Friends, family, supporters, Happy New Year!!!
I have big news to share and celebrate…
Beginning this week, I will be joining staff with International House of Prayer Atlanta as a full-time intercessory missionary.
What is the International House of Prayer Atlanta (IHOP Atlanta)?
IHOP Atlanta consists of three main components: prayer/worship, missions, and church.
The first and central component is 24/7 prayer and worship. For the last thirteen years, nonstop live worship and prayer has been rising before God day and night from IHOP Atlanta. Staff members spend about half their workweek ministering to God in prayer and worship, and then from that place, going out to do the “work” of the ministry.
Secondly, IHOP Atlanta is a missions base, which includes a missions school, for frontier missions. They send missionaries primarily into the 10/40 window, where 83% of unreached people groups live, but where currently only 3% of missionaries go. This missions base and school is very unique being centered around prayer and worship. The aim of the base and the missionaries is first: abide in Him, and second: to finish the mission with Him. I’ve never been a part of missions the way they do it here, and the difference in fruit and sustainability is outstanding.
Thirdly, IHOP Atlanta is merged with New Bridge Church, which focuses on ministering to, equipping, and building up the local body of Christ and reaching the lost in the Atlanta area. IHOP Atlanta seeks to bring the kingdom of God from the local neighborhoods to the nations.
What is an intercessory missionary?
An intercessory missionary can be defined as: one who does the work of the kingdom from the place of prayer and worship, while embracing a missionary lifestyle and focus.
As an intercessory missionary, I will do your more typical ministry “work” within the church and/or missions base (specifics TBD), but prayer will be my primary form of ministry and the place from which other ministry will come out of.
Why intercession?
There have been many experiences, stirrings, and desires that have culminated in this season, all pointing to intercessory missions at IHOP Atlanta.
I’ve known for at least a couple years that I have a gift of or at least heart for intercession. Stories of intercessors in the Bible and principles of prayer have touched my heart in a unique way for a while. While overseas a couple years ago, the Lord began showing me in powerful ways, more and more of my utter inability and His Spirit’s unhindered power. I wrote on my “dreams list” to dedicate at least two years of my life to full-time intercession. At that point, I didn’t even really know what true intercession was or that it could actually be a sustainable job; I just knew I could do more for the world on my knees in prayer to the almighty God than I could do on my feet going and doing apart from the Spirit’s leadership and power.
I’ve never been more convinced of the power of the prayers of saints and the role of prayer in will of God being made manifest on earth as it is in heaven, specifically global worship of Jesus through the gospel being proclaimed to every people group.
In addition to all of this, I’ve started learning some of the rich and beautiful biblical, church, and missions history of perpetual prayer and worship that has wowed me. Many of the largest and farthest reaching missions movements have been birthed from some of the largest prayer movements. I could spend hours sharing about just the bits I have learned.
Furthermore, how I have personally seen God move through the worship and prayers of His people is enough to convince me that it’s not only worth my time and energy, but actually the best thing I could be doing with my life right now to love God, love others, and bring the kingdom of heaven down to earth.
How did I get here? (call and internship)
A year ago, January, I was in FL at a friend’s church, listening to a Nepali missionary I got the privilege of working with on my Race. She was preaching from Mark 14 on the woman at Bethany who anointed Jesus with an entire jar of expensive oil, worth an entire year’s wages. Those around scolded the woman saying, “Why was this oil wasted? It could have been sold and given to the poor.” Jesus responds, “Leave her alone. Why do you trouble her? She has done a beautiful thing… And truly, I say to you, wherever the gospel is proclaimed in the whole world, what she has done will be told in memory of her.”
There is SO much to this passage, but I’ll try to keep it short. Basically what the Spirit spoke to me was the fact that this woman wouldn’t have done what she had if she hadn’t had divine revelation of who Jesus was and that he was absolutely worth “wasting the oil” on, being scolding about neglecting the poor, and her total devotion. Divine revelation leads to radical devotion. And radical devotion leads to radical obedience. I believe that we don’t need to get better at doing what Jesus says; we need greater revelation of who He is and of His great worth; then we will love Him, obey Him, and give anything for Him, including our very lives.
During that message, I was overcome with the desire to “waste” my life on Christ. I melted in His presence and pleaded in my heart, “God, I want to waste my life on you – what do you want me to do? You’re so worthy. You’re so worth every bit of my time, talent, resources – my everything. What can I do? What do you want me to do? You are so worthy. You are so worthy.”
In those moments, I felt like God asked me to start taking a shift a week off work and go to IHOP Atlanta instead. I had never been before and didn’t know what it was. I assumed God was calling me to labor intensely 8 hours a week in prayer and intercession contending for the kingdom of God. So I started going and spending just a couple hours in the prayer room (where the 24/7 worship is) at a time.
Just a few weeks into going, God broke me and said, “Ellie, I just want to BE WITH YOU! From when I laid the foundations of the earth, to my Son dying on the cross, to the Holy Spirit indwelling you, and to eternity of unhindered communion, all I’ve ever wanted is to be with you. Would you stop trying to work for me like a servant and first be with me like a daughter?” Months later He spoke similarly to me, telling me He wants my heart before my work, my love before my labor. He gave me revelation, deep heart knowledge, not just head knowledge that while there is much to be done, He first and ultimately wants my heart.
During one of my weekly visits to the IHOP prayer room, I learned about their internships and felt God calling me to participate. This last fall I interned with them, and in those three months, I encountered God and grew in His Word and with His Spirit in ways I’m not even sure how to articulate. For the first time in my life, I want to give my life to Jesus because I actually LOVE Him; and I don’t just “know”, but I actually believe He is absolutely worth my entire life.
I’m no longer giving Him my life because of religious obligation or fear of what will happen if I don’t or because it seems like a good life pursuit or anything else that has previously fueled my pursuit of Him. Discipline can only take me so far. Fear can only take me so far. Logic can only take me so far. Love for Jesus will take me as far as He beckons me. I know Him and love Him and know that He is wholly love and wholly worth my everything.
This will be my last post through this blog system.
If you’d like to hear more about the House of Prayer or anything else, please let me know – I would love to share!
If you are interested in being a part of the Ministry Partnership Team I will be building in the coming months, please let me know as well. That would bring me much encouragement!
Thank you all SO, SO much for all the love, encouragement, prayers, faith, grace, and support through the Race, CGA, this and everything in between. It’s such a blessing to pursue Jesus with incredible brothers and sisters like y’all. He is so, so worthy of our love and pursuit.
