WELCOME TO THE NEW MILLENNIUM!
Isn't it
great to be alive in this generation? To know that what ever has
been experienced before is now in the past and new things are here.
You have the greatest opportunities ahead of you. You are a World
Changer and a History Maker.
ELIJAH MINISTRIES
is poised and ready to launch out into this new millennium to continue
with renewed zeal the preaching of the gospel here and to the uttermost
parts of the earth. This dawning of a new century is the foundation
for the glory of the Lord to cover the earth. We of ELIJAH MINISTRIES
encourage you to receive the fulness of your inheritance from the Father
and go forward, fearing nothing but walking in courage, power, love and
compassion. You are His Expression, Extension, and Exhibition to
this generation.
I greet you in love of Jesus!
When I left New York City on 31 July it was very warm. When I landed in Moscow 1 August it was very warm. I traveled by train north and east for 24 hours to arrive in Perm and it was very warm. I thought to myself, Michael you have made a good choice to come to Russia in August. You see I like hot humid weather very much, I was feeling good. The second day in the Perm region the skies became overcast and it cooled off. I mean it really cooled off, at times it was down right cold. And it stayed that way for most of the time I was there. Well, enough of my whining in spite of my weather woes this turned out to be very good trip.
In Perm I was privileged to preach in the New Testament Church. It began on Friday with a youth rally then at the four meetings they have on Sunday. There was over 800 people at each meeting. Many are regular members but there are always people who come in to investigate the claims of the gospel. On that Sunday I was informed that 31 people received Jesus and many testified of the Lord healing them. Pastor Edward was away in the Ukraine and yet the work of the ministry he began just 10 years ago continued without a hitch. Early on Monday I was on my way further north and west to the Komi region. I met and ministered with Pastor Slava. Slava came to the small city of Kudymkar, 45,000 people, at the age of 18. He was born again at 15, went to Bible school and then came to this city 8 years ago and planted the church. There was no other church except the Russian Orthodox in the city. Since then he has planted 15 other churches in the region. By God’s grace we planted another in the village of Rakshino. This was the first meeting ever in the village of 6,000. 22 people came; they heard the simple but powerful message of the gospel and 17 repented and received Jesus. They all committed to gather weekly to be discipled in the way of Jesus. It was here in the Komi region where I saw a video of the continued pagan worship practices of the yearly bull sacrifice. Near the village of Kosca a bull is led through the streets and brought to the edge of the lake. The bull is then decorated and songs are sung. With joy the bull is slain and its head taken off. The blood flows into the water and many of the people present will wade into the water and begin to wash themselves with the blood and the water. The bull is butchered and its carcass is placed in a very large cauldron and all present feast on the flesh of the sacrificed bull. This video was taken in the year 2,000. We must realize that there is yet much of the world that is in darkness and needs the light of the glorious gospel. We later visited this village of Kosca and I took some pictures of some of the demon idols they worship.
I stayed in the Komi region with Pastor Slava for 7 days. My stay in the region seemed so very short. We were up and out each day at 8:00am and would be back each night at 10:00pm or later. We visited several of the young churches. I was called upon to teach, preach and establish some foundational principles for the church to be grounded upon. In almost each place the Lord added to the church those that where saved. These churches in the smaller cities and towns, populations of 25,000 and below, are being persecuted heavily by the Orthodox Church. Pray continually for our brothers and sisters. They are truly laying down their lives for their countrymen to be saved.
I will be at the Mariposa Revival
Center Mariposa CA. Sept. 14 & 15 www.mariposarevivalcenter.org
REMEMBER WE ARE IN INDIA OCTOBER 1-15 2002
Traveling from the Komi region, I arrived in
Izhevsk the capital city of the Udmurtia Republic. Once again upon
my arrival we immediately went to work. Man, I love It!!
Pastor Vitali the pastor of the church in Votkins, and I ministered at
the church operated drug and alcohol rehab center. Their recovery
rate is 28%(Unheard of in Russia). Men and women ages 19 to 53 have
come to receive a new beginning in Christ Jesus. May I remind you that
your support of ELIJAH MINISTRIES gives opportunities to these and many more
to experience a new life, a new beginning. From town to village throughout
the republic I was humbled to be with men and women who are living on the
edge to see the Life and Light of the Lord Jesus come to their dead, dark
places of labor. Many of these dear brothers are under threat of
death several have been beaten for their stand on the gospel. Pastor
Zhenny in Cumsi has been threatened, beaten and told that if he finishes
the church they are building it will be burned down. He continues!
I met a man in his church who was the president of a local secular college.
He started attending the church. He received Jesus. The word
got out and the local government under the compulsion of the Orthodox Church
told the man you have a choice, stop attending the church or loose your
job. HE CHOSE THE CHURCH! We were blessed by God’s grace to
see Him add to the church at every meeting. The days flew past,
I needed to go. But I witnessed the hand of the Lord upon those
who are willing to heed the call to deny self take up the cross and follow
Him.
Thank you all for your prayers. Thank
those of you who have embraced the vision of ELIJAH MINISTRIES and have
planted seed. What you are doing is making a difference.
July 2002
Whenever I return from a nation and take a few minutes to reflect on how wonderful the Lord is and how He is so faithful to His promises I am overwhelmed with emotions. I am humbled by His grace. I am flooded with gratitude. I am overtaken with joy. In my mind some of you begin to appear, you who have faithfully prayed for us and supported the vision of ELIJAH MINISTRIES. It becomes difficult to keep my eyes from filling with tears. So it was as Daniel Caudell and I returned from Honduras on the 19th of July. We spent just over two weeks with out brothers and sisters in Amapala.
This trip was just a little different than the other times we where there. This time we concentrated on building up the pastors, leaders and their families. We conducted a seminar for the first day then it was off to their villages. We spent at least two days with each pastor. We were able to learn first hand what their individual ministries needs were. We went visiting with them to the homes of the families their church and others in their villages. We ministered alongside them in reconciling estranged members. On one occasion we visited a woman who had turned away from the church and returned to seeking help from the witch doctors. She was very ill. Interestingly she informed us that before we came to visit she had a dream of our coming to bring healing and deliverance to her. I know that for some of you this is a stretch. It however speaks volumes of the grace and mercy of our Lord to gather in a lost sheep. We did pray and cast out the evil spirits; she felt immediate relief. We lead her in a prayer of rededication and renunciation of her participation with the witches. We also asked her to give us the items she purchased from them. She paid 600 Limpres the equilivant of 3 weeks pay. She handed them over and we burned them.
During the course of visiting we witnessed the love, mercy and power of God to forgive all manner of sin, heal sickness and disease and bring freedom to those who are bound. Yes, the power of the Gospel is still powerful. Jesus is alive and the same yesterday, today and forever. We stopped by a house where a lady was laying in a hammock very sick. As we were praying for her I noticed another woman watching very intently. The Lord ministered to the woman in the hammock and the other lady asked if I remembered her. I apologized that I did not. There was a young girl that was with her, she asked, “Do you remember her?” again I apologized, I did not. Then she informed us that this was the baby girl that she brought to the park where we were preaching in 1998. This was the baby that was dead and Pastor Jeff Sharp and I spoke life to and the Lord raised her up. I mean to tell you I was so blessed. Here stood this beautiful young girl of some 3 years of age full of health and life. WOW! What a God.
Pastor Edwin Morales, who is in step with us and has united his Spanish Church community with the Norwich Worship Center, joined us in Amapala for three days of Crusade meetings. He did a wonderful job of preaching with the power of the Holy Spirit. Many where saved. It was a good experience for us all. There was no need for a translator so he could speak with all the fire that was in him, and there is much fire in him.
We returned to the USA on 19
July. It is always a difficult time for me when I leave Amapala.
Over the years I have seen the children grow up. The young people
take positions in the church. I have become “familiar” to and with
so many on the island.
This month has been a catch up month. I have spent time writing and formatting new lessons for the Elijah School of Ministry International. More students have enrolled and more are making application to attend the school in Breman-Asikuma, Ghana West Africa. There are presently 40 men and women who are involved. Rev. Attafauah DaCosta and his wife Elizabeth have been on the scene and working on behalf of ELIJAH MINISTRIES in Ghana. Attafauah is acting as executive director and is holding things together. Rev. JohnPaul Pinapata in Tenali India is fulfilling the role of Ministry School facilitator with 38 pastors and leaders being trained in an “in the field” type program. Rev. Rudy Dalapu is heading up the Ministry School and acting as executive director for ELIJAH MINISTRIES in the Philippines. I am so very blessed to have men and women of God in the nations that have a like-minded vision for seeking to fulfill the Great Commission. These that I have named and several more are brothers and sisters that I have grown to know, love and completely trust. These are people who have one agenda, and that is to fulfill the purpose of God in this generation. Pray for them and the nations that they call home.
During this time at home it was necessary for a little “Tent Making”. God is so gracious to provide people who are willing to give me work. It was also a time for catching up on a little repair to the “Ole casa de Maixner”. Sandra is the best. She has been very patient with me.
April-May 2002
Gi panga mosta ko ka mong tanan
sa ngalan ni Jesus, (Cebuano, a native dialect in Mindanao Philippines) meaning
I greet you all in the name of Jesus.
I first want to thank all of you who were praying
for me as I traveled to Mindanao, Philippines. I traveled alone this time.
Even though there were incidents of unrest in some of the places, I felt
very safe. Pastor Rudy Dalapu hosted me once again. He and
his family are very gracious and hospitable. I am an easy keeper,
due to the fact that by God’s grace I am able to drink the water they drink
and eat whatever they eat and sleep wherever there is room to lay down.
Because of this it has opened up many doors into remote areas for me to
minister. We traveled to a very remote place called BOLO-BOLO.
To get there we needed to travel by outrigger fishing boat; I use the term
loosely. It is about 30 inches wide and 21 feet long and is powered
by a 10-horse motor. It would not be so bad except that when we traveled
it was necessary to accommodate 9 people. 9 people with a small bag
each, three 100-lb. sacks of rice, two big speakers, the amplifier and two
guitars. Oh, yes I forgot, enough gasoline to make the 4.5-hour
trip. I am telling you that about the time you begin to think it
does not get much better than this, it begins to rain. Not just a
drizzle, but a downpour. This lasts for no more than 30 minutes, then
the sun comes out. The humidity is so thick you can slice it with a
knife. The passengers are not discouraged rather they begin to sing
songs of praise. This helped pass the time and certainly refreshed
me.
We arrived and were warmly welcomed.
There were five or six churches that fellowship together and each year
they gather for a three-day conference. I was honored to speak.
The power of God came upon those meetings in ways I had not before experienced.
The first night several people responded and received Jesus, and then
it was like a whip cracked and they were struck down. The remaining
people were very fearful. Pastor Rudy, acting as my translator,
began to explain what had happened. The next day more people came
and once again God’s power was evident. By the third night everyone
one was involved in what the Lord was doing. A few more people received
Jesus, and there were several healings. When it was time to go the
pastors offered an open invitation for us to return. I was so humbled
by all that took place I just began to weep.
Another very significant ministry trip was
to Lapaz. Lapaz is also a remote town that is reached by bus, then
by jeepney, and then by motorcycle. Its population is about 9,000.
Pastor Joel is the pastor of the church that hosted us. His church
is one of the 31 other churches and ministries that Pastor Rudy oversees.
Oh, by the way, all these churches and ministries voted unanimously to come
and be under the covering of ELIJAH MINISTRIES. Many of their pastors
and leaders are being taught in Elijah School of Ministry International.
Getting back, Lapaz was a target for a communist rebel take over last spring.
It was put down by the establishing of a military camp manned by the
Philippine Army 4th Division, 36th company. This camp is as raw
as you can imagine. It is cut right out of the jungle and the living
quarters are tents and bamboo huts. These men are a special unit.
They are known as the “Men of Valor”. They are an equlivant to our
U.S. Rangers. I was privileged to speak to them and their new recruits.
Of the 81 new recruits present 40 prayed to receive Jesus. The company’s
motto is, “If God be for us who can be against us”. We also conducted
a crusade in Lapaz, over 100 people prayed to receive Jesus, and many
were healed.
As the featured speaker for the 11th Annual
Convention of Mindanao General Council of Assembly of God Ministers, I
was so blessed. There were more than 40 churches represented, many
were independent ministries. I was told after the convention that
several men and women pastors where at the point of quitting but God spoke
to them in the Word and Spirit and they felt restored and renewed.
At this convention the power of God was as evident as it was in the other
places. The first night of the gathering as I blew the Shofar, one
of the pastors said he saw two large men in white garments fly from the platform
out over the crowd and then gather many more men in white garments who
then surrounded the entire arena. During this convention we witnessed
salvation, healings, God’s powerful presence and His joy being released.
There are many good ministries that come to
the Philippines. Most of the ministries go to the large cities and
conduct huge crusades, thousands attend. Many people experience
the presence of God to save, heal and be set free. I thank God for
these ministries. ELIJAH MINISTRIES goes, being sent to the remote
uttermost places that no one else chooses to go. These people will
not make the trip to the large cities to attend the crusades. I believe
where we are going the power of the gospel is making a difference. On this
trip to the Philippines three new churches were planted.
Much more took place than there is space to
report. I thank all of you so very much. For those of
you who support this ministry financially I what you to know that because
of your donations, monthly, Pastors, Evangelist and church leaders are being
supported, trained and equipped in Africa, India, and the Philippines. Where
I go, you go because you enable me to go. GOD BLESS YOU VERY BIG!
I recently returned from Ghana West Africa. Dr. Stephen Losh, a research associate at Cornell University Ithaca, N.Y., traveled with me on this mission. By God's grace ELIJAH MINISTRIES is being used to establish unity in the communities. In the four towns we visited history has been made. Never in their history have all the churches worked together to conduct a program for their communities. We witnessed the working together of Pentecostals, Methodists, Presbyterians, Baptists, Catholics, Assemblies of God and many other independent churches to reach out to their communities. The favor of God was upon us. The District Chief Executive Officer, which would be the equalivant of a governor, Traditional Paramount Chief and local chiefs of Breman-Askuma, Brakwa, Jamra and Aboabo worked together with us. Each of these towns have populations of 8,000 to 10,000 and at no meeting were there less than 1,000 in attendance. Many nights there were over 2,500 present. That is like 10% of the people.
At each meeting we preached
the uncompromising, uncomplicated Gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ. The
Power of the Holy Spirit testified that Jesus is Alive and the same. In
the meetings over 2,100 people not counting the children prayed to receive
Jesus, and He was present in power to heal many. The blind received sight,
the deaf heard again and all manner of sickness and diseases were healed.
At the district high school
on a Saturday morning 1,000 students ranging in age from 14-19 came to
a meeting. Dr. Stephen Losh preached the GOOD NEWS and 94 students received
Jesus and over 200 rededicated their lives.
At all the meetings the
pastors used counselors and wrote down the names of all those who received
Jesus so they can do the follow-up. WOW! NYAME TUMI SO (God
is so Great in Twi dialect)
Elijah School of Ministry International has
come to stay in Ghana.
We officially opened the school on 26 February 2002. There are 21 students that range in age from 22 years to 55 years, which include five women. All of the students are involved in an ongoing ministry. Several are pastors, evangelists, church planters and youth workers.
On opening day the students marched through the town in their school uniforms carrying the sign Elijah School of Ministry International, “Whatever It Takes”. The brass band of the Roman Catholic Church provided the marching music. The Traditional Paramount Chief and the District Chief Executive Officer were present and addressed the students and the assembled guests. The Building we are using is a five room rented facility freshly painted by the students.
I was overwhelmed to tears as I saw the sign of the school on the highway and then looked up on the hill and there was this building. Thank you Father for your faithfulness. I am fully aware that none of this is possible without strong support from folks like you. Thank you and God bless you. You can make it possible for these students to be more focused on their studies and training by partnering up with one student providing only $5.00 a month / $60.00 a year, so they can concentrate on studies and their ministry. You can send more, that always helps. If you designate your gift to a student I will assure you it will go for their training.
I traveled on to Lome, Togo
and was a speaker at SPOUDAZO an international conference held on 5-7
March, for Pastors, Evangelists, Missionaries, and Church Leaders.
This was a powerful time with over 900 in attendance daily for three days.
Letter from Togo unpon return
to USA
Dear in The Lord,
Hope you got home safely, rejoycing in the
Lord. Thanks and glory be to His wonderful name.
It was great having a wonderful time with you
in the conference in Lome Togo. Infact we were very bless for sach power
packed sessions. There are a lot of testimonies all over the city
about what the Lord has done in lives at the conference. We give Him the
glory. Thank you also for allowing yourselve to be used mightly by God to
bless lives.
I also on behalf of my brother Rev. Emmanuel
Hopeson and the G.C.I. Say, we appreciate your efforts and your contributions
towards the success of the conference and thanks God for the time you
had with us.May the good Lord Himself bless and reward you more than words
could discribe. Again I say God bless you and Hope this is the beginning
of great things that God will be doing. I believe God does not get people
together for nothing so our meeting is not by accident but programmed by
God so lets be praying we don't know what the future holds.
My regards to all members of your church and
ministry. Not forgeting your sweet wife and family. GOD BLESS YOU ALL
IN JESUS NAME. AMEN.
Yours Establishing His Rules.
Bishop Edem HOPESON
On April 1st I am off to Mindanao,
Philippines. I will be there for the month, preaching, teaching
and planting churches. There has been some trouble among the muslim
communities and christians.
Pray! Pray! Pray!
This is a difficult newsletter to write. My desire is to
relay to you the awesome grace of God.
I was so
overwhelmed by how He poured out His love on a people that for so long
have exchanged the truth of God for a lie, and worshiped idols in the image
of man, four-footed animals and creeping things rather than the Creator.
Christopher Colter
and I traveled to India, a great nation of beautiful people.
We were there from November 7 until November 25. We ministered
in and around two different cities. The first 13 days we were in
Tenali; the remaining 6 days in the Hyderabad area. We were treated
with such love and kindness. Our ministry focus was the villages
that are out away from the cities. I discovered that close to 70%
of India’s great population reside in these villages. Villages that
range in population from 500 to 8,000 people. There are literally
thousands of these villages scattered throughout the nation. It was
our great honor to go into some villages that since creation, the declaration
of Jesus is Lord was never heard. As has been stated before ELIJAH
MINISTRIES is an uttermost place ministry. Many in these small out
of the way places do not have the availability to travel into cities that
are hosting great crusades; therefore, we go to them. We ministered
in the streets of the slums of Tenali, and the villages of Varahapuram, Lankadibba,
Emany, Kuchellapadu, Chilumoorulanka, Valdamumdi, Bhongir, Medipally, Chada,
Chawdarpally, Somaram, Laxmakkapally, Ramannapet. The pastors we were
working with did a very good job of preparing the way for us. In several
of the villages it was raw street evangelism. I would sound the Shofar
and shout “SUWATI, SUWATI” (good news). The sound of the Shofar is
one that they had never heard. They would begin to gather to the sound
and we would preach the Lord Jesus and demonstrate the power of the gospel.
In almost every place we went, where there was electricity, the good news
was broadcast beyond the circle of light into the entire village. The
Grace of God poured out upon all that heard. Now this is the difficult
part of the newsletter I was talking about, because now to report God’s work,
it is reduced to numbers. Numbers only to give an idea of the magnitude
of what happened. We witnessed well over 2,800 people stand before
their family and friends and confess Jesus as Lord and renounce all other
gods. We were blessed to see hundreds of people healed and testify
of their healing to others.
The
last Saturday we were in India we met with 50 pastors and conducted a mini
seminar. The walls were broken down when Christopher and I washed
their feet. Men, young and old wept as we prophesied over each one
as we held their soiled calloused feet in our hands. A bond was formed,
and a brotherhood established to see the Father’s will carried out.
“Completion of the Great Commission” is our common task.
September - October 2001
This has been a very busy two months
for Elijah ministries. I thank you for your prayers and your support.
In September a small team, Paul & Loring Hammond, Daniel Caudell
and myself, traveled to the Perm region of Russia located
north and east of Moscow. To reach this area it is a 24 hour train
ride. It was an experience for all of us. We left JFK International
Airport on the 17th of September. Yes, just one week from the day
that has changed the world. It was so moving for all of us as we
met with the pastors and leaders of churches who informed us that they
had held all night prayer meetings for the USA in its time of great trouble.
This knitted our hearts all the more to these dear brothers and sisters
of Russia.
A village church meeting as people were responding to the message of the love of God.
(The ministry team of Paul & Loring Hammond & Daniel Caudell in village)
We traveled into the rural areas ministering to towns and villages assisting the local pastors and encouraging the body of Christ. These believers are truly committed to seeing the completion of the great commission. One of the pastors, Andre has planted several churches in his area of Ilinsky. One of the places that he has established he walked 70km to reach these people. That’s a 13 hour walk one way and he did this once a week for several months. He was filled with joy as we went with him to a village called Zapoli. Where there had never been a Christian gathering. What a blessing to see 35 people come and crowd into a three room house to here the good news. God, always faithful to His Word, poured out His Spirit and 28 of the people present received Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior. They ranged in ages 8 years to 78 years. A Church was Planted, the first organized meeting was the next week. We traveled to other villages meeting in house churches and experiencing the wonderful presence of the Lord.
We returned to the city of Perm a city of 1.75 million people where we ministered in our host church, the New Testament Church. Pastor Edward Grabovenko began this work 9 years ago and now has around 2,700 members. He has over seen the planting of 86 churches in the region, a thriving bible school and has recently started a rehabilitation center for drug and alcohol addicts. On Sunday I preached at the 4 services they have because of the number of people coming. The other team members joined the worship team and ministered with them. On several occasions they led the worship. It was an incredible experience when our team did a song in English and the other team sang the chorus in Russian, there was such a release of power in those times.
We traveled on into another Republic of Russia, Udmurtia, to city of Izhevsk. This is a city of 850 thousand people. Like many other places in this area of Russia there are very few churches. Cities with large populations have no churches that declare the Word of God and Jesus as Lord. Izhevsh was such a city, 9 years ago Yuri Degtyar came to the city and began to preach Jesus. The Udmurts are from the Finny-Ugorsk ethnic group. They worship the god Inmar who has responsibility for the heavens. Inmar’s mother is Mukylchi, like Jezebel is responsible for the underground sphere and is the territorial demon. The Udmurt people, to this day, still worship the dead, the power of rivers, weather, forests and most of nature. They continue to offer animal blood sacrifices to these gods. Their idolatry is woven into all of their culture, marking clothing and buildings with depictions of their idols.
After 9 years of faithful service Pastor Yuri has a church of 2,500, a powerful bible school and over 150 churches that have been established in the region. There is yet very much to do. Each Saturday he and his family go to another village and begin to sing and preach in the streets to anyone who will listen. We were honored to work alongside these dedicated brothers and sisters and to encourage them. They truly appreciated our coming and ministering to them. We saw many saved and were able to minister to hundreds through the laying on of hands and prayer. I am so very proud of this team.
We returned to the USA on 2 October and then on the 10th of October Daniel and I were off again, to Australia. What a contrast. We left Russia as it was beginning to snow and arrived in Australia to the sun and the beaches. I was one of the speakers at the International Apostolic Ministries of Australia annual conference. It was held at Lakeside Christian Center. Bill & Pat Pryor pastor this great church. I was also able to teach on reaching the Nations for Christ. I met additional brothers from India, Philippines and Pakistan. There are plans being made to go into Pakistan, PTL!
Please be in intercession for us as we
are scheduled to travel to India in the month of November. I will
be conducting a seminar for Pastors and leaders in Hyderabad. We
will also be ministering in open-air crusades in the towns and villages
in and around Tenali. WE ARE REACHING INTO THE UTTERMOST PLACES!
YOU ARE HELPING!
June 2001
Can you believe that the year 2001 is half over? WOW! The
days are going as if they were on fast forward. It just reminds
me that the urgency of seeing the completion of the Great Commission is
more paramount than ever. In most of the earth there is an unsettled
kind of atmosphere. People are not feeling very secure. This
is the time to be out among the people of the world and present the only
answer to the security that they are longing for. The security is
not to be found in the provision of the world but is to be found in the
provision of the King of the universe, in the name that is above every name,
Jesus the Christ. Every where ELIJAH MINISTRIES travels and ministers
the good news we are seeing the atmosphere change. When people turn
away from trusting in the world to the living God they experience a genuine
rest that only the Lord can provide. You too can witness the same
change come over people, just tell them the goods news. Join in the
efforts of seeing the completion of the great commission.
During
the first part of June we were in Central America. We returned to
Honduras, and ministered to churches on the Island of Amapala. Dan
went out with the young people of the churches and evangelized several small
village areas. We preached and taught the Word in many villages.
Pastor Christopher Colter and I spent many hours teaching and laying firm
foundations on the Word of God for the pastors and leaders of the churches.
We traveled from the Island to El Salvador by small fishing boats.
Here we re-established contact with several pastors and sought out information
concerning the aftermath of the earthquakes. All of the pastors
and churches we are in relationship with were not seriously damaged.
This was
a very brief trip but sufficient to present to the pastors and leaders
the material of the Elijah School of Ministry International. This
is an exciting time. Every place where we have presented the concept
of the training and the format of the lessons, it is being received very
well. We will be translating the material into Spanish. We also
have set in place facilitators to administer the training in each of the
nations. To bring you up to date: Elijah School of Ministry International
will now be in India, West Africa, Honduras, El Salvador, and the Philippines.
All this is being done with your help. Through your support of ELIJAH
MINISTRIES together we are involved in the planting of new churches in
the nations; evangelism in very remote areas; training and establishing
of pastors and leaders; support for widows and orphans, and now ongoing,
in the field continual scriptural education. This has been one of
the most exciting and rewarding six months of my life. Thank you.
We
are planning to go back to the Perm region of Russia in September.
The initial plan was to return in August however the airfare is much less
if we travel at the later time. Be in prayer for this up-coming trip.
There are very few churches in this area of Russia. There is such
a need for churches that teach the Word of God and preach the good news.
IT IS STILL
THE ACCEPTABLE TIME OF THE LORD
May 2001
Greetings to you in the matchless name of the resurrected Lord
Jesus Christ,
Daniel Caudell
and I traveled to Mindanao, Philippines. Pastor Rudy Dapalu and his
wife Vergie hosted us. This is a quality couple who has given themselves
and what they have to see the gospel go forth to the people of the region.
Pastor Rudy is a second-generation man of God. His father Rev. Ralph
Dalapu started the work here in BuenaVista in 1967. Pastor Ralph
was killed in 1997, at which time Rudy stepped in and up to his destiny.
Pastor Rudy has increased the work and is now overseer of 24 churches.
These are primarily independent Assemblies of God congregations.
Our connection came as a result of the ministry of the move of God that
began in the Norwich Worship Center in 1997. The moment Rudy and
I met there was a divine knitting of our hearts together.
Our
ministry time in Mindanao began with a “Jeepney” (a fabricated, wonderfully
decorated van-bus) ride with about 22 people packed together. We
bounced along a pretty bad road for 5 hours. As it happened, the
enemy was trying to prevent our going. The Jeepney broke down.
I was so blessed. As we waited for the parts to the drive shaft
that broke to arrive the brothers and sisters began to sing and worship
and just have fun together. They were encouraged because they were
concerned that Daniel and I coming from the USA would be upset. Heck,
we just joined in and were blessed right along with them. We arrived
at Los Arcos just in time to change clothes and begin the evening meeting.
We were the featured speakers for the 11th annual convention of the Mindanao
General Council of Ministers of Assemblies of God, Inc. The young
people led the Worship and Daniel joined in. It was incredible.
We ministered by teaching and preaching the Word five times a day for three
days. The people just seemed as if they could not get enough.
The power of God came and moved mightily on the assembled people.
We saw 12 people come to Jesus and over 50 people healed. The presence
of God was sensed, and .It was the simple proclamation of the Word of Truth
with power that brought about the transformation in the lives of the pastors
and leaders.
From
Los Arcos we traveled to the municipality of San Miguel, a very rural region
of Mindanao. This time it was a smaller Jeepney, less people, bless
God but a 7-hour drive over very bad roads. We were there to be among
the Tribal People of Manabo. In this remote area we took part in
the making of history. Although Pastor Rudy has been working with
some of the people in Tribal Christian Ministry, we were the very first white
missionaries ever to come and be among them. It was also the first
time that in this area all the 12 divisions of the tribe had come together.
We learned later that the reason they all gathered was because we were there.
Dan and I watched as they performed a tribal dance and a war dance, which
was a very special event as many of the locals had not seen these dances before.
We preached the Good News; the presence of the Lord was evident, and 73 out
of the 400 or so present responded and received Jesus. Eight of the
12 Datu (Tribal Chieftains) were some of the first to step out of the crowd
and come. We also were asked to lay hands on and anoint with oil the
Mayor, Vice-mayor and a Councilman of the municipality. What an honor
that by His grace we were there as His Ambassadors. These firsts continue
to reaffirm the apostolic pioneering anointing that the Lord has placed
upon ELIJAH MINISTIRES. Pastor Rudy and I met with Pastor Benedicto
D. Intad and other tribal church leaders. They are seeking to receive
training under the teaching of newly formed Elijah School of Ministry International.
New ministers will be trained among the Tribal people to minister the
Good News to their people. They will also be trained to reach out
to the unreached in the mountains. There is much work to do among
the tribes.
We
returned to pastor Rudy’s church located in Buena Vista after each excursion
into the out lying areas. There is such excitement when we give testimony
of the works of the Lord to the people of the church. We took a
day trip that turned into an overnighter to the Barangay (village) of
Delmonte. We spent the time in fellowship with the pastor and his
family encouraging them and then we stayed for the evening meeting; WOW!
The power of God fell upon us. People were on the floor like a bunch
of scatter rugs. There were sounds of crying, laughing and an occasional
whoop or two.
We
were in another remote area outside of Madrid, called Sayuron. We
were to be there for one night and then have a morning meeting and leave
the next day. This is the place that you need to take a Jeepney to
Madrid and then ride three on a motorcycle into the mountains. The
first night Dan and I preached. The people were blessed, as we ministered.
The next day the pastor said we needed stay over for one more night meeting.
We taught twice the next day and then at night I preached on the mercy
of God. The church was packed out with over 200 people and they were
standing and sitting on the outside. Five people received Jesus,
I had words of knowledge for people to be healed; the Lord healed them.
Then after the ministry time I just began to sing His Mercy is falling
and the worship team took it up from there. For the next three hours
it was uninhibited abandoned worship. I blew my shofar and two-thirds
of the people present were knocked to the floor. The pastor said
they had never experienced getting so lost in the presence of God.
One young teenage girl that only knew a few words in English began to speak
fluent English while she was in the Spirit.
There is
a great desire from the people that we return. The next time we come
we are to go more into the mountains where there are some tribal people
who have never heard the gospel. We are also to go to some of the
7,000 plus outer smaller islands of the Philippines. YEAH LORD!!
Greetings to all of you in Jesus name. WOW! What a Trip!! We arrived home safely from West Africa. The team included Michael, Pastor Mary Ann Adams of Shekian Glory Church in Cle Elum, Washington, Dan Caudell, a 20 year old on fire young man from Chicago, Christopher Colter, a very animated and anointed staff member of the Norwich Worship Center and associate of ELIJAH MINISTRIES, my grandson, Matthew Sharp age 13 who has the nations in his heart and Amy Wuhrman age 14, a young lady who’s desire is to see the completion of the Great Commission in her generation.
We arrived in Accra Ghana where our host, Pastor Attafuah Da Costa, met us. He took us to Akim-Oda a city to north of Accra some 3 hours. He and his wife Elizabeth have a ministry they started 5 years ago that reaches out to the children of the region through “Educational Evangelism”. They have over 600 children enrolled in their school. They teach not only the regular academics but also the Word of God to each grade level. They have done such an excellent job of it, they have received the highest rating in schools and many of the secular teachers are sending their children to the school. Their mission school in a near-by village has classes that must meet under a tree. Our first day in Akim-Oda the school prepared a welcome program for us. They sang a song with our names in the verses, recited scriptures and presented all of us with small gifts. Our assignment was to begin the next day. Our first ministry stop was in the village of Akroso. For three days we met with the pastors and leaders of local churches teaching and encouraging them in the ways of the Lord. The night meetings were out in the open. Even in these smaller villages the people came out. The wonderful African music filling the night air drew the thousands to come to see what was happening. After a time of high praise we would preach the simple powerful message of God’s Good News. When the time came for people to respond to the message, many came publicly confessing their need for Jesus. Sick and infirmed people made their way to the make shift platform and cried out for Jesus to heal them; and He did. Akroso was changed. The churches worked together and they witnessed the power of God that is released in unity.
From Akroso we ministered in Achaise
to several church leaders. We also spent a Saturday morning at one
of the regions largest high schools. Over 700 students raging in age
from 14 to 18 years old came together. The younger members of the team
spoke to the assembly; Michael preached briefly and gave the altar call.
28 students stepped out in front of all their peers and gave their lives
to Jesus. During the time of ministry, with the laying on of hands,
there were several very radical deliverances among the young people.
Daniel Caudell had given his personal testimony of his own experience with
Jesus setting him free from the bondage of drugs. I am confident this was
used by the Lord to touch many lives. Everyone on the team carried
a powerful anointing to minister to the people. The power of God seemed
to be poured out through their hands.
From Achaise
we began our crusade in a village called Ayeldu. This village has
a population of 2,500 to 3,000. This was the first time in the history
of the village that the churches worked together to do something for the
community. The Roman Catholic Church provided the front porch of
their building as the crusade platform and supplied the electricity for
the lights and the sound system. The Lord was showing us such favor.
During the next three nights attendance was always above 1,500. We
witnessed the power of the Lord come and move upon that village. Over
850 people turned to the living God away from what they were following and
accepted Jesus Christ as their Savior. The love of Jesus was demonstrated
to this village in that several people received hearing back to their deaf
ears. One paralyzed woman from the waist down began to walk again.
Several women that were in need of canes to walk dropped the canes and began
to dance unto the Lord with great joy. Can you believe this, more
that one third of the population of a village came to life in Christ Jesus.
Over ½ of the population was present at the meetings each night.
Isn’t God just so Good?
Listen this
is only the beginning. It is as if the momentum continued to build
with each place we visited. We came to Akim-Oda. It is like
unto a county seat. It has a population of more than 1 million.
We were interviewed on the radio with a listening audience of close to
3 million. Each member of the team spoke words of life to the people.
We began the crusade, 40 churches supported the meetings and by the third
night there where thousands listening to the message. Jesus had
showed up and was healing people. The power is in the message you
know. More people came to repent and give their lives to Jesus.
WOW! The District Chief Executive, who like the mayor of the region
gave Michael the keys to the area. The Lord will dispatch angels
to minister to those who are actively preaching the Gospel. HEY!
It Gets Better!
We left
Ghana and traveled to Sierra Leone. This nation has been devastated
by an internal war for over 7 years. The rebels have burned down
church buildings, schools, houses and businesses. They have maimed
and killed so many of their own people. The Lord brought us here
to impart hope through the Father’s love and mercy. We conducted
a crusade to the east of Free Town. A city called Calaba Town. This
was the first in its history. Calaba Town is predominately Muslim.
There had never been a crusade out in the open. But from the first
night through the fifth the people kept coming out. There would be
3,000-4,000 people at every meeting. We give all glory to our God
who honors His Word. Over 2,500 people were born again, the blind
received their sight, and several children born deaf received their hearing.
Even one woman who was in her house at the edge of the grounds heard the
message of God’s love. She believed in Jesus and was healed.
She got dressed and came to the meeting climbed on the platform and told
the entire gathering of the wonderful miracle God had done for her.
There was a church that was started right there next to the Crusade grounds.
Michael preached the first message to the newly formed congregation. There
are so many more things that happened but space is not adequate in this
letter to mention it all.
Greetings to all of you in the wonderful name of the Lord Jesus Christ.
This year has come to an end so quickly. It was brought to my attention not only has the year ended but that we have entered into a new millennium. A fresh new day is upon us. We have watched the last 1,000 years of human history come to an end. WOW!
I can not speak too much about the last thousand years but I can tell you this last year has been incredible. The Lord has done so many wonderful things in and through ELIJAH MINISTRIES the space in this publication cannot contain all that should be written to give Him the praise. I humbly thank Him for all His mercies and abundant grace that He has poured out upon us. I am especially thankful to the Lord for blessing us with the provision of people, like yourself, that live to see His purposes established in the earth.
By His grace, through ELIJAH MINISTRIES, hundreds of lives were transformed and brought out of darkness into the light of the love of the Father. More than we can count have experienced His gracious forgiveness, healing and deliverance. New churches were planted in several different nations. Village Pastors and Ministers were encouraged to keep going on in their pursuit of His will to see the world won to the Son. Seminars and conferences were held for Pastors and other ministry leaders in remote areas. These dear saints are many times deprived of the opportunities to be better equipped simply due to their locations and lack of finances. Elijah Ministries is for many in these remote areas a source of refreshing and renewal. We are providing opportunities they would not ordinarily receive; we go to where they are.
This past
year we have traveled to Honduras and El Salvador where we spent quality
time with the Pastors and leaders we have known for several years.
We helped them evangelize more of their areas as well as conduct training
sessions. We returned to West Africa going into a remote village,
Tekobo in the Western Region of Ghana. We conducted street crusades
and leaders training. We laid hands on the elders of a newly planted
church in the village. We witnessed the healing of many suffering from
all sorts of infirmities.
We traveled to Togo and
Benin preaching nightly crusade meetings and conducting daily training
sessions. We visited Berlin Germany and watched many walls come
down in the lives of hundreds. We were taken by the grandeur of
Moscow and were in awe of the vastness of the Russian countryside.
We were brought to weeping as we realized that so many in Russia are without
an ongoing witness of a local body of believers. Many large cities
are without a church that proclaims the Truth of the Word of God.
We traveled to India. There we came face to face with the reality
that millions are living in darkness, being blinded by the god of this
world. We saw how the power of the Gospel opens the eyes of the blind,
and turns people to the light. We witnessed the “Good News” bring
hundreds out of Satan’s power receiving the forgiveness of their sins and
the healing of their bodies. We also traveled to our neighbors to
the North, Vancouver British Columbia, Canada. There, we not only
imparted but were imparted to. We spent some wonderful times with
churches, in Oregon and Washington that are seeking His face and believing
for the presence of the Lord to sweep the Northwest in a powerful fresh
new way.
Yes, this past year has been awesome. But I will say with all confidence, “we ain’t seen nothing yet!” In just a few weeks we are on our way to West Africa once again. We will be conducting crusades in Akim-Oda Ghana and several surrounding villages. Then we will be traveling on to Sierra Leone. This nation has suffered for years the strife of civil war. By His grace we will be returning to Central America, Russia, India and other uttermost places.
Your continued
prayers and your financial support are greatly needed. The more
we go, the greater our responsibility is to disciple these that we are fathering
spiritually. We are continuing to help the Widows and Orphans, and
we are continuing to help support local pastors and evangelists. We
desire to see more churches planted. Together, we will see in this
New Year of this new millennium thousands come to be completely reconciled
to the Father through the blood of the cross of the Lord Jesus Christ.
November 2000
Isaiah 53:1 Begins, “Who has believed our report?...”, that is
kind of how I feel when I try to explain the wonder of the grace of the
Lord as He was revealing Himself alive and the same to the people of the
Tenali region in India. My grandson Matthew and I traveled to this
beautiful land November 5 and remained until 17 November. JohnPaul
Pinapati founder and director of Trinity Evangelical Youth Organization
hosted us. Tenali is a city of over 250,000 people, with over 200
villages surrounding it in a 50-km radius. JohnPaul is a man of great
vision; he has a goal of planting 100 churches in 100 villages by the year
2004. I believe with a little help it will be accomplished. These
people are already white for the harvesting. All that it takes is laborers
to go into the field. Matthew and I were amazed at how the simple
power of the Good News would bring the changes we were able to witness.
We would go into a Hindu village with a couple of young men that worked
with JohnPaul and set up on the street or in an open area and begin to announce
with a sound system to the entire community, “WE HAVE SOME GOOD NEWS FOR
EVERYONE”. The pre-recorded music would be playing and the people
would just begin to arrive. They would crowd into the street or open
area and after a fairly large crowd gathered, the pastor or some other
believer would begin singing praise to the living God. I then would
begin to preach. Remember that these people have no reference to God
as we know God They have over 3 million gods. They have no reference
to the scriptures as being the Word of God. I was so overwhelmed with
humility to stand in a place like this and speak of the wonderful love and
mercy of the Almighty; to tell of the God who created all that is,
and is yet holding all things together. And to announce that He desires
all people to know Him in a personal way through His Son the Lord Jesus
Christ. He loves people so much that through the power of the Holy
Spirit He will minister to their needs immediately. Yes, Jesus
proved Himself alive by many infallible proofs. He opened the eyes
of the blind, unstopped the ears of the deaf, caused cancers to dissipate
and aches and pains to be loosed from people. All people were included;
no one was excluded from the love of the Father. Good News -- Jesus
is no respecter of persons -- anyone who comes to Him finds that He will
receive them. We witnessed His love as people heard of His love for
them, we saw the expression in their eyes as they came out of darkness
into His light. It did not make any difference what time of day it
was. Whether we announced the Good News in the morning or in the night,
the results of Good News is the same...Good Things. The joy of seeing
so many turn to God from their idols was more than I could contain. Many
times I would just begin to weep as we saw the multitudes respond to the
presence of the Lord. Matthew said," there where a bazillion people
saved." There would be a crowd packed around Matthew as he would lay hands
on the sick. Everywhere you would turn there would be more people.
These beautiful people are very religious and very sincere in their beliefs.
They are just deceived and misled. But hearing the truth and turning
to the truth they are transformed. Once deciding for Jesus their
families put them off. The Indians are very tolerant of other religions
but very intolerant of any sort of evangelism. In the villages where
we went and proclaimed the Good News, we had to deal with Hindus who would
set up their own sound system and combat the truth with the chanting of
lies. Hey! Guess who wins out? We were preaching in the
street one night and right in the middle of my message a Hindu woman came
very quickly to the front with two of her friends or relatives. She
was clutching close to her breast an infant. The child was crying
uncontrollably and the woman was almost hysterical. She had heard
the Good News over the sound system in her house that was a distance away.
When she came and saw the crowd she did not hesitate but just proceeded
right up to where I was. I turned to see the look of desperation
on her face and I reached out and touched the baby. The baby was like
it was on fire. At the touch of my hand the power of the Lord was present
to heal. Immediately the child began to cool and a calm peace settled
over her and the mother. All this right in front of the crowd.
Isn’t it great that God does things openly. The people were very encouraged
as they heard more Good News. When the time came for them to respond
it was incredible. We found out the next day that this woman had
taken her child to the doctors but they said there was nothing they could
do, and sent her away. I am so glad that Jesus will turn no one away.
In a land that has over 3 million gods the truth is Jesus is above them
all, and at His name all these that are named and some that are not must
bow.
ELIJAH MINISTRIES is a great commission ministry. Our mission
is to serve the Lord by sharing the unconditional love of the Father in real
ways that allow people to experience the reality of the Father’s presence
in their lives. We are determined to go back and help JohnPaul
reach his goal of 100 churches in 100 villages. We will need your
help. Your prayer support is absolutely essential. We need
more finances. Travel is a continual expense to the ministry.
More and more Elijah Ministries is being looked to for helping these
ministries get established. We are presently helping support orphanages
in Africa, India and Russia. We are providing finances to help
keep pastors on the field in many out of the way places. I simply
encourage you to consider planting a financial seed on a regular basis
into Elijah Ministries. I promise you it will go towards the building
of the kingdom of God and reaching of the world. You might say, “What
could I possibly do to help.” For example, $55.00 will buy a bicycle
that will enable a pastor to travel to several villages. $20.00
will enable a pastor and his entire family to live well for a month so
as to concentrate on equipping new believers. Any amount will be
used to help bring the light into the darkness. When they hear the
Good News they respond. But how can they hear if no one tell them
and how can the tellers tell unless they be sent. I am so thankful that
there are people like you who are involved in this ministry. Together
we are making a difference. Jesus said go into all the world, even
the utter-most places. Our ministry is a kind of one of those utter-most
place sort. Matthew and I saw no other white people in the Tenali area
for 15 days. We were a peculiar people. We stuck out. The Lord
reminded me that this is the way it should always be. I need to live
my life in such a way that I stick out from the crowd and that His glory will
be evident. May the Glory of the risen Lord be radiant upon you as
you live for Him.
October 2000...
The time has quickly passed since the last time I communicated with you. It seems like I just returned from Central America. Upon returning from Central America, on Sept. 16, my grandson, Matthew Sharp and I ministered in the Vancouver area of Brithish Columbia Canada. We met some truly great brothers and sisters in the Lord there. One day on Grouse Mountain overlooking the delta valley, I believe I saw the Lord in a prophetic vision. He was moving powerfully in that entire delta region of British Columbia a move that would spread out all over the earth. I encourage you to be in prayer for that area and begin to watch as the Lord unfolds His wondrous plan. A great big thank you to Rev. John and Holly Roddam and the people of St. David’s Anglican Church who hosted us. Super very good abundant blessings to Pastors Randy and Christine Emerson and the saints of the Cloverdale Christian Fellowship. George and Libby Harris were part of the team as well. These two are the best. The Lord truly used George and Libby to touch many lives. Everyone treated us so well. We give praise and honor and thanks to the Lord for the work of ministry He did in the lives of the many people who were part of the meetings in the Vancouver B.C. area. We believe that we will hear the good report of what the Lord will continue to do in and through the folks there.
After returning home to Norwich, we were involved with our home church, the Norwich Worship Center, in an intense community outreach day of evangelism that saw 137 people repent and believe on the Lord Jesus and be born again. Yeh! Right in New England on a public Green, outside in the open. The church honored the city leaders and publicly blessed them. The people of the Norwich Worship Center are some of the best in the world.
Then we began the preparation for the trip to Russia. Thank all of you for your prayers. In a very quick time we were able to acquire our visas. Paul Hammand, a long time brother and one of the worship leaders in the Norwich Worship Center traveled with Matthew Sharp and me to Russia. For Paul this was his second visit. He went on mission to Russia in 1993. Paul speaks Russian, Matthew and I have trouble with English; well I do anyway. On 3 October we were off, heading for a great adventure for the sake of the gospel. We arrived in Moscow on 4 October. Thank God for Paul who was able to give us direction to get around the airport and customs. We came to Moscow to meet with Pastor Johannes Matutius of Berlin. He knew the pastors that were invovled in the conference we were to attend. However, 2 days before our leaving for Russia I received word from Johannes that he must remain in Berlin and we were on our own. PRAISE GOD! The brothers in the conference were wonderful in receiving us into there midst. After the first night we descovered that we had received some wrong information about the conference. We thought it was to last through 9 October. But In reality it was over on the night of 5 October. What were we to do? God is so great. He hooked us up with a young pastor named Yuri. Yuri spoke English and helped us so much. The Russian people are very friendly and helpful. We made it to RED SQUARE. I could not resist, I blew my Shofar! Many people heard “the Shout of the Lord” in the midst of Red Square. A police officer told me I must stop! Yuri helped us purchase our train tickets to Perm, a city in the North. It was then that we left Paul in Moscow. We made connections with the Bishop of the Moscow region at the conference and Paul was to minister in churches in Moscow. Matthew and I were off to the North. We missed our first train that we had tickets for and Yuri had to leave us on our own as he had his own train to catch. I left Matthew guarding the luggage on the platform of the train station amidst some 500 or more people. What a brave guy. Without whining or complaining he sat on the bags as if daring anyone to touch them. I went to the ticket booth that was about ¼ mile away and began communicating with sign language mixed with broken English and Spanish and traded our tickets for some new ones and away we went on a 24 hour train ride to the North. ''It doesn't get any better than this!'' Why Spanish you ask? Hey, when you are trying to comminicate you draw on every source you have. Who really cares if they understand or not, you are in a hurry! We arrived in Perm 4 days earlier than expected. Remember Johannes is not with us. He has the phone numbers of the pastor in Perm. Matthew and I get off the train at 11:30 pm. We do not know anyone in Perm. WOW! What a life. We walked around the train station for a short time. Perm is a city of 1.75 Million people, so you would think some one would speak English and be in the train station at 11:30 at night, but no! Then by God's grace a young man named Alexander came near and I asked him if he spoke any english. He did. He tried to help us find the phone number of the pastor, but could not. He took us by taxi to a hotel and we checked in for the night, trusting God to work out the details. Early the next morning we received a phone call in our hotel room. The person spoke English! She was the secretary of the New Testament Church in Perm, our host church-the place we were looking for.
How she found us I still do not know. But now we were found and we were scheduled to travel even further North to some cities very near Siberia. We stayed with a pastor and his family in Solimsk a city of 110 thousand. Their church is the only church that preaches the gospel in that city. We conducted leadership training and preached in a Sunday service. We also traveled to Berezniki, a city of 180 thousand. In this city,this is the only church that preaches the gospel. We preached in a Sunday meeting,and many repented, believed and received new life in Jesus. There were a few healings, hearing restored to a deaf woman,an ankle bone straightened out in another, but most of all the people experienced the loving presence of the living God. We conducted meetings for the leaders in Berezniki as well. From there we traveled on to Gubakha, a very poor and depressed mining community of 50 thousand. This area was once very properous but the mines played out and now there are almost no jobs. The area also is the home for several prisons and orphanages. What a place of darkness. Thank God we are in the light business. The church there is called New Life Church and the pastor is a man who follows after God with his whole heart. We preached in a meeting and encouraged the people. Many responded to the good news and came to Jesus. What is so exciting is that it must be remembered that almost all of the people, the pastors included, are less than 10 years old in the Lord. All the churches, even the New Testament Church in Perm which has more than 2000 members, are less than 10 years old in the Lord. It is so refreshing to be with people who are excited at hearing the word of God; people who have sacrificed so much in life and now are experiencing the best of life in Christ. They may not have much materially but they believe that their freedom of life in Christ Jesus is the most rewarding of all. We traveled back to Perm and I taught one day in their Bible School. New Testament Church in Perm has planted 84 churches in the Perm reigon and in neighboring areas from the graduates of the Bible School. On Saturday Matthew and I were off again. We headed out North and East of the city of Perm going into the areas where there is almost no work of the Lord being done. We ministered the gospel in small communities ranging from 200 to 9,000. We worked with Pastor Andrey, a graduate of the Bible School in Perm. He would walk 25km to one village to bring the good news. There are yet places in this region that the community administration will not allow christians to come to teach and preach the bible. Matthew and I were able to go into one of these communities, Sadke a community of 250 people. God is beginning new things all over Russia. What a privilege to be a part of this work.
We closed out this incredible adventure with meetings
in the New Testament Church, Perm. We preached in the three meetings
they have on Sunday. Their meeting hall is about 40’x110’ and at
every meeting over 800 people are crowding into the hall. We were
blessed to see many repent and believe on the Lord Jesus. More than
200 people at every meeting responded to the messages. Matthew in
the evening meeting shared a verse in the Psalm. 44:3 “.it was by
the might and power of the Lord who delivered the people because of His
favor and not the strength of the people.” The people were taken with
emotion as the Holy Spirit was being manifest in their midst.
An awesome presence of the Lord was in the meetings. Every place we
went people where asking when are we coming back.
RUSSIA WE WILL BE BACK!
In the first of November we are off to
India. We will be ministering in the southeastern region near the
city of Madras. We will be going into the rural areas once again.
We will preach, teach, and minister the gospel in the power of the Holy
Spirit. We are learning to make ourselves servants of all that we
might win the more for the Lord Jesus. We will serve the people. build
up and encourage the pastors and leaders conducting seminars and training.
We will also be involved in a crusade in a rural area. Pray! Pray!
Pray!
September 11, 2000 Reporting on the time spent in Central America:
The team arrived in Honduras on 24 July, and on 25 July we were out in the villages of the Island called El Tigre. This Island is in the Gulf of Fonseca. Amapala is the major population center; the island’s total population is 11,000, made up of several villages. In years past the Lord has wonderfully revealed His presence through the unity that has been established since our first visit in 1997. Chris Colter and I have been here several times before. This was the first time for Jeff Lussier and Loring Hammond to be with us on a mission trip. They did awesome. The Team went from house to house telling of the love of God and of the Gospel. The gospel-the power of God that transforms people totally. There is power in the life of Jesus to save, heal and deliver all that place their trust in Him. We were witnesses to miracles of God's grace and mercy. We were present when people turned from a life of sin to newness of life in Jesus. We laid hands on the sick and before our eyes witnessed their recovery. Jesus is Alive, and the same today as He ever was. He has imparted His authority and power to His followers. While we were there we were called upon to minister to the church. The spirit of division had crept in and there was opportunity for the enemy to win a major battle among the people of God. The people, because they saw problems in the leadership were withholding their tithes and offerings. The church, which is not wealthy, was suffering because of this. To compound the troubles we were informed that the fishing had been very bad. It had not been normal for several months. I began to inquire of the Lord what the problem was. As clearly as can be I believe the Lord said, "I can not rebuke the devourer from there midst because they are robbing me.” On Sunday morning 6 August 2000 I was able to address the church that gathered on the beach at Playa Grande for the morning meeting. I told them what I believe the Lord said. I preached on the matter. Chris Colter taught on principles of giving. I called for repentance. God in His grace and mercy poured out His Spirit. People came and repented and gave an offering. They were determined to end the issue. We anointed a large cloth with oil and the pastors and the team members with me laid hands on the cloth. We took the cloth and went out into the water where the gulf opens to the sea. The sky was clear, the sun was brilliant and the water was as crystal. I blew the Shofar, called on the God of heaven, poured oil upon the water and struck the water with the cloth. In the small fishing boat we prayed and spoke to the breaking of the curse. I cried out for the Lord to forgive us His people and heal the waters. We were almost out of sight to the people that remained on the beach. But when they heard the blowing of the Shofar, they came forth with a great shout of triumph.
The Island
is in the Background 
When we
arrived back on the beach we were greeted with enthusiasm. We all
began to praise the Lord and give Him glory. We all sensed that something
had happen. We did not see the immediate results but there was a
genuine sense that all was well.The next day the three team members left
to return to the United States. I remained in Central America.
I traveled to El Salvador and spent the next 4 weeks in La Union El Salvador.
I ministered to several of the churches there on the topic they chose;
The foundations of a New Testament Church. WOW! Was I excited.
Laying the foundations according to the Word of God concerning His church.
The time went so quickly. Upon my returning to Honduras as I stepped
onto the landing from the small fishing boat I was in. I asked the
first person I saw, "How's the fishing been?" The man, not a member of
the church began to tell me that the fishing began to improve when the
church went out onto the waters and healed the waters. I began to
rejoice in spirit and truth. Our God is sooooo goood! He brings
life to those dead in they trespasses and sins, heals their infirmities,
sets them free of Satan's oppression and heals their waters to provide for
their needs. I left Central America on 4 September filled with joy and freshness
and a renewed faith in the God of the impossible.
June 28, 2000
Greetings
to you in the matchless name of Jesus, Who is ALIVE and the SAME!
Just returned from Germany, here are some highlights. Gnade und mit euch
und Friede von Gott, userm Vater, und dem Hern Jesus Christus! For
those of us who do not read Deutsche (German) Grace to you
and peace
from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ!
The E LIJAH
MINISTRIES team of Sandra, Chris Colter and Allison (Promise) Riley and
myself returned from Germany. Before we went we requested that
you would be in intercession for us; thank you for the labor of your
love in your remembering us. There was a definite change in the
atmosphere over the people in the area of Berlin where we ministered.
Before our leaving the USA the Lord gave me a picture of a flock of black
birds that were over the city of Berlin. Then as a light came and
begin to shine the birds began to lift off the city and fly away.
So many people in the city of Berlin appeared to be living under oppression
and without a great deal of joy and excitement of being alive even believers.
Can you imagine a believer not being excited about being alive? I
know it's hard to believe but we found some in Berlin. It was as if
they desired to be
some one
else... to live someone else's life. During a prayer time before
one of the evening meetings Sandra said, " This may sound funny, but I
think the Lord is saying to me that the old song, "bye-bye, Black Birds"
is very significant. In the song there is a line that goes ..."pack
up all your cares and woes here we go singing.... bye, bye black birds".
The cares and woes of many where going to go. The team with me was awesome.
They loved, lifted and liberated the people they met. They compassionately
spoke the word of God into peoples lives with power. There were many who
experienced the joy of the Lord, many were healed emotionally and set
free, there were several physical healings and several who were saved.
One elderly man in his late sixties believed and received new life in
Jesus and his legs strengthened and freed from pain. A dear
lady 91 years old, Mary, was in a wheel chair for several years and had
not stood up on her on for a long time was able to stand on her own and
take a few step with help. On Pentecost Sunday in the evening
service
some 160 people came to be baptized in the Holy Spirit. The people had
not had such a fresh expression of the love of Jesus as they experienced
from this team. We went out on the streets of Berlin handed out
tracts, and preached the good news. There are literally thousands of
people that
are out on the streets, shopping, going to work etc.. Promise, the clown,
was her usual wonderful attraction. Her bright infectious smile
and colorful attire brought many into the area near her they stopped as
she made balloon animals for the children and as they were standing near
we preached Jesus to them. A clown sort of dis-arms people.
Hey, Whatever It Takes! Right? The team shared the ministry times
during the meetings at night, Chris Colter preached awesome
messages,
the people loved him. Sandra, with her only as Sandra can, broke down
barriers in people lives and they just began to tell her their whole life's
story. Allowing her to speak lovingly and compassionately with bold
truth into their lives. The team returned to the US before me,
they left
on the 7th of June I remained until the 20th; I was sorry to see them
go. KEEP YOUR EYES OPEN TO BERLIN. The atmosphere is changing
over this great city. On Thursday 8 June, 2000 I was blessed to be
present at a pastors meeting. There were some 35-40 pastors present.
I was so humbled by these faithful men and women who have overcome many
obstacles to preach the gospel. Many where present before the Wall
came down in, 1989. When I heard some of their personal struggles
and their testimonies of how they trusted in the Lord even during times
of risk of
life and
family I was moved with great emotion. I asked myself, "would I have
paid the price?" Would I have had a testimony of the faithfulness
of God? Many of these our brothers have been through the fire and
are overcomers. They must pay great amounts of money for renting
the places they are using as church buildings. Many must share facilities.
Yet they continue on in the joy of the Lord. It was at his meeting
that there were four unscheduled guests present. An evangelist from
Argentina, a prayer apostle from Sweden, the founder and director of ORA
an International Mission Organization with outreach in over 39 countries
some of which support the under ground church in closed nations, and me.
The four of us where asked to speak a little.
Well let
me tell you, the Lord brought forth a single voice from the four of us
that opened up heaven over that place and the Spirit of God was released.
The spirit of unity was felt by all, the sense of strength came upon each
person. The vision of Berlin being set on fire with the Holy Ghost
was declared and the pastors where in agreement to go to the streets and
begin to vangelize. To preach openly out side seeking to bring
the gospel to all of Berlin. There was a sense of the casting off
of any spirit of competition. And a an attitude of, " we all need
each other for the body to be seen alive strong and fit" prevailed. The
people of Germany and especially Berlin have a dislike for the church.
They are forced by law to support the state church through paying tax.
They must pay! People do not differenciate between the state church
and non-denominational churches. Church is church, if you've seen
one you've seen them all. But the "Black Birds" are on notice, they must
go Bye, Bye the church is soon to be seen in a different light. On Pentecost
Sunday 160 churches in Berlin joined together in their individual places
of worship and held praise and prayer meetings from 10:00 PM until pass
midnight. In the spirit of worship they cried out
for the
city and for unity to come to the church in Berlin. At the
stroke of 12 midnight those church buildings that had bells began to sound
the alarm... Bye, Bye Black Birds! All over the city you could hear
the bells ringing this went on for more than 15 minutes. There was a sense
that something broke over the city. Through our coming to Berlin more doors
have been opened to enter into other nations. Romania, Bulgaria, Russia,
Pakistan and Yugoslavia. Thank you Father
that you
are faithful. Elijah Ministries is an apostolic prophetic ministry that
is being released to the nations to bring about change. To establish
the purposes of God in this generation. Your support of prayer
and finances are enabling these nations to be touched in a new way.
Elijah Ministries is to the nations a fresh expression of Truth. We do not
have any new truth we are merely a fresh new way of declaring the Truth of
the Living God. You are part of this expression, where we go you go
with us. Auf Wiedersehen! STAY BLESSED!