Founder/Chairman, Christ for All Nations, Reinhard Bonnke Ministries, the US affiliate of CfaN
Evangelist & missionary in Africa, since 1967
Attended Bible College of Wales, Swansea, Wales
GUEST
Reinhard Bonnke: Setting Souls on Fire
By
The 700 Club
CBN.com
– OUTREACHES TO AFRICA
Reinhard Bonnke started 2006 with crusades in Africa. In February, he was in Ogaja, Nigeria. In the months of July and August the Christ for all Nations (CfaN) team traveled to Sudan and Nigeria. These crusades were held in remote areas of the countries, with people traveling from far and wide to hear the message of salvation. In Juba, Sudan the team conducted a crusade and fire conference. The response was amazing with over 243,532 people completing a decision card for salvation. The effort required to get to Juba by the technical team was nothing short of heroic. A 1500 kilometer journey over rough roads, and bridges barely able to hold the weight of the huge trucks. The results were well worth the effort.
In August, Bonnke traveled to Wukari, Nigeria. The welcome from the people was remarkable. They lined the streets for many miles, rejoicing that the crusade was being held in their city. The final count of completed decision cards for salvation was 455,140. The harvest fields of Africa are ripe for the gospel.
The gospel crusade in Lagos, Nigeria in November this year will be the largest ever conducted by the ministry of Christ for all Nations. There are already over 6 million follow-up booklets in place, and they anticipate a mighty move of God in Nigeria’s most populated city.
FULL FLAME
Reinhard is known for his passion for the lost and his dynamic speaking with disarming simplicity. In the last six years, more than forty million individuals have made commitments to Christ through his ministry – most of them on the continent of Africa. Bonnke and Christ for all Nations have partnered with Integrity Media to produce a film series, Full Flame, designed to rekindle the flame in believers’ hearts to set them “on fire” to once again spread the Gospel message throughout the world. Bonnke believes so strongly in the series that now he will be dividing his energies between his crusades and the introduction of Full Flame as a key piece in the global vision to have every country involved in evangelism. Full Flame was not created to replace soul-winning strategies or methods that have been taught in the churches. It was made to create more dialogue in churches that will inspire Christians and ignite a deep compassion for the lost. Reinhard says, “We are trying to motivate Christians everywhere with the love of Christ for the lost, and to help them sense the urgency we must have to reach unbelievers everywhere, before it is too late for them." He also says, “We live like we are on a pleasure cruise, when we are really on a rescue mission from God.” Full Flame is a film series that contains seven episodes plus a dramatic introductory short film, “Lost at Sea,” in which passengers on a ship refuse to come to the aid of those who are drowning in the waters around them. Each of the episodes combines Reinhard's teachings with short film allegories and brief dramatic segments that punctuate the teachings. The episodes focus on a specific theme and visual highlights from a specific country – from the message of the Gospel and the sweeping vistas of the Great Wall of China, to the Holy Spirit and the amazing scenery of Australia. Reinhard says, “It is not that the Church hasn’t been trained in evangelism, it is not a lack of instruction or information. The fact is, if you don’t love people through the eyes of Christ, the world will never be changed. This film series combines the simplicity of Jesus’ message with today’s technology to transfer to believers the same love and urgency that compelled Christ to reach out to the lost.”
GOD NEVER FAILS
Reinhard says the crusades are always the same, and that’s a very good thing. They are always the same in that the Holy Spirit woos the large crowds, and then large numbers of people respond to the gospel message of salvation and finally, signs and wonders of all sorts follow the salvations. Blind eyes see, deaf ears hear, the lame give up crutches and wheel chairs and get up from sick beds. Those with incurable diseases are made whole and those with demonic oppressions and possessions are set totally free. Reinhard just obediently does what the Lord has called him to do. He preaches the truth of God’s word and invites those in need to come.
A MINISTRY OF HEALING
Reinhard is the son of a German pastor. He gave his life to the Lord at the age of nine and heard the call to the African mission fields before he was a teenager. After attending Bible college in Wales and pastoring in Germany for 7 years, he began his missionary work in Africa. Reinhard began holding tent meetings that accommodated 800 people. As attendance steadily increased, larger tents had to be purchased. In 1984, he commissioned the construction of the world’s largest mobile structure -- a tent capable of seating 34,000. This tent was destroyed in a wind storm just before a major crusade. There was a question as to how to proceed. The team decided to hold the crusade “open air.” Instead of the expected 34,000 attendees, the event saw over 100,000 people, significantly more than the tent would have allowed. Crowds have been exceeding “tent” size ever since.
Reinhard founded the international ministry, Christ for all Nations, with office locations in Johannesburg, South Africa; Frankfurt, Germany; Birmingham, United Kingdom; Ontario, London and Orlando, Florida.
GOD IS SERIOUS
When Reinhard tells of God calling him to a life of evangelism, he speaks easily about a dialogue they had. It seems God laid out for him what would be expected. And Reinhard told God that he would obey and follow what God was asking of him. Before this extended conversation ended, however, God told him, “You weren’t my first choice.” Reinhard listened. “You weren’t my second choice either.” Later on there was a time when Reinhard hesitated to schedule a specific crusade. He says as he wavered, “God said, ‘You drop the vision and I drop you.” The evangelist attributes the tremendous responses he sees in ministry to simple obedience to what God requires.
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