Altars
Altars is an intentional time of the year where we set ourselves apart for seven days to worship, pray and fast together as one body. In Scripture, altars mark the places where something was laid down. Noah built one the day he stepped off the ark. Abraham built one on Moriah with his son beside him. Elijah repaired a broken one on Carmel before the fire fell. Every altar cost somebody something, and every one of them marked a life reordered around God.
COME AND DIE TO TRULY LIVE
The invitation this year is blunt. Come and die. Die to the version of yourself you’ve been curating. Die to the sin you’ve negotiated a truce with. Die to comfort as your compass, approval as your fuel, control as your security. God isn’t against you in this. Everything he wants to give you sits on the other side of that death.
Jesus says, “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me. For whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me will find it” (Matthew 16:24–25).
Leading up to Altars we’ll prepare by responding to Jesus’ call to die, naming what the old life is made of, and following the pattern of baptism down into the water. Then for seven days we’ll fast, gather, and ask God to make the second half of the sentence true of us. Truly live.
August Overview
Altars Pop-Up Weekend
with Michael Dow
Kids program for ages 1 - 5 years old.
Register kids here →
Michael and his wife Anna have been married for nineteen years, and have six children. Together, they have been faithful to the local church in Tampa, FL, Charlotte, NC, and now in the Orlando, FL area. In 2016 they planted what is now Habitation Church. From that time, they have continued to serve as leaders in the house God is building and have become affirmed as Elders. Together, they also lead Burning Ones founded in 2013. They have preached the Gospel throughout the world, hosted large crusade events and conferences. They also provide teaching, leadership, and the resource of their lives to leaders both near and abroad.
Altars Journal
From August 9 - September 5 we’ll journey together through the Altars journal. The journal is packed with resources on fasting, what it means to come and die to truly live, a daily reading plan and space for you to reflect and respond.
Released on August 9
Journals available for pickup only (shipping not available).
Pickup at church: untitled Sun, Aug 9 after service.
fasting FAQ
This is a corporate fast, and our whole church is participating. So no, you don’t need to keep it secret. But your posture still matters. Fast without fanfare. Share for the sake of support and unity, not attention (Matthew 6:17–18).
Yes, but do so with wisdom. A full fast isn’t for everyone. Choose a method of fasting that still honours the spirit of sacrifice without harming your health.
That depends on the type of fast the Lord leads you into. Some fasts include only water, others allow light liquids. The key is consistency and surrender.
Don’t quit. Fasting isn’t about perfection, it’s about returning. Reset your focus and keep going.
Yes, but that’s an addition, not a replacement. Biblically, fasting involves food. Unless medically necessary, we encourage you to include some element of food fasting in your week. Soul fasts (like media or entertainment) can enhance your focus and deepen your devotion.
Don’t put growing bodies on food fasts. Invite kids into the week another way: a screen fast, a sweets fast, praying together at dinner, coming to the gatherings. Fasting is chosen, never imposed. Let them take a step that’s theirs.
Keep taking them, on schedule, every time. Never pause a prescription to fast. If your medication requires food, choose a fast that includes what you need, and talk to your doctor. Obedience never requires harming yourself.
