Secret to Reinhard Bonnke's Success: Fire of the Holy Spirit
Reinhard Bonnke
In November 2017   Reinhard  shared  his  farewell messages with 1 700 000 people over 5 days in Lagos  Nigeria. They documented 845 875 people who made salvation decisions. The new converts were ushered into 8 000 participating churches to be followed up and discipled into the kingdom of God. Hundreds of pastors reported that on the first Sunday after the crusade they were flooded with thousands of new church members! Many churches near the former crusade site began meeting together on the vacant field. People started streaming to these informal meetings and have been reporting healings and miracles that are still taking place!
Once when  Reinhard  was preaching at a meeting  some of the people did not believe in the power of the Holy Spirit. Suddenly  in the middle of his service   Reinhard  says the spirit of the Lord fell and people began rejoicing as they were filled with the Holy Spirit. As  he  looked around   Reinhard  says 3 or 4 people were standing and looking around instead of participating in the supernatural event.  He  says  âThese people must be asbestos Christians. They were fireproof even when the fire of the Holy Spirit fell.â  Reinhard  says we need to be people who want to burn with the fire of the Holy Spirit.  He  reminds us that the book of Acts reads better than any modern-day novel.  Reinhard  points to the book of Mark 16:8 where the disciples  before Jesus ascended to heaven  did not believe. That unbelief is also shared in verse 13 â they did not believe. Then in verse 15  says Jesus said to them  Go into all the world and preach the Gospel to every creature. In verse 20  the disciples went out and preached everywhere  the Lord working with them and confirming the Word through accompanying signs. Something happened between verse 14 and 20.  Reinhard  says the disciples walked out of weakness and arrived with the power to do what Jesus commissioned them to do. âPower is the essence of the Christian witness. Christianity is either supernatural or nothing at all.â
 Reinhard  says when  he  preaches the Gospel  it becomes an event.  He  says being baptized in the Spirit changes our very nature and surroundings.  He  likens the power of the Holy Spirit to an electric cable. It looks tame until it is touched. âBeing filled with the Spirit is shown to have had a dynamic and energizing effect or power in the New Testament and in the lives of millions of people since then â  he  says.
Reinhard Bonnke has been an evangelist to Africa since 1967 and is one of the worldâs most successful promoters of the Christian message. Today  the Bonnke name is known around the globe and is synonymous with gigantic meetings in Africa where millions of people have been won to Christ â in a single meeting. Over 77 million people (and counting) in the last decade have committed their lives to Christ through his ministry. Men and women have been saved  delivered and literally rescued from certain death.  Reinhard âs life story and mission to spread the Gospel is captivating  including one story of his team escaping by a breath  with only their lives intact  from the Muslim city of Kano  in Nigeria. The âfireâ in Reinhardâs life refers to the continual partnership with and reliance on the Holy Spirit throughout his life and ministry.
When  Reinhard  tells of God calling him to a life of evangelism  it seemed God laid out what would be expected of him.  Reinhard  told God that he would obey and follow what God was asking of him  and before this extended conversation ended  God told Reinhard  âYou werenât my first choice.â  Reinhard  listened. âYou werenât my second choice either.â Later  there was a time when  Reinhard  hesitated to schedule a specific crusade.  He  says as  he  wavered  âGod said  âYou drop the vision and I drop you.ââ The evangelist attributes the tremendous responses he has seen in ministry to simple obedience to what God requires.
 Reinhard  says the crusades in Africa are always the same  and thatâs a very good thing. They are always the same in that the Holy Spirit woos the large crowds  and then large numbers of people respond to the gospel message of salvation and finally  signs and wonders of all sorts follow the salvations. Blind eyes see  deaf ears hear  the lame give up crutches and wheel chairs and get up from sick beds. Those with incurable diseases are made whole and those with demonic oppressions and possessions are set totally free.  Reinhard  just obediently does what the Lord has called  him  to do.  He  preaches the truth of Godâs Word and invites those in need to come.
 Reinhard  is the youngest son of a German pastor. He gave his life to the Lord at the age of nine and heard the call to the African mission fields before he was a teenager. After attending Bible college in Wales and pastoring in Germany for seven years  he began his missionary work in Africa.  Reinhard  began holding tent meetings that accommodated 800 people. As attendance steadily increased  larger tents had to be purchased. In 1984  he commissioned the construction of the worldâs largest mobile structure -- a tent capable of seating 34 000. This tent was destroyed in a windstorm just before a major crusade. There was a question as to how to proceed. The team decided to hold the crusade âopen air.â Instead of the expected 34 000 attendees  the event saw over 100 000 people  significantly more than the tent would have allowed. Crowds have been exceeding âtentâ size ever since.
 Reinhard  founded Christ for all Nations with office locations in Johannesburg  South Africa; Frankfurt  Germany; Birmingham  United Kingdom; Ontario  London and Orlando  Florida.  Reinhard  passed the baton of ministry to  his  successor  Daniel Kolenda  who is now CEO and President of CfaN.
In November 2017   Reinhard  shared  his  farewell messages with 1 700 000 people over 5 days in Lagos  Nigeria. They documented 845 875 people who made salvation decisions. The new converts were ushered into 8 000 participating churches to be followed up and discipled into the kingdom of God. Hundreds of pastors reported that on the first Sunday after the crusade they were flooded with thousands of new church members! Many churches near the former crusade site began meeting together on the vacant field. People started streaming to these informal meetings and have been reporting healings and miracles that are still taking place!
Once when  Reinhard  was preaching at a meeting  some of the people did not believe in the power of the Holy Spirit. Suddenly  in the middle of his service   Reinhard  says the spirit of the Lord fell and people began rejoicing as they were filled with the Holy Spirit. As  he  looked around   Reinhard  says 3 or 4 people were standing and looking around instead of participating in the supernatural event.  He  says  âThese people must be asbestos Christians. They were fireproof even when the fire of the Holy Spirit fell.â  Reinhard  says we need to be people who want to burn with the fire of the Holy Spirit.  He  reminds us that the book of Acts reads better than any modern-day novel.  Reinhard  points to the book of Mark 16:8 where the disciples  before Jesus ascended to heaven  did not believe. That unbelief is also shared in verse 13 â they did not believe. Then in verse 15  says Jesus said to them  Go into all the world and preach the Gospel to every creature. In verse 20  the disciples went out and preached everywhere  the Lord working with them and confirming the Word through accompanying signs. Something happened between verse 14 and 20.  Reinhard  says the disciples walked out of weakness and arrived with the power to do what Jesus commissioned them to do. âPower is the essence of the Christian witness. Christianity is either supernatural or nothing at all.â
 Reinhard  says when  he  preaches the Gospel  it becomes an event.  He  says being baptized in the Spirit changes our very nature and surroundings.  He  likens the power of the Holy Spirit to an electric cable. It looks tame until it is touched. âBeing filled with the Spirit is shown to have had a dynamic and energizing effect or power in the New Testament and in the lives of millions of people since then â  he  says.
 [TGT]  has been an evangelist to Africa since 1967 and is one of the worldâs most successful promoters of the Christian message. Today  the Bonnke name is known around the globe and is synonymous with gigantic meetings in Africa where millions of people have been won to Christ â in a single meeting. Over 77 million people (and counting) in the last decade have committed their lives to Christ through his ministry. Men and women have been saved  delivered and literally rescued from certain death.  Reinhard âs life story and mission to spread the Gospel is captivating  including one story of his team escaping by a breath  with only their lives intact  from the Muslim city of Kano  in Nigeria. The âfireâ in Reinhardâs life refers to the continual partnership with and reliance on the Holy Spirit throughout his life and ministry.
When  Reinhard  tells of God calling him to a life of evangelism  it seemed God laid out what would be expected of him.  Reinhard  told God that he would obey and follow what God was asking of him  and before this extended conversation ended  God told Reinhard  âYou werenât my first choice.â  Reinhard  listened. âYou werenât my second choice either.â Later  there was a time when  Reinhard  hesitated to schedule a specific crusade.  He  says as  he  wavered  âGod said  âYou drop the vision and I drop you.ââ The evangelist attributes the tremendous responses he has seen in ministry to simple obedience to what God requires.
 Reinhard  says the crusades in Africa are always the same  and thatâs a very good thing. They are always the same in that the Holy Spirit woos the large crowds  and then large numbers of people respond to the gospel message of salvation and finally  signs and wonders of all sorts follow the salvations. Blind eyes see  deaf ears hear  the lame give up crutches and wheel chairs and get up from sick beds. Those with incurable diseases are made whole and those with demonic oppressions and possessions are set totally free.  Reinhard  just obediently does what the Lord has called  him  to do.  He  preaches the truth of Godâs Word and invites those in need to come.
 Reinhard  is the youngest son of a German pastor. He gave his life to the Lord at the age of nine and heard the call to the African mission fields before he was a teenager. After attending Bible college in Wales and pastoring in Germany for seven years  he began his missionary work in Africa.  Reinhard  began holding tent meetings that accommodated 800 people. As attendance steadily increased  larger tents had to be purchased. In 1984  he commissioned the construction of the worldâs largest mobile structure -- a tent capable of seating 34 000. This tent was destroyed in a windstorm just before a major crusade. There was a question as to how to proceed. The team decided to hold the crusade âopen air.â Instead of the expected 34 000 attendees  the event saw over 100 000 people  significantly more than the tent would have allowed. Crowds have been exceeding âtentâ size ever since.
 Reinhard  founded Christ for all Nations with office locations in Johannesburg  South Africa; Frankfurt  Germany; Birmingham  United Kingdom; Ontario  London and Orlando  Florida.  Reinhard  passed the baton of ministry to  his  successor  Daniel Kolenda  who is now CEO and President of CfaN.