Your Sons & Daughters Shall Prophesy - Prophetic Gifts Today In The New Testament Church

Insights from Modern Church History (A.D. 1830-1980)

Reg Layzell, pastor from Vancouver, British Columbia, describes the approach used:

There was no religious hysteria present, but much sincere worship and praise.Jesus was the center of attraction.His presence was desired, cultivated and felt.The laying on of hands was regarded by all as a solemn holy min istry:-holy to those ministering and to those being ministered to....In those days it was necessary to fast.There was no such thing as a "wholesale" invi tation to all who wanted hands laid upon them....You will see by this that there was not a hard and fast rule,-but a sincere attempt was made to fol low the indication of the Spirit as was first given with the revelation of lay ing on of hands.In the beginning God said, "I will indicate from time to time upon whom hands are to be laid." All ministers did not take part in the lay ing on of hands-only those whom the Spirit indicated had such a ministry. It was generally recognized as the ministry of prophets and apostles.When hands were being laid upon a brother or sister in the beginning it was some thing that was solemn. All in the meeting entered into the ministry in the Spirit.God was present in such a spirit of unity.It was easy to prophesy and the prophecies were very accurate.The prophets sincerely sought God,-they were almost fearful lest they might say something that was not God. The utterances were not just "nice" things,-many hearts were searched. 13 Based on 1 Timothy 4:14, alluding to "the laying on of hands by the presbytery," the North Battleford leaders applied the term presbytery to those so ministering. Then, as the movement began to spread and this group of ministers traveled to other cities, the term continued to be used of those so functioning in prophecy. 14 Although warned not to name the visitation taking place, those near and far seemed to focus on the term latter rain, probably because of the continued emphasis on Joel 2:23. Like many in the Pentecostal movement who also used the term latter rain, people touched by the Holy Spirit in this 1948 visitation believed there had been an "early" outpouring of the Spirit on the day of Pentecost (Acts 2) and that there was to be another great outpouring immediately preceding the coming of the Lord. Certain points of emphasis emerged in the teaching, some of which were strongly resisted by Pentecostal denominational leaders. (The same points of opposition, incidentally, are presently acceptable in many evangelical circles, even among non-Pentecostals.) Some historical analysts feel that the Latter Rain movement (LRM) exerted a strong influence on the charis matic renewal some thirty years later. Some main points of emphasis: • Apostles and prophets can exist in the Church today. • The Church is one Church; there is only one Body of Christ, and denominationalism or sectarianism divides its unity. • 292