Randy Clark, known for helping spark the Toronto Blessing, says another healing revival is coming to the church
The man credited with sparking the Toronto Blessing says a healing revival is on the horizon.
That’s why Vineyard pastor-turned-revivalist Randy Clark is touring the nation, leading a series of four-day healing schools. He said he hopes to prepare Christians to minister healing and walk in the miraculous. “I want to equip people with models that teach them how to move naturally in the supernatural,” Clark told Charisma.
The first healing school was held May 12 in the Seattle area, with about 250 people attending. Another was to be held June 21 in Harrisburg, Pa. “God wants to anoint you to heal, to bring people into the kingdom,” Clark told attendees in Seattle. “People are drawn to Jesus when they see His healing power, and that is what gives success to missions.”
Assisting Clark is Norwegian minister Leif Hetland, who Clark describes as one of the most influential Christian leaders in Muslim nations today. Hetland was pastor of a small Baptist church in Norway when Clark prayed that he would receive an impartation for power evangelism and healing ministry. Today Hetland is based in Alabama but ministers frequently in Muslim nations.
“In the last nine years since we prophesied over him and an impartation came, over 1 million people have been saved through his ministry,” Clark said of Hetland. “It is one of the most miraculous ministries in the world right now.”
Clark said he launched the schools to correct wrong theology and equip Christians to minister healing. “I believe that we are going to see another healing revival, so I wanted to do a school where there could be a solid biblical basis for both the models and the theology behind healing and power evangelism,” Clark said. “People like the models I learned in the Vineyard and the balance, so I do expect that there will be a multiplication of healing in churches, communities and nations as a result of our healing schools.”
The Seattle healing school covered three main categories: information, activation and impartation. The information segment discussed ecclesiastical history of the phenomena of God’s presence, past and emerging models for healing, and the role of power evangelism in international church growth. Clark described “power evangelism” as the Word of God being demonstrated by the Spirit of God through signs and wonders.
The activation time covered such topics as how a person can align himself with the heart of God, the role of healing in the ministry of Jesus and the Great Commission, and training on how to activate the gifts of word of knowledge, healing and deliverance.
During nonteaching times, healing school participants received prayer for the impartation of spiritual gifts. Evening sessions were open to the public, giving students an opportunity to activate words of knowledge and begin to minister healing.
Jean Andrews, a technical writer and grandmother from Suwanne, Ga., said she was influenced by Clark’s “Spend and Be Spent” message. “I was going on mission trips as they fit into my life,” Andrews told Charisma. “But when Randy said, ‘Spend and be spent for the reward of His suffering,’ I felt like totally surrendering. How can we sit back and go just when it’s convenient?”
The message also had an emotional impact on Ryan Adair, 23, of Puyallup, Wash., one of Clark’s interns. “I’ve heard [Clark] preach it multiple times, but God just came and touched me,” Adair said. “I felt like I was supposed to surrender myself [to the Lord] again–‘Do what You want to do with me; take me where You want to take me.'”
Mark Moody, whose Northwest Awakening organization coordinated the Seattle meetings, said he believes the schools are effective training tools for Christians. “Northwest Awakening’s vision is to provide conferences and resources to enable people to walk in new dimensions of the power of God both in and through their lives,” Moody said. “I believe this school brought about a marriage of understanding and experience for many.”
Healing schools are scheduled for Redding, Calif., beginning Sept. 29 and Englewood, Fla., beginning Nov. 17. Clark’s ministry organization, Global Awakening, is also planning 10-12 additional healing schools to be held in 2005.
Julia C. Loren in Seattle