Everything listed under: Bill-Johnson

One of my greatest desires for Harvest Fellowship is that we would be a body of believers that live in generosity.  From the beginning of the ministry in June 2008, Harvest Fellowship has been a church that tithed off every penny we received.  We have also given offerings to other ministries, not only those that have ministered in our services, but others where we have seen good fruit produced.  I know how the power of generosity has changed my life, and I have seen it change others in our fellowship as well as they have laid hold of it.

While recently attending a conference where Bill Johnson of Bethel Church in Redding, California was ministering, I heard him make a remarkable statement: “There is not a church that has continuous revelation that is not radically generous!”   I was deeply impacted by the truth of this.  Luke 16: 10-11 says, “Whoever can be trusted with very little can also be trusted with much, and whoever is dishonest with very little will also be dishonest with much.  If you have not been trustworthy in handling worldly wealth, who will trust you with true riches?” Obviously, how we handle money has a lot to do with the amount of true riches our Heavenly Father can entrust to us – and true riches has a lot to do with more than just money.

We must always remember the Kingdom of Heaven is an upside down kingdom by earthly standards.  The world defines prosperity by “how much can I get?”.  On the other hand, as Christians we should have a different standard for prosperity: “How much should I give?”!  Those who are truly generous can be trusted with the true riches of revelation.

I say all that in order to thank and publicly honor another church in Ardmore, Oklahoma.  On November 22, Christ Community Church took up an offering in their service which they didn’t keep, but generously gave to Harvest Fellowship.  Pastor Tim Lehman and Bud Webb, an elder at CCC, came and presented the offering, blessed us and prayed for us.  It was a very moving time for our young church.  I know it’s not the first time Christ Community has done this, and I’m sure it won’t be the last.  I praise God that it is something they practice consistently, and I want to honor them for it.  May we as various expressions of Christ’s Body in Ardmore, Oklahoma and the surrounding area all follow their example as those who bless and honor others in our community and beyond.

If we become believers that are radically generous, Ardmore will truly experience an open heaven and see our region transformed.  Lord, let it begin in me!

-Andy Rudd

Pastor of Harvest Fellowship

A New Day of Signs and Wonders

After spending November 11-14 in Abilene, TX for Global Awakening’s School of Healing and Impartation, I am more convinced than ever that we as believers must see the Kingdom of God released through healings, signs and wonders.  How could I not be changed after seeing hundreds of healings over the course of four days?  The instructors in the school were Randy Clark, Bill Johnson, Joe McIntyre and Will Hart.  Some are better known than others, but I appreciate the ministry gifts and anointing in each one of them and the impartation I received from the Spirit of God.

One of the things God has spoken prophetically over and over to Harvest Fellowship is that we are to be a place of healing – spirit, soul and body.  God prophetically spoke months ago in a message through our friend Bill Faught (www.legacyofworship.com) that Harvest Fellowship would be a pool where people can even come and wash themselves from the wounds of church hurts and splits.

I believe Ardmore, OK has a calling to be a city of healing as well.  I rejoice in the healing move that another church in our city, Crystalrock Cathedral, has been experiencing.  As the Church as a whole in Ardmore, we must all rejoice in what God is doing in our city!  Lord, let it increase!  May we be people of His Presence!

As a church we have done some training in praying for the sick in our very early days.  I’m thankful for the impartation I received from both Ron Sawka and Gaius Lawrence in my years in Japan that equipped me to be able to train others to move in the prophetic and miracles.  However, we as a body must press in even more to see this happen and create a culture of healing.  Jesus said in Luke 9:23, “If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me.”  As anyone who has ever pursued this calling knows, there is a price involved in praying for the sick.

If you are willing to pursue this with me, our training on Wednesday nights is going to shift from prophetic ministry to raising up healing teams.  I believe it has been essential these last months that we have spent time learning to flow in the gifts of the Spirit.  Now is the time to build on that foundation so that we can, like Paul, fully preach the Gospel of Christ in the power of signs and wonders, in the Power of the Spirit (Romans 15:18-19).

-Andy Rudd

Pastor, Harvest Fellowship