It was nearly a week ago now, but on the Wednesday night of the newfrontiers Mobilize conference for students and 20s at Pontins Prestatyn, I prayed for the sick and there followed, what PJ Smyth called, a “flurry” of healing testimonies.
So I prayed a blanket prayer over all the delegates during the worship and then invited anyone who had been healed to immediately come forward and tell us what had happened. More came than we had time to interview, but the highlights on the evening were 2 victims of car crashes, who reported very significant long term pain go. And also an American young woman who had had 10 years of knee pain disappear. I was going through the healing response cards on the bus this morning and there were a number of important breakthroughs, so I was grateful to God that in addition to talking about healing which I was asked to do, that we also saw some healings!
I was particularly thrilled with the seminar stream, entitled “Finding God in the Supernatural.” Mike Betts, who leads an apostolic sphere within newfrontiers globally, did the best talk I’ve heard on handing the un-healed. (There were by the way many more who weren’t healed on Wednesday than who were, so it was a live issue even at the conference!) I’d never heard Mike speak before and he also did an outstanding job also in his main session on Thursday night, of which more below. (I’ll be at Mike’s church in Lowestoft on Sunday 29th April.)
Anyway, back to the seminar stream, after Mike’s talk about prophecy and spiritual gifts on the Wednesday morning, I did a session on the biblical basis for healing today on the Thursday morning, and then Wendy Mann, from the King’s Arms in Bedford did a hugely invigorating and inspiring practical talk on the final morning about going for healing in everyday life, and she also did a “let’s do it right now” workshop in the seminar. It was great to have a practitioner in our midst, who was able to tell such brilliant true life stories and it gave the stream the sort of balance that it needed between the theory and reality of everyday life.
I could honestly say that all the main sessions were highlights. Stef Liston preached probably the best I’ve ever heard him. Andrew Wilson did a superb job on apologetics. PJ Smyth talked about personal evangelism in the final session with some great illustrations from his own life. The whole conference was all about mission, and on Thursday night after Mike Betts talk, Dave Devenish led us in prayer for the Russian speaking world, Moslem majority countries and the 10/40 window. Deeply moving! Simon Walker from Bristol led us in prayer for India, and I had the great privilege of having my wife Julia in the meeting, so we were able to pray together for these huge global mission goals, which was unforgettably brilliant.
Our 4 girls had fun with our great friends The Shaws from Canterbury, who were in the chalet next door, and also with Joel & Kate Virgo’s kids, so it was a win-win for me and also for the family. Happy driving back from North Wales.
£48,000 was raised in an offering towards world mission, which shows the superb hearts of those who came, who I am almost certain gave beyond their means!