April 12th, 2024. A very welcome email a few weeks ago from Steve Jones, the Senior Minister of Oxford Community Church, led to an invitation to us to attend the two day visit of Chuck Parry of Bethel Church, Redding, California. So Burmese Pastor Man (whose contact details Steve had initially contacted me for) joined Ingria and me at a Healing Meeting two evenings ago. We were glad to arrive early (due to experiencing less traffic than anticipated) as the car park and King’s Centre soon filled up in anticipation of a long-awaited encounter with this man who oversees the “Healing Rooms” at a mega-church which, in recent years, has promoted Divine Healing at the forefront of its Evangelism programme. ‘Healing Rooms’ is not an original concept, as I discovered during our earlier contacts with the John G Lake “Dominion Life” meetings and its ‘Healing’ course. Lake had pioneered such a project, best-known during his South Africa ministry, and as I observed at the time, the Oxfordshire group is continuing to promote Healing as the spearhead of its evangelism. During our happy time worshiping at OCC we realised that a growing relationship has been developing with Bethel, Redding, as OCC seeks a fresh cutting-edge among its many established ministry and community enterprises.
Grabbing the second-to-front row (because we could!) we very soon warmed to the worship-experience led by one of OCC’s excellent bands. Then Chuck was introduced, and he immediately engaged us with his warm, relaxed and quite self-effacing manner, as the ongoing learner, rather than the expert. I jotted some snippets down from his opening remarks: “Truth overwhelms Facts” (meaning, I think, ‘Miracles trump natural laws’); “The Kingdom – all of it – is in you” (Jesus quote); “Jesus never let sin be a barrier to getting healed” (evident in the gospel accounts – sin got dealt with later); “The Treasure in the Field (in Jesus’ parable) is ME!” (a new slant for me). Then the less novel but very important principles: “There are two mindsets in Christians:- (1) Poverty/Sin/War/Lack – even in Church”, and (2) “Continual Abundance” – we need to view situations from this standpoint”.
Then followed a Healing session unique in my experience: those with pain were invited to raise a hand, those without were asked to pray with them. It was with no great surprise to find out that there were enough pray-ers to meet all the needy (we later learned that Chuck is experienced in multiplying resources eg money or food to meet the current needs). Brief prayers were asked for, and the prayed-for were invited to check their new pain-status and report on it. Large numbers then raised hands to indicate if they were totally, or 80% plus healed. In my case, knees (again!) and thumb-joints were the prayed-for areas. Ingria also received healing. Finally we were all invited to go through the “Fire-Tunnel” comprised of Team members of OCC and Bethel to receive blessing.
The following morning was for a talk by Chuck on “Developing a Healing Culture”. (Ingria had to work, so just Man and I were there, eager and early again!). It is difficult to convey the atmosphere, so just snippets from the wise man’s address must suffice:-
“Eternal Life is constantly flowing from God, and we share in it…..Healing is central to the Gospel, not peripheral….. We don’t start with an event, but a Culture. A move from Programme-based to Presence-based…..Grace – everything is free; Thanksgiving is our key to receiving it. The dynamic tension of Thanksgiving and craving more: celebrate it, then long for more!….We do not know how to heal the sick – we just observe what He will do. Kingdom of heaven does not come through striving. ‘Performance Christianity’ produces workers who burn out! The overflow of God’s love creates a Culture, not workers…..Evangelism – not a Performance, but an overflow of Love. Needs to be Real, expressing Love naturally. Forgiveness should be the air I breathe. Be unoffendable! ‘Love is the ability to connect’…..‘Healing Rooms’ aim to ‘create the atmosphere of Heaven’…..Christians begin by gathering together, with 4 shared agreements:- (1) Affirming the Presence of God in our midst. Meet to realise this, usually with musical worship…..(2) Agreeing on His presence with us, as we are Temple of the Holy Spirit (CP gives out “Oh, but you’re here” badges, which help when we’re feeling our limitations)…..We know the Holy Spirit as Reality – individual and corporate….. (3) God only does wonders – and does them within us. God created, then uses, people like me. He will use us if we are available…..(4) Every time we get together, we expect impossible things to happen. Don’t look for demons, but if they manifest, let Jesus expel them. Just pray briefly, and let Jesus get on with it!….So drop your Programme/Performance, and allow God to work His miracles. Jesus told the disciples what to do, but not how to do it. He doesn’t give a formula; he wants a relationship. We don’t have to know how to heal; leave it to Him.
As I observed and agreed, with a number of church leaders it had been my pleasure to know previously, Chuck addressed all the issues we were worried about in seeking to plan our own “Healing Rooms”. Thank you, Chuck, and OCC for making him available to us.
Healing in Jesus' Name 