Redeemer Ministry School on Friday

 

On Friday I will be teaching on two of the most radical revivalists from the 20th century, Jack Coe (left) and A.A. Allen (right). We will look at video clips of the two men, hear audio testimony from R.W. Schambach of "the greatest miracle" he has ever seen, and we will discuss Coe and Allen's impact on modern Christianity. 

A Congressman is Healed!

William D. Upshaw was born near Atlanta in 1866. He grew up as a farmboy until the age of 18. While doing his chores one day he fell on the crosspiece of a hay wagon and fractured his spine. The accident caused him to be paralyzed from the waist down. He spent the majority of the next seven years confined to his bed.

William had become a Christian shortly before the accident and depended strongly upon The Lord for strength during that time. He was a gifted writer and poet. His work was often published in the local newspaper "The Sunny South".

In time, William regained some mobility and was able to use crutches and a wheelchair. He writings were published into a book titled Earnest Willie.  The money earned from the book allowed him to attend Mercer College when he was 29 years old. 

In 1918 William Upshaw was elected to the U.S. House of Representatives. He was reelected in 1920, 1922, and 1924. In 1932 he was the presidential candidate of The Prohibition Party. From 1933-1952 he was the president of the National Christian Citizen Foundation. As their president he traveled the country preaching against alcohol and communism. He also had served on two separate occasions as the vice-president of The Southern Baptist Convention.

On the evening of May 2, 1951 a 85 year old William Upshaw attended a William Branham crusade meeting at the Calvary Temple in Los Angeles. At the outset of the meeting William Branham spoke from the microphone of a vision he was seeing in the moment, "A young man falling from a hay stack and breaking his back. A doctor with a white mustache and glasses that sit low on his nose, working on the young man, but to no avail. The youngster grows to become a famous person who writes books. People are applauding him." 

William Upshaw notified one of the ushers that he was the man from that vision. The ushers in turn told Branham the the man from his vision is in attendance and that the man is a former U.S. congressman. They brought Upshaw to Branham in his wheelchair. Upshaw asked, "My son, how  did you know that I fell and hurt myself as a boy?" 

Branham responded, " I can't tell you sir. I only say what I see."

Upshaw said, "God bless you my boy."

Then Branham prayed for people in the healing lines. Upshaw later said that people all around him were being healed of their ailments. After much ministry time had passed William Branham was so exhausted that he needed to be helped out when ministry time ended. William Upshaw was still in his wheelchair. 

As Braham was being helped away he saw another vision. This vision was not of William Upshaw's accident but rather it was a vision of a healthy William Upshaw walking without crutches. William Branham spoke of what he saw and the pastor of Calvary Temple, Leroy Kopp, rushed to the microphone and announced that William Branham said that , "The congressman is healed!"

William Upshaw immediately stood and walked toward the pulpit. It was the first time he had walked without crutches in over 66 years. William Upshaw would have full use of his legs until he passed away on November 21, 1952.

Before William Upshaw died he published his healing testimony in a tract that was delivered to every Senator and each member of The House of Representatives, President Truman, Winston Churchill, and King George of England.

Passing the Healing Baton

(William Branham & Oral Roberts)

Dr. Charles Price and Smith Wigglesworth were famous worldwide for the healings that took place through their ministries. They were seemingly as different as two men with the same vocation could possibly be. Price was professorial, articulate and proper. Wigglesworth was illiterate well into his adult years, spoke brusquely, and seemed to have no awareness of social niceties.

During their later years they both independently prophesied that God was going to bring about a healing revival soon after their lives were over. Wiggleworth and Price passed away within 5 days of each other in March of 1947.

The expected revival of healing seemed to occur within months of Price and Wigglesworth passing. In the spring of 1947 both Oral Roberts and William Branham began to attract international attention through their healing ministries. Oral Roberts was tall, handsome, well educated, and gifted at building organizations. William Branham was more country than chicken fried chicken, uneducated, and seemed awkwardly uncomfortable talking about himself or his ministry.  They were as different as... well, Charles Price and Smith Wigglesworth.

These are the two men that were the catalysts of The Voice of Healing era that lasted throughout the 1950's. 

Friday Morning in RMS

Tomorrow morning in RMS we will be studying the healing ministries of the late 1940's and 1950's. It is a period often referred to as The Voice of Healing era. The Voice of Healing was a newsletter organized and edited by Gordon Lindsay. Lindsay later founded Christ for the Nations in Dallas, Texas.

One of My Favorite Smith Wigglesworth Stories

One night when Smith Wigglesworth was praying for people at a meeting in England a young man came up to him. The young man had bandages covering his neck with a feeding tube sticking out. Wigglesworth, as usual, spoke loudly in his harsh Yorkshire accent, "What's up?" That was Wigglesworth's way of asking, "What's your story?" The young man replied very faintly in a voice just above a whisper that he had surgery on his voice box and now could only eat through a tube. The boy then meekly asked if there was anything that God could do for someone like him. Wigglesworth responded in a bellow, "Of course He can - unless He has forgotten how to make voice boxes!" He put his hands on the boy's throat and prayed. He then told the boy to go straight home and eat a meal of meat and potatoes. The young man said that would be impossible since he could only be fed through the tube and that he was completely unable to swallow. Wigglesworth put his hands on the boy and turned him around. He gave him a gentle push and said, "Go on your way and do as you are told. Be not faithless, but believing."

The next evening the young man returned. He came forward still wearing the bandages on his throat. Wigglesworth looked at him and asked, "What are you doing here? I prayed for you last night." The young man said that he wanted to tell him what happened the night before. Wigglesworth immediately turned the young man around to face the congregation and told him to tell the everyone his story. The young man said that he went home and did what was asked of him. He asked his mother to make him a meal of meat and potatoes. She of course resisted due to his health restrictions. He explained to her that the preacher told him that he must eat meat and potatoes. That convinced his mother enough to begin cooking. Once the food was finally in front of him he was terrified. It had been a very, very long time since he had eaten anything in the normal manner. He put the first bite into his mouth. He chewed...and he chewed...and he chewed. Finally he tried to swallow and succeeded. There was no pain! He ate that plate of meat and potatoes and then croaked out still in a voice barely above a whisper that he would like another plate. His mother, while shocked, made her son more food. Then he asked for yet a third plate of meat and potatoes. After devouring the third helping, he spoke to thank his mother for her cooking. As he said "Thank You" his voice was strong and loud for the first time since the surgery. The congregation was amazed at the testimony of what God had done.

Wigglesworth listened silently until the story was finished and then asked the question that was burning in his mind. "Why are you still wearing those bandages?" The young man explained that he had an appointment at the hospital the next day to have the feeding tube removed. Wigglesworth replied, "What The Lord has begun, He can complete." He gently put each of his hands on opposite sides of the feeding tube and slowly began to draw it out of the young man's throat until it was fully removed. The people in attendance were astonished. Then Wigglesworth called for the pastor of the church and some his leadership team. He told them that what they are about to see they probably had never seen anything like it before and very well may never witness anything like it again. Wigglesworth then removed the bandages revealing a gaping hole in the young man's neck. He placed his hand on the skin of his throat and while praying pushed the skin together between his fingers. He then asked The Lord to seal what was once open. When Smith removed his hand the throat was completely whole with no signs of scarring.

This account was told on an old audio recording that I have of George Stormont, a British minister that was friends with both Smith Wigglesworth and the pastor of the church where this miracle took place. This story came not from Wigglesworth, but from the pastor that witnessed the event with his leadership team.

Jesus in a Year

I just finished reading Ed Dobson's book "The Year of Living Like Jesus" this morning. This work was inspired by A.J. Jacob's book of a similar title, "The Year of Living Biblically." Jacob's is a Jewish man trying to get in touch with the Torah while Dobson is a former pastor endeavoring to emulate the life of Jesus.

"The Year of Living like Jesus" was a quick, interesting read for me. I began it on Monday evening and in just a few sittings had it completed this (Wednesday) morning. I have a feeling the questions that arose while reading will take me much longer to ponder than the actual time it took me to read the book.

Besides growing out his beard during the year of living like Jesus, Dobson set out to:

• Eat Kosher (no meat and dairy in the same meal, no rare meat etc.)
• Give to anyone who asks for anything
• Spend time relating to people in bars and other "drinking" situations
• Fast
• Spend time alone in a desolate area
• Pray often
• Observe the Sabbath
• Dress Modestly
• Observe Jewish Holidays.                                                        

He found many of the things listed above to more arduous than he expected. Part of the difficulty is due to Dobson's  battle with Lou Gehrig's disease (ALS). The progression of the disease made much of his journey understandably more difficult and complicated. In fact, I found his perseverance to be heroic at times.

"The Year of Living Like Jesus" did not give me a list of ways to follow Jesus that were easily transferable to my own life. I think I was hoping that I could cut and paste his story into my own and follow Jesus in new, practical ways after finishing the book. I did experience through Dobson's brutally transparent memoirs several light bulb moments that will keep me thinking way beyond the last page of the book.

I have found myself asking God to heal him of ALS even this morning. If you would like to get a better understanding of Ed Dobson, this book and other things he is working on go to livingjesusly.com.

Redeemer Ministry School

This Friday in RMS we will be studying the lives of Smith Wigglesworth (left) and Dr. Charles Price (right)in Kingdom of God II. They both had healing ministries but their methods were vastly different.

We will also cover what I call "the 1907 connection" in the history of the Moves of God. It involves John Alexander Dowie, Aimee Semple Mcpherson, Smith Wigglesworth, and Katherine Kuhlman.

John G. Lake - The first 30 years

John G. Lake was born March 18, 1870 in St. Mary’s Ontario. His family moved to the Upper Peninsula of Michigan when he was a child. He was one of 16 children. He described his childhood by saying, “For 32 years some member of our family was an invalid…During this period our home was never without the shadow of sickness.” He remembers growing up with, “sickness, doctors, nurses, hospitals, hearses, funerals, graveyards and tombstones; a sorrowing household; a broken hearted mother and a grief-stricken father; struggling to forget the sorrows of the past in order to assist the living members of the family who needed their love and care.”

As a young man in the early 1890’s he moved to Harvey, Illinois and started the newspaper “The Harvey Citizen”. He met his wife Jennie while in Harvey – she was from Newberry, Michigan. They married on February 5, 1893. Sometime within the next 2 years Lake went to one of John Alexander Dowie’s healing homes. Lake had rheumatism that affected his legs. “There…the power of God surged through his body and straightened his legs” after an older man laid hands on him. Two years into John and Jennie’s marriage she became dreadfully ill with Tuberculosis and heart disease. The amount of medicine (including nitroglycerine) caused her to be unconscious often and a virtual invalid.

However, three family members were healed after being taken to the healing homes:
• One of his brothers who had been an invalid due to internal bleeding for 22 years.
• His 34 year old sister that had breast cancer.
• Another sister that was dying from a disease in her blood.

But yet still another sister was extremely ill and was not recovering even after lots of prayer. Lake was going to take her to the healing homes but before he could he received a phone call from his mom that said she was dying and that he must hurry if he wants to see her before she passes. When Lake arrived she was unconscious, without a pulse, mourners in the room, and his sister’s baby in a crib. He paced the room and refused to believe that death was the only option. He thought of Dowie. He sent Dowie a telegraph saying, “my sister has apparently died, but my spirit will not let her go. I believe if you will pray, God will heal her.”

Dowie telegraphed back, “Hold on to God. I am praying. She will live.”

That telegraph ignited Lake’s faith and he rebuked death in Jesus’ name. Within an hour she was completely revived. Five days later she ate Christmas dinner with her family in complete health.
The Lake family moved back to Sault Saint Marie in 1898. Doctors said nothing more could be done for her condition. One local minister told Lake that he should resign himself to imminent death.
On April 28, 1898 John G. Lake was understandably angry. He had grown up surrounded by death and sickness. In the past several years he had personally experienced the healing power of God. But his wife still lay marginally comatose on the verge of death. He paced the house in mounting frustration. Then he hurled his bible against the mantle of the fireplace. It fell with a thud open on the floor. He bent down and looked at it. It lay open to Acts 10:38, "God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with The Holy Ghost and power: who went about doing good, and healing all that were oppressed of the devil; for God was with Him." Lake’s mind erupted with revelation. God did not cause the sickness. GOD DID NOT CAUSE THE SICKNESS! He suddenly knew what he thought he already believed. It was God’s will for Jennie to be healed. He then announced to no human in particular and the entire spirit world in specific that Jennie would be healed at 9:30 am that very day. He then telegraphed Dowie to let him know that she would be healed at precisely 9:30 am.

When the announced time came Lake was praying. He heard a sound come from Jennie. Her voice was stronger than it had been in years. She arose, healthy and restored by God. Her 9:30 am healing became national news via newspapers. Soon people began travel in large numbers to the Upper Peninsula to get prayer for healing. It is there that a ministry was birthed that would eventually take them all the way to Africa.

Furious Love

HEARTSTONE PICTURES PRESENTS WORLD PREMIERE OF
"FURIOUS LOVE" AT Redeemer Fellowship Church
ON FEBRUARY 14, 2010

Documentary Film Asks, "Is There a Limit to God's Love?"
One Man Journeys To the Darkest Spiritual Places on Earth to Find Out

Richmond, TX (February 5, 2010) - On February 14, churches around the globe will unite for the world premiere of Wanderlust Pictures' "Furious Love" (www.furiouslovethemovie.com), the much-anticipated sequel to Director Darren Wilson's "Finger of God" which chronicles his 18-month journey into some of the darkest spiritual places on earth to test the limits of God's love. Showtime for this 90-minute feature film is 6pm at Redeemer Fellowship Church, 5305 Evergreen Dr. in Monroe, Michigan.
In this thought-provoking film, Wilson visits a prayer tent for the demon possessed in Africa, a den of heroine addicts in Madrid and an annual gathering of witches in Salem, Massachusetts. He also discovers and witnesses the unrelenting nature and depth of God's love as he captures the experiences of the persecuted church in India and the oppressed victims of sex trafficking in Thailand.

Tickets to attend the premiere showing are $5 per person (parental discretion advised for children under 10). Proceeds collected from movie admission will support Redeemer Fellowship Church, the filmmaker and HeartStone Pictures (www.heartstonepictures.com).

"Imagine if the church became the primary influence of our society instead of Hollywood?" says Sondra Martin-Hicks, founder and CEO of HeartStone Pictures, adding that "Powerful faith-based films with great storytelling that are free of nudity, sex scenes and cuss words are what families can expect from HeartStone Pictures films, giving families an entertainment alternative filled with the truth of the Gospel."

According to Bill Johnson, senior pastor, Bethel Church in Redding, Calif., "This film captures His message in such a way that is sure to stir the hearts of millions, releasing them into the great harvest fields with an authentic Gospel of power, purity and love. For that reason, I highly recommend 'Furious Love' to everyone. It will strengthen the local church and increase our impact on the world. "

To obtain tickets to "Furious Love," or for more information, contact Trevor Robinson at 734 625 5898 or at trevorrorkerobinson@gmail.com.

HeartStone Pictures is a distributor of family-friendly, faith-based films that represent great storytelling by gifted filmmakers using their talents for the glory of God. Sondra Martin-Hicks, founder and CEO of HeartStone Pictures, created a new paradigm for filmmakers and churches to reap what they sow: Ticket sales from showings of feature films are evenly divided between the church group hosting the event, the filmmaker and HeartStone Pictures.


"Furious Love" is documentary film about Darren Wilson's journey into the heart of darkness to find out if God's love can really overcome anything. Wilson set out to explore the extent of God's unconditional love, hoping to move head knowledge to heart change. Over 18 months, he traveled the world and met a diverse group of ministries and people working in these dark places, and saw God move in ways that simply needed to be captured on film to be believed.

Media Contact:
Trevor Robinson
Intern at Redeemer Fellowship Church
734 625 5898
trevorrorkerobinson@gmail.com

John Alexander Dowie - very briefly

The legacy of John Alexander Dowie casts an enormous shadow over the history of faith healing in modern Christendom. He was a man of enormous passion and single-minded vision that refused to allow circumstances or people to keep his goals from being achieved.

Dowie came to America in the last decade of the 19th century. After spending some time doing healing crusades throughout the country he decided to center his ministry in the Chicago area. He invaded the Midwest with the subtlety of clanging cymbals in a library. Within months of his arrival several Chicago newspapers ran negative articles labeling him a heretic and a false prophet. He seemed to view all publicity, especially controversial publicity, as good publicity.  He had people's attention.

He set up a small edifice just outside the 1893 World's Fair in Chicago that would serve as his platform for ministry to the masses attending the event. His bravado and claims that Jesus still heals the sick drew crowds that overflowed his small building.  He would often cite Acts 10:38, "God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with The Holy Ghost and power:who went about doing good, and healing all that were oppressed of the devil; for God was with Him." The attendance at the meetings increased daily as the reports of healings spread throughout the city.

The success at the World's Fair gave Dowie the encouragement to take another bold step. He opened up several large facilities that he called "Healing Homes". These homes would house people that were ill while they were taught about healing and prayed for until they recovered. The Healing Homes were mercilessly attacked by the local media, especially the Chicago Dispatch which labeled the homes, "Lunatic Asylums".

The controversies only seemed to fuel Dowie's determination. By 1897 he began a new church based on what he believed were original apostolic principles and regularly had over 6000 people attending weekly. He declared doctors and medicines to be evil and forbid the members of his congregation from using either. Alcohol and tobacco were also prohibited. Some historians speculate that there were well over 10,000 members by 1900.

In my estimation, the years between 1896-1900 were the most fruitful years of Dowie's ministry. Thousands of people received prayer to be healed every week during those years.  Once unnecessary, crutches, braces, orthopedic shoes, canes and other corrective devices would become wall decorations commemorating the victory of Jesus.

With the turn of a new century John Alexander Dowie also seemed to turn his attention in another direction. He became continuously more concerned with building an empire rather than the Kingdom of Jesus. He purchased 6,600 acres of land along Lake Michigan and built Zion City, Illinois.  John Dowie was for a time the unchallenged overseer of a "moral utopia". Not surprisingly, no alcohol, tobacco and medicine were allowed anywhere within the city.  Pork products were also forbidden.

Zion City soon had over 6,000 residents, a factory, schools, and of course, a church facility called Zion Temple. The demand of being Zion's General Overseer seemed to have taken a toll on Dowie, specifically on his discernment.

With some encouragement from a few church leaders he came to the conclusion that he was the embodiment on the earth of the prophet Elijah. He believed he was to be the one to usher in the return of Jesus and His millenial reign. Understandably, Christian leaders began to separate themselves from Dowie and his self aggrandizement.

He said that a voice in his mind would say to him, "Elijah must come, and who but you is doing the work of Elijah?" He began to dress in what he deemed his "high priestly robe" and was now not just the overseer of a city, but God's chosen forerunner to the second coming.

Sadly, Dowie died seemingly still deluded. The city and church were at the center of several battles for control after his death. I believe that John Alexander was a forerunner. A forerunner of the healing movements that would take place over the 50 years following his passing. Many of the men involved in those movements stood on the shoulders of John Dowie. His ministry and gifts are still wonderful for us to learn from a century after the fact. It saddens me to end this story the way it ended.