I am honored to be representing South Carolina’s Third Congressional District as an alternate delegate at the Republican National Convention starting Sunday.  While I believe selecting the right leadership to be our Commander in Chief is critically important, I believe there is another, more important event taking place in Cleveland this weekend – The Response.  Details can be found at www.TheResponseUSA.com.

The best way to explain this weekend’s time of corporate prayer, fasting and worship, is to share my experience at The Response South Carolina in Charleston in June 2015, which actually took place the Saturday before the Charleston tragedy last year.

I estimate between 4,000 – 7,000 individuals gathered in Charleston on Saturday June 13^th to simply petition our heavenly father to work His plan in our nation.  The six-hour event was divided into five specific areas, where the crowd individually and corporately prayed for each of these items to take place in our individual lives, the lives of our families, our local communities and our country:

• Repentance
• Reconciliation
• Revival
• Reformation
• Refreshing belief in Jesus Christ

At the outset, the leader said (I am paraphrasing), “Heaven is going to look like this – a coat of many colors: all races will be present, all ages will be present, and all socio-economic statuses we experience on earth will be present.  We are asking everyone to come into this place in a spirit of worship – to leave your titles, your accomplishments, your organizations, and your agenda’s outside this place.  Today we are simply here to see what God has for us, as we divide the day up into these five categories.

It should be noted that the audience was 15 – 20 % black. Those who participated on stage were 35 – 40 % black.  There were numerous Hispanics, as well as other ethnic groups present as well.  I simply give that estimation so you know it was a diverse setting, which is required for the five goals to honestly be attained.  Also, some of the most poignant prayers came from youth and young adults, ages 15 – 25, who were honoring to the older generations but also recognizing how much work is ahead of their generation.  Out of the mouth of babes often comes the greatest wisdom – as they have not yet been conformed to the things which hold us back.

I will try and summarize each point in just a few sentences:

• Repentance: Today our society celebrates that which is evil, and condemns that which is virtuous and we humbly seek forgiveness for allowing this to take place in our culture, on our watch.
• Reconciliation: Today we have allowed our society to become more divided than ever – by age groups, by socio-economic class and by race. We recognize that God created each of us as individuals, with specific gifts and talents to be used to benefit all in society – and we pray for the walls between the generations, between the classes and between the races to be broken.
• Revival: Revival does not happen for unbelievers. It happens within the hearts and communities of those who already call on the name of Jesus Christ.  Our nation is filled with dry bones, and we humbly pray for God to blow a mighty wind on the dry bones of The American Church – to wake us up so that we might be faithful to His calling on our lives, in our families, in our communities, our state and our nation.
• Reformation: We don’t seek the reformation of others – we seek the reformation of our own hearts, families, churches communities, states, and nation – that we might place virtue above all else. Without fixing our own lives, families, and churches first – we cannot have the impact which is required on our culture.
• Refreshing: This was simply a time of praise and worship. Many went to the “mosh pit,” or the front of the room to lift hands, and dance before the Lord.  It truly was a coat of many colors – where the things which divide were not present.

In closing, beginning Sunday, the next two weeks of media will be filled with reporting from the two political conventions, where the nominees for Commander in Chief and Vice President will be selected.  I personally believe for the unity most of us desire in our republic to take place, the steps listed above must take place first.  For more details, please watch the video at www.TheResponseUSA.com, and join the effort, even if it’s from home!

I hope you have a blessed week!

Scott Cooper