Manado is a "Christian" city of about 400,000 filled with churches on every street. Compared to other cities in Muslim Indonesia, it's a beautiful city---ringed in by the sea on one side and mountains on the other.

Manado, the "Christian city" of Indonesia --- note the white cross
atop the mountain in the center of the photo in the background

Our hostess, Pastor Lenny, was the sweet and unassuming Chinese medical doctor who shepherds Bethany Church Manado, a local congregation of 3,000 which is the largest in the city.

Pastor Lenny had also brought some servants of the Lord from another province, Ambon, to attend the Seminar. These men and woman of God came to be equipped to preach the gospel with power in the spiritually dark areas of Ambon, especially the areas of violent conflict between Christians and Muslims.

Along with the Seminar we held three evangelistic healing services. The third one was climactic. Brother Bill preached to the packed auditorium from John 14, proclaiming Jesus as the only way to the Father. Then they prayed and asked Jesus to use His disciples according to John 14:12 to do miracles to prove that He was indeed the way, the truth, and the life.

Bethany, the largest single congregation in Manado

Then the trained disciples of the Christ ministered with His power and authority in two stages...first in mass healing, and then one-on-one through the laying of hands. Many, many came up to the platform to give their testimony and thanks to the Lord Jesus for healing them. One estimate was fifty people altogether came forward to testify.

The testimonies were powerful....a half-dozen growths and tumors disappeared as the disciples of Jesus laid hands on them and cursed them in His mighty name. Several deaf ears were opened. A woman in her fifties or sixties had been deaf since she was five years old. As a trained sister ministered, her ears popped open, startling both ladies. Stroke victims returned from the previous evening, and happily reported still more strength and improvement in their limbs as they were ministered to again that evening. Among other reports of vision being restored, a little boy had very limited vision in his eye because of an injury to that eye. His vision in that eye was completely restored.

The name of Jesus Christ was glorified, and when Lucy gave the altar call, souls came up the platform to receive Him as Lord and Savior.

The servants of the Lord who minister in Bethany Church and its various branches in the region have been successfully equipped to heal the sick and cast out demons as Jesus did two thousand years ago. This is a fulfillment of prophecies that the church has received in the recent past.

Those who came from afar for the training have returned to their respective areas. The Lord will continue to do miraculous signs and wonders through them. These pastors and leaders will train their own congregations. An army is being raised up in this area of Indonesia in fulfillment of Ezekiel's vision of the valley of dry bones in Chapter 37. "These are the days of Elijah." The Church here in Manado is no longer limited to just talking about it or praying for it or singing about it---as it is the case in much of the Church around the world---it is actually happening.

The Equipping Seminar and Crusade in Manado were among the most successful in our experience. An army of between three and four hundred servants of God, several of them pastors from other churches in the region, was equipped with awesome firepower. These are people who are committed in their service to Jesus Christ but simply lacked the proper weaponry and training to heal the sick and cast out demons for proclaiming the Kingdom of God to the lost. Bethany Senior Pastor Lenny attended every meeting and has been equipped and is now willing to lead her troops into battle. The Lord performed some notable miracles through her during those few days. A severely enlarged thyroid gland, the size of a small grapefruit, shrank and disappeared as she laid her hand on it in Jesus' name. On the Saturday morning following the meetings, a man came to the Bethany prayer meeting barely able to shuffle along because of his infirmity. As Pastor Lenny ministered to him, the Lord healed him and he was able to walk normally. We are expecting her and her army to bear good fruit for the Great Commission in the future.

Dr. Lenny, shown ministering, is ready to lead her army
like Deborah of old

We believe Manado is a city favored by the Lord to become a center where many of the Lord's servants will be equipped and sent out to help fulfill the Great Commission in Muslim Indonesia.