Azusa Now Aims for Healing and Racial Reconciliation 

Racial Barriers Broken Down as Ethnic Communities Come Together

Pasadena, CA – Azusa Now is a stadium-sized prayer gathering in which many diverse ethnic communities will come together en mass to worship and celebrate the unifying power of Jesus Christ at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum on April 9, 2016.

As the collaborative effort continues to spread across Los Angeles, over a thousand churches and organizations now share the mission of unity. In the atmosphere of prayer and worship, a major goal of Azusa Now is to see racial barriers dissolve in the love of God. Organizers believe this could form a model of healing for both California and the nation.

According to Rachel Holden, CEO of TheCall, the Pasadena-based host of Azusa Now, “One of our goals for this gathering is to begin to repair the pain, wounds and division among different nationalities, denominations and backgrounds throughout the body of Christ. We want to humbly learn to bless our differences while joining together for worship and the proclamation of the Gospel. Our daring hope for Azusa Now is that the body of Christ would begin, even in a small way, to fulfill the great prayer of Jesus in John 17, to make us one as He is one.”

Leaders from across the ethnic spectrum are talking about the unity brought together by the event.

Apostle Fred Berry of the Azusa Street Mission testifies, “Azusa Now is celebrating the legacy of William J. Seymour who broke the barrier on race relations in Los Angeles before Martin Luther King ever lived. He was a pioneer who led the first modern multicultural experiment. We celebrate Lou Engle and the Azusa Now team for living a lifestyle of reconciliation! I can testify that Lou took the giant step to call and reconcile with me after many years of disconnection! The application of the blood of Jesus to our hearts exemplifies the message from the Azusa Street Revival of 1906: ‘The color line is washed away in the blood of Jesus.’ My prayer for Azusa Now is to make us one in the name of Jesus!”

According to Gabe Ahn, Senior Pastor and Executive Producer at HRock Church, “One of the greatest attributes of TheCall is its priority for racial reconciliation. I have witnessed, time and time again, “the call” to unite ethnicities together, which is not just prayed, but rather, displayed before, during, and after each event. I’m looking forward to seeing the body of Christ unite again on April 9, 2016 at Azusa Now, knowing that unity is always a precursor to Revival. Now, more than ever, we

need to stand together as one, reminding ourselves that there is no color line in heaven. It’s time to bring that truth to Earth.”

Luis Cataldo, Director of Missions for the International House of Prayer-Kansas City, added “What excites me about Azusa Now is the biblically-grounded, shared experience we can engage in across all denominations, ethnicities and generations. I’m aware of our differences, but as a Hispanic leader, I know I have more in common with everyone who is trying to follow Jesus and walk in unity and humility, than I have with anyone who is not. I’m all in!”

Shawn Bolz, Producer, Pastor and Author at Bolz Ministries, also commented “Azuza Now represents an injection of miraculous faith into the whole body of Christ during one of the most critical times in history. It’s amazing to gather all of these believers from different backgrounds who are believing that Christianity is going to make a transformational difference on the Earth right now. We get to focus and respond together about what God is doing, as well as what He wants to do. Never in my lifetime has there been a gathering like this with the intention to bring a wholehearted agreement for God to manifest his great love nature on the earth across denominations, races and countries.”

Historically, one of the most startling evidences that the original 1906 Azusa Street Revival was a true move of God was the profound sense of love and racial harmony that unexpectedly bonded African-, Asian-, Hispanic- and Anglo-Americans together during a deeply segregated period of American history. Azusa Now hopes to restore this rich legacy of Christian friendship and blessing by turning hearts toward one another as a counter-cultural response to the deepening trends of divisiveness and rancor in the ethnic, political and socio-economic spheres of our nation.

Those wanting to volunteer or participate in this gathering can find more information at www.AzusaNow2016.com.

###