July 2009
f i restarters newsletter
Firestarters Updates
• • • • • • • New album slated for release on July 31st Digital release of new single, “The Breakers.” The Gathering ‘09 Message from Pete Thiel Young Debs ‘Destiny & Decision’ Midwest Poetry & Painting The Creamery Update “Since we started writing the album, I’d say we really developed into our own sound,” says Peter Thiel, guitarist. The musical and lyrical quality of the album reveals a new maturity for the musicians. With song after song encouraging the listener to pursue a deeper, more intimate relationship with the Lord, Seasons challenges us to be aware of the times and the seasons that we’re in. FIRESTARTERS NEW SINGLE, “THE BREAKERS” It’s the people he’s met along the way who Peter Thiel says were his inspiration for writing “The Breakers.” “So many places that we go, there are these people we meet who’ve had dozens of prophetic words and dreams,” he explains, “and the longer they go without having these things come to pass, the more the pain of waiting turns into numbness. People try to write it off because they don’t want to feel the pain of it anymore.” ANNOUNCING THE LONG AWAITED STUDIO RELEASE FROM FIRESTARTERS, SEASONS Seasons is a collection of original songs, recorded at our studio in Ottertail, Minnesota. If you pre-order a copy of Seasons now at firestartersmusic.com, as part of our special offer, we will pay your shipping on your order and we will send you “The Breakers” digital single via e-mail for free. We appreciate all of your support and can’t wait for you to hear our new music. Firestarters will officially release their new album Seasons on July 31st. With three and a half years spent bringing this album to fruition, Seasons is one of the most musically diverse projects the Firestarters band has worked on. The songs cover a wide range of musical styles, and feature several unique sounds. Peter sees “The Breakers” as a song to bring hope to people who’ve put so much time and investment into things that don’t seem to produce. “The Breakers” is about restoring hope, but also about the importance of recognizing that God is moving—and never losing sight of the fact that He is doing incredible things on the earth right now. The scripture behind the song is Psalm 42:7 “Deep calls to deep, in the roar of your waterfalls; all your waves and breakers have swept over me.” In the chorus, Peter writes about the “breaker continued on back page
JULY 31st - AUG 9th OTTERTAIL, MN
HOSTED BY FIRESTARTERS WORSHIP CENTER *Since the local tourism season is at its peak, please reserve your accomodations today at: firestartersmusic.com
Message from Pete
After 40 years,
the bald eagle has come off the endangered species list (1967-2007). The eagle represents the prophet, and it also represents the USA. Relating to a revolution and a reformation, we are talking about embracing the prophetic office in America. The eagle was an endangered species, and now it’s been taken off the endangered species list. This does not mean that we no longer have to protect the eagle. The eagle, bePete Thiel cause of what it is and what it represents, cannot become common ever again. I believe this speaks of the prophetic office as well. Before we consider ourselves “prophetic,” we must ask ourselves, “are we embracing the prophets who God wants to use as instruments of change?” The heart of a revolutionary is crying out for change. Are we embracing change? Are we embracing God’s prophets in our many streams that are emerging in this time? There is a historical fact that each new move of God is persecuted and judged by the previous move. This is a serious “wineskin” issue in the body of Christ. I see that in some ways, the church has departed from or perhaps even rejected the true kingdom teachings of Jesus. He lived a radical life and his teachings were extreme. He preached on the kingdom of God, and he often spoke in parables. There were those who understood them and rejoiced. Others couldn’t understand them at all. Obviously, Jesus is alive, and he’s teaching his body today. We need to open our hearts to his teaching through parables. I believe that now is the time for the eyes and ears to be opened. Jesus said not to sew new cloth onto an old garment, Whatever the cost, let and not to put new wine in it be the cost. an old wineskin. These words of Jesus are going to pierce the hearts in this generation, and this teaching will no longer be rejected by church governments in our nations. “And no one puts new wine into old wineskins. Else the new wine will burst the wineskins and be spilled, and the wineskin will perish. But new wine must be put into new wineskins, and both are preserved together” (Luke 5:37-38)
This scripture speak of a new order, which started at Nazareth in the synagogue when Jesus stood up and read from the prophet Isaiah. “‘The Spirit of the Lord is on Me; because of this He has anointed Me to proclaim the Gospel to the poor. He has sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to proclaim deliverance to the captives, and new sight to the blind, to set at liberty those having been crushed, to proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord.’ And rolling up the book, returning it to the attendant, He sat down. And the eyes of all in the synagogue were fastened on Him. And He began to say to them, ‘Today this Scripture is fulfilled in your ears.’” (Luke 4:18-21) This is the time to stand up! I heard some history recently on the protestant reformation about how the martyrdom started when the political spirit rose up from the religious order of the time. The reaction of the revolutionaries is inspiring, especially for forerunners and revolutionaries who God is raising up now in America. Instead of going into hiding, they said, “We have to find a way to identify ourselves publicly and make an even louder noise.” They tied red scarves around their necks to identify themselves, saying, “Whatever the cost, let it be the cost.” That’s why they were called “rednecks.” Rather than go back into the continued on back page
Poetry
Artist Awakening you can find her kneeling on the floor apron smeared with past inspirations she waits in silence as he comes whispering in her ear, painting on her heart she stands, picks up her sword tearing down strongholds with decisive strokes a cry has gone out to the artists you are released! intercession - imagination - revelation she was created for this pouring herself out onto the canvas passion - intimacy - purity the colors tell the story of her heart so brilliant inside, they only imitate a vision has been imparted entrusted to her awakened spirit she will not rest until the world has seen it - Heidi Kratzke
Destiny & Decision
The first ever
Young Deborahs ~ Hosted by Firestarters Ministry Young Deborah M i d w e s t gathering took place at The Creamery the weekend of May 2-3 in Ottertail, Minnesota. This gathering was on fire with the inspiration of young women leaders who have a passion for the heart of God!! Pam Thiel and Vicki Pollard, who are on the Debco Midwest Leadership Team, are the “Moms” who led the charge.
Afterwards, Heather Haugan spoke on passion and purity; then Sophie Thiel and Leah Westphal danced a Proposal Dance. Paula and Nicole Thiel taught on worship and the prophetic, and Heather Pollard shared passionately on intercession. Sophie Thiel and Carri Ann Pollard taught and activated us all in dance. We closed the evening with anointed worship by Firestarters leading us into the throne room with their prophetic sound. The Holy Spirit visited us in power. On Sunday morning, Pam Thiel shared on bridging the gap followed by a panel discussion of many different questions from the women attending the conference.
These Young Debs take worship, dance, the arts and vision seriously. At the same time, they had fun and took the Deborah Company motto to a new level: “We Pray, We Change Nations, We Buy Shoes.” In fact, they started out with a style show featuring shoes. Next, Angela Garcia shared about the Creativity of the Creator God. Beth Danielson showed her prophetic art and how her inspiration comes from the Creator. Heidi Kratzke shared on writing from the Spirit; and an inspirational recitation By Beth Danielson of ‘The Vision’ was given by Maria Kangas. Later, we had fun playing a game with tape, newspapers and toilet paper. We dressed chosen women to be Deborahs for a fashion show.
The young women from Firestarters Ministry spearheaded the first Young Deborah Midwest gathering with an explosion of fire and passion for the heart of the Father to be ignited in young women everywhere. What spoke the loudest to our hearts was the purity, the passion and the fire of God these Young Debs have to reach their generation. Thank you to Pete and Pam Thiel and The Firestarters Ministry, at firestartersmusic.com, for hosting The Young Debs. God bless you, Lucy Riethmiller, President Debco Midwest Region debcomidwest.com *Please join Firestarters at the next DebCo Midwest on July 23rd-25th, 2009, in Bloomington, MN!
The Creamery was built in 1921. We have begun to hold our weekly meetings here To donate, please send on the second floor. The first floor and the prayer tower are nearing completion. checks or money orders to: We were honored to host the first Young Debs Midwest gathering at The Cream- Firestarters ery, and we plan on having many events and conferences at our new facility. A PO Box 63 special “Thank You!” to all who have contributed through faithful service, financial Ottertail, MN 56571 support, and prayer. We invite you to join us at The Creamery in Ottertail. We or visit our website online: would love for you to come and worship God with us! firestartersmusic.com
continued from front page anointing.” The breakers are people; and God wants to put the “breaker anointing” on this whole generation. As a prophetic declaration of hope and release, Peter believes that the song itself can serve as the breakthrough people need. “A lot of places where we’ve gone and played the song, the Lord has stirred hope in people,” Peter says. “It’s hope that’s motivated them to press through the hard times and given them insight into what they should do next. People get to the place where they feel like they’re at the bottom—this is where they need the most strength. This song helps restore to people the strength they need to push through the darkest times until the sunrise.”
continued from Pete Thiel’s article cocoon or a cave some place, “we” are going to stand, be bold, declare, and preach the gospel. Awesome! The saints of God are dissatisfied with status quo Christianity and religious politics. We always want to “fix” something but the Lord is saying, “I want you to start something.” Jesus is making us instruments of change. In Ottertail, we believe that as messengers, we have to become the message. We have to live it. We have to become part of the revolution if we’re ever going to change anything. God is raising up prophets and leaders who will not only preach it, but will live it. The messenger needs to become the message and join the revolution. It’s time for change. God is raising us up in this season right now to declare the Word of the Lord over this land and preach the message of the cross.
“In the upper world hell once rebelled against heaven. But in this world heaven is rebelling against hell. For the orthodox there can always be a revolution; for a revolution is a restoration.” -G. K. Chesterton