"Exceeding, abundantly above...:"
Tim-Rochelle Enloe is with Duane Nicholson and 4 others.
In processing the passing of Reinhard Bonnke, the greatest soul-winning evangelist thus far in history, I am reminded of one of my encounters with him over a decade ago.
I bumped into Brother Reinhard Bonnke at an Assemblies of God General Council. Upon shaking his hand, he read my name tag and asked if I was related to the “famous Gospel singer, Neil Enloe.”
When I answered affirmatively, that my Dad was Neil Enloe, he suddenly teared up and told me a most remarkable story.
When he was a new missionary in Africa, I believe Lesotho, he and his family were having a very difficult time seeing much fruit in ministry. My Dad’s group, The Couriers, were touring South Africa and the discouraged German missionary went to hear the Couriers sing.
Bonnke stressed to me the overwhelming feeling of entering the packed church waiting to hear the American Gospel singers—especially in contrast to his discouraging, struggling missionary work. He excitedly said, “There had to be over a thousand people in the church to hear the Gospel and when the invitation was given, a large number of people responded for salvation!”
At this point, Bonnke’s eyes were red with emotion. He said, “I was so moved at the crowd and the response to the Gospel message of The Couriers—something I had not yet seen in Africa—that I prayed, ‘God, would you one day grant me the honor of preaching Your Gospel before 1,000 people with this overwhelming response?’”
This seemed so preposterous to me, because Bonnke would go on to lead the largest Evangelistic campaigns in the world’s history—with over 1.6 million in attendance in a single meeting and lead over 77 MILLION to Christ! Yet as he was relating this story to me, his humility was tangible.
God overwhelmingly answered the seemingly lofty prayer of this passionate evangelist.
What are you believing God for?
What ministry dream are you welcoming Him to far exceed?
May God gloriously answer your seemingly lofty prayers...as he did for a young, frustrated German missionary.
May Bonnke’s exemplary life, humility and ministry challenge us all to rise above the status quo.
The photo above is Bonnke with the Couriers, 25 years after their first meeting.
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