Zinzendorf and the Moravians, John Wesley's Conversion, and the IHOP prophetic history

The Moravian church began on the land of Nicolaus Ludwig Zinzendorf. Zinzendorf studied to be a diplomat. However, after not being allowed to marry his cousin, he though God was calling him to a special job. So, he became a landowner, and rented his land to tenants. Because of his religious stance, he allowed persecuted people from Moravia and Bohemia to live on his land. Hundreds of persecuted people came to his land, which he called "Herrnhut." The Moravian church started there, and sent missionaries to all over the world, including the Inuit in Greenland, the North American Indians, African slaves in America and the West Indies, as well as the west coast of South Africa. They also had a prayer room, with at least 2 people praying every hour. Furthermore, Zinzendorf spent his money to pay for Herrnhut, until he almost went bankrupt in 1750. Then he made a Financial Board among the people living in Herrnhut, which was prosperous.

Though John Wesley grew up in the church, his first encounter with the power of God was with the Moravians. Wesley was depressed and lonely. However, when he was on a ship going Georgia. During a storm, the main mast of the ship broke. While the English crew was freaking out, the Moravians, under deck, were calmly singing hymns and praying. This convinced Wesley that the Moravians had something that he didn't: a real knowledge of Jesus Christ.

The story of Herrnhut, Zinzendorf, and John Wesley's conversion has a lot to do with IHOP's prophetic history. Mike Bickle wants IHOP to be a place like Herrnhut, where believers can be equipped and renewed. He wants IHOP to be a place where people like Zinzendorf will help others selflessly. Furthermore, he wants to send people out from IHOP to be missionaries, just as the Moravians did hundreds of years ago. He also wants IHOP to continue to be a house of prayer which leads to the greatest revival ever witnessed by anyone! Finally, he wants the IHOP community to be strong believers who will provoke others to jealousy, just as the Moravians did to John Wesley.