Preview - Abakaliki

Abakaliki is the capital of the Nigerian federal state of Ebonyi in the south-east of the country. It is home to the Igbo people, which is divided into the three tribes of Ezza Ezekuna, Izzi, and Ikwo.
The town was appointed as the administrative capital of the federal state a mere 11 years ago and has been growing unchecked ever since. Abakaliki is in a densely populated, strongly agricultural region, which means that we can expect as many as 500,000 people to come to the Gospel Campaign meetings.
The town has always been a trade centre for yams, manioc, rice and palm oil and is known as the “fruit basket” of southern Nigeria. Tax advantages have led to a strong growth of industrial firms, one of the largest being an artificial fertiliser factory. The largest poultry farm in Nigeria is also in Abakaliki. The town has had its own university, the Ebonyi State University, since 1996.
   
Nigeria
According to the latest statistics, Nigeria has a population of over 160 million. It is the most populous country in the whole of Africa. We know that our work in that vast country is not over. Many people are trapped in nominal Christianity or one religious hotchpotch or another – such as ancestor worship – and urgently need to hear the message of redemption through Jesus Christ.
We are convinced of the strategic importance of the Nigerian towns of Abakaliki, Yola and Awka, which the Lord has placed on our hearts for the months from now until March.

Today is the day of salvation, today is the year of the Lord’s grace – we are in no doubt about that!

Day 1 - Wednesday, 5 December 2007

Dear Mission-Partners,

We are again in Nigeria, this time in Abakaliki/Ebonyi-State. It was a good start tonight. The people flocked together from all sides, because the crusade-ground is in the middle of the city. It is bone-dry and heavy dust was hanging over the crowd. The Gospel rang out like a clear bell and a mighty harvest of souls was reaped. Then the prayer for the sick and the power of God literally exploded: the blind saw and the cripples walked. A baby that had died in the womb of the mother, suddenly started to kick again. There was great joy in the city and an excellent beginning.
 
Please continue to pray for us. We expect a great increase in attendance and everything else.
 
Yours in His love and service,

Reinhard Bonnke, Evangelist,
and the whole CfaN Team.

Day 2 - Thursday, 6 December 2007

Dear Mission-Partners,

Today the Governor of Ebonyi-State in Nigeria invited the whole CfaN-Team for a state-banquet. The governor lavished kindness on us. He told us that the present crusade-ground will be turned into a new suburb of Abakaliki and that one of the new roads shall be named “Reinhard Bonnke Avenue”.

Tonight’s meeting was a sign and a wonder. The crowd increased almost 3-fold from the day before. I preached on The Blood of Jesus and the whole place exploded with the power of God. A great multitude received salvation as well as healing. One mad man, who came in chains, was completely delivered. The miracles were too many to enlist, but we praise the name of Jesus for His mighty works. The whole area is electrified. Please continue to pray for us.

Yours in His love and service,

Reinhard Bonnke, Evangelist,
and the whole CfaN Team.

Day 3 - Friday, 7 December 2007

Dear Mission-Partners,

We’ve just returned to the “Governor’s Lodge” where we areaccommodated in Abakaliki by courtesy of the State. Another most glorious meeting is behind us. The crowd grew tonight to 200,000 and I had asked Evangelist Daniel Kolenda to minister the Word of God. He really did an excellent job and a mighty harvest of souls was brought in. “We have never seen anything like it in this city”, said the bishop of the Methodist church, “it is like a dream come true.” We of course say “This is the Lord’s doing, and it is marvelous in our eyes.

An eight year old girl, who was born totally blind, was completely healed this evening. Her uncle had brought her and God honored his faith....and many many more wonderful healings occurred. It is also amazing how many Muslims receive Jesus as their personal Savior and confess him as the Son of God and their Lord. As we move into the weekend, we have every reason to expect another mighty increase in attendance. Please continue to pray for us. Tomorrow morning is the last service of our Fire Conference in the city-stadium, and then again the grand evening crusade-meeting.

Thank you for all your love, prayer and help.

Yours in His love and service,

Reinhard Bonnke, Evangelist,
and the whole CfaN Team.

Day 4 - Saturday, 8 December 2007

Dear Mission-Partners,

We have just got back from tonight’s meeting where a great crowd of 300,000 people poured onto the field to hear the gospel and a great multitude received Jesus as their savior in the call to salvation. After the gospel message it was time for the baptism in the Holy Spirit and after a short teaching the huge crowd raised their hands and in the space of a few minutes literally tens of thousands were baptized into the Holy Spirit and worshipped the Lord in new tongues.
 
Later scores of people lined up at the platform to give testimony about remarkable healings and the crowd danced and sang in jubilation as each one told their story and gave glory to God.
 
Today was also the final meeting of the Fire Conference which saw sixteen thousand delegates receive a mighty anointing to go out and do the work of evangelism.
 
Tomorrow is Sunday and the final meeting of the crusade at which we expect to see a great climax and I say thank you to all of you who stand with us in prayer and financial support to make this great harvest possible.

Yours in His love and service,

Reinhard Bonnke, Evangelist,
and the whole CfaN Team.

Day 5 - Sunday, 9 December 2007

Dear Mission-Partners,

Today was the final day of the Gospel Crusade. 360,000people filled the field and listened spellbound. The Word fell on very good ground and a massive crowd received Jesus as their Savior. Many glorious miracles happened. A woman totally blind for 15 years suddenly saw. The people were ecstatic and roared praises to the Lord. A security-officer who had been shot in the stomach, was totally healed, etc.

Yes, we praise the Lord for this wonderful harvest.
 
Thank you for standing with us and helping us.
 
Yours in His love and service,

Reinhard Bonnke, Evangelist,
and the whole CfaN Team.

The power of the blood of Jesus in Abakaliki

The huge crowd remained silent as Bonnke explained one of the most thrilling and overlooked truths about the blood of Jesus. ‘It marks those who trust in Christ, and distinguishes them from everybody else. ‘Internally, Externally and Eternally! It reaches right into the depths of our being.’ His blood is the secret of victory!’

When Reinhard Bonnke arrived in Abakaliki, the state governor, Dr. Martin Elechi, excused himself from a function with the President of the Republic in order to personally welcome Bonnke to Ebonyi state. He also suspended all state activities during the crusade week so that civic workers could attend the event–such was the level of expectation prior to the start of the crusade.

Before the crusade got under way, Pastor Paul Nwachukwu of Grace of God Mission commented that, “Bonnke and his team go to places in Nigeria where others don’t go because they are considered ‘too difficult’ for evangelism but then Bonnke holds a huge crusade and afterwards the churches are overflowing with new converts. Abakaliki is such a place.”

From Dust to Destiny
But at the very start of the meetings it became quickly apparent that the whole place was eagerly anticipating the crusade as tens of thousands arrived on the very dusty field for the first meeting. The ground was so dry that during every meeting great clouds of dust rose above the worshiping and dancing crowd as if the earth itself was joining the great chorus of praise to heaven. Every night after the gospel message multitudes responded to the salvation call and the thousands of personal workers then connected each respondent to the church-based follow up program. In one of the meetings a former witchdoctor stood on the platform after bringing all his witchcraft items to be burned, and told the crowd how that he and all his household of 59 members had repented and dedicated their lives to Jesus Christ just the night before. Even though the ground was physically dry and dusty, a mighty eternal harvest was being reaped.
 
Miracles Authenticate the Gospel
An Outpouring of Miracles’ well describes the magnitude of what happened at the end of each meeting as scores of people lined up to testify about the wonderful healings that they had received in answer to prayer. Each time a testimony rang out the crowd roared it’s approval and sang praises to the Lord.

After one of these meetings, when asked if he was a healing evangelist, Reinhard Bonnke replied, “this is not a signs and wonders show, but there is a higher purpose … salvation … Miracles are an authentication of the Gospel and not an end in themselves.”
 
Anointed for Service
Each morning during the week, just under 20,000 pastors and church workers attended the Fire Conference which culminated in a great anointing meeting as the fire of the Holy Spirit fell on everyone present.

Later in the week, at a state banquet organized by the governor of the state for Reinhard Bonnke and the CfaN team, it was made public that a new United Nations designed city development would be built in the vicinity of the crusade site and that it would include a ‘Reinhard Bonnke Avenue’ in honor of the visiting evangelist.

At the end of the week, the Rt. Rev. Godfrey Agupusi, chairman of the Christian Association of Nigeria, summed it all up by saying that, “It was a yoke breaking, city shaking, demon chasing and soul-winning crusade!”
 
Singing Praises to the Healer
Mrs Mary Nchukwu had suffered a stroke 4 years previously and since that time she had great difficulty walking and lost the ability to speak clearly. She had been a singer all her life and totally lost the ability to sing a single note. She attended the crusade with her family and on the very first night when Reinhard Bonnke prayed a single prayer for all those in the crowd who needed a healing, she reports that she felt a warm sensation moving over her body and then right after that, she could walk well and her speech impediment disappeared.

Her family came with her as she pushed through the crowd toward the platform to testify about what had happened to her. It was only when she actually stood on the platform to testify about her healing that she realized for the first time that she could now sing. And sing she did, with Reinhard Bonnke and the whole crowd joining her in the celebration and giving glory to the Lord.

Proclaiming the Word!
Evangelist Daniel Kolenda, a fifth generation Pentecostal preacher, received a calling to take the Gospel to the nations as a young boy. After completing a degree in theology, Daniel joined Christ for all Nations as a warehouse manager and then began to travel with Evangelist Bonnke as his assistant. It was during these travels that Daniel first saw the massive crowds that are characteristic of CfaN events which inspired him to follow his own calling. Now he ministers alongside Evangelist Bonnke as an associate evangelist.

Dear Mission-Partners,

There is great joy in my heart as I share with you that 782,263 people received Jesus as their Savior and completed a decision card in our Abakaliki Gospel Crusade! Among them was one of the most feared sorcerers of that region. He was saved along with the 58 members of his big family! His testimony on our platform electrified the whole region, because he brought two trucks of Juju-devil-stuff to be burned. Jesus is a wonderful Savior and we experienced His power in action!

As we end this year, I am once again astounded by God’s faithfulness and grace to save; we have literally seen millions of precious souls record a decision for Jesus Christ! Throughout this year, we have seen God’s hand work mighty miracles and transform lives in cities across Africa and around the world. We give all glory to God!
 
Great Things ahead!
We now look forward to 2008, when Christ for all Nations will once again charge into uncharted territory and trust God for even greater harvests! This coming year, we will minister in Australia, Nigeria, India and even China (yes, China!) plus many more places around the world. Praise God, we will not slow down, but press forward until the Gospel message has reached all ends of the earth!

Thank you so much for your faithful partnership, through your prayers and gifts, in this worldwide harvest. You are a vital part of this soul-winning endeavor.

I am always deeply moved how people flock to hear the Word of God and receive Jesus into their lives.We are preparing for a mighty harvest catch in 2008 and your support is needed now more than ever! Stand with us, believe with us and rejoice with us as we bring in lost souls together!

Yours in His Love and Service,

Evangelist Reinhard & Anni Bonnke