What Would Wimber Do?

Some of us in our church have been talking some about John Wimber lately. Wimber was the leader of the Vineyard Community of Churches for a number of years. He was known for his powerful ministry in the Spirit of God, for seeing people come into friendship with Jesus, of seeing people healed and set free. I would love to see this ministry come more significantly to our church. I long for it. I would love for his inheritance in the Kingdom to come to me and our community.

One of the interesting things we forget is that when Wimber was learning to pray for healing, he prayed for people every Sunday morning and at other times, for nine months. No one got healed. People who were praying got sick from those they were praying for. People were discouraged. A large number of people left his church over this. He was disappointed and discouraged. Yet he believed God had called him to this and that it was part of the Bible and that Jesus would have this aspect of his ministry happening in his church today. So John kept praying for the sick, week in and week out. And finally God answered his prayers and one sick young mother got out of bed to care for her kids, enabling her husband to get to the job he needed to be at.

I've been thinking about this. If we want what Wimber had, then I think we must be willing to do what Wimber did. I'm committing myself to pursue the Kingdom of God the way Wimber did. Week in and week out to keep pursuing the things we believe God has for us - people coming into friendship with Jesus, people being healed, people being delivered and set free - until we see a breakthrough.

Will you join me?