We’re in the middle of training camp and one of my favorite people, my spiritual father, Andrew Shearman is here and speaking. I love to sit under his wisdom, experience, and just plain SPUNK! The man should be retired and living in an RV wearing khaki shorts and a Hawaiian print shirt according to the American standards. Instead, he travels around the whole world raising up a Tribe of radically committed followers of Jesus who are willing to go for it. It’s fun to be with that Tribe J
He told a story today that has really stuck somewhere inside me and seems to be challenging me. Reinhard Bonnke, a German evangelist, a preacher with little experience in God doing crazy awesome things, hears the voice of the Lord in the middle of a sermon telling him to invite all the blind people up to the stage to be prayed over. Bonnke has never seen a blind person healed and now he is publicly putting himself, his faith, and God on the line. He’s choosing to believe that the Lord has spoken and is stepping out in that faith. About 50 blind people step up on the stage. He has no idea what to do – how do you heal blindness? What 5 steps of prayer should you cover? With his heart pounding out of control, he just walks from one blind person to the next, places his thumbs in their eyes, and says “In the name of Jesus of Nazareth, be healed.” One by one, he trusts the Lord to accomplish his purpose.
Three people were healed.
The church leaders take Bonnke aside and question him about this. What kind of theology backs this up? Why did he do this and God didn’t show up? What do we do with 47 unhealed people? Bonnke looks the leaders in their eyes and says “Why don’t you go ask the 3 how they feel?” Andrew then asks us this question – “Don’t you think those 3 are glad he tried?” Now go try!
I was challenged… I’m good at discussing the theology of when God does and doesn’t show up. What I’m really bad at is trying. Stepping out there, beyond the discussion, and trying. Will it work? Will God show up? I don’t know. But in case “my 3” are there… I think I want to try.
