Interview and Discussion
The OMC Example with Dale Schlafer and Gary Crawford
We interview Dale Schlafer and Gary Crawford about the testimony of what God is uniquely doing in west central Florida, aka the Original Manatee County. This should be both encouraging and exciting to other regions!
Share with others around the world what you see being done here
sense Gregg had in Pine Level, FL January 2021
A good video on the origins of ONE OMC…
What is being done there?
– Regional “Wineskin”- Doesn’t replace denominations, churches or para-ministries- City of Refuge
– ONE OMC – Unity
– Establishing a “Kingdom” mind-set and culture- Equipping the saints through the 5-Fold ministry- United Prayer (Global Day of Prayer, 10 Days of Prayer)- City Elders representative of the 7-mountains of culture, not just senior pastors- Deans / Deacons representing next gen leadership///
– King’s Station, a “Switzerland” to the church
– Integrated with daily life, Monday – Friday- G62 Business incubation / office spaces; financial admin support
– Economic development of the city / region (real estate, services, investing)
– Lending to those in need such as single moms, families encountering financial difficulty or foreclosure
– Vehicles of righteousness; Places of Hope; People of Light
OMC Timeline
– “Fellowship of the Burning Hearts”
– 2010 Pastor’s GDP Confession and Repentance for lack of “Kingdom” focus and attention
– Scroll of Remembrance
– OMC Summits
OMC Background
https://www.oneomc.org/Cities of Refuge with Gary Crawford
Dale Schlafer Bio
Dale Schlafer has served as Cofounder and President of the Center for World Revival & Awakening since 1998. The Center is a worldwide ministry dedicated to building the Kingdom of God by promoting the revival of the church, the awakening of the lost, and the reformation of society. “When Revival is the experience of the church, evangelism becomes the expression of the church. When evangelism is the expression of the church, a changed society will be the evidence of those changed lives,” says Schlafer.
In 2004 the Schlafer’s moved, at the Lord’s direction, from Denver Colorado, where they had lived and ministered for 32 years, to the West coast of Florida. Because they had received a word that this area was to become a “refuge area,” they began gathering people to pray & seek the Lord as to what this meant.
By 2010, 37 congregations cancelled their Sunday worship services at their facilities to come together for worship in a convention center. So many people attended they ran out of chairs! Leaders of para church ministries joined pastors to come to the front and they repented for their sin of sectarianism and competition. The congregation as well acknowledged their sin.
This repentance led to the writing of a document in the ensuing months entitled “Alignment for Assignment.” (see www.ONEOMC.org click resources to find paper). This then launched an entire new direction for the area as we seek to understand how this new paradigm for doing ministry together, without giving up the distinctions of a particular congregation, is accomplished.
In 2010 we also learned more as to what a refuge area is. We sensed that we were to be a safe place where Jews, returning to Israel would find refuge, care and help to get to Israel. Since that time we have connected with people all over the world from Australia, South America & Europe. All of these people have heard the same thing. Something is coming that will propel Jews to return to Israel in enormous numbers. This refuge calling is everything from individuals sensing to build a room, a cabin an underground safe place, to geographical areas sensing that they, like we in Florida, are to be prepared for this ministry of passing Jews on to the next safe place.
Schlafer served for 28 years as a local pastor – twenty two in Denver, Colorado & prior to that six years in New Jersey. He also served as the first chairman of the board of Promise Keepers, a men’s ministry, before joining the staff full time in 1994. This experience along with his years of itinerant revival ministry following his time at Promise Keepers and the recent years in Florida, have given him a unique understanding of The Church, especially the concept of how to do Territorial Church and the use of the Five-Fold ministry gifts.
Schlafer has contributed to numerous books on prayer and men’s ministry. NavPress published his “Revival 101-How Christ Ignites His Church, in 2003.”
The Schlafer’s were married for fifty-three years and have three grown children and four grandchildren.
Gunnar Olson (a business reformer) similarly was shown to move to Bradenton, FL from Sweden (of all places)
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