The Theme of our Fall Conference was “Valuing Spirit and Truth on Mission.” Mission is the call that motivates us. It is the mandate to bring a demonstration and declaration of the Gospel to the communities and world around us. Tom Bedford ended our time on Sunday Morning with a message on the importance of the Gospel. The following is a testimony of some of the things God is doing at High Point City Church in Iowa City from Emy and Josh Miller who help lead the outreach teams there. May we be stirred to engage in God’s Mission with the Power of the Gospel.
For years, HighPoint City Church has had a heart to reach out to our community through evangelism and acts of service, but it always seemed like an impossible task. We have had individuals and groups, who at various times lead efforts, but the passion has not been sustained. Earlier this year, we hosted two prophets, who ministered over individuals in the church for three days. Out of that experience, God has birthed something new and fresh. A grass roots passion to Invite Jesus In and Live Jesus Out. We have recently initiated three expressions of outreach.
“Take It To The Streets” is a team that goes to various locations two Sundays a month with the intention of engaging people in conversation and sharing Jesus. The team leader has a gift for technology and creativity and has created short PowerPoint presentations of the gospel that can be shown with an iPod or smart phone. The first “Take It To The Streets” resulted in seven salvations & six re-dedications to Christ.
“Hands & Feet” is a team with a heart to target the residents of a particular neighborhood with the love of God. They want to build relationships with the people there while intentionally serving them and sharing the gospel message. As I write this, they are preparing to host an event during which they will serve a free lunch, play games; with the goal of building relationships with the residents.
“Treasure Hunts” is a team of individuals who are seeking to release God’s presence to our community. They gather twice a month to ask God for clues on who He wants to bless; then they discuss the clues and go out looking for people who match the clues. When they find someone matching the clues they approach their “treasure” and release God’s goodness to them through prayer.
My husband and I lead the “Treasure Hunts” group and I would like to share some more about this particular outreach expression.
The name “Treasure Hunt” was coined by Kevin Dedmon, a staff member of Bethel Church in Redding, California. According to Kevin, the goal is “to find specific people whom the Holy Spirit has highlighted.” These are people who need a divine encounter of His goodness and kindness expressed in signs and wonders, miracles, healing, and prophetic insights that calls out the gold in them. The objective is to let them know that God has good plans and purposes for them.” You can read more about treasure hunts in Kevin’s book The Ultimate Treasure Hunt or at www.kevindedmon.com.
We have gone on three treasure hunts so far. This is what happened on our first hunt. God gave us the clues of bank, freedom, left knee and red hair. So we decided to go to Freedom Bank. Around the back of the building I saw a woman with a cane getting into a car and decided to approach her. I asked her if her left knee was hurting and when she said, “yes;” I knew we had found our treasure. It was only then that I noticed that she had red hair!
I asked if I could pray for her she said yes. It turns out she also wanted prayer for laryngitis and for “everything else.” One of our team had gotten the clue of “whole body.” I began speaking blessing over her and commanded her knee to be healed as well as her laryngitis. I felt a prompting to ask for all the ligaments to reattach & arthritis to be gone.
After praying I asked her how her knee felt & she seemed surprised and said that both her knee and throat felt better. I prayed again, asking God to complete the healing and then asked her to move her knee. She was shocked but said that all the pain was gone. She also seemed happier and lighter than when I had walked up.
In the coming months we believe that God will bless the risks we take. That many people in the greater Iowa City area will have an encounter with God’s presence, accept Jesus Christ as their personal savior, and become active in a Bible teaching local church.