MEN WHO DREAM

I've never really understood whether God chooses men who dream or if He gives dreams to the men He chooses. I do know that much of what has been done for the glory of God was born of dreams.” ---Ron Boutwell, 1978

Friday, December 27, 2024

THE MIRACLE OF THE OUTPOURING #33

 (From my column “Looking Forward and Glancing Back” in the SGT monthly newsletter, November, 1993)

I’m still amazed at how little faith I have at times. Even after all the miracles that God has done for Stained GlassTheatre, I continue to be awed by what God can do. I sometimes feel like the children of Israel who experienced the parting of the Red Sea and then doubted God’s ability to care for them in the desert.

About one year ago, as we were preparing THE OUTPOURING, everyone was excited about the show and anticipating what God might do. We all felt that God was going to move in some way. We were hooping and praying to have some wonderful prayer times with our audience each night after the performance—and that happened. But as usual, I was trying to put God in a box by expecting certain things while God was preparing to do what He wanted to do.

For weeks, Jeff White had been talking to a friend of his, John Horner, about the play. John had read the script and was also excited about the upcoming production. One day, as John and Jeff prayed, John prayed something that would become a prophetic word for SGT. John boldly prayed that TWENTY THOUSAND would see the show. Now keep in mind that the average attendance for one of SGT’s shows is around three thousand. So when John, a mighty man of God and a powerful prayer warrior, prayed for twenty thousand, Jeff didn’t take it lightly, but still, it was just too incredible to believe.

Jeff told me of John’s prayer, and I didn’t know what to say—how could it be? There was no way that it could happen—yet we couldn’t help but sense that something of significance had been prayed that day. We all thought that the show would be well attended and that we might have four thousand. But twenty thousand? Once again, we had forgotten the awesome power of God.

God answered John’s prayer—and is still answering it. As so many of you already know, the show was sold out for all the regular run almost immediately, and as fast as we opened up another weekend, it would sell out. The show was extended for nine weeks and ended with a total attendance right at seven thousand. Then, the show was taken on tour (which we do not normally do) during the summer with attendance at thirteen performances reaching almost eight thousand. In addition, over 200 videos have been sold, and if those have been seen by at least four or five people each, then that adds another thousand or so to the total. So to this point, we believe that around fifteen thousand people have seen THE OUTPOURING. But that’s not the end. Planning is underway to continue touring the show starting in the spring of next year. What once seemed impossible is now a virtual reality. WHAT A MIGHTY GOD WE SERVE! Thank you, John Horner, for your prayer! Thank You, Father. Praise Your Holy Name, Jehovah!

FOLLOWUP NOTE: THE OUTPOURING toured again in the summer of 1994 and is currently being performed by SGT Catalyst Revival Ministries, having now been seen by well over 20,000 people! Praise Jesus!

 

COMING NEXT: GOD SENDS ANGELS TO GUARD AND PROTECT STAINED GLASS WINDOW  

God is faithful to help us even when we don’t know we need His help.

 

PRESSING ON #32

 (From my column “Looking Forward and Glancing Back” in the SGT monthly newsletter, September, 1993)

New beginnings can be exciting. As we look toward to the opening of a new season at Stained Glass Theatre, we do so with great expectations of the wonderful things that God will do through this ministry in the year ahead.

For SGT, this year is more than the beginning of a new season—it is the start of a new decade. It seems almost too incredible to believe that the theatre has been open for ten years. What started as a dream has become more than we could have imagined. It has been a fascinating ten years—hard times, fun times, good times, bad times—but through it all, God has blessed and performed many miracles.

This past year has been unbelievable as we have seen God move in ways that we had not even imagined. God has renewed our strength and given us a new vision for the future. We believe that the best is yet to come! WE BELIEVE THAT REVIVAL IS ON THE WAY! What happened this past season with THE OUTPOURING, and is continuing to happen, is only the beginning. The heart and soul of SGT has been fused with the desire to see a great revival break out in this city, state, and nation.

As we planned our 1993-94 season, God gave Jeff White, or managing director, the words to characterize our new season—pressing on. They are good words full of hope and challenge. And we praise God for them. Please pray for God to continue to use this ministry to be a catalyst for revival. Pray that we will not grow weary in the work but will keep PRESSING ON toward the mark.

 

COMING NEXT: THE MIRACLE OF THE OUTPOURING

Sometimes we pray small prayers so we can believe God will answer them. But what if we pray big prayers, really big prayers? Can we trust and believe God will answer?