by Jason Hershey | May 20, 2016 | 24/7 worship, community, house of prayer, jason, News Update
Yesterday was day 250 since we kicked off David’s Tent DC on September 11, 2015. It’s also day 250 of a community of staff that lived in communal housing growing up together in the love of Jesus. I want to draw this blogs attention to the latter.
I sense the Father’s watchful, hopeful eyes on this group of full-time staff that have created a backbone that the 350+ other worship teams could build upon in the last 250 days.
It’s been very clear from the beginning that our primary motivator for doing David’s Tent is simply the worthiness of Jesus, as an offering to Him. We have fought hard (sometimes losing) to mobilize without using the common candies of the “significance of thisone,” popularity of men, desperation of America, or promise of blessing as the reasons for mobilizing our nation to this perpetual gathering in DC. The driving question has been, “Will America respond to simply the worth of God?”
And yet, I do believe, that if our motives are right, 24/7 worship and prayer in our Capital will release a great spiritual breakthrough in the United States, a great blessing to give back to the Lord. America is in fact in need of that! Day and night worship and prayer is a spiritual weapon (bombs away!) that does in fact demolish strongholds that set themselves up against the knowledge of God.
Meanwhile, in the inner city of Washington, behind the scenes of David’s Tent DC, there is another spiritual uranium beginning to be enriched each day, radiating the authentic glory of Jesus. The full time staff live in 4 community houses of 8-10 staff in each house. Each house has a married couple as the house leaders, with a bunch of singles. The community/discipleship house model was adopted to house the staff primarily out of economic reasons. How do a bunch of unemployed full-time volunteer missionaries live in a city that’s so expensive?
What I’m finding, is that we unintentionally stumbled upon a treasure!
“Yoooooooooooooooooooooooooooo! What’s this?!”
The Kingdom is advancing in these united communities. I will dare to say that I’m witnessing a bond of friendship and love growing that few truly taste in the western church that so treasures our personal space at the expense of real heart connection. We bring in a teacher one week per month to impart into us to keep us from getting isolated as a whole community and keep us growing. We are all being fashioned into children worthy of the Father’s call. It’s been glorious!
I don’t want to make the impression that it’s all roses and no thorns though. Community living should not be over-romanticized, nor should it be avoided like the plague. Like any cross, it leads to true rewards. God is at work in the lives of our staff. I’m watching all of us being changed day by day, more into the likeness of Jesus. In the rubbings, testings and real workings out of personality conflicts is coming a community that is becoming truly one in real fellowship with one another that care deeply about each other’s heart status.
This stokes my jets equally as much at the 24/7 worship tent downtown. Let me tell you why.
Ephesians 3:10 says “His intent was that now, through the church, the manifold wisdom of God should be made known to the rulers and authorities in the heavenly realms.”
When the true church arises in real fellowship with one another, as one unified body of Christ, having laid hold of the gift of an unoffendable heart, and loving one another with agape love birthed from The Holy Spirit… Look out! The church becomes the teacher and the rulers and authorities in the heavenly realms become the students. We get to make known to them the manifold wisdom of God. That’s spiritual breakthrough!
So the song goes on.
But so does the community.
Love God.
Love your Brother.
Love your Neighbor.
Above all these things, put on love. (Col 3:14)
Love conquers all. Boom!
For His Glory, Always,
by Derek Packard | Mar 30, 2016 | News Update, 24/7 worship, jason
Today is the 200th day of David’s Tent DC running 24/7 on the National mall.*
The St Rose Convent in La Crosse, Wisconsin who have been praying 24/7 for 137 years would have every right to smirk a little, but for us in DC, this is a huge victory and to be celebrated greatly! Hundreds of worship teams and thousands of people have come to worship and pray at David’s Tent DC since the kickoff Sept 11 of last year. Thank you all to have participated, prayed, given financially or have been a part in any way!
As I reflect on the 200 day benchmark, I’ve been struck by one thing. The gratitude for our 40 full-time staff. Many of them don’t have a cent to their name, and aren’t even able to pay their housing fee to stay here, incurring debt to be faithful as a priest. Yet not one of them is expendable. We are in desperate need of more staff, like the desert needs the rain. If even 2 or 3 of them would leave, we could not continue.
These staff are the most selfless servant hearts I’ve ever had the honor to lead. The community of people that make David’s Tent possible for our nation are, in my estimation, holding the line of true intercession (standing in the gap) as sacrificial as any community of believers I know or have ever known. They are true intercessors that have laid down their lives, pride, comfort, futures, and ambition to be united as a team to intercede 24/7 for America to be awakened in Christ. They live together in discipleship houses of 10 people each, in bunk beds. It’s the only way to for us to economically exist in this city. I have so much hope for America because of these 40 dedicated men and women who have created a platform for the thousands of others that have each taken their watch before the Lord.
As I rejoice in David’s Tent DC’s 200th day, I don’t take one day for granted. I know it could end tomorrow. It’s only the bond of unity in Christ that our community of full-time staff have with one another that keeps this intercessory song going up to the Worthy One. Unity is so fragile, with the devil roaring like a lion to divide.
I know the reality. All it takes is for one person to have a morale failure of some sort (something simple like continuously not honoring authority) and then all the others judgement on how the leadership is to be handling that to be different. No matter how the leadership deals with it or doesn’t do anything, people could leave offended. David’s Tent ends, for lack of full time staff needed.
Unity is as fragile as a child’s bubble coasting gently in the breeze. It can be popped so easily. It must be fought for and protected BY ALL!
The bond of love must cover us in moments like that. We must forgive, let go of our judgments, choose to trust and keep our eyes back on the prize of the One Thing of gazing on His Beauty. (Psalm 27:4)
This is my conclusion: David’s Tent DC is riding solely on the bond of love, in Christ, that our community has with one another. But it’s bigger than that. This is a small parable for the whole of America.
Revival in all of America – the church of America rising victorious in this hour, is also hanging so precariously on this same bond. We must choose love, for the sake of Christ, and keep going forward bringing His wonderful kingdom…. Or? I wince to think of what happens to our country if the church does not unite in this hour.
“This is my commandment, that you love one another. That your joy would be full.”
By His Grace we will race into day 201, riding bareback on the bond of love, in and for Christ Jesus our Lord. I pray that Jesus would give us the strength to hang on and not fall off this racehorse called: The Bond of Love.
“’Bond of Love is in the lead, coming into the final stretch! It’s a win for ‘Bond of Love’!!!”
You can bet on that horse. If the jockey, the bride of Christ, can simply hang on.
He is Worthy of a Unified Bride,
Jason Hershey
*For journalistic integrity there were 7 days during winter storm Jonas that we moved inside to a prayer room on Capital Hill, but the song never stopped.
by Jason Hershey | Aug 10, 2015 | 24/7 worship, jason, News Update, Uncategorized
This week our core team in DC has launched a new hashtag: #iamDavidsTent. Currently we are gathering the volunteer army to make David’s Tent DC a reality. We are inviting the ones that are filled with passion for Jesus and valor enough to lay their lives down for 14 months, in order to set the table for this lavish 10,000 hour offering and to see America changed.
This past week, we released a video of Karl Hammonds. Karl has already responded to the call and is here in DC with us helping build the structures that will make this all work. The video ends with Karl declaring, “I am David’s Tent.”
This declaration is one that we want to see blasted across our generation. We know from scripture that the main purpose of King David’s tent in Jerusalem was to host the Presence of God (The ark of the covenant – 1 Chronicles 16:1).
In the new covenant that Jesus gave us, we know that our individual lives are to have the same purpose— to be a temple – a dwelling for the Holy Spirit, the Presence of God. (1 Corinthians 6:19). We also know together as the body of Christ we corporately have the same purpose, being built together as a spiritual house as priests to Him. (1 Peter 2:5)
You are David’s Tent.
I am David’s Tent.
We are David’s Tent.
Jason Hershey
by Derek Packard | Jan 31, 2014 | jason
Did you know that Burn 24/7 was in someways a precursor to Davids Tent DC?
In this google hangout, Jason Hershey & Ryan Montgomery talk with Sean Feucht & Chris Pautrat about the state of 24/7 worship in the U.S. and abroad.
by Rebecca Montgomery | Nov 14, 2013 | jason
Dear Friends,
Thank you! All of you! For the part you each played in David’s Tent DC this year! If I could say it more sincerely I would! One of the continual internal wrestlings of my life is that I never really feel like I have adequate resources to give back, pay, and properly thank all those like I should. (Especially Jesus.) Only at the remembering of the truth that all of you did it for Jesus, can I, as the visionary, be relieved of the overwhelming internally gnawing sense of indebtedness that I feel toward each of you. May He richly reward you!
DTDC 2013 was a huge cultural breakthrough as we moved into setting new normals for our generation. It was a massive John 17 unity breakthrough too, with 194 different worship teams from different cultures, ages, and denominational backgrounds participating!
Remembrance is a powerful thing. Whenever Israel forgot what the Lord had done, they fell away from the Lord. But when they’d remember, they would return. In fact, it was the duty of David’s worshippers to be the “rememberers.” David commissions them in 1 Chronicles 16:12 to “Remember the wonders he has done, his miracles, and the judgements he pronounced.” Here is a short remembrance list for DTDC as we push forward to next fall:
1. It was God’s idea. He spoke it and we simply obeyed
2. It was God’s miracle in 2012 that birthed it! We had inquired for permitting at a local park and the National Park Service suggested the White House Ellipse!
3. It was God’s provision. Both last year and this year we ended in the black with all the bills paid, by only a couple hundred dollars! Exactly our daily bread! Thank you to all who gave!
4. It was God’s People. 167 unique worships teams in 2012, 194 worship teams in 2013. This is a HUGE John 17 unity breakthrough for the church. Jesus’ prayer will be answered. John 17 unity is our destiny! It’s where we are headed. The church will be one!
5. It was God’s staff – Thank you specifically to all the youth that volunteered their time to keep the tent running.
6. God protected it. He kept us hidden and safe. Even during the Government Shut-down with lots of drama over the National Mall closing, God kept us going!
7. God expanded our tent pegs. Next year, permitting is already in place for 50 days of 24/7 praise. One day for each state! September 15 – November 4! Mark your calendars now and stay tuned for more details.
8. It was build on years of intercession. I firmly believe that David’s Tent DC was the manifestation of prayers prayed by so many for decades.
It’s good for us to remember that all this was from Him, and unto Him. We give Jesus the glory for it all. More than anything, we want to remember the One who has worked so graciously, that we would find ourselves gathered in His name. Jesus we will NEVER forget you!
As we wrap up Davids’ Tent 2013 I want to remind us of one truth to keep us centered. The restoration of David’s Fallen Tent is found in one man and one man alone. His name is Jesus. Sometimes I wonder if we should call it “The Jesus Tent” instead! David’s devotion is inspiring, but Jesus’ devotion is the source of the reaction of worship that explodes from each one of our hearts. We love because Jesus first loved us. David’s Tent is a reaction to Jesus’ love. It was for David and it is for us. We worship, love, adore and praise Jesus, because Jesus loved us by dieing a criminal’s– death row sentence– for us, and was completely innocent!
One hundred Kings with one hundred armies could not defeat the great enemy of humanity, death itself. Only Jesus could do that! And He did it by taking death on face to face! It’s Jesus’ devotion, not David’s, that’s inspired David’s Tent in our hearts. And it is Him, not David, that I want to pull our remembrance to as a people, family, church, and nation.
“Jesus, we say that 1000 hours is not enough. When our physical and emotional strength fail us that we cannot keep this 24/7 watch, we want you to know that we still believe you are worthy of it. Jesus, we give you all praise because You are worthy of it! We did this all because we love You. And Jesus, we also did do this as an intercession for America. If what we have done is pleasing in your sight, I ask that you respond and give us a tangible sign that we might know that. Jesus this is all for you! We glorify you for all that you have done.”
All for Jesus,
Jason Hershey
by Rebecca Montgomery | Nov 9, 2013 | jason
It’s been a few days now since we wrapped up David’s Tent DC for 2013. Our staff have been busy with tying up loose ends from the tent but we’re already starting to look ahead to next year!
We’re taking a few days off to rest and then diving into a week of staff meetings and prayer. The time to share and pray with one another has been much needed and I know all of us have been looking forward to it! Throughout the next several weeks as we enter the holiday season we’ll have lots of time to pray together, listen to the Lord, worship Jesus and ultimately chart a course for next year –2014. We already have the permit for next year’s David’s Tent DC, 50 days of worship from Sep. 15 – Nov. 4, so we’ll be praying a lot into that. Another thing we’ll be praying into is national mobilization and how we can partner with God to see that happen even more than it has already. We want to see the whole nation come together to worship Jesus in a unified expression of praise in our capital city! Every voice counts!
In the meantime, invite your friends to next year’s event! It’s not too early to start planning your trip to Washington, DC. Say, a church trip? Or a family vacation? What better way to spend a vacation than worshipping Jesus! Also, please continue to keep us covered in prayer! Your prayers are powerful and effective so please pray for us and with us as we seek the Lord for 2014!
Blessings,
Rebecca Montgomery
