Healing Line

Healing Line

From Francis

by Francis MacNutt
September 1988

Dear Friends,
So much has happened since our last newsletter — notably our conferences in England where we spoke in five cities to several thousand people. (A testimony on the Leed' s conference follows.) Aside from the many healings that took place, several notable teachings are emerging, I think, from our recent experience.

1) In England (without its being planned this way) the conferences were planned, ministered and administered by laypeople. Some clergy were involved and the churches cooperated, but the main planning was done by laypeople who took the initiative both in Guildford (near London) and Leeds. More and more I am coming to the realization that a very special move of the the Spirit today is to set the laypeople free to minister. The meaning of the priesthood of all believers (which does not negate the ordained priesthood) is being experienced and those churches that believe in it are being blessed and are growing. Witness, for instance, John Wimber's Vineyard churches. In 1977 the embryonic Vineyard was just a Christian home praise group. In 10 brief years it grew to 220 churches averaging 350 in each church; one Vineyard was 6000 members and another was 4000. And they all center on equipping the people to minister.

2) The meetings were truly ecumenical; the Leeds conferences were backed by ten different churches. I remember when David DuPlessis used to say that he believed that gatherings where Christians of different denominations got together were being blessed far more than where they remained separate. FISHNET, our colleagues in the northeast, have found this very same thing; clergy are involved and very much part of FISHNET, but the laypeople are also leading in this ecumenical venture. The groups that work with us do not take people away from their churches to start a new church, but give the people the community and close Christian fellowship and ministry that they sometimes do not find in their own church.

3) We went to England as three couples (Judith & myself, Don & Anne Bloch, Peter & Norma Dearing). We didn't plan this arrangement to make a point, but it did. Not all Christians have seen men and women ministering and speaking together, according to the gifts the Spirit has given them, so that in itself our example helped to set the·women free to minister and men to recognize their gifts and ask them to share. (See the testimony letter that follows for example.)

On a more sobering note: Sister Jeanne Hill OP, who has been with us here for some months was hospitalized due to unstable angina in June. She under went a procedure called an angioplasty, in which a balloon was inserted into one of the arteries to open up an occlusion that blocked 90% of the blood flow in that artery in her heart. Happily the operation was a success and Sister Jeanne is now at her Motherhouse in Racine, Wisconsin undergoing rehabilitation. (We hope to have her back in October). She would appreciate your prayers.

Last, we are starting to plan our next CHM conference in Jacksonville. The topic will be healing of co–dependence and the dysfunctional family. The time will be sometime in February. We hope to see you here!

Francis & Judith
Rachel & David


Francis MacNutt Francis MacNutt is a Founding Director and Executive Committee member of CHM. September 1988 Issue