Latin America: The Church On Fire! - Charles Carrin
May 31, 2004
LATIN AMERICA: THE CHURCH ON FIRE!
In April I spoke at one of the most exciting Conferences I have ever attended: The South American Fresh Oil- New Wine (Aceite Fresco Y Vino Nuevo) in Lima, Peru. The host church, Eglesia Biblica Emmanuel, is located in the downtown part of the city near Lima's tallest buildings. This congregation, overseen by Pastor Humberto Lay and a team of others, conducts 6 services each Sunday to standing-room-only crowds and 2 packed-out services on Wednesday night. When I arrived on Sunday morning to preach at the 11:00 o'clock service it was almost impossible to get into the building. The 9 o'clock congregation was still leaving as our American Team tried to enter. The auditorium seats over 1,000 but in all our services the aisles and walls were jammed with people standing.
The Holy Spirit moved powerfully in each service through all 12 members of our Team. People were saved, healed, delivered from demons, and filled with the power of God in spectacular ways. For example, one evening when I exhorted people to come forward for deliverance from drug addiction, a well-dressed young man--one of the church ushers--hurried to me on the platform. He was a secret addict. The instant I laid-hands on him, the power of God slammed him to the floor where he transformed into a growling, fighting madman. Mark 16:17. What had been a handsome face a moment before became that of a wild-eyed, demonized animal. I called for help and five men were needed to hold him down. Mark 5:2; 9:20. The wonderful result is this: Within a short time he was completely delivered, was laughing, weeping, leaping, clapping his hands, and worshiping Jesus who brought him back to freedom. The last morning at 3:30 a.m., when we arrived at the airport for our early departure back to the U.S., he was at the Terminal waiting for a final goodby. Reaching through the barricade, he hugged me weeping, kissed me repeatedly on each cheek, and spoke the English word he knew best: "Papa! Papa!" He was only one of many who were successfully ministered to by the Team. While thousands were blessed, just one such person delivered from powers of darkness makes a trip like this worthwhile. God only knows how this man's life will be used for Kingdom work. Sometimes at 11:30 at night, people were still waiting on the sidewalk for Team members to pray for them.
Since gaining religious freedom, the Latins have been ignited with the fire of God. One hundred years ago there was probably less than 50,000 evangelicals in the whole of Latin America; today; there are more than 100,000,000--and the number is growing by 25,000 to 30,000 a day. What brought the change? Genuine Holy Spirit-empowered, "signs and wonders," gospel preaching! The Holy Spirit is moving in Latin America as in the first century. Significantly, it wasn't long ago that evangelical missionaries were dragged by the hair of their heads through the streets of Peru and brutally killed by mobs. Two of the historic sites which our Team visited in Lima were the Court of the Inquisition where heretics were tried and sentenced to death-- and the cave where their bodies were dumped together. (We did not go in.) Such places are sobering reminders that religious freedom has been purchased by the blood of martyrs.
The first "Fresh Oil--New Wine" Conference in Latin America was held last year in Quito, Ecuador, where we will go again in July, 2004. This year the Conference extended to Peru and in 2005 will probably include Santiago, Chile. There is a possibility that we will go to Buenos Aires, Argentina. The Latin American pastors adopted the "Fresh Oil" name from the Conference held each March at Central Baptist Church, Hixson, Tennessee. David Carrera, an Ecuadorian pastor serving in the U.S., Eddy Reed, Pastor of Living Stones Church, Shelbyville, Tennessee, and Bobby Ludlow, his assistant, are the American organizers for these Conferences. Please help with your prayers and donations. The need--and the opportunity--is great. For the first half of my ministry I preached an impotent gospel but at age 73 am finished forever with dead churches, denominational doctrines, quarrelsome pastors, and powerless preaching! Give me Christ in His Resurrected Glory! Give me the Holy Spirit in His anointing! Give me the Father in His truth! Give me Latin America!
Charles Carrin
mail@charlescarrinministries.com
mail@charlescarrinministries.com
Location: Lima, Peru
Website: http://www.charlescarrinministries.com
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