Book Review - God is His own best promoter. Desperate people run after God because they know there is more. Information doesn't transform cities. Conferences can't transform a city. Education can't transform a city.

This is from a book I reviewed in 2005 while being a Baptist Host & Writer at a site. Rhonda Hughley is the founder and president of Prayer by Design, Inc. and she also partners with George Otis Jr. (The Sentinel Group) and John Dawson (YWAM). We can promote our church programs with precision and good marketing techniques, but when somebody who is blind or deaf gets healed, or once barren land produces a beautiful harvest, people will flock to the church. God is His own best promoter. We are beginning to see tangible evidence of God's intention to fulfill His promise in Scripture to restore and rebuild cities that are desolate. Scripture promises that a mighty outpouring of God's glory is coming (Joel 2). God is opening three "gates" or door ways before us. Researcher George Barna estimates that more than ten million born again believers in the United States are now considered "unchurched." The Bible refers to the glory of God in several ways: I Chronicles 29:11; Habakkuk 3:3-5; Exodus 33:18-33; Isaiah 6:1-3; Romans 11:36 and Hebrews 13:21. The Bible depicts the glory of God is through His visible presence among His people, called the Shekinah glory (Exodu8s 13:21). God's presence is more effective than our best church growth methods. The question is, what are we desiring? What has gained our attention and captured our hearts? Many of the businesses in the town mentioned in this book have named their businesses after the faith of the people. On almost every vehicle you see drive through the community, there are bold stickers making statements of faith. Psalm 133 promises us that when we "dwell together in unity," our unity becomes like oil and in that place of unity the Lord commands His blessings and presence. Christian ministries will raise nearly $60 billion for domestic ministry in 2003 and there is an estimated $3 billion of new construction work occurring on church properties to faciliate expanded ministry activities. In Hosea, the wilderness is a place of quietness, solitude and rest. Covenant relationship provides security; there is no security without covenant. The land of Canaan was an important part of God's covenantal promises to Abraham; Deuteronomy 8:7-10; 11:10-12. Information doesn't transform cities. Conferences can't transform a city. Education can't transform a city. God has more for us than we even imagined!