Missionary Butch Berner | Zambia, Africa
The Elijah Challenge Update from Burkina Faso | May 2008
Regional Elijah Challenge Affiliates
Butch and his wife Janet first trained with The Elijah Challenge in Zambia in February 2005. In April 2008 Butch taught and ministered in Burkina Faso as the guest of missionary Steve Parker. Below is Butch's report on that trip.
"ALL praise to God for the great things He has done! …We first went to Manga for a Pastors’ Conference. We had around 20 pastors and about 100 in total for the two days. I taught The Elijah Challenge and many people were healed during the teaching. On Saturday evening we had an evangelistic crusade so the trainees could apply what they had learned. We saw around 25 healings and had 11 respond to the gospel message.Our second meetings were at a church conference in Zola with about 500 in attendance. During the teaching we saw many healed of all kinds of infirmities; however, during the crusade we saw God’s hand in a great way. Over 150 were ministered to and God delivered those in bondage, a girl crippled from birth walked and a girl born deaf and dumb had a conversation with my interpreter who knew her and was totally amazed.
We had elderly people who were freed from pain and sufferings they had dealt with for many years. One lady had a pain in her side for 9 years and she was jumping and leaping and praising God! An old man had eye trouble, and God healed his eyes and he was so happy to see and count fingers. I could go on and on. The result was seven people giving their heart to Jesus.
The third event was a district conference for the Christian & Missionary Alliance churches in the area of Djibasso. My interpreter was a fellow classmate from my Alliance Theological Seminary days in 1985. We were guessing there were about 1,000 there but on Sunday morning they counted 2,046 adults. During the teachings we were blessed with many healings as a testimony to God’s power and authority. Many were healed of aches and pains on the spot through the use of the authority to heal-at-a-distance (as Jesus did in Luke 7).
I asked for three people to come forward to give testimonies as to what God has done. Seven ran up. One older lady started jumping up and down as God had healed her from lower back pains after ten years. She could bend and twist her body again. Then I looked down and another younger lady had come up. I wanted to get on with the teaching and almost sent her away but said OK. She came onstage and said she was visiting the area and heard the teaching and that God had healed her from bad headaches suffered for many months. She wanted to give her life to Jesus who had healed her. Mamadoue led her to the God that could heal her body and forgive her sins---amen.
On Saturday when the faith level had increased, I was teaching the people that they had authority too. I called seven pastors forward and stationed them in front of each section of people. Together we ministered mass healing-at-a-distance to all the people. About forty stood and declared that God had healed them during the ministry. I went back to finish the teaching and I looked around and a young girl was standing on the stage. I asked Mamadoue what does she want? He talked to her and said, “it’s a great miracle.” She had trouble seeing and was deaf but now could see and hear well! “IT WORKS and God is GOOD” is all I could say.
That night we had a crusade. God healed hundreds and delivered others. We had testimonies for almost two hours and when the people saw the power of God we had about 50 give their lives to Jesus. We had over twelve people with eye problems healed. One lady could see with one eye but not the other. God touched her and both eyes were working. Others came with testimonies of God healing deaf ears---about nine. The line grew so large we asked how many were healed of headaches and eight or nine came forward. We praised God for this and asked for healed backaches. Another seven or eight came out and we praised God for this, and so on for each part of the body. We had six people give praise to God for being delivered from various demons. Five came with testimonies of how God healed jaw and teeth problems. No pain when talking or chewing! One had had a broken jaw deformed, and God set it in place. Feet, legs, hips, backs, and all other parts of the body were healed in JESUS’ name. It was an incredible night I will never forget. I had the best seat as I got to hear all the testimonies as those trained did what God had asked them to do---“heal the sick, cast out demons, preach the kingdom”! God is so faithful."
Below is the Light of Africa Newsletter from which Butch's report is taken
Luke 10:9 "Heal the sick who are there and tell them, 'The kingdom of God is near you.’"