Several local pastor and community leaders have been meeting every month to pray for Selma and the community. The group is called ACTS, Apostolic Council for Transformation Selma.

“We get together about once each month. We share what’s going on, the evidence of revival and where we see it happening and pray about it,” said Bob Armstrong, a church leader at Blue Jean Church. “I can see evidence of things turning around in our community and a number of us share that same belief.”

Shelby High, who helped start the group in 2011, said the group began meeting together after the Times Square Church held an event in Selma. To keep things going, they began ACTS as a way to pray for the city and do their part in bringing Selma together.

“Transformation Selma is a group of people from various expressions of the body of Christ from this area who are called to help facilitate revival in Selma, Dallas County and beyond by seeking God to position, equip, read and give structure to church to be a vessel the Holy Spirit can flow through in this region,” High said as she read the mission statement.

Armstrong said the group is made up of people from all different races and denominations, all with the sole purpose of praying for Selma and worshiping together.

In addition to Armstrong and High, the group is made up of bishop Chuck Jones, pastor Colley Chestnut, pastor John Grayson, pastor Doris Moultrie, Mark Watters, pastor Daniel Martin and Dane Shaw.

“It’s got spiritual roots. It’s about people who believe transformation and rebuilding our city is definitely not just possible, it’s already starting to happen,” Armstrong said.

“We come together and we pray and worship together as churches.”

Armstrong said he and the other community leaders can see a change in Selma already starting to occur, and he knows it’s because of a higher power.

“It’s about God’s presence and his spirit changing places and doing things and touching people’s hearts to raise them up to bring revival and rebuild our city.  I think we’re already seeing that,” Armstrong said.

“It’s a very positive, encouraging, spiritually rounded group of people that are believing and seeing good change in Selma.”

The group has what they call Harp and Bowl gatherings that the community is invited to attend.

The next one will be at Christ the King on March 12 at 6:30 p.m.

“If you speak life, you get life,” Armstrong said.

“This is a gathering of leadership in our community. Spiritually and non-spiritual leadership that want to see our community rebuilt and revived.”