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God Visits the Crystal Cathedral
*Update: Link to actual service below:
Note: This is not a satire or joke, it is the real thing. The Holy Spirit fell upon the people worshiping in the Crystal Cathedral on Palm Sunday, they never got to the offering, they had an alter call and started an impromptu baptismal service instead. As far as anyone can tell, between 500-800 folks gave their lives to Christ or rededicated, and hundreds were baptized by Robert H. Schuller and his staff.
This next part is going to sound bazaar and this is why I put the note at the beginning.
It all started with a testimony by Evel Knievel (the stunt man) about how God grabbed him one day:
“…the power of God in Jesus just grabbed me. All of a sudden, I just believed in Jesus Christ. I did, I believed in him! I rose up in bed and, I was by myself, and I said, ‘Devil, Devil, you bastard you, get away from me. I cast you out of my life.’ I just got on my knees and prayed that God would put his arms around me and never, ever, ever let me go.”
Pastor Robert A. Schuller (who took over for his father last year) said that he looked out on the congregation following the testimony and noticed most people were sobbing. Instead of continuing the service and calling for the offering which was scheduled next, he had an alter call instead:
“I went up front, and I said, ‘I believe there is somebody who needs to be baptized here. Maybe up on that balcony or by that door or by that wall. So come forward,’” Schuller told CT. “We started singing ‘Amazing Grace,’ and I started baptizing people, baptizing them as fast as I could.”
Read the whole article from Christianity Today, April 16, 2007.
I am laughing so much that I’m having a hard time finishing this article. God’s sense of humor blows me away sometimes. Thousands of Charismatic/Pentecostal churches are praying for a touch from God and he visits the Crystal Cathedral of all places, following the testimony of Evel Knievel. LOL. Nobody could ever make something like this up.
Praise God! This is definitely a sovereign move. It takes a miracle to change the order of a worship service in most of our churches. Can true Revival be that far behind?
**Link: Carl @ Revival Blog found this link to the actual videos of Evel Knievel’s testimony and the impromptu alter call and baptism service that followed -go to archives @4/22/07. See for yourself. This is genuine. *Top
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Posted: April 16th, 2007 under News Commentary.
Comments
Comment from SLW
Time April 17, 2007 at 7:17 am
Not in our church Carl. But we do have to get our portable tank ready! Thanks, Mike, for the article.
Comment from Michael
Time April 20, 2007 at 7:27 pm
Amen David, I figured you would appreciate this report.
Comment from Edward
Time April 28, 2007 at 9:13 am
It will be noted that the mode of baptism is used in the definition of full water immersion. The Greek for the word ‘baptizo’ means to immerse, plunge, dip, or bury in water. The very Greek word itself excludes it from meaning “sprinkling.â€
A person can not be baptized in a little candy dish of water if you are going to be Biblically correct.
These people should be called back and be baptized the way the Bible instructs.
Comment from Michael
Time April 28, 2007 at 5:15 pm
Yes Edward, I too believe that total immersion is the proper form.
However, what is really exciting, these folk (500+) publicly responded to the Holy Spirit and committed their lives to Christ.
*Note also: there are going to be millions upon millions of Christians in Heaven that were baptized the ‘wrong’ way.
Comment from carl
Time April 29, 2007 at 7:24 pm
@Michael Thanks again for posting this. When I saw the video i was floored. This was genuine.
Comment from carl
Time April 16, 2007 at 6:33 pm
WOW! Guess God is not into denominational titles. btw, this could not have happened in a pentecostal church. You know that you have to do to baptism class before you can be baptized.