June 12, 2013 – The Peanut Gallery

Peanut Gallery: John Wimber asked a simple question after reading through the New Testament – “Where’s the stuff?”

Why aren’t the “signs and wonders” prevalent in the Gospels, and particularly in the Book of Acts, evident in the Church today?

That was in the ’70s and ’80s and not much has changed. Our theological constructs, organizational development skills, and fear of the unknown (or loss of control) have pretty much squeezed the Holy Spirit out of the normal daily life of the Church.

The video below is a short introduction to John Wimber and the topic of “signs and wonders.”

YouTube contains numerous conference videos dating back to the 80’s when Wimber was teaching MC510 – Signs, Wonders and Church Growth – at Fuller Theological Seminary… click here for more videos on YouTube.

More video teaching resources by John Wimber can be purchased at Vineyard Resources – click here.

As you might imagine, John Wimber and the topic itself were not without controversy. Nevertheless, significant numbers of people were healed, and many more lives were changed, as ordinary Christians learned to live and act… as led by the Holy Spirit.

So… the question still remains to be answered today – “Where’s the stuff?”

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Reading: Acts 5:12-16 NLT

The apostles were performing many miraculous signs and wonders among the people.

Apostles Peter and John
Pieter Aertsen, 1575

And all the believers were meeting regularly at the Temple in the area known as Solomon’s Colonnade. But no one else dared to join them, even though all the people had high regard for them.

Yet more and more people believed and were brought to the Lord—crowds of both men and women.

As a result of the apostles’ work, sick people were brought out into the streets on beds and mats so that Peter’s shadow might fall across some of them as he went by.

Crowds came from the villages around Jerusalem, bringing their sick and those possessed by evil spirits, and they were all healed.

Prayer: Lord Jesus – Advance your Kingdom purposes in our time. Fill your people with your Spirit… heal the sick and demonized… and expand /and enlarge your family into every tribe and nation throughout the world. To you be all the honor and glory. Amen.

Spiritual Song: “Spirit Song” – John Wimber