From the Missions Base
onething’09
This past December IHOP–KC hosted its largest onething national conference to date. Over 20,000 people attended, some traveling from as far as China, Taiwan, Korea, Spain, Mexico, Israel, and all over South America. Throughout the conference it was evident that the Lord is even now doing a great work in the nations concerning the partnership between the missions movement and the prayer movement.
The Lord broke in with power and deliverance every day of onething. Thousands of testimonies poured in of God’s love and healing power. As the conference progressed, the tangible presence of the Holy Spirit grew, and angelic activity continued to increase in the midst of faith-filled, hungry hearts.
One of the many highlights was the special guest attendance of Loren Cunningham, founder of Youth With A Mission (YWAM), considered by many to be the premier statesman of world missions. Loren changed his schedule in order to be with us during onething. He was directed by the Lord to come and release a father’s blessing over this generation and to share his insights and personal testimony from years of experience concerning the days we are living in. Everyone was encouraged as it became clear through this humble vessel of the Lord that, as we near the end of this present age, we are in one of the most significant developments in church history: the merging of the missions and prayer movements.
Covering Haiti with Prayer and Aid
On January 12, 2010, a 7.0 earthquake hit the tiny island nation of Haiti near its capital city, Port-au-Prince. Assessments began to pour in that over 3 million people were immediately affected by the magnitude of this quake with an estimated 100,000 plus feared dead.
The heart and soul of our mission base, the prayer room, was immediately engaged in intercession for the people and events in Haiti as we committed to pray for Haiti during every one of our intercession sets. We have been praying around the clock for help, deliverance, aid, salvation, and healing for the Haitian people. Our Crisis Response International (CRI), headed up by Shawn Malone, felt impressed of the Lord to begin sending in ground teams to help bring aid and establish a base for bringing restoration to the many shattered lives there. As a relief organization, CRI will continue to train and send workers, many of whom are IHOP–KC staff members, along with clothes, food, water, tools, and monetary gifts to help ease the suffering and pain of the people in Haiti.
Randy and Kelsey Bohlender of The Zoe Foundation and Hannah’s Dream, an adoption agency of IHOP–KC, have been praying that God would open a door for the untold number of orphans to be able to enter the States for adoption. Where will these children go and what will become of them? We are laboring in prayer that God would send them here and that many would be saved from the aftermath of Haiti’s demolished infrastructure.
Forerunner Christian Fellowship
Recently, two of the most significant “now” words from the Lord during our Sunday Forerunner Christian Fellowship (FCF) services came from Stuart Greaves, director of the NightWatch, and Shelley Hundley.
Shelley gave a two-part teaching on the ministry of deliverance. Every believer has the authority and ability to minister deliverance to the oppressed but sometimes we may not know how to appropriately address the need. Shelley answered this question and many others by sharing her own testimony of deliverance and how she has helped lead others into freedom. Click here to download the notes from this series.
As the Lord continues to release His Spirit in our midst, it is increasingly imperative for all of us to be proficient in moving in the gifts of the Holy Spirit and administering them with diligence, honor, and integrity. Everyone can be an active participant in bringing healing and restoration. Shelley’s practical teaching is an excellent resource for ministering deliverance in the power of the Holy Spirit and bringing freedom to the Body of Christ.
Stuart’s message, The Dream of a King: The Glory of Ethnic Diversity, was such a timely call for the IHOP–KC community to grow in love and servanthood as people from every tribe and tongue begin to stream to Kansas City to be a part of the house of prayer.
In this message from Ephesians 2–3 Stuart highlighted the reality that, through the cross, those who were once enemies can begin to discover the heart of God unto loving one another in the midst of cultural and ethnic diversity. The gospel’s power to heal and reconcile racial divides is as strong now as it was in the apostle Paul’s day, and it is necessary for the worldwide body of Christ to walk in maturity as “one new man.” The fullest manifestation of God’s glory will be most powerfully demonstrated through the diversity of every tribe, people, tongue, and nation exalting Jesus as together we walk out love and forgiveness, no matter the extent of our differences.
IHOPU Student Awakening
On Wednesday, January 20 of this year, Allen Hood, president of International House of Prayer University, addressed the IHOP–KC family, speaking on God’s kind and gracious leadership in guiding us as a people. Allen called it “family time,” reminding us of our prophetic history and encouraging us to press in for more of the Lord’s presence.
Allen was overcome with gratitude as he publicly gave thanks to the Lord. God’s leadership over us has been so good and sure as we have labored through the years in 24/7 prayer with worship. To be invited into this work of God as He prepares the earth for the return of His Son has been such a privilege. We have stumbled and staggered along the way but God has faithfully guided us and helped us again and again to obey His call and follow His purposes. We should be undone by the love of God toward us.
Allen called us to keep our hunger for more of God in the center of all that we endeavor to do. How can we even think about going back to life as usual when the Spirit is breaking out in our midst? We have drunk of the superior pleasures of loving God and of being loved by Him. Allen ended his message by saying, “By all means, find a balance but don’t ever go back!” As we seek to faithfully live life as a house of prayer, it is so important to give ourselves to the leading of the Holy Spirit. We are right in the center of a move of God’s power and glory and are so expectant to see more in the days to come.
