First Impressions

Well everyone, I have attended my first service and outreach at Bethel Church. It has already been amazing, and I can fully attest that God is doing a great work.

The building makes a good first impression. They have a massive property on the side of a hill, and the road leading to it is called "the Avenue of Nations". They have many (if not all) of the national flags of the nations of the world, and as you reach the top of the hill you get a clearer view of the 24/7 prayer house on the hill's edge. It is a circular building that overlooks all of Redding with windows on almost every side. It is called the "alabaster house", and anyone can enter at any time for prayer, communion, and soaking in the presence of Jesus.

The sanctuary wasn't as big as I imagined it to be. Their church actually has only about 450 members, but when visitors, members, and school of ministry students get added to the mix, there are about 1000-2000 people on their property daily.

On Friday, we attended our first service (as school starts this tuesday). We entered with anticipation, and we weren't the only ones excited. It was an incredible time of worship and the word.

For a note on worship, I would like to say that I have never been in such a passionate, inviting worship service. You can feel the love that people have for their God, and the love that they have for one another. Many danced in very expressive ways, while others simply observed and waited for the Spirit to fall. Then a man named Paul Manwaring spoke on sacrifice and restraint. It was a beautiful, moving message. Afterwards, many went to the altar to receive their healing (as well as prayer for other needs) and I moved seats to the front just to watch what God was doing. Many people received his touch, becoming drunk in the Spirit and entering further into worship. It was possible that some received their healing in that moment, although I saw nothing definitive in that moment. The presence of the Spirit was there in glory, however.

testimony#2


On saturday we went out and did street evangelism by serving the disenfranchised a hot meal. They know we are coming to certain areas, so they gather expectantly. In total, bethel does 4 street outreaches a week, and two of them are meals (saturdays: the meals are taken to the streets, sundays: the meals are offered at the church) So Chad and I went, served food, met people, prayed for the sick, and offered encouragement. I will post the pictures of this experience on facebook for everyone to enjoy! (http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=14418&l=ae1d6&id=634156160)

Anyway, a member of another group felt a specific pain in his knee before he left. When they arrived at their location (a skatepark) the guy began talking with someone and realized that this person had the knee problem.

He said, "Does it hurt in this exact spot?", pointing at where it hurt on his own knee.

"Yeah!" The kid said.

"And it feels like someone took a drill to it, or the claw of a hammer to it? An intense pain?"

"Yeah! How'd you know?" The skater said, really surprised.

"Well, Jesus told me, and he wants to heal you. Can we pray?" And from there, they prayed and saw the knee pain healed immediately.

(Note: I am not sure of the extent that this skater had hurt his knee. It could've been anything from mild bruising to an actual disorder, but either way, it's a miracle. To God be the glory!)

Blessings,
Connor