Revival across the Valley
(Isaiah 61:11)
Central Heights is a church that meets in Abbotsford with a longing to see revival come to the Fraser Valley. We don’t see ourselves as a place to attend but as a people who will contend until God awakens the valley to who he is.
On Sundays we gather for worship, prayer, and to hear teaching from the Bible. For the rest of the week, we scatter as the people of God to embody the redemptive vision of Isaiah 61 (Luke 4:18-19) in the places he’s planted us.
To position ourselves for revival, we orient our life as a church around three main priorities:
The relentless pursuit of the person and presence of Jesus.
The lifelong journey of becoming like Jesus.
The active participation of every person in the mission of Jesus.
VISION
For as the soil makes the sprout come up
and a garden causes seeds to grow,
so the Sovereign Lord will make righteousness
and praise spring up before all nations.’
Isaiah 61:11
We long for a day when Isaiah 61:11 becomes a living reality; when the worship of Jesus fills the Fraser Valley and new spiritual life springs up in a radically increased way. We believe it is time to seek the Lord until he comes in power (Hosea 10:12).
WHAT IS REVIVAL?
Revival occurs when God draws near to awaken the church and draw the lost to himself. It begins when God the Spirit moves to bring new spiritual life and power to lukewarm or dying faith within the church. When what is happening in the awakened church spills over into society to transform a city, region, or nation, revival has come.
"The essence of a revival is that the Holy Spirit comes down upon a number of people together, upon a whole church, upon a number of churches, districts, or perhaps a whole country. That is what is meant by revival. It is, if you like, a visitation of the Holy Spirit, or another term that has often been used is this - an outpouring of the Holy Spirit." - Martyn Lloyd-Jones
‘Revival is coming back to life. It’s the worn-out believer rediscovering his first love. It’s the dead church coming alive with Gospel fire. It’s not emotional hype. It’s spiritual reality - Greg Laurie
3 MARKERS OF REVIVAL
The unmistakable nearness of God’s presence grips the church and a region.
The normal work of the Holy Spirit is accelerated.
There’s a radical increase in people turning to God.
VISION FRAMEWORK
We position ourselves for revival by intentionally organizing around three core values:
VALUES
DELIGHT IN JESUS
“I delight greatly in the LORD.” (Isaiah 61:10)
Jesus is the prize and our greatest treasure. In response to who he is, we relentlessly draw near to Jesus to delight in him through prayer, worship, and Scripture. This pursuit of God’s person and presence shapes our culture and fuels our desire to see revival come to the valley.
DISCIPLESHIP TO JESUS
“They will be called oaks of righteousness.” (Isaiah 61:3)
We choose the narrow way of Jesus as those who have been rescued by him. Together, we orient our entire lives around Jesus and his way so the Spirit of God will transform us to become like Jesus. We are not here to punch tickets to heaven but to see people formed into deeply rooted, resilient disciples who display the splendor of God in the places we’re planted.
DEDICATED TO THE MISSION OF JESUS
“They will renew the ruined cities.” (Isaiah 61:4)
We are here to continue what Jesus began. God’s cosmic vision to make all things new motivates us to see every person actively playing their part in the mission of Jesus to renew all that’s been ruined in the world by sin, darkness, and injustice.
“Again Jesus said, ‘Peace be with you! As the Father has sent me, I am sending you.’ And with that he breathed on them and said, ‘Receive the Holy Spirit.’” (John 20:21-22)
