Hmm… I’d often hoped that I’d be more aligned with the style of Australian healing minister John Mellor than with many others: he seemed to be ‘lower key’ than most in the same ministry. Some not good publicity on the BBC 3 programme earlier this week, and in the Christian press: ‘faith healing is a multi-million pound international INDUSTRY’ – oh God, help us…. and John reportedly pulls people out of wheelchairs. For me, that’s an ultimate no no…. Well, here’s the Premier radio report of a meeting in England very recently:
- http://www.premierchristianity.com/Blog/Why-Jesus-offers-more-than-the-healer-in-this-BBC-documentary?utm_source=Premier%20Christian%20Media&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=8019976_Christianity%2017%2F02%2F17&utm_content=Heal&dm_i=16DQ,4RW94,KXHPEI,HY79V,1
and here’s the BBC 3 programme, ‘Heal me in the name of Jesus’:
- http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/p04rkckk/heal-me-in-the-name-of-jesus
Where DID such a wonderful gift from God as healing, go so badly wrong? From ‘heal the sick, cleanse the lepers, cast out demons, raise the dead: freely you have received, freely give’, to where we are now? John does say in the programme, ‘John Mellor can’t heal anybody’ – but there are 3,000+ videos of him healing people on YouTube….. The Premier article says this:
‘Miracle Hands follows self-confessed “faith healer” John Mellor as he interacts with Emily Yates – a Christian woman with Cerebral Palsy. It’s worth a watch – if you’ve got a strong stomach!’ ‘When Mellor meets and prays for Emily, I almost couldn’t watch as she was hoisted, held on her feet and has her words twisted all so he could tell people that she’s been healed of pain…pain which wasn’t there in the first place! Publicly and without cynicism, Emily does a grand job of trying to not let him off the hook. I like her choice of expletive to camera when he isn’t within earshot. She takes no prisoners, and nor should she. I too have been on the pitying yet bullying end of so called “healing prayer”.’ Pitying yet bullying….
Can I ask something of those of you who have been to meetings I’ve been at to pray for people? If you’ve ever felt bullying, pitying, manipulation – you name it – is part of what I do, would you tell me, please? If you see me pulling someone out of a wheelchair, would you beat me around the head? Or pushing people over?
Paul, you needn’t worry about criticism of your method of praying for the sick. There is no coercing, no pushing, pulling or falsehood by you in your meetings.
You talk about what you have seen God do elsewhere, you pray, you ask others to pray, God comes and heals.
No shouting, no shoving, no tricking, just loving.
The God of Creation comes gently to heal.
No taking, no paying, no forcing, just praying.
The Lord of Salvation comes gently to heal.
No lying, no daring, no boasting, just caring.
The Spirit of Heaven comes gently to heal.
May God always see fit to bring His Kingdom power to earth through you his servant, a quiet, gracious, God fearing man with a great sense of humour and a realistic focus on life.
Thank you, Bev, that’s so lovely of you to write that. As someone who’s been around meetings I’ve been at for many years, I’m especially grateful for your comments! Still praying for that wrist of yours, it ain’t going to succeed in staying unhealed….
Paul, you are a man who just let’s God do what he is doing. If, for some reason, it isn’t happening the way you think it might, you go with what God is doing and not what you want to do. Just keep letting God show Himself like He has done for all these years. God bless you.
Bless you again, Graham, you’re such an encourager. I can only do – and will always do – what I can, and then ‘wing’ it with the Holy Spirit (most of the time, cos I can’t do much!!), so thank you for your reassurance that God does sometimes show up in what I do!!