Tag: revival

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Cali Transformation, by George Otis Jr

by Geoff 11 May 2012 3 Comments

Cali Transformation

by George Otis Jr

George Otis Jr. has produced many Transformations Videos with the Sentinel Group, and written about cities and communities being transformed by the power of God.

Transformation in Cali and the other cities featured in the ‘Transformations’ DVDs, continue to escalate, says George Otis Jr, director of The Sentinel Group. 

Renewal Journal 16: Vision – PDF

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Cali, Columbia

For years Colombia has been the world’s biggest exporter of cocaine, sending between 700 hundred and 1,000 tons a year to the United States and Europe alone.  The Cali cartel, which controlled up to 70 percent of this trade, has been called the largest, richest and most well-organized criminal organization in history.  Employing a combination of bribery and threats, it wielded a malignant power that corrupted individuals and institutions alike.

Randy and Marcy MacMillan, copastors of the Communidad Christiana de Fe, have labored in Cali for more than 20 years.  At least 10 of these have been spent in the shadow of the city’s infamous drug lords.

Marcy inherited the family home of her late father, a former Colombian diplomat.  When illicit drug money began pouring into Cali in the 1980s, the Cocaine lords moved into the MacMillan’s upscale neighbourhood, buying up entire blocks of luxurious haciendas.  They modified these properties by installing elaborate underground tunnel systems and huge 30-foot (10-metre) walls to shield them from prying eyes-and stray bullets.  Video cameras encased in Plexiglas bubbles scanned the surrounding area continuously.  There were also regular patrols with guard dogs.

“These people were paranoid,” Randy recalls.  “They were exporting 500 million dollars worth of cocaine a month, and it led to constant worries about sabotage and betrayal.  They had a lot to lose.”

For this reason, the cartel haciendas were appointed like small cities.  Within their walls it was possible to find everything from airstrips and helicopter landing pads to indoor bowling alleys and miniature soccer stadiums.  Many also contained an array of gift boutiques, nightclubs and restaurants.

Whenever the compound gates swung open, it was to disgorge convoys of shiny black Mercedes automobiles.  As they snaked their way through the city’s congested streets, all other traffic would pull to the side of the road.  Drivers who defied this etiquette did so at their own risk.  Many were blocked and summarily shot.  As many as 15 people a day were killed in such a manner.  “You didn’t want to be at the same stoplight with them,” Randy summarized.

Having once been blocked in his own neighbourhood, Randy remembers the terror.  “They drew their weapons and demanded to see our documents.  I watched them type the information into a portable computer.  Thankfully the only thing we lost was some film.  I will always remember the death in their eyes.  These are people that kill for a living and like it.”

Rosevelt Muriel, director of the city’s ministerial alliance, also remembers those days.  “It was terrible.  If you were riding around in a car and there was a confrontation, you were lucky to escape with your life.  I personally saw five people killed in Cali.”

Journalists had a particularly difficult time.  They were either reporting on human camage – car bombs were going off like popcorn – or they were becoming targets themselves.  Television news anchor Adriana Vivas said that many journalists were killed for denouncing what the Mafia was doing in Colombia and Cali.  “Important political decisions were being manipulated by drug money.  It touched everything, absolutely everything.”

By the early 1990s, Cali had become one of the most thoroughly corrupt cities in the world.  Cartel interests controlled virtually every major institution – including banks, businesses,  politicians and law enforcement.

Like everything else in Cali, the church was in disarray.   Evangelicals were few and did not much care for each other.  “In those days,” Rosevelt Muriel recalls sadly, “the pastors’ association consisted of an old box of files that nobody wanted.  Every pastor was working on his own; no one wanted to join together.”

When pastor-evangelists Julio and Ruth Ruibal came to Cali in 1978, they were dismayed at the pervasive darkness in the city.   “There was no unity between the churches,” Ruth explained.  Even Julio was put off by his colleagues and pulled out of the already weak ministerial association.

Ruth relates that during a season of fasting the Lord spoke to Julio saying, “You don’t have the right to be offended.  You need to forgive.”  So going back to the pastors, one by one, Julio made things right.  They could not afford to walk in disunity – not when their city faced such overwhelming challenges.

Randy and Marcy MacMillan were among the first to join the Ruibals in intercession.  “We just asked the Lord to show us how to pray,” Marcy remembers.  And He did.  For the next several months they focused on the meagre appetite within the church for prayer, unity and holiness.  Realizing these are the very things that attract the presence of God, they petitioned the Lord to stimulate a renewed spiritual hunger, especially in the city’s ministers.

As their prayers began to take effect, a small group of pastors proposed assembling their congregations for an evening of joint worship and prayer.  The idea was to lease the city’s civic auditorium, the Colisco El Pueblo, and spend the night in prayer and repentance.  They would solicit God’s active participation in their stand against the drug cartels and their unseen spiritual masters.

Roping off most of the seating area, the pastors planned for a few thousand people.  And even this, in the minds of many, was overly optimistic.  “We heard it all,” said Rosevelt Muriel.  “People told us, ‘It can’t be done,’ ‘No one will come,’ ‘Pastors won’t give their support.’  But we decided to move forward and trust God with the results.”

When the event was finally held in May 1995, the nay-sayers and even some of the organizers were dumbfounded.  Instead of the expected modest turnout, more than 25,000 people filed into the civic auditorium – nearly half of the city’s evangelical population at the time!  At one point, Muriel remembers, “The mayor mounted the platform and proclaimed, ‘Cali belongs to Jesus Christ.’  Well, when we heard those words, we were energized.”  Giving themselves to intense prayer, the crowd remained until 6 o’clock the next morning.  The city’s famous all-night prayer vigil – the ‘vigilia’ – had been born.

Forty-eight hours after the event, the daily newspaper, El Pais, headlined, “No Homicides!”  For the first time in as long as anybody in the city could remember, a 24-hour period had passed without a single person being killed.  In a nation cursed with the highest homicide rate in the world, this was a newsworthy development.  Corruption also took a major hit when, over the next four months, 900 cartel-linked officers were fired from the metropolitan police force.

“When we saw these things happening,” Randy MacMillan exulted, “we had a strong sense that the powers of darkness were headed for a significant defeat.”

In the month of June, this sense of anticipation was heightened when several intercessors reported dreams in which angelic forces apprehended leaders of the Cali drug cartel.  Many interpreted this as a prophetic sign that the Holy Spirit was about to respond to the most urgent aspect of the church’s united appeal.  Intercessors were praying, and heaven was listening.  The seemingly invincible drug lords were about to meet their match.

“Within six weeks of this vision,” MacMillan recalls, “the Colombian government declared all-out war against the drug lords.”  Sweeping military operations were launched against cartel assets in several parts of the country.  The 6,500 elite commandos dispatched to Cali arrived with explicit orders to round up seven individuals suspected as the top leaders of the cartel.

“Cali was buzzing with helicopters,” Randy remembers.  “The airport was closed and there were police roadblocks at every entry point into the city.  You couldn’t go anywhere without proving who you were.”

Suspicions that the drug lords were consulting spirit mediums were confirmed when the federalés dragnet picked up Jorge Eliecer Rodriguez at the fortune-telling parlour of Madame Marlene Ballesteros, the famous ‘Pythoness of Cali’.   By August, only three months after God’s word to the intercessors, Colombian authorities had captured all seven targeted cartel leaders – Juan Carlos Arminez, Phanor Arizabalata, Julian Murcillo, Henry Loaiza, Jose Santacruz Londono and founders Gilberto and Miguel Roddguez.

Clearly stung by these assaults on his power base, the enemy lashed out against the city’s intercessors.  At the top of his hit list was Pastor Julio Ceasar Ruibal, a man whose disciplined fasting and unwavering faith was seriously eroding his manoeuvring room.

On December 13, 1995, Julio rode into the city with his daughter Sarah and a driver.  Late for a pastors’ meeting at the Presbyterian Church, he motioned to his driver to pull over.  “He told us to drop him off,” Sarah recounts, “and that was the last time I saw him.”

Outside the church, a hitman was waiting in ambush.  Drawing a concealed handgun, the assassin pumped two bullets into Julio’s brain at point-blank range.

“I was waiting for him to arrive at the meeting,” Rosevelt remembers.  “At two o’clock in the afternoon I received a phone call.  The man said, ‘They just killed Julio.’  I said, ‘What?  How can they kill a pastor?’  I rushed over, thinking that perhaps he had just been hurt.  But when I arrived on the scene, he was motionless.  Julio, the noisy one, the active one, the man who just never sat still, was just lying there like a baby.”

“The first thing I saw was a pool of crimson blood,” Ruth recalls.  “And the verse that came to me was Psalm 116:15:  ‘Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of his saints.’  Sitting down next to Julio’s body, I knew I was on holy ground.

“I had to decide how I was going to deal with this circumstance.  One option was to respond in bitterness, not only toward the man that had done this terrible thing, but also toward God.  He had, after all, allowed the early removal of my husband, my daughters’ father and my church’s pastor.  Julio would never see his vision for the city fulfilled.  My other choice was to yield to the redemptive purposes of the Holy Spirit, to give Him a chance to bring something lasting and wonderful out of the situation.   Looking down at Julio I just said, ‘Lord, I don’t understand Your plan, but it is well with my soul.’”

Julio Ruibal was killed on the sixth day of a fast aimed at strengthening the unity of Cali’s fledgling church.  He knew that even though progress had been made in this area, it had not gone far enough.  He knew that unity is a fragile thing.  What he could not have guessed is that the fruit of his fast would be made manifest at his own funeral.

In shock, and struggling to understand God’s purposes in this tragedy, 1,500 people gathered at Julio’s funeral.  They included many pastors that had not spoken to each other in months.  When the memorial concluded these men drew aside and said, “Brothers, let us covenant to walk in unity from this day forward.  Let Julio’s blood be the glue that binds us together in the Holy Spirit.”

It worked!  Today this covenant of unity has been signed by some 200 pastors and serves as the backbone of the city’s high-profile prayer vigils.  With Julio’s example in their hearts, they have subordinated their own agendas to a larger, common vision for the city.

Emboldened by their spiritual momentum, Cali’s church leaders now hold all-night prayer rallies every 90 days.  Enthusiasm is so high that these glorious events have been moved to the largest venue in the city, the 55,000-seat Pascual Guerrero soccer stadium.  Happily (or unhappily as the case may be), the demand for seats continues to exceed supply.

In 1996 God led many churches to join in a collective spiritual mapping campaign.  To gain God’s perspective on their city, they began to gather intelligence on specific political, social and spiritual strongholds in each of Cali’s 22 administrative zones (a scene reminiscent of the 41 Hebrew clans that once rebuilt the walls of Jerusalem).  The results, stitched together like panels on a patchwork quilt, gave the church an unprecedented picture of the powers working in the city.  “With this knowledge,” Randy explained, “our unified intercession became focused.  As we prayed in specific terms, we began to see a dramatic loosening of the enemy’s stranglehold on our neighbourhoods.

“A few weeks later we used our spiritual mapping intelligence to direct large prayer caravans throughout Cali.  Most of the 250 cars established a prayer perimeter around the city, but a few paraded by government offices or the mansions of prominent cartel leaders.  My own church focused on the headquarters of the billionaire drug lord, José Santacruz Londono, who had escaped from Bogota’s La Picota prison in January.  His hacienda was located just four blocks from my home.  The next day we heard that he had been killed in a gunfight with national police in Medellin!”

In partnership with the Holy Spirit, Cali’s Christians had taken effective control of the city.  What made the partnership work are the same things that always attract the presence of the Lord: sanctified hearts, right relationships and fervent intercession.  “God began changing the city,” according to Ruth Ruibal, “because His people finally came together in prayer.”

As the kingdom of God descended upon Cali, a new openness to the gospel could be felt at all levels of society – including the educated and wealthy.  One man, Gustavo Jaramillo, a wealthy businessman and former mayor, told me,  “It is easy to speak to upper-class people about Jesus.  They are respectful and interested.”  Raul Grajales, another successful Cali businessman, adds that the gospel is now seen as practical rather than religious.  As a consequence, he says, “Many high-level people have come to the feet of Jesus.”

During my April 1998 visit to Cali, I had the privilege of meeting several prominent converts, including Mario Jinete, a prominent attorney, media personality and motivational speaker.  After searching for truth in Freemasonry and various New Age systems, he has finally come home to Christ.  Five minutes into our interview Jinete broke down.  His body shaking, this brilliant lawyer who had courageously faced down some of the most dangerous and corrupt figures in Latin America sobbed loudly.  “I’ve lost forty years of my life,” he cried into a handkerchief.  “My desire now is to subordinate my ego, to find my way through the Word of God.  I want to yield to Christ’s plan for me.  I want to serve Him.”

Explosive church growth is one of the visible consequences of the open heavens over Cali.  Ask pastors to define their strategy and they respond, “We don’t have time to plan.  We’re too busy pulling the nets into the boat.”  And the numbers are expanding.   In early 1998, I visited one fellowship, the Christian Centre of Love and Faith, where attendance has risen to nearly 35,000.   What is more, their stratospheric growth rate is being fuelled entirely by new converts.  Despite the facility’s cavernous size (it’s a former Costco warehouse), they are still forced to hold seven Sunday services.  As I watched the huge sanctuary fill up, I blurted the standard Western question: “What is your secret?”  Without hesitating, a church staff member pointed to a 24-hour  prayer room immediately behind the platform.  “That’s our secret,’ he replied.

Many of Cali’s other churches are also experiencing robust growth, and denominational affiliation and location have little to do with it.  The fishing is good for everybody and it’s good all over town.  My driver, Carlos Reynoso (not his real name), himself a former drug dealer, put it this way: “There is a hunger for God everywhere.  You can see it on the buses, on the streets and in the cafes.  Anywhere you go people are ready to talk.”  Even casual street evangelists are reporting multiple daily conversions – nearly all the result of arbitrary encounters.

Although danger still lurks in this city of 1.9 million, God is now viewed as a viable protector.  When Cali police deactivated a large, 174-kilo car bomb in the populous San Nicolis area in November 1996, many noted that the incident came just 24 hours after 55,000 Christians held their third vigilia.  Even El Pais headlined: “Thanks to God, It Didn’t Explode.”

Cali’s prayer warriors were gratified, but far from finished.  The following month church officials, disturbed by the growing debauchery associated with the city’s Feria, a year-end festival accompanied by 10 days of bull fighting and blowout partying, developed plans to hold public worship and evangelism rallies.

“When we approached the city about this,” Marcy recalls, “God gave us great favour.  The city secretary not only granted us rent-free use of the 22,000-seat velodrome (cycling arena), but he also threw in free advertising, security and sound support.  We were stunned!”  The only thing the authorities required was that the churches pray for the mayor, the city and the citizens.

Once underway, the street witnessing and rallies brought in a bounty of souls.  But an even bigger surprise came during the final service which, according to Marcy, emphasized the Holy Spirit “reigning over” and “raining down upon” the city of Cali.   As the crowd sang, it began to sprinkle outside, an exceedingly rare occurrence in the month of December.  “Within moments,” Marcy recalls, “the city was inundated by torrential tropical rain.  It didn’t let up for 24 hours; and for the first time in recent memory, Feria events had to be cancelled!”

On the evening of April 9, 1998, I had the distinct privilege of attending a citywide prayer vigil in Cali’s Pascual Guerrero stadium.  It was no small event, even in the eyes of the secular media.  For days leading up to the vigilia, local newspapers had been filled with stories linking it to the profound changes that had settled over the community.  Evening newscasters looked straight into the camera and urged viewers, whatever their faith, to attend the all-night event.

Arriving at the stadium 90 minutes early, I found it was already a full house.  I could feel my hair stand on end as I walked onto the infield to tape a report for CBN News.  In the stands, 50,000 exuberant worshipers stood ready to catch the Holy Spirit’s fire.  An additional 15,000 ‘latecomers’ were turned away at the coliseum gate.  Undaunted, they formed an impromptu praise march that circled the stadium for hours.

Worship teams from various churches were stationed at 15-metre intervals around the running track.  Dancers dressed in beautiful white and purple outfits interpreted the music with graceful motions accentuated by banners, tambourines and sleeve streamers.  Both they and their city had been delivered of a great burden.  In such circumstances one does not celebrate like a Presbyterian, a Baptist or a Pentecostal; one celebrates like a person who has been liberated!

Judging from the energy circulating in the stands, I was sure the celebrants had no intention of selling their emancipation short.  They were not here to cheer a championship soccer team or to absorb the wit and wisdom of a big-name Christian speaker.  Their sole objective on this particular evening was to offer up heartfelt worship and ask God to continue the marvellous work He had been undertaking in their city for 36 consecutive months.

“What you’re seeing tonight in this stadium is a miracle,” declared visiting Bogota pastor Colin Crawford.  “A few years ago it would have been impossible for Evangelicals to gather like this.”  Indeed, this city that has long carried a reputation as an exporter of death is now looked upon as a model of community transformation.  It has moved into the business of exporting hope.

High up in the stadium press booth somebody grabbed my arm.  Nodding in the direction of a casually dressed man at the broadcast counter he whispered, “That man is the most famous sports announcer in Columbia.  He does all the big soccer championships.”  Securing a quick introduction, I learned that Rafael Araújo Gámez is also a newborn Christian.  As he looked out over the fervent crowd, I asked if he had ever seen anything comparable in this stadium.  Like Mario, he began to weep.  “Never,” he said with a trembling chin.  “Not ever.”

At 2:30 in the morning my cameraman and I headed for the stadium tunnel to catch a ride to the airport.  It was a tentative departure.  At the front gate crowds still trying to get in looked at us like we were crazy.  I could almost read their minds.  Where are you going? Why are you leaving the presence of God?  They were tough questions to answer.

As we prepared to enter our vehicle a roar rose up from the stadium.  Listening closely, we could hear the people chanting, in English, “Lift Jesus up, lift Jesus up.” The words seemed to echo across the entire city.  I had to pinch myself. Wasn’t it just 36 months ago that people were calling this place a violent, corrupt hell-hole?  A city whose ministerial alliance consisted of a box of files that nobody wanted?

In late 1998, Cali’s mayor and city council approached the ministerial alliance, with an offer to manage a citywide campaign to strengthen the family.  The offer, which has subsequently been accepted, gives the Christians full operational freedom and no financial obligation.  The government has agreed to open the soccer stadium, sports arena and velodrome to any seminar or prayer event that will minister to broken families.

Another report

CALI, Colombia:  According to International Revival News (IRN), churches here are putting aside their differences, and this is resulting in great revival.  “Even death threats from Satanists can’t stop the church in Cali,” said missionary and pastor Randy MacMillan.


Cali, Columbia

Following the mysterious deaths of a number of pastors last year, MacMillan, pastor of the city’s 1,500-member Christian Faith Community Church survived several attempts on his life.   One man wanted to kill him during a Sunday service, but came up a few days later to confess that he had been paid by an international group of Satanists to shoot MacMillan.  “Something kept me from doing it,” he said.

The Columbian police consider the reports accurate but don’t think it worth investigating.  MacMillan says the city, previously known as a violent drug trafficking centre, is currently experiencing a Christian revival.  The churches have a common vision, and the effects of the Gospel are visible in government institutions, the drug world and the crime scene.  “All churches are affected, and we all know that we are in a spiritual battle,” says MacMillan.  “There are so many new believers that the church cannot keep pace.  Up to 50,000 people attend prayer rallies in the stadium.

It wasn’t always like that.  For many years, we pastors didn’t see eye to eye—sometimes we couldn’t even agree on where to meet.  In 1993, we decided to put these petty differences behind us and unite.  For example, we have elected 12 ‘spiritual elders’ to deal with city concerns.”

The Lord has been working in these communities in a marvellous way.  The transformation that has been reported is showing no signs of abating at all.  I just received a phone report indicating that the move of God in Cali has now begun to spread to other surrounding cities in the nation of Colombia, which, as you probably know, is presently being wrapped with civil unrest and violence at just a terrible level.

The entire soccer team associated with the City of Cali has now been born again.  This is the equivalent, for us, to the New York Yankees all giving their hearts to the Lord Jesus Christ or the Seattle Mariners all given faith in one fell swoop.  It has really rattled the community down there.

In addition to this, in a recent all-night prayer vigil, they have grown so large now that the football stadium there is now way too small for them.  In town there is this large open area (near the centre of the city) that is a park, kind of a mall.  This is the only place now where they are able to congregate.

There were over eighty thousand of these folks that gathered together for the last all-night prayer vigil.  As you may recall, they have been doing this every ninety days since early 1995.  So this had real staying power.  The mayor was at this particular gathering and once again, reaffirmed, I guess in a very, very emotional way, that the city of Cali, Colombia belongs to the Lord Jesus Christ.

They had just been given permission in the city of Cali to open the first  Christian television station in the nation of Colombia.  Cali used to be the most violent and corrupt city in that nation.  I like that turn-around.

I also learned that the city of Medellin, just a little farther north, was the initial headquarters of the cocaine cartel before they moved to Cali, and also served as a major centre for the production, processing and export of heroin.  Medellin is an extremely dangerous city – a very large city, too.

What has happened in Cali has now spread and has gotten all over Medellin, Colombia.  They just recently held a march through the city of over eighty thousand people proclaiming Jesus as Lord and worshipping.  The city council there now, believe it or not, has banned the observance of Halloween (it’s gone that far) because of its pagan origin.  This just gives you a little bit of an idea of what is continuing to happen.

We have also, now, personally developed a recent list of communities that have been transformed in the last few years.  That number that started with eight when we began our research, now is at more than forty; this is a growing trend.  We are seeing God not only continuing his work in the cities that we have featured, but there are now dozens of additional communities around the world that have recently been transformed by the power of the Holy Spirit.  That’s still only the beginning of what God is doing today.

Just as you and I are getting used to this idea that God can transform an entire city; not just grow a church in a community, but transform an entire city, God is now off to the races doing bigger and better things than that.  This is, of course, in God’s way.  You cannot keep up with him.  As soon as you think you’ve got Him figured, as soon as you think you have measured him, he’s moved beyond measure.

So, what we are seeing him do today is now moving into entire regions, provinces, national homelands.  In one case, I believe we are about ready to see an entire nation on the verge of being transformed.  This is what we have begun to film and will be the theme of the Transformations Two video that we hope to release in 2001.

Source: Joel News, No. 336, 18 September, 2000  www.joelnews.org

See also Renewal Journal #17: Unity: Snapshots of Glory by George Otis Jr.

See also Julio Ruibal’s story in Revival impacted Bolivia by Ruth Ruibal

See also
Revival in Brazil: Transformation through prayer:
https://renewaljournal.com/2014/04/16/revival-in-brazil-transformationthroughprayer/
Alomolonga, The Miracle City, by Mell Winger:
https://renewaljournal.com/2012/05/11/almolonga-the-miracle-city-bymell-winger/

 

©  Renewal Journal #16: Vision (2000, 2012)  renewaljournal.com
Reproduction is allowed with the copyright included in the text.

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1 Revival,   2 Church Growth,   3 Community,   4 Healing,   5 Signs & Wonders,
6  Worship,   7  Blessing,   8  Awakening,   9  Mission,   10  Evangelism,
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Also: 24/7 Worship & Prayer

Contents:  Renewal Journal 16: Vision

Almolonga, the Miracle City, by Mell Winger

Cali Transformation, by George Otis Jr.

Revival in Bogotá, by Guido Kuwas

Prison Revival in Argentina, by Ed Silvoso

Missions at the Margins, by Bob Ekblad

Vision for Church Growth, by Daryl & Cecily Brenton

Vision for Ministry, by Geoff Waugh

Book Review: Jesus on Leadership by Gene Wilkes

Renewal Journal 16: Vision – PDF

Revival Blogs Links:

See also Revivals Index

See also Revival Blogs

See also Blogs Index 1: Revivals

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)

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An article in Renewal Journal 16: Vision:
Renewal Journal 16: Vision – PDF

Also in Renewal Journals Vol 4: Issues 16-20
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Reviews (15) Wineskins

by Geoff 12 April 2012 No Comments

Pentecostalism by Walter Hollenweger  (Hendrickson, 1997)

Pentecostal pastor and then Reformed minister, Dr Walter Hollenweger, retired professor of Missions at Birmingham University in England, pioneered research on Pentecostalism for 40 years.

He published The Pentecostals in 1972, which is still a classic survey of the worldwide Pentecostal movement.  His recent book, Pentecostalism is in many ways a sequel.  Hollenweger assesses the origins of the fastest-growing religious movement in the world.  He describes the theological stories of the pentecostal movement within its Black oral root, Catholic root, evangelical root, critical root, and ecumenical root.

Cecil Robeck of Fuller Theological Seminary says, “I know of no one else who has the breadth of knowledge, the depth of understanding, or the grasp of such a broad base of scholarship to be able to write this book. … This fascinating book is at times playful, at times deadly serious, and at times simply informative.  It will stretch the thinking of all who care to be taught, and challenge the hypocrisy of those who think they know it all.  And it will help us all to understand better than we have before, the roots that have nurtured one of the most vital Christian movements in the twentieth century.”

Harvey Cox of Harvard University and author of another investigation of Pentecostalism, Fire from Heaven, adds, “Pentecostalism is the fastest growing and most vital Christian movement on the globe today.  What great news that the esteemed elder statesman of Pentecostal studies has now given us this comprehensive and absorbing account of how it started and why it is growing.”

Almost 500 pages, it is not light reading, although it is peppered with vivid stories of Pentecostalism.  If you want a light-weight paperback summary, look elsewhere.  If you want a thorough, academic and fire-filled examination of this astounding movement, you have it in this book.

An increasing number of postgraduate and undergraduate students will mine this rich ore for profound insights and quotable quotes.  (GW)

The Transforming Power of Revival edited by Harold Caballeros and Mell Winger (Peniel, Buenos Aires, Argentina, 1998).

This collection of 18 articles by 16 authors from five continents gathers insights from the World Congress on Intercession, Spiritual Warfare and Evangelism held in Guatemala City in October 1998.  It provides a global picture of recent developments in Spirit-filled prayer and evangelism.

Chapters include:

It’s worth it to pay the price, by Omar Cabrera.

The purpose of the anointing, by Carlos Annacondia.

The Agreement of Heaven and earth, by Cindy Jacobs.

Soulwinning, by T. L. Osborn.

The New Apostolic Reformation, by C. Peter Wagner.

The Road to Community Transformation, by George Otis Jr.

Almolonga the Miracle City, by Mell Winger.

In the sixties and seventies, renewal was sweeping the churches and independent churches and movements abounded.  By the eighties and nineties, revival movements gained increasing prominence.  Now he vanguard of revival movements is reporting on whole cities and even nations experiencing powerful Spirit-filled awakening and transformation.

This book from Latin America will inform and inspire you with some of those latest current accounts of God’s mighty purposes and actions in the world today.  It is the forerunner of many current books emerging to lead us into city-wide transformation and revivals which are beginning to impact nations.

Videos: 

A few Christian videos grab your attention and expand your horizons.  These do.

Transformations 1 (The Sentinel Group, 1999)

George Otis Jr. takes you on a mind-blowing journey to four cities, two in Latin America, one in Africa, and one in North America.  All of these cities have been radically transformed by united Christian prayer and witness.  Crime has dropped dramatically.  Christians really love one another and God answers their prayers, to the astonishment of the government and civic leaders.  Mayors and police chiefs plead with the Christians to keep praying because it has made so many revolutionary social changes.

One is a community where 92% of the population is born again.  The four city jails have been closed for lack of crime.  Agricultural productivity has reached biblical proportions, and experts from America are now visiting the city to try and learn the secret of such abundant agricultural productivity.

Another is a city where 60,000 jam the municipal soccer stadium for all-night prayer vigils every three months.  There a multi-billion dollar drug cartel has been brought to its knees in answer to united prayer.

Another is a town where local bars have been transformed into churches.  Ancestral shrines have been destroyed.  Entire family clans have come to faith in Christ.

Another is a city where thriving occult centers have been closed, drug abuse has been significantly reduced and a crime wave has subsided as the churches fill.

Transformations 2 (The Sentinel Group, 2001)

Visit modern-day sites of transforming revival in Uganda and Canada’s Arctic provinces.
Re-visit a true historical revival in Scotland’s Outer Hebrides. (75 min)

More stirring stories of whole communities transformed by the presence and power of God.

Available in Australia from Toowoomba City Church, PO Box 2216, Toowoomba, Qld. 4350.  Ph. 07 4638 2399.

© Renewal Journal #15: Wineskins, renewaljournal.com
Reproduction is allowed with the copyright included in the text.

CONTENTS:  Renewal Journal 15: Wineskins

Editorial: New Wineskins for the 21st Century

The God Chasers, by Tommy Tenny

The New Apostolic Reformation, by C. Peter Wagner

The New Believers, by Diana Bagnall (The Bulletin)

Vision and Strategy for Church Growth, by Lawrence Khong

New Wineskins for Pentecostal Studies, by Sam Hey

New Wineskins to Develop Ministry, by Geoff Waugh

Book and DVD Reviews:
Pentecostalism, by Walter Hollenweger
The Transforming Power of Revival, by Harold Caballeros and Mell Winger
Transformations 1 and 2 DVDs (The Sentinel Group)

Renewal Journal 15: Wineskins – PDF

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

Renewal Journals – contents of all issues

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See also Blogs Index 1: Revivals

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)

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Geoff Waugh, renewal, revival ,

New Wineskins to Develop Ministry, by Geoff Waugh

by Geoff 12 April 2012 No Comments

New Wineskins to Develop Ministry

by Geoff Waugh

 

 

Dr Geoff Waugh co-ordinated Distance Education and the Bachelor of Ministry course at the Brisbane Christian Outreach Centre School of Ministries, a school of Christian Heritage College.

Renewal Journal 15: Wineskins – PDF

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New Wineskins to Develop Ministry, by Geoff Waugh:
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An article in Renewal Journal 15: Wineskins

See also: God’s Promise – I will pour out my Spirit
See also: Jesus’ Last Promise – You will receive power
See also: God’s Surprises, by Geoff Waugh
See also: Revival Fires, by Geoff Waugh

Scene 1:  A large pentecostal or charismatic church in any Australian city in 2000

They allocate trained full time and part-time staff with modern resources to run their two year government-accredited pentecostal or charismatic Bible College diploma, bachelor and post-graduate courses.  Austudy and Abstudy cover fees for their full-time student workers.  They train their own leadership on the job and for the future through Spirit-filled study and ministry, especially learning to move in their personal and corporate giftings and anointing.  Many people in the church study subjects there part-time for their own enjoyment and development.

Scene 2: A small pentecostal or charismatic church in any Australian town in 2000

They run small study groups led by volunteeers such as teachers or home group leaders for their people enrolled in accredited distance education courses in ministry.  They have people enrolled in diploma, bachelor and post-graduate courses in pentecostal or charismatic studies.  Austudy and Abstudy cover fees for their full-time student workers.  They train their own leadership on the job and for the future through Spirit-filled study and ministry, especially learning to move in their personal and corporate giftings and anointing.  Many people in the church study subjects part-time for their own enjoyment and development.

In other words, you can now study pentecostal or charismatic courses at diploma, bachelor and post-graduate levels at home, or in a study group in your church, or in your home group.  Individual subjects are available to you right now.

This is new for many Pentecostal and charismatic Christians.  In the past, they were often suspicious of study because it seemed to put out the fire through liberal teachings full of doubt and unbelief.  Now churches and Christians are rediscovering that Spirit-filled study can fan the flame and set people on fire!

Our ministry is the ministry of Jesus Christ in his church and in the world.  He was certainly filled with the fire of the Spirit and has set people on fire for 2000 years.  This is the vital starting point and the most radical.  Jesus ministered in the power of the Spirit of the Lord.  So must we.

Consequently, our ministry is charismatic by definition, nature and function.  The Holy Spirit is given to the church so that we can minister in the power of the Spirit.  The gifts of the Spirit, the charismata, enable that ministry.  Urban Holmes (1971:248) notes:

The heart of the Christian ministry is its charismatic liminal quality.  Without question there is a place for professional capacities in ministry but it is the charismatic character of the church that lends strength to professions such as counselling, teaching, and community organization that they cannot possess otherwise.

Hendrick Kraemer (1958:180) emphasized the issue:

The point we can’t evade is that, true as it may be that for many important historical reasons the Church has become from a charismatic fellowship an institutional Church, she must acknowledge that, as to her nature, she is always charismatic, for she is the working field of the Holy Spirit.  Her being an institution is a human necessity, but not the nature of the Church.

Ministry education gets caught in that institutional bind, even while seeking to respond to the Spirit.  One powerful means of freeing us from that institutional bind is to open education for ministry to everyone.

The challenge facing theological [and ministry] education today is

* to take an open attitude to structures and methods and to design programs that will be open to the whole people of God,

* to take an open attitude toward curriculum design so as to build on the students’ interests and needs and motivation,

* to take an open attitude toward the role of the student and the role of the teacher so that both can become fully involved in determining and developing the learning experiences,

* to take an open attitude toward evaluation and to discover more relevant, more human, more Christian ways to validate our program (Kinsler 1981: 86).

Not only do modern delivery systems provide us with resources to transform our educational task, but the organisational shift from bureaucratic structures towards networking offers new possibilities for effective open education for ministry.

In other words, you can train for any pentecostal or charismatic ministry anywhere now.

1.  Third Wave Megatrends

The emerging social and cultural context in which we now live has been called the Third Wave (by Alvin Toffler) and its major characteristics described as Megatrends (by John Naisbitt).  These are not to be confused with Peter Wagner’s “third wave” of renewal (first the pentecostal wave, second the charismatic wave, and the third wave in all churches).  Those waves of pentecostal renewal in the twentieth century penetrated all the current social/cultural waves of tribal life (as in Africa now), town life (as in country towns now), and technological life (as in huge cities now).

The Industrial Revolution saw a shift from a tribal, agricultural society to the emergence of the town with its mine or factory, printed media and supporting bureaucracies including schools and suburban churches.  Professional ministry gradually shifted from the village priest for all the people to denominational ministers educated in theological schools of the classroom model.

We now experience a radical social restructuring ushered in by the accelerating changes of a technological revolution.  No terms fully describe it.  Alvin Toffler writes of three waves: agricultural, industrial and what he used to call super‑industrial (1970) but changed to “third wave” (1980), arguing that most terms narrow rather than expand our understanding because they focus on a single aspect rather than describe the whole.  “Post-modern” has become the current term used to label these profound changes.

Other phrases describing this emerging era include:

Harvey Cox’s technopolitan society (following tribal and town);

Marshall McLuhan’s electric era and global village;

Daniel Bell’s post‑industrial society; and

John Naisbitt’s information society.

John Naisbitt (1982, 1990) examines megatrends shaping this new era, many of which apply directly to education for ministry.  He describes American cultural changes but these trends also apply to all societies experiencing the global technological revolution.  I comment briefly on five of his first list of megatrends (1982:1) and two from his megatrends 2000 list (1990:276, 248) which seem particularly relevant to education for ministry.

In other words, you can now be involved in a huge range of world-class opportunities for study and ministry right where you are, in your home group, cell group, study group, or mission group or in your own home alone.

1.1. From an Industrial Society to an Information Society:

Although we continue to think we live in an industrial society, we have in fact changed to an economy based on the creation and distribution of information.

Education for ministry now benefits from educational processes and resources common to society including the proliferation of media which liberate education from confinement in classrooms and make it available in ‘schools without walls’.   Britain’s Open University is an example.  External Christian degree studies is another.

Teachers and students can engage in mutually enriching interaction and research at the interface of context and content, facilitated by educational and communications technology.  For example, the computer is replacing the typewriter, the photocopier has overtaken the duplicator, the video is taking over from the audio cassette, the resource centre is assimilating the library and going electronic, the modem connects us with the Internet, and mail is increasingly by fax or e-mail.

An internet copy of this paper is now more useful than a printed copy!  It reaches more people, anywhere in the world.  Anyone can download it and use it.  Quotes can be immediately woven into other tasks, including more articles!  The material can be used and re-used in multi-media, including adapted to OHT for study groups or adapted and printed in Study Guides and Readings.

In other words, you can download this article from the Renewal Journal web page, reproduce it for your home group, study group, church paper, or tertiary study.  You can adapt it, and turn a summary of it into a hand-out or an OHT sheet.  I’ve done all that with this article and many other articles  – often.

1.2. From Centralisation to Decentralisation:

We have rediscovered the ability to act innovatively and achieve results ‑ from the bottom up.

We are familiar with this trend and encourage it in many of our church structures.  It also applies to education for ministry.  We choose resources and studies from a widening range of possibilities.

At the personal level, increasing numbers of people study for theological or ministry degrees, often by open education or distance education.  At the church level, innovative congregations or creative people in churches find ways to enrich the ministry education of their people, and this may include external studies in education for ministry which was once available only to full time college students.  At the college level, many colleges now offer external studies or distance education with decentralised programs related specifically to local contexts and guided by local tutors.

In other words, you are no longer dependent on other people to chart your course or even your beliefs.  You do that, led by the Spirit in fellowship with God’s people.

1.3. From Institutional to Self‑Help:

We are shifting from institutional help to more self‑reliance in all aspects of our lives.

Institutional Christianity is big business, but many traditional churches decline while home groups multiply and house churches proliferate.  Independent churches attract increasing numbers, and some denominational congregations experiencing rapid growth sit rather loosely or uncomfortably within traditional structures, often challenging those structures prophetically.  Large numbers of educated and committed Christians join or form study groups, renewal groups, charismatic congregations or covenant communities.

Continuing theological education is another example of self‑help programs.  Institutional help or direction is often by‑passed in favour of a wide range of personal interests including study for various degrees now increasingly accessible from colleges around the world.  This self-help option is increasingly taken where external study is available.

In other words, you can chart your own course in study and ministry according to your personal calling, gifting and anointing.  That course can fan the flame in you and set you on fire for powerful ministry if you choose your study well.

1.4. From Either/Or to Multiple Options:

From a narrow either/or society with a limited range of personal choices we are exploding into a free‑wheeling multiple‑option society.

Demarcation lines along denominational or doctrinal differences once characterised churches, theological colleges, and even Bible colleges.  These increasingly blur and merge within the unity of the Spirit and in the ecumenical landscape.

Renewed Baptists, for example, may identify more deeply with Catholic Charismatic spirituality than with their own historical distinctives.  ‘Rebaptism’ is a burning pastoral issue as increasing numbers choose to move freely among differing groups.  Multiplying home groups discover authentic unity and raise eucharistic problems.  Traditional understandings of ordination and ministry are increasingly challenged, as with this statement nearly half a century ago:

“The question we are now considering is that of the possible ordination of the ordinary farmer or merchant or lawyer, who is prepared to give freely to the Church the time that he can spare from the ordinary occupation in which most of his time must be spent.

The proposal seems to us strange only because, from the point of view of the Early Church, we have got things thoroughly turned upside down. … It is hardly too much to say that in those days almost anyone could celebrate the Holy Communion, and hardly anyone except the bishop could preach; whereas now almost anyone can preach (or, rather is allowed to preach!) and hardly anyone can celebrate Holy Communion.  Lack of balance in either direction is to be deplored” (Neill 1957:65).

Local churches as well as Bible colleges need to take our multiple option context seriously and offer a wide range of options adapted to people’s calling, giftings, anointings, ministries and learning styles.  An example of this is the learning contract or agreement and the importance of practicum or field education learning and ministry experiences.

In other words, you will probably be ordained to your ministry in your lifetime, if you want to be, whether you are male or female, employee or boss, working in the church or in the world.  Many churches in Australia are already doing this.

1.5. From Hierarchies to Networking:

We are giving up our dependence on hierarchical structures in favour of informal networks.

Naisbitt (1982:197) identifies three fundamental reasons making networks a crucial social form now:

(1) the death of traditional structures,

(2) the din of information overload, and

(3) the past failures of hierarchies.

He adds,

The vertical to horizontal power shift that networks bring about will be enormously liberating for individuals.  Hierarchies promote moving up and getting ahead, producing stress, tension, and anxiety.  Networking empowers the individual, and people in networks tend to nurture one another.

In the network environment, rewards come by empowering others, not by climbing over them (1982:197, 204).

That is crucial.  It fits with Christian commitment to love and serve one another.  And it helps to overcome the flaws of bureaucratic Christianity, such as the Peter Principle: ‘In a hierarchy every employee tends to rise to his level of incompetence’ (Peter 1969:22).  Where that happens in churches, people now tend to choose a better option, often going elsewhere.

Toffler describes the shift toward networking this way:

We are, in fact, witnessing the arrival of a new organizational system that will increasingly challenge and ultimately supplant bureaucracy.  This is the organisation of the future. …  Shortcuts that by‑pass the hierarchy are increasingly employed.  … The cumulative result of such small changes is a massive shift from vertical to lateral communication systems  (1970:120, 133).

The impact of networking is reflected in our growing use of short term task groups (instead of long term committees) and the supportive, nurturing home group or cell group structures (instead of formal mid-week prayer meetings in pews).

Contextual education for ministry will help to prepare ministry which can function well in a networking environment.  Not only do ministers and leaders need to know how to facilitate task groups, study groups and home fellowships (rather than be threatened by them), but the shape of ministry can be transformed in this context as task group specialists and cell group leaders minister and enable ministry, disciple others and are discipled in mutuality.

Further, Bible Colleges can provide essential resources for use in the learning and ministering networking groups as well as for individuals.

In other words, you will get your rewards and fulfil your ministry “by empowering others, not by climbing over them.” 

1.6. The triumph of the individual

The great unifying theme at the conclusion of the 20th century is the triumph of the individual.

Networking frees people from bureaucratic restrictions.  New relationships emerge in voluntary associations including the church and its activities.   Technology empowers the emerging freedom of the individual.  The motorcar, then the aircraft, dramatically increased individual mobility.  Millions now communicate freely within the electronic village.

The freedom of the individual under God within committed community is an increasing reality of church life and education for ministry.  Individual giftings and callings are openly pursued, encouraged and channelled into effective ministry within the body of Christ.

Gifted ministries emerge in ordinary people, fuelled and trained by the best teachers and leaders in the world through video, casettes, TV programs, internet articles which now include video and audio preaching and teaching.

In other words, you can use any or all of these resources as you serve God in the power of His Spirit, doing what He leads you to do, such as in personal networks, home groups or house churches.

1.7. Religious revival

At the dawn of the third millennium there are unmistakable signs of a worldwide multidenominational religious revival.

Naisbitt notes widespread religious revival including charismatic renewal, such as one-fifth, or 10 million, of America’s 53.5 million Catholics in 1990 were charismatic.  Now one third of practising Christians worldwide are pentecostal/charismatic.  Traditional, doctrinal, cognitive Christianity is increasingly challenged by transforming experience of God.

This has immediate application to education for ministry.  An urgent task for us all is to make our ministry education in renewal as widely available as possible to meet this rapidly expanding revival.

Open education for ministry can flow anywhere through networking Christian ministries to inform and inspire, to liberate and equip leadership and multiply ministry.

In other words, you will be increasingly relating to others in revival – from all kinds of denominations, or none, and with all kinds of theologies (where Jesus is Lord).  That’s one reason why good Spirit-filled study can help you see more clearly and serve more fervently.

2.  Open Education Possibilities

Adult education, continuing education and ministry education now offer wide scope for self-directed learning, which Malcolm Knowles calls andragogy (1980).

Malcolm Knowles developed the concept of andragogy to describe self-directed learning in contrast to pedagogy viewed as mainly teacher-directed learning.

In its broadest meaning, self-directed learning describes a process in which individuals take the initiative, with or without the help of others, in diagnosing their learning needs, formulating learning goals, identifying human and material resources for learning, choosing and implementing appropriate learning strategies, and evaluating learning outcomes … Self-directed learning usually takes place in association with various kinds of helpers, such as teachers, tutors, mentors, resource people, and peers.  There is a lot of mutuality among a group of self-directed learners (Knowles 1975:18).

Many people seek out these possibilities for self-directed education, especially in extension or distance education modes.  Illich’s de-schooling proposals (and similar expressions of schools without walls) describe networking systems which apply to education in general but also to open education for ministry.  Instead of fitting educational resources to the educator’s curricula goals, he proposes four different approaches which enable students to gain access to educational resources which may help to define and achieve their goals (Illich 1971:81).  These are:

2.1. Reference Services to Educational Objects ‑ which facilitate access to things or processes used for formal learning.

Educational objects can include resources found in most churches such as libraries, resource centres, book shops, study notes, CDs, audio and video cassettes, TV (e.g. open university), ands study groups using overhead projectors, whiteboards, and a range of resources.

In other words, you can now offer video nights or seminars for a huge range of training including counselling, worship, evangelism, home group leadership and youth and children’s ministries.  Leaders from around the world come into your home or group by video.

2.2. Skill Exchanges ‑ which permit persons to list their skills, the conditions under which they are willing to serve and the addresses at which they can be reached.

Skill exchanges can include activities such as tutoring or people who can teach or disciple others, musicians, ministry task groups, and educational or service specialists.  Most informal church programs use these skill exchanges – musicians train musicians; home group and study group leaders train other cell or study group leaders.  We call it discipling.

In other words, you can be in a group where someone disciples you (choose well!) and also in a group where you disciple others.  One great way to learn something is to also teach it to others.  Use your gifts and skills, don’t bury them!  Many people use their distance education study materials for study groups, teaching or preaching.

2.3. Peer‑Matching ‑ a communications network which permits persons to describe the learning activity in which they wish to engage, in the hope of finding a partner for the inquiry.

Peer matches can include persons interested in learning skills or forming study groups, including a wide range of ministry education activities.  Some church directories now list areas of interest, and people can easily establish common interest groups.

In other words, you can help people in your home group or church to identify their interests from a list (there are plenty around, or make up your own in the group), and then to match them.  It happens informally anyway – people who like surfing go surfing together; intercessors love to pray together.

2.4. Reference Services to Educators‑at‑Large ‑ who can be listed in a directory giving the addresses and self‑descriptions of professionals, para‑professionals, and freelancers, along with conditions of access to their services.

Educational leaders in churches can assist in exploratory activities and in helping students achieve specific goals.  Practicum and field education studies often link students with mentors and role models in ministry such as in music, youth or children’s work, counselling, evangelism and other significant ministries.

Open education for ministry can explore these networking facilities.  Networks, along with the other megatrends, both require and enable contextually appropriate models of education for ministry, and help to open the theologising process to the whole church in an intentional and integrative way.

In other words, you can mix life and ministry with continuing education such as in distance education, learning with others, or on your own, how to live for God and minister in the power of His Spirit.

3.  Implications and Directions

Open education for ministry can intentionally address these contextual issues of accelerating change and integrate traditional classroom procedures with open education processes.

Significant implications and directions include equipping the church for ministry, contextualising education for ministry, providing resources for the church, and renewing the church.

3.1. Equipping the Church for Ministry.

Open education for ministry not only equips pastors or leaders for ministry but opens that process to the whole church.

Ralph Winter, an extension pioneer through the Presbyterian Seminary in Guatemala, observed that their extension program cost less per student, allowed a smaller faculty to deal with a large number of students (by using seminar tutors), stressed independent study and reflection, attracted more candidates to the ministry, reached more mature students, enabled teaching on several levels more easily, and allowed students to work in the context of their ministry.

He emphasized that extension was not primarily a new method of teaching but that its greatest significance was as a new method of selection and equipping for ministry, since the underlining purpose for working by extension is in fact more important than any of the kaleidoscopic varieties of extension as a method ‑ it is the simple goal of enlisting and equipping for ministry precisely those who are best suited to it (Kinsler 1978:x).

Opening ministry education to the whole church helps to reach the real leaders and equip them.  Missionary Roland Allen severely criticised western styles of education for ministry for failing to do this.  His points include these (Mulholland 1976:16‑18):

(1) The apostles required maturity and experience with Spirit‑filled giftedness for leadership; we ordain young, inexperienced graduates.

(2) The apostles say nothing about full time employment in the church; we require it.

(3) The apostles selected the real leaders; we emphasise a subjective, internal call.

(4) The early church valued spiritual and practical formation in life and ministry; we value academic credentials.

(5) The early church allowed full ministry including the sacraments; we deny this to many groups.

Open education for ministry gives the real leaders access to theology in a ministry context.  These spiritually gifted and pastorally experienced leaders may, or may not, be officially ordained but they function in significant pastoral ministry not only with individuals but also as task group leaders, home group pastors, or worship leaders and preachers.

In other words, you can run your own ministry training centre, as in your home group or study group or ministry group or mission group.

3.2. Contextualising Education for ministry.

Opening ministry education shifts the focus from the classroom to the context of ministry, from preparation for ministry to formation in ministry.

Classrooms will undoubtedly continue to provide an essential means of serious theologising, especially when students’ ministries, gifts and contexts are taken seriously.

Open education for ministry can broaden this approach.  Ross Kinsler emphasised the role of extension in that process:

The full significance of theological education by extension will be perceived when local people discover that they are being invited to become primary agents of both ministry and theology.  For theology itself is the interplay of Christian life/ministry and reflection, of Gospel and context, of God and history. …

Theological education by extension can be treated as a stop gap for those who can’t go to seminary, a partial, pragmatic substitute for the ‘real thing’.  Or it can become a new and powerful attempt to return ministry and theology to the people, where they really belong (Kinsler 1983:3, 21).

Committed Christians often challenge entrenched structures with spiritual sensitivity, prophetic insight, pastoral concern and intellectual integrity.  The prophetic and teaching role of Bible College staff can be increasingly exercised by informed people who may never sit in college classrooms but who now have greater access to theological resources.  This is closer to the New Testament pattern for ministry formation and education.

The principal model for ministerial formation is Jesus himself, who continues to call his followers into his ministry and mission, and the classic text is Mark 10:42‑45, which speaks of service and self‑giving.  One of the enigmas we face is that theological education … leads to privilege and power, whereas ministry is fundamentally concerned with servanthood (Kinsler 1983:6).

Open education for ministry can fulfil a significant servant role in the church by providing ministry education for the whole church, not just the elite few.

In other words, you can minister as Jesus did, serve as Jesus did, disciple others as Jesus did – without desks in a classroom, but in life, in homes, in relationships.

3.3. Providing Resources for the Church.

Open education for ministry provides resources for the whole church which can be used anywhere.  Many churches now make these resources available, and produce their own.  Resource centres in churches supply audio and video cassettes as well as books and magazines including periodicals or journals.

Guest speakers are now recorded on cassettes (audio and video) and copies can be widely distributed.  The same applies to lecturing or teaching.  Distance education uses these facilities extensively.  Resource directories and publicity through church papers provide the church with access to these.

Many resources, simply produced and widely distributed, facilitate group sharing as well as provide significant input.  Taped lectures or sermons, for example, can easily include discussion questions or tasks for discussion and action.

External students value these resources.  Cassettes (easily used with accompanying material) become not only formal study tools, but also provide up‑dated resources for continuing education, for personal enquiry, and for seminar or tutorial groups.

More sophisticated distance education models can be developed also.  University external studies departments offer many examples.

Clive Lawless, a lecturer in Educational Technology at the Open University in London comments on how Britain’s largest university teaches at a distance using a wide range of media including audio and video cassettes available for personal use as well as broadcast through educational radio and television.  Most of their courses involve regular seminars as well as providing personal study resources.

Lawless (1974:8) notes three important implications of the Open University for ministry education:

(1) Open education for ministry methods can be used on a large scale and at the highest educational levels;

(2) Open education for ministry needs personnel and resources to concentrate on it; and

(3) Open education for ministry needs to use a wide range of media and materials.

He says that we need to ask two questions concerning the range of media and materials available: whether all possible media and materials are being used, and whether they are being used in an effectively integrated way.

In other words, you can have world leaders such Billy Graham, Oral Roberts, Benny Hinn, Yonggi Cho and many others in your home or home group via video or cassette, leading to lively discussion and mutual ministry.  Current educational media provide resources for the church and in the process opens the classroom to the whole church.  This in turn helps to further equip the church for its ministry.

3.4. Renewing the Church.

Ministerial formation is committed to renewing the church but often frustrated and bound by entrenched traditions.  Those limiting structures are increasingly by‑passed in the shift to lateral networking fuelled by creative open ministry education resources.

The concern of theological educators in many places is to liberate our institutions and churches from dysfunctional structures in order to respond in new ways to the Spirit of God in our age and in our many diverse contexts.  Theological education by extension is a tremendously versatile and flexible approach to ministerial training; it is also now a spreading, deepening movement for change, subversion and renewal (Kinsler 1981:101).

Rigid or traditional structures may be made more flexible with new developments which emerge out of creative and courageous responses to the Spirit of God.

Renewal ministries in the church function naturally and powerfully along flexible networks of committed groups.  Some of these fit within denominational structures, though uncomfortably at times.  Others emerge as new structures, mixing formerly separated Christians into various expressions of “the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace”.  Networks of committed and creative groupings continue to multiply.

Larger congregations also need networks of small groups for personal fellowship, effective ministry and service to others.  These congregations usually provide significant ministry education resources in paperbacks, magazines, audio and video cassettes, and also produce their own resources.

One common example of such resources in ministry education made widely available are external studies units in degree courses.  These often include:

(1) A study guide, including administrative, content, resource and assessment information;

(2) Notes and/or essential text(s);

(3) A reader containing significant articles or book chapters;

(4) Resource materials, such as disks, and audio and/or video cassettes.

These become available not only for individual or tutorial study, but also for use in ministry.

Bible College staff have abundant resources to make their teaching available anywhere as resources for open education for ministry, including overseas.  This includes accredited diploma and degree programs.

Open education for ministry uses these emerging opportunities to creatively involve the church in contextual theological reflection.  It is a significant force to equip the church for its mission in the world.

In other words, you are a theologian (you have significant thoughts about God and are continually learning), a teacher (by example, modelling, dsicipling and serving – both informally and formally), a minister (for to serve is to minister), and a disciple of Jesus who by his Spirit within us ministers through us to others, and through others to us.

References

Illich, Ivan  (1971) Celebration of Awareness.  Penguin.

Kinsler, Ross (1981) The Extension Movement in Theological Education. Pasadena: William Carey Library.

Kinsler, Ross (1983) “Theology by the People.”  Manuscript prepared for Pacific Basin Conference, Fuller Seminary Library.

Kinsler, Ross, ed. (1983)  Ministry by the People.  Orbis.

Knowles, Malcolm (1975)  Self-Directed Learning.  Chicago: Follet

Knowles, Malcolm  (1980)  The Modern Practice of Adult Education (Revised), Chicago: Follet.

Lawless, Clive (1974) “The Open University.”  Theological News Monograph, No. 7, April, Fuller Seminary Library.

Mulholland, Kenneth (1976)  Adventures in Training the Ministry.  Presbyterian and Reformed.

Naisbitt, John  (1982)  Megatrends.  Warner.

Naisbitt, John and Aburdene, Patricia (1990)  Megatrends 2000.  Pan.

Neil, Stephen (1957)  The Unfinished Task.  London: Edinburgh House.

Peter, Lawrence  (1969) The Peter Principle.  Pan.

Toffler, Alvin (1970)  Future Shock.  Pan.

Toffler, Alvin (1980)  The Third Wave.  Collins.

Wagner, C. Peter  (1988)  The Third Wave of the Holy Spirit.  Ann Arbor: Vine.

© Renewal Journal #15: Wineskins, renewaljournal.com
Reproduction is allowed with the copyright included in the text.

Renewal Journals – contents of all issues

Book Depository – free postage worldwide
Book Depository – Bound Volumes (5 in each) – free postage

Amazon – Renewal Journal 15: Wineskins
Amazon – all journals and books – Look inside

Revival Blogs Links:

See also Revivals Index

See also Revival Blogs

See also Blogs Index 1: Revivals

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

CONTENTS:  Renewal Journal 15: Wineskins

The God Chasers, by Tommy Tenny

The New Apostolic Reformation, by C. Peter Wagner

The New Believers, by Diana Bagnall (The Bulletin)

Vision and Strategy for Church Growth, by Lawrence Khong

New Wineskins for Pentecostal Studies, by Sam Hey

New Wineskins to Develop Ministry, by Geoff Waugh

Book and DVD Reviews:
Pentecostalism, by Walter Hollenweger
The Transforming Power of Revival, by Harold Caballeros and Mell Winger
Transformations 1 and 2 DVDs (The Sentinel Group)

Revival Blogs Links:

See also Revivals Index

See also Revival Blogs

See also Blogs Index 1: Revivals

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)

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Vision and Strategy for Church Growth, by Lawrence Khong

by Geoff 12 April 2012 1 Comment

Vision and Strategy for Church Growth

by Lawrence Khong

Dr Lawrence Khong led his Baptist church in Singapore from 350 to a weekly attendance over 8,000, with a strong emphasis on expository preaching and the supernatural work of the Holy Spirit.   This article is reproduced with permission from Chapter 14 of The Transforming Power of Revival edited by Harold Caballeros and Mel Winger.

Renewal Journal 15: Wineskins – PDF

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On August 17, 1986, I stood on the platform in a rented auditorium in Singapore to preach in the first worship service of a brand new congregation.  As I approached the pulpit, the Holy Spirit spoke clearly to my heart: “Son, today the new baby is born!”  Then the words of Haggai 2:9 flooded into my mind: “The glory of this present house will be greater than the glory of the former house, … And in this place I will grant peace,’ declares the Lord Almighty” (NIV).

I was too emotionally worn out to be excited about the “greater glory.”  I simply took comfort in the fact that in this new church there will be peace.  I had just emerged from more than a year of leadership struggle in my former church.  I had grown up in this church, a Bible-believing congregation that had been growing consistently.  This had been my spiritual home throughout my teenage years.  The leadership of the church had clearly and lovingly affirmed my calling into the ministry.  They sent me to pursue my theological training in the United States.  I returned to be the pastor of the church.  Within five years, it grew from 350 to 1,600 under my pastoral leadership.

A career-changing experience

During the fifth year of my pastorate, I had an unexpected encounter with the Holy Spirit that opened my heart to the reality of God’s power.  In that encounter, I began speaking in a new tongue.  It was something I had always told my congregation would not and should not ever happen in this day and age.  I clearly taught them that this particular gift, together with other power gifts of the Holy Spirit, had ceased at the end of the apostolic age.  I taught them so well, in fact, that the leadership of the church rejected the validity of my experience and its theological implications immediately.  I realized they were doing the very thing I would have done if I were in their shoes.

I was confused.  My experience completely devastated my neat and tidy theology.  I could not at that point give a clear biblical understanding about what happened.  On the other hand, I could not deny the reality of that experience without compromising the witness of the Holy Spirit in my heart.  Meanwhile, my ministry began failing apart.  Before long, theological differences within the leadership degenerated to attacks on my personal integrity.  After many months of painful struggles, I was finally asked to relinquish my role as the senior pastor of the church.

In the midst of this agonizing process, the Lord gave me a clear word from Scripture: “A woman, when she is in labour, has sorrow because her hour has come; but as soon as she has given birth to the child, she no longer remembers the anguish, for joy that a human being has been born into the world” (John 16:21).

The lord told me He was bringing forth a “new baby” in my life that would launch me into a new ministry.  The painful struggles I was going through were the labour pains needed to bring forth this new birth.

The new baby is born

When the Lord said, “Son, today the new baby is born!” on August 17, 1986, Faith Community Baptist Church (FCBC) began.  It brought unspeakable joy to my spirit.  Since then, the promise of God has been true.  The glory of this ministry has far exceeded what I would ask or think.  Indeed, in the last 10 years of our church, there has been peace.

As I am writing this (1998), the baby has grown considerably.  The attendance in our weekly worship services has reached close to 8,000.  In the past 10 years, we have baptized more than 6,400 new believers.  During the same period, some 16,000 persons have made professions of faith for the first time.  Most significantly, in my mind, almost every person who worships with us is also part of a cell group ministry during the week.  In these small groups, we train every member to be a minister of the gospel, calling forth a higher-than-average level of commitment.

As I reflect upon the grace of the lord in Faith Community Baptist Church during the last 10 years, the Lord has impressed me with four major factors that have contributed to the phenomenal growth in this local congregation.   These four factors include

(1) a clear vision and strategy for growth;

(2) a cell  church structure;

(3) a reliance on the supernatural work of the Holy Spirit;  and

(4) one strong and anointed leader.

A clear vision and strategy for growth

During the first 12 months of FCBC, I had the leaders of the church join me in seeking the Lord for a clear vision and strategy for growth.  We were determined not to be another church that religiously maintained traditional programs.  With all our hearts, we sought the Lord for a blueprint that would enable us to take our city for God.  The Lord showed us that to do this, we must move in unity, we must share a common vision and we must agree on the appropriate strategies to fulfil the vision.  As early as 1987, we developed  a three-part vision that has guided our programs ever since.  This three-part  vision has seen refinements through the years.  Today, it stands as follows:

By God’s grace, we will,

(1) establish integrated ministries of  outreach, discipleship and service that encompass the whole of Singapore;

(2)  be a model cell group church that provides quality pastoral training and  equipping resources for transitioning cell group churches in Singapore and around the world; and

(3) establish 50 cell group churches around the world by sending out teams to reach hidden or responsive people groups.

To achieve this vision, we have adopted the following strategies:

1.  Develop an exciting and meaningful celebration every Sunday through music and the pulpit ministry;

2.  Minimize committee meetings by decentralization of operations to full-time staff;

3.  Commit to active staff recruitment to establish a multiple-staff ministry.,

4.  Establish a discipleship network for evangelism, prayer and Bible study;

5.  Provide lay leadership training for all leaders of the church;

6.  Develop and establish specialized ministries of outreach;

7.  Train, equip, send and fully support missionaries from the church to the mission field;    8.  Build a “Touch Centre” consisting of an auditorium seating some 3,000, including other ministry facilities for both the church and the community;

9.  Develop within every member a deep commitment to regular, disciplined and intense warfare prayer for spiritual revival in Singapore and around the world;

10.  Strengthen the family so as to provide a solid base for reaching the unsaved with the love of Christ.

From the beginning, we were filled with a sense of excitement that God was going to fulfill these visions among us.  In FCBC, every one of us is given a corporate challenge to fulfill the vision the Lord has given us.  We believe that “everybody’s job” becomes “nobody’s job.”  Members of FCBC believe that if no one else will do it, we will assume the responsibility of winning our nation to the Lord.  Before long, most of us would begin to realize that we could no longer possess this vision.  Rather, this vision has now totally possessed us with a consuming zeal from the Lord!

Completely structured as a cell group church

In the last five years, FCBC has organized an annual “International Conference on Cell Group Church.”  Thousands from around the world have come to learn the principles and operations of a cell group church.  Every year, I begin the conference by proclaiming a statement that has become a major landmark of my teaching about the cell church. My statement is:

There is a heaven and earth difference; an east and west difference between a CHURCH WITH CELLS and a CELL GROUP CHURCH.

Just about every church in the world has some kind of small groups.  Some of these groups are Bible study groups, fellowship groups, counselling/therapy groups, prayer groups and many others.  However, these are churches with cells and not cell churches.  The major difference between the former and the latter is a structural one.  Hence there is a fundamental, not a superficial, difference between them.

In a church with cells, the cell ministry is only a department within the total ministry of the church.  Members of the church have many options.  They can choose to serve in the missions department or the prayer department or the Christian education department or the fellowship department.  They can choose between the Sunday School or the adult fellowship.  The cell ministry is just another one of the options.

This is not so in a cell group church.  In a cell group church, the cell is the church.  No menu of options is open to every member except that they be in a cell group.  Every department of the church is designed to serve the cell ministry.  Departments do not have any constituency of their own.  All are designed to support the ministry of the cells.

In FCBC, every believer is assimilated into cell groups, similar to military squads.  Each cell is trained to edify one another and to evangelize so that it will multiply within a year to a maximum size of 12 to 15 people.  These cell groups are not independent “house churches,” but basic Christian communities linked together to penetrate every area of our community.

Approximately three to four cell groups cluster to form a sub-zone, and a volunteer zone supervisor pastors the five cells and its cell leaders.  Five sub-zones cluster to create a zone of about 250 people pastored by a full-time zone pastor.  Five or more zones cluster to form a district, and a seasoned district pastor shepherds as many as 1,500 people.

From the start, we created zones that were geographical (north, east, west) and generational (children, youth, military).  Later, we added our music zone for those participating in our choirs, bands, orchestras, drama and dance.  Even these music cells are constantly winning people to Jesus Christ.  Every year, more than 2,500 make first-time decisions for the Lord in the cells.

Foundations for ministry

In the early years, we worked hard to create the foundations for our ministry.  Pastors who had no previous experience with cell church structures were trained and cell leaders were equipped.  Nonexistent equipping materials had to be written.  Soon we had a nickname: “FCBC-Fast Changing Baptist Church”!  Every experimental step helped us learn how to equip and evangelize in the new paradigm.  We were determined to discard anything that did not help us achieve our goals, so we revised our strategy again and again as we gained experience.  Indeed, we are still doing so!

Like other cell churches, our life involves three levels: the cells, the congregations (a cluster of five zones) and the celebration on Sunday.  We quickly had to go to two and then three celebrations of 1,000 people to accommodate the growth in the cell groups.  We presently have one evening service on Saturday and four services on Sunday of two hours duration each.  A completely different congregation of people worships in the Saturday evening service.  We have studiously avoided advertising “seeker-sensitive services,” choosing instead to grow through the ministries of our members in the cells.

Our cells are seeker-sensitive, but our celebration is not.  For us, the celebration is an assembling of the Body of Christ rather than a means of attracting the unconverted.  Nevertheless, many profess faith in Jesus Christ as a result of the intense anointing that comes through worship, as well as my pulpit ministry that focuses on down-to-earth life issues.

The Year of Equipping

What we call “The Year of Equipping” has become an important part of our cell group life.  Each incoming member is visited by the cell leader, who assigns a cell member to be a sponsor for the new person.  A “Journey Guide” is used to acquaint the cell leader and sponsor with the spiritual condition of the person.  Guided by private weekly sessions with the sponsor, this person will complete a journey through the “Arrival Kit” and then be trained to share Christ with both responsive and unresponsive unbelievers.

Another major part of The Year of Equipping consists of three cycles of training for evangelism and harvest meeting in the cells throughout the year.  One such cycle begins in January, where new members of the cell are sent for a weekend of evangelism training.  This is followed by further practices during the cell meetings, leading up to the Good Friday weekend.

In these months, every member of the cell is asked to pray for unsaved people whom they would invite to a special Good Friday evangelistic cell meeting.  On that one Good Friday evening, we will have as many as 4,000 unsaved people in all our cell groups spread throughout the city.  More than 10 percent of them will give their lives to the Lord for the first time.  In that meeting, every member of the cell shares the gospel with unsaved friends.  We do this three times a year.  In this way, equipping for evangelism is an ongoing lifestyle of every cell.  It is my intention that every cell becomes a fit fighting unit in the army of the Lord!

Community service

Because of our strong desire to penetrate the society around us, we have formed the Touch Community Services.  This is the neutral arm of our church designed to relate to the community.  Through this separate corporation, we conduct childcare, legal aid services, after-school clubs, marriage counselling, a workshop to train the handicapped and many other social ministry areas.  This has earned the respect of unbelievers around us and has provided openings for the gospel we would not otherwise experience.  It has established good will for us among the many racial groups that live together in harmony in our nation.

Our community services have found so much favour with government authorities that much of our service ministry is actually funded by the government.  As of now, the juvenile courts make it mandatory for their offenders to seek counselling from our youth counselling services.  The registry of marriage has invited us to conduct premarital counselling for all who are getting married in Singapore!  This is our “root system” into the unconverted world.

Reliance on the supernatural works of the Holy Spirit

The structure of the cell church is nothing but a conduit for the power of the Holy Spirit.  Unless the living water flows, the cells are lifeless.  A major spiritual breakthrough came for us in those early years as we began to recognize the place of the gifts of the Holy Spirit in our midst.  As our cell groups were confronted by the need for spiritual power in caring for people, we saw a gracious outpouring of His presence in our midst.

I shall never forget a certain Sunday when the Lord visited us powerfully.  We were then conducting four worship services in a rented auditorium that seated about 800.  On that particular Sunday, I preached a message about repentance.  Many came forward to repent of their sins.  As I prayed for them from behind the pulpit, the Holy Spirit came into our midst.  Most of them fell under the power of the Spirit.  This was something we had never experienced in our church.  It surprised everyone in the auditorium, especially the people who found themselves lying on the church floor for the first time in their lives, completely unable to move.

The presence of the Lord was so overwhelming that by the beginning of the third service, members who were just walking into the auditorium for worship fell under the power of the Spirit, having no idea what had been happening in the preceding services!

This visitation of the Holy Spirit brought about a six-month period of deep repentance among the members of the church.  The anointing of the Spirit filled every cell meeting.  The sick were being healed.  The demonized were set free.  The church grew rapidly as our cell groups learned to minister in the power of the Spirit.

One strong and anointed leader

At the risk of misunderstanding me as being arrogant, I have always told audiences around the world that one of the main factors that has contributed to the growth of FCBC is the gracious gift of leadership the Lord has entrusted to me.  FCBC has grown rapidly because of my strong and anointed leadership.  In the early years of the church, the leadership team carefully studied a chapter written by Oswald J. Smith in his book Building a   Better World.  He began his chapter with these words:   “Behold, I have given him for a witness to the people, a leader and commander to the people” (Isa. 55:4).

God’s plan is that His flock should be led by a Shepherd, not run by a Board.  Committees are to advise, never to dictate.  The Holy Spirit appoints men.  To Bishops and Elders is given the care of the churches, never to Committees.  They are to be the Overseers, the Shepherds.  Each one has his own flock.  Because men have failed to recognize this, there has been trouble.  When God’s plan is followed, all is well.

The cell group church is vision driven.  It needs a strong leader to rally the people toward a God-given vision.  It is also structured like the military.  It calls for a strong commander to instil a sense of strict spiritual discipline needed to complete the task.  At the inception of the church, my core leaders asked,   “Pastor, what sort of leader will you be?”

My answer was unequivocal, “I believe I will be a strong leader, one who believes what the Lord wants me to do and who pursues it with all my heart.”

Traditionally, the church has been suspicious of strong leadership, especially when it is centred in one person.  As a result, many man-made systems of checks and counterchecks have been built into traditional church polity to ensure that there can be no one-man rule.  Although I agree that there is a need for mutual accountability, these checks have more often become major roadblocks for God’s appointed leaders to lead His people into victorious ministry.  Many lay leaders have expressed great fear of so-called   “dictatorship” behind the pulpit.  After 20 years of ministry, however, I must say that I have seen more “dictators” sitting in the pews than those standing behind pulpits.

What is leadership?

One day I was praying about this issue of leadership and the Lord impressed upon me to write down these words about leadership:

Leadership is not dictatorship

Leadership is rallying people to pursue a vision.  A leader successfully instils in those he is leading a deep desire to fulfil that vision.  He gains the trust of his people by virtue of his character, his integrity, his resourcefulness, his zeal, his good judgment, his people skills and, most importantly, his anointing from God.  As a result, the people grant him the freedom to decide and the authority to supervise and control.   Such leadership can never be provided by a committee or a board.  If, indeed, such leadership is provided by a group, it is because within that group someone can provide such strong leadership first to the group and through that to the rest of the people.

We often talk about New Testament leadership as if it is completely different from Old Testament leadership.  I believe that biblical leadership is consistent throughout the New and Old Testaments.  Whenever God wants to do a work, He chooses a man.  We have leaders such as Moses, Gideon, David, Elijah and others in the Old Testament.  In the New Testament, we have leaders such as Peter for the Jews and Paul for the Gentiles.   In FCBC, I assert my clear leadership in three areas:

Casting the Vision

I lead the people by casting a clear and concrete vision for the church.  In the early years, I spent countless hours sharing, discussing, praying and formulating the vision and strategies of the church.  I realize that a vision is only powerful when it is fully owned by the people.  Our vision and strategies were clearly set by the third year.  Since that time, I have constantly shared and reinforced this for my leaders and members.  I speak to every new member of the church about this vision in our new member orientation called “Spiritual Formation Weekend.”  I challenge every member to consider seriously our vision before joining our church.  If someone is not able to subscribe to the vision, I strongly recommend that the person join another church.

Once the vision and strategies have been forged, I expect every leader in the church to support them.  This is especially so for pastoral staff.  They are selected on the basis that as lay cell leaders and group supervisors they have demonstrated their commitment to the vision of the church.  Today, the church has a paid staff of almost 200.  In the last 10 years, we have had a staff turnover of fewer than 10 persons.  There is a tremendous sense of unity on the team.  The reason for this is that I have clearly provided leadership in casting for the people a clear vision and articulating specific strategies from the Lord.

Creating an environment for Growth

As leader, I am concerned about creating an environment conducive to growth.  We have written a clear mission statement and we have agreed upon specific core values that define the uniqueness of FCBC, both in terms of belief and of practice.  I will reproduce the mission statement here:  We seek to fulfil God’s role for us in bringing the gospel to the world by developing every believer to his full potential in Jesus Christ within a vision & value driven environment and a God-centred community.

Preaching and Teaching from the Pulpit

The main vehicle by which the growth environment is established comes through dynamic teaching and preaching during the celebration.  Some think that the cell church consists of only cells.  This is not true.  Although the cell is the church, the church is more than just cells.  The cells come together in the celebration meeting, absorbing the apostolic teaching that shapes the direction, commitment and spiritual atmosphere for the whole Body.  The church in Acts 2 met in homes, but they came together to listen to the   apostles’ teaching.  I spend some 20 hours every week preparing my sermon.  The sermon each week is more than teaching the Bible.  Every sermon conveys a passion for God and communicates His purposes for His people.

There is no doubt that the growth of FCBC is the result of God’s special grace in and through my life.  As long as I walk humbly before the Lord in intimacy, the Lord will lead us from glory to glory.  I realize that as I promote and support strong apostolic leadership, there is always the danger of abuse.  It is altogether possible for apostles to abuse the authority God has given us as His apostolic leaders.  Nevertheless, this apparently is a risk God is willing to take with us because, in His grace, He has chosen to do just that.  God is more than able to bring down His erring servants just as quickly as He raises them up.  Meanwhile, I believe in affirming God’s appointed leadership over   His people.

Affirmation with humility

I believe that God’s leaders need affirmation and encouragement as they agree to take positions of leadership.  Yet they must have the humility to serve.  Strong leaders have often been misunderstood to be dictatorial and proud.  For my part, though, I would rather affirm them, pray for them and release them to become a blessing to the Body of Christ.

When FCBC started, my heart was completely shattered by the rejection of the leaders of my former church.  The issues that finally brought about the split of the church turned personal.  I was attacked for being controlling, dictatorial and even dangerously influential.  At the inception of FCBC, I had lost my confidence to lead.  Thus I became laid back, relinquishing the leadership to my core leaders who, together with me, started the church.

In the beginning of 1987, a few months after the church had started, we invited Pastor Bill Yaegar from the First Baptist Church of Modesto, California, to speak to us about leadership.  Pastor Yaegar was in his 60s and since then has retired.   In his visit with us, Bill Yaegar noticed how discouraged I was.  I could never forget his parting words to me at the Singapore airport.  He said, “Son, I was praying for you this morning.  The Lord told me He was giving you a new name.  Your name shall be called ‘Ari.’  This is a Jewish name that means ‘lion.’  Lawrence, the Lord tells you that you are the ‘Lion of Singapore.’  You are to stand up and roar.  And whenever others forget that you are the ‘Lion of Singapore,’ stand up and roar again!”

No one had ever previously affirmed me that way.  It was an extremely important moment in my ministry career.  I realized in that instant that through all my years of Christian ministry, people were constantly warning me to go slower, to be more cautious and to be more “humble.”  This was the first time a seasoned servant of God had actually encouraged me to take charge, to lead and to press on.  Something burst forth within the depths of my spirit.  I have been roaring ever since for the glory of God and the advance of His kingdom!

© From Chapter 13, “A Vision and Strategy for Church Growth”, in The Transforming Power of Revival edited by Harold Caballeros and Mel Winger (Peniel, Buenos Aires, 1998), excerpted from The New Apostolic Churches edited by C.   Peter Wagner (Regal 8ooks, Ventura, 1998), used by permission.

© Renewal Journal #15: Wineskins, renewaljournal.com
Reproduction is allowed with the copyright included in the text.

Renewal Journals – contents of all issues

Book Depository –  free postage worldwide
Book Depository – Bound Volumes (5 in each) – free postage

Amazon –  Renewal Journal 15: Wineskins
Amazon – all journals and books – Look inside

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

CONTENTS:  Renewal Journal 15: Wineskins

The God Chasers, by Tommy Tenny

The New Apostolic Reformation, by C. Peter Wagner

The New Believers, by Diana Bagnall (The Bulletin)

Vision and Strategy for Church Growth, by Lawrence Khong

New Wineskins for Pentecostal Studies, by Sam Hey

New Wineskins to Develop Ministry, by Geoff Waugh

Book and DVD Reviews:
Pentecostalism, by Walter Hollenweger
The Transforming Power of Revival, by Harold Caballeros and Mell Winger
Transformations 1 and 2 DVDs (The Sentinel Group)

Revival Blogs Links:

See also Revivals Index

See also Revival Blogs

See also Blogs Index 1: Revivals

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

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Vision and Strategy for Church Growth, by Lawrence Khong:
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An article in Renewal Journal 15: Wineskins:
https://renewaljournal.com/2012/04/12/wineskins/
Renewal Journal 15: Wineskins – PDF

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

 

 

 

 

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The God Chasers, by Tommy Tenny

by Geoff 12 April 2012 2 Comments

The God Chasers

by Tommy Tenny

 

Evangelist Tommy Tenny describes people and churches who seek the Lord zealously in his book The God Chasers.  This article from his first chapter tells how he witnessed the visitation of God in the 3,000 member Christian Tabernacle Church in Houston, Texas, led by Richard Heard.

 

Renewal Journal 15: Wineskins – PDF

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An article in Renewal Journal 15: Wineskins:
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See also: God’s Awesome Presence, by Dr R Heard

 

This body of believers in Houston had two scheduled services on Sundays.  The first morning service started at 8:30, and the second one followed and began at 11.

When I returned for the third weekend, while in the hotel, I sensed a heavy anointing of some kind, a brooding of the Spirit, and I literally wept and trembled.

You could barely breathe

The following morning, we walked into the building for the 8:30 Sunday service expecting to see the usual early morning first service “sleepy” crowd with their low-key worship.  As I walked in to sit down in the front row that morning, the presence of God was already in that place so heavily that the air was “thick.”  You could barely breathe.

The musicians were clearly struggling to continue their ministry; their tears got in the way.  Music became more difficult to play.  Finally, the presence of God hovered so strongly that they couldn’t sing or play any longer.  The worship leader crumpled in sobs behind the keyboard.

If there was one good decision I made in life, it was made that day.  I had never been this close to “catching” God, and I was not going to stop.  So I spoke to my wife, Jeannie. “You should go continue to lead us to Him.”  Jeannie has an anointing to lead people into the presence of God as a worshiper and intercessor.  She quietly moved to the front and continued to facilitate the worship and ministry to the Lord.  It wasn’t anything fancy; it was just simple. That was the only appropriate response in that moment.

The atmosphere reminded me of the passage in Isaiah 6, something I’d read about, and even dared dream I might experience myself.  In this passage the glory of the Lord filled the temple.  I’d never understood what it meant for the glory of the Lord to fill a place.  I had sensed God come in places, I had sensed Him come by, but this time in Houston, even after there was all of God that I thought was available in the building, more of His presence literally packed itself into the room.  It’s like the bridal train of a bride that, after she has personally entered the building, her bridal train continues to enter the building after her.  God was there; of that there was no doubt.  But more of Him kept coming in the place until, as in Isaiah, it literally filled the building.  At times the air was so rarefied that it became almost unbreathable.  Oxygen came in short gasps, seemingly.  Muffled sobs broke through the room.  In the midst of this, the pastor turned to me and asked me a question.

“Tommy, are you ready to take the service?”

“Pastor, I’m just about half-afraid to step up there, because I sense that God is about to do something.”

Tears were streaming down my face when I said that.  I wasn’t afraid that God was going to strike me down, or that something bad was going to happen.  I just didn’t want to interfere and grieve the precious presence that was filling up that room!  For too long we humans have only allowed the Holy Spirit to take control up to a certain point.  Basically, whenever it gets outside of our comfort zone or just a little beyond our control, we pull in the reins (the Bible calls it “quenching the Spirit” in First Thessalonians 5:19).  We stop at the tabernacle veil too many times.

“I feel like I should read Second Chronicles 7:14, and I have a word from the Lord,” my pastor friend said.

With profuse tears I nodded assent and said, “Go, go.”

My friend is not a man given to any kind of outward demonstration; he is essentially a man of “even” emotions.  But when he got up to walk to the platform, he appeared visibly shaky.  At this point I so sensed something was about to happen, that I walked all the way from the front row to the back of the room to stand by the sound booth.  I knew God was going to do something; I just didn’t know where.  I was on the front row, and it could happen behind me or to the side of me.  I was so desperate to catch Him that I got up and publicly walked back to the sound booth as the pastor walked up to the pulpit to speak, so I could see whatever happened.  I wasn’t even sure that it was going to happen on the platform, but I knew something was going to happen. “God, I want to be able to see whatever it is You are about to do.”

My pastor friend stepped up to the clear pulpit in the centre of the platform, opened the Bible, and quietly read the gripping passage from Second Chronicles 7:14:  If My people, which are called by My name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek My face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and will heal their land.    

Then he closed his Bible, gripped the edges of the pulpit with trembling hands, and said, “The word of the Lord to us is to stop seeking His benefits and seek Him.  We are not to seek His hands any longer, but seek His face.”

In that instant, I heard what sounded like a thunderclap echo through the building, and the pastor was literally picked up and thrown backward about ten feet, effectively separating him from the pulpit. When he went backward, the pulpit fell forward.  The beautiful flower arrangement positioned in front of it fell to the ground, but by the time the pulpit hit the ground, it was already in two pieces.  It had split into two pieces almost as if lightning had hit it!  At that instant the tangible terror of the presence of God filled that room.

People began to weep and wail

I quickly stepped to the microphone from the back of the room and said, “In case you aren’t aware of it, God has just moved into this place.  The pastor is fine.  [It was two and a half hours before he could even get up, though – and even then the ushers had to carry him.  Only his hand trembled slightly to give proof of life.]  He’s going to be fine.”

While all of this happened, the ushers quickly ran to the front to check on the pastor and to pick up the two pieces of the split pulpit.  No one really paid much attention to the split pulpit; we were too occupied with the torn heavenlies.  The presence of God had hit that place like some kind of bomb.  People began to weep and to wail.  I said, “If you’re not where you need to be, this is a good time to get right with God.”  I’ve never seen such an altar call.  It was pure pandemonium.  People shoved one another out of the way.  They wouldn’t wait for the aisles to clear; they climbed over pews, businessmen tore their ties off, and they were literally stacked on top of one another, in the most horribly harmonious sound of repentance you ever heard.  Just the thought of it still sends chills down my back.  When I gave the altar call then for the 8.30 a.m. service, I had no idea that it would be but the first of seven altar calls that day.

When it was time for the 11 a.m. service to begin, nobody had left the building.  The people were still on their faces and, even though there was hardly any music being played at this point, worship was rampant and uninhibited.  Grown men were ballet dancing; little children were weeping in repentance.  People were on their faces, on their feet, on their knees, but mostly in His presence.  There was so much of the presence and the power of God there that people began to feel an urgent need to be baptized.  I watched people walk through the doors of repentance, and one after another experienced the glory and the presence of God as He came near.  Then they wanted baptism, and I was in a quandary about what to do.  The pastor was still unavailable on the floor.  Prominent people walked up to me and stated, “I’ve got to be baptized.  Somebody tell me what to do.”  They joined with the parade of the unsaved, who were now saved, provoked purely by encountering the presence of God.  There was no sermon and no real song – just His Spirit that day.

Two and a half hours had passed, and since the pastor had only managed to wiggle one finger at that point to call the elders to him, the ushers had carried him to his office. Meanwhile, all these people were asking me (or anyone else they could find) if they could be baptised.  As a visiting minister at the church, I didn’t want to assume the authority to tell anyone to baptize these folks, so I sent people back to the pastor’s office to see if he would authorize the water baptisms.

I gave one altar call after another, and hundreds of people were coming forward.  As more and more people came to me asking about water baptism, I noticed that no one I had sent to the pastor’s office had returned.  Finally I sent a senior assistant pastor back there and told him, “Please find out what Pastor wants to do about the water baptisms -nobody has come back to tell me yet.”  The man stuck his head in the pastor’s office, and to his shock he saw the pastor still lying before the Lord, and everyone I had sent there was sprawled on the floor too, just weeping and repenting before God.  He hurried back to tell me what he had seen and added, “I’ll go ask him, but if I go in that office I may not be back either.”

We baptized people for hours

I shrugged my shoulders and agreed with the associate pastor, “I guess it’s all right to baptize them.”  So we began to baptize people as a physical sign of their repentance before the Lord, and we ended up baptizing people for hours.  More and more people kept pouring in, and since the people from the early service were still there, there were cars parked everywhere outside the church building.  A big open-air ball field next to the building was filled with cars parked every which way.

As people drove onto the parking lot, they sensed the presence of God so strongly that some began to weep uncontrollably.  They just found themselves driving up onto the parking lot or into the grass not knowing what was going on.  Some started to get out of their cars and barely managed to stagger across the parking lot.  Some came inside the building only to fall to the floor just inside the doors.  The hard-pressed ushers had to literally pull the helpless people away from the doors and stack them up along the walls of the hallways to clear the entrance.  Others managed to make it part way down the hallways, and some made it to the foyer before they fell on their faces in repentance.

Some actually made it inside the auditorium, but most of them didn’t bother to find seats.  They just made for the altar.  No matter what they did or how far they made it, it wasn’t long before they began to weep and repent.  As I said, there wasn’t any preaching.  There wasn’t even any music part of the time.  Primarily one thing happened that day: The presence of God showed up.  When that happens, the first thing you do is the same thing Isaiah did when he saw the Lord high and lifted up.  He cried out from the depths of his soul:

Then said I, Woe is me! for I am undone; because I am a man of unclean lips, and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips: for mine eyes have seen the King, the Lord of hosts (Isaiah 6:5).

You see, the instant Isaiah the prophet, the chosen servant of God, saw the King of glory, what he used to think was clean and holy now looked like filthy rags.  He was thinking, I thought I knew God, but I didn’t know this much of God!  That Sunday we seemed to come so close; we almost caught Him.  Now I know it’s possible.

They came right back for more

People just kept filling the auditorium again and again, beginning with that strange service that started at 8.30 that morning.  I finally went to eat at around 4:00 that afternoon, and then came right back to the church building.  Many never left.  The continuous “Sunday morning service” lasted until 1 a.m. Monday morning.  We didn’t have to announce our plans for Monday evening.  Everybody already knew.  Frankly, there would have been a meeting whether we announced it or not.  The people simply went home to get some sleep or do the things they had to do, and they came right back for more – not for more of men and their programs, but for God and His presence.

Night after night, the pastor and I would come in and say,  “What are we going to do?”

Most of the time our answer to one another was just as predictable: “What do you want to do?”

What we meant was, “I don’t know what to do.  What does He want to do?”

Sometimes we’d go in and start trying to “have church,” but the crying hunger of the people would quickly draw in the presence of God and suddenly God had us!  Listen, my friend, God doesn’t care about your music, your midget steeples, and your flesh-impressive buildings.  Your church carpet doesn’t impress Him – He carpets the fields.  God doesn’t really care about anything you can “do” for Him; He only cares about your answer to one question: “Do you want Me?”

Ruin everything that isn’t of You, Lord!

We have programmed our church services so tightly that we really don’t leave room for the Holy Spirit.  Oh, we might let God speak prophetically to us a little, but we get nervous if He tries to break out of our schedules.  We can’t let God out of the box too much because He can ruin everything.  (That has become my prayer: “Break out of our boxes, Lord, and ruin everything that isn’t of You!”)

Let me ask you a question: How long has it been since you came to church and said, “We are going to wait on the Lord”?  I think we are afraid to wait on Him because we’re afraid He won’t show up.  I have a promise for you: “They that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength” (Isa. 40:31).  Do you want to know why we’ve lived in weakness as Christians and have not had all that God wanted for us?  Do you want to know why we have lived beneath our privilege and have not had the strength to overcome our own carnality?  Maybe it’s because we haven’t waited on Him to show up to empower us, and we’re trying to do too much in the power of our own soulish realm.

God ruined everything in Houston

I am not trying to make you feel bad.  I know most Christians and most of our leaders genuinely mean well, but there is so much more.  You can “catch” God – ask Jacob – and it might ruin the way you’ve always walked!  But you can catch Him.  We’ve talked, preached, and taught about revival until the Church is sick of hearing about it.  That’s what I did for a living: I preached revivals – or so I thought.  Then God broke out of His box and ruined everything when He showed up.  Seven nights a week, for the next four or five weeks straight, hundreds of people a night would stand in line to repent and receive Christ, worship, wait, and pray.  What had happened in history, past and present, was happening again.  Then it dawned on me, “God, You’re wanting to do this everywhere.”  For months His manifest presence hovered.

© Tommy Tenny, 1998, The God Chasers, pages 5-12, reproduced with permission from the publishers, Destiny Image.

©  Renewal Journal #15: Wineskins (2000:1)  www.renewaljournal.com

Richard Heard’s account of that visitation is reproduced in the Renewal Journal, # 10: Evangelism.  He tells of continual evangelism and the whole carpet of the church being tear-stained from people repenting for over a year.
See also: God’s Awesome Presence, by Dr R Heard

© Renewal Journal #15: Wineskins, renewaljournal.com
Reproduction is allowed with the copyright included in the text.

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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

CONTENTS:  Renewal Journal 15: Wineskins

Editorial: New Wineskins for the 21st Century

The God Chasers, by Tommy Tenny

The New Apostolic Reformation, by C. Peter Wagner

The New Believers, by Diana Bagnall (The Bulletin)

Vision and Strategy for Church Growth, by Lawrence Khong

New Wineskins for Pentecostal Studies, by Sam Hey

New Wineskins to Develop Ministry, by Geoff Waugh

Book and DVD Reviews:
Pentecostalism, by Walter Hollenweger
The Transforming Power of Revival, by Harold Caballeros and Mell Winger
Transformations 1 and 2 DVDs (The Sentinel Group)

Revival Blogs Links:

See also Revivals Index

See also Revival Blogs

See also Blogs Index 1: Revivals

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)

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Renewal Journal 15: Wineskins – PDF

Also in Renewal Journals Vol 3: Issues 11-15
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Anointing

by Geoff 11 April 2012 3 Comments

Renewal Journal 14: Anointing

Renewal Journal 14: Anointing – PDF

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Renewal Journal Vol 3 (11-15) – PDF

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Renewal Journals Index – 20 issues

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

CONTENTS:  Renewal Journal 14:  Anointing

A Greater Anointing, by Benny Hinn

Myths about Jonathan Edwards, by Barry Chant

Revivals into 2000, by Geoff Waugh

Book Reviews:

The Holiness-Pentecostal Tradition by Vinson Synan

The God Chasers, by Tommy Tenny

Primary Purpose, by Ted Haggard

See also: Immune to Fear: Anointing, by Reinhard Bonnke

See also: The difference between gifting and anointing, by Suzette Hattingh

Renewal Journal 14: Anointing – PDF

Editorial

Anointed for Ministry

 Jesus explained his ministry in terms of being anointed by the Holy Spirit.  He took his charter text from Isaiah:

The Spirit of the Lord is upon me
Because he has anointed me
To preach the gospel to the poor;
He has sent me to heal the brokenhearted,
To proclaim liberty to the captives
And recovery of sight to the blind,
To set at liberty those who are oppressed;
To proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord.
(Luke 4:18-19; Isaiah 61:1-2)

He empowered his followers to do the same, in his name and authority.  Our anointing for ministry stems wholly from who Jesus is – the anointed Christ, the Son of God.  By his death and resurrection, he conquered sin and is both Saviour and Lord.

Our ministry is the ministry of Jesus in and through us by the power of the Holy Spirit.  Just as the Holy Spirit anointed Jesus, so he anoints us.

A quick look at any concordance affirms the significance of that anointing:

God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power, who went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, for God was with him (Acts 10:38).

He who establishes us with you in Christ and has anointed us is God (2 Cor. 1:21).

You have an anointing from the Holy One and you know all things (1 John 2:20).

The anointing which you have received from him abides in you, and you do not need that anyone teach you; but as the same anointing teaches you concerning all things, and is true, and is not a lie, and just as it has taught you, you will abide in him (1 John 2:27).

One stupid application of that teaching is that we don’t need teaching because the Holy Spirit teaches us everything.

First, John is not saying we don’t need teaching.  He is teaching in his writing!  The purpose of his letters includes teaching.

Jesus taught.  Often.  He spent three years teaching his followers.

Every preacher teaches.  If all we needed was the Holy Spirit on our own, we should stop preaching and teaching.

A clue to understanding the anointing is to know God.  Knowledge can teach you about God, but you may not know God.  Or you may know God as a distant consultant, available for a crisis.  Or you may know God as a daily point of reference.  Or you may know God intimately.  Or, as is most likely, your knowing God ebbs and flows with the currents of your life.

Often when we feel most overwhelmed or in need, we know God much more deeply, for then we depend on him.  We come to him with deep longing and with the cry he is so quick to answer.  On the other hand, when we are busy and very competent we often know God dimly, not realizing how easily we depend on our own God-given abilities rather than on God himself, and how easily we quench or grieve the Spirit.

Jesus, on the other hand, lived in the full knowledge of God – not just intellectually, but totally and intimately.  He explained his relationship with God,  “The Son can do nothing of himself, but what he sees the Father do …  I can of myself do nothing” (John 5:19, 30).  Then he said the same of our relationship with him, “Abide in me … without me you can do nothing” (John 15:4-5).

The anointing of God on your life is linked with how you abide in your Lord, and he in you.

This issue of the Renewal Journal gives examples of a fresh anointing touching many people now with new intimacy and grace for powerful ministry.  Benny Hinn uses the life of Elisha to highlight principles for a greater anointing.  Barry Chant clears away some myths about Jonathan Edwards whose sharp mind and anointed writing still impact people.  I give an overview of many places and people experiencing deep encounters with God through the nineties.

© Renewal Journal #14: Anointing, renewaljournal.com

Reproduction is allowed with the copyright included in the text.

Renewal Journals – contents of all issues

Back to 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:

See also Revivals Index

See also Revival Blogs

See also Blogs Index 1: Revivals

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)

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Renewal Journal 14: Anointing – PDF

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

anointing ,

A Greater Anointing, by Benny Hinn

by Geoff 20 March 2012 3 Comments

A Greater Anointing

by Benny Hinn

 Healing evangelist Benny Hinn leads crusades worldwide.   The cover photo on this Renewal Journal 14: Anointing is from his crusade in Kenya, East Africa, with police estimating over one million attending.

This article is reproduced from his pamphlet Seven Steps to a Greater Anointing.

 

Renewal Journal 14: Anointing – PDF

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https://renewaljournal.com/2012/04/11/anointing/

Many people pray like Elisha, “Lord, give me a double portion of Your anointing.”  Yet they do not realize the preparation that is involved for such a miraculous thing to occur.  Here are seven things that happened in the life of Elisha before God allowed him to receive “the double portion” anointing.

1.  Elisha faced the spirit of the enemy.  Elijah and Elisha confronted the same enemy – the spirit of Jezebel.  Elijah faced a demonic spirit through this woman that once caused him to flee for his life (1 Kings 19).

Who Is Jezebel?  The Lord told the church at Thyatira, “I have a few things against you, because you allow that woman Jezebel, who calls herself a prophetess, to teach and seduce My servants to commit sexual immorality and eat things sacrificed to idols” (Revelation 2:20).

It is clear from this portion of Scripture that Jezebel is the spirit of filth and fornication which we still fight even today.  Only by the anointing can that spirit be overcome.

2.  Elisha relied on God.  Before Elijah was taken up into heaven, Elisha declared his loyalty and devotion to God by repeating these words: “As the Lord lives” (2 Kings 2:2, 4, 6).

You’ll never receive God’s anointing until you learn to totally depend on the Lord.  Elisha had a wonderful role model in the prophet Elijah – the one who stood before the 450 prophets of Baal and declared: “Lord God of Abraham, lsaac, and of Israel, let it be known this day that You are God in Israel and, that I am Your servant, and that I have done all these things at Your word”  (1 Kings 18:36).  That’s when the fire fell and consumed the burnt sacrifice.

3.  Elisha learned how to serve.  Young Elisha was plowing in a field – it was seed time – when he was called to become the servant of Elijah (1 Kings 19:19).  He came from a well-to-do family – after all, they had ‘twelve yoke of oxen’ (v. 1 9).  And Elisha was obviously a hard worker since his family could have hired a servant to do the same job.

Plowing and praying go hand in hand.  Scripture tells us to “break up your follow ground, for it is time to seek the Lord” (Hosea 10:12).  The moment he committed himself to Elijah, he became his servant, not his slave.

Do you want the anointing?  Get involved in a church or a ministry and start serving.  When you serve you are sowing your life as seed for an anointing that one day will be yours.

Just before Elijah was taken to heaven in a whirlwind, Elisha vowed that he would not leave the prophet’s side.  He declared, “As the Lord lives, and as your soul lives, I will not leave you” (2 Kings 2:4).  He was saying, “As long as you remain anointed, I will not depart from you.”

4.  Elisha was a man of faith.  In the final days before Elijah’s departure, Elisha – over the prophet’s objections – stayed with him as he journeyed to four places: Gilgal, Bethel, Jericho, and the Jordan.  Each has a special meaning.

Gilgal is the place where faith begins.  That’s where the manna ceased and the children of Israel had to learn to live by faith and not by sight (Joshua 5).  For forty years they had seen a cloud by day, a fire by night, and manna on the ground.  Then it was over.  And so it is with us.  The anointing will not come on our lives until we begin to walk by faith.

5.  Elisha knew what it meant to be tested.  Next, they travelled to Bethel – yet Elisha still would not leave the prophet’s side.

Bethel is the place of trials and tests.  That’s where Jacob fled when he was running away from his brother.  He lost his family and his comfort – and was sleeping there with a rock for a pillow.  It was at Bethel that Jacob made a vow that if the Lord would allow him to “come again to my father’s house in peace, then shall the Lord be my God” (Genesis 28:21).  And so also, will we be tested before God will entrust us with His anointing.

6.  Elisha knew how to wage warfare.  The two men of God journeyed to Jericho – the place of warfare.  The place where Joshua had fought his greatest battle (Joshua 6).

Elisha became a man of war in the spirit.  He understood the power that belongs to every believer, that can unlock chains and open doors.  We need to realize that “the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strongholds”  (2 Corinthians 10:4).

When the demons of hell come against you, stay strong.  Declare, “I will not let this thing bring me down; I’m staying until the anointing comes.”

7.  Elisha had a vision.  Finally, they journeyed to the banks of the river Jordan where the Lord tested Elisha’s vision.  Was it of man, or of God?  The prophet said to the servant, “Ask!  What may I do for you, before I am taken away from you.”  Elisha said, “Please let a double portion of your spirit be upon me (2 Kings 2:9).

Elijah responded, “You have asked a hard thing.  Nevertheless, if you see me when I am taken from you, it shall be so for you.” (2 Kings 2:1 0).

In other words, “If your vision is clear, and your eyes are on things above, you’ll receive it!”  Habakkuk 2:2 declares “write the vision and make it plain.”

There are 3 keys to seeing a vision fulfilled.

1) It must be plain, meaning a vision cannot be cloudy or full of questions.

2) You must run to receive it, meaning your prayer life must intensify.  Walking is prayer – running is intensified prayer.

3) The vision is for “an appointed time.”  Wait for it.  Never give up.  Your faith is vital for the vision’s fulfilment.

Suddenly, the prophet was raptured – caught up into the heavens!  A chariot of fire appeared – yet Elisha could see clearly enough to pick up the mantle that was left behind.

He walked to the same river where he had seen the prophet Elijah use the mantle to separate the waters.  He said, “Where is the Lord God of Elijah?” – and the waters of the Jordan were again miraculously parted (2 Kings 2:14).

Please prayerfully read in context the Scriptures I’ve shared.  I pray this teaching creates a hunger for a deeper walk with the Lord and that you will receive God’s precious anointing as you apply the Word to your life.

Reproduced with permission from the Benny Hinn’s Partners in Ministry newsletter, November 1999.

© Renewal Journal #14: Anointing, renewaljournal.com
Reproduction is allowed with the copyright included in the text.

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CONTENTS:  Renewal Journal 14:  Anointing

A Greater Anointing, by Benny Hinn

Myths about Jonathan Edwards, by Barry Chant

Revivals into 2000, by Geoff Waugh

Book Reviews:

The Holiness-Pentecostal Tradition by Vinson Synan
The God Chasers, by Tommy Tenny
Primary Purpose, by Ted Haggard

See also: Immune to Fear: Anointing, by Reinhard Bonnke

Renewal Journal 14: Anointing – PDF

Revival Blogs Links:

See also Revivals Index

See also Revival Blogs

See also Blogs Index 1: Revivals

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)

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https://renewaljournal.com/2012/04/11/anointing/
Renewal Journal 14: Anointing – PDF

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

 

evangelism, renewal, revival ,

Evangelical Heroes Speak, by Richard M. Riss

by Geoff 19 March 2012 2 Comments

Evangelical Heroes Speak

by Richard Riss

Richard & Kathryn Riss

Historian Dr Richard Riss’ doctoral research included studies on the current revival awakening.

Renewal Journal 13: Ministry – PDF

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An article in Renewal Journal 13: Ministry:
https://renewaljournal.com/2012/04/06/ministry/

 The Holy Spirit IN US is one thing,
and the Holy Spirit ON US is another
– D. L. Moody

Many Evangelicals, especially those who doubt the genuineness of the current awakening, look to people like Jonathan Edwards, George Whitefield, Charles H. Spurgeon, and Dwight L. Moody as exemplars of true Christianity, or genuine revival. However, these figures, and others to whom they look, such as G. Campbell Morgan, or D. Martyn Lloyd-Jones, do not at all conform to the preconceptions of late twentieth-century Evangelicalism.

Critics of today’s move of God complain that it is inappropriate to spend time soaking in the presence of God; rather, we must be about the Father’s business, seeking and saving the lost. But such an idea would have been completely foreign to Dwight L. Moody, who believed that to be effective for God, people must first wait upon God for His power and anointing.

Here’s what he said: “Some people seem to think they are losing time if they wait on God for His power, and so away they go and work without unction; they are working without any anointing, and they are working without any power. . . . The Holy Spirit IN US is one thing, and the Holy Spirit ON US is another; and if these [first-century] Christians had gone out and went right to preaching then and there [at the time of Christ’s ascension], without the power, do you think that scene would have taken place on the day of Pentecost? Don’t you think that Peter would have stood up there and beat against the air, while these Jews would have gnashed their teeth and mocked him? But they tarried in Jerusalem; they waited ten days. What! you say. What, the world perishing and men dying! Shall I wait? Do what God tells you. There is no use in running before you are sent; there is no use in attempting to do God’s work without God’s power. A man working without this unction, a man working without this anointing, a man working without the Holy Ghost upon him, is losing his time after all. So we are not going to lose anything if we tarry till we get this power” (Secret Power, pp. 44-45).

Critics have raised objections to the laughter that has characterized the present move of God. They have said that weeping, not laughter, is appropriate for revival, since it is appropriate to weep over one’s sins in coming to a place of repentance. But Charles H. Spurgeon has said otherwise. In his Autobiography (Zondervan, 1946), p. 124-125, he writes, “I do believe in my heart that there may be as much holiness in a laugh as in a cry, and that, sometimes, to laugh is the better thing of the two, for I may weep, and be murmuring, and repining, and thinking all sorts of bitter thoughts against God, while, at another time, I may laugh the laugh of sarcasm against sin and so evince a holy earnestness in the defense of the truth.”

“I am not so afraid of excitement as some people” – D. L. Moody

Rodney Howard-Browne was severely criticized for his comments to the effect that he would rather have some form of life in his meetings than no life at all, implying that it would be worth it, even if there were a risk that the life was of the flesh. Yet, one would be hard-pressed to see how Rodney’s comments along these lines differed from one of Moody’s sermons, “Revivals,” in which he said essentially the same thing: “I am not so afraid of excitement as some people. The moment there comes a breath of interest, some people cry, ‘Sensationalism, sensationalism!’ But, I tell you what, I would rather have sensation than stagnation any time. . . . Don’t be afraid of a little excitement and a little ‘sensationalism.’ It seems to me that almost anything is preferable to deadness. . . . Where there is life, there will always be a commotion” (Moody’s Latest Sermons, pp. 111-112).

Critics claim that John Arnott opens people up to deception by quoting Luke 11:11 in order to calm peoples’ fears about the current move of God. Yet, this is precisely the language that Moody used when he said, “I believe that if we ask God for a real work, He won’t give us a counterfeit. If we ask God for bread, He isn’t going to give us a stone” (ibid., p. 114).

Still other critics complain that, in an age of Microwave ovens, we are far too accustomed to the instantaneous. Because we are not satisfied unless things are done immediately, the quick fixes that we see in today’s revival are suspect, and won’t last. On the other hand, Spurgeon’s outlook was just the opposite. He believed that revival and its results are instantaneous. In a sermon entitled “The Outpouring of the Holy Spirit” (June 20, 1858), he said, “There is no power in man so fallen but that the Holy Spirit can raise it up. However debased a man may be, in one instant, by the miraculous power of the Spirit, all his faculties may be cleansed and purged.”

“Follow the guidance of the Spirit” – Evan Roberts

Some people criticize the idea of the leading of the Holy Spirit during a church service as too dangerous or too subjective. Rodney Howard-Browne has often been severely criticized for claiming to yield to the leading of the Holy Spirit during his meetings. This may be problematic for many twentieth-century Evangelicals, but it was most decidedly not a problem for Evan Roberts during the Welsh revival. G. Campbell Morgan, in his sermon, “Lessons of the Welsh Revival” (December 25, 1904) said of one of the meetings that he attended in Wales, that all the while, there was “no human leader, no one indicating the next thing to do, no one checking the spontaneous movement. . . . Evan Roberts is no orator, no leader. What is he? I mean now with respect to this great movement. He is the mouthpiece of the fact that there is no human guidance as to man or organization. The burden of what he says to the people is this: It is not man, do not wait for me, depend on God, obey the Spirit. But whenever moved to do so, he speaks under the guidance of the Spirit. His work is not that of appealing to men so much as that of creating an atmosphere by calling men to follow the guidance of the Spirit in whatever the Spirit shall say to them.”

Charles Spurgeon also believed that the leading of the Holy Spirit was absolutely essential in all of his church meetings. He said, “I have constantly made it my prayer that I might be guided by the Spirit even in the smallest and least important parts of the services. . . . I might preach to-day a sermon which I preached on Friday, and which was useful then, and there might be no good whatever come from it now, because it might not be the sermon which the Holy Ghost would have delivered to-day.”

“A blessed fanaticism . . . a heavenly enthusiasm” – C H Spurgeon

Some people assert that today’s awakening cannot be a genuine work of God since there are clear problems within it, and many indications that it is tainted by the work of the flesh. Such people do not realize that every awakening of history has been a mixture of the good and the bad. Here’s what Spurgeon wrote of the awakening of 1857-58: “We have received continually fresh confirmations of the good news from a far country, which has already made glad the hearts of many of God’s people. In the United States of America there is certainly a great awakening.. . . There may be something of spurious excitement mixed up with it, but that good, lasting good, has been accomplished, no rational man can deny.” Along similar lines, Jonathan Edwards, in The Distinguishing Marks of a Work of The Spirit of God, wrote of the Great Awakening that critics who “wait to see a work of God without difficulties and stumbling blocks . . . will be a like the fool’s waiting at the river side to have the water all run by. A work of God without stumbling blocks is never to be expected.”

In a sermon entitled “The Great Revival” (March 28, 1858), Spurgeon said that revival is like a hurricane, bringing chaos wherever it goes: “The mere worldly man does not understand a revival; he cannot make it out. Why is it, that a sudden fit of godliness, as he would call it, a kind of sacred epidemic, should seize upon a mass of people all at once? What can be the cause of it? It frequently occurs in the absence of all great evangelists; it cannot be traced to any particular means. There have been no special agencies used in order to bring it about – no machinery supplied, no societies established; and yet it has come, just like a heavenly hurricane, sweeping everything before it. . . . When there comes a revival, the minister all of a sudden finds that the usual forms and conventionalities of the pulpit are not exactly suitable to the times. . . . And there are sobs and groans heard in the prayer meetings. . . . And then the converts who are thus brought into the church, if the revival continues, are very earnest ones. You never saw such a people. The outsiders call them fanatics. It is a blessed fanaticism. Others say, they are nothing but enthusiasts. It is a heavenly enthusiasm. . . . It is not orderly, you say. . . . You may try to stop us, but we will run over you if you do not get out of the way.”

Spurgeon was decidedly in favor of revival, but he was opposed to some of the more controversial manifestations. Nevertheless, he acknowledged that the manifestations that he disliked had taken place under the ministry of George Whitefield: “In the old revivals in America a hundred years ago, commonly called ‘the Great Awakening,’ there were many strange things, such as continual shrieks and screams, and knocking, and twitchings, under the services. We cannot call that the work of the Spirit. Even the great Whitefield’s revival at Cambuslang, one of the greatest and most remarkable revivals that were ever known, was attended by some things that we cannot but regard as superstitious wonders” (ibid).

Spurgeon is certainly not alone. One of the greatest bones of contention during the important revivals of the past has been controversial manifestations of this kind, such as people falling under the power of God, shaking and trembling, experiencing speechlessness, drunkenness in the Spirit, or holy laughter. In a 1959 sermon, D. Martyn Lloyd-Jones said with respect to revival that “Under the influence of this mighty power, people may literally fall to the ground under conviction of sin, or even faint, and remain in a state of unconsciousness, perhaps for a considerable time. . . . Then there are people who seem to go into trances. They may be seated or they may be standing, and they are looking into the distance, obviously seeing something, and yet they are completely unconscious, and unaware of their surroundings. They do not seem to be able to hear anything, nor to see anything that may be happening round and about them.” Lloyd-Jones lamented that “there are people who dismiss and denounce the whole notion of revival because of these phenomena” (Revivbal, pp. 134-136). He also said (pp. 136-144) that for many years, people had attempted to explain revival in terms of brainwashing, mass hysteria, mesmerism, hypnotism, or demonic activity, but that all of these attempted explanations leave many questions unanswered and fail at major points.

“A kind of ecstasy” – Jonathan Edwards

 Jonathan Edwards had to deal with criticisms of the Great Awakening because of phenomena of this kind. One of his critics, Charles Chauncy, insisted that because these things were integral to the Great Awakening, that it could not possibly be a genuine outpouring of the Holy Spirit.

In his several works in defense of the Great Awakening, Edwards repeatedly pointed out that the presence of these manifestations neither proves nor disproves that God is at work. In our own day, critics attempt to argue that Edwards, especially in his later works, was against the manifestations. But any careful reading, even of his Treatise on Religious Affections (1746), will indicate that his viewpoint was always that, while the manifestations do not indicate that a work is of God, neither do they indicate the opposite. According to Edwards, the true sign as to whether a work is of God would be the positive effects in peoples attitudes and behavior, or the fruit of the Spirit in their lives and character.

Nevertheless, the writings of Edwards do demonstrate that the manifestations were a component of the Great Awakening. He made clear references in The Distinguishing Marks of a Work of The Spirit of God to “tears, trembling, groans, loud outcries, agonies of body, or the failing of Bodily strength.” He wrote, “some who are the subjects of it have been in a kind of ecstasy, wherein they have been carried beyond themselves, and have had their minds transported into a train of strong and pleasing . . . visions, as though they were rapt up even to heaven, and there saw glorious sights. I have been acquainted with some such instances, and I see no need of bringing in the help of the devil into the account that we give of these things.”

“Outward signs . . . accompanied the inward work of God” – JohnWesley

 George Whitefield also played an important part in the Great Awakening. At first, Whitefield did not believe that the manifestations should be encouraged. On June 25, 1739, he wrote a letter to John Wesley about them, saying, “I cannot think it right in you to give so much encouragement to those convulsions which people have been thrown into under your ministry. Was I to do so, how many would cry out every night! I think it is tempting God to require such signs. That there is something of God in it, I doubt not. But the devil, I believe, does interpose.”

But about two weeks later, John Wesley had a talk with George Whitefield about these matters, and Whitefield changed his mind. On July 7, 1739, Wesley wrote of him in his Journal, “I had an opportunity to talk with him of those outward signs which had so often accompanied the inward work of God. I found his objections were chiefly grounded on gross misrepresentations of matter of fact. But the next day he had an opportunity of informing himself better: for no sooner had he begun (in the application of his sermon) to invite all sinners to believe in Christ, than four persons sunk down close to him, almost in the same moment. One of them lay without either sense of motion; a second trembled exceedingly; the third had strong convulsions all over his body, but made no noise, unless by groans; the fourth, equally convulsed, called upon God with strong cries and tears. From this time, I trust, we shall all suffer God to carry on His own work in the way that pleaseth Him.”

“God manifested Himself much amongst us” – George Whitefield

As can be seen in George Whitefield’s own Journal, from that time onward, the manifestations were one of the components of Whitefield’s ministry. On August 3, 1740 he wrote, “Before I had prayed long, Br. B. dropped down, as though shot with a gun. Afterwards he got up, and sat attentively to hear the sermon. The influence spread. The greatest part of the congregation were under great concern. Tears trickled down apace, and God manifested Himself much amongst us at the Sacrament.” The following day, Whitefield wrote, “I asked, ‘what caused him to fall down yesterday?’ He answered, ‘The power of God’s Word.’”

Whitefield wrote that during the same year in New York, on Sunday, November 2, “After I had begun . . . the Spirit of the Lord gave me freedom, and at length came down like a mighty rushing wind, and carried all before it. Immediately, the whole congregation was alarmed. Crying, weeping, and wailing were to be heard in every corner; men’s hearts failing them for fear, and many were to be seen falling into the arms of their friends.”

Similar things happened two days later in Staten Island: “Oh, how did the Word fall like a hammer and like a fire! One poorcreature in particular was ready to sink into the earth. His countenance was altered, till he looked, as it were, sick to death. At length he said, ‘What shall I do to be saved?’ Others were dissolved in tears around him; and one of my fellow- travellers was struck down, and so overpowered, that his body became exceeding weak. He could scarcely move all the night after. God, I believe, was working powerfully in his soul.” Whitefield wrote that a day afterward, in Basking Ridge, New Jersey, “I had not discoursed long, when, in every part of the congregation, some one or other began to cry out, and almost all were melted into tears. . . . Most of the people spent the remainder of the night in prayer and praises.”

The following week, on Saturday, November 15, in Philadelphia, “the Word seemed to smite the congregation like so many pointed arrows. Many afterwards told me what they felt; and, in the evening I was sent for to a young woman, who was carried home from meeting, and had continued almost speechless.” Whitefield said that a week later, at Fagg’s Manor, “God’s presence so filled my soul that I could scarce stand under it. I prayed and exhorted and prayed again, and soon every person in the room seemed to be under great impressions, sighing and weeping. At last I was quite overpowered.” Whitefield couldn’t move, and a friend had to help him go to bed that night: “A dear friend undressed me. The Lord gave me sweet sleep, and in the morning I arose with my natural strength much renewed.”

There is an interesting quotation in The Biography of Barton W. Stone (1847) with respect to the manifestations of the Great Awakening and its aftermath: “Mr. Benedict, in his Abridgment of the History of the Baptists, on page 345, speaking of the great revival that began among them, on James River, in 1785, says, ‘During the progress of this revival, scenes were exhibited somewhat extraordinary. It was not unusual to have a large proportion of the congregation prostrate on the floor, and in some instances they lost the use of their limbs. . . . Screams, groans, shouts, hosannas, notes of grief and joy, all at the same time, were not unfrequently heard throughout their vast assemblies. . . . It is not unworthy of notice, that in those congregations where the preachers encouraged them to much extent, the work was more extensive, and greater numbers were added. . . . . Among the old fashioned Calvinistic Baptists of the Old Dominion these strange bodily agitations obtained; and many of the preachers “fanned them as fire from heaven,’ and the excitement and confusion that pervaded their vast assemblies well nigh fills Mr. J. L. Waller’s measure of a “New Light Stir” in Kentucky.’”

“He never saw a more glorious sight” – Barton Stone

According to Barton Stone (pp. 360-361), not only did George Whitefield encourage such things, but Charles Hodge wrote about them in his History of the Presbyterian Church, pages 85 and 86. Stone also wrote that “the manner in which Whitefield describes the scenes at Nottingham and Fagg’s Manor, and others of a similar character, shows he did not disapprove of these agitations. He says he never saw a more glorious sight, than when the people were fainting all around him, and crying out in such a manner as to drown his own voice.”

In his Journals and in his sermons, George Whitefield alluded frequently to the new wine of the Spirit. In New Hampshire, on one Friday and Saturday in March of 1745, “All [were] seemingly hearty friends to and great sharers in the late blessed work of God. Their accounts of it were very entertaining. Every time the Lord was with us, but he seemed to keep the good wine till the last, for on Saturday, many of God’s people were filled exceedingly.” In these cases, he is speaking with specific reference to God-given joy, and preached about it at considerable length in his sermon, “The Kingdom of God,” in which he said, “I have often thought, that if the apostle Paul were to come and preach now, he would be reckoned one of the greatest enthusiasts on earth. He talked of the Holy Ghost, of feeling the Holy Ghost; and so we must all feel it, all experience it, all receive it, or we can never see a holy God with comfort. . . . The apostle not only supposes we must have the Holy Ghost, but he supposes, as a necessary ingredient to make up the kingdom of God in a believer’s heart, that he must have ‘joy in the Holy Ghost.’ There are a great many, I believe, who think religion is a poor melancholy thing, and they are afraid to be Christians. But, my dear friends, there is no true joy till you can joy in God and Christ. . . . We are told that ‘Zaccheus received Christ joyfully,’ that ‘the eunuch went on his way rejoicing,’ and that ‘the jailer rejoiced in God with all his house.’ O, my friends, what joy have they that know their sins are forgiven them! What a blessed thing is it for a man to look forward, and see an endless eternity of happiness before him, knowing that everything shall work together for his good! It is joy unspeakable and full of glory.”

Bibliography

Curnock, Nehemiah, ed. The journal of the Rev. John Wesley, vol. 2. London: Charles h. Kelly, n.d.

Edwards, Jonathan. The distinguishing marks of a work of the Spirit of God. In Goen, C. C., ed. Jonathan Edwards: The Great Awakening, pp. 213-288. In Smith, John E., ed. The works of Jonathan Edwards, vol. 4. New Haven and London: Yale University Press, 1972.

Fuller, David Otis, ed. C. H. Spurgeon’s Autobiography. Grand Rapids: Zondervan publishing house, 1946.

Goen, C. C., ed. Jonathan Edwards: The Great Awakening. In Smith, John E., ed. The works of Jonathan Edwards, Vol 4. New Haven and London: Yale University Press, 1972.

Lloyd-Jones, D. Martyn. Revival. Westchester: Crossway Books, 1987.

Macfarlan, D., ed. The Revivals of the Eighteenth Century. Edinburgh: Johnston & Hunter, 1847. Repr. Wheaton: Richard Owen Roberts, 1980.

Moody, Dwight L. “Enthusiasm.” In D. L. Moody, To the work, to the work: exhortations to Christians, pp. 67-80. Chicago, New York & Toronto: Fleming H. Revell Company, 1864.

Moody, Dwight L. “Revivals.” In D. L. Moody, Moody’s Latest Sermons, pp. 106-126. Chicago, New York, Toront: Fleming H. Revell, 1900.

Moody, Dwight L. “Secret power – ‘in’ and ‘upon’” In D. L. Moody, Secret Power, or the secret of success in Christian life and work, pp. 1-45. New York, Chicago, Toronto: Fleming H. Revell Company, 1881.

Morgan, G. Campbell. Lessons of the Welsh Revival. New York, Chicago, Toronto: Fleming H. Revell Company, 1905.

Rogers, John. The Biography of Eld. Barton Warren Stone written by himself with additions and reflections by Elder John Rogers. 5th ed. Cincinnati: published for the author by J. A. & U. P. James, 1847.

Smith, John E., ed. The works of Jonathan Edwards. 4 vols. New Haven and London: Yale University Press, 1972.

Spurgeon, Charles H. “The Form and Spirit of Religion.” In The New Park Street Pulpit, containing sermons preached and revised by the Rev. C. H. Spurgeon, minister of the chapel during the year 1858, vol. 4, pp. 161-168. London: Alabaster and Passmore, 1859.

Spurgeon, Charles H. “The Great Revival.” In The New Park Street Pulpit, containing sermons preached and revised by the Rev. C. H. Spurgeon, minister of the chapel during the year 1858, vol. 4, pp. 161-168. London: Alabaster and Passmore, 1859.

Spurgeon, Charles H. “The Outpouring of the Holy Spirit.” In The New Park Street Pulpit, containing sermons preached and revised by the Rev. C. H. Spurgeon, minister of the chapel during the year 1858, vol. 4, pp. 161-168. London: Alabaster and Passmore, 1859.

Wesley, John. The Journal of the Rev. John Wesley edited by Nehemiah Curnock. Vol 2. London: Charles H. Kelly, n.d.

Whitefield, George. Journals. Edinburgh: Banner of Truth Trust, 1960.

Whitefield, George. “The Kingdom of God.” In The Revivals of the Eighteenth Century. D. Macfarlan, ed. Edinburgh: Johnston & Hunter, 1847. Repr. Wheaton: Richard Owen Roberts, 1980.

Whitefield, George. Letters of George Whitefield for the period 1734-1742. Edinburgh: Banner of Truth Trust, n.d.

This unedited version of this article was first written for the Destiny Image Digest.

© Renewal Journal #13: Ministry
Reproduction is allowed with the copyright included in the text.

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Back to 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

CONTENTS: Renewal Journal 13: Ministry

Pentecostalism’s Global Language, by Walter Hollenweger

Interview with Steven Hill, by Steve Beard

Revival in Mexico City, by Kevin Pate

Revival in Nepal, by Raju Sundras

Beyond Prophesying, by Mike Bickle

The Rise and Rise of the Apostles, by Phil Marshall

Evangelical Heroes Speak, by Richard Riss

Spirit Impacts in Revivals, by Geoff Waugh

The Primacy of Love, by Heidi Baker

Book Reviews:  Fire in the Outback, by John Blacket;  The Making of a Leader, by J R Clinton

Renewal Journal 13: Ministry – PDF

Revival Blogs Links:

See also Revivals Index

See also Revival Blogs

See also Blogs Index 1: Revivals

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)

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An article in Renewal Journal 13: Ministry:
https://renewaljournal.com/2012/04/06/ministry/
Renewal Journal 13: Ministry – PDF

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

 

 

apostles, renewal, revival ,

The Rise and Rise of the Apostles, by Phil Marshall

by Geoff 19 March 2012 1 Comment

The Rise and Rise of the Apostles

by Phil Marshall

Phil Marshall

Rev Dr Phil Marshall wrote as the Evangelism Consultant for the Uniting Church in NSW.  He served as a Minister in local congregations in South Australia and Queensland, Australia

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 The leadership gifts of Ephesians 4:11-12 are
critical to churches that are discipling people
in the post-modern Western world

We are in a time where we are witnessing the rise and rise of the apostle in the church around the world. As with the recovery of other spiritual gifts, the Pentecostal churches are leading the way, but in time, the affirmation of the gift of apostle will happen across much of the church. This gift will play a critical role in the missionary expansion of the church into the 21st century. It is important to take a fresh look at the apostolic gift in the New Testament so that the gift can be more readily discerned and affirmed.

Much interest has been shown in spiritual gifts in recent decades and particularly the leadership gifts listed in Ephesians:

“It was he (Christ) who gave some to be apostles, some to be prophets, some to be evangelists, and some to be pastors and teachers, to prepare God’s people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up” (Ephesians 4:11-12 NIV).

Neglected gift

Out of the five gifts listed by Paul in his letter, the gift of the apostle has been the most neglected particularly by mainline denominations.

Historically, little interest has been shown in the gift of apostle, as classical evangelicalism has associated it with the twelve apostles and Paul, limiting it to the first century. The Roman Catholic Church has tried to link itself to the ministry of the early apostles, through an unbroken succession of ordinations called ‘apostolic succession’ but this theory is rarely of interest to those outside the Roman Church. Pentecostal churches that have been willing to affirm the gift and acknowledge individuals as apostles, thereby starting a process, which in time will help many churches from different traditions, recover this gift. I suspect that in the 21st century we will see more and more evidence of the apostolic gift, and be increasingly willing to acknowledge this gift in individuals. This will happen in the same way that we have seen the restoration of the healing ministry this century. It was initially recovered by Pentecostals, then embraced by the charismatic movement and is now accepted as a normal part of most mainline denominations.

Diverse Definitions of the Gift of Apostle

Although we are seeing greater acceptance of the gift today, New Testament scholars have debated apostleship for the last hundred years. Lightfoot began the modern discussion when he included in his commentary on Galatians a section on “The Name and Office of an Apostle” (Kevin Giles, Patterns of Ministry Among the First Christians, Melbourne, Australia: Collin Dove, 1989. p. 152). He argued that more people in the New Testament than the twelve apostles and Paul were called apostles, and that in post apostolic writings the title of apostle was used quite widely with the commission of apostle being life-long and for the sake of the Gospel.

There have been diverse opinions about the definition of this gift in recent years. In the 1980s spiritual gifts were studied in great depth. During this time the gift of apostle was variously defined as general leadership, the same as the missionary gift, or as a teacher who was able to pass on the apostolic tradition of the church (Robert Hillman, 27 Spiritual Gifts, Melbourne, Australia: JBCE, 1986. pp. 22-23). There are hints of the importance of the gift but it remains on the whole undeveloped.

The Marks of an Apostle

The meaning of the Greek word apostolos literally means ‘a person sent’ (Giles, p. 153). The concept of the apostle acting in an authoritative way for the Lord was basic to the use of the term. The study of a single word is not sufficient in itself because it can not fully explain the nature and function of an apostle.

Paul, the most influential apostle, had to argue fiercely for his own claim to be an apostle when disputing with opponents in Galatia and Corinth. The marks of Paul’s apostleship were:

1. Intimacy with the Risen Lord.

To have seen the risen Lord was foundational to Paul’s claim to be an apostle (Giles, p. 162). It is not an essential mark because in 1 Corinthians 12:28 and Ephesians 4:11 it is implied that anyone can be empowered for the work of apostle. The important factors for Paul was intimacy with Christ, being gripped by the calling of Christ and having the conviction that he was sent with an authority from the risen Lord.

2. Leadership in Church Planting.

To have brought a church into existence is another mark. Paul appeals to the fact that the Corinthians were the result of his work in the Lord (1 Corinthians 9:1). In defense of his apostleship Paul claims that the church which he founded was “the seal of my apostleship” (1 Corinthians 9:2). Here the planting of new churches is confirmation of the apostolic gift.

3. True to the Gospel of the Early Apostles.

To be a church planter is not sufficient in itself. Paul argues that a genuine apostle must proclaim the one true gospel. In 2 Corinthians, chapters 11 and 12, Paul condemns those who call themselves apostles but preach another gospel. A mark of an apostle is that their theology and message centre upon the proclamation of the early apostolic period as recorded in the New Testament (George Hunter, Church for the Unchurched, Nashville TN: Abingdon Press, 1996. p. 152).

4. Suffering for Christ is more Important than Signs and Wonders for Christ.

Paul only speaks once of the signs of a true apostle by writing, “The things that mark an apostle – signs, wonders and miracles – were done among you with great perseverance” (2 Corinthians 12:12 NIV). The context is that Paul has to contend with the Corinthians who thought an apostle should be a more impressive figure than he was. The Corinthians seemed to have argued that a ‘super-apostle’ should be able to boast of visions and miracles. Paul puts his case in 2 Corinthians 11:16-33 that he has known visions and miracles but prefers to boast of his sufferings in the service of Christ (Giles, p. 163). The marks of an apostle include signs, wonders and miracles but even more important is enduring suffering for Christ.

The case Paul makes for his own apostleship can become a sound foundation for how we build apostolic ministries today. I am not advocating a rigid checklist, but marks that distinguish the gift of apostle. These marks will then help the leadership in the local church recognise the gift and encourage the ministry.

The Character of an Apostle

The gifts of the Spirit and the fruit of the Spirit can never be separated in a person’s life. The manifestation of the gift of apostle and the character of the apostle are inseparable. Cannistraci offers a general definition of an apostle that includes a person’s character:

An apostle is one who is called and sent by Christ to have spiritual authority, character, gifts and abilities to successfully reach and establish people in the kingdom truth and order, especially founding and overseeing local churches. (David Cannistraci, The Gift of Apostle, Ventura California: Regal Books, 1996. p. 29).

Not enough can be said about the importance of character and the fruit of the Spirit. There have been a number of examples of high profile Christian leaders with influential ministries ‘falling from grace’ because of moral failure or fraud. An apostle never acts alone because the gift is exercised within the context of the body of Christ. The character and relationships of an apostle are just as important as the effectiveness of their ministry.

Cannistraci rightly argues that apostleship begins in a person’s heart and character, and then culminates in action and the work of the kingdom of God (p. 96). Christian character remains an essential element to the exercise of any ministry and there needs to be tangible evidence of the fruit of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22-23) before there can be an affirmation of the gift of apostle.

Conclusion.

The leadership gifts of Ephesians 4:11-12 are critical to churches that are discipling people in the post-modern Western world and it is exciting to see the restoration of the gift of the apostle. This has already happening in some Pentecostal churches but this restoration will have a widening influence in a variety of churches across the world. The apostolic gift will find a variety of expressions but its enduring marks will be:

1. Intimacy with Christ.

2. Leadership in Church Planting.

3. True to the Gospel of the Early Apostles.

4. Suffering for Christ.

All these characteristics are undermined and therefore become irrelevant if they are not confirmed by the fruit of the Spirit in the character of the apostle. Those denominations that embrace the restoration of the apostolic gift will see an increase in new Christians and new churches.

© Renewal Journal #13: Ministry
Reproduction is allowed with the copyright included in the text.

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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

CONTENTS: Renewal Journal 13: Ministry

Pentecostalism’s Global Language, by Walter Hollenweger

Interview with Steven Hill, by Steve Beard

Revival in Mexico City, by Kevin Pate

Revival in Nepal, by Raju Sundras

Beyond Prophesying, by Mike Bickle

The Rise and Rise of the Apostles, by Phil Marshall

Evangelical Heroes Speak, by Richard Riss

Spirit Impacts in Revivals, by Geoff Waugh

The Primacy of Love, by Heidi Baker

Book Reviews:  Fire in the Outback, by John Blacket;  The Making of a Leader, by J R Clinton

Renewal Journal 13: Ministry – PDF

Revival Blogs Links:

See also Revivals Index

See also Revival Blogs

See also Blogs Index 1: Revivals

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)

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An article in Renewal Journal 13: Ministry:
https://renewaljournal.com/2012/04/06/ministry/
Renewal Journal 13: Ministry – PDF

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

 

 

revival ,

Revival in Mexico City, by Kevin Pate

by Geoff 19 March 2012 1 Comment

Revival in Mexico City

by Kevin Pate

Wes & Stacey Campbell
Wes & Stacey Campbell

Kevin Pate, a member of a Vineyard ministry team, reported in April 1998 on their visit to Mexico City with Pastor Wes Campbell, including a weekend mountain retreat with 18,000 Mexicans.

Renewal Journal 13: Ministry – PDF

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An article in Renewal Journal 13: Ministry:
https://renewaljournal.com/2012/04/06/ministry/

The most amazing time of my life

The week and a half that we spent in Mexico City ministering to the people there I would have to say was the most amazing time of my life. I know that is a pretty dramatic statement but I hope that you will understand as you read the rest of this account. But first a little background.

Monte Maria’s history

The following history is as best as I understand from what was shared with us while we were there: The church that we went down to help out is called Monte Maria. The history of the church is quite interesting.

Back in about 1979 a Catholic priest in Mexico City by the name of Father Gilberto was at a point in his life where he was very dry and seeking God intensely. One time in prayer he was overcome by the presence of God and started weeping greatly for the lost and hurting of the world. This weeping continued on for a year! During this time as he would perform mass, interesting things would happen – people who were in the congregation as normal were healed of a variety of sicknesses and infirmities. News of this sort travels quickly and soon people were bringing their sick relatives and friends to the church and many of them became healed too.

Unfortunately, some people in the church and surrounding area complained about the increased number of poor people tromping through their neighborhood and church (riffraff they felt) and soon Father Gilberto was told by the higher-ups at his diocese that he was no longer welcome at that church. So, Father Gilberto went down to the local city dump and started to perform mass there and minister to the poor. There was in essence a city of poor people at the dump because this was the only place where many of them could live (they were very poor!) and could get stuff to survive on (food scraps, clothes, etc.). The healings continued and many came to belief in Jesus Christ as their savior.

Simple church building

So many people came to Father Gilberto for ministry that he then started another church in Mexico City. I believe that he bought a dump (obviously he could get it cheap!), cleaned it up, and constructed a church. The church building is a very simple concrete structure — basically just concrete walls and floor, and sheet metal roof with insulation (to keep it from being an oven in the summer), folding chairs for the folks to sit on, and simple platform at the front. The air conditioning is a bunch of open windows. This church building holds about 3,000 people. There is also an outdoor area that can seat 5,000 people – the outdoor part is used for Sunday morning services because the building is no longer large enough to hold everyone.

The prayer mountain

Monte Maria has also planted about 12 other churches in the Mexico City area; each church plant has about 100-200 people. Monte Maria has home groups during the week to help the people bond together, get discipled, and minister to each other. More recently they also received 293 acres of land outside the city in a mountainous area (donation from someone) – they call this “The Mountain”. They use this for monthly (7 times per year) meetings where people from all over Mexico City and surrounding area gather for a time of worship, listening to preaching, and to receive prayer ministry. The truly poorest of the poor come to this. Many of them band together and chip in a few pesos each and rent a bus to get there. They camp out in a variety of ways – in tents, under tarps, or just sleep under the stars. The weekend we were there, there were about 20,000 people at the Mountain; in the past there has been as many as 50,000 people.

Father Gilberto has now changed his name to Pastor Aurellio Gomez since the Catholic church has told him he can no longer minister in the Catholic church. Pastor Aurellio has taken a very strong stand on preaching against idolatry (which permeates portions of the Catholic church) and this has not be popular amongst the Catholic leadership in Mexico. Pastor Aurellio has been very much a proponent of church reform and ministry to the poor but with this frequently comes much criticism from the establishment.

Wesley Campbell and team

A couple of years ago, Wes Campbell travelled down to Mexico to see what God was doing down there. Wes was the pastor of a Vineyard church in Kelowna, British Columbia, Canada. Back in 1984 his church was strongly touched by God and has been in moving powerfully since then. Wes promised God that if this same sort of touch would come to the church in general around the world, he would do everything he could to fan the flames of renewal and revival. Wes and his wife Stacey met Father Gilberto and found a very hungry Mexican people who were in the midst of revival – many thousands of people being reached with the gospel, many being healed of all sorts of infirmities, and many set free from the power of the demonic enemy. Father Gilberto invited Wes and Stacey to come back with a ministry team to help out at their monthly gathering meeting at the Mountain and to help out at meetings at their church in Mexico City. The ministry team that was assembled was about 30 people from Westside Vineyard in Tigard, Oregon (including Arlan Askew the senior pastor), 5 from the Albany Oregon Vineyard, and 5 from the San Diego California Vineyard.

Prior to going on the trip, I shared with some friends here that I hoped to be able to see and experience first-hand what I have heard was going on down there and elsewhere in the world. The blind see, the deaf hear, the lame walk, and many people are reached with the gospel of Christ. Well, I am not exaggerating when I can now say that we indeed did see and experience first-hand all of this! As the Mexicans would shout – “Gloria a Dios!” (Glory to God!). And the best part was that we got to participate in what God was doing in the people – we were the prayer ministry team who were privileged to be able to pray for people for these types of healings and lead them to the Lord!

Prayer ministry

The first weekend we were there we went to the Mountain. When we got there we were very warmly welcomed by the people. After a bit of orientation, we got to work… praying for people. There were literally thousands of people ready and waiting for prayer — lined up desiring a touch from God. It was a staggering feeling. But we all just plunged in and started praying for them one at a time, knowing that it wasn’t just a crowd, but it was individuals who deserved individual attention because God loves each of them equally. So one by one we ministered and started to see an awesome move of the Holy Spirit.

Nearly everyone we prayed for was visibly touched in some way – overcome by the power or presence of God and couldn’t stand anymore, touched by a physical healing, or even some deep touch in their emotions and spirit evidenced by tears streaming down their face. Young and old, men and women, almost all were touched! It was astounding to me to see so many people so touched by the Holy Spirit! It had to be partially due to their great hunger for God. These are the poorest of the poor and really don’t have any other options. They are too poor to be able to seek a doctor for their sicknesses and infirmities; God is their only hope.

It certainly wasn’t due to any great faith that most of us had – I was rather nervous going into the trip. It was really God’s work. Essentially all of us were able to pray for all types of problems in the people’s lives – blindness, deafness, lameness, and countless other problems. In many, many cases we were able to see immediate improvement and in many cases complete healing of the people. We had some translators available to help us communicate with the people while we were praying for them which helped immensely. At other times we had to wing it on our own without a translator.

The meetings at the Mountain started at about mid-day Saturday and lasted until late Sunday afternoon with only a two or three hour break in the middle of the night Saturday night to Sunday morning. We prayed for the people during the worship and prayer ministry time, but did not pray during the preaching time since the people needed to focus on that. Wes preached about the revival occurring all over the world, and more specifically about what God was doing in their midst there in Mexico. Arlan preached about receiving the Father’s love, intimacy with God, our relationship with God made possible by Jesus Christ and his death on the cross and resurrection from the dead, and how this relationship/intimacy is the most important thing that we must seek. Everything else in our life and ministry will flow from that.

Healing and deliverance

During the week we were also able to minister at three days of meetings at their church. These meetings were more focused on teaching and training, receiving God’s love, intimacy and relationship with him, moving in the prophetic gifts relative to ministering to people, and praying for healing for each other. In the evenings we sometimes had opportunity to gather together as a team and share what experiences we had during the ministry times during the day. The following is a short listing of some of the testimonies that I was able to write down. There were many more that I didn’t write down or hear, and of course there was much more that God did that we don’t even know about:

— Woman had ears healed (was hearing a fuzz or static that was interfering with her hearing), after praying for her she could hear clearly; in addition, a pain she was having in her chest was gone too.

— Lame man who had pain in his legs healed and could walk without any pain. This was kind of a humorous incident. After praying for a while, the pain in his legs was gone and the man just sat in his chair happy that the pain was gone. The person doing the praying then reminded the man that he might now be able to walk. The person looked surprised since he had been confined for so long in his chair that he hadn’t even thought to try walking. He did and was overjoyed to find that he could indeed now walk!

— Another person in a wheel chair walked. The person had suffered an embolism 3 years earlier and was paralyzed on one side of the body. While being prayed for, the paralyzed leg and arm started shaking significantly – the power of God was evident! After a while the person was able to get up out of the wheelchair and walk.

— A man who had cataracts (obvious by clouding in the lens of the eyes) was prayed for. Gradually the clouding disappeared and the man ended up being able to see clearly.

— A woman had a tumor on one side of her body that could be felt from the outside was healed — no more tumor detected.

— A little boy who was blind in one eye, after prayer began to see, then sneezed three times and could see perfectly.

— A young boy who was controlled by a demonic spirit (thrashed about quite a bit), the demon finally acknowledged its name was the “god of hatred”, the boy finally denounced the demon, accepted Jesus into His life, and was delivered and filled with the Holy Spirit.

— More deliverances of people bound by demons.

— Woman with paralysis on one side, limped seriously, couldn’t speak, arm wouldn’t work. Interviewing determined the woman had very poor self-esteem (because of the stroke). After spiritual counselling and prayer for healing, she was overcome by the presence of God and went down on the concrete. After a little while the woman started screaming with joy, leapt up and found that the paralysis was gone and she could speak clearly.

— Woman’s eyes healed to perfect seeing.

— Woman’s knees that were in severe pain, couldn’t walk well at all. After prayer felt heat in her knees, then was able to get up and walk without pain, and even was able to jump up and down. She was very excited about this since she wanted to be able to dance during worship. What joy on her face!

— A woman with hurting feet was improved.

— A woman with hurt shoulder was healed, could move it all ways without pain.

— A woman with bum knees, after prayer got up very happy, joyfully hugged the person praying for her and said she could now bend her knees without pain, has not been able to do this for years.

— Woman with bulge and pain in her stomach (didn’t exactly know what it was

all about), after prayer the bulge and pain disappeared.

— Woman who was being prayed for started throwing up (a common manifestation of someone releasing a demonic spirit), continued praying for her and asking God to fill and cleanse her with His Holy Spirit, she then started weeping and then praising God. Very visibly changed.

— Many people were led to Jesus Christ and prayed to receive Him in their heart. It certainly helped having translators available to help in this communication.

It was awesome to be able to participate in what the Lord was doing. I was particularly happy to see the four teenagers who were part of the ministry team get right out there and pray for the people. And they saw and experienced every bit as dramatic move of the Spirit amongst the people they prayed for as any one else on the team! What a life-changing experience for them (and the rest of us of course)!

Life changing experience

With the extended prayer times that we had, I found that due to tiredness I would sometimes sort of lose focus on the person I was praying for and get distracted by other things and people around me. I would then look back at the person I had my hand on and found that there were tears streaming down their face – God was moving and touching them in spite of my tiredness and lack of focus. It was also neat to see the next person in the line that I was working down get visibly touched by God prior to me even getting there to pray for that person. It reminded me that it wasn’t really me who was doing the work in their life: rather it was all God.

It was astounding how the prayer lines would never end. As people would leave after being prayed for, others would step in where they were standing and ask for prayer. We’d be walking amongst the people and many would come up to us requesting prayer for themselves, or one of their family or friends. It was a joy to bless them since they were so hungry for God. We couldn’t get tired of that.

During some of the preaching sessions, Wes and Arlan asked who desired to accept the Lord Jesus Christ into their life. It was awesome to see hundreds and hundreds of hands raised and hear them pray to ask Jesus into their lives.

On the last teaching session at the church Arlan taught about praying for healing. For the ministry time, he told all the people to break up into groups of about eight people and form a circle. He then told each group to put one of the people in the centre who needed physical healing and to pray for them. He asked the prayer ministry team (us) to go around and coach and pray for them.

It was so neat teach them how to stepwise go through the healing prayer — 1. first the interview to find out what was wrong;

2. then seek God for guidance, dealing as necessary with any underlying issues such as the need to give and receive forgiveness;

3. then soaking prayer for healing;

4. after a while interviewing the person to see what was happening and whether there was improvement;

5. if there was, blessing and praising God for what he was doing and continuation of prayer for complete healing.

I just went around, coached, and blessed what each person and the Holy Spirit was doing. It was exhilarating to see essentially everyone they prayed for in the circle receive healing!

It was great to be able to tell all of them that the same Holy Spirit that is in us (the prayer ministry team) was also in them and that they could continue do this kind of ministry with each other, their families and friends, and the lost around them. It was wonderful to know that this and other teachings and anointings were truly imparted to them and that they will continue to grow after we’ve left.

The worship

One of the things that impressed us so much was the way these people worship. Mexican people have Fiesta (party!) in their blood and in church they integrate it into their worship. Once they get the worship going, you can’t help but be up and dancing along with them. Picture thousands of people dancing their heart out before God. The church didn’t have a choir. The whole church was the choir.

They had a wonderful dance/worship team which consisted of about a dozen beautifully dressed women with tambourines with streamers, and another dozen with flags and streamers. Their synchronized dance/worship was truly beautiful! It’s also the first time I saw toilet paper used as a worship aid. They would tear off a lengths of it and pass it around to everyone and they would wave it in the air as a streamer and praise God. It reminded me of a football game, but of course it was unto God! Oh, we can learn so much from their joy and worship!

The culture

Mexico City is a huge city; I believe the biggest city in the world – 27 million people. I heard that the entire metropolitan area is about 80 miles x 100 miles. The pollution is quite bad — Mexico City is at about 6,000 feet and in a mountainous basin which traps the air pollution in an inversion layer much of the year — quite a brown layer of smog over the city. The traffic and roads are also interesting — very congested and very bumpy. Hard to complain about our traffic and roads after being there!

Our visit to Mexico City was most interesting from a cultural standpoint. The food was of course a wonderful experience! I found the language barrier a fun challenge. The people of Mexico were VERY warm. They have a gift of hospitality that we have rarely encountered. After a few days with them, it was very difficult to leave them. When we were departing, some of the people gave us little gifts that in themselves one might say they had little value, but considering how poor most of the people are, were of utmost significance to us because we knew how much of a sacrifice it was for them.

For all that our God is doing in Mexico and all over the world – “Gloria a Dios!” and “Mas Senor!”

Source: Global Revival News

© Renewal Journal #13: Ministry
Reproduction is allowed with the copyright included in the text.

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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

CONTENTS: Renewal Journal 13: Ministry

Pentecostalism’s Global Language, by Walter Hollenweger

Interview with Steven Hill, by Steve Beard

Revival in Mexico City, by Kevin Pate

Revival in Nepal, by Raju Sundras

Beyond Prophesying, by Mike Bickle

The Rise and Rise of the Apostles, by Phil Marshall

Evangelical Heroes Speak, by Richard Riss

Spirit Impacts in Revivals, by Geoff Waugh

The Primacy of Love, by Heidi Baker

Book Reviews:  Fire in the Outback, by John Blacket;  The Making of a Leader, by J R Clinton

Renewal Journal 13: Ministry – PDF

Revival Blogs Links:

See also Revivals Index

See also Revival Blogs

See also Blogs Index 1: Revivals

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)

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Renewal Journal 13: Ministry – PDF

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