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Showing posts from March 10, 2013

Who was the "Real" St. Patrick?

On the occasion of St. Patrick’s Day, I thought I would post about the “real” Patrick.  Most of what I have written here comes from a couple of books about his life and ministry – one is a biography entitled Let Me Die in Ireland , The True Story of Patrick by David Bercot (Scroll Publishing, 1999) and the other, “ The Celtic Way of Evangelism – How Christianity Can Reach the West Again ” (George G. Hunter III, Abingdon Press, 2000).  Many Christians today “claim” Patrick as their own – most are surprised that he doesn’t really fit any modern labels that we might try to put on him or the movement he birthed. Patrick was NOT a Roman Catholic, but rather a British Roman citizen born in the late 4 th century (AD386) on the West Coast of Britain.  He was a part of the independent British or Celtic Church which did not come under Roman control until the 6-8 th centuries.  His father was an ordained Deacon and his grandfather had been an ordained Presbyter, but Patri

healing testimonies

Tonight a group of us gathered and everyone shared about what had happened this past week.  Here is a summary: One Lebanese muslim man's back was healed.  Another Iranian muslim woman was healed as was an Iranian muslim man who kept asking, "but how did you know?" because his condition was revealed by a word of knowledge.  Another Gulf Arab muslim student was healed over the phone – pain left her kidney.  Also a Sri Lankan muslim woman was delivered from demonic torment in Jesus' Name. This was all before an Egyptian muslim man came to our meeting.  He has essentially been crippled and unable to walk except with crutches for 2 years.  He received a significant measure of healing tonight – and could walk around with out the crutches and do things he hasn't been able to do in a couple of years.  He isn't completely healed, but was crying out to Jesus (a muslim!) for healing and thanking Jesus for His death on the cross and for the price He paid for his sins and

a theology that isn't shaped by circumstances

I was deeply challenged today listening to one of my favorite preachers, Dan Mohler, speak about the recent death of his mother after a 40 year battle with MS. (see link below) Here is a man who regularly sees the sick healed, including having seen MS healed, but lost his mother to an untimely death. I have watched many Christians radically change their theologies when circumstances challenge their convictions.  Years ago some friends of ours became hyper-Calvinists when their teenage son went of the rails.  It somehow in a twisted way became God's will!  A leading Christian leader in the U.K. changed his position on homosexuality after years of "experience" with Christians struggling with same sex attraction.  Just recently a Christian politician in the U.S. changed his position on gay marriage because his son has come out as being gay.  Circumstances changing people's theology and convictions - it seems to happen all the time. This never seems to be truer than