Grace and Glory Conference - South Africa

The "Grace and Glory Conference" fathered by Rob and Glenda Rufus most definitely share the top position along with "Together on a Mission" for the conferences that have had the most impact on my life. Although I've only made it to the first one in Hong Kong (so far) I always listen to the audio and love the teaching and impartation that comes from Rob, Fini, Isi and others.

I have greatly enjoyed following the most recent conference blogs by my mate in South Africa - James Preston. It sounds like they have been having an amazing time! Here's the links (audio messages are here);

Glory & Grace, Durban 2011 - Diary 1

Glory & Grace, Durban 2011 - Diary 2

Glory & Grace, Durban 2011 - Diary 3

Glory & Grace, Durban 2011 - Diary 4

The important thing to know about Grace and Glory conferences is that if you come simply wanting impartation of theology and knowledge you will be disappointed. There are other conferences you can go to for that. Rob particularly always does lay foundations of grace but the emphasis is on encounter with God. And there is no substitute for that!

Rob and Glenda and Ryan Rufus in Ministry in the Phillipines!!

I was thrilled to see City Church released this video today of their recent ministry trip to the Phillipines - here below. This truly is one of those moments when I ache to be financially free so I could follow and be with these guys as the grace revolution spreads across the planet!

Here's the video and the long version for those interested is also below;

The Filler of Manila, Philippines trip April 2011 (Short Version.) from City Church on Vimeo.

The Filler of Manila, Philippines trip April 2011 (Long Version.) from City Church on Vimeo.

Photos from the Rufus's Visit to the Phillipines!!

One of the benefits of being a far-off fan of the Rob, Glenda, Ryan and Kylie Rufus is the tremendous excitement of seeing their wonderful ministry grow and develop as the grace message gathers momentum around the globe. Of course one of my aching frustrations is that I don't have the resources or a church to bring them back to the United Kingdom!

However thank God for the internet - and the fact we can enjoy and hear the wonderful message from afar. So there has just been a wonderful trip to the Phillipines (while celebrating Glenda's birthday - who I swear does NOT look the age she is!) and I'm looking forward to hearing the ministry.

Here's a few photos from the event - thanks to Glenda;

Farewell 2009 .... Hey 2010!!

Another end of year is upon us! I really do wish each and every one the very best for 2010! Some bloggers find it customary to review 2009 and mention blogs - I don't want to do that. 2009 hasn't been the greatest year for me - and subsequently my blog has suffered. For this I do apologise!

The thing I have struggled with the most is holding onto hope. 2006/07/08 had so many promises! Rob Rufus came to "Together on a Mission" in 2006 and 2007 and the Presence of God at those conferences was like nothing I have ever experienced before. Add into that Rob's revolutionary teaching on grace - I truly learnt what "grace" meant for the very first time in my 20 years of Christian life! Then of course 2008 saw the Lakeland Outpouring. I make no apology for re-stating how much this excited and moved me. It probably was the closest I got to seeing refreshing and corporate outpourings of healing and miracles and signs and wonders. And yet that too sadly faded away.

Will I adjust my theology to match my experience - as so many have done? NEVER! This New Year's Eve sees me as full of hope as ever - if not more desperate, more hungry, more passionate to see God manifest His glory. So rather than review what was hard and difficult about 2009 - I want to look ahead to 2010 and mention some of my hoped-for plans.

1. "Together on a Mission" 2010 in Brighton!

Scott and I will be going to Brighton this year (after two years away) to the Brighton Conference on 6th to the 9th July. I can't wait - I've missed it so much and it will be so great to catch up with friends like Luke Wood. As well as longing for heaven on earth during the worship with Kate Simmonds and Lou Fellingham - it is in my favourite city in the UK!

2. "Grace and Glory Conference" in Hong Kong.

Rob and Glenda Rufus will be hosting the "Grace and Glory Conference" at City Church International in Hong Kong from Tuesday 26th to Friday 29th October 2010! I can't say definately we will be going because of cash flow problems - but for the first time we have some prior warning of this awesome time so we both certainly have every intention of going. I can't wait to show Scott around Hong Kong - I remember sending him daily emails when I was there last!

3. A Visit to the USA.

This is another "hope" based on cash flow issues. But a visit to the USA is LONG overdue for me! There are so many places that I really want to visit while there;

a. The Ern Baxter Memorial Library in Mobile, Alabama.

b. Florida and the sun-soaked beaches (and hopefully get to see my friend Janelle Phillips!)

c. New York (and my wonderful friends Lydia and Julie ... well it's kind of the same area!).

Now I don't know if these hopes will come to pass (particularly the more expensive ones!). But I know from experience that people who suffer with depression that lead to suicide are those people who have lost hope. I have experienced temptations to commit suicide myself personally - so I know what "no hope" feels like. Hope is a vital thing! Hope in the goodness of God cannot be more vital. Why else did God attribute Abraham's belief and hope in His goodness as righteousness?

It is my prayer that each and everyone of us knows the abundant, lavish and outstanding goodness of God in manifest touch this coming year.

A very happy 2010!

"Increasing Glory" Conference - South Africa - MP3s!!

Here's another chance to hear Rob and Glenda Rufus and Fini and Isi de Gersigny that I was planning to grab but missed thanks to swine flu! Fortunately I knew a few people who were at the conference so I was enjoying text updates throughout! The hosts have very kindly made the MP3's available for wider listening around the world - so here they are;

Session 1 - Morning
Rob Rufus
Wednesday 8 July
Download Session

Session 2 - Afternoon
Rob Rufus
Wednesday 8 July
Download Session

Session 3 - Evening
Rob Rufus
Wednesday 8 July
Download Session

Session 4 - Morning
Fini & Isi de Gersigny
Thursday 9 July
Download Session

Session 5 - Evening
Rob Rufus
Thursday 9 July
Download Session

Session 6 - Morning
Rob Rufus
Friday 10 July
Download Session

Session 7 - Afternoon
Rob Rufus
Friday 10 July
Download Session

Session 8 - Evening
Fini & Isi de Gersigny
Friday 10 July
Download Session

Testimonies - Morning
Various
Saturday 11 July
Download Session

Session 9 - Morning
Rob Rufus
Saturday 11 July
Download Session

Session 10 - Evening (Celebration Service)
Rob Rufus
Sunday 12 July
Download Session

Interview with Fini & Isi
Leadership Podcast
Friday 10 July
Download Podcast

What Song of Solomon Has to Teach Us!!

One of the fascinating conversations I had on my recent visit to Bristol to see my dad was regarding one of our favourite books in the Bible - the Song of Solomon. It was provoked because I brought him C H Spurgeon's sermons on this wonderful book entitled; "The Most Holy Place". I've argued before what my position is on this glorious book - so don't need to repeat that at length. Suffice to say that I couldn't be further removed from C J Mahaney's odd views and tend to stand in the more traditional historical view that first and foremost this book (like Christian marriage) is a picture of Christ and His Bride - the Church.

What my dad and I were discussing and unpacking was what teaching a biblical approach to this book can and will do for the Church. Some of the historical divines said this of the Song of Solomon:

"This is spoken in the person of the Church, or of the faithful soul inflamed with the desire of Christ, whom she loves". (from the Geneva 1599 Bible Notes)

"It treats of Christ and his Church, in their most glorious, lively, and lovely actions, to wit, his care of, and his love unto his Church, and that in its most eminent degree; and also, of her love to him". - James Durham (1622 Puritan) who incidentally C H Spurgeon described as "that master of masters".

On Song of Solomon 2:1 - "If these are the words of the Well-beloved,—and I have no doubt that they are —then it may be suggested by some that here we have the Savior praising himself; and it is true; but in no unworthy sense, for well may he praise himself since no one else can do it as it should be done" - C H Spurgeon.

And finally the great Jonathan Edwards said;

"The name by which Solomon calls this song confirms to me that it is more than an ordinary love song and that it was designed for a divine song and of divine authority for we read in 1 Kings 4:32 that Solomon's songs were "a thousand and five". This he called the "Song of songs". That is the most excellent of his songs ... because it was a song of the most excellent subject treating of the love, union and communion between Christ and His spouse of which marriage and conjugal love was but a shadow. These are the most excellent lovers and their love the most excellent love".

More recently theological scholars have said:

"The Song is more than a canonical sex manual as some recent treatments have implied" - Tremper Longman.

So what does holding this biblical view do for our Christian lives?

1. It Increases Affections for God.

As a single man I confess I have tried reading the Song of Solomon with Mahaney's interpretation in mind and I have felt nothing than a grudging resentment that I am not married. Whereas when you allow the Spirit-inspired words that are "profitable for teaching" to sink into your heart then they cannot help but provoke feelings of awe and wonder. For example;

"Your love is better than wine, your oils have a pleasing fragrance, your Name is like purified oil ...".

And then the Bridegroom Himself actually speaks ... to us! To me!

"To Me, My darling ...". (GOD calls ME darling!?!?). "Your cheeks are lovely ... My beloved ... My beloved ... how beautiful you are My darling! How beautiful you are!".

How can we but respond?

2. It inflames Worship to God.

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I'm not sure you can sing a beautiful song like "Draw Me Close to You" (which is one among many songs of intimacy I love) without touching the passion of God for us. Pete Day's recent blog post is a vital foundational grace truth - that condemnation MUST be removed. Because while we tolerate condemnation in our lives then we never will quite believe that God is so passionately for us. How long should we bear guilt!? Not for a MOMENT! Why? Because once it's gone - our worship will rise like a fragrant incense!

Song of Solomon itself expresses something of the response that should be the Church's;

"Listen! My beloved! Behold He is coming! Climbing on the mountains! Leaping on the hills! ... My beloved is mine and I am His!"

And by contrast something of the heartache that should characterise us when His manifest Presence is not felt among us personally or corporately;

"I sought Him whom my soul loves; I sought Him but did not find Him, I must arise now and go about the city ... I must seek Him whom my soul loves".

3. It Revives Marriage between Husband and Wife.

Let me say again that I do applaud C J Mahaney's heart to infuse a God-honouring passion back into Christian marriages. I just wish he hadn't tried to impose his views to twist Scripture to try and back up what he was saying. That wasn't necessary. And I wouldn't limit Song of Solomon either to purely representing Christ and His Bride (as perhaps some of the Puritans tried). Because Christian marriage is meant to be a picture of Christ and His Bride - but it is that which will last for eternity!

For example Ephesians 5:31; "For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother and shall be joined to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh'. This mystery is great; but I am speaking with reference to Christ and the church". And slightly earlier in Ephesians 5:22; "Wives, be subject to your own husbands as to the Lord. For the husband is the head of the wife as Christ is also the head of the church, He Himself being the Saviour of the Body. But as the church is subject to Christ, so also wives ought to be to their husbands in everything".

It's my observation as a single guy that most Christian men have stopped there in their theology and experience - nodding and agreeing with Wayne Grudem. But Sam Storms says quite rightly;

"Headship is a responsibility - not a right".

It is my conviction that if I were ever to be married - I would not dare try and expect my wife to submit until I had fulfilled the next verse;

"Husbands, love your wives as Christ also loved the church and gave Himself up for her ... so husbands ought to love their own wives as their own bodies. He who loves his own wife loves himself".

Maybe if more husbands loved their wives "as Christ" then it wouldn't be such a controversy expecting wives to "submit"!

So it's my prayer that the Song of Solomon is rightfully claimed back! I have to confess something - I've always hated a lot of "couples" teaching you hear that goes on in the Church. I will fully admit I am bitter and jealous of those who are married. What an awesome blessing! I would love to share my life with someone! And much of the teaching that you hear makes me ... frankly want to puke. I am sure they love each other but it doesn't help me being single hearing them wax eloquent. Oddly enough though since encountering Rob and Glenda Rufus I have benefited so much in gaining a more godly attitude about marriage. I love watching a couple who have been married faithfully for 30+ years - still totally in love with each other. I hope Rob and Glenda share some of their wisdom soon about marriage in book form.

On that note Rob Rufus spoke recently about the Song (and wonderfully he agrees with myself and most of church history!). It's an awesome place to finish my meandering thoughts - because it is a testimony of how the Song of Solomon (rightfully preached) saved 30 of his soldier collegues!

"I am a bit passionate about this! Here is the mystery of the Bridegroom and the Bride! I have deliberately left out some passages because some of you would blush. These passages were written by the Holy Spirit and you are not as holy as the Holy Spirit as He expresses intimacy and you can't handle it. In the military where atheists become Christians on the Angolan border, and they usually read pornography books - so one night I opened the Song of Solomon and they all usually want to borrow each others books. I put my candle on and I read the parts which I can't read to you because you are saved people. I read it to them because they were reading pornography so they could cope with it but you are Christians and you are holy and you can't! I didn't tell them it was the Bible and hid it below my sleeping bag! And they said; "Wow what book is that - can I read it after you?". I said "Yes it is the Bible!". I wish I had captured on video their faces! They said "No!". Suddenly they all wanted to read the Bible and they realised that the Bible had been mis-represented by Christians!

30 of those swearing blaspheming troops got saved and many of them are still going on with Christ today! I wasn't a Christian - I was a son! And I showed them that this is the mystery of God and His Bride! I told them "Don't go to church to check this out because you won't see it - you will see no passion or heavenly romance". Song of Solomon chapter 1:1;"Let him kiss me with the kisses of His mouth for your love is better than wine ... let him bring me into his chambers". That is the King to the Bride!

Go down to (v12); "My lover is to me ... how beautiful you are my darling oh how beautiful". Then the church says back; "How handsome you are my lover!". This is church - Sunday morning! "Oh how handsome you are". All through the week I have been encountering your love, all through the busy week I have been concious of heaven! 2:3; "Like an apple tree ... I delight to sit in His shade .. His banner over me is love". The prophetic word God spoke to us today! "I am faint with love". How many of you have felt FAINT with love for Jesus? "I charge you by the gazelles ... do not awaken love .... here He comes! (Jesus!) bounding over the hills ... Arise my darling!" - talking to the church!".

The Prophetic Seals It ... Hong Kong Here We Come!!

I love, love, love the prophetic!! WHAT a gift from God!!

Essentially there has never been any question in my mind that I really, really MUST be at the "Glory and Grace Conference" in Hong Kong with Rob and Glenda Rufus, Joshua and Janet Mills and Fini and Isi de Gersigny. I've been listening to the glorious, life-saving "Established in Righteousness" sermons from City Church International and the prophecies that are starting to come through about the conference and what God is going to do there. The conference has never been in question!

But the means to get us there has been another matter. I still haven't been giving the gift of "jumping" yet (teleporting). So it's been relying on the airways - and they aren't cheap! So the reason that I haven't made public that fact as to whether I am going or not has been due to a struggle in my own mind as to whether I can afford to go - or whether I can afford to miss this heavenly opportunity to encounter God's glory in ways I haven't even dreamed of!

So I texted Pete Day yesterday and laid out my struggle. Is it faith to ignore the financial cost and trust God's extravagant grace - or is it Christianly responsible to pass by the opportunity to be at "Glory and Grace" and devote my time to paying my financial obligations here in the UK and trust that another conference and another opportunity will come? Pete Day is virtually the only long-term friend I would trust to objectively go before God and speak honestly - whether that be yes or no!

Here was the text response;

"I really think God wants you to act madly and trust His extravagance. I feel He is saying; "Go on son, enjoy yourself, let your hair down, laugh, cry, dance, have a ball! Responsibilities can wait until you return to face them with fresh glory!".

I have been well-trained enough in the prophetic to know that it is silly to act solely on one prophetic word. But this word came with such power that I sat shaking and laughing in the car - at God's "extravagance"!! I have always known I can't miss "Glory and Grace" - but for me this prophetic word from my dear friend clinched it! Hong Kong here we come!

I am taking Scott with me this year (and paying for him to go) because I sent him almost three daily emails when I was there in October telling him every detail. This year - I told him - he had to experience it for himself! And I am trusting in the thrilling fact as well that my awesome friends Julie and Lydia will be there as well! We are going to share the same hotel if the girls can be released to go and I am SO looking forward to the post-conference day fellowship as we continue glorying!

What makes it even more exciting is that in October I very much went "incognito" and didn't go and meet or introduce myself to Rob or Glenda or Ryan or Kylie or indeed anyone from City Church - even though they were aware of the "Rob Rufus blog". I am really reluctant to draw attention to myself from any Christian leaders. I've seen it happen in the church world and I hate it. It's fine if it's a "God-appointment" - very much like how Ern Baxter met William Branham. But the idea of standing in line and then shaking Rob's hand and saying; "Oh hello I'm Dan - author of Rob Rufus blog" .... EUGH!!

However I am under strict orders from all of them this year not to escape this year without saying hello! I've kind of promised. That's why I am hoping Julie and Lydia will be there, so they can drag me by the hair if necessary! I can't rely on Scott - he hates it as much as I do! Also in the course of transcribing Rob's sermons I have emailed a couple of CCI members including my fellow transcriber Heather. So I cannot wait to meet people I count as friends this year. It will really add to the glory and the wonder of God's Presence Himself - if that is possible!

Also today I brought a small laptop which I am going to be taking along with my new digital camera. We are going to stay in a hotel with internet access so my plan is to live-blog the whole thing along with pictures and videos! This conference must be heard around the globe!!

Hong Kong ... are you ready for the nations to come?!?! Are you ready for God's Presence and glory to fall like a pillar of fire?!!?

According to Your Faith ... So Be It!!

The last month or so has been quite rough for myself and many Christian friends I'm in contact with. Pete's been struggling with health issues. Both Julie and Lydia have lost loved ones. And I've given short accounts of what's been going on up here in Birmingham. I should add it's coming close to a wonderful conclusion here - God is opening up awesome new doors for me (the dreaded Christian metaphor I know!) that may lead to me being far more mobile across the country which is really great. However one of the things I noticed was the discussion about "warfare" and about the "enemy" and about "attacks".

While no one would deny the presence of spiritual warfare and attack, Rob Rufus brought an important counter-balance to the discussion about warfare and attacks in the most recent sermon of his that I am transcribing - "The Struggle For The Authentic Part 4 - "The Parable of the Sower" - it's certainly made me stop and think!

Here's what he said;

"How many believe that God hasn't called us to be fighting all the time? It's wrong to be in the frontline all the time. Sometimes you have to have a rest and there is a place of peace and certain teaching will lead a Christian to think they are always fighting all the time. I think the devil wants us to believe that too. I don't believe Jesus was always fighting against the demonic. It says the enemy came and then left Him for a "more opportune season". But he left Him and retreated from Jesus after the wilderness temptation.

Jesus said over and over again; "According to your faith - so be it". So according to what you believe - so be it in your life! If you build a theology where every day you believe you are toe-toe and eyeball-eyeball in a fight with the devil, then that is according to your faith and he will be very happy for you to believe that. But I actually feel that according to my faith I dwell in the secret place of the Most High and dwell under the shadow of the Almighty and will not fear the arrow that flies by night or the fowlers snare because the Lord is my dwelling place".

I know for a fact that Rob wouldn't be promoting a triumphalistic sort of life where we drift through happily until heaven - that just isn't real life! And again and again in his sermons, you get the sense that Rob and Glenda (like other Christian leaders) go through trials that we can only dream of. But this perspective is really important. These last few months I have begun to find myself dropping my head lower and lower and wishing for this day of struggle to end. But am I falling into the trap of "according to my (low) faith - so be it?!". The devil isn't going to have a problem in me thinking the day of warfare will never end!

Rob goes on:

"Though a thousand fall by my left hand and 10, 000 by my right hand it will not come near me because I am in the shelter of the Most High. His shield of favour is around me and there are firewalls of protection and He has sent angels, seraphim, cherubim - mighty ministering spirits to me - an heir of salvation! There are times He lets me go through the valley of the shadow of death and His rod and His staff will comfort me. It says though I WALK through the valley of the shadow of death. He leads me through it and I am going to get out! And it's really only a shadow - it's not the substance and the shadow of a dog can't hurt you!

We have got to believe that God has called us to walk in peace and rest. I want to talk to you about that. I am not against psychiatrists and have many good friends who are psychiatrists but many Christians do not have mental health and they are not happy. They are not joyful and are always fighting devils.

They are more concious of the devil than of the grace and love and goodness of God and the favour of God".

And that is the challenge - are we more concious of the devil's work and actions than we are the love and goodness and favour of God? I am persuaded that rather than investing my time in reading psycho-therapy books and going to therapeutic counselling meetings, I would be far better suited to reading, immersing and saturating myself in the grace and favour and goodness of God. Once again I am reminded of why Rob is so determined never to move on from preaching New Covenant grace! Because it's not just a crazy motif to weep over with pseudo-tears and build an icon to outside your church. It's a life-changing historical moment when the curtain was ripped in two!

Julie's Videos from the Glory Encounters Conference!!

Many of you may remember how excited I was to be able to support and see my dear friends Julie and Aaron go to Hong Kong earlier this year to the "Glory Encounters Conference". Joshua and Janet Mills and Kaye Beyer were the visiting speakers. Julie wrote a number of reports about their time there here and here.

Well quite by accident I was on You-Tube looking at some videos of Kenneth Hagin and I found that Julie had very secretively posted three videos of their time there! I don't think she has linked to them on her blog yet so I thought I would make mention of them - they need to be seen!

Here's the first video - with the wonderful Bonnie Rufus leading worship. The camera scans past Rob and Glenda and Joshua Mills on the front row;



The second video is slightly dark but it again scans past Rob and Glenda enjoying watching the people of the conference encountering God in powerful ways;



The third video is from the back of the hall and you can see Kaye Beyer and Janet Mills ministering to the people while Joshua plays the keyboard at the front of the hall. I loved this video - it brought back such memories of "Glory and Grace" last year. I climbed on a pile of chairs when I had recovered from the fire tunnel and just sat watching what God was doing to His children so lovingly.



Thank you Julie for faithfully recording these! I am so excited that I will be coming to Hong Kong next March with a proper camcorder also so we can bring back clips of how God is moving and what the glory cloud is doing!

Julie's Testimony from Hong Kong

The "Glory Encounters" Conference was a short but extremely significant conference that could be in danger of being swallowed by the "Glory and Grace Conference" in Sydney or Rob's ministry trip to Europe. But it shouldn't be forgotten! The guest speakers were Joshua Mills and Kaye Beye and my friends Julie and Aaron Morris were there.

Their testimony is now complete and here:

Back from Hong Kong - the First Post!

Hong Kong Trip - Part 2

Hong Kong Trip - Part 3

I do urge you all to go read them - this is the life of City Church International! This is the life of New Testament church! I am so grateful to God that He wanted Julie and Aaron there and I do pray that the imparted blessing of that trip will be already bearing fruit in their church planting in Canada. Don't forget the audio is available on the City Church International website!!

A Testimony from Lakeland, Florida!!

I was absolutely thrilled to receive the following email from a new friend of mine - Amanda - who has been able to visit Lakeland, Florida. It absolutely speaks for itself so I don't need to add anything to it! Before I get on to Amanda's wonderful testimony, something occured to me today. I brought a book that was in the bargain bin at Wesley Owen a few months ago. It was called; "Releasing the Prophetic Destiny of a Nation" by Dutch Sheets and Chuck D Pierce. For those who haven't read it, the book is a compendium of prayer, intercession and prophecies about the different states in the United States of America. Out of interest I flicked to see what it said about Florida. Bear in mind this book was published in 2005.

"You have been halted between two opinions. But the halt has ended this night. Will My people rise up and move forward to the next level of conflict? I have come with a sword to break the religious war over this state.

THERE IS A SHAKING IN LAKELAND. A NEW ANOINTING IS ABOUT TO COME ... WATCH NOW I AM DOING A NEW THING. IN THE MIDST OF LAKELAND, MY WATERS WILL SPREAD ACROSS THIS STATE!"

(Prophesied by Chuck Pierce - pp171-172).

So let me repeat what Rob Rufus has to say about testimonies - read what Amanda testifies with FAITH!!

"Testimony" comes from the word; "To do it again". When you share a testimony of what God has done in a miracle in your life - that testimony is a sharing of a prophecy and it carries with it a power to duplicate what you are testifying happened to you".

I had a wonderful conversation with my dear friend Pete today and we agreed that in the light of these testimonies (and of those who are benefitting from Rob's ministry in Hong Kong) we are no longer struggling to reconcile they have been blessed and we have not yet been! No - we are in a new atmosphere of the glory. We may not be seeing the signs and wonders and miracles, gold dust, feathers and heavenly manna ... yet - but we are pursuing His Presence!

Here is Amanda (I haven't edited it at all aside from highlighting a few things that I saw):

"Dan -

Got back from Lakeland Sunday night, after attending the mtgs there Wed thro Saturday. As you can imagine, since you've been watching some of it live, it was mind-bending and I have lots of processing yet to do but OH MY GOSH!! It was so amazing to be there, in that environment of people from all over the world seeking God and watching Him move. OH MY GOSH! [Did I already say that?....] You've been seeing many of the miracles so I won't even address those except to say it was glorious to see.

Todd's unconventional look and style of ministry took only a blink of an eye to get past before you began to see what appeared to me to be a heart fixed on Jesus, a child-like excitement at what God was doing and a tenderness toward both the people and the Lord. He is crazy and bold but sensitive to the Spirit and as hungry as any of us for more of the Glory of the Lord to be revealed. I came away convinced he is for real. I was thinking how very young he is to be the center and face of a move of this magnitude and knowing we must cover him with prayer. Thankfully I think he has a lot of support and connection to older men of real stature in the Body, like Bob Jones, Bill Johnson, and others who love him and can help him walk through this. And across the board support, I think, from the fathers of the previous waves. That is so important and so great. They have all blessed him and been excited with him about what God is doing now -which hasn't been the attitude sometimes in the past. And he has been so honoring of them too. Great humility on both sides.

I will tell you that our last night there, from the moment the band came on stage to start the worship, the atmosphere was electric - the people truly on fire. Before it even started! As if they/we all came already in worship mode. People danced and jumped and shouted and sang -seeing all ages and all colors from everywhere worship like that together was so great. As they were finishing the last song of the worship time I was thinking to myself "good luck shutting this down, mr worship leader. These people are on fire!" And I was right. When the music was over and the announcer was approaching the podium to share some testimonies and whatever else, the people just began to cry out to God, worshipping Him with no need of a leader or music or anything but hungry hearts.

The Presence was so tangible and so heavy.....and it went on and on with everyone shouting and praying and worshipping the King. At one point I opened my eyes and the worship leader was on his face under the keybd, the announcer guy was on his face several feet behind the podium, other ministers on the platform were out of their seats on their knees, Todd was on the floor behind a chair. It was the most awesome thing I have ever been part of . 4000 people of all ages from all over the world in worship together in one place. It must have gone on like that for 45 minutes. Totally spontaneous, no one leading except the burning hearts of the people in His presence. I will never forget that. As I worshiped I saw in my spirit walls crumbling around nations, with worshippers flooding over the walls into the cities bringing the Fire and the Glory. It was almost impossible to stand up in the room during that. Impossible not to be forever ruined and wrecked by the level of worship and interaction between the Lord and His church in those moments. The atmosphere shifted from shouting and crying out chanting "JESUS JESUS" to a hushed sense of awe at His holiness and awesome glory filling the room. Dead religion just can't stand in the face of that. If this truly does break out globally I just don't know what will become of a lot of what calls itself the church.

And there was a real emphasis on not just coming and experiencing this revival but catching it and taking it home to give away. Of the directive of the Lord to His whole Body to spread the gospel of the Kingdom, including doing the works of Jesus and seeing people saved healed and delivered -not just getting their "eternal fire insurance". Oh pray that we as the Church will truly grasp that. Grasp that He's made us to be carriers of the Glory, carriers of the fragrance of Jesus, knowing our position in Him is as sons, not slaves, seated with Him in heavenly places able to see with His eyes and do what we see Him doing, say what we hear Him saying. Not just depend on a few 'ordained ministers' to do a bit of that and be satisfied. Well, I could go on much longer but I'll spare you. I would hope you and many others who are longing for His presence will be able to go, if it doesn't come to you first, Praise God! ha I hope that wave you had the vision of last summer will hit you broadside in the UK!!

Blessings to you and all the 'burning ones' who connect thro your blog. Thanks for your faithfulness to write and for displaying your hunger with every post. It's contagious. I stumbled onto it myself last summer just before the Brighton conference, then discovered the people there like Terry Virgo, David Holden, and our beloved Rob & Glenda thro your posts on that conference. Rob stays on my ipod, along with Bill Johnson and others that help keep me growing and burning! Don't know why I suddenly felt I had to write a comment except I knew you and the other 'regulars' would want to know about the revival to see what it might become and help pray it through. Please feel free to use any or none of this email on your blog. I didn't mean to go on so long but you know how it is.....thanks for listening!

His,
Amanda".

Thank you so much again Amanda! May God's Spirit continue to burn upon you so fiercely with the knowledge of His manifest Presence!

First Hand Reports from Hong Kong!!

Our wait is over! Julie has heard the call of God and is sharing their testimony!! ;-) If you, like me, have been eagerly wondering what it was like to be at the "Glory Encounters" conference in Hong Kong - then you must read this wonderful, descriptive and honest testimony. Remember this definition of what happens when a testimony is shared. Rob Rufus said:

"Testimony" comes from the word; "To do it again". When you share a testimony of what God has done in a miracle in your life - that testimony is a sharing of a prophecy and it carries with it a power to duplicate what you are testifying happened to you".

So I pray you will read this testimony with faith expecting for much from our lavish and loving Almighty Heavenly Father! This trip for Julie and Aaron to Hong Kong was such a miracle - as much as a miracle as my trip last October to "Glory and Grace". So here is;

Part 1: "Back From Hong Kong, My First Post!".

Rob Rufus's Travel Itinerary in 2008!!

What is your diet going to consist of in conferences in 2008 that you are going to? I'm becoming increasingly fussy and demanding! I don't want clever techniques or even academic head knowledge (although I love hearing professors of theology teach). I want GRACE expounded! I want a reminder of my RIGHTEOUSNESS in Jesus Christ taught! I want FAITH imparted by the hearing of the Word of God! I realised that one day I am going to give account for the money that I spent on going to the conferences I do along with the booked holiday time off work.

Although Rob and Glenda Rufus are staying based much more in Hong Kong in 2008 than in previous years, he is travelling to some key conferences that are worth being aware of. I know that most people are aware of how to get into the audio archives of his sermons but it is possible to find out information where Rob is going to be throughout this year. Hopefully this may make it possible for some to get to hear him a bit nearer to your homes rather than travelling to Hong Kong!!

March 2008

Glory & Grace Conference 2008. Jubilee International Church, Sydney, Australia. 26-29 March 2008.

Following the impact of the Glory & Grace Conference which Fini and Isi de Gersigny co-led with Rob and Glenda Rufus in Hong Kong in 2007, a similar conference will be held in Sydney at the end of March 2008, which will once again be co-led by Fini and Isi de Gersigny and Rob and Glenda Rufus.Jubilee International Church is a local autonomous church in Sydney, Australia, led by Fini and Isi de Gersigny and founded in January 1997. Their beliefs and methodology are based firmly in the Bible - plus nothing and minus nothing.

9-12 May 2008

Newfrontiers Northern European Conference. Delden, The Netherlands. 9-12 May 2008.

God has times and seasons in His purposes. We believe that God is intent on establishing healthy and expanding local churches joined in a sense of purpose together across the nations of Northern Europe. Relationships and friendships are forming and ministries to serve the churches are beginning to emerge. Momentum is gathering to plant new churches and to strengthen existing ones as many more people come to Christ. The Newfrontiers Northern European Conference is one of the events in which you can learn to hear from God, be equipped and encouraged together in your mission. Encouraged by the first conference in 2007, we believe that God has further plans for us to come together again in May 2008.

16-17 May 2008

Empower 08 Conference. Kings Church Eastbourne, England. 16-17 May 2008.

Kings Church is a church that primarily praises God because the death and resurrection of Jesus changed history, makes a difference in our community because that’s what Jesus did, tells people the good news because it sets people free, and sees God’s power transform lives because God called us to change the world.Breathtaking, the power of God breaking out – Empower 08, is a conference at which the special guest will be Rob Rufus.

18 May 2008

Conference. The City Church Canterbury, England.

The City Church Canterbury began in 1989 and is part of Newfrontiers, a worldwide family of churches together on a mission. They are a group of Christians, from a wide variety of different backgrounds, ages and ethnic origins, who all share the same vision for what God wants to do in and through them: To be a big community of radical disciples which impacts Canterbury and beyond for Jesus.

July 2008

Word and Spirit Conference. Joshua Generation Church, Cape Town, South Africa.

Speakers: Rob and Glenda Rufus - Fini and Isi de Gersigny - Michael Eaton.

Early July 2008. Joshua Generation Church aims to impact their city, nation and the world through living out a New Testament apostolic / prophetic Christianity.

July 2008

Word and Spirit Conference. Southside Church, Durban, South Africa. Early July 2008. Mike and Nicky Ward Southside Durban

Glory and Grace Conference (Hong Kong) - February / March 2009.

As promised at the end of the City Church International 2007 Glory and Grace Conference, we have already started planning a follow-up conference. Due to the Olympic Games that will be held in Beijing and the Olympic Equestrian Events that will be held in Hong Kong from 8-24 August 2008, we have decided to schedule the next City Church International Hong Kong Glory and Grace Conference for early 2009, either in February or March.

Hallmarks of the Glory Generation by Glenda Rufus

I did post this over on the "Rob Rufus - Grace and Glory!" but I wanted to ensure that this section of Glenda Rufus's gets the maximum readership possible so I am posting it here too.
I wanted to post an incredible series of "hallmarks" that Glenda Rufus preached on what she called the "Glory generation". When I heard her describing it, I could hardly keep my seat because I felt like she was describing my feelings and passions and desires and was saying "It is okay to feel these things". I wonder if I am alone in feeling guilty sometimes for feeling what I do and longing for more of the thing I have heard Rob describe. This section from Glenda's sermon makes it clear - it isn't unusual to feel this and it is perfectly healthy and normal! What an awesome encouragement!

Sunday 31st March - 2007

"What will distinguish between the average person who goes to church and the one who really goes after God? This is what I have written. I believe this generation of people that includes us are people who are not content to worship from afar. You might not be living in this and I am not - but I desire this, I have got a heart after this. God puts these desires into our hearts and they are;

A generation that will not be content to worship God from afar. They want to encounter Him, they want to touch Him, they want to feel Him. They want to be close to Him. They want to be caught up into the glory realm, they want to soar with Him. They don't want to just be down here, they want to soar, climb higher, go further. They don't just want to settle down - these people.

If we can love God like this, then there is nothing God will hold from us. His glory will fall on us. They want the genuine - these people. They want true church, true worship. They want to connect with God. The true purpose of worship is to connect with God, not to connect ourselves with ourselves! It's not about us - it's about Him! It is about meeting God, encountering God.

They don't want to be caged or boxed in. There is so much legalism in the church and the glory generation are breaking out. They are beginning to find each other and say "I am not weird - these are not strange desires! I can know God more intimately!". They want freedom and joy and vastness - they want the unlimitedness of the glory experience. They want liberty! They have a deep hunger for more of God. They don't just want the occasional touch! Wherever they are, they have a deep hunger and nothing else can cover up this hunger. The only thing that will satisfy that hunger is when we connect with God. Only He can satisfy because our hearts are made for Him and Him alone.

We come into Him by the Holy Spirit. It doesn't work like singing 3 fast songs and one slow one and then we are in! The Bible says "Enter His gates" - it isn't just Him coming down but us going up! We can enter in and God can come down! There is no technique - the main thing is a hunger, a heart after God! There is no technique. Sometimes God may say that He wants us to play instruments and dance around the room the whole meeting and He will come. Other times He says come in and be quiet and lie on our faces. There are different ways for God's glory to come.

They are people who make way for God. They have learnt in their private space of intimacy with Him. They have learned the ways of the Spirit - they have learnt to hear God's voice and that only comes through intimacy with Him on a private level. They have been trained by the Holy Spirit and have learned to read what God is doing in these days. I have been in meetings where I know we haven't hit that sweet spot of the Holy Spirit. God is teaching us to read what He is doing.

We need to release control. We have got to be people who are humble. Humility is a very attractive quality. Last year we were in Brighton last year and we were with Terry Virgo and after Bonnie said to me, "Mum that man is so humble and it is such an attractive feature". Humility is such a strong quality of the Holy Spirit and it goes beyond human ability. You can try and claim you are humble but people will very quickly pick up whether it is a performed humility or genuine humility. The Holy Spirit is attracted to genuine humility and it is like a magnet to Him and He says "I want to display My glory to them".

The glory generation want to see and do the acts of God - we don't want to just hear about! I want to see God healing people, I want to heal people. They will be a people who are not afraid of the manifestations of God! God did some strange things in the Bible and He will do strange things in our day. These people will not focus on the strange manifestations but on Him. Gold dust - oil pouring out of people's hands. What's the point? God does it - that is the point! They will be people not afraid of the manifestations!

They are people who want to touch and be intoxicated by the Holy Spirit - they will be addicted to the new wine.

If you read the Song of Solomon and read that - you think that book shouldn't be in the Bible. It is such an intimate book about two lovers and that book is a picture of the kind of relationship that God is wanting to have with His Bride - us the Church! It is not just the Church but with individual people - us - His people. There is such a depth of intimacy that God is wanting to pour out on us.

"I want to know You, I want to experience You, I want to know Your thoughts, I want You to know my thoughts". David had such a wonderful relationship with God and God knew everything about him and David wasn't ashamed!

These people want to be radical - they don't want to be contained. They want to know what God is doing in this hour. They want to be reformers and don't want to be contained by what God did in the past. They aren't status quo - they aren't nice little Christians. They are pioneers! They are area breakers! They are innovators! They are people who will see the prophetic increasing on their lives. It won't just be a nice prophetic word but they will see dates and times and specifics - they are weighty prophecy that will increase over this generation. They will be the modern day Moses, Elijah's, David's, Joshuas! We will be the modern day mighty men and women of God".

So let's get on desiring and longing for the glory to come down upon us! May this become our daily experience - encounters with God!