Holy Spirit Seminar, Mt Gambier (June 08)

Permission was granted to publish the following three testimonies from the Holy Spirit seminar at Mount Gambier, SA (28 June 08).

Testimony 1: … Eighty people attended the conference during some part of the day, some travelling from neighbouring towns more than an hour away. Several pastors from other denominations in our city were present with us.

In my quiet time Saturday morning before the conference began, I tried to read 1 Corinthians 12. I found difficulty reading past verse one, “Now about spiritual gifts, brothers, I do not want you to be ignorant ... ” I confess to being ignorant about the gifts of the Holy Spirit. I was in the right place.

Attendees had a feast of teaching, with six sessions scheduled over the day, each session leading into the next. We are not experienced in the things of the Spirit; however I believe there is now a new openness to the Holy Spirit.

Prayer for impartation was an immense privilege, watching people exposing themselves in great vulnerability, open to receive the Holy Spirit’s gifting; the sweet music of heavenly tongues. [I am aware of one person who received this gift, without prayer for impartation, during the afternoon]. What love God has for us.

Two phrases I have heard repeatedly since the Holy Spirit conference: 1. The message was biblically based. 2. Edgar’s gentle spirit and gentle delivery of this message …

Testimony 2: God was just very kind to me all weekend - and it was so nice just to be able to worship him freely. It also reaffirmed where I am headed in ministry and that if this is where the Lutheran church is headed - I am very excited. Edgar has an amazing gift of presenting material in a biblical, clear and humorous manner. I think every Christian needs to do this course at least once in their lives.

Testimony 3: … I attended your conference last weekend at Mount Gambier. I wanted to let you know of some miraculous experiences which have occurred to me since the conference … I work as an electrician and … I don’t know what time it was but I was working by myself. I was deep in thought. I was starting to think of how much I loved my friends from the Portland church who came to your conference. I was becoming deeply moved and I could recall seeing their faces on the Saturday and how much joy was evident. I then proceeded to fall to the ground in a very gentle way right where I was working (with a stanly knife in my hand I might add). I got up and my thoughts were – I cramped or I had been standing to long in one spot. Then I proceeded to laugh very deeply and once that finished I gently returned back down to the floor!

As you can imagine this was a very interesting time to me and a Scripture came to mind during this experience which uncloaked a lie that Satan has had me believing for a while. What a wonderful day – but wait there’s more!

I was watching the [God TV] … after work the same day and during the worship time the presence was heavy and I had to sit down again! So Pastor I want to say thanks firstly to God for equipping you in this way, for your willingness to come to us and for the teaching and wisdom you have.

Thank you for igniting the most incredible couple of days of my life. To also hear my wife speak in tongues during her sleep on Saturday night was also wonderful … To God be the Glory great things He has done! …