Great Awakening Tour City #14 Maui, Hawaii

My first time–I loved talking with people about the Lord I found most everyone that I talked with believed in the Lord Only one man, a senior, got up and walked away

This truly was the day that the Lord had made. From the early morning high level of expectancy was vibrating in the air as well as in the hearts of the whole congregation. This really was fulfilling of statement „ No man left behind „ Everybody in the church did the part to get the whole work done. That was like a total mobilization in the local branch of Gods army! And most important that anyone got mobilized absolutely voluntarily-no one was forced to fight on Jesus side…this was the day of fighting against opression and depression.

Though the outcame of this battle was foreknown -it`s a great pleasure to recall things that happened on this Sunday. First of all hunderads of people got saved , delivered from Satans domain and brought into the Kingdom of God. Holy transition directed by the Lord Jesus himself and accomplished through His body – The church ! What an awsome privilege and great experience it is to be in His will, respond to His call and be a part of what He is doing. What a sight it is to see little children along with their parents happily coming for toys and impatiently unripping them. Smiles, joy , laughter heard everyvhere …almost heavenly atmosphere. No fear, no depression- really a piece of heaven brought down to the earth in just an ordinary day…Somebody may say: „Wait ! you`re wrong ! It`s not just an ordinary day –it`s a Sunday in the church ! „

It is an ordinary day in a sense that anybody has ability to create such a day full of joy , happiness and presence of The Lord . All we need is to strech out our hands and our hearts to the others and Jesus himself will bless our touch and make any day like a gift that is more wonderful than we even could imagine.

Renee C
none given Hawaii United States

Great Awakening Tour City #14 Maui, Hawaii

–Alaska— 2 guys got saved–one started crying

Imagine going to bed hungry or even as a child waking up with nothing under you Christmas tree. Even better yet imagine a world where you feel completely unloved. This is what Dr. Rodney Howard-Brown of the River Tampa church in Tampa Fl is working against. I am not only proud to be a part of this group under Dr. Rodney but I am honored to see how many lives’s we are truly changing.

At the River Church Dr. Rodney has set up an amazing food ministry were they feed over 500 families a week with a box of food that will last them through the week. This part of the ministry is my favorite; we see people’s lives changing every day when we go out telling them about the food ministry. To see mothers eyes go from sad to happy when she realizes that she will have food for her children that week.

This past week we handed out toys to needy families and in the process of doing that we had 374 people turn their lives over to God. I unfortunately did not get to be a part of this even. However I wish I was there the testimonies of my friend about the event touched my heart so much hearing how people were crying and thanking them or how kids who just need someone to show them love got just that.

You see for me what this church is doing to reach out to families in the city of Tampa is amazing to see. How many people can say that they truly have impacted the lives of people around not only by giving those gifts but by loving them and showing them how much Jesus Christ loves them? How many people can say that they have made an impact on the people around them and know that beyond a shadow of a doubt that those people will forever be changed? This is what Dr. Rodney Howard- Brown is doing in Tampa Fl he is making a change in the lives of people in the community and the city but not just any change he is making the greatest change of all he is showing the people that he truly cares about them.

Cheryl G
none given Hawaii United States

Great Awakening Tour City #14 Maui, Hawaii

I spoke with a Catholic I spoke with a Buddist, she has gone to St. Anthony school (catholic) she accepted Jesus and gave offering of $20 one woman in bed–after praying told me her mind tells her she could not be forgiven and I assured her that she is! she was very appreciative and thankful!!

This past Sunday was amazing! It was incredible to see the harvest of souls come in, and being touched by the love of God, not just by the message – but also through the more natural means… a bag of food, Christmas gifts, and even a “hello”. It was awesome to see people, which we had gone out into the community and invited, at the River – responding to the altar call; giving their lives to Jesus. It’s easy to get into the mindset that we are just blessing these people, but these people are blessing us; after talking to a few of them on the streets, and listening to their individual stories, the things that they’re going through – and then seeing them, presented with the love of God that is the Gospel, hope restored to their eyes, is priceless. It’s what it’s all about.

I think that what Pastor Rodney and the River are doing is incredible. Setting the tone of what the church SUPPOSED is like. Not just keeping the Gospel inside the church, where the people who already know God come on Sunday’s – but taking it out into the community, bringing light into the dark places. Before coming here for Bible school, I had never been soul winning – but now that I’ve seen it, I’ve experienced it – it’s become such a passion of mine! The love of God is not just for the church or for a select few people. It’s for everyone. And taking the message of Jesus, to the streets, is for everyone in the church! It’s a rewarding experience, to have an outreach, like the one this past Sunday. To see the fruits of your labors right there before you. Laying down everything that they came in with, at the foot of the cross, and seeing lives changed right before your very eyes. Pastor Rodney understands this, and it is such an awesome privilege being able to serve under his leadership.

Angelika H
none given Hawaii United States

Great Awakening Tour City #14 Maui, Hawaii

First time praying for prayer of salvation in retirement homes–4 saved

This past Sunday I was working in Children’s Church and I have never seen anything like it before. Before service started the room was starting to get filled 20 minutes before service actually started. Kids began pouring in from both doors with cheerful faces as they saw their friends in the room. I started to play the Hillsong Kids DVD on the projector and the kids loved it. When service began it started off just like any other Sunday, a few games, a few giveaways, Joe Manno came up on stage and there was a new kind of energy coming from him. He began to throw candy out into the crowd of kids and began to start telling stories. When he finished telling his stories he asked if anyone wanted a bike. The kids went crazy! He brought a few kids on-stage along with his helpers. He made the kids have a dance off to see who would win the bike,that was one of 3 bikes that he gave away. After that he got in a serious attitude and told the kids to sit around the front of stage.

He began to preach about the crucifixion of Jesus Christ and he described it in a way that even I have never heard about. He described the whips that were used by the Roman soldiers to beat Jesus, he used so many descriptions that you could close your eyes and see everything he said. It was amazing how the kids responded. Many got touched by the Holy Spirit, a lot of those for the first time. Many lives were transformed there. He then proceeded and gave an alter call and over 150 kids gave their lives to Christ for the first time! It was an amazing thing to witness because you know that these kids will never be the same for as long as they live. And its amazing because we don’t know what God has for their lives, many of them will be nation shakers, many even generation shakers. God moved in a mighty way that will only grow and grow each week and I thank God for the opportunity to be a part of the mighty move of God that day.

Angelica H
none given Hawaii United States

Great Awakening Tour City #20 North Miami Beach, Florida

One lady told me how it was so important to ask the question if she died NOW was she sure she would go to heaven. She said because Christian born again also go through temptaion and might sin and yet forget to repeat and just assume they are going to heaven. All the eight people were very glad that. Today I led one lady in her office to the Lord. She said I was a blessing to her.

We had a blast at the Toy giveaway at the River at Tampa Bay Church with Dr. Rodney Howard-Browne! One thing that has caught my attention about this ministry is the heart that they have for reaching others for Jesus¬- even those that speak different languages. The Outreach was focused on Spanish speaking people. Advertising was done, flyers were delivered, posters covered the walls of Hispanic stores and businesses, and the people came! Translation was provided at the Church, with well-able interpreters and people felt comfortable and at home. All the Church worked as a team, with 300+ workers volunteering to see one goal: SOULS. I could see the compassion of Jesus working through the church workers as they served the first time visitors and everybody who came through the doors of the River at Tampa Bay Church. Kids came expecting, and they were certainly not disappointed! For Kids’ church was amazing! With all the new equipment, teachers’ ideas and games! The children LOVE coming to church. People came with a merry heart and expectation and enthusiasm was in the air.

It was amazing to be a part of what this Ministry is doing, for the change in people’s lives is so evident, you can even see it before your very eyes. The event was a bomb! All the workers were in position by the time all the people came out of the service, things were done in order as much as possible, there were people assigned in the parking lot for directing the traffic of people, others were assigned to toys’ distribution and everything went smooth. If people got hungry, hot-dogs and ice-cold drinks were being sold at the property at very affordable prices. The event was awesome, people’s lives were changed, I highly recommend you make the River at Tampa Bay Church your home church!

Rose B
N/A Florida United States