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July 25, 2002
Hi
everybody! Wow! It's been a very exciting and blessed two months. I hope
I can convey at least some of the highlights of what's been happening.
First
of all, Lisa and I, after our trip to England and Ireland together, are
sharing more and more of a vision for ministering as a team. Even though
there still looks to be a season where I'll be off on my own quite a bit,
we've tasted the joys of flowing in the Holy Spirit together, and we are
trusting God to bring us to the place where we can do it more.
But even when Lisa has to stay home, the Lord still manifests His presence
and blesses folks! My last trip "down south" – which, for a Michigan guy
includes Maryland, Virginia, and North Carolina – was one delightful time
after another of refreshing and grace.
First of all, in Catonsville, just outside of Baltimore, I got to enjoy
several days with Pastor Larry Gary and the saints of Christian Life Fellowship.
The passion of this church to press on into the life of the Holy Spirit
is wonderful to behold – and contagious, too! On Friday night the Lord
gave me a picture of that church as a crew of stokers, feeding the fires
of the engine room of a big warship. It's not a job everyone would enjoy,
but they seemed to be reveling in the heat! By the end of Sunday morning
the presence of God was so strong that I actually needed several people
to hold me up so I could pray for folks!
From there I went south to Norfolk, Va. From sharing a few songs on Tuesday
night at a conference in Plymouth, to a concert at a Church of God on
Wednesday night, to leading worship and sharing songs for a three-day
outdoor "Gospelfest," to another rich time on Sunday morning at Ken Gerry's
church, New Life Christian Center – the whole week was full of grace and
glory. It was especially good to see how a number of churches in that
area are coming together in the name of Jesus to transform their community.
After a few days of rest (including a bird-watching visit to the Great
Dismal Swamp!), I visited Warren Marcus' work, the Renewal and Revival
Center, in Lynchburg, Va. Warren produces video and television programs
both for Jerry Falwell and for the Toronto Airport Christian Fellowship.
Friday night we enjoyed a small but intimate gathering there, very different
in flavor from many of my other meetings, but sweet with the fragrance
of Jesus.
Then it was on to Raleigh, N.C., where I enjoyed the fellowship of Pastor
Jeff and Sheila Burns and Christ Community Church. Sunday morning was
a time of high celebration and genuine light-heartedness in the Father's
house. It seemed to be a morning when the Lord just wanted to bless and
refresh His faithful children who had been serving Him very diligently.
One highlight was an entirely impromptu rendition of "The Bishop of Ourz,"
a parody of the classic MGM musical, "The Wizard of Oz," that I wrote
several years ago. I had previously produced it with a cast of three,
but this one-man show was a first!
From Raleigh, I headed north (after a quick visit with my Uncle Willard
near Charlotte), and ministered at four services for Pastor John Heiss
of Martinsville Christian Fellowship. The first night was a delightful
refreshing, and it just got better and better from there! Probably the
best moment of the whole weekend was on Saturday night. A young lady who
had seemed to be somewhat less than enthusiastic about what was happening,
came forward at my invitation and allowed me to pray for her. As I began,
I had a mental picture of Jesus with His heart all aflame. He reached
into His heart with His hands and brought out the fire, and then placed
it into her heart! I shared this with her, and then just prayed, "Do it,
Lord!" The next thing I knew, she was on the floor, laughing with a release
of the joy of the Lord and evidently having the most wonderful time in
His presence! She was the same way all day Sunday too. This is the best
thing about this life of ministry: seeing people transformed, set free,
brought into a whole new realm of life simply by an encounter with the
Holy Spirit!
I returned home after this, overwhelmed by the goodness and grace of God
I had seen in action. After a couple of weeks enjoying my wife, my house,
and even my cats(!) I went up to Toronto for a few days of the Let the
River Flow conference. As always, the presence of God was powerful, refreshing,
stirring, and challenging for the thousands who attended. Friday night
was an exceptionally "high" time. Not only did I get to sing a song, by
request of Peter Jackson, the evening's speaker, but at one point in his
message (which was punctuated at strategic intervals by the sounds of
massive waves crashing on the shore, played by a CD over the awesome sound
system!) people started to splash and sprinkle water from their water
bottles (it was very hot up there) on all their neighbors! I realize this
sounds a bit strange for a church service, but it really was a fantastic
spontaneous illustration of how we are all to be so full of the Spirit's
living water that we can refresh and delight everyone around us. Well
– this has taken a lot longer to write than I planned. I'm off for California
tomorrow, where Lisa will join me for the final week. We'll keep in touch!
