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evangelism

THE WHY? FOR THE CHURCH, IS CHALLENGED BY SIMON SINEK

Watch Full Program! Listen! Simon Sinek, who rose tofame by challenging us to find out our “Why” in our lives, businesses, corporations, and ministries flips it all on its head, in a good way, when he is asked how the COVID-19 lockdowns, and the working from home and the smaller gatherings taking place is having an impact on the church. He calls this an opportunity saying “the purpose of the church is to SPREAD THE GOSPEL!“

The world that we are presently in is a night and day difference compared to where things were two years ago. Many throughout the world were taken by surprise when they found themselves on lockdown, having to live life now solely from their homes. Where many were “going to work” now they are “zooming” into work. One pastor Carey Nieuwhof, recently sat down with Simon Sinek to talk about the changing culture of today and how the Church can respond.

BREAKING THE MOLD

Sinek begins to share about the traditional model of medicine in society. So, look at a medical office. Right? Older generation, you have “your doctor.” That’s my doctor. My doctor is the best doctor. I go to “my doctor.” No matter what it is, if it’s the common cold or something severe, I go to “my doctor.” Right, and I go to this horrible waiting room. Very few people feel recognized or valued in that business model or operational structure of how doctors interact with their patients in that current design. But then, this generation has begun to approach how they view a doctor differently.

Sinek continues, “And then there’s a young generation that says, “I don’t care. For basic medicine? If somebody’s got the right degree, then they probably know how to give me an annual medical check or treat my cold. Right? I don’t need a specialist.” What would that even look like?

Sinek points to a new breakthrough company called ‘OneMedical.’ And so, you have an organization like OneMedical that shows up, where you walk in, and it feels like you’re at Pottery Barn. And it’s beautiful and the doctor doesn’t wear a lab coat; she comes up and says, “Hi. I’m Stacey.” Instead of you know, “I’m doctor whatever.” Right? And the customer service is incredible. And you can call, and you can talk to the doctor, or talk to them virtually, and they reply to your emails within 24 hours. It’s amazing! It’s amazing! Right!?” Simon says.

THINK OUTSIDE “THE BOX”, OR SHOULD WE SAY, THINK OUTSIDE “THE BUILDING”

What we’re now finding out is that how things were always done is not necessarily how things need to be carried out moving forward. This is where Sinek then begins to connect this same application as to how the Church can change their model of thinking in today’s culture. He goes on to say, “And so, I think the Church can learn from that. Which is, the opportunity to spread the Gospel. Nobody said that it has to be done one way. Nobody said it has to be done in one location, at one time, at one, you know, that suits you. And the people who like to schedule their entire day about going to this one location at this one time. Who said? Where is that written that it has to be done that way?”

IT WASN’T ALWAYS LIKE THIS

Carey Nieuwhof responds, “Well in the early Church, it wasn’t. It’s just been that way for a few centuries.” Sinek continues, “There you go. You see, we got used to it, and now we think it’s the way it’s always been. We must begin to think differently. Yes, there may be people that don’t want change and like things the way they are. That is fine for them. What about those who don’t want the old manner of thinking? How can we change the present model of thinking to adapt to our changing world? Sinek begins to share some profound insights of possibilities. “What if people want to worship on their own time frame, in their own location, or in a remote location? Or I want to move from one city to another city, but I want to keep going to the same Church, the same people, with the same community, how come you don’t allow me to do that? And the Church’s opportunity is they’ve forgotten, the responsibility of a Church is not to get people in the pews. THE RESPONSIBILITY OF THE CHURCH IS TO SPREAD THE GOSPEL. So, take advantage of changing cultures, and changing politics, and changing technologies, and find new ways. That’s existential flex.”

DIVINE OPPORTUNITY

How powerful is that? The purpose of the Church is to spread the Gospel! This unfamiliar environment may have snuck up on the nations of the world, but they definitely didn’t sneak up on God. This is a divine opportunity. This causes us to remember the final words that Jesus made known to His disciples before He ascended back to Heaven when He spoke in Matthew 28:19-20, “THEREFORE GO! and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”

MEET MY BUILDING

How can we invite someone to “come” to Church if Believers“are” the Church? We cannot go to what we already are. Yet, it’s the fact that you are the church and the Christ in you draws you to Christ in them. It may look the same to others, but when it’s Christ drawing us together, He is the center of all things and Who we have in common. Many believers, when they want to lead someone to Christ, think about first inviting someone to a building they call “the Church” versus inviting someone themselves to know Jesus. Though they profess to know Christ, they lead the person to a building, never understanding that they are the “Building of God”, that they are the “Temple of God” and God’s Spirit dwells inside of them. They don’t know that they can lead that person, themselves, to Christ. Yet, when they invite them to the building, they expect the building to lead that person to Christ. They lay the burden on one pastor as fifty, a hundred, or one thousand of them look on and see if their pastor will do their job. We are all called to be witnesses for our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ and the present mold we’ve adapted has lifted that reality from many in the church. When modeling family, gathering as the family of God, everyone knows it’s all our jobs to let everyone know of the Good News of Jesus Christ no matter where or how they meet or what we meet in or meet at. Not only do we know it, we all help each other in leading people to Christ and celebrate together when someone else is born again into the family of God.

TELEPHONE

Many people look at the present model of the Church and wonder why things are the way they are. Maybe you remember the game that many of us may have played together as school children, “telephone.” Gather a few children together and give a message to the first one. Instead of telling every child in the room, tell the first one to your right. Then that child whispers the message to the next child on their right so that the other children cannot hear, and the message is whispered to the next, one by one, until the last child gets the message. Everyone would be giggling with anticipation wondering what the last child heard. Laughter would erupt as the last child shared what they heard, and it was nothing like the first child shared. It is a funny game involving a dozen school children.

Now imagine one specific message that Jesus gave to His disciples 2,000 years ago! Haven’t we done the same thing? Instead of laughing and asking “what was the original word” as children do, we just continue on, besides we’ve got to pay this mortgage payment on this building, right? We can fix this by going back to God’s Word, scripture, instead of depending on what someone told someone, who told someone, who told someone over the past one hundred years. Jesus calls it, “returning to your First Love.”

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What God is about to do is so much larger than any building can handle, including mega buildings. For us to be a part of what He is going to do in these last days and with this last days harvest we have to understand that we, as believers, are the building of God. We are called to GO tell others, everyone, everywhere and Jesus will go with us as we do. We must begin to learn how to BE the Church outside of a building in our everyday life. “Free at last, free at last, thank God O’ Mighty, free at last.” Jesus came to set you free to follow Him and to spread the Gospel to those who have not yet heard of Him. This will take place in your neighborhoods, your homes, your workplace, your community, schools, states, nation, and world. What all these have in common, they are not in one building.

YOUR INVITATION

If this is new to you and you have not invited Jesus into your life, YOU CAN! You may have heard about Jesus, but you never knew that Jesus wants you to be a part of His family. You can read more stories about inviting Jesus into our lives and do the same at MeetMyFather.org! What a powerful moment!

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Are You Willing to Follow the Lord?

Father’s Day 1995 The Lord Himself did a mighty work when He poured out His presence in Pensacola Florida during the Brownsville Revival that resulted in the nations being reached with mighty testimonies of His Glory and many coming to Salvation through Jesus Christ. Steve Hill was the Evangelist who labored alongside Pastor John Kilpatrick night after night as thousands of souls repented for their sins and wept in the sweet presence of Holy Spirit. Jeri, Steve’s wife was also there night after night responding to the call to grow ever closer to the Lord.

In a recent conversation, Jeri Hill talks about the life of transition that her and Steve lived following the Lord in those beginning days of the Brownsville Revival. “In that first year we moved nine times because we didn’t know how long we were going to be there”. They were following the lead of the Holy Spirit, until five years later, in 1999, they decided to leave Pensacola. “The only reason we felt led to leave Brownsville is because there were less sinners coming.” All the while during those five years of the Brownsville Revival, Steve was receiving invitations from around the world for him to come preach in their nation, “we cannot all go to Brownsville, please come to us”. After leaving Pensacola, FL, Steve and Jeri travel to Japan to share the Gospel.

It was during an event in Japan that Jeri felt the Holy Spirit suddenly impress upon her, “go outside and evangelize right now”. After grabbing an interpreter, she was handing out Gospel tracks and inviting people to the even that was about to start in 45 mins. Her and her interpreter run out of tracks and Jeri tells the interpreter to go get more tracks. “All of a sudden I’m doubling over weeping and wailing for the people of Japan. I am bawling my eyes out wailing an saying ‘the people of Japan need Jesus! the people of Japan need Jesus!’ and I am wailing…” Suddenly Jeri is approached by someone in their ministry team who recognized Jeri and tells Jeri that the girl with him is a pastor’s daughter who wants to leave and doesn’t believe in what Steve is doing in their city means anything. She confronted this young girl and boldly declared, “the devil has you right where he wants you, he wants you to leave, he does not want you to believe that he’s real, and the devil is dancing, he’s pleased, he’s so happy that you are about to leaving.” But Jeri didn’t stop there, “if you have even a little mustard seed of faith, you get back in there and listen to my husband preach”. The girl ended up walking away, and suddenly the burden of the Holy Spirit lifted. During the message, Steve called Jeri up to be alongside him praying for the pastors. It was while Jeri was on the platform that she felt a tap on her shoulder, and it was the young man and girl who told Jeri that she gave her heart to Jesus! So many people miss those promptings of the Holy Spirit. If we don’t pay attention to how the Holy Spirit is leading us, we can miss Him. As Jeri shares, “that’s what it’s all about. My job was to be interceding and praying and believing…”

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What does the life of an Evangelist Look Like?

In a recent conversation Jeri Hill talks about the importance of praying for the lost with a broken heart weeping before the Lord. Steve and Jeri continually kept the verse of Psalm 126:6 before them, “Those who go out weeping, carrying seed to sow, will return with songs of joy, carrying sheaves with them.” They continually lived their lives with a focus on reaching the lost with the love of Jesus Christ. As Jeri recalls, “going to church every single night, it wasn’t just at Brownsville. We were in church services evangelized. And that’s how we planted every single Church: we evangelized, went out on the streets, told people about Jesus and planted a church by evangelizing.” It’s important to be people focused and to notice those that the Lord has placed right next to us. As Greg describes, “the person next to you is an opportunity, they’re not a problem”.

Jeri recalls one particular teenager that she had witnessed to. “Every single day for six months I witness to this young lady…and I told her that Jesus loved her and had a plan for her life. She was an Argentine Revolutionist. She didn’t want to hear it and for six months she rejected it.” Jeri didn’t let that response stop her. “I began to fast for her, and I wept for her and sometimes I would cry…everyday I wept and wept and wept”. Jeri details how something changed after six months and in a conversation with this young lady that was challenging Jeri, Jeri slammed her hand down on the table, which was a glass table declared boldly, “I believe in Jesus Christ and I believe He died for you and I believe that He has a plan for you and you have to give your life to Jesus Christ.” By this point Jeri was screaming these words at her. This young lady took a couple steps back and simply said, “okay, I believe you now”. This young lady becomes the first female missionary to go to Cameroon, Africa and preaches everywhere she goes. She ended up moving back to the United States and shared with Jeri, “you taught me how to do this. You did it for me, I can do it for somebody else”. Jeri continues to point out how important is not to miss those moments. “You do not know what is going on in a person’s life and what they’ve been crying out. It’s just what we say to people, God is working behind the scenes in people’s lives. He might be giving them dreams. He might be giving them vision of things. He might be speaking to them in audible voices…but what we don’t know what God is doing behind the scenes.”

Greg describes a similar journey when he himself was in the middle of the Brownsville Revival also running a business of his own. He would run his plastics company and leave work everyday, heading to the Brownsville Revival, and tell one of his employees, “God loves you and has a plan for your life”. Day after day the same words. Even after inviting this employee to Revival over and over, this employee would always respond with a kind “no thank you”. Until one day, Greg offers, “If I pay you, will you come?” That was all he needed. This man ended up witnessing what Greg had been trying to share with him all these times, and encountered the love of God, the power of God, and he gave his life to Jesus Christ that very day.

Steve Hill did the same thing each and every day sharing about the love of God, the power of God in his memorable messages. As Jeri describes, “Steve had to prepare a message every single day. He’d get up at eight o’clock in the morning, go over to the office and have a message done, and ready for that evening by two o’clock in the afternoon. Everyday”. Contrary to belief, Steve had never used props before in his messages until he started preaching at the Brownsville Revival. Steve had a powerful message that he would also share with people who been coming to the Brownsville Revival, “don’t come in and hog the sanctuary, leave room for the sinner, go out and evangelize, don’t come every single night we need room for the sinners that are coming”.

What else is additionally important to recognize about the Brownsville Revival is not only how many lives were touched, but also the many lives that were touched during that time that are still faithfully serving the Lord. As Jeri describes, “the other second thing that is the most important is the fruit that remains and is producing fruit…it’s not supposed to stop, we have to pass it on”. As Steve got older, he ended up getting cancer. Not even cancer could stop Steve from bearing good fruit for the Lord. Jeri continues, “during that time he was doing videos for the online school of evangelism because he wanted to leave behind something that would help people to grow in producing more fruit after he was gone”. One of Steve’s last videos was conversation with Peter Wagner talking to the nations.

When you look at the lives of Steve and Jeri, you can clearly see that there is no fear of how people will respond. As Jeri says, “I don’t care what people think about me”. Jeri also shares that “Steve always wanted to be murdered for Jesus”. People may be surprised to know that people came to the Brownsville Revival with weapons hoping to kill someone on the platform. When somebody comes to Jeri’s front door of her house, she isn’t afraid to answer the door. “I don’t run away. There is somebody that is coming to my door that needs to hear about Jesus…they can not walk out the door without me talking about the love of my life.” Jeri also talks about how she uses the many different props from Steve’s past messages from the Brownsville Revival that are displayed around her house that she uses to bring up Jesus to those that visit her home. We can do this very same thing and put things that represent what God has done in our lives around our homes for the purpose of bringing up Jesus to them and telling them that Jesus loves them and has a plan for their lives.

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What is the Greatest Thing that Keeps Us from Sharing the Gospel?

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There was a mighty move of God that started in the small Gulf Coast city of Pensacola FL that ended up reaching the world, The Brownsville Revival. This was the moment that was such a significant shift for so many people. It was as if there was a line drawn in the sand signifying the moment before Father’s Day 1995, and the moment after. Everything was different. Everything. Steve Hill was the evangelist that preached the Gospel every night with Pastor John Kilpatrick. Steve ended up bringing his wife, Jeri, and their three children in response to what the Lord was doing. Steve knew it wasn’t just about those who were present that particular day. He would tell everyone, “GO TELL SOMEBODY!” He did everything he could to get the message out. Both Steve and Jeri lived their lives with other people in mind, always. Greg recently had the privilege of sitting down with Jeri Hill and remembering these beginning days as well as their time evangelizing the world for Jesus Christ.

In the West, In America, it appears that the only thing that ever really matters, is self. We are inundated with every imaginable comfort and convenience known to man. This is not so in the rest of the world. Steve and Jeri and been evangelists for many years leading up to this moment in many areas throughout the world, and they witnessed firsthand the stark contrasts of lifestyles in the rest of the world. Jeri recalls looking back on her life as she has traveled to 60 different countries, how the Lord wants us to respond to people, no matter what country we’re in.

“What God is wanting us to be as Christians, is that every single one of us operate in the gift of …Evangelism, sharing their faith with people.” Jeri highlights how much the importance of the Love of Christ, just like people talk about the love of their life, “we are supposed to have our First Love and that First Love makes you want to talk about Him, and share Him with others, especially if you’ve been rescued from a life of sin and bondage”. The beauty of Jesus, as Jeri continues to share is, “we don’t have to keep Him to ourselves, we can share Him with everybody”. Could it be that the very absence of the Love of Christ keeps people from sharing the Gospel with others?

It was this devoted love for Christ that drove each and everyday that Steve and Jeri Hill lived for Jesus. As Jeri shares, “when Steve and I got saved, we knew from the very beginning that our lives would not be our own anymore. It was God’s. We didn’t want to rule our lives. We didn’t want comfort to rule our lives”. That begs the question for all of us, how do we get out of our selfishness? When presented this sobering reality, Jeri reminds us of Galatians 2:20, “I have been with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.” The crucified life is a direct assault on the selfish life. If Jesus calls us to live dead to ourselves, you can basically say that we shouldn’t be getting our feelings hurt all the time. As Greg reminds us, “dead feelings don’t hurt”.

Jeri highlights how the reality of Eternity drives her everyday decisions, “one day I am going to be held accountable to God and actually I live today like I’m accountable to Him”. Unfortunately, there are many people who don’t live their lives this way, even after professing to have a relationship with Jesus. As Steve Hill said many times, “religion is hanging around the Cross, but Christianity is getting on the Cross”. Jesus made a decision to pay the price to demonstrate His love for us by being crucified for our sake, how could we not make a decision and pay the price to live out the crucified life everyday to demonstrate our life for Him? As Greg highlights, “this is our opportunity…this is our moment”. Jeri also shares about the mandate the Lord has called her to carry out even after Steve has gone on to be with the Lord and continue sharing about the Lord’s goodness and His glory.

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Jeri Hill, Where do Revival’s Start, Graveyard for pastors, Secret to Revival, Living for Eternity (Part 1 of 2)

Remembering the Wonders of the Lord, The Brownsville Revival – 08:15 – 15:46

In this memorable moment, Greg has and exciting discussion with Jeri Hill, wife of the late Evangelist Steve Hill who was part of the Brownsville Revival that touched tens of thousands of people in Pensacola Florida. What many people don’t know is the integral moments and life decisions that led up to that memorable moment. God had a plan, and His hand was moving through the lives of Steve and Jeri Hill mightily and powerfully.

Remembering those beginning days of the Brownsville Revival, Jeri talks about what the Lord was doing in her heart and in Steve’s heart challenging them beyond what they though possible. God was showing them “more than what we could ever imagine ourselves to be and to be .” Jeri continues to talk about their choices to live this way each and every day. “Live in righteousness. Live in the will of God. Live committed.” This is what the Lord was doing, not just in Steve and Jeri’s hearts, but in everyone’s hearts.

What is so profound to learn is that the day that the Brownsville Revival started, Father’s Day 1995, wasn’t planned in anyway. As Jeri shares, Steve had only planned on being there for just that one service. “That was the only date he had open because he was scheduled to go all around the world in different places. Even two weeks from the Revival, he was supposed to be in the Czech Republic.” Even though Steve and Jeri was only planning on being there for one day, Jeri sensed the Lord was up to something. As she told Steve, “I really feel like the Pastor is going to ask you to stay.” Steve had already made up his mind NOT to stay as the family had just welcomed a new baby and they had a family vacation already planned. Even though the family had plans already in place, Jeri held these plans with open hands before the Lord, “whatever you want God, Yes, you know, be a soldier and just do it”. Just as Jeri had felt the Lord impressing on her, Pastor John Kilpatrick did in fact ask Steve to stay. With the new invite to Pensacola, Steve and Jeri had planned on being in Pensacola, FL for one week. God had other plans in mind. As Jeri plainly puts it, “Steve would have never stayed if people were not getting saved and not getting right with God”.

Not only were Steve and Jeri surprised at what the Lord was doing, everyone was surprised. Greg recalls his own memories of that unforgettable day as well, ‘[Steve] was like a firebrand. We were praying for him and he was praying for us. It was so powerful, and we still didn’t connect. We had no idea. He did, but we had no idea what was going to happen…till it happened’. That first message Remembering the Wonders of the Lord, was what began it all. Steve shared his message and then continued to tell everyone present that he was going to pray for them. Greg remembers the first time Steve prayed for him and laid hands on Greg, “[Steve] starts praying, and its progressive. As soon as he barely touched my head, just barely touched my head and said, ‘More Lord’, it’s like an angel shoved me back under the Power of God. I went down under the Glory of God and just been changed ever since”. Moments after Steve started praying for people, he instructed everyone to get their children, as the children were in a nearby classroom in the same building. Steve gathered all the children into a circle. A little girl that Steve prayed for was Greg’s daughter, Amber. Greg remembers how he was impacted the moment Steve prayed for Amber, “as soon as he touched her, it was like all the air went out of me. And all of a sudden, shooo, like a new spirit came into me.”

What is the Greatest Thing that Keeps Us from Sharing the Gospel?

Where do Revival Start?

In a recent conversation, Jeri Hill talks about how this awesome, mighty move of God revived all of those who were present and changed lives forever, “we had been set free and that day we got revived”. It’s not about a large gathering being revived, but a single heart. This is the very thing that so many people may have never experienced. As Greg points out, that there are many pastors who don’t have this, “they don’t want to tell people but they’re just dead…they do what you gotta do, they been marrying and burying, they’re digging for message but they’re not digging for God”. There is so much more than religion. This is what people who are in love with Jesus wants the world to know, there is major difference between religion and relationship. If you are that pastor, if you feel completely dry in the things of God, you are not alone. With one touch of God’s glory, you can begin again. There are people that are continuing to testify right now, how God’s glory has touched their life and changed everything!

So many people feel empty and dry in their everyday routine. Greg speaks directly to those hearts, “Don’t quit. Don’t give up. Don’t leave your marriage. Don’t leave your family. There’s nothing out there that’s gonna satisfy you like God is going to satisfy you.” We pray that the Lord would touch your life right now. God has a mighty plan for your life. “Burn all the bridges, all the little things you’ve set up…turn everything over to God and God is going to change your life. It’s not gonna be defined by what you’re presently in. Just don’t worry about all of that. Don’t try to define your future by where you are because it’s going to be so different.” We believe that God would touch you so mightily that revival would stir mightily in your heart and start a fire brand that would continue through your entire community for all to see.

THE GRAVEYARD OF PASTORS! The Power of a Yes Walked Out in Faithfulness?

When we look at the lives of those who labored so faithfully before the Lord, many people want to live that same life. Unfortunately, many people don’t see the price that was continually willing to be paid in order to walk out that life. Truth be told, there is a price to be paid. Jeri recently said, “When [Steve and I] got saved, we did not want to live for ourselves. We wanted it to be totally sold out for [the Lord], for whatever He wanted and to say yes to Him every step of the way”. So, is it really as simple as saying yes? Jeri responds with a resounding yes! She continues to share how the first yes led to more opportunities to say yes to. “When things happened at Brownsville, we had already been in ministry for twenty years. We had been married for 16 years. It’s not something that happens overnight. Show the Lord that you’re faithful in the little things. If He can’t find you faithful in the little things, how can we do something more for Him? We have to be faithful in the smallest of things.”

In a recent conversation with Daniel Day, Jeri recounts the journey that Steve and Jeri walked out being faithful to the Lord when they felt led to share the Gospel in a region that was known as the “Graveyard of Pastors” because every pastor who had ever attempted to go there, ended up leaving. After arriving in this region, Steve and Hill began seeking the Lord for a piece of land. After Steve began a friendly relationship over a period of time playing tennis with a young man named Gustavo, Gustavo said, “I want you to meet my mom”. After Steve was introduced to Gustavo’s mother, she said, “I want you to meet my brother”, who just so happened to be the mayor of the city. The mayor clearly recognized the transformation in his nephew’s life and wanted to help Steve do what he could so the children in the city could be touched and transformed in the same way. Steve responded, “well, I need a piece of land, but I don’t have any money for a piece of land.” The mayor hands Steve a written note and directs him down the hall and who to give the note too. Without looking at the note, Steve obediently hands the note to who he was directed to go to. This person reads the note, pulls down a map, and says, “the mayor says you can take your pick”. Jeri recounts visiting that same location years later after Steve had gone on to be with the Lord, she learned that this original Church gathering had gone on to plant another 25 churches. “That is how it explodes. One person ministering to somebody playing tennis and look how it exploded from that”. The most beautiful testimony of this story is the countless children who were first impacted years ago, are now still faithfully loving on others in the city and planting Churches for the Lord.

What is the Secret to Revival?

Years before the Brownsville Revival was ever on anyone’s radar, Steve and Jeri were ministering in Argentina under Carlos Annacondia. During one of the many hot and humid days sharing the Gospel in the hot South American sun, Jeri was asked if she wanted to know the secret to revival? Jeri was led to the side of the platform and then the skirt of the platform was pulled away so that Jeri could see what was taking place, under the platform. “You see all of these ladies under there wailing before God, wailing that God would move in people’s lives, that He would transform them. They were weeping for the lost.” These women were under the platform where Carlos Annacondia was preaching. Jeri continues to talk about the conditions all of these women were in, “no air conditioning, hot, everybody’s ”.

As a past guest speaking with Sid Roth ‘It’s Supernatural’, Steve Hill recounts when he was in South America at the height of the Argentine Revival, and the mighty testimonies of what the Lord was doing through the life of Carlos Annacondia. “Went to his crusade, twenty to thirty thousand people out in an open field, bunch a light bulbs just hanging, naked light bulbs hanging everywhere, no big fanfare. Just this man who had authority. He had authority over darkness.” It wasn’t just the people who were being impacted by the power of God. Steve continued, “as far as the eye could see, people were hit by the power, thrown to the ground. People that were walking down the sidewalks, not even paying attention to him would be thrown to the ground and start shaking under the power.” Steve was overcome with hunger for what Carlos had. As Steve shared, “Jesus, whatever this man has, Jesus, Peter’s shadow healed the sick, and this is the closest thing I’ve ever seen to that, I want what he has”. Steve highlights the sobering reality of how important hunger is for the things of God. “You better get my friend. If you want be used of God, you gotta have a hunger. You gotta have a craving for that, and I got that.” This is what it’s all about.

The Coming Glory of God in the Glory Zone

In a recent conversation, Jeri and Greg talk about the testimonies of the Lord and how the Lord is going to pour out His Spirit in a mighty way again. As Greg shares, the Lord has shown him the nations coming to the Gulf Coast, “The Glory Zone”. “Brownsville was small compared to what I saw”. People who are famous in their nations, were coming to the Gulf Coast just to operate a camera, capturing the Glory of God, willing to do the work of ministry.

As Jeri shares, she’s beginning to see that take place as she is involved with Christ For All Nations. Under the leadership of Daniel Kolenda, Boot Camp Evangelism is raising up Evangelists to go out to the nations. Jeri is involved in this ministry as well as one of their Evangelism Coaches. Daniel Kolenda is launching Nations Church in Orlando, FL. If you are in the Orlando area, it’s time to get connected. Jesus Image with Michael Koulianos is also reaching the nations for Jesus Christ with the Good News of the Gospel reaching out evangelizing. As Jeri explains, “they are letting Holy Spirit overtake them”. She continues, “when you let Holy Spirit overtake you, its letting Him change your mind, because we get our opinions from the world, and so if we get so full of the Word of God it’s changing our mind, it’s changing our will to God’s will, and it’s changing our emotion so that we are not depressed, cast down, beaten up, and discouraged…” This is how we are able to recognize what God is speaking, and how He is leading, “but we are all emotionally in tune with what God wants to do. He wants to be in charge of our mind, our will, and our emotions, our spirit man, and be victorious over the flesh.” Jeri continues to talk about how her relationship with the Lord has changed and developed the more she walks with the Lord, “I’ve been serving Him for 45 years now and it only gets more intense and more exciting. There’s nothing like it in this world.” This is our only moment in time to do something for our Lord and King. This is our only opportunity to do something for God. It’s time to get in and to get involved in what God is doing. Jeri also talks about the ministry that she is involved in, Ryan’s Hope, named after her son who passed away. This ministry is directed towards helping men of all ages needing help in restoration.

This is the beauty of living a life dedicate to the Lord. Even after Steve Hill has gone to be with the Lord, there is still fruit multiplying for the Lord as people are continuing to be touched and reached. Steve has now gone on to be with his first love, and Jeri continues to serve her first love. This is our moment to do the same and live a sold-out life knowing that at any moment, our next breath, can be in eternity.

Live Every Day Like Its Your Last, Even When Its Your Last

From the moment that Steve and Jeri gave their lives to the Lord, they gave everything they had to give their Yes to Jesus, up until it was Steve’s last day on this Earth. For decades, Steve Hill was an evangelist who gave every breath to reaching the lost, he even preached at his own funeral. Jeri recalled how quickly Steve’s funeral was setup, “he passed on a Sunday and everything was planned by that Friday and it was done very, very quickly”. Jeri reminded Steve that there would be lost people at this funeral, “if you don’t have something prepared at your funeral, I’ll pick something from one of your messages”. And that is just what they did. When people were gathered together, remembering the life of someone who gave it all for Jesus, Steve was sharing the Good News of Jesus Christ and the reality that eternity waits us all. Steve Hill quotes Jim Elliot who said, “when it comes time to die, make sure that’s all you have to do”.

Faith Faith Mountain Holy Spirit Love

Division and Contention in the Church Over Charismatic Movement – Charles Simpson

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When the Holy Spirit comes powerfully into our lives, it can cause such a dramatic shift and change in our lives, that people will divide themselves from us. As one of the leaders in the Charismatic Renewal Movement, Charles Simpson saw this firsthand when he witnessed Holy Spirit move upon the landscape of America in the 1960’s and 70’s. In a recent conversation with VFNtv, Charles Simpson openly shared as to what lengths he was willing to go when Holy Spirit came into his life to meet with like-hearted people. Simpson explains, “I remember when I first got baptized in the Spirit, I’d drive 1,000 miles just to be with people that understood what was happening to me”. When God comes into your life, you desperately want people who know and can relate to what God is doing in your life.

In these moments, it was such a profound moment when the Holy Spirit was moving as so many people were being touched by His presence. Describing how significant the move of God was in the 60’s and 70’s, Greg Lancaster uses these words; “it caused the denominations themselves to say ‘hold off. We don’t need to keep going this direction…’almost put like a bookmark that says ‘stop going the direction you’re going in’…like Holy Spirit just interrupted…” The landscape in America experienced a slippery slope of sliding morals in the 60’s and 70’s. It was as if the Holy Spirit kept the Church from following the same path. Simpson explains, “I hate to be so general, because there’s a lot of variety within denomination, but denominations generally seemed to be sliding. You had the World Council of Churches and the National Council of Churches that were dominated by liberal people. It was a lot of people from those groups got baptized by Holy Spirit because they were hungry for God.” It was in these moments that denominations looked up Charismatics with apprehensiveness. “All denominations became afraid of Charismatics.” Regardless of denomination or label, Simpson expresses what we need right now. “To reach this culture, it’s gonna take the power of God.”

In the present culture of incessant information and stimulation overload, Simpson recognizes that it’s going to take something special and significant to get the attention of this generation. “Getting people’s attention in this culture is no easy thing. They’re very occupied with a lot of different things, so they’ve got to see something that they say, ‘that’s not normal’, that’s what it’s gonna take.” Simpson continues to express his beliefs that this is going to affect all realms of society. He also shares what he witnessed when God moves like this in a society. “You saw a lot of breaking out. A lot of coffee houses were started. A lot of home groups were started. There were a lot of things going on outside the church, and inside the church as well, but I think that what you’re talking about, if God moves again, it will be more stark than it was in the 60’s and 70’s.” When looking at present day, and the culture that we’re in, Simpson describes why he believes it will be this way. “I really think we’re in a more secular culture than we’ve ever been in, and I think it’s gonna happen in places where it will be forbidden to happen; but it will happen: schools, business places, because God’s intent is the whole world, not just the Church.”

It is so exciting and encouraging reminiscing about the wonders of the Lord. If God has done His mighty works in past generations, He can do the same in our generation. We can have faith for greater and mightier things in present day. Be sure to see the whole conversation with Charles Simpson, and so much more. Also shared in this segment: baptism of Holy Spirit, 7 Mountains of Culture, denominations, division, and evangelism. Greg Lancaster and Charles Simpson shared in this segment.

Image courtesy of Storyblocks.com

Faith Faith Mountain Holy Spirit Love

Prayer Meetings Credited for Start of Charismatic Movement, Charles Simpson

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Prayer Meetings Credited for Start of Charismatic Movement, Charles Simpson

It is exciting to know that God is about to pour out His Spirit mightily upon the Earth. Looking back at past moves of God in history is just an appetizer to the great and mighty things that God is about to do. It is important to recognize how God has moved in generations past because it provides precious wisdom for the days ahead. One of those mighty moves of God’s Spirit was the Charismatic Renewal Movement that took place in the 1960’s & 1970’s. Charles Simpson was one of these leaders in that explosion of God’s Spirit. Simpson recently sat down with VFNtv and shared about his experiences in the epicenter of God moving in his generation.

Reminiscing about his early days, Simpson recalls of his fond memories when the Church would gather in each other’s homes. “It takes some clarity, and preparation, and understanding, and it’s gotta be more than a program…It’s gotta be real. You gotta have real relationships. This is not just a program or a system.” Simpson’s continuing words echo what Jesus called us to walk out as family. “It’s where two or three are gathered in His name, and love one another, and deal with issues…” As he explains, during the late 1960’s, home groups were becoming more and more prevalent. “In fact, the Charismatic Movement was really started out of home prayer meetings.”

As the conversation continues, Simpson emphasizes how the Church thrives on these authentic relationships that are found in families. “This is a natural thing that is happening all over the world, and the more persecution, the more it’s happening, because we need support. We need spiritual family.” It is in this revelation that Simpson expresses how spiritual family does not necessarily mean natural family. “Sometimes, in some of these areas, natural family is not supportive, and so, you need spiritual family.” It is the ingredient of close personal spiritual relationships within the Body of Christ that is an integral step after one receives the Gospel.

In parts of the world where persecution is present, and increasing, the Body of Christ is growing more and more as they relate to one another in home groups. “Well the networking of small groups was a big factor, and the revival created more of it, and it’s somewhat subsided, I think, I may be wrong, but I think it’s coming back.” Simpson points to what is taking place in Iran as an example. “In certain countries, where there’s persecution, it’s massive. The biggest, largest, fastest growing Church in the world is in Iran. And, there are other areas where Christianity is burgeoning under persecution.” The reality of persecution brings clarity to our choices. Either we are for Christ or not. When people are being arrested for following Jesus Christ it brings instant awareness of the reality of consequences that can soon become your reality. As Simpson describes, “your discernment level moves up a few notches, and you start knowing people in a different way; and you begin to tell whether they’re believers or not, or whether they’re hungry or not”.

It is so important that we heed these words and understand them because this is how Jesus told us to relate to one another, as family. Be sure to see the whole conversation with Charles Simpson, and so much more. Also shared in this segment: The Church as family, spiritual family, natural families, prayer groups, prayer meetings, persecution, Iran, and love. Greg Lancaster and Charles Simpson shared in this segment.

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Faith Faith Mountain Holy Spirit Love VFNtv Programs WATCH FULL PROGRAM

WATCH! Prayer Meetings Started Charismatic Movement + Division and Contention in Church Charles Simpson

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Prayer Meetings Credited for Start of Charismatic Movement, Charles Simpson

Division and Contention in the Church Over Charismatic Movement – Charles Simpson

Discipleship Faith Faith Mountain Holy Spirit Hope

What Was Learned in the Discipleship Movement? Charles Simpson Part 1

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In the 1960’s and 1970’s God poured out His Spirit mightily in America in what has been known as the Charismatic Renewal Movement. To many who experienced this moment in history, it seemed to have caught many by surprised, as an “explosion” of God’s presence that effected so much and so many. What is additionally important to remember about this Move of God is the cultural landscape that was simultaneously taking place: the Vietnam War, the assassination of Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., the assassination of Robert Kennedy, Roe V Wade, divorce was increasing, etc. This is the environment that God was miraculously reaching and bringing people to Himself. One of the leaders of the Charismatic Renewal Movement, Charles Simpson, recently sat down with VFNtv to share some of the lessons and experiences that he learned from being a part of this historic move of God’s Spirit.

What is so precious about this particular conversation is that, as Simpson explains, this is the first time he has sat down to have a recorded moment of him sharing his experiences. As one who has much wisdom and experiences, he begins his words with this preface; “I’m concerned, A., that I don’t come across defensive, and secondly, that I don’t attack anybody, having been attacked, I understand it’s not a good thing.” Simpson continues by recalling a profound quote from Dr. Calvin Thielman, who was at the time Billy Graham’s pastor, “my beautiful theory was murdered by a gang of ugly facts”. What Simpson begins to elaborate on is the significant difference of your reality the moment you begin to apply a theory. “Theories are neat and nice, and you can actually hold them without getting into too much trouble. It’s only when you begin to put things into practice that you learn yourself.”

As Simpson continues to elaborate on the difference between a theory and the application of it, he points out how our decisions also affect our opposition. “When you start to put things into practice, you get into the conflicts that come with change, and they’re numerous and the more radical the idea. The more radical the idea, the more radical the opposition.” When Jesus gave us certain commands, like making disciples, He didn’t expect us to simply “believe” His words, but that there would be an action, a response to His words. There is so much that we learn when we make that step from believing to doing. Simpson continues, “bringing things into reality is a whole lot different and difficult compared to just believing something or preaching something”. Even when we decide to do what Jesus has commanded us to do, we are going to encounter an array of differing people who have their own perceptions about life, and about your decision. “People will assign to you their own thoughts…and when they don’t like what you’re doing, they will attack your motives.”

As one who was witnessing all that God was doing, considering the landscape that America was in, Simpson was realizing that people without a Biblical background or a Biblical understanding, obviously were in need for Biblical instruction and teaching. “People were getting saved out of a non-Biblical background, and they needed teaching. They needed to know, what is the Kingdom of God, what is required, what is the Church, how do I live, and so, it was in that context that we began to teach, what I would call, very practical Bible teaching…” Without this spiritual direction, Simpson understood that the results would not be good. “Being baptized in the Holy Spirit without a Biblical background, and without a clear-cut path forward, and how we should then live, I think can be a problematic thing.” As Simpson points out, this is why the Lord has established His five-fold ministry as revealed in Ephesians 4:11-12, “And he gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the shepherds and teachers, to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ”.

Even though this period of history has been known as the Charismatic Renewal Movement, Simpson explains how you can’t create your own movement. It is all up to the Lord. “You’re not trying to create a movement. You really can’t create a movement. What you do is, you latch on to something that creates a movement. There’s a revelation, or a revival, or something that it creates, and you’re just hanging on.” The amazing thing about being part of a move of God is that you survive it. Simpson explains, “Revivals are often like that, as I described. It’s a wave. And, if you’re fortunate, you can surf it and not fall off, or be crushed by it. But you don’t create it.”

As one who continually speaks with humility, Simpson understands that we are completely dependent upon the Lord, and he is not an exception. Simpson openly shares and admits that mistakes were made, “I’m sure we made mistakes. It’s like the first airplane wasn’t built very well, but it flew. You can’t improve something that doesn’t exist. I welcome anybody who can improve on what we did.” Simpson continues to point out how we must be those who obey Jesus in times of criticism; “most of the critics don’t make disciples, and when it comes down to it, that’s the real question. It’s not, do you like the way I made disciples, but have you made any disciples, because we’re commanded to”. This is where we begin to understand the true power of empathy, when we begin trying and doing, and not simply criticizing those that are.

These are such precious moments that we can glean so much wisdom and lessons from these experiences. See the whole conversation with Charles Simpson, and so much more. Also shared in this segment: healing, praying for the sick, deliverance, spiritual warfare, the Five-Fold Ministry of God, baptism of the Holy Spirit, Holy Spirit, New Wine Magazine, evangelism, Shepherd’s Conference, and the Great Commission. Greg Lancaster and Charles Simpson shared in this segment.

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Discipleship Faith Faith Mountain Holy Spirit Hope VFNtv Programs WATCH FULL PROGRAM

WATCH! What Was Learned in the Discipleship Movement? Charles Simpson Part 1

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What Was Learned in the Discipleship Movement? Charles Simpson Part 1

Abiding Faith Faith Mountain Hope VFNtv Programs

Adam Field, President of CoMission, Shares How He Was Called by God

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Adam Field founder and President of CoMission speaks on a series of programs sharing how God called him to his ministry and what he does through it. Also, in the continuing interview, he shares experiences and miracles he has witnessed as he has simply obeyed God. Be sure to watch or listen to hear the full story on each program.

In this program, Adam shares how he was convicted at the age of six to make Jesus the Lord of his life. He even knew God had called him to evangelism even at a young age. He shares how evangelism should be a part of every believer’s discipleship and that we all should do everything out of love for Jesus and others. Nobody wants religion; they want a relationship and that is what Jesus wants with each of us! You may need help with building a relationship with Jesus and we have a plan to help with that. Visit iAbide HERE today and start an abiding relationship with Jesus.

We want to hear from you. What is your salvation story? Write to us at Friends@VFNKB.com or in the VFNKB Community HERE. You can also read our testimonies at Meet My Father HERE. Greg and Adam shared in this segment.

As written on the CoMission website, Adam is a native of Ireland. He was led to the Lord at the age of 6. Through elementary school and high school, God used him to be a testimony of His keeping power. He graduated Summit International School of Ministry and worked as a staff pastor for two years in Donegal, Ireland. After two years in Donegal, he and his wife, Ashley, church planted for three years in Kerry, Ireland, and then Adam was an associate pastor in Cork, Ireland. In Cork, they felt a call to the USA, which led them to Florida, where Adam became an evangelist for the west Florida district of the Assembly of God. For the last three and a half years, Adam led evangelistic outreaches all across the state of Colorado and the US. He has worked for World Challenge and partnered with ministries such as Nicky Cruz Outreach. It has been an amazing experience for Adam to be affirmed in his calling as an evangelist and to be raised in a ministry that was founded by David Wilkerson.

Image Courtesy of Facebook.com CoMission US