Founder/Chairman, Christ for All Nations, Reinhard Bonnke Ministries, the US affiliate of CfaN
Evangelist & missionary in Africa, since 1967
Attended Bible College of Wales, Swansea, Wales
GUEST
Reinhard Bonnke: A Life on Fire
By
The 700 Club
CBN.com
– Reinhard Bonnke has been an evangelist and missionary in Africa since 1967 and is one of the world’s most successful promoters of the Christian message. Today, the Bonnke name is known around the globe and is synonymous with gigantic meetings in Africa, where millions of people are won to Christ – in a single meeting. Over 52 million people in the last decade have committed their lives to Christ through his ministry. Men and women have been saved, delivered and literally rescued from certain death.
Reinhard’s life story and mission to spread the Gospel is captivating, including one story of his team escaping by a breath, with only their lives intact, from the Muslim city of Kano, in Nigeria. The “fire” in Reinhard’s life refers to the continual partnership with and reliance on the Holy Spirit throughout his life and ministry.
When Reinhard tells of God calling him to a life of evangelism, it seemed God laid out what would be expected of him. Reinhard told God that he would obey and follow what God was asking of him, and before this extended conversation ended, God told him, “You weren’t my first choice. You weren’t my second choice either.”
Later, there was a time when Reinhard hesitated to schedule a specific crusade. He says as he wavered, “God said, ‘You drop the vision and I drop you.'” The evangelist attributes the tremendous responses he sees in ministry to simple obedience to what God requires.
AFRICA: GOD NEVER FAILS
Reinhard says the crusades in Africa are always the same, and that’s a very good thing. They are always the same in that the Holy Spirit woos the large crowds, and then large numbers of people respond to the Gospel message of salvation and finally, signs and wonders of all sorts follow the salvations. Blind eyes see, deaf ears hear, the lame give up crutches and wheel chairs and get up from sick beds. Those with incurable diseases are made whole and those with demonic oppressions and possessions are set totally free. Reinhard just obediently does what the Lord has called him to do. He preaches the truth of God’s word and invites those in need to come.
A MINISTRY OF HEALING
Reinhard is the youngest son of a German pastor. He gave his life to the Lord at the age of nine and heard the call to the African mission fields before he was a teenager. After attending Bible college in Wales and pastoring in Germany for seven years, he began his missionary work in Africa. Reinhard began holding tent meetings that accommodated 800 people. As attendance steadily increased, larger tents had to be purchased. In 1984, he commissioned the construction of the world’s largest mobile structure -- a tent capable of seating 34,000. This tent was destroyed in a windstorm just before a major crusade. There was a question as to how to proceed. The team decided to hold the crusade “open air.” Instead of the expected 34,000 attendees, the event saw over 100,000 people, significantly more than the tent would have allowed. Crowds have been exceeding “tent” size ever since.
Reinhard founded the international ministry, Christ for all Nations (CfAN), with office locations in Johannesburg, South Africa; Frankfurt, Germany; Birmingham, United Kingdom; Ontario, London and Orlando, Florida.
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