“Imagine your local barista asking about the hope that you have. Imagine your neighbours asking you to pray for their healing. Imagine local councils delighted to hear that a church is being planted in their borough.”

That was Mike’s call to pray for the city of London, and one Sunday evening in January, three London churches gathered for the first London Calling event to pray with that in mind.

The initiative will see them gather in every month of 2024 to devote an evening to praying for their city; to see spiritual breakthrough and increased momentum in salvation, church planting, the miraculous - and whatever else the Spirit leads them to ask for.

The atmosphere was full of excitement and anticipation. A crowd of people, representing The Church in Bassett Street, Revelation Church London and the RM church plant in Tottenham, were present.

Stef Liston envisioned us with the pioneering purpose behind the initiative and then Mike Betts raised faith levels in the room as he gave a Scriptural exhortation for the power of our prayer over the coming year. Praise was followed by testimonies, and we were all raring to pray after hearing of salvation and an increase in spiritual conversations!

The appetite for prayer seemingly could not grow any more, but then Nick West (Bassett) shared the revival legacy of the venue we were in: originally built in 1865 as a temperance hall, Albert Hall (as it was then known) went on to become a Victorian ragged school to serve impoverished children with a basic education. Nick then presented a photograph unearthed when the hall became home to The Church in Bassett Street - six smiling men and women in Victorian dress holding a placard that read: Calling all Christian Workers. Do you want a revival? Now is your opportunity! Come and pray for it.

Living legacies: A descendant of one of these pray-ers is part of The Church in Bassett Street

Nightly prayer meetings were being held, primarily attended by young people, for an outpouring of the Spirit; these meetings had to multiply to accommodate the increasing numbers from differing churches and denominations - including many non-believers who were invited and subsequently converted. A city-wide revival was gaining momentum one that saw additional ‘inquiry meetings’ held expressly for the many thousands seeking salvation. Larger venues were found for the purpose of those gospel presentations, as there were far more than could fit in church buildings.

As we continued to pray, prophetic words guided us as we went. It became clear that God had not gathered us to pray for something new, but to begin digging the ‘old wells’ and ‘springs’ of revivals past to see a great move of God visit our city once again. We are expectant!

Do you want to see a revival in London? Come join us!

Here are details of our monthly London Calling events. You can come in person, or join the livestream at the event page. All are welcome, whether they live in London or not - simply bring a desire to pray for this city.