MOUNT VERNON — Strains of worship music filled Public Square from noon to 1 p.m. on Saturday as residents gathered to pray for the city, schools, and the church.
Pastor Austin Beckett, lead pastor of Revive Church in Mount Vernon, said the “Jesus on the Square” gathering came about because God placed a burden on his heart for the city.
“There is so much chaos going on within our city, so we wanted to stand as the body of Christ and bring unity and peace and bring the body together to pray,” Beckett explained.
“It’s our responsibility for our city, according to what the Bible tells us, to make disciples and to be carriers of our city.”
“This was not a protest for us. This was a time for us to come as the body of Christ and just lift up the name of Jesus, and it was a really amazing time.”
Austin Beckett, lead pastor of Revive Church in Mount Vernon
Beckett noted the group wanted to lift the name of Jesus because “we know he brings peace, we know that He brings joy.”
“When we create an atmosphere of praise and worship, the Bible says that God inhabits the praise of His people. So we wanted to create an atmosphere for God to rest upon the city of Mount Vernon and His presence be about,” the pastor said.
“If we don’t stand up, who else will? God is commissioning us to stand, to declare the hope that he has for us. It’s our responsibility to be the light of Christ and to be an example of Christ.”
Worship changes things
Pastor Chance Barnett of Storyside Church in Mount Vernon prayed for city officials and schools.
Pastor Greg Poole from Grace Community Church prayed for churches and pastors, calling for unity, holiness, and revival.
“We’re meant to have a community to lean on, to pray for each other, to stand with,” Pole said. “… I pray Lord that the church would be a beacon of light to those who are lost and those that are searching.”
Beckett said he is thankful for the freedom to be able to stand and honor Jesus. He encouraged the group to stand for the word of God and not give up on their faith.
“We don’t lean to the left and we don’t lean to the right. We stand on the truth of God’s word, and we do not waver,” the pastor said.
Roughly 60 people attended the gathering on the square. Beckett said that was not a small turnout in any way.
“My heart was that even if just one person came. The desire is not the number of people, it’s just standing and allowing God to reign here in this city.”
Austin Beckett, Revive Church
“I’m honestly in disbelief of what happened today. It’s just something that the Lord put on my heart. We only had a short amount of time to plan it, and we did it, and people showed up,” Beckett said.
Referencing Ephesians 6:12, Beckett said, “We don’t fight against flesh and blood, so we’re not against people. As we move forward, there are different things in the spiritual realm. When we worship, it changes those things. That’s really why we did what we did today.”
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