church January 4, 2018

Every Believer a Healing Evangelist

A local pastor asked me for more information about my workshop “Every Believer a Healing Evangelist,” and I wrote this memo for him. Pass it on to your pastor to see if this workshop would be good for your church: Memo: “Every Believer a Healing Evangelist” Objectives: This workshop aims at motivating and equipping every born-again Believer to appropriate his/her authority in Christ as a healing and evangelical agent for the Kingdom of God. The key scripture is Luke 10:8-9 where it is clear that healing is a doorway to proclaiming the Gospel. The sad situation is that most churches, including Pentecostal and charismatic congregations, limit the healing ministry to trained intercessors. This is somewhat effective, but it also obscures the authority and healing ability of many lay persons. This workshop aims as demonstrating that every Believer in Jesus Christ has a measure of healing power, and some even extraordinary anointing in this ministry. It is a supplement, not a replacement to trained intercessors who may have advanced training in inner healing and deliverance ministries. The course is based on the pioneer work of Charles and Francis Hunter, a Pentecostal couple who in the 1980s made popular the biblical fact that in the New Testament there are no petition prayers for healing. All healing prayer is done in the command mode. Sequence of teachings and exercises: The first segment: We go over the biblical basis for command healing and also discusses the “energies of God” for healing that are transmitted via the laying on of hands. The participants ae divided into prayer groups of three or four for the workshop exercises. Exercise # 1: The prayer groups practice and experience the distinction of praying in petition for healing and then praying in command by each one praying for a sickness or medical condition of the others in the group, or a proxy person. The second segment: This teaches about the energies of God as transmitted via the believer’s hands, and modeled on Luke 5:12-14, where touch and command are employed at the same time. This section shows that healing prayer must often be repeated as in Mark 8: 23-25. Also 1 Cor 12: 9 defines the gifts (plural) of healing and different persons have different anointing for various illness or situations. Thus repeated prayers over one person expose that person to various levels of anointing and persevering prayer which is the key to battling serious disease. Exercise #2: Prayer group practices laying on of hands while saying words of command for healing. Repeating prayers and laying on of hands is encouraged. This accustoms the participant to the idea of repeatedly praying for a medical situation until it is much improved or completely healed. The third segment: This teaches the Hunter method as applied to adjusting the backbone. This is really chiropractic theory in a Christian setting, and using the energies of God via the laying on of hands. It is not specifically biblical (you don’t see Jesus extending legs and arms for healing in the NT, but it has been used in Pentecostal healers since the 1920s). This mode of healing prayer falls under the rubric of “Testing all things,” 1 Thess 5:21. It not only works quickly and effectively for all sort of back problems, but for imparting the energies of God into diseased organs. Exercise # 3 This is a series of exercises in which the prayer groups practice and prays using the arm extension, leg extensions, etc. that make up the Hunter method. This takes an hour or so. Incorporated into this segment is information on using the various extensions for specific diseases other than back healing. The fourth segment: This deals with the relationship of the gifts of the Spirit and healing prayer. Although healing and deliverance are pre-{Pentecostal gifts, they are enhanced by the gifts of the Spirit. Exercise # 4: This exercise is modeled after the experience the Mrs. Agnes Sanford had in receiving the gifts of the Spirit. She and two companions were exhausted, and asked for the “holy Ghost’ to strengthen them. Wow! They unexpectedly received the gifts of the Spirit. In this exercise each prayer group prays two on one, two on one, two on one, for the reception, renewal and strengthening of the gifts of the Holy Spirit for their ministry to others. The fifth segment: This deals with praying for a person long-distance. I discuss the Pharisaic attack by Dave Hunt (Seduction of Christianly) and others who claimed that use of the imagination in prayer was purely occultist and New Age. I cite the masterful article Alexander, Brooks, “Mind Power and the Mind’s Eye.” (SCP Journal 9/3 (1999) 8–20) to show that God does not create an organ or facility that can only be used in evil and witchcraft. Exactly to the contrary, a facility, such as imagination (or the sex organ) is created for a godly intention, but is often demonized and used wrongly. The wrong use does not negate its proper use. Praying with the imagination helps the person while praying in the command mode not to be “double minded.” That is the supplicant is seen in the mind’s eye as well while we speak words of authority for healing. Exercise # 5 The groups pray for someone “in accord” who is not present. Exercise # 6 The groups contact someone via smart phone who is ill, and pray for that person with all they have learned thus far. (They learn that this can be done in every home group and Bible study group they are in). The sixth segment: This discusses taking healing prayer to the marketplace. I explain the “prayer station,” and its variants in evangelistic use. Exercise #7 The last exercise is the most fun: It is called “loosing shyness.” We ask for a person in each group who has never prayed for a stranger to be the “shyee” and the other member role play someone in Walmart struggling in obvious pain or discomfort. The shyee must ask the person “Can I pray for you?” and then do so. I encourage drama and over-acting. It is great fun!

Here is my blog on the workshop done in a Pentecostal church. I modify the program slightly in liturgical churches by ending with a healing Holy communion.