s preaching the gospel outside. The people threw spears at him but the spears, instead of hurting him, landed all around him and became a barrier. This amazed the villagers, and they began to listen to what he said. This miracle led to the conversion of many Nagas. Tribe after tribe became Christian.
In 1952, one Naga named Rikum was converted at Allahabad Bible Seminary. In 1954, the Lotha Baptist Association invited him for revival meetings. The meetings were held from April 11 to 18, 1954. The churches joined together and a great revival broke out as a result.
In this revival people forgot about food. They were praying day and night. Many miracles took place. Some of the miracles were as follows.
They went into procession singing revival and salvation songs with great joy and happiness. Angels used to lead them; two angels – one on the left side and the other on the right aide. Wherever the angel stopped they would stop and sing joyful hymns. The singing was a non-stop phenomenon. During the evenings Satan used to visit in the homes of people who did not go to the church. So they were afraid and sat outside around a fire.
Once they were sitting around a fire. A cow came near and said, “Jesus is coming. What are you doing?” They were so frightened that they all went to the church. And they felt at the church that the church was literally lifted up. The people knew that it was God visiting them. They became converted to Christianity because they not only saw the miracle but also heard the messages and experienced God’s touch in their bodies. The gospel spread without much opposition.
Some Nepalese used to live in the forest. They cut timber. They heard a beautiful sound of singing coming from the trees. As they were following the singing they reached the church where the people were singing under the mighty anointing of the Spirit of God. Some of them could understand the messages of God. This was the means by which the gospel spread among the Nepalese also. Now thousands of Nepalese are becoming Christians.
In the year 1976 a revival meeting was convened at Mokohung and Rev. Rikum was invited as the speaker. It was here that the great revival explosion took place. Many were filled with the Spirit and spoke in tongues. This resulted in mass conversions throughout Nagaland. Some of the astounding miracles were raising of the dead and many people were reported missing. No one has any clue to what happened to those missing, but all assume that they were taken to heaven alive.
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1960 -April: Van Nuys, North America (Dennis Bennett)
The outbreak of charismatic renewal in denominational churches in America is usually identified with the ministry of Dennis Bennett (1917-1991) at St Mark’s Episcopal Church in Van Nuys, California, because of the national press coverage generated there, Bennett’s subsequent national and international ministry in renewal, and the huge sales of Bennett’s 1970 autobiographical book Nine O’clock in the Morning, and his subsequent teaching books, especially The Holy Spirit and You.
During Bennett’s ministry as senior priest at St Mark’s from 1953 to 1960 the church had grown with the population in the area and maintained a staff of four priests and office assistants. Respected lay people had been baptized in the Spirit and began holding home meetings for those interested, Bennett and his wife Elberta among them. Soon many were experiencing this renewal, including many of the youth. Renewal meetings introduced increasing numbers to this experience, and people learned to pray naturally for one another for all needs, including healing.
Bennett was cautious, sensing possible problems in the parish, but initially received wide support from parishioners, even those not directly involved. Bennett reports how a neurosurgeon, the husband of the Altar Guild directoress who was involved in the renewal, commented favourably:
“Oh, by the way, I see what’s happening to my wife, and I like it!”
I did a “double-take”: “You do?”
“Yes,” he replied. “You’re going to have a hard time explaining this ‘speaking 