This unusual outpouring continued as the leaders completed their two-week outreach and prepared to return home. John said, “God seemed to be doing a deep healing in the lives of many of the leaders and filling them with the Holy Spirit. In particular, God used five young women to minister powerfully to others. There was prophecy, tongues, words of knowledge and discernment. One girl was unusually filled with the joy of the Lord.”

Two of the young women from the leadership training came from Lucre Mennonite Church where John and Cindy Kreider give pastoral leadership. Upon their return, when John and the two participants joined a prayer vigil in Lucre, they decided that the group probably wasn’t ready for a full report of what had happened.

So after a time of worship, the two young women testified briefly about what God had been doing in their lives during the training, but it was obvious that they were quite changed, and everyone listened attentively. Following their sharing, the Lucre church met in small groups for prayer. Again, people fell to the floor, weeping, and begging for forgiveness.

John said, “We clearly don’t understand everything that happens at these times. Is the Holy Spirit bringing conviction or is there something else going on? Usually there is tremendous freedom, joy, the presence and filling of the Holy Spirit, and a release of spiritual gifts. It’s been amazing to see this happening to people who are new in faith and don’t even know what the Bible says about spiritual gifts – yet God is using them powerfully to minister to others.”

At a cell leaders meeting the next week the group shared some fears and uncertainties about what was happening. There was an atmosphere of repentance, complete surrender to God, a purifying, a complete change of character, and a healing of family relationships. The ministry time went until midnight.

Since these experiences in Lucre, Kreiders have been counseling with people who have been operating in the gifts of the Holy Spirit. Several have cleansed their homes by destroying things that do not glorify God.

John said, “Revival continued the following Sunday when several unchurched young men came for prayer. They received the Lord as the church prayed and ministered to them. Their faces shone with joy.

“Many here have felt much rejection, and God is showing them his deep love. This has been a tremendous journey, and we believe it is only the beginning. We need wisdom in pastoring this move of God’s Spirit. It seems like in a few hours God is accomplishing things in the lives of people that we could only dream of in years of hard work and counseling. We are privileged, honored, and blessed to be in the middle of a move of God. We are eager to grow in our understanding of what God is doing here and spread the fire.”

In addition to the events at Lucre, EMM worker, Cindy Kreider, shared about a recent church-wide Youth Encounter for 70 youth. It was a meaningful time, and the retreat closed with the opportunity to be filled with the Holy Spirit – a powerful session with special manifestations of God’s presence. Many were dramatically set free and filled with God’s Spirit.

-Jewel Showalter

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