About Wilderness Outcry

Posted on 4/28/2010 by Brian Sharp

"Last fall the nation began to hear about a large event to be held outside of Poplar Bluff called Wilderness Outcry. In recent days the announcement was made the event had been cancelled due to the lack of funding needed for an event of that size. It was a practical business decision due to vendors requiring significant payments in advance, but the needed money was simply not there.

This said, it needs to be clearly known that people are still going to be gathering in order to “cry out” to God for our nation, which is the original vision and purpose for the event. In a recent meeting with about fifteen regional leaders who have been helping with Wilderness Outcry, we decided that since the need for and purpose of the event hasn’t changed, we should move forward in gathering and praying for our country on a more simple level. There will be no stages, sound systems, speakers, music groups, jumbotrons or other elements usually included in a structured program event.

Jerry Murphy has welcomed, and continues to offer, the use of his farm for the purpose of crying out to God before, during and after the scheduled time in June. Many we’re talking to concerning this effort at reorganizing are responding very positively. In fact, most we’ve heard about who were planning on coming have not changed their plans and are more determined than ever to come pray in unity. Nothing, it seems, is going to stop them!

For whatever reasons some were against the original event, I hope and pray they will re-evaluate their thinking. It was never intended to be focused on any specific personality, group or theology, yet some people became distracted by those things, real or imagined, rather than keeping centered on the pure motive of worshipping God and praying for our nation, which most of us agree on.

Obviously, structured program events have their place. However, in our meeting the term “non-event” began to be used in reference to the dates of June 14-18 because it appears to be developing into more of an intense yearning for God rather than a passing event. In other words, people are going to gather, pray, repent, worship and cry out to God from the wilderness without the aid of modern technology or specific structure. People are still encouraged to camp out at Moriah Ranch in tents or self-contained RV’s, or use local hotel rooms, churches, etc. Arrangements are being made to meet practical needs, such as restrooms, that must be provided for any kind of large group gathering. This time of prayer and consecration will be more “raw” in many respects than originally planned but no less effective, maybe even more so. We’re discovering this reality seems to be raising the level of appeal in many people.

We are, indeed, thankful for those of the original group on the national level who not only saw the need for a gathering like this, but took the risk to actually begin doing something about it. We appreciate their decision to get thousands of Christian patriots across our land motivated to get serious about praying for our beloved nation. I wouldn’t be writing this letter if they hadn’t first run their lap.

However, the baton has been passed. Now that this national/international gathering is being coordinated on a regional level it is more important than ever to pray for God’s guidance, wisdom and blessing on the efforts being made. Make no mistake; anything of significance done to advance God’s kingdom typically involves, among other things, a certain amount of risk and a lot of diligence—just ask Moses or Abraham or David or the Apostle Paul or Jesus. We hear them shouting to us through the pages of Scripture, “The cost is well worth it!”

Prayer at Moriah Ranch before, during and after June 14-18 is not about any personality, specific church or ministry, or even a particular theological or political stance. It is all about no-frills, desperate prayer focusing on our loving, mighty God realizing that without His help and favor we’re all sunk.

Could it be this is what God had in mind all along?"

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For the past couple weeks Brandon and I have been extremely confused by the things God was speaking to us. Here, we continued to see the numbers "444" everywhere we went. When we first heard about Wilderness Outcry, we knew God was calling our family to take a step of faith in going. When we heard the event was canceled, we weren't only grieved, but very confused. Why God? What about all that you spoken to us? And why all the signs? It was even so that we continued to see "444" after the announced event was canceled. And though we had a scheduled week of nothing to do because of allotted time we set aside for the event, we were slow to make any plans. There was something we didn't have peace about. There was a piece of the puzzle missing. It was then that we began seeking God if He would still have us trek to Missouri despite the hype of WO. Well, I must say it was exciting the least to see that many others felt the same way. So, just as we thought God had originally spoken to us.....we're taking a step of faith to take ourselves and our children to Missouri to meet God in a radical way...