Introducing Back to the Altar | 100 Days of Prayer
Why do we need “Back to the Altar?”
We are living in a world full of digital distractions, consuming cares, busyness, and broken down altars of worship. If you are feeling in need of a fresh re-boot in your spiritual journey, desiring to rebuild or strengthen your altar of worship, longing for more Holy Spirit revival fire to be poured out on your life, or simply looking for an evangelistic tool to bring others to a deep relationship with Jesus, you’re in the right place. We pray that this Back to the Altar | 100 Days of Prayer revival, with its simple activities and soul challenges, weekly Bible studies and prayer themes will not only draw you closer to Jesus personally but give you practical tools to help in your daily witness.
“Then Elijah said to all the people, ‘Come near to me.’ So all the people came near to him. And he repaired the altar of the LORD [that was] broken down.” 1 Kings 18:30
What happened after Elijah repaired the altar? Fire fell from heaven!
God is waiting to pour out that same Holy Spirit fire today, to set ablaze our hearts, our homes, our communities, our world. The Latter Rain is still to come, but the Holy Spirit is even now being poured out in richer and richer measure. Let’s not miss what God is waiting to do!
Preparing for Revival – Testimony
“It All Started with One Man”
by Mark Finley
“Will You not revive us again, that Your people may rejoice in You?” Ps. 85:6
One of the greatest revivals in history was the Welsh Revival of 1904. Twenty-six-year-old Evan Roberts had been praying for thirteen years that his life would be totally controlled by the Holy Spirit. He pled with God for an undivided heart—a heart totally committed to the kingdom of God.
Evan often prayed late into the night, interceding for the teens and young adults in his church. He prayed regularly that God would visit Wales with revival power. The Welsh Revival began at a youth meeting in Evan Roberts’s own church, Moriah Loughor, when he shared his own experience with God. Evan urged his friends to seek the infilling of God’s Spirit in their own lives. The Holy Spirit touched hearts. Sixteen young people were converted. The sparks of revival begun in this humble village church would ignite flames of revival throughout the country.
It is estimated that within nine months, one hundred thousand people were converted in the tiny country of Wales. The crime rate dropped. Drunkards and prostitutes were transformed by God’s grace. Pubs reported losses. Lloyd George, once prime minister of England, wrote that on one Saturday night at the height of the Welsh Revival one tavern sold only nine cents worth of liquor. Many taverns were transformed into places of prayer.
Political meetings and soccer matches were delayed or even postponed because the churches were packed with praying people. Often these services lasted six to eight hours at a time. Hardened, spiritually calloused Welsh coal miners crowded into these spirit-filled services and returned to the mines changed men. Profanity disappeared from their lips and never returned. It was reported that the pit ponies in the mines failed to understand the commands of these born-again miners who now, without cursing, seemed to speak the language of heaven.
An entire nation was changed because a young man, Evan Roberts, and a group of his young friends took our Lord’s example of passionate intercession seriously.
There is nothing that the church needs more today than genuine spiritual revival. There is nothing that Satan fears more than this promised revival. There is nothing more important for church administrators, pastors, and church members than to seek this revival together. There is no greater priority.
What possibly could be more critical for the people of God than the outpouring of the Holy Spirit in Pentecostal power for the finishing of God’s work on earth? This must be at the top of every board meeting agenda on all levels of church structure. But revival always begins with one man, one woman, one boy, or one girl on his or her knees, seeking God. You can be that one person who is used of God to bring spiritual revival to your home, your church, your school, or your conference.
God’s promise is for you: “If My people who are called by My name will humble themselves, and pray and seek My face, and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin and heal their land” (2 Chron. 7:14).
The greatest revivals in the history of the world have been the result of earnest, heartfelt intercession. The sparks of revival are kindled on the altar of prayer. The New Testament church was bathed in prayer. These early Christians united in world-changing prayer. And their prayers made a difference.
Jesus is our great model in intercession. He regularly retreated to a quiet place to pray and seek God’s strength. He was never too busy to pray. He schedule was never too packed to spend time with His Father in communion. If Jesus, the Divine Son of God, understood that prayer is a necessity, don’t we need prayer much more in our own lives?
Mark Finley is assistant to the General Conference president. This devotional was taken from his well-loved book titled “Revive Us Again.”
Preparing for Revival – Bible Study
Welcome to the Back to the Altar | 100 Days of Prayer Bible study!
You might be wondering, what is Back to the Altar all about? What does it mean practically? Are we talking about building stone altars like in the Bible times? Are we talking about going back to the altar to renew marriage vows?
Let’s watch this introduction video to Back to the Altar.
In summary, the answer to the above questions is both yes and no. We are building altars, but not altars of stone. Back to the Altar is a world-wide Seventh-day Adventist church initiative that started in the heart of one man who wanted to help his family remove distractions and repair the broken down altar of worship in his own home. That’s why we call it a revolution from the inside out.
Today, the vision for Back to the Altar is about making a daily place for God in every heart and in every home. While we are not renewing marriage vows, we are renewing our vows of loyalty and consecration to the King of Kings and Lord of Lord’s—our heavenly Bridegroom.
Jesus longs to be our first love, our true love. He has so much to share with us. He’s just waiting for us to turn our hearts back to Him.
1. Heart Connect
Question to ask yourself: “When you are packing for a long trip, what are 2-3 things that you always want to make sure you take with you?” Write down your answers.
When we are packing for a long trip, we prepare in very practical strategic ways. We have certain things that we always take with us. A similar preparation must take place as we are planning for our journey home to be with Jesus. However, it’s not the material things we are most concerned about taking with us. It is what is in the heart. It is our character.
Do you know Jesus as your very best friend? If He were to come back tomorrow, would you be ready to meet Him face to face?
Psalm 26:2 tells us, “Examine me, O LORD, and prove me; Try my mind and my heart.”
Before we study how to prepare for revival, we need to ask God to examine our hearts and show us our deep need of revival, our true need of Him.
2. Discipleship Survey
Let’s take a moment to watch a short video where one of the Back to the Altar leadership team walks us through a 10-part discipleship survey.
To prepare for this survey, take a blank piece of paper and write the numbers 1-10, from top to bottom. You will put the answer “Yes” or “No” beside each number as a simple discipleship question is asked. Note: Don’t put your name on your paper. Your answers are to be anonymous, just between you and God.
Let’s play the video!
If you are feeling a little a little discouraged after taking that survey, be encouraged. Jesus tells us, “Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick. I did not come to call the righteous, but sinners, to repentance” (Mark 2:17).
“God rejoices to bestow His grace upon us, not because we are worthy, but because we are so utterly unworthy. Our only claim to His mercy is our great need” (Ministry of Healing, p. 161).
It is sinners He came to save. If you recognize that you are a sinner, if you are feeling in need, welcome to the family. You are the perfect candidate for what God has to offer in this Back to the Altar revival.
3. How does God’s Word define true revival?
Let’s pray one more time before we open God’s Word. (Pause to pray!)
Read/Reflect on Joel 2:1 – What is the revival urgency seen in this first passage?
Read/Reflect on Joel 2:12-16 – What do these passages tell us about true revival? What is God asking us to do in a true revival?
Question: What is God speaking to your heart in answer to this revival message found in Joel?
4. Personal Practical Application
Jeremiah 29:13 tells us, “And you will seek Me and find Me, when you search for Me with all your heart?” If we truly want to experience a Back to the Altar revival, we must seek after Jesus with our all our mind, heart, soul, and strength.
Here’s three personal challenges for this first week on our Back to the Altar | 100 Days of Prayer journey!
• 1st Challenge: Start praying daily for God give you a deeper hunger for Him, for His Word, and to help you be ready to meet Him. As you pray, claim Jeremiah 24:7.
• 2nd Challenge: Claim Psalm 139:23-24 as you ask Him to search your heart and reveal anything that might be hindering your heavenward journey. These hindrances could be lifestyle habits, attitudes like selfishness or pride, or perhaps even something material that has taken your heart’s focus off Jesus.
• 3rd Challenge: Ask God to teach you how to slow down and take daily unrushed time in His presence that His Word may be your joy and delight. Claim Jeremiah 15:16.
You are invited to join the General Conference weekly Back to the Altar revival on zoom that takes place every Sunday at 6 A.M. Eastern Standard Time. All are welcome! To get the link and password, register at: www.backtothealtar.org or download the material packet for this week at the end of this study.
Preparing for Revival – Prayer Focus
April 4-10, 2025
Bible Promises to Claim as you Pray
“Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened.” Matt. 7:7-8
“Until now you have asked nothing in My name. Ask, and you will receive, that your joy may be full.” John 16:24
“The love of God is larger, broader, deeper, than human love can possibly be. It is immeasurable.” Christ’s Object Lessons, p. 142
Prayer Focus for Week 1
1. READY: Pray for a deeper heart desire and hunger for Jesus, for His Word, and to be ready to meet Him when He returns. (Claim Jeremiah 24:7.)
2. SEARCH: Pray that God would search your heart and reveal anything that might hinder your heavenward journey. Then confess and repent of any spiritual compromises that He brings to your mind. (Claim Psalm 139:23-24, 1 John 1:9.)
3. PREPARE: Pray that God would reveal His great love to you and prepare your heart for what He’s about to do in your life during this 100 days of prayer. (Claim Romans 5:8, Psalm 10:17.)
4. ACT: Pray that God would help you slow down and re-prioritize your daily life so that you can find unrushed time with Him in His Word and in prayer. (Claim Matthew 6:33, Jeremiah 15:16.)
5. REBUILD: Pray that God would help you, your family members, your friends, and your church repair any broken down altars of worship or build stronger the altars of worship you have. (Claim 1 Kings 18:30, Psalm 95:6.)
6. FOCUS: Pray that God would forgive us as a church family for being distracted by our digital devices, our worldly pursuits, our idle chatter, our gossip and fault-finding, rather than keeping our focus on the one true thing that matters—to abide in Jesus’ presence, and to prepare others for His soon return. (Claim Psalm 27:4, Psalm 16:11.)
7. KEEP ASKING: Pray that the Holy Spirit would be poured out in such rich measure on our church and the upcoming General Conference Session in St. Louis that it would be evident to all watching that Jesus is alive and coming soon! (Claim Luke 11:13.)
Click to download PDF of this week’s testimony and Back to the Altar Bible Study