Miracles and Manifestations of the Holy Spirit

An Explosion of Miracles ~ Craig Keener

2011-12-13T10:00:00.000-05:00

Craig Keener, Professor of New Testament at Asbury Theological Seminary, was recently interviewed by Tim Stafford for Christianity Today, particularly in regard to the subject of his new book, Miracles: The Credibility of the New Testament Accounts.

Two days after my conversion, I wasn't sure if I had done it right, so I asked a pastor to pray with me. I was overwhelmed again by the same awesome sense of God. There was no way I could praise him enough unless he gave me the words. It started coming out in another language. I had never heard of speaking in tongues, I didn't know what it was. It just happened to me.

My ordination is in the National Baptist Convention USA, so technically I'm a black Baptist. My wife does not pray in tongues. But her mainstream evangelical church in the Congo testifies to people being raised from the dead. In that sense, the Congolese church is far more charismatic than almost any charismatic experience I know of here.

Keener's wife is from Congo-Brazzaville and her church denomination there is Eglise Evangelique du Congo. When Keener met the people there, some shared their testimonies with him:

It was remarkable. I got seven eyewitness accounts of people being raised from the dead. One was my sister-in-law, Therese. I asked my mother-in-law to tell me about it, with my wife translating from one of the local languages. My mother-in-law described how Therese was bitten by a snake. By the time my mother-in-law got to her, she wasn't breathing. No medical help was available. She strapped the child to her back and ran to a nearby village, where a friend who was an evangelist prayed for Therese. She started breathing again.

I asked my mother-in-law how long Therese had stopped breathing. She thought about how long it takes to get up this hill and down this hill from one village to another. She said about three hours.

He shared some of this at a meeting of the Society of Biblical Literature. "Maybe we should listen to some of the majority-world readings of these passages." A scholar from Nigeria stood and gave a couple of similar accounts, one concerning a stillborn child who began breathing after believers prayed over him for about a half-hour. "I've heard a large number of such accounts," Keener said.

Keener concludes, "We have an explosion of miracles taking place, especially in conjunction with the spread of the gospel. Some things are outside the norm for most Westerners, whatever kind of church we are associated with. It's probably good for us, to shake us up. Extraordinary things are taking place around the world."

God is still doing today what He has always done in the Church.

Cloud of Glory at Bethel Church

2011-11-22T10:07:00.000-05:00

Bill Johnson, pastor of Bethel Church in Redding, CA, talks about the unusual manifestations of God's presence they have been experiencing for the past 15 years or so. This is in addition to the many healings they have seen. Most recently, they have been seeing a "glory cloud" that comes during their times of worship. Pastor Johnson calls these "signs that make you wonder."

Atheist's Near Death Experience Changes His Life

2011-10-21T16:40:00.000-04:00

This is the testimony of Dr. Donald Whitaker, an atheist who came to King Jesus after a terrifying near death experience. He also received a miraculous healing that continues to be a miracle day by day.

The Essential Guide to Healing

2011-10-04T16:21:00.002-04:00

The Essential Guide to Healing: Equipping All Christians to Pray for the Sick

by Bill Johnson and Randy Clark
(Preview with Amazon’s “Look Inside.”)

From the product description
The Bible is full of accounts of miraculous healing. And God is moving as amazingly today as he was back then. Thousands are being healed all over the world — and his children are part of it. For the first time, pastors and bestselling authors Bill Johnson and Randy Clark team up to equip all Christians to minister healing. Sharing inspiring and exciting stories — and grounded from start to finish in Scripture — Johnson and Clark lay out practical, proven, step-by-step guidance to ministering healing, including how to:

understand your authority in the ministry of healing
walk out the ministry of healing with anyone you meet and in your personal life
receive and relay words of knowledge
implement and apply the five-step model of healing prayer

The ministry of healing is not reserved for a select few. God’s miraculous healing is part of the Good News, and you, too, can become a powerful conduit for the healing power He loves to manifest.

“It is our hope that each of you will begin to pray for others to be healed after reading this book...and that some of you will discover that God has given you a gift of healing.” ~ Randy Clark and Bill Johnson

About the authors
Bill Johnson is the senior pastor of Bethel Church in Redding, California. A fifth-generation pastor with a rich heritage in the power of the Spirit, he is the bestselling author of When Heaven Invades Earth. Bill and his wife, Beni, serve a growing number of churches through an apostolic network that has crossed denominational lines, partnering for revival. Bill and Beni live near Redding, California.

Randy Clark is the founder of Global Awakening, a teaching, healing, and impartation ministry that crosses denominational lines. An in-demand international speaker, he is part of the Apostolic Network of Global Awakening and travels extensively for conferences, international missions, leadership training, and humanitarian aid. Randy and his wife, DeAnne, live near Harrisburg, Pennsylvania.

Spiritual Gifts and Cessationism

2011-10-03T16:51:00.000-04:00

Here is an interesting and cordial discussion/interview between Doug Wilson and Mark Driscoll. Both are Reformed pastors. Driscoll believes the gifts and manifestations of the Holy Spirit continue to this day; Wilson does not.

Doug Wilson Interviews Mark Driscoll | Part II - Spiritual Gifts & Cessationism

Mark Driscoll Sees Things

2011-08-23T16:49:00.000-04:00

Pastor Mark Driscoll, founding pastor of Mars Hill Church in Seattle, WA, describes visions he has had in counseling sessions concerning his counselees. Though he refers to it as a "gift of discernment," in terms of the spiritual manifestations listed in 1 Corinthians 12, it seems most like a "word of knowledge" experience except that he receives it not as a word but as a picture.

God's Generals ~ Healing Evangelists

2011-07-21T17:48:00.001-04:00

Gods Generals: The Healing Evangelists
by Roberts Liardon

From the product description:

"In his fourth God's Generals volume, Roberts Liardon chronicles God's great healing evangelists of the twentieth century. Journey with such paragons of faith as:

Oral Roberts ~ one of the most influential Christian leaders in the twentieth century, Roberts had a healing ministry that spread from rural tent meetings to a world–class university, hospital, and medical school.
Lester Sumrall ~ after being miraculously healed of tuberculosis as a boy, Sumrall dedicated the rest of his life to sharing the gospel and God's healing power with audiences around the world, both in person and through television broadcasts.
Charles and Frances Hunter ~ often called the "Happy Hunters," Charles and Frances were known around the world as two of the most anointed and enthusiastic evangelists on earth.
George Jeffreys ~ this Welsh Pentecostal minister, along with his brother Stephen, ministered at camps, conventions, and church meetings across England and Ireland, with reports of miraculous healings and other acts of God accompanying them.
F. F. Bosworth ~ a Depression era Pentecostal faith healer and one of the founders of the Assemblies of God, Bosworth was known during the 1920s for his interdenominational "big tent" revivals and large auditorium healing meetings.

As you read about the lives of these ministry pioneers, your faith for signs and miracles will grow as you anticipate seeing God's mighty hand move in the church today."

Meeting Jesus in a Vision

2011-04-22T12:41:00.000-04:00

Here is the testimony of Sundar Singh (1889-1929), a Hindu of Rampur, in the Indian Punjab who, as a young man, despaired so of life that he cried out to God to show himself. In that encounter he became a Christian:

I prayed and prayed, waiting for the time to take my last walk. At about 4:30 I saw something strange. There was a glow in the room. At first I thought there was afire in the house, hut looking through the door and windows, I could see no cause for the light.

Then the thought came to me: perhaps this was an answer from God. So I returned to my accustomed place and prayed, looking into the strange light. Then I saw a figure in the light, strange but somehow familiar at once. It was neither Siva nor Krishna nor any of the other Hindu incarnations I had expected.

Then I heard a voice speaking to me in Urdu: “Sundar, how long will you mock me? I have come to save you because you have prayed to find the way of truth. Why then don’t you accept it?”

It was then I saw the marks of blood on his hands and feet and knew that it was Jesus, the one proclaimed by the Christians. In amazement I fell at his feet. I was filled with deep sorrow and remorse for my insults and my irreverence, but also with a wonderful peace.

This was the joy I had been seeking. This was heaven ... Then the vision was gone, though my peace and joy remained.

~ from Clouds of Witnesses: Christian Voices from Africa and Asia by Mark Noll and Carolyn Nystrom.

A Trip to Heaven and Back

2011-03-17T12:09:00.001-04:00

A young boy named Colton had a near-death incident, experienced heaven and saw relatives he had never known before.

Colton's father, a Wesleyan pastor named Todd Burpo, has a written a book about this amazing experience: Heaven is for Real: A Little Boy's Astounding Story of His Trip to Heaven and Back.

Heaven Is for Real is the true story of the four-year old son of a small town Nebraska pastor who during emergency surgery slips from consciousness and enters heaven. He survives and begins talking about being able to look down and see the doctor operating and his dad praying in the waiting room. The family didn't know what to believe but soon the evidence was clear.

Colton said he met his miscarried sister, whom no one had told him about, and his great grandfather who died 30 years before Colton was born, then shared impossible-to-know details about each. He describes the horse that only Jesus could ride, about how "reaaally big" God and his chair are, and how the Holy Spirit "shoots down power" from heaven to help us.

Told by the father, but often in Colton's own words, the disarmingly simple message is heaven is a real place, Jesus really loves children, and be ready, there is a coming last battle.

There is another young boy, Alex, who had a similar experience. His story is told in The Boy Who Came Back from Heaven: A Remarkable Account of Miracles, Angels, and Life beyond This World.

In 2004, Kevin Malarkey and his six-year-old son, Alex, suffered an horrific car accident. The impact from the crash paralyzed Alex—and medically speaking, it was unlikely that he could survive. “I think Alex has gone to be with Jesus,” a friend told the stricken dad. But two months later, Alex awoke from a coma with an incredible story to share. Of events at the accident scene and in the hospital while he was unconscious. Of the angels that took him through the gates of heaven itself. Of the unearthly music that sounded just terrible to a six-year-old. And, most amazing of all ... Of meeting and talking to Jesus. The Boy Who Came Back from Heaven is the true story of an ordinary boy’s most extraordinary journey. As you see heaven and earth through Alex’s eyes, you’ll come away with new insights on miracles, life beyond this world, and the power of a father’s love.

"God is amazing. I’m just a kid.” ~ Alex Malarkey

We were made for so much more than the things of this world. Sometimes we can sense it ... we have a restless, dissatisfied feeling that we don’t quite belong here, that this is not our final home.

Yet who do you know who has been to the next world? Sure, you may have heard stories of white light and tunnels and near-death experiences. But what if there was a person who had been to Heaven ~ who had actually walked through the gates ~ and stayed long enough to learn about the things of God? Would you be interested in what he had to say?

Meet Alex Malarkey. Alex and his dad, Kevin, were in a car accident so horrific that emergency workers recommended calling the coroner to the scene for Alex. For the next two months, Alex lingered in a coma. When he finally awoke, he revealed something amazing: He had spent time in Heaven with Jesus while unconscious and had come back with astonishing revelations about what he had seen, heard, and experienced.

You may be intrigued. You may be skeptical. You may be hungry to know more about what lies beyond life on earth. Join Alex on his journey . . . and your life may be changed forever.

“Let the children come to me. Don’t stop them! For the Kingdom of God belongs to those who are like these children.” (Mark 10:14)

Outline of a Charismatic Epistemology

2011-02-27T15:01:00.002-05:00

This is Charismatic and Reformed scholar (and a professor at Calvin College) J. K. A. Smith addressing the Society of Vineyard Scholars on "The Spirit of Knowledge: Outline of a Charismatic Epistemology." One of his points is that it should not just be Evangelical theology with "tongues" tacked on.

In this lecture, he deals with some of the themes from his recent book Thinking in Tongues: Pentecostal Contributions to Christian Philosophy (Pentecostal Manifestos).

To Be Continued

2011-02-22T12:57:00.000-05:00

Marvin Cotten and Scott Lencke have created a very helpful blog called To Be Continued, about the continuing gifts and manifestations of the Holy Spirit.

The purpose of To Be Continued is to put forth a solid biblical, theological and historical case for continuationism.

What is continuationism, you may ask?

There are varying beliefs within continuationism, but mainly it is the belief that all spiritual gifts are still available today, even things like prophecy, tongues, miracles and healings. When hearing this word, many might think of Pentecostal, charismatic or Third Wave church groups. Such is fine. We have simply decided to use the more theologically accurate word of today – continuationism.

This belief is the opposite of what is known as cessationism. As with continuationism, there are varying beliefs within the cessationist framework. But, as a whole, most cessationists believe that certain gifts of the Spirit ceased with the death of John, the apostle, and with the completion of what became the New Testament Scriptures. Some more ‘soft’ cessationists hold that all spiritual gifts are available today, but the ‘sign gifts’ (i.e. tongues, miracles, healings and even prophecy) are not to be normatively expected.

Therefore, To Be Continued is here to put forth a solid biblical and theological case for continuationism – the continuance of all gifts of the Spirit, including prophecy, tongues, healings and miracles. The articles we post will be along the lines of these various areas:

Expositional-exegetical commentary on particular and relevant Bible passages.

Theological considerations on varying topics related to the issues of continuationism and cessationism.

Interacting with cessationist arguments.

Drawing in various articles from other continuationists.

Sharing solid theological resources for continuationism.

Book reviews from both the continuationist and cessationist view.

Sharing our own personal stories and reflections on the work of the Spirit, as well as other people’s stories.

They post some wonderful testimonies about the miraculous work of the Holy Spirit today, such as this clip about a ministry to the homeless in Glastonbury, UK, which has experienced healing signs and wonders.

Why Muslims Follow Jesus

2011-02-16T15:52:00.002-05:00

Christianity Today reviews a recent 750 page survey on why Muslim have been coming to faith in Jesus the Messiah. The first most prominent reason given was the lifestyle of Christians ~ especially their love. Then there is this:

The next most important influence was the power of God in answered prayers and healing. Like most of the factors that former Muslims list, experiences of God's supernatural intervention often increase after Muslims decide to follow Christ.

In North Africa, Muslim neighbors asked Christians to pray for a very sick daughter who then was healed. In Senegal, a Muslim marabout (spiritual leader) referred a patient to Christians when he was not able to bring healing. In Pakistan, after a pilgrimage to Mecca did not cure a disabled Shiite girl, she was healed following Christian prayer.

Another reason is the power of Jesus to deliver them from the demonic:

Closely related was the finding that some noted deliverance from demonic power as another reason they were attracted to Jesus. After all, he is the healing prophet in the Qur'an and has power over demons in the Gospels. In northern Nigeria, a malam (what some might call a witchdoctor) used sorcery against a man who was considering following Jesus. The seeker became insane, and his extended family left him. But then he prayed that Christ would free him, and he was healed.

Dissatisfaction with their experience with Islam is another reason Muslims have been turning to Jesus. Islamic law does not have the power to transform lives and society.

Dreams and visions have also played an important part in many conversions:

Many Muslims view dreams as links between the seen and unseen worlds, and pre-conversion visions and dreams often lead Muslims to consult a Christian or the Bible. Frequently a person in the vision, understood to be Jesus, radiates light or wears white (one respondent, though, said Jesus appeared in green, a color sometimes associated with Islamic holy persons). An Algerian woman had a vision that her Muslim grandmother came into her room and said, "Jesus is not dead; he is here." In Israel, an Arab dreamed that his deceased father said, "Follow the pastor. He will show you the right way." Other dreams and visions occurred later and provided encouragement during persecution. A Turkish woman in jail because of her conversion had a vision that she would be released, and she was. A vision of thousands of believers in the streets proclaiming their faith encouraged a young man in North Africa to persevere.

Miracles Bring Muslims to Jesus

2011-02-16T15:38:00.001-05:00

Tom Gilson, at Thinking Christian, considers a survey cited by Christianity Today of 750 Muslims who have come to know Jesus the Messiah. He finds that there are four main reasons:

First, they are drawn to the lifestyle of Christians.
Second, they are experiencing the power of God in answered prayers and healing.
Third, they are dissatisfied with their experience with Islam.
The fourth reason Muslims are converting to faith in Jesus is because of dreams and visions.

Gilson elaborates:

Just last Tuesday I asked a missionary if he knew of experiences of signs and wonders. He spoke of a team of three missionaries, colleagues of his, who were paddling up a river on a boat, in a place where they had not been before. A woman called out to them from the shore, "Are you bringing the word of God?" They landed there and she told them she was the local religious leader. She had had a dream the night before that three men would come in a boat, bringing the word of God. This was not a Muslim community, but illustrates the same point: God is working through dreams and visions. Note that this cannot be ascribed to mere psychology; the information was too specific. The same is true of stories Moreland tells, for example of a Muslim man who walked up to a Christian missionary in a marketplace and said, "I had a dream last night that if I came to this marketplace at this time today, I would see a man wearing a blue jacket just like yours and he would tell me about God."

Christian Revival in the Muslim World

2011-02-16T15:21:00.000-05:00

Dreams and visions of Jesus are causing many Muslims to come to Jesus the Messiah. This report is from CBN.

Miracles Among Muslims ~ The Jesus Visions

2011-02-10T09:15:00.004-05:00

Miracles Among Muslims:
The Jesus Visions
by Christine Darg

From the back cover:

Christine Darg, a dreamer in the tradition of biblical Daniel and Peter, heard the voice of God tell her in a dream to go to to an Arabian city where the Holy Spirit was moving in Revival. What could she do but head there? Miracles Among Muslims chronicles her amazing encounters with dreams and visions in this current move of God, and also some of the startling visions she herself has experienced in the Middle East and throughout the world.

In remarkable ways, and on a seemingly unprecedented scale in fulfillment of Bible prophecy, the Lord is showing Himself alive (Acts 1:3). Miracles Among Muslims is an extraordinary account of signs and wonders in the Muslim world.

For many centuries of desert like dryness in the Middle East, the word of the LORD was precious. There was no open vision. But suddenly, in the fullness of time, the spiritual scenario in the Middle East has changed. He is also fulfilling His promise to Abraham that Ishmael might live! Dreams and visions are some of the primary ways the Lord is communicating His gospel to the children of Abraham: "And afterward, I will pour out My Spirit on all people. Your sons and daughters will prophesy, your old men will dream dreams, your young men will see visions" (Joel 2:28 NIV).

Chapters include:

"Not by Might, nor by Power, but by My Spirit!"
Miracles in the Holy Land
Let Ishmael Live!
Multitudes Reaching for Jesus
Jesus Heals and Delivers in Dreams and Visions
Glory in Egypt
Signs and Wonders in Iraq and Jordan
Adventures Through Dreams
Jesus Appears in Arabia
Lessons from Jesus' Visitation in Arabia
More Signs, Wonders and Miracles
Biblical Dreams and Visions
How to Discern if a Vision or Dream is from God
Revival Epilogue

"This book shows what happens when you follow the voice of our Lord." ~ The Reverend Canon Andrew White, President of the Foundation for Relief and Reconciliation in the Middle East

A Muslim Cries Out to Jesus

2011-02-10T08:42:00.000-05:00

This is the testimony of Kamal Saleem, a Muslim and also a terrorist. Befriended by Christians, he was confused by their love for him. He cried to out to his deity, Allah, but Allah said nothing. In his despair, he decided to end his life. But as he held a gun to his head, he heard a voice call his name. It told him to call out to God, the Father of Abraham, Isaace and Jacob. So he called out as the voice told him. Then he had a vision of Yahweh in His glory, a vision of Jesus with holes in His hands ~ and Kamal gave his life to Jesus.

Cerebral Palsy Healed Through a Vision and Prayer

2010-12-08T12:12:00.000-05:00

This is the testimony of a young woman who was healed of cerebral palsy through prayer in Jesus' name after she received a vision from God. Her body movements straightened out, she was able to walk and her vision was corrected. She lives a happy, vital life today and praises Jesus for her healing.

Paralyzed Almost 25 Years, Woman Now Walks

2010-12-06T09:23:00.001-05:00

When she was 25 years old, in 1987, gospel singer Delia Knox was paralyzed from the waist down when she was hit by a drunk driver. In August 2010, she was miraculously healed in the name of Jesus at the Bay of the Holy Spirit revival meeting in Mobile, AL.

Here is the meeting where her healing began to come forth.

Recently, she returned to the Bay of the Holy Spirit Revival and walk on stage to sing her praise to God.

Miracles are for Today

2010-11-27T10:18:00.000-05:00

Miracles are for Today: Confronting the Powerless Gospel with God's Word
by Troy J. Edwards

“For centuries the place of miracles in the church has been debated. This controversy remains in our day. Numerous views and theological positions are advocated in defense or rejection of miracles for today. There are some who believe they are for today, some who outright deny their validity for today, and some who remain unsure. Even among those who believe that God has never ceased working miracles there are a number of perspectives ranging from the idea that they are rare, that they are spontaneous and happen only at God's sovereign whim, and then there are those who believe that a faith-filled group of Christians who believe God's promises can experience them frequently. In his book, Miracles Are For Today, Pastor Troy J. Edwards refutes the idea that God's miracles are only for a past generation and explains from Scripture how God's people can experience frequent miracles in their corporate worship as well as within their personal lives. Get ready to believe God for a miracle today.”

Chapters include:

The Power of a Closed Canon
Did Miracles Cease After The Last Apostle Died?
Were Miracles Meant Only to Authenticate the Apostles?
Miracles and the Name of Jesus
Mark 16:9-20 and Your Bible
Christ’s Miracles: Were They Meant Only to Prove His Deity?
Believers and the Greater Works than Jesus (Part One)
Believers and the Greater Works than Jesus (Part Two)
Cessationism and the Effectiveness of Prayer
Dispensationalism: Another Factor in Powerless Theology
Unbelief: The True Reason for the Cessation of the Miraculous
The Cessationist Idea that Modern Miracles are Satanic
More Cessationist Arguments Refuted
Miracles and the Character of God
Miracles and Motives

TROY J. EDWARDS is the founder and senior pastor of Victorious Word Christian Fellowship in Central Falls, Rhode Island. VWCF is a thriving fellowship committed to evangelism and biblical teaching. He is the author of several books and publisher and editor of Victorious Word Magazine.

Eyewitness Reports from the Azusa Street Revival

2010-11-22T16:55:00.000-05:00

Fire on the Earth: Eyewitness Reports from the Azusa Street Revival
by Eddie Hyatt

Eddie Hyatt's book on the Azusa Street Revival compiles a number personal testimonies of people who witnessed it firsthand. Here is the publisher's description:

Dozens of books have been written about the Azusa Street Revival as authors have attempted to understand and recapture this profound, supernatural event. However, the effort to glean meaning from what happened 100 years ago often leads to frustration and despair as authors seek to distill true history from myth and legend.

Eddie Hyatt went straight to the source for answers. Not satisfied with what others have gleaned, Hyatt mined The Apostolic Faith, the official publication of the Azusa Street Revival. Thirteen issues of The Apostolic Faith were printed and sent around the world as the Pentecostal Fire spread abroad. Fire on the Earth contains selected excerpts from these papers, shedding light on the events surrounding this major outpouring of God.

Hyatt writes, “Anyone reading these papers cannot help but sense the fervency and intensity of these saints who believed that the outpouring of the Spirit they were experiencing was God’s final call before the end of the age.”

Dr. Eddie Hyatt is a church historian, teacher, Bible school director, professor of theology, and ordained minister with more than twenty-five years of ministerial experience in the United States, Canada, India, and Eastern Europe. He holds a doctorate of ministry from Regent University as well as a master of divinity and a master of arts from Oral Roberts University, where he also taught in the School of Theology. He is the author of the acclaimed book 2000 Years of Charismatic Christianity. His articles on revival have been published in periodicals in both the United States and Canada.

For other resources on the Azusa Street Revival, see Azusa Street Project and Shekinah Glory, Holy Fire and Miraculous Healing.

John Wimber on the Gifts of the Spirit

2010-11-10T12:58:00.000-05:00

In this 3-part series, John Wimber teaches on the gifts of the Holy Spirit.

History of Healing in Christianity

2010-08-12T16:33:00.000-04:00

Healing in the History of Christianity
by Amanda Porterfield

“Amanda Porterfield offers a survey of ideas, rituals, and experiences of healing in Christian history. Jesus himself performed many miracles of healing, and Christians down the ages have seen this as a prominent feature of their faith. Indeed, healing is one of the most constant themes in the long and sprawling history of Christianity. Changes in healing beliefs and practices offer a window into changes in religious authority, church structure, and ideas about sanctity, history, resurrection, and the kingdom of God. Porterfield chronicles these changes, at the same time shedding important new light on the universality of religious healing. Finally, she looks at recent scientific findings about religion's biological effects, and considers the relation of these findings to ages-old traditions about belief and healing.”

Reviews

“In an era newly attentive to the relationship between religion and health, this striking analysis of Christianity as a religion of healing offers insights deeply informed by imaginative research, breadth of scope, and clarity of argument. Beginning with the texts of the New Testament and concluding with the healers and hospital builders of the late twentieth century, Amanda Porterfield provides a skillful description of the manifold ways that Christians have engaged in practices of healing for the past two thousand years. The book is an eye-opener.” — E. Brooks Holifield, author of Theology in America: Christian Thought from the Age of the Puritans to the Civil War

“This book represents a singularly important contribution to the study of the history of Christianity. With sparkling prose, Porterfield shows that Christianity, from the beginning to the present, and in all parts of the world, has concerned itself with the healing of broken bodies. The scope of the story Porterfield tells, and the richness of the documents she consults, establish a standard of excellence for all future studies of the subject.” — Grant A. Wacker, author of Heaven Below: Early Pentecostals and American Culture

“In these days of medical miracles and double-blind tests of intercessory prayer, Amanda Porterfield provides a welcome introduction to the 2,000-year-old history of Christianity and healing. Ranging from Galilee to Lourdes (and beyond), she investigates the intriguing world of angels and demons and boldly explores the biological bases of spiritual healing.” — Ronald L. Numbers, Hilldale and William Coleman Professor of the History of Science and Medicine, Department of Medical History and Bioethics, University of Wisconsin

“This wide-ranging survey is unusually even-handed in its treatment of a difficult and controversial subject. In particular, Porterfield is entirely persuasive in arguing that healing—as a multi-faceted response to suffering and evil — has been at the heart of Christian practice from the time of Jesus to the present. Her sensitive treatments of the large place of healing in Christian missions and in the recent world expansion of Christianity are especially welcome.” — Mark A. Noll, author of America's God: From Jonathan Edwards to Abraham Lincoln

“Porterfield proves that healing is a central theme in Christian history, and is a fascinating lens through which to examine the Christian faith. Indeed, she has produced not just a history of healing in Christianity, but a history of Christianity itself.” — Publishers Weekly

“A complicated, sometimes chaotic, but consistently captivating configuration of Christian history — a vibrant and compelling picture that offers a distinctive perspective on how and why Christianity has flourished in diverse cultural, social, and historical settings.” — Books & Culture

A Publishing House Founded on a Dream and a Vision

2010-08-11T12:36:00.001-04:00

Related to the previous post, Healing and a Man Called Peter, I came across this item regarding the founding of Chosen Books, a publishing house featuring Charismatic titles about the miracles of God and the manifestations of the Holy Spirit. John Sherrill, one of the four founders (along with his wife, Elizabeth, Catherine Marshall and here second husband, Leonard LeSourd), explains about the surprising dream he had one night in 1971:

I was awake. There had been no transition between sleep and being fully, startlingly awake. Quietly, so as not to disturb Tib [Elizabeth], I propped my pillow against the headboard of the bed and sat up. In the pre-dawn light I could just make out the bureau in the corner of the room.

The picture was in black and white. It was of a group of people — Len LeSourd was there, and Len's wife, Catherine Marshall, Tib and I and some others I could not identify. We were all studying a pile of books spread out on a conference table. A block of copy said that this group of people had worked together for years, writing and editing Christian articles. Now they had banded together to do the same with books.

The vision was over. I could not get back to sleep so I went downstairs and made coffee ... I was excited but was also stunned, full of fear and misgivings. I knew nothing at all about business, still less about book publishing; what did all this mean?

When Tib began to stir, I took coffee up and told her about the vision and asked her what she thought of starting a publishing house. To my astonishment Tib, who knew, if possible, less about business than I, said, “Why not! It would be an adventure.”

So I took the plunge and spoke to Len LeSourd. I told him about the vision and asked if he and Catherine would consider joining us.

The next day Len called me at home with the news that he and Catherine were definitely interested. (Read the rest of the story here.)

God has always spoken to His people in dreams and visions — and still does!

Healing and a Man Called Peter

2010-08-11T12:13:00.000-04:00

Yesterday, I watched A Man Called Peter, the story of famed preacher, Peter Marshall, who pastored New York Avenue Presbyterian Church in Washington, DC and served for two years as chaplain of the US Senate. The movie is based on the book, A Man Called Peter, written by his wife, Catherine Marshall. In the book and the movie, she tells how she was miraculously healed from tuberculosis through faith in the goodness of God.

Peter Marshall died of a heart attack in 1949 at the age of 47. In 1959, Catherine married Leonard LeSourd, editor of Guideposts, an inspirational magazine. In 1971,Catherine and Leonard, along with John and Elizabeth Sherrill, formed a new publishing house, Chosen Books, which has featured many books about the miracles and manifestations of the Holy Spirit in the Church today.

Catherine Marshall is also the author of Christy, the best selling story base on the life of her mother, a woman of strong faith and a missionary spirit.

Flashpoints of Revival ~ Geoff Waugh

2010-06-23T10:59:00.000-04:00

Flashpoints of Revival
History's Mighty Revivals
by Geoff Waugh
(Preview with Amazon's "Look Inside" feature.)

This book tells of numerous lesser known revivals as well as many of the better known ones. It also gives many testimonies of miracles and manifestations of the Holy Spirit that took place in those revivals, including healings, visions, revelations and "words of knowledge" and even raising the dead. It is a solid history of revival in the Church from the 18th through 20th centuries. This is the 2nd edition (2009), updated and enlarged, which contains recent accounts of revivals in the 21st Century, especially community and ecological transformation in the South Pacific, as well as the original survey of major revivals in the last 300 years.

Using eyewitness accounts, Geoff Waugh takes you inside the hearts and minds of people in revivals spanning the last three centuries. Beginning with the Moravians in 1727, this book gives first person reports of revivals in Europe, America, Canada, Africa, India, Korea, Chile and more, including recent revivals."

About the Author
Dr Geoff Waugh, a Baptist minister, teaches on revivals in the degree program of the Christian Outreach Centre School of Ministries in Brisbane, Australia. He has served as a missionary teacher in Bible Schools in Papua New Guinea.

Endorsements

I know of no other book like this one that provides rapid-fire, easy-to-read, factual literary snapshots of virtually every well-known revival since Pentecost. As I read this book, I was thrilled to see how God has been so mightily at work in so many different times and places. I felt like I had grasped the overall picture of revival for the first time, and I was moved to pray that God, indeed, would allow me not to be just an observer, but rather a literal participant in the worldwide outpouring that will soon come. As you read the book, I am sure you will be saying the same thing.

~ Dr C Peter Wagner
Fuller Theological Seminary

What a goldmine of inspiring details! Readers may have heard of some of the revivals described in this book, but Geoff Waugh's comprehensive and up-to-date book provides a global perspective of the unexpected and transforming work of the Holy Spirit around the globe from the 18th century to today. Read, be inspired and encouraged - and open to ways in which the Spirit 'blows where he wills'.

~ Rev Dr John Olley, former principal
Perth Baptist Theological College

The first time I read this book, I couldn't put it down. Not only were the stories researched with clear and concise data, but they provide an account of revivals that blew my mind away. As a person interested in seeing the winds of the Spirit blow in our churches and communities, I was truly impacted reading through history's mighty revivals. Dr. Waugh's simple yet provoking stories of men and women who dared make a difference and in being available for God was used mightily, is but a true story of this humble man of God whom I have had the privilege of working alongside following the revival winds in the Pacific. Once you read this book, you will not want to put it down as the stories comes alive again, showing us the heart of a man whose passionate about revivals and seeing God move especially in our communities. Dr Waugh's book is a must read to all who are passionate about letting the Holy Spirit do his work in their lives, in their church and in their community. An inspirational read.

~ Romulo Nayacalevu, Fiji lawyer
and UN representative

This work of the Rev. Dr. Geoff Waugh is of great significance. In it he has provided a comprehensive overview of the major revivals during the last three centuries. What is particularly important is the way in which we are enabled, through Dr. Waugh's work, to see how God has acted in all kinds of ways, through unexpected people, in unexpected situations, to bring about revival. Geoff Waugh is respected for his integrity, his communication skills, and his passion for mission and renewal. Churches and Christians around the world will benefit greatly from this timely contribution.

~ Dr James Haire, former head
School of Theology, Griffith University, Brisbane

Flashpoints of Revival is a good overview of the major revivals that have taken place in history, especially more recent history. It will be a compendium for historians and others interested in the subject for a long time to come. I doubt if there is a resource quite like it for logical progression and comprehensive treatment.

~ Rev. Tony Cupit, former Director of Evangelism
Baptist World Alliance

Flashpoints of Revival has brought many hours of interesting reading. It is very informative and up to date concerning revivals both past and present. I am confident that this book will be well received by many scholars and historians.

~ Rev Dr Naomi Dowdy
Trinity Christian Centre, Singapore

Geoff Waugh has broken new ground by pulling together evidence of divine impacts on people in revival. He emphasises the place of prayer and repentance in our response to God's awesome sovereignty and might. This is a book which will inspire you and help you to persist until the earth is "filled with the knowledge of the glory of the Lord".

~ Rev Dr Stuart Robinson
Crossway Baptist Church, Melbourne, Australia

I read Flashpoints of Revival with much interest and enjoyment. The Revd Geoff Waugh has offered us a comprehensive account of spiritual renewal over the centuries. Whilst one of the truly great spiritual renewals has occurred in the latter half of the twentieth century, it finds its genesis in the Book of Acts. Amazing signs of God's power and love have occurred in the Christian communities which have been open to revival. Those communities have seen increasing membership. The churches which have closed their minds to charismatic renewal have seen decline in membership. I praise God for the Holy Spirit movement in our time.

~ Bishop Ralph E. Wicks
Anglican Church of Australia

The Rev Dr Geoff Waugh is well able to write about the stories and experiences of revival. He has been a careful and sympathetic student of revival experiences in many parts of the world. In churches that need God's power for great tasks it is important that God's action in other places be studied. Geoff Waugh has made a crucial contribution to that task.

~ Rev John E Mavor, former President
Uniting Church in Australia

I love learning about revival and this book adds to that hunger. Geoff Waugh, with great integrity and detailed research draws together much information that will inspire the reader. This is an extension of Geoff's many years of contribution in the area of renewal and revival as editor of the Renewal Journal. Geoff has initiated renewal activities in many denominations in Australia and has participated actively as a member in the growth of Gateway Baptist Church in Brisbane.

~ Rev Tim Hanna, former Minister
Gateway Baptist Church, Brisbane, Australia

Dr Geoff Waugh's work has a global relevance, which he has applied in the Australian context. As a fellow Australian I am appreciative. My appreciation is greatly enhanced by a deep respect and affection for the author. He is a competent teacher, an excellent communicator, an informed, disciplined renewalist and an experienced educator. All these qualities combine to commend the author and his work.

~ Rev Dr Lewis Born, former Moderator
Queensland Synod of the Uniting Church

Geoff Waugh places current outpourings of the Holy Spirit in historical context. In 1993 I said that this move of God would go round the world. It has. It is breaking out and touching millions of lives. Geoff's work helps us understand more about God's mighty work in our time.

~ Pastor Neil Miers, President
Christian Outreach Centre, Australia

This exciting book is a powerful testimony of the Holy Spirit Revival Fire in action spanning the centuries from the 18th to the present day. Immediately engaging and easy to read, Geoff draws insights and keys that are not only relevant and pertinent from their day, but inspire our most earnest application. A "MUST READ" for all who crave REVIVAL in our time.

~ Yvonne Le Maistre, Australian