(dramatic music)
- All hail the power of Jesus' name.
- [George] Affectionatelyknown as God's general,
Reinhard Bonnke spent aremarkable 60 of his 79 years
spreading the good news of Jesus Christ.
He would often say that his life's mission
was to plunder hell to populate heaven.
- Jesus didn't call us to deliver sermons.
He called us to deliver people.
And I believe this is whathappens in our crusades.
I am not decorating prison cells.
I'm setting the captives free.
- [George] That was ReinhardBonnke on The 700 Club
33 years ago today.
He had just returned from holding
one of his massive crusadesin Malawi, East Africa.
The renowned German-born evangelist
gave his life to Christ at age nine.
During my interview with him in 2010,
Bonnke said he heardthe call from the Lord
to the African missionfield early on in life.
Why Africa?
- Because it's my calling.
It's very specific and personal.
(crowd cheering)
God spoke to me as a kid
that I would preach the gospel in Africa.
- [George] Bonnke was 24 years old
when he moved his wife,Annie, and their baby son
to the tiny African nation of Lesotho.
The couple spent seven yearsworking there as missionaries.
He said it wasn't easy,
but it was during those difficult years
that he started prayingto see more souls saved
across the African continent.
Dr. Corne Bekker, Deanof the School of Divinity
at Regent University anda native of South Africa,
attended several ofBonnke's crusade meetings.
- And he said very earlyon he heard this voice
that said, "Africa shall be saved."
And to the end of his life,he never stopped believing
that this was indeed the voice of God.
- [George] God gave Bonnke a vision
of a continent washed inthe blood of Jesus Christ.
He started holding gospel meetings
in a yellow tent thatcould hold just 800 people,
but soon outgrew it andneeded a bigger one.
- There would be awonderful time of worship.
He would preach the gospel,
the very simple gospel of Jesus Christ,
and then he would give an invitation
for people to come forward.
And people in the thousands,
sometimes hundreds of thousandsof people would come forward
and dedicate their lives unto the Lord.
- [George] In 1974, Bonnkefounded Christ for All Nations
with the goal of reachingAfrica with the gospel.
He ditched the tent and startedcriss-crossing the continent
holding open air crusades.
At one such rally in Lagos,Nigeria, held in 2000,
more than six million peoplecame out to hear him preach.
During his last appearanceon The 700 Club in 2018,
Bonnke recalled to Pathow the Lord had touched
so many people's livesover the five-day event.
- But the last day, it was in one service
over one million people got saved
and completed their decision card.
So, you know, that gave mefaith for the rest of the world.
- [Pat] Sure.
- If Jesus can save amillion in a meeting,
it will take less than oneyear to get America saved.
- (laughs) Amen.
- [George] Bonnke has always insisted
that such remarkablenumbers were only possible
through the power andanointing of the Holy Spirit.
- We need the Great Commissionand we have the Holy Spirit.
If we have only the Great Commission
and only the Holy Spirit, wehave power without purpose
or purpose without power.
It is a package deal.
- [George] Dr. Bekker says his crusades
were often accompaniedby miraculous healings.
- [Corne] Many of thesemiracles would be spontaneous.
People that were notable to walk could walk.
People that were blind couldsee and the deaf could hear.
- [George] All told, Christfor All Nations says,
from the start of Bonnke'sministry back in 1967
to this day, more than 79 million people
have made decisions tofollow Christ in Africa
and other parts of the world.
Tributes have been pouringin since his passing,
including from Nigeria's MuslimPresident Muhammadu Buhari,
who called Bonnke's deatha great loss to Nigeria,
Africa, and entire world.
Evangelist ReinhardBonnke was 79 years old.
He passed away Saturday in Orlando
surrounded by his family.
He leaves behind his wife,Annie, three children,
and eight grandchildren.
George Thomas, CBN News.
