church growth, healing Christian ministry, Christian mission, church growth, healing

Divine Healing and Church Growth, by Donald McGavran

by Geoff 19 May 2012 3 Comments

Divine Healing and Church Growth

Dr Donald McGavran was the founding Dean of the School of World Mission at Fuller Theological Seminary. His seminal books Bridges of God (1955) and Understanding Church Growth (1970, 1980) pioneered church growth research. This ground-breaking paper, was presented to the Christian and Missionary Alliance Missionaries at Lincoln, Nebraska in 1979.

Renewal Journal 4: Healing– PDF

Share good news – Share this page freely
Copy and share this link on your media, eg Facebook, Instagram, Emails:
Divine Healing and Church Growth, by Donald McGavran:
https://renewaljournal.com/2012/05/19/divine-healing-and-church-growth-by-donald-mcgavran/
Renewal Journal 4: Healing
Renewal Journal 4: Healing – PDF

Article in Renewal Journal 4: Healing – with more links to healing blogs

Also in Renewal Journals bound volume 1 (Issues 1-5)

The problem of church growth faces all of us. Many of us are working where we have had little growth. Wherever our churches are sealed off, ethnically, economically, or educationally, the people from other classes of society do not ordinarily join us. This very common problem affects not just the Christian and Missionary Alliance. You have less of it than some other missionary societies. This problem has faced me. For the last 25 years I have been thinking of this on the world scene. For 25 years before that I was thinking of it in the Indian context. So for about 50 years I have been considering this difficulty.

As I have been reviewing church growth around the world, I have seen that it frequently correlates with great healing campaigns. That is why I am speaking about Divine Healing and Church Growth. Where the church is up against an insuperable barrier, there no matter what you do, how much you pray, how much you work, how much you organize, how much you administer for church growth, the church either does not grow, grows only a little, or grows from within, not from without. Under such circumstances, we need to lean heavily on that which is so wonderfully illustrated in the New Testament, namely the place of healing in church growth. You remember the two villages of Lydda and Sharon where it is recorded in the book of Acts that all Lydda and Sharon turned to the Lord. Two whole villages in a day! When did that happen? When Aeneas was healed by Peter. This great ingathering was preceded by a remarkable case of divine healing.

American missionaries, who have grown up in a highly secular society, usually take a dim view of divine healing, considering it mere charlatanism. After long years of sharing that common opinion, I now hold that among vast populations, divine healing is one of the ways in which God brings ruen and women to believe in the Savior. Missiologists ought to have a considered opinion on the matter. They should not brush it off cheaply and easily. Administering for church growth in part means arranging the stage so that divine healing can take place. Look at the evidence of divine healing. Withold judgment until the evidence has been reviewed. There is much more evidence than I am able to present in one short address.

My considered recommendation is that missionaries and Christians in most populations ought to be following the biblical injunction to pray for the sick (James 5:14-15). When notable healings have taken place, great efforts should be made to multiply churches. When healings have taken place in your denomination or any other denomination, when the Pentecostals mount a great healing campaign, then say to yourself, “This is the time to strike, while the iron is hot.”

I now lay before you a few cases of divine healing that have come to attention from various sources. The first is a case of healing carried out by American Presbyterian missionaries. I quote a report from India about the operation of these ministers, visiting India for a brief period.

Everyday there was preaching in the evening and teaching in the morning. They lived with us as brothers. They visited and preached in 24 of the 278 churches we have. The work of the Holy Spirit was experienced throughout the preaching ministry. Reverend Little was blessed with the gift of healing power. All those who came to the gospel meetings with a rea.1longing for healing were wonderfully healed. Every night Reverend Little had to minister for more than 4 hours. People who were healed came forward and witnessed about their healing. Hundreds of people were healed. Thousands were able to accept Jesus Christ as their Lord. People were made whole physically, mentally and spiritually. Some of our pastors were healed from serious illnesses, including Rev. J. Thompson, Rev. S. Yesunesan, Rev. E.J. Victor and Rev. Moses Israel. Those who were suffering from chronic diseases were healed. A woman who was suffering from asthma for 21 years was healed. A man who was deaf for more than 40 years was healed. So many blind people were able to see. Lame people were healed. People who were suffering from bleeding were healed. Reverend Wilson shared how more than 2 weeks after Little and Wallace had departed, he would visit a church and find people still praising God for the healing they had received. He discovered that there were a number of Hindus who had received Jesus Christ as their Lord and Saviour among the thousands who experienced salvation. It was customary for Dick Little to ask the people to renounce their gods before repenting .and accepting the Lord Jesus into their lives. Apparently a number received their healing as Christ Jesus came into their hearts.

The second case comes from the CMS Newletter. This is written by the General Secretary of the famed Church Missionary Society whose headquarters are just across the Thames from Parliament Building in London. Here is what is published:

Perhaps there is no more impressive example in recent years of healing than Edmund John, younger brother of the Archbishop ofTanzania, with his great healing mission over a 3 year period of ministry form 1972 to 1975. Not only were vast numbers of people healed, exorcised, moved to open repentance, led to or brought back to Christ in great gatherings, but also in quiet, ordered proceedings. All that happened was related to the central apprehension that Jesus is Lord; and amazing response for the lax Christians and the newly drawn Muslims alike. John’s death at the end of the astonishing blaze of ministry to his people left behind in many places a church spiritually and numerically strengthened.

The third case is from Bolivia, from a United Methodist. This man studied at the School of World Mission in Pasadena and went back to Bolivia a convinced church growth man. His letter is addressed to me personally. In it he says:

It is most striking that the district of our church which has really broken new ground in growth is our very own Lake District where we have worked for 16 years. This is the rural Aymara Indian district. This growth really began to gather momentum during our absence and has been strongest during the last year. So new is this that we do not yet have proper statistics on what has taken place. The mother church of the district in Ancoraimes, our mission station, has increased its Sunday morning attendance six fold. They hold week meetings that have usually average 250, this year have averaged over 600. For the first time in the history of our work, a majority of approaching consensus has turned to Christ in a single community, practically the whole village became Christian. This was shown dramatically on May 31, 1973, the traditional fiesta date, when the community celebrated their first community Christian Fiesta. Of the 170 families, 160 have turned to Christ; five our of six zones of the community, which is called Turini. The lay pastor of the Ancoraimes church, Juan Cordero, was the key man in this movement. Mum’s the word, please do not say anything about this. Dr. McGavran; mum’s the word on the following factor. Preaching has been accompanied by healing. Over and over this has been the case. The lay pastor has been practically mobbed on occasion, but he has stood his ground and has virtually obliged interested persons to hear him out on the gospel before he will pray for healings.

The fourth case of healing followed by growth is one in which the gift fo healing was exercised by a layman, a recent convert, not by the minister or missionary. In Tamilnadu, India, the Evangelical Church of India, planted by OMSI of Greenwood, Indiana, has grown from a few hundred in 1996 to more than fifteen thousand in 1982. During 1983 the church expects to plant fifty more churches – one a week.

After 1970 growth was accompanied by healings and exorcisms. What convinced multitudes to follow Christ was that with their own eyes they saw men and women healed by Christ’s mighty power. Evil spirits were driven out in His name. The Holy Spirit was at work.

The fifth case is from the Mekane Yesus Lutheran denomination in Ethiopia.

Eighty three percent (83%) of our congregations give healing from illness and exorcism as reasons for their growth.

In summary, it is clear from these five cases and much more evidence that the growth of the Church has often — not always, but often — been sparked by healing campaigns.

There are 200,000 East Indians in Trinidad. In 1950 a couple thousand were Christians, the sons and grandsons of people converted by Presbyterian missionaries. Except for those, very few Hindus or Moslems then living in Trinidad had become Christians. In the late fifties there was a healing campaign, and when the educated Indian community, which had scorned Christianity, saw their own people healed in Jesus’ name, they said, “Here is power!” Hundreds became Christians.

The seventh case is a remarkable one from India. Suba Rao was the headmaster of a government school –a member of one of the middle castes and a wealthy man. He had laughed at baptism. He had hated missionaries. He had thought of the church as an assembly of the low caste.

One of his near neighbours and close friends fell sick. For two years his sickness was not healed and gradually wasting away. He went to many doctors to no avail. One night while Suba Rao was asleep, the Lord Jesus appeared to him and said, “Will you will go and lay your hand on that man’s head and pray in My name, I will heal him.” Suba Rao woke up and laughed, thinking, “What a funny dream” and went back to sleep. The next night the Lord Jesus stood by his side and said, “If you go and lay your hand on that man’s head and pray for him to be healed, I will heal him.” Suba Rao woke up; he didn’t laugh this time and he didn’t go back to sleep, but he didn’t lay his hands on the sick man either. He said, “That’s impossible!” The third night the Lord Jesus appeared to him. He got up at once and went to his neighbour. He laid his hand on the man’s head, prayed for him, and in the morning the man said, “I feel much better. Do it again.” the man was healed. Suba Rao threw out his idols. He started to read the Bible. He started a Bible study class among his neighbours. But he still ridicules baptism. He has not joined and church. But he proclaims himself a follower of the Lord Jesus. The healing of people in Jesus’ name became his chief occupation. Joining the church, which there is composed very largely indeed (98%) of the lowest castes of Indian society is, he thinks, an impossible (and perhaps an unnecessary) step for him. Still the Lora Jesus heals men through him (Mark 9:39).

What do healings of this kind — repeated thousands of times — mean for us, living in the world today? “Like a comet blazing across the skies, this faith healer suddenly appeared among the small churches planted in this land in the last 20 years.” News notes to this effect have reached sending churches in America again and again in last 20 years, from many different lands and many different denominations. The biblical saga continues. In one congregation of none, under the faith healer’s prayers, marvellous cures occurred, crowds gathered, thousands attended, members of important wealthy families were cured, the press carried front page articles on the events. Night after night discarded crutches were gathered. Night after night the testimonies of the blind who now see, the paralyzed who now leap, the deaf who now hear were most impressive. Faced with the enormous power of the riser and reigning Christ, men and women in increasing numbers confessed Christ, turned from sin and other gods, were baptized and incorporated into new and old churches. A new era developed, churches began to multiply in many denominations. Baptists grew, Methodists grew, Lutherans grew, Pentecostals grew, and on and on. The evangelization of this country took a great leap forward. Events like these occurring in many lands have caused heated discussion among American Christians.

During the last 100 years, Western Christians have been heavily secularized and saturated with scientific thinking. They believe diseases are caused, not by God’s will, but by germs. And these diseases are cured by drugs; malaria by quinine, colds by Contac, atherosclerosis by open heart surgery. As Christianity has spread throughout the world, missionary physicians have proved enormously more effective than the mumbo jumbo of witch doctors, herbalists, faith healers of the animist world. The missionary doctor gave the patients penicillin and offered prayer to God for their cure. They were cured.

The Christian doctor would say it was not by unaided prayer but by using the medicine that God has given to mankind. This Christian interpretation of the healing process and the part played by unaided prayer and faith differs from the rationalists view, and yet it holds that, as a matter of fact, God does not act independent of physical means. That, my friends, is the atmosphere in which we all live. Secular man believes that there is no God; the causes of illness which can be measured and manipulated by men are the only reality. These causes can be physical, chemical or psychological.

To such 20th century thinking, faith healing is at best mistaken and at worst charlatanry. The faith healer is either a self-deluded enthusiast or a clever manipulator of men. If people claim to be cured, maybe they were not really sick in the first place, or have temporary feelings of well being induced by the excitement of the moment due to crowd psychology. The “healed” may even be planted t the faith healer to build up his reputation. The power of hundreds of thousands who believe alike and express their belief vividly is a real factor in human affairs and has been used by politicians. merchants, priests, and magicians from time immemorial. Westerners and Eastern secularists are highly sceptical about any power available to man other than what man himself generates by one mean or another, Faith healing causes lifted eyebrows and superior smiles.

To most people in Asia, Africa, and Latin America, however; disease is inflicted by spirits. It is cured by super-human powers regardless of what people in America think.

Witches eat up the life force of other men. An angry neighbor casts an “evil eye” on a woman and she grows weaker day by day. A wandering evil spirit devours a baby and the baby dies. A demon causes an illness which no medicine can cure. Western medicine may help some people, but Africa is full of mysterious powers which the white man does not know, and only those who know the secret source of black power can heal African affliction. These evil powers must be overcome by superior powers.

In Spanish America the Curandero has great power. His incantations, potion, sacrifices, and medicines marvellously heal the sick. In Asia, Africa, and Latin America, perhaps 98 out of 100 persons believe that superior power drives out inferior power. In Europe and North America the impersonal, mechanistic system of scientism fails to satisfy millions. Therefore, they, too, eagerly believe I the occult, extra-human powers. Satan worship flousrishes. The mysterious influence of magic words, rites, robes, stars, yogis, and gurus fascinates many people in Europe and North America. Christians in North America and Europe have a special problem with faith healing. Why? Because their religion wars with their science.

Faith healing unquestionably occurred in biblical times. The New Testament Church rode the crest of a tremendous, continual manifestation of faith healing. One of the may passages reads as follows:

Now many signs and wonders were done among the common people and by the hands of the apostles, more than ever, believers were added to the Lord. Multitudes, both men and women, so that they even carried out the sick into the streets and laid them on beds and pallets, that, as Peter came by, at least his shadow might fall on some of them. The people also gathered from the towns around Jerusalem, bringing the sick and those afflicted with evil spirits and they all were healed (Acts 8:12-16).

Yes, Christians have a problem in the Western society. Their sciences war with their Christian faith. Divine healing was an essential part of the evangelization as churches multiplied across Palestine and the Mediterranean world. What are we Christians to make of all this? Is there something here that we can use?

Many educated Christians have been more secularized than they realize and are antagonistic to divine healing. They write it off as superstition and fraud; it leads people away from sound medicine and counts many as healed who are still sick. They say divine healing is a massive deception. They think that divine healing is using God for our own ends.

Some educated Christians say that in addition to the human mechanism and material means which God uses, He sometimes acts in sovereign power. He retains the right to act outside His laws which we know in order to use higher laws which we do not know. He ordinarily operated through His laws, but He is not bound by them. When it pleases Him, He intervenes. Such Christians hold that the best possible world is one in which most of the time a just and loving God rules through laws. But occasionally, when He sees fit, He uses a higher law. Such Christians view healings in the name of Christ as demonstrations of the power of God.

Some would add that the healings are a mixture of God’s acts and man acts, thus we see many incomplete healings, and failures of healings, due to lack of faith or sincerity.

Some hard-headed Christians, who would normally be highly sceptical about divine healing, have gradually come to accept healing campaigns upon seeing he great numbers who throw away crutches, plus those healed of deafness and blindness and cured of heart disease. They have seen large numbers of recent non-believers rejoicing at Christ’s power, singing His praises, hearing His word, and praying to Him. The facts overwhelm the hard-headed.

Finally, some Christians believe that God has called them to actively engage in healing the sick, exorcising evil spirits, and multiplying churches. They deliberately use the vigorous expressed faith in Christ which abounds in a healing campaign to multiply sound churches of responsible Christians.

All Christians ought to think their way through this matter and realize that here is a power which a great many of us have not sufficiently used.

Healing campaigns have occurred in Buenos Aires with Tommy Hicks in 1954 and Guayaquil, Ecuador, in the mid 60’s. The latter was a very interesting case. The Full Gospel Church had three mission fields with growing younger churches in Brazil, the Philippines, and Panama. In their other fields converts were not being won, congregations were not multiplying. In the late sixties in Guayquil healings took place in a small way. Immediately, a big tent was flown in from Los Angeles and pitched right where the crowd gathered. For the next six weeks every night in that tent faith healing followed the preaching of Christ. Twenty branch churches were planted in various parts of the city. Guayaquil became a mission field where churches multiply.

In South Africa there is an Indian community of about 800,000 that has been solidly opposed to the Christian faith. Very few Indians became Christians. About 20 or 25 years ago through a series of healing campaigns, two Pentecostal denominations began to grow among the Indians. One of those Pentecostal churches is now 25,000 and the other 15,000. They got their start in healing campaigns in South Africa. Healing campaigns are occurring today and they will occur tomorrow. They are a part of today’s context. When one talks about contextualization, healing campaigns should be mentioned.

Christians, especially missionaries and missionary societies, must ask, “What is the biblical response to divine healing campaigns? What do Christians do when faced with the excitement and faith-heightening of a divine healing campaign?” Many for the first time become able to hear the Gospel with the inner ear.

What ought we to do after a campaign when many decide to become Christian? The following answer was formed in my mind when I was in the Christian Missionary Alliance field in Ivory Coast, at Yamoussoukro. A church growth workshop sponsored by the Evangelical Churches and missions was being held. This amazing story was told by the Ivory Coast pastors and American missionaries gathered there to study the growth of their churches and to find ways of proclaiming the Gospel more effectively. It illustrates very well the problems and opportunities which healing campaigns bring.

The Church in Ivory coast was typical of many countries in Asia, Africa and Latin America. Ivory Coast has about 4 million people with the Roman Catholic Church numbers about 30,000. The Methodist Church dates from 1924 and has 60,000. Seven small Protestant denominations, with a total baptized membership of about 11,000, have arisen because of the faithful work of American missionaries. They have a growing rate of 70% per decade, led by Ivory Coast ministers. About 100 dedicated American missionaries are helping these churches and are doing a multitude of good deed.

Pastor Jacques Giraud, a French missionary tot he West Indies, arrived in Ivory Coast in March, 1973, to dedicate and Assemblies church building in Abidjan. As the meetings progressed, people began to be healed. The crowds grew and the meetings were moved to the stadium. Truck loads of people came from all parts of Ivory Coast. The papers were full of the event. The radio broadcast daily concerning it. Leading government officials and their wives flocked to the stadium. Pastor Giraud would tell of one of Christ’s miracles and preach for an hour on God’s mighty power to heal. Then he would say, “I don’t’ heal; God heals. I ask Him to release His power. Put your hand where it hurts and join me in prayer.” He would pour out his heart in believing prayer to God for healing. After a half hour of prayer he would invite those who God had healed to come to the front; crutches were thrown away, bent and arthritic persons stood erect, blind men walked forward seeing, scores and sometimes hundreds came, some hobbled, some limped, some saw ‘men like trees walking’ but they believed. God had given them at least a measure of healing. Thousands were also not healed.

After several healing sessions, Pastor Giraud would begin preaching salvation, repentance, atonement, and sanctification—straight from Bible preaching. A blind pagan from 600km north promised his fetish a sacrifice if he was healed. He went by bus to the Giraud meeting. At the meeting he saw for an instant, but then darkness returned. He stayed on and heard the gospel. When he returned home, he burnt his fetish and declared himself a Christian, saying, “I was not healed, but I heard the gospel and I am sure that God is the real power.”

This incident illustrates the truth that a healing campaign has dimensions far in excess of the healings. Groups of men and women seeing he power of Christ and hearing the message under favourable conditions declare their faith in Christ. Theirs in not an illumined faith but it is strong enough for them to burn their fetishes. They can be incorporated into existing congregations and formed into new ones.

After the Abidjan campaign in the very southern tip of the country, a high government official, who had been greatly blessed by the meeting, arranged for Pastor Giraud to hold a healing campaign in his home town of Toumoudi. He directed the leading government administrator there to arrange, at his expense, a place for meetings, and lodging and food for pastor Giraud and his party. A campaign similar to the Abidjan campaign was held. Radio and newspapers again broad- cast the huge nightly meetings. The next meeting, again on the initiative and expense of leading government officials, was held in the city of Bouake in late August of 1973. Then at Yamoussoukro, another campaign with Giraud was held. Pastor Giraud conducted healing campaigns in many towns and cities of the Ivory Coast.

Although he was a minister of the Assemblies of God, it is his practice to direct converts to the local churches and missions for shepherding. At Toumoudi he had the Alliance missionaries and ministers on the platform with him. He said to the people, “When you place you faith in Jesus Christ, call these men to baptize you and shepherd you.”

Reverend Fred Pilding, a missionary of the Christian and Missionary Alliance working in Ivory Coast fills in some details in the Alliance Witness, Sept. 26, 1973.

The crusade began in Bouake June 18th and continued for three weeks. Morning attendance averaged about 4,000. From 6 to 15,00 turned out in the evenings with a high of 25,00 one Sunday. The sick were seated on the grass on the playing field and all the others occupied the grandstands. As the evangelist presented Jesus Christ, the same yesterday, today and forever, people became aware of His continuing power today, through a healing receptive place. It became easier for them to trust Him as Saviour. A hunchback came to the meeting, grovelling in the dirt, under the influence of demons. The demons were exorcised in the name of Jesus and he was instantly healed. The next day he attended the meetings nicely dressed, perfectly calm, and gave his testimony. Whenever those who were healed testified, witnesses were asked to verify each healing. Pastor Giraud again and again cited Mark 16:15-18 as every believer1s commission and emphasized that in Christ’s name they were to cast out devils and lay hands on the sick and they shall recover. He refuted vigorously the title of healer. His ministry, he said, was to inspire faith in the gospel. “It is in the name of Jesus that people are healed.”

After the Toumoudi meeting, groups of converts from 81 villages around Toumoudi sought out the Alliance missionaries and ministers, begging them to come and make them Christians. After the Bouake meeting, responses were received from over 100 villages. A hundred and forty cards were filled out from one small town alone. From one village near Bouake 10 cards had been received. The missionary went to visit this village. Seeing him, one of the men who had been healed rushed off to get some of the pagan village elders. While waiting, the missionary said to the children, “Do you know Pastor Giraudls song?” Immediately they broke into joyful singing, “Up, up with Jesus, down, down with Satan, Alleluia!” People carne pouring out and the missionary preached and then asked, “How many will follow God and leave their old ways?” More than half immediately said, “We will.” In another village the Chief said, “Fetish is dead, we shall all become Christians.” The pastors and missionaries were faced with great opportunities. The challenge was to take advantage of this enthusiasm, which could dissipate rapidly, and channel these people into ongoing responsible churches of Christians who know the Lord and obey His word. Nothing like this had happened in their experience in the Ivory Coast, and they were naturally fearful, lest the excitement prove transient as it very well might.

What are Christians to make of faith healings and exorcisms? Missionaries, other church leaders and evangelists all over the world face many different situations, populations, oppositions, and opportunities. In some places mission is very largely good works and proclamation of Christ which very seldom .is followed by open acceptance of Jim as Lord and Saviour. In other places multitudes are accepting Christ and becoming members of multiplying congregations. In places the entire work is carried on by national pastors and their comrades. In other places, the missionary is the chief agent. He recruits, trains, employs, and deploys the national pastor and their comrades. In other places, the missionary is the chief agent. He recruits, trains, employs, and deploys the national evangelists and pastors. each of these men -missionaries and pastors -face a unique situation.

In view of all the evidence, missionaries in training in the (rapidly multiplying Schools of Evangelism and Mission now found in many parts of the world must ask themselves:

WHAT PLACE OUGHT WE TO GIVE TO FAITH HEALINGS AND EXORCISMS?

It would be foolhardy to attempt a single answer which would be equally true for all pieces of the vast mosaic of mankind. But certain truths may be emphasized.

First, God does give a few Christians the gift of healing. This is the clear statement of Scripture, and the convincing witness of history. It would be both unbelieving and foolish to disregard the massive evidence. It would be unscientific, if you please, to close one’s eyes to the facts of faith healing. It would be unChristian to deny those parts of the Bible which tell us clearly that on occasion, in response to faith, God does heal in miraculous ways. Biblical faith requires faith in miracles. If we cast them out, we cast out the whole Bible, or adopt a system of hermeneutics which destroys while it interprets.

Second, many healings in Christ’s name are incomplete, temporary, or even contrived. The facts are clear. Some faith healers are charlatans, and do it for the fame or money they receive. But this fact must not destroy our ability to see that God does heal in response to faith and prayer.

Third, when healing in Christ’s name has gone on and has attracted wide attention, multitudes can hear the gospel and many will obey it. This is the convincing witness of the New Testament and of modern history in many parts of the world, including the Western World. God wishes us to recognize white fields. When the disciples were saying, “No one will believe. The harvest you speak of is four months off. We are just sowing the seed or ploughing the field,” it was exactly then that the Lord Jesus said, “You are wrong. Lift up your eyes and look on the fields which are white to harvest. Pray God to send labourers into the ripe fields.” Pastors of congregations, missionaries at work in new populations, executive secretaries of mission boards, professors of missiology – all ought to practice and teach that healing campaigns are frequently accompanied by periods of great receptivity. It is required of Christians that they recognize these periods and multiply congregations in receptive populations.

Fourth, God’s man is sometimes faced with highly secular company of Christians who do not believe in faith healings or any other miracles, and who would be put off by any advocacy of them. They would turn away from something which, to them, seemed impossible. Facing such an audience, what should God’s man do?

He should do what thousands of ministers and missionaries have been doing during the past century. He should commend Christ in ways which that audience will accept as commendation. He should recognize that faith healing claims will turn some people away from Christ. When God sends him to minister or to evangelize to such people, he must present the gospel in terms which they understand and which raise up no insuperable obstacles before them.

I would hope, however, that even to this audience some of the facts of faith healing could be and would be presented at suitable times. As modern secular Christians give themselves utterly to Christ, and as they accept the full authority and infallibility of the Bible, they will come to the place in which they too will believe that with God nothing is impossible

Reproduced with permission from MC510: Healing Ministry and Church Growth class notes, Fuller Theological Seminary, 1983, a course taught by John Wimber.

© Renewal Journal #4: Healing (2001, 2012)
Reproduction is allowed with the copyright included in the text.

Now available in updated book form (2nd edition 2011)
Renewal Journal 4: Healing – with more links to healing blogs

Renewal Journal 4: Healing – PDF

Renewal Journal 4: Healing – Editorial

Missionary Translator and Doctor, by David Lithgow

My Learning Curve on Healing, by Jim Holbeck

Spiritual Healing, by John Blacker

Deliverance and Freedom, by Colin Warren

Christian Wholeness Counselling, by John Warlow

A Healing Community, by Spencer Colliver

Divine Healing & Church Growth, by Donald McGavran

Sounds of Revival, by Sue Armstrong

Revival Fire at Wuddina, by Trevor Faggotter

Contents of all Renewal Journals

Amazon – Renewal Journal 4: Healing

Amazon – all journals and books

See Renewal Journal 4: Healing as on Amazon and Kindle and The Book Depository

Also in Renewal Journals bound volume 1 (Issues 1-5)

Also in Renewal Journals, Bound Volume 1 (Issues 1-5)

Renewal Journal Vol 1 (1-5) – PDF

Paperback books and eBooks for PC, tablet, phone
Add to your free Cloud Library then download anytime

Amazon and Kindle and The Book Depository

Link to all Renewal Journals

All Renewal Journal Topics

1 Revival,   2 Church Growth,   3 Community,   4 Healing,   5 Signs & Wonders,
6 Worship,   7 Blessing,   8 Awakening,   9 Mission,   10 Evangelism,
11 Discipleship,   12 Harvest,   13 Ministry,   14 Anointing,   15 Wineskins,
16 Vision,   17 Unity,   18 Servant Leadership,   19 Church,   20 Life

Revival Blogs Links:

GENERAL BLOGS INDEX

BLOGS INDEX 1: REVIVALS (BRIEFER THAN REVIVALS INDEX)

***BLOGS INDEX 2: MISSION* *(INTERNATIONAL STORIES)***

BLOGS INDEX 3: MIRACLES (SUPERNATURAL EVENTS)

***BLOGS INDEX 4: DEVOTIONAL* *(INCLUDING TESTIMONIES)***

***BLOGS INDEX 5: CHURCH* *(CHRISTIANITY IN ACTION)***

***BLOGS INDEX 6: CHAPTERS* *(BLOGS FROM BOOKS)***

***BLOGS INDEX 7: IMAGES* *(PHOTOS AND ALBUMS)***

BACK TO MAIN PAGE

Free PDF books on the Main Page

FREE SUBSCRIPTION: for new Blogs & free offers

Also in Renewal Journals bound volume 1 (Issues 1-5)
Renewal Journal Vol 1 (1-5) – PDF

China, Christian mission, church Christian mission, church growth, Evangelical revivals, evangelism

The Spirit told us what to do, by Carl Lawrence

by Geoff 13 August 2011 9 Comments

The Spirit told us what to do

by Carl Lawrence

Two young women set off to plant churches without plans or training because “Jesus said to ‘go.'”
After we prayed, the Holy Spirit would tell us exactly what to do.
We would keep praying and he would tell us what to do, and we would do it.
Then we prayed and then he would tell us what to do.
We would do it and keep praying.

*********************************

Reproduced from Great Revival Stories

Great Revival Stories – PDF

and Renewal Journal 12: Harvest

Renewal Journal 12: Harvest – PDF

Share good news – Share this page freely
Copy and share this link on your media, eg Facebook, Instagram, Emails:
The Spirit told us what to do:
https://renewaljournal.com/2011/08/13/the-spirit-told-us-what-to-do-by-carl-lawrence/

FREE PDF books on the Main Page

*********************************

The Spirit told us what to do

Several high-ranking church leaders from Europe visited a pastor in Hong Kong. The pastor took them to visit some of the Three-Self churches. They found them inspiring, and uniquely Chinese, but they wondered aloud if perhaps they weren’t seeing the real church.

On the final day of their visit, the pastor hoped to show them what they wanted to see. He knew they would not really be satisfied unless they met a real church planter. As it turned out, they saw something incredibly beyond what they ever expected to find in China.

At their last stop, the pastor discovered that two young women had just returned from their mission station for a short visit, so he asked them to come to the hotel late, to meet the visiting church leaders.

These young ladies had both become Christians as teenagers while listening to radio broadcasts, and they each had immediately felt the call to be a missionary. The pastor had met with them and attempted to teach them how to witness right where they were.

“No,” they insisted, “the Bible you gave us says Jesus said to go to into all the world. We want to ‘go.'”

“But,” the pastor argued, “you have only been Christians for six months, and you are so young.”

They replied, “Pastor, we have read everything Jesus said and nowhere does he ask people how old they are. We want to go.”

Smiling, the pastor asked them, “But can you give me an exegesis of the five classical appearances of the Great Commission in the New Testament?” Their disappointed faces made him feel ashamed. “Very well. We need some workers on Hainan Island.”

“Hainan Island, we have never heard of it.”

The pastor said, “It is an island off the mainland. The people there are fishermen. It is very rough. There are no Christians there. For young ladies it might be very dangerous.”

Excitedly they responded, “How soon can we go?”

“Well, I have to go back to Hong Kong and make arrangements. There will be . . . “

They interrupted him, “Oh no, no, we must not wait. Our Lord said ‘go,’ not sit around and plan. We will go to this place – what did you call it?”

“Hainan. Hainan Island.”

They looked at each other, “Hainan, yes Hainan. That is where the Lord wants us to go.”

They had been there for two years and were now back for a short period of time to try to get Bibles and other literature for their new churches. The pastor had not seen them since the day they insisted that they ‘go now’!

After the arrangements were made, he went to the lobby at the appointed time and waited for the ladies to arrive. He watched the bellboys in their crisp, tailored uniforms, and the tourists who attempted to be casual in their designer clothes. Then he spotted the two young women. Oh no, he thought as they walked in.

Their black pyjamas and broad-brimmed fishermen hats stood in stark contrast to the appearance of the sophisticated hotel receptionist making her way towards them.

The pastor moved quickly to intercede. “It’s all right, they are here to see me.” Several people stood staring as he greeted them as politely as possible without drawing too much attention. “Come, we will go to my room to meet some people from Europe.”

Once in the room, the two European church officials graciously greeted them. He proceeded to ask the young ladies questions, interpreting for his guests as he went along.

“Pastor, ask them how many churches they have established on Hainan.”

The women put their heads down and answered, “Oh Pastor, we have only been there two years . . . yes, two years. Not many. Not very many.” Their voices were apologetic.

“How many?”

“Oh, not many, not many. We have only been there a short time. The people were not very friendly. . . Sometimes they became very vicious. Yes, sometimes they told us they were going to drown us in the ocean . . . several men threatened us . . . . Oh my, and because we were so young, even some of the other ladies did not like us. Yes some even called us terrible names . . . so not many churches . . . no, not many. . . .”

The pastor interrupted and slowly repeated the words, “How many? How many?”

There was a moment of silence, then one of the women looked up with embarrassment and anguish, as though confessing to a crime, “Only . . . thirteen. “

The pastor looked astonished and interpreted for the guests, “Thirteen.”

One of the guests repeated the number, “Only thirteen, only – my goodness. I haven’t planted that many churches in my lifetime.”

One of the pastor’s assistants interrupted, “No, Pastor, she did not say thirteen. She said thirty.”

The pastor looked at the two young women and asked, “Thirty?”

“Oh, yes, not many, we have done very poorly. Only thirty . . . .”

The two guests could only mutter, “Thirty churches in two years . . . my word. . . .”

Again the women began to apologize when the pastor interrupted to ask another question, “How many people are in the churches?”

“How many? . . . Oh, not many. . . . ” Again both heads went down, apologizing for their failure. “Not many. “

The process repeated itself until, again, the pastor looked like he was ready to shake them and practically yelled, “How many?”

“Only two hundred and twenty people. Not many, no . . . not many. “

Quickly multiplying in his head, the pastor said, “Two hundred and twenty in thirty churches?”

“Oh, no, in only one, but that one is a very small church, very small. There are bigger ones. . . .”

As the pastor interrupted he heard the numbers repeated by his guests: “Two hundred and twenty is small? Dear Lord, I wish I had some that large.”

“Ask them how many are in the big churches.”

The process began, but with a more reverent inquiry: “And how many in the big churches? You know, the biggest one?”

“Oh, not many . . . .”

“I know, ‘not many.’ But, please, ladies, how many?”

“Oh, less than five thousand. Only four thousand nine hundred . . . . Yes, less than five thousand. We have just started.”

From behind the pastor came the sound of weeping: “Dear Lord, forgive us.”

“What did they do? How did they do it? Ask them what they did?”

When asked, they looked astonished. “What did we do? Why nothing. Yes, we did nothing, nothing.”

“You did nothing? You have thirty churches – the smallest with two hundred and twenty people, the largest with almost five thousand new Christians! And you did nothing?”

“No, nothing. We just prayed.”

“I know you prayed, but what else did you do?”

“After we prayed, the Holy Spirit would tell us exactly what to do. We would keep praying and he would tell us what to do, and we would do it. Then we prayed and then he would tell us what to do. We would do it and keep praying.”

“Dear Lord, they just prayed . . . and the Holy Spirit told them exactly what to do and they prayed. . . . “

The pastor laid his hands on the shoulders of the two sisters. Behind him his two guests, on their knees weeping, joined as they ‘just prayed’.

Dawn Report, August 1998. Source: Church Planting Canada, the Church Planting arm of Vision Canada. Originally published by Carl Lawrence, The Coming Influence of China. Gresham: Vision House Publishing Inc, 1996, pages 186-192. 1

China reports in Mission Index

Asia’s Maturing Church (David Wang)
The Spirit told us what to do (Carl Lawrence)
Revival in China (Dennis Balcombe)
China’s House Churches (Barbara Nield)
China – New Wave of Revival
Chinese turning to Christianity
Revival breaks out in China’s government approved churches
China: how a mother started a house church movement
China – Life-changing Miracle
China’s next generation: New China, New Church, New World
China: The cross on our shoulders and in our hearts
George Chen – In the Garden: 18 years in prison

This article is a chapter in Great Revival Stories

Blog – Great Revival Stories

The Book Depository – free postage worldwide

Amazon – “Look inside” Great Revival Stories

Reproduced from Renewal Journal 12: Harvest

Book Depository – Renewal Journal 12: Harvest

free postage worldwide

This article is also an Appendix in

The Lion of Judah (2) The Reign of Jesus

and in (7) The Lion of Judah in one volume.

Back to Renewal Journals

All Renewal Journal Topics

Contents: Renewal Journal 12: Harvest

The Spirit told us what to do, by Carl Lawrence

Argentine Revival, by Guido Kuwas

Baltimore Revival, by Elizabeth Moll Stalcup

Smithton Revival, by Joel Kilpatrick

Mobile Revival, by Joel Kilpatrick

Australian Reports – Aboriginal Revivals

Global Reports

Book Review: 2000 Years of Charismatic Christianity, by Eddie Hyatt

Renewal Journal 12: Harvest – PDF

Renewal Journals – contents of all issues

Amazon and Kindle – all issues

GENERAL BLOGS INDEX

BLOGS INDEX 1: REVIVALS (BRIEFER THAN REVIVALS INDEX)

BLOGS INDEX 2: MISSION (INTERNATIONAL STORIES)

BLOGS INDEX 3: DEVOTIONAL (INCLUDING TESTIMONIES)

BLOGS INDEX 4: CHAPTERS (BLOGS FROM BOOKS)

***BLOGS INDEX 5: CHURCH* *(CHRISTIANITY IN ACTION)***

BLOGS INDEX 6: CHAPTERS (BLOGS FROM BOOKS)

BLOGS INDEX 7: IMAGES (PHOTOS AND ALBUMS)

BACK TO MAIN PAGE

Free PDF Books on the Main Page

Also in Great Revival Stories

An article in Renewal Journal 12: Harvest
Renewal Journal 12: Harvest – PDF

Also in Renewal Journals Vol 3: Issues 11-15
Renewal Journal Vol 3 (11-15)– PDF

All Renewal Journals

church growth, revivals Christian mission, Christian revival, church growth

The New Song, by C Peter Wagner

by Geoff 20 July 2011 No Comments

The New Song

by C Peter Wagner

Dr C. Peter Wagner, formerly Professor of Church Growth at Fuller Theological Seminary, author of numerous books, was President of Global Harvest Ministries and Co-ordinator of the United Prayer Track for the AD2000 and Beyond Movement. This article was published by Global Harvest Ministries as ‘Getting Ready to Sing the New Song’.

Renewal Journal 9: Mission – PDF

Share good news – Share this page freely
Copy and share this link on your media, eg Facebook, Instagram, Emails:
Renewal Journal 9: Mission:
https://renewaljournal.com/2011/07/20/mission/

____________________________

A church for every people

and the gospel for every person

____________________________

The Bible tells us that one day four living creatures and twenty‑four elders are going to surround the throne of the Lamb and sing a new song: ‘You have redeemed us to God by Your blood out of every tribe and tongue and people and nation’ (Rev. 5:9). What a song!

If the motto of the A.D. 2000 Movement is fulfilled, that song will be sung pretty soon. I have the faith to join A.D. 2000 in believing that there, in fact, will be ‘A church for every people and the gospel for every person.’

Does it require faith to say such a thing? It definitely does.

Speaking as a professional missiologist, I can, with great assurance, affirm that there is no known human theory of missiology today that could bring about such a result in such a short time. If that is the case ‑ which it is ‑ the only way it could possibly happen is through a mighty move of the sovereign hand of God.

Prayer Moves the Hand of God!

What is it that moves the hand of God more than anything else?

Prayer! In fact, in the verse just before the words of the new song, the ‘prayers of the saints’ are highlighted (see Rev. 5:8).

Nothing could be more important for fulfilling Jesus’ great commission to ‘make disciples of every nation’ than mobilizing massive prayer for world evangelization. Since we founded Global Harvest Ministries and the United Prayer Track in 1991, the burning passion of Doris’ and my hearts has been to see more of God’s people praying in one accord for the lost of the world than ever before.

We are not generating the worldwide prayer movement. God is doing it. I like what Eddie Smith of the U.S. Prayer Track once said: “Our job is not to get people praying, but to get praying people!” Never before in history have there been so many Christians praying on all the continents.

Our assignment from God is to see that as many of them as possible are praying for the lost ‘with one accord,’ as Luke put it in Acts 2:1. When we first began we thought we were stretching our faith to believe that we could get one million praying for the same nation or city at the same time.

But our faith was too small. Much more than this has actually taken place, by the providence of God.

Millions Praying In One Accord

In October 1993, 21 million were praying in one accord for the 62 nations of the 10/40 Window [10 to 40 degrees north between Africa and Asia]. In October 1995, 36 million were praying in one accord for the 100 Gateway Cities of the 10/40 Window. We are confident that in October 1997 there will be 50 million praying in one accord for the 146 Gateway Clusters of 1,739 major unreached people groups.

I am confident that you will be praying in one accord with Doris and me and millions of others. In fact, you may even be a member of one of the 17,390 local churches (10 per unreached people group) or a member of one of the 34,780 home cell groups (20 per unreached people group) committed to praying for one of the groups past October 1997 and through the end of the year 2000.

The Lights Are Coming On!

If you are like many others who pray, you want to know if your prayers are being answered. The answer is yes!

When the A.D. 2000 Movement began in 1989, darkness prevailed across the 10/40 Window. But we have been praying in one accord for seven years now, more and more each year. It would be discouraging if the same degree of darkness persisted. But it has not.

Lights have been coming on in many significant parts of the 10/40 Window since we have been praying. We are getting reports that some of the 1,739 unreached people groups are now reached, but we are not tooled to start deleting names as yet ‑ so let’s keep praying for them all in the meantime.

The three most formidable anti‑Christian forces in the world are Buddhism, Hinduism and Islam. I have some good news for those who want to see multitudes among these peoples move from darkness to light, from the power of Satan to God. Remarkable things have been happening in this decade of the 1990s.

1. Buddhism.

My observations lead me to believe that the principalities over Buddhism are ‘on the run.’ This is the first large wall, after Communism, to come down in our generation. For years Buddhism has been taking a hit in South Korea, and more recently, on even a greater scale, in mainland China.

I visited Thailand, the strongest Buddhist nation in Southeast Asia, twice this year and I was amazed at the growth of Christian churches. Many Thai leaders point to 1993, more or less, as the turning point.

Why not? Twenty‑one million were praying for Thailand in one accord. The video for the 1995 Praying Through the Window II featured a Thai pastor, so Thailand got more prayer than most places. Numerous Thai leaders said, ‘Peter, for the first time in all of history, it is easy to lead a Thai person to Christ!’ Thailand will be a key to evangelizing Myanmar (Burma), Laos, Cambodia and Viet Nam.

2. Hinduism.

The principalities over Hinduism are ‘badly battered.’ Nepal is the only Hindu kingdom in the world, and it has recently become one of the brightest lights for the gospel in all of the 10/40 Window. Although it is still supposed to be a crime to convert to Christianity, some changes were made in the constitution in 1990, and churches are being multiplied from north to south and from east to west. Laws are not being enforced. Reports tell us that there are probably

200,000 believers there, possibly 300,000.

The light has just come on in the Indian Himalayan state of Sikkim where some are saying that 20 percent or even 30 percent may now be Christian. Surprising reports are coming in from many other sections of previously resistant North India. Probably Nepal will be a key to breaking through the Buddhist strongholds in Bhutan and Tibet.

3. Islam.

The strongest principalities are those over Islam, but I see them as ‘scared stiff.’ They have been shaken by the large numbers of Muslims coming to Christ in Indonesia, the world’s largest Muslim country. They are fully aware of the power of light being released through our annual ‘Praying through Ramadan’ effort. And, most of all, they are frightened, as they well should be, by the massive Reconciliation Walk tracing the routes of the First Crusade from 1996 through June of 1999 with a message of repentance for the sins of our ancestors during the First Crusade 900 years ago. Nothing could weaken the principalities keeping Muslims in darkness more than this initiative.

Our prayers are working, and the world is changing as a result. Now is the time to pray as never before. Let’s double and triple our efforts.

The heavenly choirs may not quite be ready to sing the ‘new song,’ but they probably should begin choir practice, because the time to sing the song before the throne of the Lamb seems to be right around the corner!

(c) C. Peter Wagner. Used with permission of Global Harvest Ministries.

Some books by C Peter Wagner

Leading your Church to Growth (1984)

The Third Wave of the Holy Spirit (1988)

Your Church can be Healthy (1990)

Spiritual Power and Church Growth (1990)

Prayer Shield (1997)

Churches the Pray (1997)

Breaking Strongholds in Your City (1997)

Church Growth and the Whole Gospel (1998)

Church Quake (1999)

Your Church can Grow (2001)

Your Spiritual Gifts can help your Church Grow (2005)

Praying with Power (2008)

Warfare Prayer (2009)

Discover your Spiritual Gifts (2010)

Now available in updated book form (2nd edition 2011)
Contents of all Renewal Journals

Amazon – Renewal Journal 9: Mission

Contents: 9 Mission

The River of God, by David Hogan

The New Song, by C. Peter Wagner

God’s Visitation, by Dick Eastman

Revival in China, by Dennis Balcombe

Mission in India, by Paul Pilai

Harvest Now, by Robert McQuillan

Pensacola Revival, by Michael Brown

Reviews: Building a Better World by Dave Andrews, Surprised by the Power of the Spirit & Surprised by the Voice of God both by Jack Deere, Secrets of the Argentine Revival, by R Edward Miller

Renewal Journal 9: Mission – PDF

Amazon – all journals and books

Link to all Renewal Journals

All Renewal Journal Topics

GENERAL BLOGS INDEX

BLOGS INDEX 1: REVIVALS (BRIEFER THAN REVIVALS INDEX)

BLOGS INDEX 2: MISSION (INTERNATIONAL STORIES)

BLOGS INDEX 3: MIRACLES (SUPERNATURAL EVENTS)

BLOGS INDEX 4: DEVOTIONAL (INCLUDING TESTIMONIES)

***BLOGS INDEX 5: CHURCH* *(CHRISTIANITY IN ACTION)***

BLOGS INDEX 6: CHAPTERS (BLOGS FROM BOOKS)

BLOGS INDEX 7: IMAGES (PHOTOS AND ALBUMS)

BACK TO MAIN PAGE

FREE SUBSCRIPTION: for new Blogs & free offers

Free PDF books on Main Page

Share good news – Share this page freely
Copy and share this link on your media, eg Facebook, Instagram, Emails:
Renewal Journal 9: Mission:
https://renewaljournal.com/2011/07/20/mission/
Renewal Journal 9: Mission – PDF

Also in Renewal Journals Vol 2: Issues 6-10
Renewal Journal Vol 2 (6-10) – PDF

All Renewal Journals

Christian life, Christian ministry, Christian mission Christian, Christian ministry, Christian mission

An Incredible Journey by Faith by Elisha Chowtapalli

by Geoff 16 May 2011 2 Comments

Miraculous autobiography of an ‘Untouchable’ Dalit Indian young man

An Incredible Journey by Faith

by Elisha Chowtapalli

An Incredible Journey by Faith – PDF

Share good news – Share this and any page freely.
Share this link on your media, eg Facebook, Instagram, Emails:
An Incredible Journey by Faith:
https://renewaljournal.com/2011/05/16/an-incredible-journey-by-faith-by-elisha-chowtapalli/
Renewal Journal – a chronicle of renewal and revival: www.renewaljournal.com

FREE RENEWAL JOURNAL SUBSCRIPTION: for updates, new Blogs & free offers
FREE PDF books on the Main Page
FREE gift note available with Amazon – gift idea
FREE airmail worldwide on The Book Depository –
select your currency on their top bar

Immediately available on Kindle – An Incredible Journey by Faith

Add to your Kindle/Amazon Cloud Library & download anytime.

Amazon – An Incredible Journey by Faith

1 My Childhood

2 Dalits – Untochables of India

3 Education and Job

4 My Conversion, Theological Studies and Persecution

5 Foreign Land – Australia

6 My Dream for an Orphanage

7 Light Home

8 God’s Miraculous Provisions

9 Ministries and Opportunities

10 Stepping out in Faith

11 Children’s Issues

12 My Dream

Conclusion

Preface

My Dear Friend, I take this opportunity to thank you for choosing to read my book. I am sure that you have read many books so far. Every book or life story you read has offered something to you. Now you are about to read another book that has something for you. Though I am part of this story, it’s not really about me. However it is about the One who created me, who called me, who guiding me, who gave me the vision, who entrusted me at work and who is using me for His glory in India. So it is all about my God who transformed my life.

In my life, I never thought that I would write a book. I didn’t think that there would be something to write as a book about my life. But God has led me to write my life story to encourage each and every believer to trust God more. In this book, you are going to read my life from childhood till today. Especially the last four years have been something different in my life that I never imagined or dreamed of. All these four years are filled with God’s miracles, miracles and miracles. You may wonder how these miracles happened in my life. In this book I am going to share how I am seeing the miracles by trusting God. I am also going to share with you how God raised me from a remote village in India to show His love to needy children in India. Through this book I want to bless you, encourage you, inspire you and challenge you to trust God even more.

Do you agree with me that your story, my story and our story is part of the biggest story! That is God’s story. So now you are going to read His (God’s) story. Here I would like to request you not to listen to me, but listen to God and what He is going to speak to you through this book. I am sure your time will not be vain for choosing to read this.

It is my sincere prayer and hope that God will speak to you through this book to be able to see the need and to take action together to show His love to the orphan, poor and needy children of India.

So without further delay I let you to get into the book.

Enjoy your reading,

Brother Elisha Chowtapalli

Some photos from the book

chapter 11 - children issues 4 — Orphans in need

Chapter 7 - Light Home — LIGHT Home for orphans and poor

chapter 7 - light home 6 — LIGHT Home children

chapter 7 - light home 2 — LIGHT Home children learning

chapter 9 - garden of eden project 2 — Growing food to eat and sell

chapter 9 - old aged care project — Aged care

tailoring course — Tailoring Course – income producing project

Endorsements by friends of LIGHT Home

Elisha’s work in India is astounding and inspirational. His passion for God and the poor, especially children and old people has led him to many ventures. Each vision he has is followed up by hard work and determination to give people a better life to be lived. Elisha’s faith in God has led to the building of an Orphanage for 50 children; a Garden of Eden to feed and support children and old people; tailoring classes for women to start their own business and a Bible College. He also organizes crusades and conferences for pastors, women and youth. Over and above this Elisha arranges food, clothing and Bibles for those in need in surrounding areas. It is amazing what he has achieved in just four years with the help of family and friends, and all have benefitted greatly. We wait in awesome wonder for the next vision. Elisha we are very proud of you.

Leighton, Nanette, Christel and Wade White

Perth, Australia

Mine was the oldest face amongst this sea of national and international students all gathered to live and work together for three months to learn about serving God through festival outreach. If I felt like a fish out of water, gasping to adjust to the cultural shock of being a student and getting to know this mixture of people that I was eating with, sharing accommodation with, and learning all the rules, rules, rules that the hierarchy insisted on – how were these international young people coping?

One young Indian man touched my heart. We learnt that he was from a very poor Indian village and belonged to the poorest of poor caste system, the Dalits. Here he was, coping with all this, as well as trying to understand the language, eating foreign food (pumpkin… how could we eat that?) and learning Australian cultural everyday norms, such as flushing the toilet paper down the loo. Elisha simply watched and learnt, while at the same time listening to God seeing a vision for his own people in desperate need back in his hometown. No amount of Western comfort and “celebrity status” amongst us could deter him from his goal, “to start an orphanage in my house on 19^th August 2007”. “Orphanage in your house?” I’d say, “What do you own?” “I am oldest son – my father’s house is mine, two rooms – we will live in one and the orphan in the other,” Elisha would reply with a determined look in his eyes.

And he did. From these humble beginnings he has established the orphanage and then many programs, to help his people to live a better life. However more importantly he shows them how much God loves them. For the Dalit caste people who are told they have no worth in life to discover how precious they are to God, become one of his children and inherit eternal life, it is life changing.

I had the privilege of attending Elisha’s wedding and visiting the Light Home, seeing first hand some of his programs in action. I cannot describe the joy it brought to see all this first hand, to talk to those who benefit and see hope and dignity restored. I am sure you will enjoy reading about Elisha’s journey and how God uses those who are willing to step out, no matter how little they have, to help the widows and orphaned. Don’t be surprised if God challenges you too.

Lyn Haack

Manilla (NSW), Australia

I first came to know Elisha in 2006 when Sam (my husband) & I billeted him while he did a course with Fusion [Certificate III in Youth & Community Work (Christian)] in Australia. His great desire was to help his people in India come to know the one true God and to help reduce their poverty by starting a Home for children through which they would know God’s love and get an education. We promised to support Elisha with this dream and over the past three years have witnessed the incredible work God has done. By opening their home to needy children Elisha’s parents and family provided him with the initial support his dream needed. I pray God will bless them abundantly for their self-giving love, faith and trust in Him.

I feel that the Light Home Ministry is doing a great work answering Christ’s command to care for the poor, as well as share the Gospel. Through humble servants seeking to fulfil God’s plan may the Light Home and associated work continue to prosper and give glory to God.

Julianne and Sam Hoffard

Gippsland, Australia

In July 2008 I had the privilege to be involved with Elisha and a team from Australia in some outreach meetings and some Pastor’s training meetings. I was left with many impressions about our experience in India. The most pressing for me, was the size of the harvest about to come, and the labourers needed to bring in the harvest and disciple the nation. With that in mind, after our time in India I spoke to Elisha about my burden. He too shared a similar burden. It was with that in mind we together in July 2009 commenced the Light Bible School. With 35 students including pastors and leaders we ran an intensive four week long training school. Elisha was one of the few people I have met in India that has the organizational skills, the financial integrity, the profile, and the standing in the Christian community that would allow me to partner with him in this project. I am committed to working with Elisha to help provide an annual Bible School that will minister to as many pastors and leaders as we can, in our vision to win India to the Lord.

Peter Dunstan,

Tamworth( NSW), Australia

It’s incredible that God has taken a young Dalit man from working in a quarry earning $1US per day to demonstrating how the Good News reconciles all things to Christ.

Elisha’s heart for his nation mirrors God’s heart in his ministries to the poor, spreading the good news, and feeding the orphans and the widows. I heartily recommend Elisha and his story to you.

Justin Pagoto

Sydney, Australia

Elisha’s story will inspire and challenge you. God takes the weak things of this world to confound the mighty, and Elisha’s story of God’s grace and miracles among the Untouchable caste of India is a testimony to God’s mighty power. Read, be blessed, and take action.

Geoff Waugh

Brisbane, Australia

From the Foreword

Meeting and getting to know Elisha has been and continues to be one of the highlights of our lives. First let me tell you how our paths finally crossed.

It was 2^nd of May, 2005, as I was laying in my hospital bed, my mind grappled for answers. Why? Why God did this happen? God where was your guardian Angel who was supposed to be protecting my daughter? I had taken her for a joy ride on my motorbike along the road. At that time, without warning a truck ran over us. Anna my precious daughter was dead. My wife Lynda and I did not even get to say goodbye to our precious daughter Anna.

In the midst of all the questions that raced through my head I had a strong sense of the small still voice saying that this was the beginning of a new chapter and that Jesus the Christ would be glorified. Anna was now with him. In a strange way I felt a peace and the presence of God’s Spirit was very real.

It was in 1981 at aged 16 years old that Jesus had taken hold of my life. From the early years I had dreamed of being an evangelist and from time to time had the opportunity to share my faith and see some souls come to Christ. For the next 25 years I tried to be faithful to God and was committed to being a good husband and father to my two daughters, Miriam and Anna. Also for 12 years I had worked hard to build a business and the Lord had brought much blessing upon it. At around age 38 I had begun to ask questions and wonder what purpose God had for our business. We owned our home, we had a healthy savings account, and we had our superannuation, but I was deeply weighed down with life and was desperate to be free from it all. I hoped and prayed that God had a higher plan.

It was while I was in hospital that Lynda gave me Anna’s diary. As I read about Anna’ dream to have a music band called WakeUp, God began to speak. And I listened as a new chapter began to unfold. God showed me that I would fulfil that dream. I began to organize the first WakeUp for Tamworth, my home town. On 16^th September, 2006, we had our first WakeUp meeting. I preached the gospel of Jesus Christ and many souls were saved. Anna’s dream was fulfilled and my dream to be an evangelist had just begun. Our business was now profitable enough to finance the “WakeUp”.

Meanwhile as I got busy saving the world, my wife Lynda went into a very dark place for many months. For a time she gave up the desire to live and could not eat food; I began to fear that she would die from starvation and a broken heart. Praise to Jesus the day came when she began to recover. She was then invited to go to India with a group of ladies who were helping women in poor places to build small businesses. Lynda’s time in India changed her life. It was in India as she spend time with Indian women and their children that God began to heal her broken heart.

After arriving home Lynda wanted to take me to India. I praised Jesus that she had again found a reason to live. Twelve months later the three of us, Miriam our eldest daughter included, boarded a plane bound for India.

As we were making plans for this journey I made my first contact with Elisha at a Fusion meeting in Sydney. I was inspired by him and his dream to start a Children’s Home. Over the next two years I continued to hear news about Elisha through Fusion newsletters. Elisha was only 26 and had been a Christian for only four years. I was amazed that such a young person could have such a noble dream. I was inspired by Elisha’s faith and even more so as in time I watched the dream begin to unfold.

The thing that impressed me most about Elisha is his ability to dream a dream and build on that dream. Meeting his family and the Light Home Children has been one of the greatest high points of our lives. Now as I write this I am sitting with Elisha travelling across India conducting WakeUp meetings and church leaders’ conferences. Many Hindus are coming to be baptized and are receiving Jesus Christ the one true God. Many Pastors and Church leaders are being challenged and inspired by the Word of God.

I thank you Jesus for bringing Elisha into my life and making this all possible.

Paul Disher

Tamworth, Australia

The last page of Elisha’s book:

I encourage you to seek the Lord and see if He is asking you to help one or more children in our LIGHT Home. If He puts this in your heart, please do not hesitate to contact us. You will receive the photograph and testimony of the children you are praying for and supporting.

We have a sponsorship plan. It takes $30 USD or AUD / €27 Euros / £20 GBP to support one child per month. With your kind support a kid will have food, clothing, education, medical supplies and above all he/she will get to hear the gospel. Your help will change in a child’s life forever.

If you support today, if you invest today for God’s kingdom, one day in eternity you will get to see the children and people that you supported present before the throne of grace. And they will testify that because of this person I came here. So would you like to hear such testimonies from the children and families! Then start doing something today. Let us make difference in the lives of needy Dalit children.

TAX DEDUCTIBLE GIFTS: We are proud to partner for Project J686N Light Society’s Development Project with Global Development Group (ABN 57 102 400 993), a Christian based Australian DFAT (Dept of Foreign Affairs & Trade) Approved Non-Government Organisation carrying out quality humanitarian projects with approved partners and providing aid to relieve poverty and provide long term solutions. Global Development Group takes responsibility for projects according to DFAT rules providing a governance role and assisting in planning, monitoring, evaluating and auditing to ensure the projects are carried out to DFAT requirements. Tax deductible receipts for gifts over $2 with a preference for this approved aid and development project will be issued by Global Development Group for project J686N – Light Society’s Development Project. Tax deductions apply in Australia, New Zealand, UK and USA.

Contact Elisha and LIGHT Home

www.lightkids.org

Pass this book on to friends

A great gift with eternal value

You can help:

Australian account

Account Name: Anna Disher Memorial Account

BSB: 112-879, Account Number: 108 998 378

Bank name: St. George Bank, Tamworth

International account:

Bank Name: CORPORATION BANK

Beneficiary Account Name: LIGHT SOCIETY

Beneficiary Account number: SB16015506

Beneficiary Bank Branch Swift code: CORPINBB203

(OR) IFSC Code: CORP0000203

Beneficiary Bank Branch Code: 0203

Beneficiary Bank Address:

23-11-86 N.P Road,

SATYANARAYANAPURAM,

VIJAYAWADA -520011,

ANDHRA PRADESH, INDIA

On Amazon – Look inside

On Kindle – immediately available

Back to Main Page

FREE SUBSCRIPTION: for new Blogs & free offers

Free PDF Books on the Main Page

Share any Blog to inform and bless others – see links below

Revival Blogs Links:

GENERAL BLOGS INDEX

BLOGS INDEX 1: REVIVALS (BRIEFER THAN REVIVALS INDEX)

***BLOGS INDEX 2: MISSION* *(INTERNATIONAL STORIES)***

BLOGS INDEX 3: MIRACLES (SUPERNATURAL EVENTS)

***BLOGS INDEX 4: DEVOTIONAL* *(INCLUDING TESTIMONIES)***

***BLOGS INDEX 5: CHURCH* *(CHRISTIANITY IN ACTION)***

***BLOGS INDEX 6: CHAPTERS* *(BLOGS FROM BOOKS)***

***BLOGS INDEX 7: IMAGES* *(PHOTOS AND ALBUMS)***

BACK TO MAIN PAGE

Free PDF books on the Main Page

FREE SUBSCRIPTION: for new Blogs & free offers

Christian mission, Christian renewal, church growth, miracles, revival Christian mission, Christian revival, evangelism, revival

Missionary Translator and Doctor by David Lithgow

by Geoff 15 May 2011 1 Comment

Missionary Translator & Doctor

Dr David Lithgow and his wife Daphne were Bible translators and medical missionaries with Wycliffe Bible Translators for over 30 years, mainly in the Milne Bay Islands of Papua New Guinea. These edited selections from newsletters tell a little of their work for the Lord.

Share good news – Share this page freely
Copy and share this link on your media, eg Facebook, Instagram, Emails:
Missionary Translator & Doctor, David Lithgow:
https://renewaljournal.com/2011/05/15/missionary-translator-doctor-by-david-lithgow/

Article in Renewal Journal 4: Healing – more links to healing there
Renewal Journal 4: Healing – PDF

Also in Renewal Journals bound volume 1 (Issues 1-5)
Renewal Journal Vol 1 (1-5) – PDF

_______________________________________________________________

In one place it seemed that everyone turned to the Lord and was baptized in the sea.

The same happened on two more islands.

Rev. David Kuwab burnt lots of magic paraphenalia which was brought to him.

________________________________________________________________

* Seven sick people were prayed for in Jesus’ name, and all were healed. Other people kept their sick relatives hidden inside their houses, preferring to trust their own magic and spirit cures. No one among these people was healed. This has been a demonstration of the power of Jesus.

* A woman who had been crippled for years got up and walked immediately, and was doing normal garden work in a week. The people here were convinced that Jesus is the Strong One, and this report spread through the whole area.

* The Lord has worked some surprising miracles, like multiplying the one remaining antibiotic capsule for treating an infection to become twelve – enough to complete the cure.

* After the studies and worship services many of the people came for prayer for the Lord’s cleansing from sin, and to receive the Holy Spirit. At Wabunun they came in a continuous stream, many weeping, for one and a half hours.

* The Lord moved powerfully through healing miracles and casting out evil spirits, demonstrating that his power is greater than that of local spirits and magic.

The Word and Work of the Lord

David and Daphne summarise their life together including work in the Muyuw, Dobu and Bunama languages of the Milne Bay Islands:

We had been leaders in the Evangelical Union of the University of Queensland since 1950, Daphne studying Science and David doing Medicine. In 1954 Daphne left for Ubuya Leprosy Treatment Centre near Milne Bay in Papua New Guinea. There she learnt the Dobu language and trained Papuan staff in laboratory work. When Daphne returned, David had graduated and was a Resident Doctor at Townsville General Hospital. We married in August 1957.

In February 1958 we left for Fiji where David was a doctor for the Methodist Mission Hospital serving Indian people. This entailed learning the Hindustani language. Our first two children, a daughter and son, were born there.

David, as the only doctor continuously on call, worked hard meeting physical needs of the people, but had little time to get to understand their spiritual needs. He felt helpless when faced with demon possessed Hindu patients, and could only prescribe sedation.

The work of Wycliffe Bible Translators and Summer Institute of Linguistics (W.B.T. and S.I.L.) was just beginning in Australia. Here we felt was a way of meeting people’s deepest needs – living with them as they live, learning their language and customs, and bringing God’s Word to them right where they are.

In 1960 we returned to Australia, and David found work at the Greenslopes Repatriation Hospital. In the next two years we welcomed two more sons. We became members of Wycliffe Bible Translators and in May 1963 we flew to Ukarumpa, the Summer Institute of Linguistics Headquarters in the Eastern Highlands of Papua New Guinea.

In the first few years while getting started in language work David was also the group doctor. In 1963 an allocation site was found at Wabunun village on a long sandy beach on the south-east coast of Woodlark Island off Milne Bay. Wabunun was home for the children from 1964 to 1972 in their house built of bush materils – split black palm floor, platted bamboo walls, and sago leaf roof. Daphne taught them correspondence lessons until they were 7 or 8 years old, after which they were in Children’s Homes for schooling at the Ukarumpa base.

From 1970 onwards the children all stayed at Ukarumpa for schooling, and we were able to travel around the language area, 150 miles by 70 miles, mostly on the big Muyuw outrigger sailing canoes.

The churches throughout this area had selected young men who came to Wabunun where we trained them as teachers of Muyuw, and sent them back with reading primers and duplicated portions of translated Scriptures. They all achieved some degree of success. Two of these teachers who were barely literate themselves had taught all the young adults to read as well as some of the older folk. They had established the church which worshipped together every Sunday morning – or when they thought it was Sunday, because they had no calendar.

In 1972 the Muyuw New Testament translation was virtually complete, so we moved to Dobu Island to help in the Bible Society project to retranslate the Dobu New Testament into modern Dobu. There the house had a sawn timber floor, bush materil walls and an iron roof.

From 1978 to 1982 we were settling our teen-age children into life in Australia while we worked as the Wycliffe Bible Translators representatives in Queensland. Every year David returned to Dobu to keep the literacy and translation program moving.

In 1978 our doctor advised against David returning to Papua New Guinea because of incipient cancer. It seemed David could expect about another two years of normal health. Our plans were examined closely but there seemed no need to change any of them. We also sought healing through prayer in Jesus’ name. Since then David has had better health then he had before. After such a sentence of death, every day is valued as a special gift from the Lord, and it gives an added sense of urgency to the task.

From 1982 we were at Dobu or Diwala Translation Centre, helping with the translations and doing literacy work. In 1985 the Muyuw New Testament was revised and reprinted. We travelled in S.I.L.’s new 24 foot boat with the minister, Rev. David Kuwab, who had been the main translation helper. We visited every island and village selling Scriptures and hymn books, and re-establishing literacy work where it was needed. Near the beginning of this trip the Lord moved powerfully through healing miracles and casting out evil spirits.

The new Dobu New Testament was dedicated in 1986. It is now used widely alongside the old Dobu Bible. Over 10,000 copies have been sold. As the Lord worked in Muyuw, he has also worked strongly in the Dobu speaking area, leading individuals and groups to renounce traditional magic and to trust in Jesus’ name for salvation and healing.

In 1991 the Bunama New Testament was printed and dedicated. It was distributed by three groups of three Bunama speakers who gave Bible studies from the new Scripture in twenty different villages. In almost every village there were people who sought the Lord’s salvation – older folk, young men, girls, school children. We were amazed at the many different ways in which the Holy Spirit spoke to people’s needs.

Preach the Good News, Heal the Sick, Cast out Demons

David describes a few events on mission patrols:

Muyuw Patrol, 1985

The 600 Muyuw New Testaments, first printed and sold in 1977, are worn from heavy use, tattered and discoloured. Some have lost their cover. People were eager to buy new ones for themselves and their children. Those who had no money traded canoe paddles, shells, ebony carvings, turtle-shell ear-rings, or baskets of food.

The main Muyuw translator Rev. David Kuwab, who is now Superintendent Minister, with his wife Dasel came with us on the seven week’s patrol by boat to all the inhabited islands and villages where this language is spoken. On one island Rev. Kuwab baptised ninety people and married five young Christian couples.

At another island an old man asked if he could take his wife with us on the boat to the next island where they wanted to get strong Papuan magic. Hospital staff had told his wife that the basis of this sickness was witchcraft, so they could do nothing and said she should go home and get Papuan treatment. All Papuan treatments had failed and they wanted to try stronger traditional magic. Rev. Kuwab and I went to her house and prayed for her. We asked if she believed Jesus could heal her, and she said ‘Yes’. So we helped her to her feet and started her walking. Soon she walked unaided doing heavy work in the food garden.

At the Government Administration Centre the wife of the Provincial Member for Health had been bed-ridden for three years. They believed this was from witchcraft. He had employed all the local methods to appease the witches and cure the sickness but she only got worse. He asked us to pray for his wife and we did so. When Kuwab asked if she believed Jesus could heal her he got a lethargic response. Daphne visited this woman to pray with her daily. She was improving, so the Provincial member asked Kuwab and me to pray for her again. After prayer this time, she got up and walked. We noted that she was quite anaemic and gave her iron tablets and advice on diet and encouraged continuing prayer and trust in Jesus. Rev. Kuwab warned them strongly against reverting to Papuan magic.

On our last day at Woodlark a man brought his mentally disturbed wife. Rev. Kuwab had told them to stop doing anti-witchcraft magic and to pray in Jesus’ name. The previous night they had done that and she told us she was now all right. They agreed to another prayer but as soon as Jesus’ name was uttered she screamed and stiffened and talked of bad things put in her abdomen by a witch. I rebuked the evil spirit in Jesus’ name and we prayed strongly. When Kuwab asked if she believed in Jesus she gave a definite ‘No’. I felt led to pray in the Spirit. Kuwab asked her again and she now said that she believed Jesus could save her. She seemed normal, though lethargic, when we left. She did recover.

One day was free to visit another village so the deacon took me there by canoe. We were not able to tell the people that I was coming, so the deacon and I prayed for the Lord to prepare the people. Normally they would have been scattered in the bush, in their food gardens, or at creeks and beaches getting fish and shell-fish; but we found almost all the people sitting in the church. One Tuesday each month they have a devotional meeting. This was that meeting.

They had just finished their devotions so they invited me to speak about the New Testament, hymn book and other Muyuw books. They bought them eagerly. Then the youth leader showed me their study paper on the Holy Spirit from a youth convention and asked me if I could help them understand it. So after a lunch break we went into the church again. I read and explained the Muyuw Scriptures about the Holy Spirit and they responded very positively. Many asked for prayer for the filling and empowering of the Holy Spirit.

There was much sickness in another village, especially children. They have no medical help. I had few medicines suitable for children. We gave them what medicines we had and prayed for all the sick. As in all places, they bought New testaments eagerly. Many people came under conviction of sin, coming forward for prayer for Jesus to cleanse and forgive them.

At the Sunday service at Wabunun, where we as a family had lived and worked for eight years, after Scripture had been expounded Rev. Kuwab invited people to come for prayer for sickness, or cleansing from sin, or for the Holy Spirit. People came forward in a solid stream, some weeping. Kuwab’s own son, now a grown man and getting into bad ways, came forward with bowed head and his father prayed for him. Kuwab had never before prayed for people under such conviction of sin and desiring salvation.

After a Bible study for preachers and leaders the next day more people came forward for prayers. It took half an hour to pray for them all. On the third and final day, after a straight Bible study no appeal was made but during the final hymn people began to come forward for prayer, mostly sick folk who had been brought from more distant places.

West Woodlark Patrol, 1989

We visited the islands of west of Woodlark in October. After two days of rough weather we limped in with a broken rudder attachment. The Lord provided an ex-plumber on the island who had some tools in his village house and was able to fix it.

We really admire the teachers of the English Curriculum Government Schools. Through their work many children become literate in English and Muyuw, but as not all children go to school there are many illiterate teenagers and adults who now want to learn to read. To try to meet this need we trained 26 new village literacy teachers.

Four places with a total of over 1200 people were still without any medical service despite government efforts to get Aid Post Orderlies to work there. We heard that people of one island were saying, ‘You don’t recover if you pray but you will recover if you use magic.’ When we arrived at that island 80 people were sick with malaria, some desperately ill. All recovered with prayer and chloroquine treatment. The people of one island complain more about having no minister than they do about having no medical help. For most, the value of Christian leadership is rated very high.

As well as Muyuw New Testaments and hymn books we took Kiriwina and Dobu New Testaments for sale. We found that the Holy Spirit’s blessings are not restricted to one way of ministry or to one language. People from a number of languages live at the commercial centre for Woodlark Island. The new United Church minister does not know Muyuw but has a powerful and effective ministry through the Dobu language.

The dialect on one island was a mixture of two main languages. There we found the strongest church on all of these islands. However, a matter of concern is a prophetess who is visited by a spirit from time to time and gives confusing teaching, but she has a large following.

After we returned from the Woodlark area Daphne stayed in our house at Dobu catching up with household matters and weeding our yam garden while I did a survey of another area with Peter from Holland. He and his doctor wife are looking for a language in which to begin translation work. Family in-fighting which is worsening, destruction of villages, and criminal activities among some of those people are causing widespread concern. The police recently made a large number of arrests. There are, however, faithful Christians there in the United, Catholic, and Seventh Day Adventist Churches.

On the patrol we had hard hiking in rain and flooded rivers, then sea travel to return. I had been having intermittent malaria and some other problems, but improved during the patrol and returned feeling strong and fit.

Bunama Patrol, 1991

The Bunama New Testament is now with the people, and the Lord blessed the distribution patrol. Of the 600 printed only 40 were left unsold.

I went with the nine Bunama speakers in the distribution team. We spent two days in preparation, praying and studying 1 Timothy, the book we were to use for village Bible studies. Then we set off in groups of three, each group to a different village.

The emphasis was on teaching, and at some stage in most places at the end of a session the team leader or the local pastor would invite people wanting help from the Lord to remain behind. The manifold working of the Holy Spirit was amazing to all of us. Together with the local pastors we prayed in pairs for the people who requested help. Several times the boat captain was teamed with me. Two years before he was illiterate but Daphne taught him from a Dobu primer. Now he reads the Dobu Bible and his prayers were spiritually sensitive and powerful.

Even among the most distant of the dialect groups they understood the Bunama Scripture and teaching quite well and many of them responded to the Lord. They all had individual and different needs, and the Holy Spirit worked in their hearts.

In another place a team leader was hesitant about making an invitation and did so rather tentatively. Later he felt rebuked for his reluctance because many responded. He discovered the agony of soul of one woman who needed the Lord’s help, as well as seeing two boys of 10-12 years who had waited back in the distance but were strongly convicted of their need for forgiveness.

There were failures too. — After church one Sunday a number of people went back inside the church and sat quietly. Too late, the members of that team realised they were probably wanting help. — Often after uplifting experiences, team members and local people would sing all night. This was good for the local people but I felt it left team members unable to give of their best the next day. — Some pastors felt that hospitality required them to give betel nut and tobacco to team members, and most felt that good manners required them to use it. Three of the team members were smokers and most used betel nut to some degree. I feel that this drug can dull a person’s spiritual sensitivity. — When under pressure near the end of the trip I hurt someone by an outburst of anger, and my apology may not heal all of that hurt.

Half of the team members and some of the village pastors are people the Lord had touched in Dobu Bible studies as we have visited these areas in previous years. It is wonderful to see the Lord’s work being multiplied.

All team members spoke clearly against the use of traditional magic and spirit practices. This is a break-through and a key to the Lord’s blessing on their ministry. Ten years ago it was considered wrong to mention these things in church.

In the second week the engine of our boat was getting harder to start, taking up to an hour with the crank handle. So before trying one day we prayed and it started first crank. Next morning a team member prayed for the engine. It started by battery power just with the starter button. It has kept starting that way ever since.

The language used at another village was not Bunama and I was undecided about calling there, but called in anyway. There were lots of people about, and they wanted a Bunama Bible study. A team member led it and made an invitation at the end. I could see six young men hanging back in the shadows and listening from a distance. They responded, each with a strong desire to leave his old ways and be a true Christian. The pastor was away, but his wife was delighted. She told us that those young men had been a heavy burden on their hearts.

Our trip finished on the island where it began. They wanted a Bible study from Bunama New Testament and afterwards several of them bought it. The response for prayer was mainly from men aged 25-30. Some were so moved by God’s Spirit that they could hardly speak.

Woodlark and Marshall Bennett Patrol, 1994

This trip took three months. Revival is now spreading through these islands.

We arrived soon after a mission led by a United Church minister. During the mission at the main population centres hundreds sought salvation through Christ and were baptised in the sea, surrendering their equipment for magic and sorcery. One witch admitted having killed over twenty people, and she collapsed physically as the power of the Lord came on her.

Two local ministers travelled with us on the S.I.L. boat, continuing this ministry to the more remote places. Rev. Bili Wilson went with us to the Lachlan Islands and the eastern end of Woodlark. Rev. David Kuwab, co-translator of the Muyuw New Testament, was with us in visiting the rest of Woodlark and the Marshall Bennett Islands.

The people gave Rev. Bili Wilson and us their full attention for five days so we gave them the Good News and sold lots of Scriptures. They responded in an amazing way. On Friday I gave the main study in the church and invited people during the last hymn to come into the fenced section near the pulpit for prayer. That area was soon full and most of the rest of the congregation were crowding forward. Rev. Bili and the Pastor worked as one team; Daphne and I as a second team.

On Sunday people were invited to give up their equipment for doing magic, so after church the older men brought wood, gum, ginger, stones, and bones and eagerly released it to be burnt. Rev. Bili, using a metaphor, said, ‘If you have any death in your house bring it here and burn it.’ On Sunday afternoon Rev. Bili baptised 18 young adults in the sea.

There was widespread response to the Lord. Hundreds more were baptised in most places, and lots of equipment for magic and sorcery was burnt. Hundreds also sought prayer for special needs. One woman came to Rev. Bili Wilson and said, ‘This is my heaviness – I am a witch.’ Then she collapsed, and two other women held her on her feet while we asked the Lord to take away this evil spirit and give her the Holy Spirit.

We went to another island where the enthusiasm was the greatest yet. Older folk there, as well as the young folk, are very keen for the Lord. There was another baptism of many people in that area. Two leaders prayed for each candidate before their baptism. Afterwards the newly baptised Christians stood in a line and all who wished to do so shook each by the hand and gave words of encouragement or prophecy as the Spirit led. The biggest prayer need of the young people was to learn to read so as to read the Bible and hymn book. We prayed for them, gave them primers, and instruction for those who can read to help them daily in their homes. I also told them that betel nut gums up their brains.

There is a strong Pentecostal church in one island we visited. They had just finished a mission. They all speak Holy Spirit tongues and have no tobacco, betel nut, traditional mortuary feasts or kula trading. Whether they are right or not on these issues, it frees them to worship the Lord with such joy that I have never seen before. Their faces shine with a happy peaceful radiance. When you meet them along the road they talk enthusiastically about the Lord and his return.

They baptised 42 people on Sunday, many of them being United Church followers who will continue in the United Church. The United Church there follows the Pentecostal worship pattern in most ways. I preached at the United Church mid-day service. The singing praise session at the start turned into a congregational prayer meeting, all praying together. It seemed they would never stop!

We were delayed a day leaving there by a cyclone. Everything got wet. At least it was cool when the cyclone was around. After it cleared it was terribly hot. On almost every trip we caught fish including some big ones. One pulled my attaching knot undone and got away with the whole line. If you have any weakness in your tackle you lose all those big ones, and your tackle.

At the next island it seemed as though everyone turned to the Lord and was baptised in the sea. It was the same in two more islands.

Frightening gossip preceded us in some places. People were told that if they are baptised in the sea and then commit sin again they will die. Some people wanted to stay with the ways of worship and life practices to which they were accustomed. These people saw the revival movement as a new and different religion.

However, in each of the opposition strongholds ten to twenty people sought baptism and new life in Christ. One was a healing magician who found that after practising his art he had terrible dreams, so he wanted to be rid of his magic. Another man testified in church that he was finished with his various sorcery practices.

Rev. David Kuwab’s youth was spent in the midst of sorcery and magic. He dramatically explained the use of items for magic and sorcery and physical poisons as he threw them into the fire, shouting, ‘These are Satan’s things.’ The people showed no sign of embarrassment; just relief and joy. The young people sang praises to the Lord during the long baptism procedures. Mature Christians prayed for each person before they were taken down into the water, and another Christian prayed for them when they came back to the shore.

When the Gospel of Christ was proclaimed in one place a famous spirit healer was one of the first to respond. He was quite willing to give up his healing and killing practice. He told Rev. Kuwab, ‘I have only used sorcery to kill bad people, never good people.’

Spiritual hunger generated a great demand for Muyuw Scriptures. We had to get fresh supplies, and we still ran out of New Testaments at the last island. The new large print New Testament was very popular with people of all ages. In a population of some 4,000 people we sold 700 New testaments, 150 hymn books, and 300 booklets on Spiritual Warfare which Rev. Kuwab had translated.

The Marshall Bennett Islands at the end of a three months trip were exhausting. That is where we ran into opposition. There is no medical worker for over 2,000 people. The three main islands are flat-topped craggy limestone, 500-600 feet in elevation with no water supply where the people live on the tops of the islands, except what falls from the sky. There are few good anchorages.

With no medical services the people have depended heavily on healing magicians. On one island there was hostility between members of the church, and many were suffering from malaria, coughs and scabies. The plight of some small children was pathetic. We were carrying medicine for malaria and pneumonia but nothing for scabies. Rev. Kuwab worked hard to help the church leaders overcome their differences through the power of Christ.

Although people were resistant there, at one smaller preaching place 60 were baptised. At another place 20 were baptised and gave up their magic.

We had planned and prayed for the Woodlark trip for a long time. Since 1963 we have been praying that God’s Word would bear fruit among the Muyuw people. What is now happening exceeds our greatest expectations. To our Lord Jesus be the glory.

Now available in updated book form (2nd edition 2011)
Renewal Journal 4: Healing – with more links to healing blogs

Renewal Journal 4: Healing – PDF

Renewal Journal 4: Healing – Editorial

Missionary Translator and Doctor, by David Lithgow

My Learning Curve on Healing, by Jim Holbeck

Spiritual Healing, by John Blacker

Deliverance and Freedom, by Colin Warren

Christian Wholeness Counselling, by John Warlow

A Healing Community, by Spencer Colliver

Divine Healing & Church Growth, by Donald McGavran

Sounds of Revival, by Sue Armstrong

Revival Fire at Wuddina, by Trevor Faggotter

Contents of all Renewal Journals

Amazon – Renewal Journal 4: Healing

Amazon – all journals and books

See Renewal Journal 4: Healing as on Amazon and Kindle and The Book Depository

Also in Renewal Journals, Bound Volume 1 (Issues 1-5)

Renewal Journal Vol 1 (1-5) – PDF

Amazon and Kindle and The Book Depository

Link to all Renewal Journals

All Renewal Journal Topics

Revival Blogs Links:

GENERAL BLOGS INDEX

BLOGS INDEX 1: REVIVALS (BRIEFER THAN REVIVALS INDEX)

***BLOGS INDEX 2: MISSION* *(INTERNATIONAL STORIES)***

BLOGS INDEX 3: MIRACLES (SUPERNATURAL EVENTS)

***BLOGS INDEX 4: DEVOTIONAL* *(INCLUDING TESTIMONIES)***

***BLOGS INDEX 5: CHURCH* *(CHRISTIANITY IN ACTION)***

***BLOGS INDEX 6: CHAPTERS* *(BLOGS FROM BOOKS)***

***BLOGS INDEX 7: IMAGES* *(PHOTOS AND ALBUMS)***

BACK TO MAIN PAGE

Free PDF books on the Main Page

FREE SUBSCRIPTION: for new Blogs & free offers

Article in Renewal Journal 4: Healing – more links to healing there
Renewal Journal 4: Healing – PDF

Also in Renewal Journals bound volume 1 (Issues 1-5)
Renewal Journal Vol 1 (1-5) – PDF

biography, Christian ministry, Christian mission Christian ministry, Christian mission

King of the Granny Flat

by Geoff 27 December 2010 2 Comments

King of the Granny Flat – in colour

King of the Granny Flat – PDF

Permissions: You can reproduce any Renewal Journal resource, including print.

Share good news – Share this and any page freely.
Share this link on your media, eg Facebook, Instagram, Emails:
King of the Granny Flat:
https://renewaljournal.com/2010/12/27/king-of-the-granny-flat/

READ SAMPLE

Other PDF Books available on the Main Page

Free postage worldwide at The Book Depository

See details, contents, photos and reviews on Amazon and Kindle

Download Kindle for PC/Laptop

A family biography of Geoff Waugh

12-year-old Dante wrote this interesting biography of his missionary and minister grandpa, illustrated with family and mission photographs. Here are some of his comments:

Geoff Waugh is my granddad about whom this biography is written. He has done many things and gone to many places. These include Israel, Europe, Canada, USA, and he has taught church leaders in Africa, Nepal, India, Sri Lanka, Myanmar, Philippines, China, Papua New Guinea, Solomon Islands, Vanuatu, Fiji, Malaysia and every state in Australia.

Throughout Geoff’s life he has had faith in God. The principle that has gotten him through is “loving God, loving others”. This is also what he thinks is his purpose on earth, the meaning of life and the sum of his life.

Geoff hopes in the future that more people will turn to God and be with Him.

After learning about my granddad’s life in the making of his biography he has become an inspiration to me, an inspiration to do something good with my life and to travel the world. I hope my granddad will live much longer in his already long and fulfilled life. He has been very kind to me and to this I say, “Thank you Grandpa – The King of the Granny Flat.”

Introduction
The Birth of a Legend
1,2,3,A,B,C
Leading and Serving
Geoff’s Own Family
For Fun
To Infinity and Beyond
Geoff’s Thoughts
Epilogue

Some photos from the book – see the PDF

More of Dante through many years since he wrote this book in primary school

Class & house captain in primary school raised school support for Myanmar;
high school boys captain, assisted school chaplain

Captain of Queensland and Australian schoolboys volleyball teams

Annual trips to Myanmar/Burma on mission supporting orphanages

Singing, praying, baptisms on Pentecost Island, Vanuatu, South Pacific

Leading worship in local church and park in Bellbowrie, Brisbane

Worship and speaking at university, where he was also president of Power to Change

Biographical Books

Geoff’s autobiography is

Looking to Jesus: Journey into Renewal and Revival

Journey into Renewal and Revival – PDF

See details, contents, photos and reviews of Renewal Journal publications on Amazon

Free postage worldwide on the Book Depository

Light on the Mountains is an expanded version of Chapter 4 (Mission) in Looking to Jesus: Journey into Renewal and Revival
Light on the Mountains – PDF

Journey into Mission is an expanded version of Chapter 8 (Revival) in Looking to Jesus: Journey into Renewal and Revival
Journey into Mission – PDF

Journey into Ministry and Mission: Renewal and Revival
Condensed from Looking to Jesus: Journey into Renewal and Revival and Journey into Mission
Journey into Ministry and Mission – PDF

GENERAL BLOGS INDEX

BLOGS INDEX 1: REVIVALS (BRIEFER THAN REVIVALS INDEX)

BLOGS INDEX 2: MISSION (INTERNATIONAL STORIES)

BLOGS INDEX 3: MIRACLES (SUPERNATURAL EVENTS)

BLOGS INDEX 4: DEVOTIONAL (INCLUDING TESTIMONIES)

***BLOGS INDEX 5: CHURCH* *(CHRISTIANITY IN ACTION)***

BLOGS INDEX 6: CHAPTERS (BLOGS FROM BOOKS)

BLOGS INDEX 7: IMAGES (PHOTOS AND ALBUMS)

BACK TO MAIN PAGE

FREE SUBSCRIPTION: for new Blogs & free offers

Free PDF Books on the Main Page each weekend

Share any Blog to inform and bless others – see links below

Click here to be notified of new Blogs

Save

autobiography, Christian mission, mission, Papua New Guinea, revivals, South Pacific Christian mission, Christian revival, evangelism, mission, revival, revival movements

Light on the Mountains

by Geoff 26 December 2010 4 Comments

Light on the Mountains

Pioneer Mission in Papua New Guinea

Light on the Mountains – free PDF

Permissions: You can reproduce any Renewal Journal resource, including print.

Share good news – Share this page freely
Copy and share this link on your media, eg Facebook, Instagram, Emails:
Light on the Mountains:
https://renewaljournal.com/2010/12/26/light-on-the-mountains
FREE PDF books on the main page

A few photos from the book

PNG highland village

Village baptisms

Village communion

Vine bridge in a gorge

Pioneer village pastor missionaries – front row
with remote village people

More photos on Facebook album:
https://www.facebook.com/media/set?vanity=geoff.waugh1&set=a.264477731911

Endorsement by Rev Dr L.A. (Tony) Cupit, former Director of Evangelism and Education, Baptist World Alliance:

No one speaks more authentically about a mission situation than one who has experienced it. That is one reason, among others, why Geoff Waugh’s latest book, Light on the Mountains, is such a valuable resource.

It was my privilege to serve in Papua New Guinea with Global Interaction at the same time as Geoff. I greatly appreciated his genuine love for Jesus the Christ and notable contribution to and love for the Enga people during the seven years we served together. These are reflected in this fascinating book. Geoff writes with deep personal knowledge and insight about the joys and challenges of mission life. He has collected valuable original source material and used it creatively to convey historical and missiological insights that needed to be unearthed and made available.

Anyone interested in learning about the dynamic work of the Holy Spirit of God in Papua New Guinea, and of discovering reasons why people engage in cross-cultural and linguistic mission work, would be well rewarded by studying and absorbing the insights this book provides.

__________________

Endorsement by Rev Don Doull, pioneer missionary in PNG from 1949.

This book describes those exciting days when Australian Baptists began a new missionary enterprise in 1949, the Baptist New Guinea Mission. We were motivated by a desire to fulfil our Lord’s great commission and reach out to those people just to the north of our country who had not yet heard the name of Jesus. As you peruse the pages of this book, which records the beginnings of that missionary challenge taken up by the Post-War churches of Australia, you will sense again the spirit of adventure and dedication which drove our churches in what has proved to be a wonderfully rewarding missionary task.

Geoff Waugh has done a wonderful job of drawing together the many threads which have been woven together to make the fabric of what we are able to stand back and marvel at as we now are aware of the activities of the Baptist Union of PNG.

Many hundreds of missionaries and many thousands of faithful Christians from our Australian churches have contributed to this modern missionary endeavour which has now exceeded the vision of those who commenced the task. We can now look back over these past six decades with much gratitude to God and see a vital indigenous church functioning in PNG in a part of that country still emerging from “The Stone Age” when we commenced our task.

Our world has now changed almost beyond belief over these past decades, but the task still remains of reaching the multitudes of people who have never heard the name of Jesus. My prayer is that God will use the story Geoff has documented to challenge our 21st Century fellow believers, to move into our modern world with a similar faith and dedication as that which was demonstrated during the second half of the 20th Century by our Australian Baptists.

_______________________

Contents

Introduction

Part 1: Pioneer Mission History

1. Beginnings of the Baptist New Guinea Mission

2. The Church is Born: the first baptisms

3. The Church Grows: community transformation

Pioneer mission centres

Pioneer mission development

Part 2: Pioneer Mission Teaching

4. Trails and trials: mission life in the highlands

Pioneer missionary teacher

Schools

Bible Schools

Return visit

Conclusion

Enga revival

Min revival

Related Biographical Books

Light on the Mountains is expanded from Chapter 4 (Mission) in Geoff’s Book

Looking to Jesus: Journey into Renewal and Revival

Part 2 of Light on the Mountains (Pioneer Mission Teaching) is summarized in the early chapters of Journey into Mission

Part 2 of Light on the Mountains (Pioneer Mission Teaching) is also summarized in Journey into Ministry and Mission

Recent publications by Geoff

Maincrest Media Award Winner: The Life of Jesus
Also available as The Amazing Life of Jesus

GENERAL BLOGS INDEX

***BLOGS INDEX 1: REVIVALS* *(BRIEFER THAN*** REVIVALS INDEX)

BLOGS INDEX 2: MISSION (INTERNATIONAL STORIES)

BLOGS INDEX 3: MIRACLES (SUPERNATURAL EVENTS)

BLOGS INDEX 4: DEVOTIONAL (INCLUDING TESTIMONIES)

BLOGS INDEX 5: CHURCH (CHRISTIANITY IN ACTION)

BLOGS INDEX 6: CHAPTERS (BLOGS FROM BOOKS)

BLOGS INDEX 7: IMAGES (PHOTOS AND ALBUMS)

BACK TO MAIN PAGE

Free eBook on Main Page each weekend

Share any Blog to inform and bless others – see links below

FREE SUBSCRIPTION: for new Blogs & free offers

autobiography, Bible guidance, Christian mission, mission, Papua New Guinea, revival, revivals, South Pacific Christian mission, Christian revival, Papua New Guinea, revival, South Pacific

Looking to Jesus: Journey into Renewal and Revival

by Geoff 26 December 2010 6 Comments

Looking to Jesus
Journey into Renewal and Revival

Journey into Renewal and Revival – PDF

Permissions: You can reproduce any Renewal Journal resource, including print.

Share good news – Share this page freely
Copy and share this link on your media, eg Facebook, Instagram, Emails:
Looking to Jesus: Journey into Renewal and Revival:
https://renewaljournal.com/2010/12/26/looking-to-jesus-journey-into-renewal-and-revival/

READ SAMPLE

This autobiography spans 80 years of involvement in ministry and mission, especially in the last 50 years of renewal and revival. This is an Australian story, with global relevance. Accounts of renewal in Australia and revival there and overseas fill the last two chapters, with two other chapters describing pioneering teaching in Papua New Guinea.

SEE BLOG: REVIVAL HIGHLIGHTS

Revival Highlights reproduced from

Looking to Jesus: Journey into Renewal & Revival and

Journey into Mission and

Journey into Ministry & Mission

All books available in PDF, eBook, and print and colour paperback

See Blog: Revival Adventures – expanded from Chapter 8: Revival

See details, contents, photos, reviews and ‘Look inside’ on Amazon and on Kindle

Amazon Reviews:

Invitation to a Journey
Review by Rev Dr John Olley, retired principal, Baptist Theological College in Perth, Australia.

Geoff Waugh’s life and ministry have influenced people all around the world. The story of his life and ministry will be of interest not only to those who know him – you will find yourself reflecting on your own journey with Jesus. Beginning in Australia, then Papua New Guinea, his invited ministry in renewal and revival has involved every continent. While he has written Flashpoints of Revival (recently updated) recounting revivals in the past three hundred years around the world and many books of Bible studies, this new book has a different focus, and it is an exciting and easy read. Geoff traces his journey from strong roots which remained the solid core of his life from childhood to marriage to active retirement. Here is a personal journey with reflections that will enrich the lives of all readers. As he `looked to Jesus’ along the way he was opened up to many exciting new ventures in Australia and into countries where revival and renewal is vibrant, changing many lives. Although a biography, many others are involved. Geoff’s journey is like a rose bush with strong roots and branches. He is one bud of many, opening into a beautiful bloom as he opened himself to God’s leading into an exciting journey. His reflections fit naturally, showing how his personal journey has relevance for others. A bonus is the appendix with full details of contents of his other publications.

Insightful, Inspirational, Informative
Review by Daphne Beattie

An interesting survey of 70 years from his early life as the son of an evangelical minister, to becoming a minister and missionary and a leader in renewal and revival through his teaching in Australia and overseas.

Revival stirs both curiosity, excitement and anticipation in God’s people. Geoff shares his personal journey with humour and life flowing out of it, always directing us to follow Jesus’ example alone.

I strongly recommend this book and found it easy to read but at the same time it stirred up a deep longing in my heart to reach a more intimate relationship with God. Thank you Geoff

Faith Journey
Review by Romulo Nayacalevu, Pastor and Lawyer in Fiji.

Dr Waugh’s account in “Looking to Jesus” demonstrates his passion and servanthood life, displayed in his calling from the pulpit to the mountains and valleys of the Pacific and beyond. His passion, zeal and commitment to the Gospel make Him a true missionary to places where we wouldn’t dare. I would recommend this book to all, the story of a man who is truly sold out to His King and Master – the Lord Jesus Christ. Dr. Waugh’s personal journey and convictions are a testimony to people like me who are trying to be available to God’s call. Dr Waugh remains a mentor and a friend and “Looking to Jesus” is the simplest way of describing Dr. Waugh’s faith journey. His testimony will challenge us all about our priorities and the true meaning of obedience. A STRONGLY recommended read.

Essential reading
Review by Jo Ioane, Pastor.

I have been blessed to be one of Geoff Waugh’s students in the COC Bible College in Brisbane. This book was such a blessing. It showed how God has been such a huge part of Geoff’s life since he was a young boy. It was really inspiring to read the book and to realize all the amazing things God has done through Geoff, that he is not just a teacher on revivals, he is really someone who lives it! I highly recommend this book. We need more fathers in the faith who have walked with Jesus for so long and who have seen real moves of the Holy Spirit to share with us and encourage us like Geoff does in this book. This is not just a biography, it is a book that will teach and inspire you in your walk with God.

The Contents:

Preface: thanks

Introduction: Waugh stories – an overview

1. Beginnings: state of origin – growing up in NSW, Australia

2. Schools: green board jungle – learning and teaching

3. Ministry: to lead is to serve – theological college and pastorates

4. Mission: trails and trials – pioneering teaching in Papua New Guinea

5. Family: Waughs and rumours of Waughs – Family life in PNG and Australia

6. Search and Research: begin with A B C – exploring Israel and studies

7. Renewal: begin with doh rey me – charismatic renewal in Australia

8. Revival: begin with 1 2 3 – teaching revival leaders in many countries

Conclusion: begin with you and me – looking ahead

The author, an Australian Baptist minister, worked with many denominations including teaching Baptist ministry students in Papua New Guinea, and teaching Methodist and Uniting, Anglican and Catholic, and pentecostal students in Australia. Revival experiences include teaching church and revival leaders in many countries including in Africa, Asia, and the South Pacific. The book considers implications of truly being one in the Body of Christ in the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.

See details, contents, photos, and reviews for revival books on Amazon & Kindle .

Free postage worldwide on the Book Depository

Geoff’s grandson Dante wrote a brief biography of Geoff in primary school, published as King of the Granny Flat

King of the Granny Flat – PDF

Light on the Mountains is an expanded version of Chapter 4 (Mission) in Looking to Jesus: Journey into Renewal and Revival.

Light on the Mountains – PDF

Journey into Mission is an expanded version of Chapter 8 (Revival) in Looking to Jesus: Journey into Renewal and Revival.

Journey into Mission – PDF

Journey into Ministry and Mission: Renewal and Revival

Condensed from Looking to Jesus: Journey into Renewal and Revival,

and Journey into Mission

Journey into Ministry and Mission – PDF

GOD’S SURPRISES
Snapshots of God’s surprises during our short-term mission trips
A summary of Journey into Mission
Expanded from chapter 8 of Looking to Jesus
God’s Surprises – PDF

Blogs and videos about information in these books

Jesus’ Last Promise – Blog and Video – Pentecost
You shall receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you

God’s Promise – Blog and Video – I will pour out my Spirit
Seeing God’s Spirit poured out in over 20 countries

All Renewal Journal Topics

Revival Blogs Links:

BLOGS INDEX 1: REVIVALS (BRIEFER THAN REVIVALS INDEX)

BLOGS INDEX 2: MISSION (INTERNATIONAL STORIES)

BLOGS INDEX 4: DEVOTIONAL (INCLUDING TESTIMONIES)

BLOGS INDEX 6: CHAPTERS (BLOGS FROM BOOKS)

BLOGS INDEX 7: IMAGES (PHOTOS AND ALBUMS)

%post_url%

Like this:

The Spirit told us what to do

All Renewal Journal Topics

Contents: Renewal Journal 12: Harvest

BLOGS INDEX 1: REVIVALS (BRIEFER THAN REVIVALS INDEX)

BLOGS INDEX 2: MISSION (INTERNATIONAL STORIES)

BLOGS INDEX 3: DEVOTIONAL (INCLUDING TESTIMONIES)

BLOGS INDEX 4: CHAPTERS (BLOGS FROM BOOKS)

BLOGS INDEX 6: CHAPTERS (BLOGS FROM BOOKS)

BLOGS INDEX 7: IMAGES (PHOTOS AND ALBUMS)

%post_url%

Like this:

The New Song

Contents: 9 Mission

All Renewal Journal Topics

BLOGS INDEX 1: REVIVALS (BRIEFER THAN REVIVALS INDEX)

BLOGS INDEX 2: MISSION (INTERNATIONAL STORIES)

BLOGS INDEX 4: DEVOTIONAL (INCLUDING TESTIMONIES)

BLOGS INDEX 6: CHAPTERS (BLOGS FROM BOOKS)

BLOGS INDEX 7: IMAGES (PHOTOS AND ALBUMS)

%post_url%

Like this:

Contents

Preface

Some photos from the book

Endorsements by friends of LIGHT Home

The last page of Elisha’s book:

BLOGS INDEX 1: REVIVALS (BRIEFER THAN REVIVALS INDEX)

BLOGS INDEX 2: MISSION (INTERNATIONAL STORIES)

BLOGS INDEX 4: DEVOTIONAL (INCLUDING TESTIMONIES)

BLOGS INDEX 6: CHAPTERS (BLOGS FROM BOOKS)

BLOGS INDEX 7: IMAGES (PHOTOS AND ALBUMS)

%post_url%

Like this:

Missionary Translator & Doctor

All Renewal Journal Topics

Revival Blogs Links:

BLOGS INDEX 1: REVIVALS (BRIEFER THAN REVIVALS INDEX)

BLOGS INDEX 2: MISSION (INTERNATIONAL STORIES)

BLOGS INDEX 4: DEVOTIONAL (INCLUDING TESTIMONIES)

BLOGS INDEX 6: CHAPTERS (BLOGS FROM BOOKS)

BLOGS INDEX 7: IMAGES (PHOTOS AND ALBUMS)

%post_url%

Like this:

King of the Granny Flat – in colour

Contents

Biographical Books

BLOGS INDEX 1: REVIVALS (BRIEFER THAN REVIVALS INDEX)

BLOGS INDEX 2: MISSION (INTERNATIONAL STORIES)

BLOGS INDEX 4: DEVOTIONAL (INCLUDING TESTIMONIES)

BLOGS INDEX 6: CHAPTERS (BLOGS FROM BOOKS)

BLOGS INDEX 7: IMAGES (PHOTOS AND ALBUMS)

%post_url%

Like this:

Light on the Mountains

A few photos from the book

Recent publications by Geoff

BLOGS INDEX 1: REVIVALS (BRIEFER THAN REVIVALS INDEX)

BLOGS INDEX 2: MISSION (INTERNATIONAL STORIES)

BLOGS INDEX 4: DEVOTIONAL (INCLUDING TESTIMONIES)

BLOGS INDEX 6: CHAPTERS (BLOGS FROM BOOKS)

BLOGS INDEX 7: IMAGES (PHOTOS AND ALBUMS)

%post_url%

Like this:

Looking to Jesus Journey into Renewal and Revival

BLOGS INDEX 1: REVIVALS (BRIEFER THAN REVIVALS INDEX)

BLOGS INDEX 2: MISSION (INTERNATIONAL STORIES)

BLOGS INDEX 4: DEVOTIONAL (INCLUDING TESTIMONIES)

BLOGS INDEX 6: CHAPTERS (BLOGS FROM BOOKS)

BLOGS INDEX 7: IMAGES (PHOTOS AND ALBUMS)

%post_url%

Like this:

***BLOGS INDEX 2: MISSION* *(INTERNATIONAL STORIES)***

***BLOGS INDEX 4: DEVOTIONAL* *(INCLUDING TESTIMONIES)***

***BLOGS INDEX 6: CHAPTERS* *(BLOGS FROM BOOKS)***

***BLOGS INDEX 7: IMAGES* *(PHOTOS AND ALBUMS)***

***BLOGS INDEX 2: MISSION* *(INTERNATIONAL STORIES)***

***BLOGS INDEX 4: DEVOTIONAL* *(INCLUDING TESTIMONIES)***

***BLOGS INDEX 6: CHAPTERS* *(BLOGS FROM BOOKS)***

***BLOGS INDEX 7: IMAGES* *(PHOTOS AND ALBUMS)***

***BLOGS INDEX 2: MISSION* *(INTERNATIONAL STORIES)***

***BLOGS INDEX 4: DEVOTIONAL* *(INCLUDING TESTIMONIES)***

***BLOGS INDEX 6: CHAPTERS* *(BLOGS FROM BOOKS)***

***BLOGS INDEX 7: IMAGES* *(PHOTOS AND ALBUMS)***

***BLOGS INDEX 1: REVIVALS* *(BRIEFER THAN*** REVIVALS INDEX)

Looking to Jesus
Journey into Renewal and Revival