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"Full Flame" Fire Conference in Stuttgart, Germany

14–16 September 2007



A report by Johannes Fix

When Reinhard Bonnke laid his hands on the 7,000 participants and they received the Fire of the Holy Spirit, it was the absolute highlight of the Stuttgart Fire Conference. They were sent out with the commission to proclaim the Gospel to a lost world. It was also a renewed confirmation of the divine promise: "In the last days; I will pour out my Spirit on all flesh" (Joel 2:28). This special event concluded three remarkable days packed with inspiring praise music, mission reports and powerful preaching.

 

German premiere of the Full Flame Film Series
During the conference there were many reasons to celebrate. One was the German premiere of the Full Flame film series, "A Passion for the Lost." This is the 'Fire Conference on film' for churches, home cells and prayer groups. Reinhard Bonnke briefly described the challenges from commission to completion of this top quality production. "Since 1997 we filmed across the whole world, for the whole world," he said. The vision is that purchase of the series in the western Christian world as well as sponsorship donations will finance distribution in those countries unable to pay for the films.

The first Film, "Lost at Sea" with its allegorical dramatic scenes impressed the audience deeply. The closing sentence kept ringing in their hearts for a long time: "The Church of Jesus is no pleasure boat, but a lifeboat and every hand is needed on deck.” Reinhard Bonnke explained how the 'spiritual temperature' will increase film by film until finally, in film No 8, the fire of the Holy Spirit falls and commissioning takes place.

Step by step towards the highlight
Each event started with a powerful time of praise and worship. The three different groups who performed this important service each prepared the ground for the proclamation of the Word of God in a unique way. From the opening "Sing praises to God, sing praises!" to the closing song of dedication, the bands complemented each other to produce an atmosphere of worship.

In three seminars people were prepared to receive their personal flame of the Holy Spirit. The first session was “How to gain vision.” Reinhard Bonnke preached from Genesis 13:15, God’s promise to Abraham: "All the land which you see I give to you and your descendants." God stands by his promises and they are never forgotten. Reinhard named some faith heroes of the Bible, starting with Joseph who received divine dreams that became his personal vision. As a New Testament example he spoke of Philip, the evangelist, and made clear that since Pentecost God waits for our action. “Philip went, I also went, and God goes with them that go.” God’s dealings and purposes with us are multi-layered, as Paul puts it in Romans 8:26-29. Finally everything serves one purpose only - it is all “to the glory of God the Father.”

On Saturday afternoon the young Evangelist Daniel Kolenda whose great-uncle John P. Kolenda was one of the co-founders of the “Berea” theological seminary in Erzhausen, challenged the audience to join the league of “dangerous Christians.” He made it clear that we cannot give what we do not possess. For this reason the Holy Spirit came at Pentecost so that we would have something to pass on. Hebrew 11 served as a basis for his sermon. He drew the picture of some of the fathers of faith, all these having obtained a good testimony through faith, did not receive the promise: "Since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us” (Hebrews 11:39-40; 12:1). He drew example after example from faith heroes of the past century. Finally he used the story of Gideon to demonstrte how God can use our weakness and change it for his glory. He concluded with the question from Isaiah 6: "Whom shall I send, and who will go for us?" and with the answer "Here am I! Send me.” 

A Flame on every Head
In the final service Reinhard Bonnke preached from Luke 4:18: “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me because he has anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor; he has sent me to heal the broken-hearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives and recovery of sight to the blind, to set at liberty those who are oppressed, to proclaim the acceptable year of, the Lord.” This was Jesus' 5 -point agenda for the "day of salvation" and it is transferable to the receivers of the anointing. From Acts 2:1-4 he showed that the Baptism in the Holy Spirit is for all people. The scripture report of the day of Pentecost shows clearly that the Holy Spirit was not limited to Israel but he was given for the whole world. John the Baptist stood in the River Jordan baptizing people and said: "I baptize you with water unto repentance, but he who is coming after me is mightier than I. … He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire” (Matthew 3:11). The way was open to light the spark of Holy Spirit anointing. God certainly had a flame ready for each of the 7,000 participants on this afternoon.

Jesus saves, Jesus heals
The Christ for all Nations evangelistic campaigns and Fire Conferences always go hand-in-hand. The key message of the two evening events was: “The Son of Man has come to seek and save that which was lost” (Luke 19:10).

The net of the Gospel was cast and a hundredfold harvest was brought in. Before the meetings ended, Reinhard Bonnke prayed for the sick and God confirmed his word with signs and wonders. Quite a number came forward to testify that Jesus Christ is still the same today to save, heal and baptize with the Holy Spirit. There were healings from back troubles and various joint illnesses, asthma, deafness and also deliverance from emotional suffering.

Picture: This man suffered for one year from  tinnitus and testified to his complete healing.

 

A Conference with lasting blessings
On behalf of the cooperating local churches, the IMPACT editor interviewed Rev. Peter Wenz, Senior Pastor of the Biblische Glaubensgemeinde (BGG) Stuttgart, and asked him about his impressions of this Fire Conference.

P. Wenz: All of us have felt that it was the strongest Conference regarding evangelism which we have seen in Germany. We truly felt that a genuine impartation of evangelistic fire took place which we continue to feel deeply.

IMPACT: What blessing have you and your church received through it?
P. Wenz: For our church it was not only a gigantic blessing to be there but also to serve the thousands of people. I think that during this conference there was mutual encouragement to take hold of the Great Commission of Jesus with greater purpose.

IMPACT: Do you think that the conference will have a lasting effect on the church and on the ministry?
P. Wenz: I absolutely think that the conference has the potential to inspire the church and its ministry in the long run. In particular, the many, many people from our own church who participated have decided to put what they learned into practice.

IMPACT: Please comment briefly on your impressions of the Full Flame film series.
P. Wenz: I am very pleased that Reinhard Bonnke had the courage to tackle the gigantic project of the Full Flame film series. I sincerely hope that the many people who, till now, were not enthusiastic about evangelism will be ignited by these quality films. The Great Commission is so immense that every hand is needed for its fulfilment.

Picture: This woman's hip was not developed correctly. She had to wear a support corset for one year. On Saturday evening, Jesus touched and healed her and delivered her from all pain. 

The future belongs to our children
A special contribution to the Conference event was the Kid’s Festival, that took place under the leadership of Tobias von Stosch and his team. While the seminars were going on in the big hall for the adults, the same topics were presented to the approximately 400 children in ways that were appealing to them. Whoever saw how eagerly and seriously even the smallest children participated, understood why Jesus  said: “Let the little children come to me, and do not forbid them; for of such is the kingdom of God.” The seed sown in this Conference will grow in their hearts and bear fruit, because the future belongs to them. Many thanks to the Kid’s Festival team.