1/2011 · Publication of REINHARD BONNKE AND DANIEL KOLENDA
Mission report
ogbomosho Nigeria The great African outpouring continues “Holy Spirit Day” in Oyo State
Eyes wide open! Numerous blind people healed
Stephan’s Diary Report by the winner of the “Free Mission Trip to Africa”
Dear Mission Partners! What a privilege it is to write to you about the great things that took place during the Ogbomosho Campaign! This was CfaN’s second Great Gospel Campaign in Ogbomosho, Nigeria. The last time we went there was in 2002. We were thrilled to see how much fruit our last visit had produced – but there was still much work to be done and many more souls needed to hear the message of salvation. Each night the crowds grew and the response to the preaching of the gospel was simply overwhelming. By the last night the crowd had grown to over 400,000, and by the time the last words were spoken from the platform more than 780,000 individuals had made a decision to turn there lives over to Jesus Christ. Praise the Lord!
Welcome to Ogbomosho O Reinhard Bonnke in conversation with the traditional king of Ogbomosho.
The warm welcome in Ogbomosho that evening was accompanied by a parade of countless mopeds.
gbomosho is a city in the Nigerian state of Oyo. It is like thousands of others in Africa, although it is far bigger than most of them. Anyone who wants to see something of what life is like in Africa has to go to a place like Ogbomosho. Apart from a few church buildings, the town hall and a few mosques, there are virtually no tall buildings. Yet more than one million people live in the city and the surrounding area. Wherever you look in Ogbomosho, you see mile after mile of low houses with corrugated iron roofs, dusty streets, colourful markets, small shops and artisans’ workshops, open fireplaces and so much more besides.
The fourth day was a Holy Spirit day from start to finish. That morning, in the final meeting of the Fire Conference, thousands of pastors received an impartation of the fire of the Holy Spirit. I laid hands on over 500 pastors and sent them out into the huge crowd to lay hands on all the other delegates. That evening Evangelist Bonnke prayed for the assembled people to receive the Baptism of the Holy Spirit and I had to choke back the tears as the roar of the crowd caused the ground to tremble. Thank you for your love and prayers. We anticipate even greater things as we press on for the sake of the lost. May the Lord bless you. In his service
Evangelist Daniel Kolenda
Eyes wide open!
Numerous blind people received their sight in Ogbomosho
Full of joy! This woman was healed after being blind for five years.
Previously blind in her right eye, this girl was touched by God and healed.
After being blind for nine years, this man is full of thanks for his healing.
This man’s one leg was shorter than the other. Thrilled with his healing, he ran across the stage.
Visibly moved, this boy had been lame for three years and was now healed. Blind for two years, this woman demonstrates her new-found sight.
On the final evening – the crowd had meanwhile grown to more than 400,000 – Reinhard Bonnke proclaimed blessing over the nation.
Each blessing was followed by a thunderous, ground-shaking “AMEN”.
Like a mighty tossing sea Holy Spirit outpouring
ogbomosho
782,710 ... completed decision cards were counted at the end of this five-day campaign. The new Christians use these cards to show that they have placed their lives in the hands of Jesus Christ, will now live in accordance with the principles of his word and will regularly attend a church or Christian fellowship. A carbon copy is kept by the new Christian, while the originals are collected and later passed on to the participating local churches for the follow-up work.
The last time CfaN visited Ogbomosho was for the Great Gospel Campaign in November 2002. That campaign was paralleled within CfaN by a noteworthy event, which shows the force of the strong spiritual resistance to the uncompromising proclamation of the gospel in Nigeria. Peter van den Berg, CfaN’s international director, had a serious accident just before the event and broke three cervical vertebrae. Tens of thousands of intercessors right around the world prayed for him – and God gave him grace, healing and restoration. He is still fully involved in CfaN’s work today. We were filled with thanks as this year’s campaign in Ogbomosho showed us that the victory parade of the gospel cannot be stopped!
At the opening meeting, there were 150,000 people on the field, including the Governor of Oyo State. The campaign was also attended by the winners of the “Free Mission Trip to Africa” competition (from the USA, Canada, Great Britain and Germany) and their travelling companions. During the morning Fire Conference, the team witnessed the Holy Spirit being poured out on thousands of pastors and church workers. A young Muslim man who had been unable to speak for two years “just happened” to be there when the Holy Spirit fell and suddenly discovered that he could speak again. He did not know what had happened to him so he began asking the pastors. They explained to him that it was Jesus who had healed him.
On the penultimate evening, after Daniel Kolenda had preached the gospel, Reinhard Bonnke prayed for the 275,000 people gathered on the campaign field to also receive the Baptism in the Holy Spirit. The crowd sounded like a mighty tossing sea. The great African outpouring continues. We are now living in the greatest days of Holy Spirit outpouring the world has ever known. These are more than good meetings, ecstatic manifestations or supernatural phenomena. May God give us the spiritual perception to recognise as Peter did that, “This is what was spoken by the prophet Joel: ‘In the last days, God says, I will pour out my Spirit on all people. Your sons and daughters will prophesy, your young men will see visions, your old men will dream dreams. Even on my servants, both men and women, I will pour out my Spirit in those days’” (Acts 2:16-18).
Like a mighty tossing sea Holy Spirit outpouring
ogbomosho
782,710 ... completed decision cards were counted at the end of this five-day campaign. The new Christians use these cards to show that they have placed their lives in the hands of Jesus Christ, will now live in accordance with the principles of his word and will regularly attend a church or Christian fellowship. A carbon copy is kept by the new Christian, while the originals are collected and later passed on to the participating local churches for the follow-up work.
The last time CfaN visited Ogbomosho was for the Great Gospel Campaign in November 2002. That campaign was paralleled within CfaN by a noteworthy event, which shows the force of the strong spiritual resistance to the uncompromising proclamation of the gospel in Nigeria. Peter van den Berg, CfaN’s international director, had a serious accident just before the event and broke three cervical vertebrae. Tens of thousands of intercessors right around the world prayed for him – and God gave him grace, healing and restoration. He is still fully involved in CfaN’s work today. We were filled with thanks as this year’s campaign in Ogbomosho showed us that the victory parade of the gospel cannot be stopped!
At the opening meeting, there were 150,000 people on the field, including the Governor of Oyo State. The campaign was also attended by the winners of the “Free Mission Trip to Africa” competition (from the USA, Canada, Great Britain and Germany) and their travelling companions. During the morning Fire Conference, the team witnessed the Holy Spirit being poured out on thousands of pastors and church workers. A young Muslim man who had been unable to speak for two years “just happened” to be there when the Holy Spirit fell and suddenly discovered that he could speak again. He did not know what had happened to him so he began asking the pastors. They explained to him that it was Jesus who had healed him.
On the penultimate evening, after Daniel Kolenda had preached the gospel, Reinhard Bonnke prayed for the 275,000 people gathered on the campaign field to also receive the Baptism in the Holy Spirit. The crowd sounded like a mighty tossing sea. The great African outpouring continues. We are now living in the greatest days of Holy Spirit outpouring the world has ever known. These are more than good meetings, ecstatic manifestations or supernatural phenomena. May God give us the spiritual perception to recognise as Peter did that, “This is what was spoken by the prophet Joel: ‘In the last days, God says, I will pour out my Spirit on all people. Your sons and daughters will prophesy, your young men will see visions, your old men will dream dreams. Even on my servants, both men and women, I will pour out my Spirit in those days’” (Acts 2:16-18).
y-act e far the e d wheth people ar simply pl a actions of e e N a r r h. I wonder f e l C w a n e e h l io T t p o hought. it is re al. ps the peo , as the em a t o h a o h r t , t e a e P e v ecte d the t . id m ie t e l a or ject th quite be xpect of th ns in China . I had to re e t. I cannot e a p h g p t I wo u l d e t a a t h r s o it e f h t g t he alay. Tha stron e ar on pl a c e – o k g to accept d were too nce to app f e in f l n o a in e g r h e a b n f e m a e ad b and in es ... I a o pl e w ho h e m y ow n e y ng time ago r o o l f e a b d , e e l r a Christ, e e that. But h sisters in t at Jesus h d s n a in a s g r a e g h t o pe . othin l of the P are my bro a e iv . l d r p dia – I have n o r o a G e p f e h o e ngside s like t ve. Thes h e wo r k yfully alo ours, it wa o le d with lo g h e r e as t h j l o n fi a w t t r r t e a x l e e heir p h my r, the peo d outside t Over the n a . o c o r t e otice d that ir s h e t e h a l t F p f o y StephaneMittelstädt, from Heilbronn roof o The pe He avenl the convoy. d out of th d ove d by my e ie v a n a w p l m ie o n acc (southern winner of the d Da e dsGermany), einhar d an e d s o f m op r d n y. u l h l u d f n a r , ee ing so loud “Free Mission Trip to Africa”, h g c in d s e v e a r w e he vehicles d w n ou t ricans iron huts a writes about his impressionsig ofnAfrica. re ache d ab site. The Af p d r a a orrugate d p h m in a e C . l his travel diary.ding open. R Here is a short ospefrom converte d at Gexcerpt e e n r r a e t G s w e n h s t e d v n r a a o h o us saw he off again f nce again, t itual eyes O ir y. p it s pm: We set r y o m h t t a u ding a of joy th with astoun s nd so full s e r e t l u the ad Jesus andArrival in Lagos
Stephan’s Diary
Monday: After a night with little sleep – as usual before setting out on an “adventure” – we boarded the train and were off. I was accompanied by Lars Kortkamp, our copastor and youth pastor, as my wife had to stay at home to look after our small son.
A long wait
Tuesday: The other CfaN guests also gathered in the hotel lobby. Reinhard Bonnke and Daniel Kolenda gave us a friendly welcome. It is amazing to see how down-to-earth they are; they seem so ordinary and caring. There were around 30 people in the lobby – all waiting to leave. I was told that this was the safest hotel in Lagos and the only one where Europeans do not need to worry about eating the food. This was the first time that I had seen an African city. I was really shocked by what
In one village we came across an evangelistic team. Their cars were covered in CfaN posters. They were out publicising the huge campaign that would begin the next day. The people were really thrilled to see us, waved at us and cried out “Bonnke, Bonnke, Bonnke”. I noticed that my heart filled with love. These people are my brothers and sisters in Christ, loved by my Heavenly Father. Over the next two hours, it was like the arrival of the Pope. Reinhard and Daniel waved out of the roof of their car, the people ran joyfully alongside the vehicles, and hundreds of mopeds accompanied the convoy. The people stood outside their corrugated iron huts and waved cheerfully.
After a short night
I saw: a chaotic tangle of electric cables, a lot of rubbish, corrugated iron huts, and merchants selling used goods in homemade wooden lean-tos. I had seen pictures like that in books and on the television but thought that it was only part of the truth. Here, it is like that everywhere. A sea of corrugated iron huts, dense traffic and a vast swarm of people. Many of them looked happy, despite the conditions in which they live. Another thing that struck me was the presence everywhere of Jesus. Bumper stickers, signs on motorcycles. A church building every few hundred metres. Here a Bible college, there a Christian university. We drove past a hall in which more than a million people meet every month to pray. Although I had been very sceptical about CfaN’s conversion figures, I now began to think of them as realistic. However, I noticed that my pictures did not add up. If there are so many Christians here, how come there is so much misery?
Wednesday, Day 1 of the Campaign: We are staying in the best hotel in Ogbomosho but the rooms are small. There is no wardrobe, the air conditioning is not working, the ceiling fan wobbles and only runs at top speed, and the toilet has no seat or lid. In the room it was hot and stuffy and I sweated like a pig. Difficult for a German who likes to sleep with the window open. For breakfast we travelled to the lodge where the team chef cooks for the CfaN team and around 35 international guests. Although people live in terrible conditions here compared with things in Europe, the spiritual atmosphere is better than in a good number of German towns and cities. Back home, things look a lot better on the surface, but people’s hearts are like rubbish tips. I think the African model is better. 5.30 pm: We set off for the campaign site. It was amazing to see how many people were heading in the same direction. A whole family on a motorcycle passed us – the daughter sat in front of her father with the mother and a baby behind them. The motorcycle was fit for the scrapheap, they were not wearing helmets and the safety
for the baby was an absolute disaster. However, I have rarely seen anyone in Germany beaming with happiness like they were. We overtook church buses plastered with “Bonnke posters” and packed to the brim with people; some cars even had people travelling in the boot. At the approach to the backstage area, the crowd formed a passage for the convoy to drive through. Perhaps this is what a marathon runner feels like over the last few metres before the winning post as he hears the crowds cheering him on. Here the people were cheering in praise of Jesus. Then Daniel Kolenda preached. Great man, powerful message. Thousands were converted that night. Those in charge told us that more people would turn up over the next few days. I heard what they said but could not really believe it. After the message, prayer was made for healing and
people streamed forward to testify to their healing. Cripples could walk, blind people could see, the dumb could speak. It was too much for me; I cannot get over the large number of people here and am glad that I have a couple more days to take it all in. People are converted here not just because the gospel is preached so clearly and not because Daniel Kolenda preaches with authority but also because so many Christians here are praying.
Does God still heal today?
Thursday, Day 2 of the Campaign: At 6.30 am the morning prayer meeting with Reinhard Bonnke in our little group. To think that he preached to us with the same passion as he did yesterday to a crowd of 150,000 is really amazing. The healings are still bothering me. There is too much happening here for my small German faith. I wondered whether the testimonies to healing were faked by the CfaN team, and then rejected the thought. The CfaN people are far too honest for that; it would be the last thing that I would expect of them. Perhaps the people were simply play-acting so that they had a chance to appear on the stage. I had to reject that idea, too, as the emotional reactions of the people who had been healed were too strong for that. I cannot quite believe that it is real. That Jesus healed a long time ago and in a far-off place – okay. That it happens in China or India – I have nothing against that. But here, before my own eyes ... I am beginning to accept healing here as the work of God.
danced around the burning oil drums. Daniel proclaimed that the evil forces had no more power over those present or their relatives. The crowd formed a chain and two black hands took hold of mine. Daniel named every idol by name and sent it packing. We backed it up each time with a thunderous “Amen” from our human chain. Then things shifted smoothly to prayer for the sick. Over and over again a group of people in the crowd started to dance and praise God. Shortly afterwards, two or three people separated off from the group and, with home-made crutches held above their heads, went forward to give their testimonies. Real turmoil and tremendous joy. The people were thrilled and celebrated the change in their lives. I did, too.
Fire falls
Saturday, Day 4 of the Campaign: Today was the day when fire was supposed to fall. D-day for hell. At the Fire Conference Peter van den Berg preached. Then … showdown. The church pastors were asked to
5 pm: We set off again for the Great Gospel Campaign site. The Africans were singing so loud and so full of joy that my spiritual eyes saw heaven standing open. Reinhard preached about Jesus and the adulteress with astounding authority. Once again, thousands were converted.
Go – do something!
Friday, Day 3 of the Campaign: In the 30-minute morning meeting we sat outside under a tarpaulin roof and prayed aloud as the sun rose. Reinhard spoke. I noticed that the topic was a particularly hot one for him. We are to go. Regardless of how holy or suitable we feel – off we go! I found it very motivating.
5 pm: We met Winni Wentland. He has been working with CfaN in Africa for 31 years and is an old hand. He and his family lived in Lagos for 16 years and he has a tale or two to tell. He told us about dictators, Christian persecutions and the justified fear that Nigeria could become an Islamic state. During that time, the Christians learned how to pray and call out to God. That was the late 1980s, early 1990s. Afterwards, revival began. He told us about church fellowships with up to two million members. About lay evangelists who preach in public buses, with people being converted before they get off. Two old oil drums full of amulets and other things from the worlds of superstition and black magic were burned. The people had brought the things from home and now
had travelled with us from Germany had had her eyes healed. She had worn glasses with 4 dioptres and can now see clearly without them. It was a while before we in the bus realised what had happened. Her husband said that God can also heal white people in black Africa.
Under an open heaven
Sunday, Day 5 of the Campaign: Incredible masses of people were pouring onto the field. There were 400,000 of them – more than twice as many as on the first evening. There were dark clouds over the platform but during the praise time, the sun’s rays broke through the clouds and made a wonderful picture. Heaven was open over the outwardly so poor city. Daniel preached. Now and again he turned to look behind him and winked at us in the back row. It suddenly struck me how simple and exciting it can be to trust in Jesus. As we left, I took another look around. The field was full to overflowing; orange floodlights lit up the people still standing in the trees and on the walls on the edge of the field. I will certainly never forget that sight and I am going to miss these lovely people until we meet again in heaven.
Waving goodbye go forward. Hundreds streamed forward. Daniel was going to pray for them with the laying-on of hands. Then the pastors were to go through the rows and lay hands on the others. I wondered what was going to happen. He prayed. Ten thousand people shouted “Hallelujah”. Deafening. My eyes were closed and I saw what looked like a mighty fire coming from heaven and then dividing and then lots of little fires hovering over the people. I opened my eyes and just saw a couple of clouds passing in front of the sun. I closed my eyes again and saw a burning field and a wind driving the fire forwards. Then I saw a city in the grip of a mighty earthquake.
Monday, 5.30 am: Departure from the hotel. On the way back I saw this land differently from when we arrived. Then I saw the rubbish and the people’s living conditions and I felt a sense of hopelessness. The rubbish was still there but now I saw the many happy faces. I saw more and more houses that were swept clean, with no rubbish lying around outside. I saw little shops, whose owners were busy trying to make something out of the little that they have. Over the past few days, I have seen the Kingdom of God spreading throughout this city. People becoming inwardly and outwardly healthy. The power of Jesus changing people and even an entire city.
Then Daniel stepped down from the platform and laid his hands on the pastors. Holy chaos broke out. The people rushed at him; they all wanted him to lay hands on them – now! People fell over and some shook but most stood with their hands raised and praised God. 5.15 pm: On our way to the Great Gospel Campaign. After the altar call and a brief explanation by Reinhard, he prayed for all believers on the field to be baptised in the Holy Spirit. The same procedure as this morning. The people shouted “Hallelujah” so loud that the powerful 13-metre-tall loudspeaker towers no longer had any hope of making sounds heard. I joined in shouting Hallelujah but could not hear myself. I had my eyes closed and saw Jesus with a crown on a huge throne up above the city. Daniel prayed again for the sick. Later in the bus we found out that the woman who
The full version of Stephan’s travel diary can be viewed at n ww w.bonnke.net/cfan/stepha
er of e large nu mboil dr um the ot get over th d turn up over s too much for me ; I canndanced around the burningch tim e w A l ul wo e le liv op w le pe wa fe ea w and no ed it up the last speak. It that more th ou gh peop nditions he re co mpar ed sp he re is betds, two ings from ho me ck ing . We ba ck e du mb coul d arge told us el s lik e over things d pa ck ed to at a marathon runner fe te d that nig ht. Those in ch ind people coul d se e, th ople ha d brough t the thido l by name and se nt it pa e God. Shortl y af te rwarus joy. T n te rr ibl e co rope , the spiritual atmo s and cities. Ba ck ho me , rubbish tips. I think the w many people pe bl y wn ais Eu er with do e poster s” an with things in od nu mber of Ge rman topeople’s he arts ar e lik ee. It was amaz ing to se e ho sat in fron t of he r faththe sa fety for the baby s pl astere d with “Bonnk roug h. Pe rhaps this is whe. Thousand s we re conver. Cr ipple s coul d walk , k ma gic we re burned. The mine. Danie l name d ever d starte d to dance and pr Re al turmoil and tr em en fall . D-d er than in a go r on the surface, bu t off for the campaign sit passed us – the daug hter t we ar ing he lm ets and church buse for the convoy to dr ive th t man, powe rful me ssagto te stify to their he al ingof supe rstition and bl ac bl ack hand s took hold of p of people in the crow to give their te stimonie s. en fir e was supp osed to stor s we ea tte We overtook e t no d chain and two Over and over again a groueir he ads, we nt forwar d fall s Today was the day wh… showdown. The church pa was goi look a lo t be is bette r.5 .30 pm : We se le famil y on a mo torcycle p, they we re ppine ss lik e they we re . crowd form ed a passag pr ea ched. Gr ople stre am ed forwar r things from the worl ds owd form ed a th e iel ho iel Kole nd a el pe he k. he ha the scraphea en
Your Way to Freedom
Restoration & Reparation Your Way to Freedom DVD A powerful preaching highlight from Evangelist Daniel Kolenda. The message of restoration and reconciliation is an integral part of CfaN’s evangelistic campaigns in Africa. Stolen items are an open door for Satan’s power. It is time to get rid of the “property of the devil“ in our lives, otherwise the enemy has every right to inspect his belongings!
Evangelist Daniel Kolenda Daniel Kolenda is in his element preaching this fiery evangelistic message, recorded at our CfaN Great Gospel Campaign in the city of Otukpo, Central Nigeria. During the 5-day Gospel campaign an amazing 713,589 people registered their decision for Christ as Lord and Saviour and were ushered into follow-up programes run by the local participating churches.
running time: 81 min
€ 12
Order online at www.shop.bonnke.net or call + 49 (69) 47878-0
More MEETINGS
with Reinhard Bonnke and Daniel Kolenda
26–30 January 2011 CfaN Great Gospel Campaign in Yenagoa, Nigeria
23–27 February 2011 CfaN Great Gospel Campaign in Lomé, Togo
23–27 March 2011 CfaN Great Gospel Campaign in Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso
Imprint Publisher
Christ for all Nations PO Box 60 05 74 60335 Frankfurt am Main Germany Tel: +49 (69) 4 78 78 0 Fax: +49 (69) 4 78 78 10 20 cfan@bonnke.net www.bonnke.net President: Daniel Kolenda
Mission Accounts Kreissparkasse Boeblingen, Germany BSC 603 501 30
Postsparkasse Wien, Austria Account No: 7.400.641 BIC: OPSKATWW IBAN: AT776000000007400641
Nordea Stockholm, Sweden Account No: 52 76 57-1 BIC: NDEASESS IBAN: SE49 9500 0099 6034 0527 6571
BIC: BBKRDE6B IBAN: DE46 6035 0130 0001 0379 00
Raiffeisen Bank Prague, Czech Republic Account No: 1061014750, BSC 5500 BIC: RZBCCZPP IBAN: CZ69 5500 0000 0010 6101 4750
Rabobank Limburg, Netherland Account No: 1529.45.326 BIC: RaboNL2U IBAN: NL95Rabo0152945326
Postcheckamt Basel, Switzerland Account No: 40-23212-5 BIC: POFICHBEXXX IBAN: CH33 0900 0000 4002 3212 5
DuBNOR, 0021 Oslo, Norway Account No: 7874.07.00633 BIC: DNBANOKKXXX IBAN: NO92 7874 0700 633
EUR €: Account No: 1 037 900 USD $: Account No: 220 2600 39 GBP £: Account No: 220 2603 45
Produced by
E-R Productions GmbH Postfach 60 05 95 60335 Frankfurt am Main Germany Photos: Oleksandr Volyk Editor-in-chief: Martin Baron Design: Tabitha Hess