Revival Prayer Movement and pray for "repentance of the government" to transform the ex-Communist nation for Christ, a main organizer confirmed Sunday, June 19.
Organizer Tamas S. Kiss said over 1,000 Christian believers, including church leaders and at least one politician, made the decision Saturday during a massive "historic" meeting in Budapest’s main indoor sports hall. Gospel groups singing "revival" songs that could be heard from far away, accompanied the event.
"Already for two years Christians were praying for this to happen, for instance during weekly prayer sessions in parliament. Now we are collecting prayer worriers from all churches, such as Catholics as well as people from different Protestant denominations, including Baptists," Kiss told BosNewsLife.
Kiss said the National Revival Prayer Movement will also pray "for the current Socialist-led government to repent," following several financial wrongdoing scandals in which allegedly one or more politicians were involved. "What we would like to see is a Christ-centered government to lead Hungary into a new direction. So far Hungary never had a real Christian government. We are not praying for a particular party to win next year’s election. Jesus never spoke of left or right governments."
LONGING FOR REVIVAL
He said mainly Catholic Hungary is "longing for a Christian revival" on all levels at a time when the country has one of the highest suicide rates in the world. "Many people are depressed. It is one thing to say we have 60 percent Catholics here. But very few people have experienced the joy of Jesus Christ in a personal relationship with Him. Hungary is a religious country, not a Christian nation. Only one percent of Hungarians are ‘born-again’ Christians," he added.
Some reportedly joined that group of ‘born-again’ believers Saturday, June 18, when they accepted Christ as their Personal Savior and Lord. In addition hundreds of Christians participating in the National Revival Prayer Movement came forward to the altar to "renew their faith in Christ," said Kiss, who is also a founding member of one of Hungary’s fastest growing evangelical churches, the Agape Church.
The Agape Church began in 1995 in an old supermarket and grew into a network of a dozen satellite congregations across Hungary with close to 1,000 members. Its pastor, Istvan Perjesi, told participants that Hungary needs a new spiritual climate. There has been concern among Christians about centuries old occult activities in Hungary, including those of a recently recognized witch church.
DREAMS AND VISIONS
"When I was in Mexico, the Lord gave me dreams and visions every night. When I returned to Hungary, I never had such dreams," he said. He added that the Bible shows that when Christians "cry out to God", He will listen, as was the case with Israelis. "When someone woke up and Israelis after many years cried out to God, He delivered them from their occupiers and problems," the pastor explained.
The National Revival Prayer Movement continued work Sunday, June 19, with a 24-hour network of prayer partners. "People are praying around the clock for a revival in Hungary," explained Kiss. 40-year old Gizella Kraft-Kiss, who is among those praying, described the new movement as "a beginning of change" and called Saturday’s gathering where it was launched "a breakthrough meeting."
"I knew this is a once in a-life-time event," she said. Preachers from several European nations also expressed support for the prayer initiative. Organizers said the Bible often mentions the importance of prayer. Their favorite text mentioned during the meeting was 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18: "Be joyful always; pray continually; give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus." (With BosNewsLife Research)
