Insights & Information

Renewal is focus of Triad's Fall Life Action Summit

Summit Revival Conference

Fall’s blaze is nature’s aha moment, when the chlorophyll that had given leaves their green color fades to reveal the true colors that had been there all along for all to see. Similarly, in our lives of faith, defining moments come that reveal what God, and we, knew all along to pave the way for new growth and life.

Lead Pastor Rob Decker hopes the first Life Action Summit Oct. 18-28 at Triad Baptist Church creates opportunities for the kind of spiritual renewal that begins with people honestly acknowledging where they really are in their relationships with Jesus Christ. Then repentance, recommitment, surrender, and life changes can happen in a multiplier effect that can reclaim lives, families, communities, and entire nations.

“I wanted a renewal of our focus on the things of God,” Decker said. “We have gotten in a routine of service and worship. I want to reboot my heart, and my staff’s hearts and those of our congregation so we all sense God’s presence more keenly in our day-to-day walk and commitment to God. After all, that’s why we’re here. But yet there are so many gods who can take our focus off Him whether kids or money or time and get our values out of place. I want a revaluing of what matters for eternity.”

Family-centered revival

Founded in 1971 by youth pastor Del Fehsenfeld Jr., Life Action Ministries is based in Buchanan, Mich., and bills itself as “America’s family-centered revival ministry.” Learn more about its origins and mission.

Life Action’s Revival Summit teams travel to and partner with congregations across the U.S. where lives are changed through the power of God as people renew and deepen their relationships with Jesus Christ. That, in turn, ignites “Christ-centered movements of revival among God's people that display His glory and advance His kingdom throughout the world.”

Teams include pastoral leaders, counselors, prayer leaders, youth and children’s ministers, musicians, and more who each raise their own support. The churches where they serve take offerings that allow members to support their work but their private fundraising from friends who support their commitment to revival accounts for the bulk of support.

Summit testimony: Restored marriage

In pre-summit activities Aug. 23 at Triad led by Life Action, members met James and Tammy Lawlor of Christiansburg, Virginia. To friends, business associates, and church members, the couple seemed to have it all together. But God knew better and one night at a summit session the secrets tumbled out as James confessed marital infidelity, unethical business dealings, and even academic irregularities from his college days to finally make things right with God, Tammy and the entire church. One of their children also came to know Jesus Christ as Savior through the Life Action Summit.

“It was like a huge weight was lifted off of me,” James said of the freedom that came through Christ as he confessed his sin and let God put the pieces back together. Their marriage healed, the Lawlors now help Life Action spread the word of how God can fix brokenness in others through the summits and their intentional focus on people and their relationships with God and each other.

Watch a video about Lane and Sherri Gordon’s own Life Action Summit story.

Echoing the “It begins with me” theme that Life Action Speaker John Myers shared with members and church leaders in messages Aug. 23 at Triad, Decker said he felt the time was right for the Revival Summit and partnership with Life Action Ministries.

“It doesn’t take long to see our world is broken and desperately needs God’s healing touch and that starts with each one of us,” Decker added. “Life Action knows how to plough up the soil of our hearts to prepare the way for God to plant seeds with things we cannot make happen on our own. I wanted that kind of help.”

A different kind of revival

Unlike traditional revival meetings that feature speakers over a few evenings, the 25-member Life Action team serving at Triad (and living with members in their homes) will lead ministries for all ages every weekday evening from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. (except Friday) and from 9 to 1 p.m. on Saturday from Oct. 18-28. Those age-appropriate ministries for children and teens include: Happy Heart City (for children age 4 to first grade), Base Camp (second through fifth grade), and Awake (sixth through 12th grade).

Everyone will come together for a time of worship in Triad’s Worship Center/Gym before children head to their own programs and Lead Speaker Steve Canfield brings messages designed to help people honestly evaluate their relationship with God and remove sin and other obstacles so they can be made whole and become all God created them to be.

The Saturday program for adults features Home Life Café discussions from 9 to noon with a light lunch from noon to 1 p.m. while teens enjoy their own Life’s Pizza House and activities, and younger children take part in Happy Heart City & Base Camp adventures and lunch. All Triad's adult Sunday School groups will meet together in the Kids Street Worship Center for Sunday School instead of attending their own classes while the children's ministry will move to the Youth Room and other spaces.

“Don’t miss out on these moments of being in God’s presence,” Myers told Triad members. “These are not just meetings. These are meetings with God.”

Summit preparation tips

To prepare for the Life Action Summit, Myers encouraged members to:

  • Evaluate your relationship with God
  • Agree with Him
  • Believe Him
  • Seek Him intentionally
  • Pray (Ask Him)

“The great news is that anyone can experience revival,” said Mike Crescenzi, Life Action’s Revival Summit coordinator. “The Bible says that if we draw near to God, God will draw near to us (James 4:8). It is possible to cultivate revival by seeking God.

“The bottom line is that each message will stir and encourage each attendee in various areas of their faith walk with Jesus,” Crescenzi said. “The goal is for people to walk away with a greater desire to serve and love Jesus, a greater joy in their serving and loving, and a deeper understanding and grasp of the truths of scripture as they gain insight into applying them to the life they have in Jesus and to their lives as spouses, sons and daughters, friends, co-workers, and neighbors.”

Phase 2 Shot of TBC B&W 17

Join us Sunday at

9:00am Traditional Worship
10:30am Contemporary Worship