Our local ministry is in major transition, and we are excited! I recently posted a detailed blog updated on Boiler Room 2.0 – how we are moving out of the Boiler Room with a new location, a name and the same vision! After much prayer, we are moving into Collide, an ECU campus ministry, to share their facility a few blocks from the Boiler Room, and we are adopting the new ministry name East Carolina Prayer Furnace. You can also watch my video update below.
Moving out of the Boiler Room has caused me to spend some time reflecting over the last seven years and 7000+ hours of worship & prayer in that place. It has been awesome to see what God has done.
I’m remembering….
- A college girl sitting on the steps at 2am accepting Jesus
- A drunk marine supernaturally sobering up and receiving demonic deliverance
- A young man with a cane walking out healed and holding his cane off the ground
- An ECU student receiving a prophetic word and it leading her into full-time missions
The regional impact has been tangible…
- Literal transformation around us – multiple bars and clubs downtown Greenville closing down and reopening as restaurants and shops, abandoned buildings being renovated.
- According to city-data.com the crime rate has dropped from 552.1 in 2008 (before the Boiler Room) to 331.7 in 2014 (the most recent year of data).
- 4-5 Burns furnaces in the Carolinas trace their roots back to the Boiler Room
- We have seen 10 interns and 4 full-time staff over seven years. Multiple people have been called or trained at the Boiler Room and now in full-time ministry.
I am excited to see what “phase two” will bring, as we continue build upon all God has done so far!
I had a few recent opportunities for itinerant ministry. I spoke at the Wildfires School in Wilmington, NC and at Discovery Church in Winterville, NC. Both ministries ask me to come and teach on prayer and intimacy with God. I received great feedback from both places that the word I shared was timely and impactful. I believe God is really drawing His church to Himself in love to be the house of prayer that Jesus promised. It’s exciting to see!
Matthew & Shepard Lilley
Full-Time Prayer Missionary
***
- There is a LOT of work in this transition, especially for me as the director. Please pray for grace, energy and strength for us and our staff in this season.
- Shepard and I are going to Virginia Beach at the end of July for the Burn 24-7 10-Year Anniversary global summit.
Family Update
The kids are enjoying summertime – the kiddie pool, a beach visit, slip n slide, sprinklers in the yard… Popsicles!
We enrolled our girls in a homeschool co-op for this fall, where they will be able to spend some time with other homeschool kids in the area, and also help supplement Shepard’s teaching at home. It’s wild how fast they are all growing up! Below is a photo of the kids with Daddy on Father’s Day.
***
