Healing Line

Healing Line

Getting the Word Out

by Francis MacNutt
Nov/Dec 2010

When I first began to pray to heal the sick in 1967, I was regarded as unusual. "Are you a faith healer?" was the incredulous question I was sometimes asked.

So much has changed for the better since those days. Although not all priests and ministers have learned to pray for healing the sick, there are now many who hold healing services or who visit hospitals and pray for the sick. The entire scene has changed, and we at Christian Healing Ministries are very grateful to be part of this wonderful, extraordinary wave of change. And so the good news is that many Christians — including lay people — now pray with expectant faith for healing.

What is still needed, however, is for all Christians, the successors of the 72 nameless disciples sent out by Jesus, "He made them welcome and talked to them about the kingdom of God; and he cured those who were in need of healing" (Luke 9:11B), to realize that this happy privilege of healing the sick belongs to them. As you know, this is the basic mission that Christian Healing Ministries proclaims and teaches.

Nevertheless, the ordinary accepted understanding of most Christians in our day is that the age of miracles is now past. This disbelief is reflected in the delightful book, Children's Letters to God. One letter states: "Dear God, how come you did all those miracles in the old days and don't do any now? — Seymour"1

As Jesus saw it, healing was destroying the rule of evil upon the human race and was a sign that the kingdom of God was now "at hand." Our exciting mission at CHM is to become empowered by the Holy Spirit and to bring in the kingdom of God. Our ultimate goal is to make the kingdom of God a reality in our world.

To make this happen we believe that God is leading us to BUILD A NEW HEALING CENTER!

This mission is urgent and we believe that God has given us this mission! We are really excited as we now move forward to build our new healing center! Those of you who have visited Christian Healing Ministries recently and had to find parking two blocks away certainly realize our need for a larger facility. Even on not–so–busy days, our parking lot fills up quickly and the rooms for ministry are cramped. Our devoted CHM staff members work in crowded quarters because we have no more room to expand. Frequently, staff offices double as ministry rooms. For many years we have desired a place where we could adequately take care of all the people who come to receive prayer for healing or who want to be trained in in–depth healing prayer know more about in–depth healing prayer.

But the need goes beyond just having a larger space; we believe an international, interdenominational center is necessary. This new center will be a visible sign which proclaims that Christians believe that God still miraculously heals the sick.

What we hope to create is a holy place, a sanctuary, where everyone who is suffering can come and pray to receive God's healing power. We trust that it will is also be a destination where people will experience a special sense of God's love and experience healing just by being in God's presence. What we know, beyond a doubt, is that many wonderful healings already take place through prayer, even in our very ordinary surroundings.

Someone who has experienced great healing from CHM is one of our friends Barbara Holmes. I am presently editing a 40–page manuscript written by Barbara, who describes the extraordinary number of healings (forty or so) that she and her family have received during the past 20 years. Our strong belief is that the number of healings that Barbara has received should be a normal experience and not rare!

We share these things because we believe so strongly in healing prayer and because we also believe that if there were a special healing center, a visible sign of our expectant faith that God still heals today, people would be extraordinarily blessed.

Our hope is that you too will be stirred by the vision of this new center which will stand as a visible sign of our belief that Jesus still heals the sick. This is not an impossible dream. With your prayers and your support, it will become a reality!

My hope and prayer is that we will always be strong in affirming Jesus' desire to heal the wounded and suffering members of our human family! And that includes all of us.

Please join us!

1The New Collection, compiled by Stuart Hample and Eric Marshall, Workman Publishing. New York, NY, 1991.


Francis MacNutt Francis MacNutt is a Founding Director and Executive Committee member of CHM. Nov/Dec 2010


The Best Investment

by Leslie Royalty
Nov/Dec 2010

It seems as though people are tirelessly on the lookout for the best investment. We crave the new, untapped gold mine of opportunity where demand far exceeds supply and returns are guaranteed to be exponential. Seeking the most secure and lucrative return, no one can afford to lose, especially in today's economy. In response, I believe God beckons us with an opportunity to make the most worthwhile investment imaginable. One that you will never regret, that produces multiplied and eternal rewards.

It's the next generation. I truly believe the most valuable investment that is guaranteed to produce fruit that lasts is to be found in the future generation. The only way for the church to endure, for the works of God to continue, is to pass it on. A frequent topic of prayer and discussion here at CHM concerns the importance of passing on the knowledge and practice of healing prayer to the generations to come. Francis and Judith, along with all of our staff and board members, long for this ministry to thrive far beyond the lifetime of its current leaders and participants. In fact, that's a foundational aspect of our mission here. We exist so that Jesus' ministry of healing would spread and take deep roots in churches, families and beyond; so that the gift of healing would be imparted to future generations! However, in order for this to happen, they must first be introduced to Jesus' healing and experience Him for themselves.

Recently, we have been really encouraged by a seemingly increased number of college students and young adults attending our schools and conferences. Especially this past summer, it has been wonderful to have a few more young adults joining us from all over the country—including California, Kentucky, South Carolina and, of course from right here in Florida! Their presence with us has been such a mutual blessing. For them, it has been a very significant part of their journey with Jesus. I will let a few of them explain in their own words.

"My experience this summer at CHM was more than I could have ever asked for! I got to learn about, experience, and see God touch lives so gently yet with power. I learned about how I can be used by God to pray for others in a very deep way. God also met me while I was at CHM where I received some inner healing from my past. He has equipped, changed, and released me to pray for the sick and hurting people I encounter in my life every day. I would not trade my experience at CHM for anything." — Ben Dickey, CSU Fullerton

"Through receiving ministry myself and listening to the teachings at CHM, I really feel like I now understand what it means to be a young, spirit–filled Christian living in a God–starved society. I'm so grateful CHM hasn't given up hope on the younger generations! Instead, they have received us as we are, and shared the heart of the Lord with us." — Mattie Dodds, The College of Charleston

Knowing each of these students, I can personally attest to the transformation and growth that has taken place. It's beautiful! Not only have these and others received more personal healing, but they have grown stronger in their relationships with God, gained greater Biblical and self–understanding, and have stepped out in more confidence to follow the leading of the Holy Spirit in ministry.

As always, the blessing has been entirely mutual! On our end, it is incredibly rewarding to see their contagious passion and hunger for the Lord. Simply having their fresh perspective and fervor has brought a new wave of vitality, emphasizing again the reason this ministry exists! For me personally, it has confirmed God's calling to invest in the younger generation. Ever since leaving college four years ago where I had been involved with on–campus prayer ministry, my passion for young adult ministry has been mostly lying dormant within, as I quickly became the youngest person here. But having these students around has renewed this call from the Lord to pour into and come alongside the next generation. And this call is not just for me! All over Scripture God commands the current generation to "tell of his works" to the next. A wonderful professor and mentor of mine from college often proclaimed Psalm 71:18 as a life calling, saying, "Even when I am old and gray, do not forsake me, O God, 'til I declare your power to the next generation, your might to all who are to come."

Now you certainly don't have to be old or gray to proclaim God's power to the next generation; this is a call for all of us. And there certainly is a need! Many, if not all, young adults grapple with serious issues, such as brokenness of identity and relationships, wounds from the family of origin or from trauma. That's not to mention the myriad of cultural temptations and pressures that lead to addictions, disorders, and deep emotional pain. Also, young adults generally tend to be very open and in such a ripe and critical time of formation—discovering their identity and making crucial life decisions. What a perfect opportunity to reach into their lives and help them encounter Jesus!

So what does this look like? This doesn't mean that everyone is necessarily called to active young adult ministry. Each of us can play different roles depending on our gifting or situation. The most natural way to do this is of course to share this ministry with the young people in your lives, whether children, grandchildren, friends or church members. You can do this by walking alongside them in their spiritual journey, encouraging them to seek God, to receive healing themselves, and to grow in His gifts and ministry to others. Another very practical way to support them is to help financially sponsor them to attend conferences or ministry opportunities, such as our School of Healing Prayer®. Also, if you do not have any young people in your life, I invite you to pray and ask the Lord to bring some. In different seasons of my life I have had a few significant mentors who have immeasurably influenced my development as a person and connection with Jesus. I say this to encourage you! You never know the impact you can have on another simply by modeling, loving and being available to listen and pray. Finally, if you have young people in your life who are not open at this point, do not underestimate the power of intercessory prayer! Keep it up and take heart that God is at work!

I invite you to join me in praying for the next generation, echoing Paul's prayer that "…the eyes of [their] hearts may be enlightened in order that [they] may know the hope to which He has called [them], the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints, and his incomparably great power for us who believe!" — Eph 1:18–19 NIV


Leslie Royalty Leslie Royalty is in charge of Prayer Minister Care at CHM. Nov/Dec 2010 Issue


A Healing Place

by Michael Simon
Nov/Dec 2010

Recently I was asked to pull together information about Francis MacNutt's ministry over the years. As impressive as it was, it really paled in comparison to the great love he has for God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit. He exudes their love. Among those he served and taught were the leaders of the Presbyterian Church in Scotland, Lutherans and Baptists in Germany, and Pentecostals in the United States. Near the end of 2008, the Catholic Church sent priests from around the world to one place to receive training in healing prayer. That place was Jacksonville, Florida and the teachers were Francis and Judith MacNutt. Although I am not a priest, it was the first year I ever experienced a Christian Healing Ministries conference. I was there meeting with the Board of Directors concerning the position of Director of Development. After our time together they suggested that I poke my head into the conference. When you listen to people who come to Christian Healing Ministries for prayer or to an event, there seems to be the same commonality that I experienced that day. At the time, I merely recognized that as I stepped in, I felt an amazing peace come over me. I sat down and didn't want to leave. What do you call that? In a recent conversation with Eleni, my friend and a friend of the ministry, she said she could identify some of what makes CHM unique. Here are her words:"I was reading a devotional and meditating on Bethany, the place that Jesus always retreated to after being besieged in Jerusalem. He loved to go to Bethany because it was a place where He could be himself, where his friends (people he loved — Mary, Martha and Lazarus) always welcomed him, had intimate fellowship with him, listened to Him and waited for Him to teach them (Mary at his feet), believed in Him, and worshiped him. I thought that because of all those factors, it was the place where God was able to raise the dead. As I meditated on these thoughts I heard the Holy Spirit say…that is CHM."

"How true is that? CHM is a place where Jesus can be himself, is always welcomed, is loved and worshiped, where there is great faith in Him, where the people wait on Him, listen for His voice, and obey. All these things together make it possible for God to raise the dead there…I thought this might be relevant to the concept of the new Healing Center…"That is our great hope and understanding of what God wants to do. He has been indicating that CHM is to build a place for anyone to come and experience safety and God's healing love — a haven. Francis had a dream of a square of light where whenever anyone stepped in the square they were healed. That square symbolized the healing center. Now we also know what it will look like. We are beginning to go to communities around the country to show the full set of renderings and share the complete vision. I look forward to being with you and sharing this magnificent dream which is soon to become a reality.

What an exciting time this is for the staff, volunteers, donors, and friends of CHM! There is so much happening in ministry at CHM each day and the coming center is a part of the picture. In these difficult times, more than ever we see people needing a place to come and be refreshed, set free, and energized. More than ever, Christians are seeing God answer prayers and bring healing. Our alumni have such incredible ministries, and we see more prayer ministries budding and growing in churches where a faithful few have been patiently and diligently sowing seeds. One of my favorite things about this ministry is that those I meet or speak with who are friends of CHM are such wonderful people. You can immediately tell they love the Lord. Let's celebrate Jesus for who He is today. Let's say to Him, "Lord, we want you to be free to be who You are, completely, in Your fullness. We adore You for who You are. We just want to be near You. Thank you for loving us right where we are, for who we are today." He doesn't judge us. He just loves us! What a gift. God bless you and may God's healing love flow through you today!


Michael Simon Michael Simon is the Director of Development for CHM. Nov/Dec 2010 Issue