Entering a New World

While in Tauranga studying (see our post "The Wonder of God at Work") we began to hear reports of a visitation of God down in Timaru. An unassuming evangelist by the name of A.S. Worley from Tennessee, USA, had been led of the Lord to come to New Zealand. He had met with some leaders in the South Island and had told them,

"I feel from the Lord to go start some meetings in Timaru."

Everyone tried to dissuade him.

"Timaru is the preacher's graveyard" they said.

But his reply, in his broad southern accent, was...

"I think I'll go to Teemaroo."

So he did. He started in a hall with five people. His wife, who was a lovely lady, led the singing - but couldn't sing a note.

We began to hear reports in Tauranga - "100 people have come to the Lord and there have been many miracles of healing." Then more reports, "200 have come to the Lord" - "300" - "400" - "500" - "600" - "700".

A.S. Worley then called for Ron Coady and myself to go down and help him. The meetings were held almost every day, with Wednesday designated a teaching meeting and Saturday night a young people's meeting. Because I had worked with young people in the YMCA, I was asked to take the Saturday night. However, all the meetings were the same...with people receiving the Word, people being saved and people being healed...so everyone came to all the meetings. After I had preached I made an altar call and many people came out to receive the Lord and also for healing. I had observed how A.S. Worley prayed for the people. With a sweep of his arm he would put his hand on their head and say "Be healed in Jesus' Name". And they were. So, as a young man new to this kind of ministry, I did it the same way. With a sweep of my arm I put my hand on their head. "Be healed in Jesus' Name" I said. And, wonder of wonders, they were! So I didn't stop.

Worley was a quiet man who imparted faith everywhere he went. Ron and I stayed with him and his wife in their rented house. He was always praying and writing out statements of faith on large cards. For the first 15 minutes when he ministered he spoke very slowly and it would be very boring, then suddenly the anointing of God would come upon him. He would kick up his leg, take his handkerchief out of his pocket, throw it on the table, and he was off. He made faith seem so simple you felt ridiculous if you didn't believe, and the people responded.

Worley returned to the United States and Ron and I continued to pastor the new church in Timaru. The miracles continued. There were also many beautiful baptisms. I remember one in particular where 60 people were baptised in a freezing river. Many of this group were elderly and sick. We suggested to them that maybe they shouldn't be baptised that day because it was so cold. They insisted and were baptised, coming up out of the water healed and rejoicing.

Invitations began to flow in. Ron and I took a team to many cities of the South Island. Ron had some personal problems to work through but he was an outstanding preacher and had a great gift of faith and miracles. Although ten years my senior, he shared the ministry equally with me. Each meeting we would divide it. One evening I would lead the worship and prepare the people to receive the Word. Then Ron would preach and make the altar call. I would then prepare the people to receive healing and then, together, we would both minister with the laying on of hands. The next night we would reverse it. Ron would lead and I would preach.

In Invercargill, 210 people came to the Lord. Many were healed. One man, who was a lumberjack, had had his elbow destroyed when a steel rope snapped and whip-lashed it. Surgeons had put in a metal joint but it was not successful and his arm was closed across his chest and he was unable to move it. We took hold of his arm. Ron pulled it "in the Name of Jesus!" There was a mighty crunching sound, heard by everyone in the auditorium. His arm was free. From that night onwards he was able to use it normally. He lived in Gore, another city in the South Island, and invited us to go there. Out of 5000 in the city and surrounds, 3000 came to the meetings, and 600 responded to the Gospel message.

In each place many miracles were reported as well as signs and wonders such as many supernaturally receiving fillings for their teeth and holy oil appearing on people's hands. People saw angels in some of the gatherings.

Ron and I decided two things. Firstly, we would not take offerings for ourselves but just trust God for our support. Secondly, we would have a week of teaching to prepare the people before the Gospel meetings. So I went down to Gore early for this preparation. After one of the meetings a grandmother brought her two grandsons to me. We were standing together quietly in a corner as the people were fellowshipping around. Her youngest grandson, about five years old, was deaf. The older boy, about nine years old, had terminal bone cancer. Both boys also had badly decayed teeth. Would I pray for them, she asked. This grandmother had great faith in the Lord for the boys' healing. Quietly, in the corner, I prayed for these precious boys. Immediately their teeth were healed and the younger boy's ears were opened. He could hear! The older boy's healing was not so evident but we knew God had touched him. Three weeks later the grandmother returned with a doctor's report. All cancer had gone from the boy. He was completely healed.

The spirit of faith was so high in the meetings in Gore that the people came early and began spontaneously singing all the glorious songs of praise, so that by the time Ron and I arrived at the Gore Community hall at 7.30 each evening, the place was "alive". At the end of the meetings, around 11 or 11.30 pm, having seen many people come to the Lord and many miracles take place, they would all start "victory marches" round and round the hall, with great rejoicing.

Hundreds came to the meetings in each place...several hundred in Invercargill, many hundreds in Gore. 60 came to the Lord in Riccarton, 80 in Waimate. Many hundreds in Nelson and Motueka. 250 came to the meetings at the YMCA in Christchurch, several hundred in Rangiora. So many wonderful miracles - too many to report here.

What a great privilege it was to see the Lord move in such a wonderful way....watching people's lives dramatically changed through faith in the Saviour...seeing Him move in His compassion to heal and perform miracles as He had done when He had walked the earth so long ago....being so aware that we had nothing to do with it except having the joy to be there as He ministered...seeing the living reality of the scripture...

"Jesus Christ, the same yesterday, today and forever" (Hebrews 13:8).

My life was never the same again.