July 2009 Newsletter
Winds of change are blowing...
Hello Friends and Family,
I am delighted and charged to write you this month. When I say that this has been an amazing month, it is not said with any exaggeration whatsoever. From North Texas to Dallas, TX, Oklahoma, Alabama, New Mexico, and California, God has allowed this ministry to literally go throughout America this past month. There is absolutely not enough room in this letter to report on everything God did concerning salvations, healings, and deliverances.
We took a team to Wilson, OK for an Acts 29 School of Evangelism & Outreach weekend. It was a very fruitful time of ministry. There were people saved during our Saturday outreach. The church reached out to a large part of their entire city. As with most churches, there were several people who went out for their first time to evangelize. They came back and testified about how it is not near as hard as they expected. Most of them shared their desires to continue after the team left.
This is what our ministry is focusing on at this point. It is great to have an exciting weekend of outreach and evangelism, but it must go beyond a weekend event. That is why we are now endeavoring to start an evangelistic cell group that would continue to function after we leave a church where an outreach was conducted. We have communicated this vision with many pastors and church leaders, and it has been whole- heartedly embraced. One of my good friends, who is a leader of pastors, told me that this was an answer to prayer. This is something that will have lasting fruit as it progresses in the body of Christ. A leader of over 500 churches wants to adopt and implement this plan.
While in Mobile, AL, God moved in a powerful way. Around 80 people received salvation or re-dedicated their life to Christ. I was invited by a great friend of mine, Pastor Johnny Jernigan, to come ignite a week-long invasion in Mobile, AL. The thing I like about his church and the Invasion is that it is all centered around evangelism. He has grown from a church plant a little over three years ago, to running between five and seven hundred in his church today. We had a very dynamic week of ministry. One night in particular, the spirit of God moved and the young people danced before the Lord for around an hour and a half. This generation is longing for an authentic encounter with the presence of God through worship. By God’s grace, we tapped in to heaven during our time in Mobile.
While in Dallas, TX, I had the opportunity to speak at the Collision Conference held for many youth groups throughout America. It was hosted by a good friend of mine, Pastor Daniel Norris. During the session, I ministered on the power of the gospel. The call was to be empowered with the Holy Ghost and fire to witness and take this generation. Words cannot describe the manifestation of power that came upon those who were hungry. I did not even need to lay hands on many young people. I just began to proclaim the fire of God over their life, and they were radically hit, as if they were being shot. Many shook under the power of God as the Holy Spirit gripped and changed them for the rest of their lives.
During my time in California, I had the privilege to minister in San Francisco, Oakland, and Milpitas. It was an amazing time, and the Lord’s favor was upon the ministry. One of the churches I had the privilege to minister in was Glad Tidings Assembly of God. Smith Wigglesworth once ministered there and God used him to raise a man from the dead. Around 80 people were saved that night. The church was empowered to aggressively begin reaching out in the Bay area. People were delivered and set free. Heaven touched earth in San Francisco.
HUNDREDS OF YOUNG PEOPLE RESPONDED TO RECEIVE THE FIRE OF THE HOLY GHOST!
Once again, we have the privilege to take the good news throughout America. Through local church revival and church mobilization. I want to thank every one of you for all of your prayer and generous support, recently and throughout the years. I have said it many times... it takes team work to make the dream work. God has a dream to bring America back to the cross, and he needs a big team to do it. If you do not support this ministry at this time, I would like to ask you to help me as I endeavor as a missionary to this country to reach this generation.
Feel free to send any prayer needs you may have. I look forward to hearing from you.
Together in the Harvest,
Joe Oden