Greater Works
Jan 18, 2023.
The healings, miracles and works of Jesus are legendary. These miracle stories have built our faith as pastors, and enabled us to stir the imagination of our audiences. Most of us do not try to explain them away as exaggerations; we believe them. Many are also recorded in secular historical records, making it difficult to relegate them to mythology or folklore.
Given the radical nature of these historical stories, it can be difficult to digest Jesus’ words, “Most assuredly I say to you, he who believes in Me, the works that I do he will do also; and greater works than these he will do, because I go to My Father” (John 14:12). That is such a lofty promise, but Jesus forwarded it to his leaders none-the-less. Then, we watched these works flood into the ministries of the first disciples – they preached everywhere with great power and worked miracles which proved their message was true (Mark 16:20). Before we even get to the end of Acts these first followers were arguably surpassing the works of Christ; they were praying over hanky’s that healed people who touched them later; even their shadows coming across sick people healed them as they walked by. Remarkable. Greater works indeed.
What about our ministries today? Could it be that Heaven has some ‘greater works’ ready to pour into each of our stories? Are you feeling stirred to start praying for some unexplainable things?Remember, Jesus promised us ‘greater works’ if we’d reach for them. If we have learned anything at our dinner church tables in Seattle, it is the more we pray healing prayers the more healing occurs. That is a great place for any dinner church team to start reaching.
Blessings & Boldness,
Verlon
Dr. Verlon and Melodee Fosner have led a multi-site Assemblies of God Dinner Church in Seattle, Washington since 1999 (www.CommunityDinners.com). In this decade when more churches in the U.S. are declining than thriving, and when ninety-six churches a week are closing, Verlon and Melodee sensed that a different way of doing church was needed for their 100-year old Seattle congregation. It soon became obvious that they were not the only ones in need of a different path. They joined the FX team in 2016 and founded the Dinner Church Collective. And then in 2019 founded the Dinner Church School of Leadership. There is a lot to be gained when church leaders begin to see open doors in the American landscape that they had previously overlooked. Therein lies the journey for those who will forge a new future for the American Church.
Categories: Uncategorized
01.21.23
By: Sandy Johnson
What a great point, we won’t see the miracles we long to see if we aren’t praying for them. And I would add praying believing that God is still a miracle working God. I’m so grateful that God doesn’t expect us to have everything figured out before we move. He just tells us to follow Him.
01.24.23
By: Steven Curry
I am a recipient and witness to God’s healing. I’m at a point in my life that I just take them as fact. I want to see more of them. I wonder sometimes why I don’t. You mentioned that the more we pray the more we see God’s hand and power lift ourselves and others up. The Table @ Westport has been going just over 1.5 years now. We have been praying and are starting to see the fruits of those prayers. Each week we invite people to be prayed with. It is making a difference in peoples lives! But, it wasn’t really me. I am more of a practical guy that believed that when God is good and ready He’ll do something. I pray, but nothing like a couple older ladies on our Table Team. Man oh man can they pray. I have watched them and have asked Jesus to give me that fervor. I am beginning to see the results of more prayer. I am not nearly as bashful about going to someone and asking to pray for them. I AM LOVING IT! Others on our team are seeing it to and we are actively going to folks now and praying with them. People in our community are taking notice too.
Thanks Pastor Verlon.
01.26.23
By: David Bennett
Maybe we need to get a bit of that radical nature working in us … If we did, we might just see some miracles taking place around us. It isn’t always easy to “out” yourself and take some crazy steps of faith. Good people really don’t understand. Stable people may even think you are a crazy. Hurting, lost, lonely, beaten down, and many other people just like them really don’t care if you look a little nuts or a bit unusual. The pain of their lives open the way the greater things to happen as faith goes into action. Their faith. Your faith. When they collide miracles can happen.