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Will a Big—"Very Big"—Spiritual Awakening Begin in Portland, Oregon, Soon? This Bethel Leader Believes it Will

John Fortmeyer : Mar 2, 2018
Christian News Northwest

On September 17, Flood Portland will happen—an effort coordinated with many local churches to saturate the city with widespread street evangelism by thousands of Christians. It will be followed by an outreach featuring speakers Marilyn Hickey, Todd White, Bill Johnson, Robby Dawkins, Daniel Kolenda, Ben Fitzgerald, Richie Seltzer, Mattie Montgomery, Reinhard Bonnke and Portland's own Kevin Palau.

(Portland, OR)—[Christian News Northwest] Chris Overstreet is the kind of person who wants to be in on the action, especially if God is involved. That's why he and his family are moving near the Rose City this summer, because he expects big—very big—things to happen here, and an event he has planned is designed to play a key part. (Photo: Portland, Oregon/via CNNW.com)

Currently an outreach pastor and evangelist based out of Bethel Church and the School of Supernatural Ministry in Redding, California, Overstreet firmly believes the next great American spiritual awakening will soon begin—and he is just as convinced that this God-given revival will start in Portland.

"Together, we will see thousands of people in the Northwest saved, healed and delivered. I believe that with all my heart," Overstreet said at one of two promotional meetings held last month at Zion Lutheran Church for his four-day Compassion to Action outreach this fall at the Oregon Convention Center.

"This revival is going to spread throughout America," he continued, saying he envisions one million people accepting Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior as a result.

In addition to Overstreet, Compassion to Action—to be held Wednesday through Saturday, Sept. 19-22—will feature internationally known speakers Marilyn Hickey, Todd White, Bill Johnson, Robby Dawkins, Daniel Kolenda, Ben Fitzgerald, Richie Seltzer, Mattie Montgomery, Reinhard Bonnke and Portland's own Kevin Palau. Saturday the 22nd will be specially focused on a variety of activities that Overstreet said will be "practical ways to serve Portland."

In addition, plans call for the event to be preceded Monday, Sept. 17, by what Overstreet calls Flood Portland—an effort coordinated with many local churches to saturate the city with widespread street evangelism by thousands of Christians. (Photo: via Pixabay)

Overstreet also envisions establishing thousands of "hub churches" nationally and the hope is that each of those churches will reach at least 60 people for Christ.

He said the vision for Portland came to him while involved in a 2016 evangelistic rally in Sweden. "I stood in front of thousands of people and saw stadium events spring forth all throughout America," Overstreet recounts in a website for this fall's gathering. "The first place I saw was Portland. Already then, I knew that what I saw would not just be an event, but a movement."

Overstreet said Dick Eastman, widely known prayer advocate and president of Colorado-based Every Home for Christ, is so enthused by the potential for this fall's outreach that his ministry has pledged to provide free evangelistic literature for it.

Overstreet emphasized that the goal is not just to win people to Christ, but to equip them to lead others as well. "Jesus never told us to make converts," he said. "He told us to make disciples."

Between now and this fall, there will be prayer gatherings for the outreach on the third Saturday each month, with locations rotated among different churches in the Portland area. Overstreet said he and his family will move to the Pacific Northwest this summer, making Camas, Washington, their base of activity.

For more information—including a promotional video for Compassion to Action—go to www.portland2018.com