Many of the original apple trees planted by Johnny Appleseed, a travelling evangelist, still grow in the area! The idea is not to be insulated from the world but to be a vibrant community that trains young people to impact the "seven mountains" of society, both in America and in unreached nations. We will continue to nurture young musicians, artists, intercessors, missionaries and businessmen and women, teaching them practical skills and discipling them to mature in the Lord, with a vision for the lost. We already own a farm in the West Meadows area of Moravian Falls and have the opportunity to buy more land. In January we hope to start building a barn to store construction equipment with housing on the top level. If you are skilled at carpentry, bricklaying, painting or electrical work, and would be able to volunteer some time to help us finish our Fort Mill renovation or work on the Moravian Falls project, we would be very grateful! Thank you for your support and your friendship over the years. As 2008 draws to a close, would you prayerfully consider partnering with us to pioneer a youth missions base in Moravian Falls? Your gift would be an investment in the Lord's purposes in this region and the youth revival that the Lord has promised to send America. We pray that as you sow, you will reap a rich harvest and that the Lord's supernatural blessing would be on your finances and His grace and love would rest in your home. For the Kingdom, 
Chuck Mervin. P.S. If you would like to make a secure online donation, go to www.TheCauseUSA.com/donate. In addition to financial gifts, donations of shares of stock, farm equipment, construction equipment, materials, or vehicles are also welcomed. If you are interested in making these types of donations, you can email me personally at: CauseUSA[at]gmail.com. Thank you and God bless you! |