FireProof

Chapel at Manheim Christian Day School ~ by Alicia Kanode

2011-11-02T13:57:00.000-04:00

A group of us from Firestarters returned to Manheim Christian Day this morning to lead a chapel for the middle school students. Jen spoke to the kids from Isaiah 43:18-19 – “Do not remember the past events, pay no attention to things of old. Look, I am about to do something new; even now it is coming. Do you not see it?...” (HCSB). She talked about how we get into routines and shared that routines are often good, but that there also comes a time when they need to change. She encouraged the kids to look for the “new things” that God is doing in their lives and to be open to what He wants to teach them at church, as they read their Bible, etc.

After she shared, Jen led the students who wanted to participate in a prayer, asking God to show them what new things He was doing in their lives. She then invited them to share some of the things that God was doing. Although they were hesitant to speak up at first, a few of them did share and it was really neat to hear the things God is teaching each of them!

Firestarters at HDC ~ by Alicia Kanode

2011-09-25T23:18:00.000-04:00

Firestarters had the privilege of returning to Harrisburg Discipleship Center to share about prophetic ministry. Different FS staff members shared personal stories of how God has used us to minister prophetically. We so often think of “prophetic ministry” as just words, but it can be so much bigger than that! Examples ranged from prophetic worship to dreams and even art! Diane also shared briefly from 1 Corinthians 14.

Austin and Lauren then led in a time of prophetic worship, after which, we broke up into groups with the staff and participants from HDC. Each group got to “practice” prophesying over each other, as we took time to listen to what God was saying to us for each person and then shared it with the individual. It was so encouraging to see God giving scriptures, pictures and words to each student! I especially enjoyed the times when two different people would receive the same word or picture for a friend, as it confirmed to them that God was actually speaking to them! We had a lot of fun and look forward to going back!

Firestarters at HDC ~ by Alicia Kanode

2011-03-16T23:46:00.001-04:00

We enjoyed another amazing night ministering at the Harrisburg Discipleship Center (HDC)! We had the privilege to meet with the YES (Youth Evangelism Service) teams on their last night of training before they left for their outreach locations.

We started with a time of worship led by Austin and Lauren. During worship, Jen invited anyone to share Scripture, pictures or words that they felt the Lord was speaking to them. This was a very powerful time as students and staff members alike shared pictures and concepts that God was putting on their hearts. One girl spoke and sang in tongues and invited others to share if God gave them an interpretation. Through that time, God brought a message about coming to Him on multiple levels – for forgiveness, in worship, etc.

The group then split into their outreach teams – the Kenya team, Honduras team and HDC staff team. The EMM (Eastern Mennonite Missions) Discipleship Ministries staff joined with Firestarters staff to pray and prophesy over each team. It was so neat to see the flow of unity in this partnership as we ministered to and with the YES team members and HDC staff. God spoke to and encouraged each team as He poured His love and truth into their hearts. We can’t wait to hear the stories and testimonies from their outreaches!

Youth Retreat in Lititz, PA ~ by Joanie Nissley

2011-02-05T23:05:00.000-05:00

On this evening, some of us took part in a local youth retreat. The theme of their retreat was: "Craving for God". Sean shared on 'mining' for treasures that God has for them; that God wants them to search for it. He encouraged them to listen to what God is saying and that He speaks to us in a variety of ways: through dreams, in our minds and hearts, through other people, and through the Bible, just to name a few.

After some fun 'sword' drills, we had a time of ministry where we prayed for youth about hearing the voice of God and spoke His destiny and purposes over them. We were impressed with how open the youth were, coming from all walks of life. They were definitely hungry for more of God! Some experienced breakthrough during the prayer time, and we believe the others will experience that as well. One girl had trouble hearing in one of her ears, and as she received prayer, the pain went away! Another girl who had previously been suicidal (we had met her in a previous meeting and ministered to her a couple of months ago) was now ministering to others, full of life and the Holy Spirit! The guys there were really encouraged by how they were hearing God's voice - in pictures and words that were confirming. It was a great evening!

Invasion - by Steve Kanode

2010-10-21T23:00:00.000-04:00

Firestarters joined forces with a group of Jr. and Sr. Highers and their leaders for their "Invasion" meeting. We were impressed with the level of spirituality we found there. I thought, "Maybe they should be ministering to us." Anyway, Jen felt the Lord directing her to speak on suffering as a christian. So after a time of worship, she led that discussion. Then we spent time praying for them individually. Some also received prophetic words and prayer for healing. They are a great group. We look forward to meeting with them in the future.

Chapel at Manheim Christian Day School ~ by Alicia Kanode

2010-10-06T11:28:00.002-04:00

A group of us from Firestarters led middle school chapel this morning at Manheim Christian Day, where Sean and Jen’s children attend school. Sean talked about God’s Father heart of love for us, specifically from Romans 8:14-16. He asked the kids to share some movie characters that they like and then drew a parallel between those characters and God – that knowing “about” a person is not the same as “knowing” a person. In the same way, we can know all the Bible stories and still not know the God who wrote the Bible.

The rest of us who went also shared testimonies of the ways in which God had revealed His love to us and encouraged the kids that they can also experience God’s love. Sean allowed time for the students to pray and connect with God in that way. Then Sean and Diane led them in the song, “Father, I Adore You.”

As the students left the room, Sean and Steve told each one individually that God loves them and has good plans for them. Father, let those truths sink deeply into each of their hearts!

Firestarters at HDC ~ by Alicia Kanode

2010-10-03T23:54:00.000-04:00

As always, we were looking forward to ministering again at the Harrisburg Discipleship Center (Eastern Mennonite Mission’s training center for Youth Evangelism Service teams). We were very blessed to have the volunteer staff from HDC pray for us before we led the training session Sunday night. We were then able to pray for the staff, as well, while the YES team participants listened to worship music.

At 7:30, we joined the larger group of students. Sean taught briefly about the prophetic and then we had a panel discussion, so that the participants could hear different perspectives from numerous Firestarters staff members. After explaining about prophetic ministry, we split into groups to allow the YES team members and HDC staff to practice hearing from God and ministering prophetically to one another.

It was a really fun experience to watch these young people (some of whom had been scared by the prophetic when we started) step out and share what God was showing them. I especially enjoyed when more than one person received the exact same picture or word for someone. It was a neat confirmation for all of us that they really were hearing from God!

After spending some time in small groups prophesying and praying for each other, we came together again and shared testimonies. It was so exciting to hear how God encouraged these young people. One of my favorite testimonies came from a girl who is gifted in art. She had become discouraged with her ability and decided not to pursue further education in the area of art. One of our team members who had never met this girl before received a word for her about art and encouraged her to allow God to use that gift in her life. She was so encouraged that this word actually changed the possible direction of her life as she looks to the future!

IGNITED at Landisville Camp Meeting ~ by Steve Kanode

2010-09-24T23:30:00.006-04:00

I had been looking forward to this event for some time. I had a sense of expectancy that God was going to “show up”. To avoid a potential misunderstanding, I will explain, “show up,” briefly from my perspective. I acknowledge God’s omnipresence. He is everywhere all the time. But for God to, “show up,” means His manifest presence. It means to experience Him. It is somewhat like the difference between knowing someone is on the same property with you, even though you do not see them and having them come and give you a big loving bear hug.

My work day was pretty crazy. Due to the many distractions, my feeling of expectancy was minimal at best at the actual start time of the event. In my head I was hoping, but the feeling of expectancy was gone.

Sean and the worship team led us in a time of praising and honoring God. There were several testimonies of what God has been doing in people’s lives.

Jen shared about the culture of death that seems to be pervading our nation and how what once signified something to be avoided (skulls, crossbones and skeletons indicating something is poisonous or deadly) is now popular in toys and fashion. In the midst of the darkness, God wants His people to bring the message of light and life and hope that are found in Him.

One of the testimonies was of how God had healed a person’s spouse of cancer. That same person who gave the testimony about their spouse experienced God’s presence and the healing of their hand. The injury was somewhat similar to the feeling of hitting one’s funny bone, but it occurred in their hand and affected their fingers. Later in the evening God again met them and they experienced Him in a new and fresh way. Others received prayer ministry as well

We praise God for what He did and what He will do! Be blessed!

Ignited at Landisville Camp Meeting ~ by Alicia Kanode

2010-08-27T23:09:00.000-04:00

We had a blast at the latest Ignited event! It was held at the Landisville Camp Meeting, which provided a gorgeous backdrop to what God was doing! One could sense the Spirit’s presence there, bringing freedom in worship, speaking words of encouragement, and filling His people in new ways!

Sean and the band led worship almost the entire time, with a few intervals for sharing or to just be silent. Sean said at the beginning that he expected God to be speaking through all of us. It was neat to see multiple people step forward to share a prophecy, a verse or a word of encouragement that they felt the Lord had put on their hearts.

There were also opportunities to receive ministry, both in the realms of physical healing and a fresh baptism of the Spirit. It was wonderful to see the Lord bringing healing and touching His children! Toward the end of the evening we invited leaders to come forward as a sign that they welcomed the Spirit’s work in their own lives and in the realms in which they led. That was also a special time, as God blessed those individuals.

Thank You, Father, for Your Presence among us! Without You, we are nothing. We give You honor, glory and praise!

Steve Kanode

2010-07-23T23:00:00.000-04:00

Firestarters joined the Landisville Camp Meeting revival services on Thursday and Friday. The evening services were adult oriented with the worship being led by Sean and Austin. They did a great job of leading worship and had the pleasant surprise of being joined impromptu by a Conga drum player.

Firestarters staff also helped on Friday morning with their Vacation Bible School. They did a puppet presentation. Below is a testimony from the week.

“The program director of Landisville Camp Meeting called today to testify that a little boy who was at VBS told his mother and his grandmother emphatically that he invited Jesus into his heart during the puppet show Firestarters did on Friday morning. When asked if he understood what this meant, he made clear that he understands it and explained that he has decided to b a Christian & is very excited & serious about his decision!”

We praise God for all He did at the Landisville Camp Meeting!

Gateway House of Prayer ~ by Steve Kanode

2010-05-06T23:00:00.002-04:00

In preparation for the National Day of Prayer on Thursday, May 6, 2010, Gateway House of Prayer planned an all-night praise, prayer and worship time. Firestarters led the 8:00 – 10:00 time-slot. Jen, Austin, Joanie, Josh and James (from Ireland), led the music side while Sean and Jason focused on the prayer aspect. The music and prayer flowed in and out of each other.
The sense for this time slot was the releasing of individuals to be world-changers in their spheres of influence. Many of the people who were there received prayer from the Firestarters staff. Some of the Firestarters staff received prayer from the other participants. There was a good spirit of unity and encouragement! May God be praised!

Lancaster Mennonite School Chapel ~ by Alicia Kanode

2010-04-26T16:49:00.003-04:00

This morning, we were able to lead a chapel service for the student body at Lancaster Mennonite High School. Dorcas, the campus pastor, opened the morning with Scripture, before handing it over to Sean and Jen. Sean spoke briefly before Jen presented the main message. Without knowing that it was Jen’s closing statement, he told the students that they were “world changers.” It was so neat to see God give the same words to both of them!

Jen then taught about the way of life versus the way of death. Seeing what she called “glazed looks” on many faces, she led them in an exercise to practice responding, before delving into her topic. Jen shared openly about some of her own story and the difference between hearing the truth and knowing the truth. She reminded the students that God has shown us the way of life but that, just as he did in Eden, Satan tries to convince us that God is holding something back from us. “Sin is fun for a while,” she said, “but it will mess you up.” She talked specifically about the trend of death in our culture, from fashion and entertainment to abortion and suicide. She encouraged the students to discern what it means to choose life in each of their lives.

Austin, Lauren and Josh then played the worship song, “Just to Be With You.” Although many students had not visibly responded to the teaching, we felt something break in the atmosphere as worship began. Jen asked students to stand if they felt the Lord showing them a specific area in which they needed to choose life. As the band played and sang, no one stood. Jen came up again and repeated the invitation. What a blessing to see the first person stand and then another and another. A couple people shared later that they were really struggling with the decision to stand up until Jen spoke the second time. Many said afterwards that they felt a tug in their spirits and throughout the song, kids continued to stand.

With the blessing of the leadership at the school, Jen invited anyone to stay who wanted to receive prayer. After Dorcas dismissed the assembly, the vast majority of students left for class, but a good number remained. What a joy it was to be able to pray for and bless these young men and women! We were able to encourage them and affirm their identities in Christ. Various students responded specifically to Jen’s encouragement to turn from dead religion, sexual sin, suicidal thoughts, etc. Praise the Lord!

“Surrender” Worship Night at the Worship Center ~ by Alicia Kanode

2010-04-09T23:40:00.001-04:00

We again joined the 30’s and older singles’ group at the Worship Center for a night of worship. Even though it was a small group that evening, we had a wonderful time of worshiping the King together. Deanna led us in a number of songs and then Sean spoke about healing in all realms – physical, emotional and spiritual. He shared specifically from James 4:13-16, which speaks of confessing our sins to one another and praying for each other, “so that you may be healed.” He invited people to receive prayer for healing or any other needs in their lives. Our ministry team members had the awesome privilege of being able to pray for a couple people, including praying for the empowerment of the Spirit.

"Surrender" Worship Night by Steve Kanode

2010-03-12T23:30:00.000-05:00

Firestarters was asked to lead worship at the Worship Center for their adult singles group. After Brian opened the time, Deanna led us in worshipping the Lord. While worshipping, Jen sensed the Lord wanted to fill or give a fresh filling of His Spirit to those who wanted it. A number of people asked for and received either an initial filling or a fresh filling of the Holy Spirit.

One lady who received prayer expressed that she was freed from fears that had bound her and also that her left shoulder was healed. Praise the Lord! My son Joshua also received prayer from Mary and Diane, both of whom were on the back-draft intercessory team. Joshua had a fresh encounter with the Lord.

Thank you, Lord Jesus, for gracing us a with Your manifest presence!

Ignited – by Steve Kanode

2010-02-27T23:12:00.000-05:00

Originally, Firestarters was going to lead a “worship night” in Baltimore tonight for a group of churches who were gathering there, but due to parking issues caused by all the snow in the city, we found out late in the week that the event in Baltimore needed to be postponed. Since we had a group of “Firestarters” who were ready to go and excited to have a night of worship together, we decided to have an Ignited event tonight instead - and Jimmy Nimon welcomed us to have “Ignited” at Gateway House of Prayer in Ephrata. (Thanks, Jimmy!)

Shortly after 7:00, while leading worship from her keyboard, Jen experienced a seizure. Many people responded compassionately and prayerfully to the situation. Worship stopped, but only for a short time, since Sean stepped up to Jen’s mic and chose to worship – regardless of the situation. Deanna Grager graciously and effectively led worship until about 8:00. (Great job, Deanna.)

Under Mary Nickliss' intercessory leadership, one of the focuses of the intercessors was unity. Supernatural unity was definitely evident on this night. The worship team pulled together in spite of the circumstances and so did the intercessors and others who were involved. In every situation, God is worthy of praise and worship and as a group we were determined to faithfully give Him that throughout the evening.

Shortly after 8:00, God gave us an incredible miracle. With some gracious encouragement from some intercessors, Jen went back to the keyboard and led worship for the second part of the evening until about 9:00. For Jen to experience a seizure of the magnitude that she did and be able to get back up and lead worship only an hour after it happened was without question a miracle. PRAISE THE LORD!

I was personally reminded that Jesus, Paul, and other true followers of God have not been immune to the attacks of the enemy. But as followers of Jesus, we can choose our response to various circumstances. The best response is always to honor, praise and worship God.

Ministry at HDC ~ by Alicia Kanode

2009-11-13T19:01:00.001-05:00

We were excited to return to the Harrisburg Discipleship Center on Thursday night! The YES teams will be heading out to their various outreach locations after Thanksgiving, so we were glad for one last time to be able to minister to them.

Austin and Lauren Ritz led the worship band for the evening. We spent over half an hour worshiping our Savior, and then Sean and Jen Achey taught about the Holy Spirit. They shared parts of their testimonies and their own experiences with the Spirit. Sean then invited everyone to stand up and hold out their hands in a position to receive. The ministry team, led by the Achey’s, prayed for the participants individually, that they would receive the filling and fullness of the Holy Spirit!

The group then split up into their teams, talking and praying for each other as they waited for the ministry team to come around and pray over them. As a ministry team, we split into two groups, in order to pray for the 4-5 teams. There were YES teams headed to Albania, China, Guinea-Bissau and Venezuela. It was a joy to be able to pray for and encourage each team.

One of the girls on the Venezuela team had broken her finger. After we prayed for her finger, she said that the pain had left completely! She still did not have complete movement after we prayed for her a second time, so we encouraged her team to continue to pray until she experienced complete healing.

Sean also asked any individuals to stay who still wanted prayer. Numerous people stuck around, hungry to receive all that God had for them! One girl spoke in tongues for the first time! Many others were encouraged in their destinies and their walks with the Lord. All in all, it was after 12:30 am before we left! We can’t wait to hear what God is going to do through these teams in each of their respective ministry locations!

Camp Hebron 30 & Older Singles Retreat ~ By Jen Achey

2009-10-04T15:28:00.004-04:00

This weekend Firestarters went to Camp Hebron in Halifax, PA, to minister at a 30 & older singles retreat. Brian Hock, the leader of the 30 & older singles ministry at The Worship Center, organized the retreat. People came from a variety of places including Pennsylvania, New York, New Jersey, Maryland... There was also a variety of ethnic backgrounds represented including people from Germany, Peru, Singapore, China... etc. There were 20 people who attended all together.

On Friday night, during the first time of worship God spoke to Jen Achey, telling her to invite people to receive prayer for healing. Various people were prayed for and healed. What a great start to the weekend! It really set the stage for the group to expect God to show up and change lives.

One man, Mark Cragle from Wilkes-Barre, PA, was on crutches due to a serious knee injury in which ligament was torn and cartilage was damaged and due to nerve damage in his ankle. He was healed and no longer needs the crutches or knee brace. He says "I am now walking better than I have in 8 years!"

Another lady, Hanne Palmer from Palmyra, PA, was healed from childhood abuse. In her own words, "I was abused as a child and during counseling I was encouraged to visualize myself as a child. I always saw her sad with her head down sitting under a tree. After praying for healing during the following worship session, I saw (the child) dancing in the grass, twirling, (in a) colorful flowery dress, flowers, with lots of colors and feeling free and joyful!"

God did more things during this retreat than we could ever put on this blog entry. Many people were encouraged and healed and left ready to take testimonies of God's love and power back to their families and friends.

HDC Ministry Night ~ by Alicia Kanode

2009-09-27T23:51:00.001-04:00

The Firestarters team had an amazing time at the Harrisburg Discipleship Center on Sunday night! We were able to teach, lead worship and minister to the HDC staff and the YES (Youth Evangelism Service) teams who are currently in training at the center. We gathered in the carriage house and Chris Epp, the director of HDC, opened the evening with prayer.

After some introductions, Jen taught on God’s call on our lives and the different ways in which we can discover it. One way she said we could hear God’s calling was through a prophetic word. She went on to explain that prophecy is just God communicating with His people. After teaching about how we should respond to prophecy, Jen led us in worship. She invited any YES participants who play an instrument to join her and we had an instant worship band, with everything from guitars to djembes to a mandolin! During worship, Jen also encouraged everyone to listen to what God might be speaking to them and released the ministry team to pray for and prophesy over the HDCers.

At one point, Sean and Jen invited anyone gifted in the arts to come forward. We prayed over those individuals and Sean encouraged them to release their gifts, not just keep what God had given them to themselves. In addition, a couple girls were released in dance during worship. One shared that she had danced before in secular venues, but not in times of corporate worship.

Jen also invited people to come forward who felt they needed a revelation of the Father heart of God. A number of girls quickly responded to the invitation, but none of the guys moved. Josiah shared his testimony of how God revealed His Father’s heart to him and then he, Jason and Sean prayed for each of the girls. Jen then asked any guys who felt they needed the same thing to come to the front of the room. All but a handful came to receive prayer! It was awesome to see God touching His children as the ministry team prayed over each individual and ministered God’s hear t to them.

After everyone had been prayed for, we ended with one last worship song before dismissing. A few people stayed to continue worshiping, to talk, etc. A couple Firestarters team members continued to minister to those who needed it. As we left, we all agreed that it had definitely been a fun night! We look forward to returning to HDC next month!

Ignited ~ By Alicia Kanode

2009-09-18T23:04:00.004-04:00

Firestarters, ACTS Covenant Fellowship and Threshold Church joined together to hold the first IGNITED event this past Friday night. The worship band members and intercessors began to arrive at ACTS around 5pm, followed by other volunteers around 6pm. It was awesome to see the unity of God’s people as individuals and families from all three churches/ministries joined together to prepare for the event, which would begin at 7:00.

Around 6:30, as the worship band was practicing, we faced an unexpected obstacle. Jen Achey (co-director of Firestarters and the worship leader for this event) had a seizure, even as she was leading the practice time. Band members, intercessors and other volunteers quickly surrounded her and began to pray. In Sean and Jen’s words, “…for the past 3-4 months Jen has had a handful of unexplained seizures. Since June when this started doctors have done every test imaginable and they say Jen’s brain is ‘completely normal,’ but it was found by a chiropractor that there is a vertebra in her neck that has not been aligned correctly and it is likely that this has caused some seizure symptoms. She is getting chiropractic treatment and it seems to be helping.”

Because Jen had been seizure-free for some time, her seizure on Friday night came as a shock to many, if not all, of us. Sean took her home and one of the Backdraft (intercessory) team members stayed with her when Sean returned to the event later in the evening. We continue to stand with Sean and Jen in prayer for complete healing for Jen. However, we are also praising God that Jen has recovered from this seizure much more quickly than from any of the previous ones she suffered. She also has experienced no memory loss, as she had in the past.

We also give God honor, glory and praise for the wonderful time of worship and ministry that occurred that night, despite the enemy’s attempts to thwart it. The prayer that kept coming to my mind that night was, “God, You’re bigger than this!” He certainly proved that as the worship band pulled together and flowed together despite the unexpected circumstances. One band member shared that she felt we went to a high place in worship that night. Many of those in attendance shared that they felt God’s presence among us.

Kelly Lapp, one of the worship band members who stepped up to lead, offered the microphone to anyone who felt that the Lord was laying something on their heart to share with the group. A number of people shared words that the Lord had given them. One young lady said that as she was worshiping, she began to weep and felt very broken. She felt the Lord saying to her that there were people there that night who felt so broken, that they didn’t think the Lord could touch them. She encouraged us to remember that no one is beyond God’s reach. Another word that was shared was about finding our identity in Christ. The man who spoke said that we first need to open our eyes to see God, before we can see who we are in Him. After these words were shared, a time of ministry was offered for anyone who felt these words were for them. The ministry team prayed for and ministered to those who went forward, while the band continued to lead in worship.

Sometime toward the end of the night, Sean Achey returned and closed the night by sharing that as God’s people, we are all family. His words really summed up the night, as it had been one of intense unity. Praise God! May He continue to bring His church together!

Ministry to Harrisburg Discipleship Staff ~ By Jen Achey

2009-09-03T23:00:00.003-04:00

We had a great time at the Harrisburg Discipleship Center tonight as we ministered with the staff and some team leaders there up on their third floor "prayer room". I, Jen, led a time of worship and then Sean and Jen did some teaching about prophetic ministry. The goal was to see this gift of prophecy released more in the group by the group, and this goal was definitely reached! By the end of the night I think everyone without exception had prophesied, whether they knew it or not!

We had each staff member and/or team leader take a turn sitting in the middle of the group and the group spent some time listening for things God wanted to say to that particular person. During this time the group was coached through how to discern what they sensed God was saying and how to submit appropriate things to the person being prayed for.

My most memorable part of the evening was when I, Jen, spoke a prophetic word over a young leader saying, "God is going to give you the Father's heart and you are just going to overwhelmed with the emotions of God the Father." And he broke out in tears that exact moment! I was thinking it would be one of those "someday this is going to happen" - prophecies as prophecies are - but this one was fulfilled immediately!

It was a precious time and we always are encouraged to see the HDC volunteers' passion for God and their dedication to serve Him with their lives. We look forward to going back soon!

You're Invited to Get IGNITED!

2009-08-26T11:52:00.003-04:00

Hey guys! Alicia here. I just wanted to let you know about Firestarters' next upcoming event on Friday, September 18. IGNITED will be a night of worship, ministry and fun connections with others who are passionate about God, His church and His world! It will be held at ACTS Covenant Fellowship at 7:00pm. These events will be replacing the Fire Station events at the Upper Room. So if you were with us for those, you have a good idea of what to expect! For everyone else, you can expect lots of music and worship, healing and deliverance, peace and hope, vision and encouragment.

IGNITED events will be geared towards generations X and Y (those born 1965-1995), but anyone interested is welcome! Feel free to dress casually and be yourself. There is no cost for the event, but snacks and drinks will be available for purchase. We have found that events tend to run late when God starts doing life-changing things. We often have an informal dismissal around 9 or 9:30pm, but it is common for many people to stay later. As always, you are welcome to leave whenever you like.

Again, IGNITED is being held on September 18th at 7:00pm at ACTS Covenant Fellowship (1927 Wheatland Avenue, Lancaster, PA 17602). For more information, visit Firestarters website at www.godsfirestarters.com. Any questions, feel free to call or email: 717-653-6412 or info@godsfirestarters.com. Hope to see you there!

Ministry to HDC Staff ~ by Alicia Kanode

2009-07-28T18:50:00.001-04:00

A small group of us (comprised of Sean, Jen, Joanie and myself) met with the staff from the Harrisburg Discipleship Center on Tuesday at the Amos Herr Park in Landisville. Our time with them was part of the “re-entry day” for staff members who have completed their terms and are moving on. HDC’s administrator, Chris Epp, was with us, as well as six other full-time staff and volunteers.

We sat under some trees and it was awesome to be outside, in the midst of God’s beautiful creation, as Sean and Jen led in a refreshing time of worship. We focused on the songs, “Inside Out” and “Presence.” Sean then offered to pray for the staff members and we spent the rest of the morning praying for and ministering to each one individually. Jen and Joanie took turns worshiping in the background, which created a wonderful atmosphere in which to minister.

Joanie also shared a word of knowledge and scripture that she felt the Lord laid on her heart. Each staff member was built up and encouraged as they received prayer ministry and prophecies. The Lord spoke to each one and brought guidance, healing and freedom, among other things. We thank the Lord for using us to bless these Kingdom workers!

Firestarters Street Ministry Night ~ by Alicia Kanode

2009-06-26T23:31:00.000-04:00

On Friday night, a group of about ten of us gathered at Sean and Jen’s home for a night of ministry on the streets of Mount Joy. We began with a time of prayer and listening to what God was saying. During this time of listening, Kathleen had the idea to go to a certain shop in Mount Joy. When she later shared this idea, Bonnie said that she had heard the name of the shop’s owner. That was a neat confirmation of God’s leading! Jen also received the name of an individual she didn’t know.

After the prayer time, we split into three teams. One stayed at the Achey’s to intercede, while the other two teams hit the streets! One team visited the shop to which the Lord had directed us. Kathleen had the chance to talk to the owner and bless her. Meanwhile, Jason and I met a mutual friend outside of the shop. She introduced us to two of her grandchildren and we realized that her grandson’s name was the name given to Jen during our prayer time! We got to talk to him and although he didn’t want us to pray with him, we prayed for him as we continued to walk. We are thanking the Lord for the way He moved in that situation to bring us together and move us to pray!

After talking to this family, Jason prayed for a man who had a knee injury. By the end of their interaction, the man’s knee was completely healed! Meanwhile, on the other team, Josiah was praying for another man who had problems with his feet. He also experienced God’s healing! Praise the Lord!

Back at the house, the intercession team received a number of words and pictures. One person saw the picture of a boat slowly turning. We later realized that the town of Mount Joy was named after a boat. The sense was that the boat was a symbol of the town and that although it was turning slowly, it was turning at the right speed. Another word that was received was that there are “Josephs” in this area. Considering the impact that Joseph had on the world of his day, this is very exciting!

We all returned to the Achey’s home around 9:00pm to share stories and testimonies. The intercession team also shared words that were given for the individual members of the ministry teams. All in all, the night was very encouraging and fun! We praise God for all that He did and is doing among us! May He continue to be glorified in this place!

Firestarters Lead Hinkletown Mennonite Church Worship Retreat - By Jen Achey

2009-05-17T16:44:00.002-04:00

We were excited to have the opportunity to lead a worship retreat for Hinkletown Mennonite Church this weekend. The retreat was from May 15-17. It was at a beautiful cabin in a place called Waterloo.

The theme of the weekend was "A New Thing" and the theme verse was Isaiah 43:19. Jen did most of the teaching for a change since she is a worship leader and this retreat was focused on worship. She taught a lot about being ready to perceive the new things God is doing, about recognizing and learning from what God has done, but not getting so stuck there that we miss what God is doing right now. We dove into the context surrounding our theme verse to see these very concepts clearly spoken in this prophecy.

Jen taught about various spiritual aspects of worship leading and team leading. She also taught on practical things like music theory, team dynamics, and "techie stuff" like sound systems and projectors (Sean led that part!)...

Then on Saturday night we had a time of "hands on" learning and experience in "Inspirational worship". Everyone in the group got a chance to do something new and perform it for the rest of the group to inspire others to worship. It was fun!

Sunday morning was our last session and Sean spoke about God's ramah and logos words. We ended with a time of inspirational worship and individual listening for God's ramah words. Then we went around the group and welcomed everyone to share any ramah words God spoke to them during that time. Every single person in the group shared a ramah word God had given them. Some of the words were significantly life changing and led to release of spiritual gifts. There was ministry and prayer and a wonderfully sweet spirit there that morning.

We left encouraged about the good work God did in and through us this weekend and we also were glad for the new friendships we formed!

The Fire Station ~ By Alicia Kanode

2009-05-01T22:55:00.000-04:00

We gathered together on Friday night for the last Fire Station at the Upper Room. We had another wonderful time of worship! Jen encouraged us to let go of all the things we were carrying from the week and to just focus on God and on worshiping Him. There was a wonderful atmosphere of freedom as we all came before the Lord together!

Sean then spoke briefly from 1 Kings 18, which is the theme passage for Firestarters. The chapter tells the story of Elijah on Mount Carmel, when he built an altar and asked the Lord to send the fire. Sean commented on verse 33, where Elijah says to the people, "Fill four large jars with water and pour it on the offering and on the wood." They did so three times - and this was during a drought! Sean said that sometimes we need to lay it all on the table, holding nothing back. "Then the fire of the Lord fell and burned up the sacrifice, the wood, the stones and the soil, and also licked up the water in the trench" (verse 38). Sean said that when the fire of God comes, it comes not just to take the "sacrifice" - whatever we are offering - but to take it all! He also said that when we make room for Him, God wants to show up!

After Sean shared, he invited anyone who was there to give testimonies of how God had met them through Firestarters. There were numerous testimonies of healings, financial provision, release in worship, etc. Dean Benner, owner of the Upper Room, also shared what a blessing it has been to him and his family to have been able to host the Fire Station in their building for the past nine months. We are very grateful to them for allowing us to use their facility and especially to God for meeting us in this place every time we have gathered to worship Him!

Even though the Fire Station, in its current form, is now ending, we are excited to see what else God has in store as we seek to keep in step with His Spirit!

The Fire Station - By Joanie Nissley

2009-04-17T23:00:00.000-04:00

Breakthrough, deliverance, testimonies, intimacy with God...that's what this Fire Station was about! During worship, there was a time of sitting at Jesus' feet, seeking him, and receiving his love and grace washing over us. Some had a picture of a river flowing all around us, or sitting under a waterfall, letting the water rain on us. It was an intimate experience with God and we were touched by His manifest presence.

Jason shared a testimony of praying for someone at Lowe's who had arthritis in her knee, and she experienced God's goodness and His healing touch! We are witnesses to healings that happen at Fire Station and want to take it out to others around us, wherever we go.

Sean taught on unbelief, which is a lack of faith, trust and obedience. Belief is the exact opposite. Almost all of us have some kind of unbelief, and you may even be believing that God will do something for others, but not for you. There are two types of unbelief. First of all, unbelief that is without expectation; looking at the logical and not experience. The second type is unbelief that has expectation, and having a desire to believe. (like in Mark 9: 17 -24 where the father of a demon possessed boy told Jesus 'I do believe! Help me overcome my unbelief.') Unbelief with expectation leads to an experience with God. The world is ready for people who live what the Bible says! Let's take God at His Word!

Fire Station ~ By Alicia Kanode

2009-04-03T23:00:00.000-04:00

We experienced an amazing time of worship led by Jen and the band on Friday night! God’s Presence was real among us and He spoke to a number of us. As Karen said later, Worship is just enjoying God’s Presence, which is what we were doing! Sean said he knew God was smiling down on us!

After this intense time of worship, Karen spoke to us about Finding Joy in the Face of God. She shared that during worship she had seen an open heaven and a horse and rider coming on a cloud with the angels behind them. The rider was holding a banner, but it was folded. The Lord said to her, “I am the Banner who goes out before you.” She asked Him why the banner was not unfolded and He said that it would be unfolded as we receive it.

As Karen spoke about joy, she reminded us that it is one of the fruits of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22). Some synonyms for joy: Bliss, celebration, delight, happiness, rejoicing – all words that convey a sense of freedom! His exceeding joy is our strength! Karen brought up many good points…Here are a few:

If there’s fear, you’re listening to the wrong voice.
We were created for the purpose of intimacy (Psalm 139). God wants to restore the intimate relationship that He had with Adam.
We will encounter God to the degree that we open our heart to Him.
Spending time in God’s Word, fellowship and prayer are all forms of worship. Worship is the way to God’s heart.
Whatever we focus on will consume us.
Wherever He has Lordship, His Kingdom has come.
When the anointing of the Spirit comes, all things are possible and no sacrifice is too big.
We need to be living from the realm of what we know is true. Faith is not what is, what is promised.
What does the face of God look like to you? ...
Jesus is the face of God.

Karen shared many other things as well, but these were some highlights! Afterward she, Jen and Sean prayed for various people for breakthrough and healing, while various band members led in worship. Thank You, Father, for all that you did and are doing among us!

Fire Station ~ By Alicia Kanode

2009-03-20T23:00:00.002-04:00

Deanna led us in worship on Friday night, singing amazing songs like “God of this City,” “Consuming Fire,” and one she wrote herself called “Prepare.” We are continually blessed by the new worship songs that God is birthing among us! We truly believe that “greater things have yet to come,” as Chris Tomlin says in “God of this City.” After worship, a couple people shared pictures and words that they felt the Lord gave to them, as well as numerous testimonies of healing and of God’s goodness!

Then Sean and Jen led a Question and Answer time, during which anyone could ask questions about revival, healing, deliverance or the gifts of the Spirit. We ended up focusing mostly on healing and spiritual gifts. A number of questions were asked and answered. I will try to summarize some of those as best as I can.

Q: Why doesn’t everyone get healed?
A: We don’t always know. We do know that everyone who came to Jesus was healed. There are numerous examples of this, including Matthew 8:16 and Luke 4:40. However, there were also times when a lack of faith prevented this: “He could not do any miracles there, except lay his hands on a few sick people and heal them. And he was amazed at their lack of faith” – Mark 6:5-6, NIV). Sometimes, but NOT always, sin issues prevent healing. Other times, it may be that we simply have not pressed in enough. Jen shared a story from Mozambique where God told someone to go and pray for a person who had died. They were raised from the dead – after seven or eight hours of prayer! How often do we continue to pray until we see the answer? Jen said, “When I see it [healing, answer to prayer], I’ll praise God. When I don’t see it, I’ll keep pressing in.”

Q: How should we respond to friends, especially unbelievers, who have lost loved ones and are looking to us for answers?
A: Jen pointed out that when something bad happens, we tend to point at God, but we don’t often acknowledge Him for all the good things in our lives. We often hone in on one difficulty, instead of seeing the good. None of us would even be alive without God giving us breath. She also said that our friends don’t always need the “right” answers as much as they need to see God’s loving care in us. Sean talked about how God gave us the ability to choose between Him and evil. Sometimes there are natural consequences – either from our actions or the actions of others. As Sean said, if God had taken away our ability to choose evil, He would also have removed our ability to choose Him. Finally, Jen shared a revelation that God had given her, that death is not the worst thing that could ever happen to a person. She told us about one of the Firestarters board members who lost both her husband and son. As she was heavily grieving, her son actually appeared to her and told her, “Mommy, stop calling me back! I love it here!”

Q: You seem to say that anything bad is from the devil. What is the difference between what you are teaching and prosperity theology? How do we classify what is “bad”?
A: Jen said that many people accept any hard situation, illness, etc. as being “God working” in them. She referred to this as a fatalistic mindset. She also said that because many people don’t see healing, they try to create a theology to explain why. Her take is that if our experience level doesn’t match a Biblical level, we still need to keep our theology at a Biblical level. As she has done that, she has seen her level of experience rise. However, she was quick to say that not everything is a demon and mentioned how sometimes when she prays, “God, heal me,” she gets a response like, “You’re not taking care of yourself.” Sometimes, there is a demonic attack that we need to rebuke and sometimes there is a natural cause that we need to address through lifestyle change, etc. Jen and Sean clarified that they do not believe in some of the extremes taught as prosperity theology, but they also want to leave behind a poverty mindset. As believers, we are to set our standards high – “Our Father in heaven…your kingdom come, your will be done on earth as it is in heaven” (Matthew 6:9-10, NIV).

Other questions dealt with the gifts of healing and prophecy. After the discussion was brought to a close, Sean and Jen offered a time of prayer and personal ministry for anyone who wanted it. God truly used the evening to bring truth and build faith! Praise Him!

Fire Station ~ By Diane Kanode

2009-03-06T16:58:00.000-05:00

WORSHIP, AUTHORITY & POWER

Worship, worship, worship…sing praises to our Lord! Worship of the Lord at Fire Station is deep, pure and free. God is constantly surprising us with new songs and gifts to give back to Him. How awesome and mighty is our God! We are so excited to see God constantly bringing new people to join us each time as well as many who return regularly to get “fired up” for God!

We received teaching on Friday from Jason Nissley about our God-given authority, our legal right in Christ to use this authority and our responsibility to ask and call forth the will of God. We are to press into God, agree with the reality of what is true in heaven and understand that our circumstances can rise to those in the heavenlies! To do this, we must renew our minds, change the way we think, remove the lies and allow God to bring revelation and revolution to our hearts and minds.

We need to understand who Jesus is and who we are in Him. We are to proclaim the kingdom of heaven and destroy the works of the devil. God’s desire is for us to continue the works of Jesus through His Spirit, to pray His kingdom come on earth as it is in heaven! We need to listen for the Father’s voice and do the things we see the Father doing, just as Jesus did when He was on earth. We are kings and priests and need to walk in the authority and power of our inheritance through Christ. We are Christ’s ambassadors appointed to declare His will. We are mandated to use Jesus’ authority and power to advance and enforce the Kingdom of God.

We need to break any agreements we have made with Satan with regards to sickness, depression, worry, lies, etc. We need to combat his lies with God’s Word of Truth. We must ask God to change the way we think, help us to walk in the truth and turn away from sin. We must focus on the truth of God versus the natural reality that our eyes see. We need to live from the unseen realm. Faith takes and believes what is our legal right in Christ. Faith is the avenue that brings the realities of heaven to earth.

After receiving this teaching from Jason, Sean led us to take authority in prayer for the areas of our lives where we have given Satan access, authority and/or have agreed with his lies. He declared that Christians were never designed to live under bondage, but should have lives that show forth the evidence of God’s Kingdom at work. All were invited to come up for prayer, as they felt led.

How amazing it is that He, the God and Creator of the universe, loves us so intensely and has given us authority to continue the ministry of His Son on earth.

Fire Station ~ By Diane Kanode

2009-02-20T16:52:00.000-05:00

Yesterday I was singing “Come Into His Presence Singing, Alleluia.” As I reflect on our latest Fire Station event, I believe this song sums up much of what we experienced on Friday evening. Most of the evening was spent in worship and just soaking in the presence of God, delighting in Him delighting in us.

Sean spoke on God’s desire just to be with us…His desire for us to come in to His presence. He referenced how Joshua stayed in the tent of meeting in the presence of God, while others just stood at the door of their tents. God wants us to have a deep relationship with Him. He wants us to “leave camp” and seek out His presence.

Joshua knew the presence of God. He knew God would do what He said He would do. Joshua wasn’t afraid to march around Jericho seven times if that was what God told him was necessary. Being in God’s presence will change us. Moses’ face shone with the radiance of God from spending time in His presence. People will see the difference in those who spend time in God’s presence. The world is waiting for a life-changing encounter with God. We owe the world such an encounter, a personal experience with the God of life!

We are to be the light of the world…a city on a hill that cannot be hidden. Jesus is our light and His light is to be reflected in us. Light dispels darkness and makes vision possible. Are we leaving the world in darkness or bringing life-giving light into it? We find our identity in the presence of God. It is in His presence that we get charged up like a light bulb and can go out with something to give. The closer we get to the Light, the more we will shine.

So what are you waiting for? Go spend time with the Light of the World! Soak in His presence, delight in Him and then go out and let your light shine in this dark world! Spread His Light, His Kingdom and His Glory wherever you go!

Fire Station ~ By Alicia Kanode

2009-02-06T22:48:00.000-05:00

The Firestarters band led us in worship with songs like “Fire of God” and “Consuming Fire.” During worship, Jen invited people to raise their hands if they would like prayer. Sean received a word of knowledge and prayed for the person who responded to it. Many people received prayer for healing even while the worship continued.

Sean then spoke about a Biblical foundation for healing. He opened with 1Corinthians 2:1-6, where Paul says, “My message and my preaching were not with wise and persuasive words, but with a demonstration of the Spirit’s power” (v. 4). Paul laid down the wisdom he had gained from years of study in order to move into the realm of supernatural power that goes beyond human wisdom. Sean transitioned from that verse to focus specifically on physical healing, which is a demonstration of the Spirit’s power. He said that healing is a gift God has given us to take to the nations. He also talked about the two types of healings that we see: miraculous, instantaneous healings and those that are progressive. He encouraged us to give God the glory for every step forward.

Sean gave many examples of Old Testament Scriptures that speak about healing, including Exodus 15:26, Psalm 103:1-5 and Isaiah 53:2-5. He also spoke about Luke 9, where Jesus gave his followers “power and authority to drive out all demons and to cure diseases.” In Matthew 10:1, Jesus also gave his disciples “authority to drive out evil spirits and to heal every disease and sickness.” Sean said that the word “authority” means a “legal right.”

After this time, the teaching was put into practice as Sean encouraged us all to contend for healing or breakthrough in our own lives, while the ministry team also prayed for people. We heard one testimony of an instantaneous healing that night and many others are continuing to trust God for healing in various areas.

Firestarters Appreciation Night ~ By Alicia Kanode

2009-01-18T21:50:00.003-05:00

Sean and Jen hosted an "Appreciation Night" tonight to thank those who have volunteered with Firestarters ministry or supported Firestaters ministry in some way in 2008. Koser Jewelers in Mount Joy generously agreed to let us use their building and we gathered on the second floor to enjoy delicious desserts and hear exciting testimonies and updates about Firestarters. Sean and Jen invited all Core staff members to introduce themselves and gave them each an opportunity to share a favorite memory or testimony from a Firestarters event.

Then the entire Firestarters band led in a time of worship, singing songs written by Jen Achey, Austin Ritz and Lauren Ritz. Following this, we watched a PowerPoint presentation that Lauren put together which showed pictures from various Firestarters events throughout the year of 2008. It was so encouraging to be reminded of the many amazing ways in which God has been working among us!

Finally, Sean gave an overview of where Firestarters has been in the past year and where we hope to go from here. He used the metaphor of building a house, saying that this last year was a time to lay the foundation in order to prepare for increased growth in the coming year. When Sean was done sharing, Jen surprised him by presenting him with a birthday gift of $925 which the Firestarters board members and staff secretly raised for him to use to purchase a laptop for Firestarters ministry. It was fun to be able to surprise and bless Sean in this way! All in all, it was a wonderful night!

Fire Station ~ By Alicia Kanode

2009-01-16T12:47:00.000-05:00

The entire Firestarters band led us in worship at the Fire Station last night as a practice session for the Appreciation Night coming up tomorrow. We sang a number of amazing songs written by members of the band. At one point during worship, Jen encouraged us to take time to receive from God. Afterwards, she asked us to share testimonies of what God has been doing in our lives with those around us.

Kim had been prayed for during worship and shared her testimony with all of us. She was in a car accident eight years ago and God brought healing to her back last night so that, for the first time in eight years, she could bend down and touch her toes! Praise the Lord!

That was a wonderful prelude for the movie we saw afterward. We watched portions of the “Finger of God” movie, which gives testimony to many amazing miracles – everywhere from right here in the US to Mozambique and Turkey. After being encouraged by this movie, we then moved into a time of ministry and prayer for healing for various people. We thank God for the many new people that He continues to bring each week!

Firestarters at the Worship Center ~ By Jen Achey

2009-01-09T23:00:00.002-05:00

Thanks to a fun reconnection with a long lost friend, Brian Hock, Firestarters got to help out at the Worship Center tonight. Brian just became the leader of the 30 & older singles ministry there and they needed someone to lead worship on short notice. Since Brian had just visited the Fire Station a few days before he knew about Firestarters and asked if we could come to lead the worship for them. We were glad to come help in this way and we had a meaningful time of worship and hang out together.

At first when the worship night started we were not sure people were engaging in the worship much, but we kept pressing in and by the end of the night, the group had experienced some very special time with God and each other. In response to a word of knowledge, one lady experienced healing in her knees from pain and stiffness caused by athritis, and various people requested prayer and had meaningful experiences with God.

Brian shared from Romans 12:1&2 about finding contentment in God. This was cool because two of our Firestarters staff members who were there had Romans 12:1&2 already come to mind during the worship.

To end we "stayed" in the song called "Word of God Speak" for quite a while. Some of the words of this song are: "Word of God speak. Would You pour down like rain. Washing my eyes to see Your majesty."

God has been bringing up the theme of his "Rhema, breathed, alive" word lately.

Fire Station ~ By Alicia Kanode

2009-01-02T23:00:00.000-05:00

The night after New Year’s Day, we gathered for another Fire Station. It was a night of New things and Fresh words from the Lord. Jen, Deanna and Russ led us in worshiping the Word (John 1:1). Jen saw a picture of dancing occurring as we worshiped and asked Bonnie to lead some dancing in the middle of the room. Four of us danced together for a short time, before spreading out around the room again. For me, at least, that was the first “new thing” as I have normally stayed at the back of the room in the past. There was truly a sense of freedom as we worshiped that night!

A couple people then shared words that they felt the Lord had given them. One was that all we truly need to worship is a heart of worship, not a worship band or other outward trappings. With that in mind, we took time to worship on our own, without the band leading us. Another word was then shared that although we don’t need worship leaders to enable us to worship, it edifies us when we hear the testimony of others. That is why it may often be easier to enter into worship as we hear others declare the goodness of the Lord. Although the two words showed two different aspects of worship, both were right on.

Sean then spoke about the two Greek words used for “word” in the Bible. Logos is the word John uses when he is speaking about Jesus in the beginning of the first chapter - “In the beginning was the WORD and the WORD was with God, and the WORD was God. He was with God in the beginning” (verses 1 & 2). Rhema refers to a literal, spoken, fresh-breathed word from God. This is the Greek word used in Matthew 4:4 – “Jesus answered, ‘It is written: “Man does not live on bread alone, but on every WORD that comes from the mouth of God.”’”

Sean also shared two different versions of the verse that says, “Where there is no vision, the people perish” or “Where there is no revelation, the people cast off restraint” (Proverbs 29:18a). The word “vision” or “revelation” in this verse refers to a divine prophetic revelation. Sean said that without God’s revelation, we do whatever we think is right and often miss what God wants us to be doing. Instead, we should be seeking out God’s word for us each day, just as the people of Israel gathered fresh manna each day and as Jesus consistently spent time with God, receiving directions from the Father (John 5:19, 8:38). Finally, he reminded us that we cannot only read the word of God; we must know the God of the word.

We then took time to sit in silence before God and invite Him to speak to us. After a time, people began to share words and pictures that the Lord had given to them. It was a very meaningful time, followed by a time of ministry and prayer for those who desired it.

Fire Station - By Alicia Kanode

2008-12-19T23:00:00.000-05:00

We met in the Upper Room once again this past Friday night for Fire Station! As we gathered together, Corey, Taylor and Dale led us in a beautiful time of worship. During this time, some people also shared visions/revelations that the Lord had given them. After worship, Sean gave an invitation for people to share testimonies. A number of people did so, sharing stories of how they have seen God working – in their own lives and even at Hershey Park!

Jeff Nolt then spoke about life in the Spirit. He quoted Albert Einstein’s definition of insanity: “doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results.” He shared that he believes we are in the midst of a season of CHANGE in the body of Christ. At the same time, he said that God wants to partner with us to bring revival; He is looking for a people to pray it and believe it.

Finally, he challenged us to care for our spirits like we care for our physical bodies. Some key ways to do this: Eat of God’s word (Matthew 4:4b – “Man does not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.”) Spend time with Him, receiving from Him (1st Corinthians 12:13b – “we were all given the one Spirit to drink.”) Live a lifestyle of confession and repentance (Psalm 139:23 & 24 – “Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. See if there is any offensive way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.”) He also reminded us of the key fact that the Israelites were to gather fresh manna every day. We can’t live on the relationship or experiences of the past.

After he spoke, there was an opportunity given for people to respond to the word that was given and/or to receive prayer. Multiple people were prayed for and a number of us stood in for friends who are struggling with illness. God touched and spoke to many of us. We trust that He will continue to do so as we continue to seek Him together and offer ourselves to Him in order that we may partner with Him in His work. May He receive all praise, honor and glory!

Fire Station ~ by Alicia Kanode

2008-12-05T23:00:00.001-05:00

We had another amazing night at the Fire Station! Karen started us off with prayer and then shared about “open heavens.” She spoke from a number of scriptures, including Genesis 28 and Revelation 4:1-2, about the open heavens that Jacob and John experienced in those two passages. She also shared a quote from a plaque that had been given to her when she was young: “Those that see the invisible can do the impossible.” She closed with 2nd Corinthians 4:18, reminding us to “fix our eyes…on what is unseen,” that we are citizens of heaven, and that we can speak the Kingdom of heaven into the earth.

Austin and Lauren then led us in a powerful time of worship. As we sought to worship and bless God, He also blessed us as we experienced His presence among us! The Lord spoke through Lauren, encouraging us to “linger” in His presence, which we did for some time.

Following worship, Sean spoke about Jesus as “Immanuel – God with us.” He directed our attention to Isaiah 7 and Matthew 1 – the prophecy and fulfillment of Immanuel. Sean explained that Adam and Eve walked in unhindered relationship with God in the Garden of Eden and that Jesus came to restore us to that place of right relationship with God. He also reminded us that not only can we say that God was with us when Jesus walked on the earth, but God is with us even now. As Sean said, “We are walking in a season of God with us.” Sean’s talk spurred some good discussion and dialogue among the group.

Austin and Lauren then led in some more worship as people ministered to one another, fellowshipped and soaked in the presence of the Lord.

The Fire Station is Heating Up!

2008-11-23T22:05:00.005-05:00

Sometimes we make plans and then God changes them. Needless to say His plans are much better. We had several new people with us last night at the Fire Station. We began as normal with an extended time of worship led by Jen and the band.

After about an hour or so we moved into a testimony time. Several people shared about how they had been impacted by the last Fire Station. Karen shared about how God healed her persistent lower back problem (she literally felt like God replaced a vertebra in her back, sweet!). Sean asked for others with back problems to go to the side so that Karen could pray for them to receive the same type of healing.

To our surprise about 60% of the group stood up and went to receive prayer for their backs. Sean shared briefly about God character as seen in His encounter with Moses (Ex. 34). God is good and in the goodness of His nature He likes to see us healed not just spiritually but also mentally and physically as well.

As Sean was sharing God was already at work doing His thing. One woman who had come for the first time had a broken elbow that she injured rollerskating in May of 2008. She testified that while we were sharing about our testimonies and Gods goodness that her elbow began to tingle/burn (as we all know "heat is good"). Jen asked if she could do something she couldn't do before and she told us that the pain was gone and the she could move it freely now. Praise God!

Well this is just one of the many testimonies of How God met people last night. It was just another good night in the Kingdom. If you haven't made it out to a Fire Station yet we would highly recommend coming out and hanging out with us and God. You never know what might happen next.

Harrisburg Discipleship Center YES Teams

2008-11-14T10:00:00.001-05:00

We returned to the Harrisburg Discipleship Training Center last night. We were asked to come and minister prophetically to the YES (Youth Evangelism Service) teams before they leave for their overseas assignments. So we took a great team of Firestarters with us to get the teams fired up.

Jen shared with students from Mat. 10:16 and encouraged them to be as smart, alert and perceptive like snakes and as innocent, pure and unmixed with the world like a peaceful, restful dove. She encouraged them to stay unified as they go. Sean shared from Luke 9 & 10 about the power & authority that Jesus sends us out with and the need for the power of the Holy Spirit. The ministry team then prayed over each team.

Austin & Lauren kept a steady stream of worship going while the ministry teams spent time praying for each of the outreach teams. It was encouraging to see the teams grouped together as we prayed for them. We sensed that God was already working His unity into the groups. We were also encouraged by the groups hunger for God and their openness to Him.

Please keep these teams in your prayers as they head out after Thanksgiving to spread the fire of God throughout the world.

Another Outrageous Fire Station!

2008-11-07T09:42:00.002-05:00

We had another tremendous time together on Tonight at the Fire Station! Jen & the Firestarters band kicked it of leading us in an extended time of worship. Jen asked for people to share any words or scriptures that God was putting on our hearts and several people shared. Some of the scriptures shared include; Ps 139:5b, 7-10, Ps 34:4-19, Ps 91, and Is 40. Many of these verses spoke of God presence and His salvation and deliverance, all of which we experienced.

After worship Sean shared about the importance of receiving the power of God's Holy Spirit to equip us to do the tasks He has called us to. He read from Acts 1:4-8 when Jesus commands the disciples to wait for the promise of His Spirit (the baptism of "fire"). Jesus told them the with this "fire" (v.8) they will receive the power to fulfill the commands of Christ (the great commission). Sean then shared about his experience of seeking for more of God and his experience of receiving the "fire" of God's Spirit.

Sean invited people who had never received a deeper revelation of the presence and Spirit of God to come front for prayer. God touched many people as they received a fresh touch from God and revelation from His Spirit. Testimonies are coming in about how people experienced the power of God. Several people experienced physical healing as well! We will be posting some of these testimonies on our web site soon.

It can certainly be said that God showed up, as He likes to do, and made this an outrageous time! We are looking forward to the next Fire Station with much expetation!

Discipleship Ministries Staff Retreat

2008-10-13T17:00:00.005-04:00

We had the privilege of spending time with some pretty awesome folks from Eastern Mennonite Missions's (EMM) Discipleship Ministries (DM) department today. After some shady directions (courtesy of Google) and turning into what looked like a cult like compound (really it was just a farm in the middle of nowhere) we arrived at the "retreat center". The small place had a spectacular view through a wall of windows overlooking a serene pond (which Ryan told us some interesting stories about, TMI - too much info). :>

After introductions, Sean shared some thoughts about being rooted in intimacy with God and checking to make sure that we are not rooted in something else. Thanks to Corey Martin for coming along and leading us in an intense time of worship that really opened up the doors as God began to move. Sean shared a vision that Jen had while praying for this time. (Jen was not feeling well and was not able to come along, she was extremely missed.) Jen's saw a picture of a group of people in a boat going down a river, but the boat got caught on a rock and stopped moving forward. We believe this picture means (at least in part) that God is encouraging us that even if we are in the "river of His Spirit" we need to make sure we don't get caught up on things along the way. Specifically we sensed one of the "rocks" we can get caught on is "unbelief".

Joanie Nissley shared with me a word about people wanting to be released in the joy of the Lord (Mal 4:2 confirmed this word). These words opened up the door for us to pray for several of the DM staff. It was an exciting time as everyone pressed in and shared the word of the Lord with each other.

I (Sean) was particularly impressed with the hunger and passion that I sensed from the DM staff as well as their openness and humility. I was also blessed to have the awesome support of Jason & Joanie and Correy. Thanks everyone who also prayed with us for this time. It was truly and awesome experience.

Harrisburg Discipleship Center

2008-10-05T23:00:00.000-04:00

A team of Firestarters volunteers traveled to Harrisburg tonight to serve at a missionary training base there named "The Harrisburg Discipleship Center" or HDC. HDC is a ministry of Discipleship Ministries, which is associated with Eastern Mennonite Missions.

The staff and students gathered at around 7:00pm to meet with us. We were asked to do an evening of "prophetic ministry," while keeping it "low-key" since some in the group may never have experienced anything like this before. We were planning to do some impromptu (or prophetic) worship and pretty basic sharing and teaching, intending to keep it "low-key" as we were asked to do.

Well, we started off according to plan - with Sean sharing about having our roots deep in relationship with God. And Jen shared breifly about what "prophetic ministry" is. Jen then explained that one part of prophetic ministry is prophetic worship - and this concept is actually right there in the Greek definition of the root word meaning "prophecy" in the New Testament.

We were not sure how the group would respond to prophetic worship, so we started "slow" but they didn't keep up with our pace at all. :> They went deep and FAST! We spent the rest of the night trying to figure out how to keep up with them!

The students just seemed like sponges in God's presence, soaking up His peace and joy, scribbling His revelations in their journals, ministering and encouraging one another. We spent most of the evening simply worshipping God and being with him together.

Then we noticed it was getting late, so we asked one of the HDC staff if we should go ahead and dismiss and welcome any who would like prayer to stick around. They ok-ed this plan and we proceeded to "dismiss"... Well, dismissals only work if people actually want to leave! Many students stayed and more than we imagined waited until quite late to recieve prayer. We witnessed God bring breakthroughs and we saw many students being very encouraged.

We were inspired by this group's desire for God and we hope we were a blessing and inspiration to them too! We look forward to going back to HDC in November to minister to them one more time before they leave for outreach.

The First Fire Station!

2008-10-03T23:00:00.003-04:00

Tonight we had our FIRST Fire Station meeting at the Upper Room in Landisville, PA. Thanks to our friends, the Benner family, for letting us use this wonderful facility!

For months now we have been hearing people share their desire for in depth teaching and personal ministry opportunities... And we believe this is the right season for us to start offering these things to those in the area who are interested.

Our first Fire Station was a lot of fun with a little over an hour of worship. We call this type of worship "soaking" worship and by that we mean - worship that allows you some time to focus in and "soak" in God's presence. The band gelled wonderfully during this impromptu time of being with God.

During worship two people's throats started hurting badly and it ended up being a word of knowledge for someone there who had a problem with her throat starting to hurt terribly right before she led worship. Later we realized that both of the other people who got the word of knowledge for this person were also worship leaders. We took time to pray for this person and they felt a release in their throat. We also prayed for another person who had a throat virus.

Sean shared about making sure our "root" is intimacy with God. If our foundation (or root) is anything else - we will be easily shaken in our Christian life. We took time looking into God's written word to see this concept so clearly in John 15:5. We spent some time searching our hearts, asking God what our root really is.

We ended with a time of hanging out, drinking coffee, and eating a ton of snack food. :> It was a great night - and one I find myself thinking back on often and being inspired by the things I learned and witnessed.

We look forward to more times of growth and "refueling" together at November's Fire Station meetings!

Fire Station Coming

2008-09-24T13:40:00.003-04:00

For the past two months we have been asking God to make clear His vision for Firestarters in this next season. When Firestarters launched this past spring we started out doing a lot of events in churches. And these evnts were focused on young adults. We still plan to do more events of this nature, but we did not believe God wanted Firestarters to be limited to only doing this particular type of event.

So after praying and fasting, we believe God gave us a vision for "The Fire Station." This will be a place where people in the area can come to simply be spiritually fueled up.

There will be soaking worship, and by that we mean worship that will last for quite a while so that people can bask and soak in God's presense.

There will be kingdom ministry training. By this we mean the teaching will be intended to train people up for kingdom ministry. Some teaching will be live, some by us, some by guest speakers. And some teaching will be projected by a video projector so we can have "guests" like Randy Clark and Bill Johnson via video.

And there will be opportunities for personal ministry for those who desire it.

Feel free to drop by and check it out! All are welcome.

Firestarters at Gateway House of Prayer

2008-08-23T23:00:00.003-04:00

We had a great time tonight from 6-8pm at Gateway, a place where worship and intercession are offered to God 24/7. Jen led the Firestarters band in worship and together we enjoyed "just being" with God and with each other.

Psalm 91:1-2 were theme verses during this time. Dwelling in God's house, enjoying his presence, having his resources at hand, and experiencing his protection were focused on quite a bit during the beginning of the evening. Jen then sensed that we were to pray for people in the room who needed breakthrough (physical, emotional, spiritual...). Vaious people responded saying they need breakthrough, and others gathered around them and prayed for them.

Then we turned our focus towards intercesstion and began to pray for breakthrough for Lancaster county. We prayed for revival, for a revelation of Jesus Christ, for unity in the churches, for pastors and leaders, for those in ministry who are tired to be refreshed, and for prodicals to come home, among many other things. At one point Jen sensed the Lord was guiding us to gather in groups and pray for each other, confessing our own sins, and praying that these sins will be abolished in this region.

At the very end of our time Jen believed she was to invite testimonies to be shared. One person testified of a healing God had done recently. Another person experienced God filling them up during our time together. Someone shared that they had come with bitterness and anger about something and during the evening they literally felt it come off of their shoulders. Various other testimonies were given and it was fun to hear people excited to give God glory and praise in this way.

It seems that Gateway House of Prayer acts somewhat like a telescope, helping people to focus in on the reality of God's presence. A telescope is definted as "an arrangement of lenses or mirrors or both that gathers visible light, permitting direct observation..." Here in this worship and prayer bathed place, it seems that God's heart easily comes into focus.

Firestarters Ignited Event

2008-07-26T11:59:00.001-04:00

Thanks, Joe, Rich and the other Mount Joy Mennonite pastors, leaders and church members for your warm hospitality and willingness to allow Firestarters to meet in your facility over the summer months!

Before this particular event God told one of our staff members that this event would be a "surprize." And she sensed a lot of momentum. Well, she was right on! We were suprized when hardly anyone showed up, even though this was the most advertized event we have done so far. There were maybe 35 - 40 people there and about half of them were our staff. But God had prepared us for this and beforehand He had told us not to worry about how many people came. He said "You will be a burning bush for some Moseses tonight." And so we were.

Jen started things off talking about worship that pleases God. She read about the "sinful" woman who poured perfume on Jesus' feet and washed them with her tears. God wants true worship and we should be careful not to judge others' worship around us (as Simon the leper and the disciples did with this woman). We had an awesome time of worship together afterwards!

Then Sean taught about passion, purpose and destiny. He challenged us all to not settle for mediocrity when God wants us to pursue the purposes that He has put on our hearts. He spoke with resolve and passion, reguardless of his small audience. Later we heard how lifechanging this message had been for some listening.

At around 9:00/9:30pm we invited anyone who desired it up to be prayed for. No one came, so we dismissed everyone and continued to worship for a while, determined to be that "burning bush" even if just for a few. A few people left, but most just stayed sitting in their seats, as though waiting for a Holy Spirit oencore. Then one by one people started to come to the altar for prayer for passion, purpose and destiny to be fully released in their lives until all 6 ministry team members were praying with people with others still waiting for prayer.

By 11:00pm many people were still there worshipping and praying together, most of them staff at this point. God was giving prophetic words and one staff member testify of being healed of Asthma! She had been prayed for at a Firestarters staff meeting a few weeks ago and since then has not needed her inhaler!

God truly prepared us for this night and what He told us came to pass. We were suprized as God said we would be. We sensed we were a "burning bush" and several "Moseses" in training were there. And there was an amazing amount of momentum, especially amoung the staff! Completely unfazed by the shallow turn out, 2 more people joined Firestarters volunteer staff at this event!

Firestarters at HDC

2008-06-30T23:52:00.001-04:00

We had a good night at the Harrisburg Discipleship Center (HDC) last night. Thanks to Chris for allowing us to come and share with you all. Thanks as well to Rachel for initiating our visit. We met at Loren & Doreen's house which was great and even better they had COFFEE, Starbucks too! (You guys rock, not just because of the coffee but that defiantly helps.)

We were impressed by the "swording" ability of the HDC staff - who can find the verse first? Jen started off by talking about what Jesus said in Luke 11 - when he encouraged the disciples to ask for the Holy Spirit and be confidant that God will answer. She encouraged us to resist unbelief and to give God glory at every opportunity.

Sean shared some thoughts from the life of Jesus. Not "What would Jesus do?" but "What DID Jesus do?" To answer that question we took a look at several verses where Jesus sent out His disciples and gave them the power and the authority to do the very things that He was doing. Sean challenged the group about expecting God to do powerful things when we pray. We also talked about being aware of that "inner voice" the voice of Gods Spirit within us. Just like the many radio and TV waves that surround us but we can not see or hear them so God's Spirit is constantly speaking to us as we become more aware.

We ended the night by praying for anyone who wanted prayer. We started off praying for the long term staff, then got to pray for the K Team summer staff also. It was encouraging to hear how many people experienced God speaking specific and meaningful words to them during this prayer time. We even witnessed an instant physical healing of a shoulder injury! One thing that was really cool was to see the staff praying for each other and being used of God powerfully.

We had a great time with you guys and hope to see you all again soon!

Firestarters at MJMC

2008-06-29T23:55:00.004-04:00

Thank you Mount Joy Mennonite Church (MJMC) for opening up your facility for our Firestarters event tonight! We had a great night of worship and ministry. We started off "getting comfortable" in worship by praising and singing for about an hour and a half. During this time there was a lot of prophetic ministry going on. God was encouraging those who feel like roses in the desert (dry places) and saying He was bringing his rain over them. (It was cool that the Intercession team had a sense that God was bringing a cloud over the building (a good cloud symbolizing refreshing or shade) - and then it started literally raining outside!)

Sean taught on the reality of the kingdom of heaven being more real than what we physically see with our eyes... He talked about power and authority and about how Jesus commissioned us to operate in both power and authority.

At one point we asked everyone in Generation X (approximately 1965 - 1980) to stand and we spoke blessings over them. We then asked all of them who believed that God has called them into ministry to stay standing and EVERY SINGLE ONE STAYED STANDING! This is confirming our belief that God has a strong ministry call on those in Generation X.

While we were busy praying for Generation X - we looked over and saw that Generation Y had "stormed the altar!" ;> We really see the passion and exuberance of God over this vibrant young generation. Awesome!! God is going to use you guys powerfully! We enjoyed meeting some new young adult friends from other churches in the area.

Thank you God for a night of salvation, rededication, refreshing and healing. Let it spread!

We would enjoy hearing about what God did in your life during this event. Leave your comments below...

Firestarters at Mount Joy Mennonite Church

2008-05-26T16:20:00.005-04:00

Our time at Mount Joy Mennonite Church can only be described as Powerful! There was much anticipation heading into this event with pastor Joe preaching on Sunday morning from Acts 2 about the outpouring of the Holy Spirit (the baptism of Fire). One song into worship and Jen sensed that it was time to begin praying for people. The first person we prayed for was instantly healed of a shoulder injury (rotator cuff). Always a good way to start off a meeting! Many other healings were testified to including hip pain, heart and diabetes issues, bipolar and others. (Please leave a comment if you were one of the people who experienced God's touch this night. We would like to hear it first hand.)

We had some more worship then Jen shared from Luke 11 about how we need to be persistent when we ask God for the Holy Spirit remembering that God's promise to us is that He will "give the Holy Spirit to those who ask Him!" John Ritrovato then talked about the power of the gospel of the Kingdom that brings salvation, healing and deliverance. (John and his wife Kristine win the prize for coming the farthest for this meeting - all the way from Bill Johnson's church in Bethel, CA! Thanks John and Kristine for coming!)

There was an invitation for people to receive a fresh impartation of God's Holy Spirit which many people came to the front of the church to receive. God did some great things in people during this time.

If God blessed you during this night please leave us a comment describing how God met you.

Firstarters at Marietta Community Chapel

2008-04-26T16:58:00.005-04:00

We had a smaller turnout for this event so we took full advantage of the intimate setting this created and we experienced a powerful time of worship, ministry & intercession. We appreciated having all three of Marietta Chapel's pastors at this event! We sensed the spiritual atmosphere of hopelessness and oppression that often affects the Marietta area. We were "plowing" pretty hard at this event, but in the end had some amazing breakthroughs!

After a time of worship and a word brought by Sean Achey about signs that mark revival, we had a time of breaking word curses over our lives. Word curses are words that we speak over ourselves, or others speak over us, that are not part of God's will for our lives. We prayed for several people and saw God bring both physical and emotional healings. I will let those blessed by this time speak for themselves. (Post comments below)

Toward the end of the night we had a time of worship and intercession where we saw and felt a breakthrough of freedom come. There was much dancing and praising as we broke through the strongholds that seemed to grip the area. The breakthrough affected even the physical realm! Right around the time we finally sensed the breakthroughs in intercession, there was an electrical storm directly over the church! Later, we got reports that this "freak electrical storm" seemed to be isolated over Marietta. Coincidence... We think not!

Firestarters at East Petersburg Mennonite Church

2008-03-30T16:40:00.003-04:00

We had a great kick-off event at East Petersburg Mennonite Church. Thanks to Bob & Sharron Hess and the East Petersburg leadership for their invitation and warm hospitality. We had a good time of worship led by Jen Achey and a special time of generational reconciliation sparked by Rich Winney (who repented on behalf of the boomer generation to the younger generation X and Y) and John Ritrovato (who repented on behalf of the younger generations for rebellion and an independent spirit). Both generations then prayed for and blessed each other. Powerful!!

There were also at least 5 salvations or re-dedications. We prayed for several people for physical healing and have had several reports of Gods lasting fruit from these prayers. (If God healed you during this event please leave your comments bellow!)

We then gave an opportunity for anyone who was hungry for God to come up for prayer. At first a few people came up, then gradually the front of the church was full of people just enjoying God's presence and receiving prayer. Our ministry team actually had to step over people to get around up there!

The event lasted 'till well after midnight. Quite a few people have verbally testified to us that they experienced the power of God's Holy Spirit in a new way or for the first time at this event. We had several guests ministering with us including Jen's brother, John Ritrovato, and his wife Christine, along with Art & Miriam Remington. Thanks for participating, guys!

If you would like to share what God did in your life through this event please leave your comments here.

Fan the Flame!
Firestarters Staff