by Rebecca Montgomery | Oct 3, 2013 | 24/7 worship, house of prayer, News Update
In the midst of the government shutdown Jesus is still moving! David’s Tent is still open and the song is still going on. It’s been a wild couple of days as the entire National Mall is barricaded off and shut down except for our event on the Ellipse. But through it all God is moving and drawing people to himself!
On Monday night one of our staff led a tourist from New Zealand to the Lord. He had come to the tent the day before and encountered Jesus but wasn’t ready to give his life to Him. He came back the next day, spent some time worshipping with us in the tent and gave his life to the Lord that night! The presence of the Lord is truly drawing people in and transforming their lives. This testimony was super encouraging to our team and I hope it will be to you as well! When we enthrone Jesus on our praises He comes and He changes things! I believe that this testimony is an encouragement to all of us that God is moving even as we lift His name up in the center of our nation’s capital.
Things are going well here at the tent. Worshippers continue to come from all over the nation to worship with us and the presence of the Lord just keeps getting sweeter. If you’re not already following us on Instagram, you can follow us at: davidstentdc. We’ll be posting live photos and videos from the worship sets around the clock. It’s a great way to see what’s going on at David’s Tent right then!
Please continue to keep David’s Tent in your prayers and covering our staff with prayer! We need it! :)
Rebecca Montgomery
by Rebecca Montgomery | Oct 1, 2013 | 24/7 worship, house of prayer, News Update
Dear Friends,
I am learning every day to never take Davids Tent for granted. David’s Tent DC is on the WhiteHouse Ellipse which is technically a
National Park. As the Government begins to shutdown, National Parks across the nation are closing and requiring all to leaveSo whatwill happen with David’s Tent? We are now in the midst of the 7th day, about 160 hours into this 1000 hour love song. Last night I had a “on my knees” moment as I came to the reality that I may need to go to back-up plans if we get kicked off the Ellipse.
This morning we received word from the National Park Service (NPS), that so far, we can remain! Praise God! Again, in technicality, we are permitted as a 1st amendment* religious demonstration. Therefore, we not only have permission, but (it seems) we have a right to do David’s Tent. We will now be supervised by the Secret Service, as all the NPS staff are off until further notice.
So the Government shuts down…. But the Song goes on! Praise the Lord! **
We will do all we can to keep the song rising as incense to the Lord. As all this is going on in DC, in the midst of David’s Tent, I’ve been been reminded that we are in a spiritual war, not a battle of flesh and blood. As you pray for Washington, DC and Davids Tent, please email us the prayers, scriptures and what you are receiving from the Lord! We love to hear from you! Thank you for keeping us girded up in prayer and encouragement! Come worship with us!
For the Glory of Jesus,
Jason Hershey
*The first amendment of the U.S. Constitution: Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.
**Revelation paints a great picture of the reign of Jesus. The King on the throne, with elders, angels, living creatures and people from all nations gathered around! They have their harps of worship and bowls of prayers! The four living creatures never stop saying, “Holy holy holy is the Lord God Almighty, who was and is and is to come.” The governmental cabinet meeting of the King of Kings is a worship and prayer service that never stops! This is part of what drives me to contend for 24/7/365 worship in Washington DC. We want the government of God, the Kingdom of Heaven, released in this city. We know the inner circle generator of all we do in the Kingdom is worship and prayer! His Kingdom will never shut down!
by Rebecca Montgomery | Sep 29, 2013 | 24/7 worship, house of prayer, News Update
“One thing I ask from the LORD, this only do I seek: that I may dwell in the house of the LORD all the days of my life, to gaze on the beauty of the LORD and to seek him in his temple.” Psalm 27:4
“How good and pleasant it is when God’s people live together in unity! ….For there the Lord bestows his blessing, even life forevermore.” Psalm 133: 1, 3b
Unified praise is powerful. When the people of God come together to worship across denominational lines, across state lines and beyond our own church walls something shifts in the spiritual realm. No matter our backgrounds or church denominations we can all agree on this one thing–Jesus is worthy of our worship.
Last year the unity that I saw at David’s Tent was astounding. We had gospel choirs, punk rock groups, singer songwriters and hymn-sings. We had people from all denominations and organizations and the unity that was displayed was unlike anything I’ve ever seen. This year we’re seeing the exact same thing. Yesterday afternoon a “go-go” band led worship. Go-Go is often called the sound of DC. t’s a style that’s characterized by a drum beat that just never stops going! Go-Go bands are notorious for playing for 4, 6, 8 hours at a time without stopping. How fitting for an event where the music just keeps going for 1,000 hours!
The diversity in musical styles and denominations does nothing to hinder our unity, it only adds to it! I once heard it said that unity without diversity isn’t unity, it’s conformity. It’s true!
“1 I rejoiced with those who said to me, “Let us go to the house of the Lord.”….4 That is where the tribes go up—the tribes of the Lord—to praise the name of the Lord according to the statute given to Israel 5 There stand the thrones for judgment, the thrones of the house of David.” Psalm 122: 1, 4-5
I love how it first states that Jerusalem is the place where the tribes go up to worship, and secondly the place of government. Now that’s making Jesus central! In the same way, we believe that Washington, DC, the governmental seat of America, is also the place where the tribes of America should come up to worship! The worship capital and the governmental capital! Come up and worship with us this fall through Nov. 5th.
Rebecca Montgomery
by Rebecca Montgomery | Sep 28, 2013 | 24/7 worship, house of prayer, News Update
The White House Ellipse has become a place of refuge for my soul. As soon I walk onto the land I feel at peace. The presence of God rests there and I can feel Him all around me.
One of my favorite things so far has been watching how the presence of the Lord draws people in. Yesterday a couple of girls were walking by and had no clue what we were doing. They just heard the music and felt God’s presence so strongly they had to find out what was happening. They were spirit-filled Christians and after talking to us, promptly signed up to lead worship at the tent the next morning before they left town! God is so good.
Over the past few days I’ve had the opportunity to share what we’re doing with tons of people that stop by as we’re worshipping. Everyone from government employees, to tourists, and locals seem curious about what we’re doing. I would be too if I didn’t know why there was a massive white tent on the ellipse! It’s incredible to see how many go beyond just stopping by and actually stay in the presence of the Lord, encountering Jesus.
Last year we had several people get healed as they were worshipping in the tent. They could barely walk as they entered the tent. But after worship they didn’t just walk out, they danced out completely healed! That’s the kind of thing that I’m praying for! The presence of the Lord is transformative. It sets the captives free, heals the sick, saves the lost and revives the saved. As we enthrone Jesus on our praises, His presence comes and the people around start getting touched by the Lord. That’s the beauty of an outdoor worship event. There aren’t any walls. Everyone can come freely and stay as long as they like and meet with Jesus. Please join your prayers with mine and pray that the presence of the Lord would continue to increase and people would encounter Jesus every time they step foot into the tent. We just want to see His face!
Rebecca Montgomery
by Rebecca Montgomery | Sep 25, 2013 | 24/7 worship, house of prayer, News Update
Last night at 7 pm we began our 1,000 hours of continuous love songs to Jesus on the White House Ellipse. The presence of the Lord was so sweet last night. Around 200 people came to the kick-off last night and worship just erupted in the tent last night! There was no sense of having to “press in” or work towards a breakthrough, there was just the presence of the Lord. Worship was simply the natural response to his presence and His goodness.
Last year our staff had to learn an entirely new skill set—-how to run a 40 day event on the White House Ellipse. It was completely unprecedented, there was no manual for it, we just had to figure it out as we went along. In the same way that when you’re learning an instrument you have to learn a few chords before you can let your heart truly soar in worship to the Lord, our staff was learning a new “instrument” last year. We were learning administratively how to run the event and although everything was being done as worship to Jesus, there’s definitely been a new grace on this year’s event. I don’t even know how to explain it except to tell you that I encountered the presence of the Lord more in the first two hours of David’s Tent this year than I did during the 40 days last year combined. That’s not to say that God’s presence wasn’t with us last year, it totally was, don’t get me wrong. It’s just that there’s a newness, a grace and a sense of His presence having been poured out on us this year. The hunger for God and adoration for Jesus in the Tent was tangible. As soon as the band started playing people fell straight into worship. Honestly, I can’t wait to get back there tonight.
I filmed a short video of Fredericksburg Prayer Furnace leading worship for us last night. Here it is!
I invite you all to come and join us this fall at David’s Tent DC. You won’t regret it! Jesus is here and He’s worthy to be praised! Come and sing your song as a part of our 1,000 hours of unbroken praise.
Rebecca Montgomery
by Rebecca Montgomery | Sep 23, 2013 | 24/7 worship, house of prayer, News Update
Today is set-up day for David’s Tent DC. All day we’ve had our vendors come in and set up the tent and drop off porta-potties and sound equipment. I’ve been here at the White House ellipse all day, and it’s been incredible to watch the transformation. When we started this morning we just had a dream and a patch of grass in front of the White House, and now we’re almost ready to kick-off tomorrow night at 7 pm. We’re still putting the pieces together, but now everything we need to do that is here at the Ellipse!
Here are some pictures of the transformation:
The flooring being laid down. The truck arriving to unload the tent!
The President flying in overhead! The Tent being set up.
Here it is ladies and gentlemen: David’s Tent DC.
Join us tomorrow night for the kick-off of David’s Tent DC at 7 pm. We’ll start the 1,000 hour love song to Jesus with David Bradshaw with Fredericksburg Prayer Furnace leading worship. It’s sure to be a fantastic time with Jesus!
Rebecca Montgomery
