The first ten years of The Elijah Challenge: 2000 – 2010
The following is what we generally do in the host church or country where we have been invited to minister:
First we have one to three days of training where we teach the pastors, leaders and believers how to minister healing to the sick in the context of publicly demonstrating the truth of the gospel, for example, in an evangelistic Crusade.
After the training, we normally hold a Crusade meeting lasting from one to three evenings in which the trained believers will heal the sick in the name of Jesus Christ after we share the gospel in a very concise way to the lost. The purpose of the miracles is to prove to those present that our God is the only true God and that Jesus is the only way to Him. Miracles of healing will take place. Following the testimonies of miracles by those healed by the Lord, the lost are invited to enter the kingdom of God through faith in Christ. This is in accordance with Jesus’ command to the seventy in Luke 10:9 “heal the sick….tell them the kingdom of God is near you.” Precious lost souls—Musl__ms, Buddhists, Hindus, and idol-worshippers—will come to Christ after they heard the gospel and see the miracles that their gods cannot do.
This is an end time model of evangelism with which any church or group of believers can be equipped for the purpose of fulfilling the Great Commission. After the training, they will be able to hold small Crusades or outreaches on their own in which they heal the sick and proclaim the Kingdom of God. Minimal funds are required, and no special gift of healing is required. The miraculous signs simply following the preaching of the gospel in order to confirm that Jesus is the only way to the Father. This evangelistic tool is also very effective in small groups and in one-on-one witnessing by individual believers.
Moreover, pastors (and elders) are relieved of the responsibility of being the only ones to whom sick people in the congregation seek out for healing prayer. More importantly, they will also be able to train their own believers to heal the sick and cast out demons in fulfillment of John 14:12. All Elijah Challenge Training materials will be provided for free.
John 14:12 Very truly I tell you, whoever believes in me will do the works I have been doing…
We have done this in different countries around the world and in different cities in the United States.
We will teach you HOW to fish
In Acts 3 the apostle Peter said to the lame beggar: “Silver or gold I do not have, but what I have I give you. In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, walk.”
At times, the Church today in developing countries can be like that beggar. They sometimes expect apostles from prosperous countries to bring them silver or gold. When the great evangelist comes to their area, pastors may expect free meals, free transportation for their people to the Crusade, and even a monetary love gift for attending the Seminar. All the expenses of the meetings are usually borne by the visiting evangelist or by organizations or individuals in the West. During the ensuing Crusade, great miracles take place and many precious souls accept Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior. When the apostle or evangelist leaves the area, the miracles cease and the great majority of the new converts never join a local church to be discipled as followers of Christ.
But Peter said, “Silver or gold I do not have.” He did not come bearing material incentives. Instead, He healed the lame beggar with the authority given to him by the Lord Jesus Christ.
In the same way, we do not bring silver or gold. Instead we equip the body of Christ in developing countries which is currently lame and stricken with the spirit of poverty. We equip the pastors and believers to heal the sick and cast out demons as Jesus and his disciples did to prove to the lost that He is the only way to the Father. We teach them how to heal the sick with the authority that Christ has given to each believer. We do not bring them fish, but we teach them how to fish.
Some will prefer simply to be given the fish. They will eat and enjoy and go home. Who can blame them? Missionaries from the West have taught them in that way. But others will desire to be equipped do the works that Jesus taught his disciples to do. These will prefer to be trained how to fish.
Only when the whole body of Christ is equipped by the apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors, and teachers for works of service will the Great Commission be fulfilled. When the churches in developing countries are equipped in this way, they will be able to heal the sick, they will be able to have powerful evangelistic healing meetings, they will be able to pay for all the expenses without needing help from the outside. They will be able to fulfill the Great Commission in the country the Lord has entrusted to them. It is time for the Church in developing countries to be weaned. This is God’s perfect will for them in these last days.
Ephesians 4:11 It was he who gave some to be apostles, some to be prophets, some to be evangelists, and some to be pastors and teachers, 12 to prepare God’s people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up 13 until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ.
May we servants of God teach His people how to fish in order that they may become mature. May we stop simply giving them fish—this keeps them dependent like children.
We are Professional Fishing Instructors.
Ministries of some who have been equipped