December ’10 BSCMF Letter

Wednesday, December 1st, 2010 | BSCMF Newsletters | No Comments

December 2010

Dear BSCMF Member,

“If anyone serves me, he must follow me. And where I am, there my servant will also be. If anyone serves me, the Father will honor him.”

·         John 12:26 (NIV)

Imagine being honored by God? The word “Honor” means to give esteem, to give special favor upon an individual – Do you want God to honor you, and give you special favor, blessing and esteem you in front of the whole world? Jesus gives us the way to receive such honor from God. In John 12:26, Jesus said, “If anyone serves me, the Father will honor him.” That is a powerful revelation – yet why do so many Christian pastors and 5-fold ministers NOT walk in the favor, blessing and esteem from God? The reason is that too many Christian leaders serve Jesus with their mouths, but not with their true actions – They do not serve Jesus with their hearts.

Jesus said, “If anyone serves me, he must follow me.” The word “follow” means being a disciple, which is to be a true student of the master (teacher). Jesus is saying that even though you may serve me with your words and with some actions, if you do not serve me with your heart – making me your true Lord and savior- and do the things I say to do and say the things I tell you to say, you are not a true disciple. You see Brethren, the problem is too many Christians (and especially leaders) follow Jesus up to the point to where it interferes with what they want to do…When following Jesus gets to the point where they have to make decisions (based upon what Jesus says) that are contrary to their own desires and wants, then they stop following Jesus and selfishly follow their own ways and desires!

That is why Jesus spoke the words in Matthew 7:21-23, “Not everyone who keeps saying to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will get into the kingdom of heaven, but only the person who keeps doing the will of my Father in heaven. Many will say to me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, we prophesied in your name, drove out demons in your name, and performed many miracles in your name, didn’t we?’ Then I will tell them plainly, ‘I never knew you. Get away from me, you evildoers!” Just think of it – Jesus is talking to people who are proclaiming to be Believers (they are calling Jesus, “Lord”). But who is the person who truly is a follower of Jesus? The one who does what He says to do no matter the consequences! When you honor Jesus by following him even if it means denying your wants and desires, then you are giving Jesus honor; and when you honor Jesus, you are honoring God. Do you want God to honor you? To have God give you favor, grace and blessing? Then become a true follower and disciple of Jesus by denying yourself, taking up your cross and following Him!

May God bless you richly,

Dr. Will Pantin

December ’10 Partnerletter

Wednesday, December 1st, 2010 | GJITCM Partner Letters | No Comments

December 2010

Dear Friends,

“Then Philip went down to the city of Samaria, and preached Christ unto them. And the people with one accord gave heed unto those things which Philip spake, hearing and seeing the miracles which he did. For unclean spirits, crying with loud voice, came out of many that were possessed with them: and many taken with palsies, and that were lame, were healed. And there was great joy in that city.”

·         Acts 8:5-8

For years I have written the scripture above on these letters and it has always been the vision of this ministry – “And there was great joy in that city”. But during this past ministry trip to Pakistan, those words became reality, as we saw the power of God in such demonstration that it produced “great joy” in the Pakistan city of Quetta, located some 80-85 miles from the Taliban stronghold of Khandahar, Afghanistan. During the course of our ministry to the city of Quetta, we saw more Muslims come to know the truth of the Gospel than anytime over the course of the past 9-/2 years that I have been coming to Pakistan. For during this trip, GJITCM and I started to walk in the fullness of apostolic ministry; a ‘Book of Acts’ anointing that has the ability to ‘turn the world upside down’.

I almost write these words in solemn reverence at what transpired over the course of our trip to Quetta. But before I get ahead of myself in detailing the events, the October 27- November 6^th trip to Pakistan overall, was an ambitious agenda: To conduct a pastor faith seminar for the first time to the capital city area of Islamabad/Rawalpindi, church services in Lahore and a pastor faith seminar and night-time evangelistic miracle meetings in Quetta located on the Afghanistan border. I hadn’t made a trip to Pakistan since early February, due to visa problems and our ministry being investigated by the Pakistani intelligence services. After a four month investigation, GJITCM-Pakistan and I were cleared of being tied to any United States clandestine operations (you laugh, but Pakistan this year has been paranoid with the idea that US intelligence agents were using NGOs and non-profits as ‘fronts’ to infiltrate the country!

We arrived into the Islamabad/Rawalpindi area for the first time to conduct a pastor faith seminar. Although Great Joy in the City Ministries has a national presence, the pastors and church leaders only knew about us through our reputation and testimonies received from other cities where we have conducted ministry.

The seminar was well attended for a first trip, and by the second day we had nearly 400 pastors and church leaders in attendance. The Word of Faith/Kingdom teaching was well received, and so was the power of God in demonstration both days. We received 100 new members of Bond Servants of Christ Ministerial Fellowship from the seminar; and we have been told by our area contacts that we should expect a much larger participation from pastors and church leaders during our next trip, once the word gets out of what transpired during this first time.

The second part of the trip was to Lahore, where I spent time with senior staff talking about 2011 GJITCM-Pakistan ministry goals and speaking Sunday morning at Great Joy in the City Church of Lahore-Youhanabad. The Lord has spoken to me about elevating GJITCM-Pakistan nationally – that every department (GJITC churches, evangelism, women’s ministry, etc.) needs to develop a “national” vision, mindset and ministry agenda – that it is not enough for GJITCM-Pakistan to conduct national ministry during ‘Dr Will’s trips’ to Pakistan; but that every department needs to conduct ministry on a national level throughout the year! I ask you to keep this ministry vision in your prayers  - I am expecting great national impact over the course of 2011!

The highlight of the trip was to the Balochistan provincial capital city of Quetta, located on the Afghanistan border. There were many who asked me if I was sure that I wanted to conduct ministry in Quetta, which is notoriously known as a city that the Taliban controls by night, and where there are continual terrorist bombings (there was a bombing in the city a few days before I arrived). But I knew from the Spirit of God that the Lord wanted to make a ‘spiritual statement’ within the city, and my spiritual son -Tahir Rafiq, GJITCM-Pakistan associate -Pastor Asif and I went with a great sense of peace in our hearts. We had opportunities to be “moved” by what we saw during our trip but declined the offer. For example,  the 2^nd night of my staying at our hotel and walking to the car to head for a night meeting, I was met with a convoy approaching the hotel entrance – three trucks filled with Muslim militia carrying automatic weapons protecting two luxury SUVs who were carrying the most famous Muslim warlord in the region who was staying at the hotel. The militia, while the warlord visited Quetta and the provincial government officials, patrolled the hotel grounds and the hotel hallways  - the warlord stayed down the hall from me; and every day I greeted the militia guards with as cheerful and friendly a “Salam” greeting that I could muster! (and which usually brought a friendly “Salam” in return from the guards).

The Quetta pastor faith seminar was well attended with over 500 pastors and 5-fold ministers from throughout the region surrounding Quetta (which is a very large number for the Afghanistan border area). Coming into the meetings, I had pretty good reputation throughout the region, and GJITCM has always been well received.

The Kingdom teaching was well received, and the seminar participants were excited by the Holy Ghost demonstrations that confirmed the Word taught with signs following (as you have heard me say in the past – what separates our ministry from many, and what draws pastors and five-fold ministers to our Bond Servants of Christ Ministerial Fellowship (BSCMF) association are the power of God demonstrations confirming the Word). We already had some 500 members of BSCMF in the Quetta area, but as a result of our seminar, we added another 200 members (which is awesome); and as a result now have close to 2,100 Bond Servants of Christ Ministerial Fellowship members in Pakistan alone – and 6,200 BSCMF members overall – To God be the glory!

But as I stated earlier, the highlight of the entire ministry trip, was the night-time evangelistic miracle meetings. I have been in ministry in Asia for 15 years, and have flowed in the office of “apostle” for 6 years, but I have never experienced apostolic anointing, authority and power on the level I experienced during this trip – and from the reaction of the Muslims and Christians gathered, neither had they!

Miracles confirmed the Word of God preached from Romans 8:35-39, and the message that “nothing shall be able to separate us from the love of God through Christ!” A number of lame people walked, the deaf received their hearing, the paralyzed received their healing, and the sick were healed – Praise the Lord! But what was powerful and unexpected was an unprecedented, sovereign move of the Holy Spirit that was reminiscent of the Book of Acts. For example, after I finished the altar call (receiving 100% response both nights), and just said the name, “Jesus!”,  50+ people fell out under the power of God; I was hot ministering and threw my jacket to the 30 member choir, and as a woman caught the jacket, the entire choir fell out under the power of God. The Holy Spirit was touching 2o, 30, 50 people at a time – Muslims and Christians; and with each move the crowd grew in Holy Ghost frenzy. The second night saw a 30-40% increase in attendance (over 1,000 people the first night) with people flowing out the door into the parking lot. Muslims were coming up boldly and receiving from God—The city of Quetta was IMPACTED for Jesus; and the pastors of Quetta want us to come back next summer and conduct a city-wide outdoor crusade. I left Quetta as an “ambassador” on behalf of the Kingdom of God; and we are still hearing testimonies of healing and miracles from the city – Praise God!

Before I close this letter, I would like to tell you about our next major trip to the city of Vellore, India. This will be our first ministry to the city of Vellore which will take place from December 4-7. During the trip we will be conducting a pastor faith seminar, night-time evangelistic miracle meetings and I will be speaking at one of the largest churches Sunday morning. We ask for your prayers, and if you are led of the Lord, financial partnership. GJITCM is stepping up to a new level of apostolic ministry that is shaking the world and bringing ‘Great Joy” to Asia – To God be the glory; and on behalf of GJITCM- Merry Christmas!

Till next time -

You are loved and blessed of God – and by me,

Dr. Will Pantin

Dr. Will Pantin