Leading Worship in DC, Connecting with Leaders in Atlanta and Eastern NC
February 2026 Newsletter
I knew that February would be crazy! I had three trips planned, along with one of our daughters’ birthdays, and a move into a new office. It’s been hectic, but really good. As I’ve reflected on the month, I’ve realized that the theme of my travels has been connecting with the “presence pioneers” (leaders of praying churches and ministries) in our region and across the nation. Check out the photos and testimonies below.
It was over 12 years ago that God spoke to me about my calling to serve the “presence pioneers” - those who are pioneering places of God’s manifest presence in their cities. That assignment continues. Firstly, I want to be a presence pioneer, as we host God’s presence in our region through The Greenhouse. I also want to serve other presence-centered leaders and communities around the world, which is what we’re doing through PPM.
Those who pray for us and give to the ministry enable us to continue this mission. Thank you!
Matthew Lilley
President, Presence Pioneers
Worship Night at The Greenhouse 🙌🏼
Leaders in Eastern North Carolina🤝🏼
One of my “behind the scenes” efforts with Presence Pioneers is our Awake ENC Leaders Cohort. It’s a handful of folks who lead praying churches and houses of prayer here in eastern North Carolina. We gather on Zoom weekly to pray for revival in our region, and some of us meet in person quarterly.
At the beginning of February, we had our quarterly meetup. Four of us from the cohort drove out to a church in Henderson, NC, for dinner. The church was also hosting a 6-hour worship event that evening. I was personally able to stay and lead worship for one of those hours, too.
Presence-Centered Church Conference in Atlanta🔥
The following week, I flew down to Atlanta for a portion of the Presence-Centered Church conference, where Gatecity Church was celebrating 20 years of non-stop 24-hour prayer & worship (insane!).
A glimpse of the worship at the conference in Atlanta:
I had numerous people (mostly pastors) approach me at the event to thank me for the resources that we’re creating through Presence Pioneers Media. It was so encouraging to hear from the folks “on the ground” across our nation who are building communities of prayer and mission, and who are being encouraged by the books, articles, and podcasts we are publishing. I was also able to share about our HouseofPrayerHub.com website during a breakout session with other prayer room leaders.
NC Week at David’s Tent DC 🎪
Our family drove up to Washington, DC, to David’s Tent DC (a 24/7 worship tent on the National Mall) to lead two hours of worship during North Carolina week. We wished we could have stayed longer, but one day was all that we could manage with everything else happening in February.
NEW From Presence Pioneers Media in January🎙️
Pastoring the Mixture: Jonathan Edwards and Revival Leadership in a Complicated Season [article by Greg Johnson]
The Soul, The Song, and The Spirit [article by Matthew Lilley]
Are we on the Verge of a Transitional Generation? [article by Jonathan Friz]
The Lord’s Prayer Part 5: Petition [podcast]
A Heavenly Blueprint for Revival [book excerpt]
Family Update 👨🏻👩🏻👧🏻👦🏻
Our second-born had her birthday in February! She had a blast celebrating with some of her friends.
The phrase “presence pioneers” carries weight — especially in a moment where so much ministry feels driven by visibility rather than prayer. I appreciate the way your month held both hidden intercession and public worship, both travel and family celebration. That blend feels healthy and grounded. The 24/7 worship testimony in Atlanta and DC especially stirred something — longevity in prayer is no small thing. I’ve been reflecting on similar themes of presence, surrender, and hosting God rather than striving for outcomes if you’d ever like to continue the conversation here: https://theeternalnowmm.substack.com/p/the-surrender?r=71z4jh