2016 Edi on May Volume 4. The Testimony of Brenton Kupke

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1 Renewal Fan into flame the gi of God, which is 2016 Edi on May Volume 4 Believing for Global Chris an Renewal Australia New Zealand I recently went along to the Lutheran Renewal event held at Immanuel College, Adelaide on the 14th of February. I a ended with a feeling that I had to be there, even though it didn t make sense to take a day and a half out of my hec c work and family life to make it happen. I have been aware of the presence of the Holy Spirit through the Bible and others lives. However, even though I acknowledged his presence in my life, I had not previously had such a profound experience as what was about to occur. As I was absorbed in the worship and teaching of this event, I encountered my own Holy Spirit experience. It can be best described as an urging regarding joy but I cannot say that I spontaneously felt joyful. I experienced a number of affirma ons and had immediate visual confirma on when my a en on was drawn to the joy banner on the chapel wall more than six feet tall. The next was even more in my face. In due course, we were invited to come forward to an assistant who would pray with and over us. I presented myself to an a endant, whom I knew well. I asked him to pray as he felt led and added, I am ready for more of the Holy Spirit and what he has in store for me. We stood silent for a prolonged moment. When he spoke, it was a brief phrase in another tongue and then he announced, unprompted, Joy! God wants you to choose joy! He prayed on and I did not fall down. I did not automa cally become full of joy. I did cry and I did come away with a strong sense of being directly spoken Clearing up confusion Jesus promised his disciples that he would bap ze them with the Holy Spirit (Acts 1:5), and at the same me, he established The Testimony of Brenton Kupke the regular prac ce of bap zing people with water (Ma hew 28:19). Are the two the same? Or are there two bap sms a bap sm with the Holy Spirit and a bap sm with water? These ques ons have been to. I was blown away by the confirma on, affirma ons and heart challenge I had just experienced. I had a great uh huh moment for my spiritual life that whatever I am faced with, I have a choice even a responsibility to CHOOSE to be joyful. [Comment from Editor: Compare with Psalm 42:11: Why, my soul, are you downcast? Put your hope in God ] I returned to my seat feeling strangely, pleasantly, spiritually connected. This sensa on grew and a burden li ed from my heart as I, for the first me in my life, spoke u erances that I did not understand. I no ced that these words in tongues came in waves and I sensed that each wave was addressing a different area. Through the course of each of these phases, I became aware of a previous deep grief or struggle, followed by an unloading of my heart. I was certain that I was in the midst of having the biggest deep-and-meaningful conversa on I had ever had, literally heart to heart, with my Creator. I could feel my heart pouring out to God while my mind was a bystander. Is it any wonder that Jesus introduced the Holy Spirit to his disciples as the advocate? I have had a couple of similar, albeit brief, moments of spiritual conversa on in the weeks since. And I know that the experiences of the Holy Spirit are not always the same. I came away from this event with a further renewed passion for God s ministries, and confirma on that revival is s rring in this Great South Land. It is me to hop on board. This event brought a renewal to at least one Lutheran. This I can tes fy. A sincere thank you to the Lutheran Renewal team. a great source of confusion among many Chris ans, including Lutherans. But, in this edi on of our newsle er, the Steering Group of Lutheran Renewal (Pastors Paul Hannola, Edgar Mayer, David Schuppan, Luke Spilsbury, Karen Hannola, Cindy Kloeden, Tatjana Mayer and Nicky Schultz) invite you to read their a empt of clearing up the confusion and get back to us with feedback. You can be bap zed with water and s ll be hungry for more. Lutheran Renewal Newsle er office@lutheranrenewal.org.au

2 ON BAPTISM AND BEING BAPTISED WITH THE SPIRIT There are not two bap sms. According to the Bible, there is only one bap sm, (Ephesians 4:5) and, from ancient mes, Chris ans have always confessed that there is only one bap sm for the remission of sins (Nicene Creed). Jesus commanded us to bap ze with water and there is no other bap sm which he commanded us to perform or enact. Hence, in all of Scripture, there is only one bap sm which consists of an external rite, sprinkling or immersing someone with water. Bap sm is the means of grace which makes people a new crea on (2 Cor. 5:17), a child of God (Gal. 3:26-27), born of the Spirit (John 3:5), and raised to live a new life (Rom. 6:4). In a nutshell, bap sm saves (1 Peter 3:21) and belongs to one s conversion. The ques on may be asked, How can the external rite of bap sm achieve such spiritual outcomes? Mar n Luther gave a compelling answer: Mar n Luther s Small Catechism: How can water produce such great effects? Answer: It is not the water that produces these great effects, but the Word of God [Ma hew 28:19] connected with the water, and our faith which relies on the Word of God connected with the water. For without the Word of God the water is merely water and no Bap sm. But when connected with the Word of God it is a Bap sm, that is, a gracious water of life and a washing of regenera on in the Holy Spirit [Titus 3:5-8]. There is only one bap sm for the remission of sins. This is the only bap sm which we are commanded to perform and the only bap sm which uses an external substance and rite, sprinkling or immersing someone with water. Jesus Use of the Word There is no dispute about the one bap sm but the word bap sm simply means immersion or submersion and Jesus could use the word, not in the sense of ins tu ng another rite or sacrament, but to describe the immersion in another aspect of the Chris an life. For instance, Jesus talked about the bap sm of suffering (Mark 10:38-39) and he announced to his disciples that they would soon be bap zed with the Holy Spirit (Acts 1:4-8). Neither the bap sm of suffering nor being bap zed with the Holy Spirit cons tute a new bap sm but Jesus used the word bap sm/immersion to describe the thoroughgoing nature of the experience. A Source of Confusion Not surprisingly, Jesus use of the word bap sm has become the source of confusion among Chris ans because, on the one hand, there is only one bap sm but, on the other hand, there is also the experience of being bap zed with suffering and being bap zed with the Spirit. Especially, the language of bap sm in connec on with the Holy Spirit has generated much discussion. However, the Bible s teaching on bap sm may not be as complicated as it sounds. Bap sm and Being Bap zed with the Spirit When a person is bap zed, he is bap zed in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit (Ma hew 28:19) and, receiving the Spirit, is born of water and the Spirit (John 3:5). The Bible clearly states that everyone who believes and is bap zed has the Spirit because no one can say, Jesus is Lord, except by the Holy Spirit (1 Cor. 12:3). The Spirit is present for salva on. However, when Jesus talked about being bap zed with the Holy Spirit, he did not promise more of the Spirit for salva on but power. Jesus promised power for the Chris an life and ministry: 2 Luke 24:49: stay in the city un l you have been clothed with power from on high. Acts 1:4-8: Do not leave Jerusalem John bap zed with water, but in a few days you will be bap zed with the Holy Spirit But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you.

3 At the beginning of the Chris an life, there seems to be a threefold process of repentance, bap sm (with water) and receiving the Holy Spirit (being bap zed with the Holy Spirit). In the Bible, this became the focus of a en on early on because, a er the disciples had preached their very first sermon, the people responded and asked them, What shall we do? (Acts 2:37). The disciples answered by encouraging the crowd to seize three dis nct experiences that were available to everyone: Acts 2:38: Repent and be bap zed, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gi of the Holy Spirit. The disciples asked the people: 1) to repent, and 2) to be bap zed (with water) for the forgiveness of their sins, so that 3) they would receive the gi of the Holy Spirit (meaning here the experience of being bap zed with the Spirit). These three experiences were part of the process of becoming a believer and they all belonged together in the whole package of star ng out as a Chris an. On the same day that someone repented, he or she could be bap zed and receive the Spirit. Yet, there could also be me delays between repentance, bap sm, and receiving the Spirit. For instance, in response to an encounter with Jesus, Saul repented but was not bap zed before three days (see Acts 9:3-19). The Bible book of Acts expresses the experience of being bap zed with the Holy Spirit (Acts 1:5; 11:16) in various terms. Some mes people simply receive the Spirit and, according to Acts, even people who are already Chris ans and bap zed can receive the Holy Spirit in the sense of receiving more of him and being bap zed with him: When they arrived, they prayed for the new believers there that they might receive the Holy Spirit, because the Holy Spirit had not yet come on any of them; they had simply been bap zed in the name of the Lord Jesus. Then Peter and John placed their hands on them, and they received the Holy Spirit (Acts 8:15-17; cf. Acts 2:38; 10:47; 19:2). Then, according to Acts, the Spirit can fall upon (Acts 8:16; 10:44; 11:15) or come upon people (Acts 1:8; 19:6) and fill (Acts 2:4; 4:8,31; 6:3,5; 7:55; 9:17; 11:24; 13:9,52) them. The Spirit is being poured out (Acts 2:17-18,33; 10:45) and given (Acts 5:32; 8:18-20; 11:17; 15:8). All of these terms describe the same experience which Jesus promised to his disciples: in a few days you will be bap zed with the Holy Spirit (Acts 1:5). Lutherans are probably most comfortable with the word fill or infilling to describe the experience of being bap zed with the Holy Spirit but all of these terms are biblical. Bap sm (with water) and receiving the Spirit in the sense of being bap zed with the Spirit are meant to come together at the beginning of the Chris an life, but even in the Bible this is not always the case. For instance, it took some me for the new Chris ans in Samaria to receive the Spirit a er their bap sm: Acts 8:14-17: When the apostles in Jerusalem heard that Samaria had accepted the word of God, they sent Peter and John to Samaria. When they arrived, they prayed for the new believers there that they might receive the Holy Spirit, because the Holy Spirit had not yet come on any of them; they had simply been bap zed in the name of the Lord Jesus. Then Peter and John placed their hands on them, and they received the Holy Spirit. 3

4 At one me, the Holy Spirit came on all who heard the preaching of Jesus before anyone could bap ze them (Acts 10:44-48). Then, in Acts 19:5-6, Chris an bap sm (with water) came with the promise of the Holy Spirit (receiving the Holy Spirit in the sense of being bap zed with the Spirit) but the bap sm with the Spirit did not come at the bap sm (with water) but subsequently through the laying on of hands: Acts 19:5-6: On hearing this, they were bap zed in the name of the Lord Jesus. When Paul placed his hands on them, the Holy Spirit came on them, and they spoke in tongues and prophesied. Jesus own bap sm (with water) and receiving the Spirit (being bap zed with the Spirit) foreshadowed our experiences as we follow him. He was also bap zed with water first (John s bap sm for the forgiveness of sins foreshadowing the later bap sm in Jesus name) and then was bap zed with the Spirit. As other people repented and were bap zed, Jesus himself was also bap zed, and when he emerged from the water, he was immediately immersed in the Holy Spirit as the Holy Spirit descended on him: Luke 3:21-22: When all the people were being bap zed, Jesus was bap zed too. And as he was praying, heaven was opened and the Holy Spirit descended on him in bodily form like a dove. And a voice came from heaven: You are my Son, whom I love; with you I am well pleased. To this day, numerous people emerge from the water of their bap sm with the same experience of being also immersed in the Holy Spirit. In fact, not dispu ng possible me delays, this is to be expected because these two experiences, with the experience of repentance, belong together at the beginning of the Chris an life, but they are dis nct from each other (see also Hebrews 6:1-2). Clarifica on It is worth men oning that bap sm (with water) always occurs as one decisive act as the rite of bap sm is acted out according to Jesus command. But being bap zed with the Holy Spirit seems to be more dynamic in nature. While numerous people in the Bible received the Spirit in one drama c encounter (Acts 2:1-4; 10:44-46; 19:6), this has not been the experience of every Chris an. For some, the immersion with the Spirit seems to happen over a few months, a season in their lives, and the Bible further talks about a constant need for fresh immersions with the Holy Spirit (Acts 4:31; Ephesians 5:18). According to the Bible, there is always the invita on to grow and receive more of the Holy Spirit (1 Corinthians 12:31; 2 Corinthians 3:18). Throughout our lives, we learn to keep in step with the Spirit (Gala ans 5:25), not quench the Spirit (1 Thessalonians 5:19). Receiving the Spirit through Bap sm Earlier, this paper affirmed that when a person is bap zed, he is bap zed in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit (Ma hew 28:19) and, receiving the Spirit, is born of water and the Spirit (John 3:5). The Spirit is present for salva on because no one can say, Jesus is Lord, except by the Holy Spirit (1 Cor. 12:3). However, there is a further connec on between bap sm and the Holy Spirit which underlines the importance and uniqueness of bap sm. According to the Bible, receiving the Spirit (in the sense of being bap zed with the Spirit) is 4

5 usually subsequent and dependent on bap sm. When Paul encountered Chris ans that had not been bap zed/immersed with the Spirit, he immediately ques oned the validity of their bap sm (with water): It was only when Paul set the right founda on of bap sm in Jesus name for these disciples, that they immediately qualified for receiving the Spirit and being immersed with him. Bap sm was first and only then did Paul placed his hands on the disciples. Receiving the Spirit in whatever form or measure is dependent on the one founda onal bap sm which Jesus commanded us to enact with water (see also Acts 2:38). On occasion, God could immerse people with the Holy Spirit before they were bap zed, but this was unusual and led to the logical conclusion of bap zing them without further ado. Receiving the Holy Spirit proved their readiness for bap sm because of the fundamental connec on between bap sm and the Spirit: Surely no one can stand in the way of their being bap zed with water. They have received the Holy Spirit just as we have. (Acts 10:47). Conclusion Acts 19:2-6: They answered, No, we have not even heard that there is a Holy Spirit. So Paul asked, Then what bap sm did you receive? John s bap sm, they replied. Paul said, John s bap sm was a bap sm of repentance. He told the people to believe in the one coming a er him, that is, in Jesus. On hearing this, they were bap zed in the name of the Lord Jesus. When Paul placed his hands on them, the Holy Spirit came on them, and they spoke in tongues and prophesied. There is only one bap sm for the remission of sins. This is the only bap sm which we are commanded to perform and the only bap sm which uses an external substance and rite, sprinkling or immersing someone with water. But the word bap sm simply means immersion or submersion and Jesus could use the word, not in the sense of ins tu ng another rite or sacrament, but to describe the immersion in another aspect of the Chris an life, such as his promise to the disciples of bap zing them with the Holy Spirit (Acts 1:4-8). While we receive the Spirit in bap sm for salva on and this happens in the decisive act of performing the bap sm in the rite of bap sm, the experience of being bap zed/ immersed with the Spirit is more dynamic in nature and fluctuates throughout the Chris an s life. Lutheran Renewal Prayer co-ordinators: Cindy Kloeden: Paul Hannola: prayer@lutheranrenewal.org.au Editor: Edgar Mayer Editorial submissions & enquiry: Telephone: editor@lutheranrenewal.org.au Dona ons: BSB Account FREE SUBSCRIPTIONS TO LUTHERAN RENEWAL NEWSLETTER: 5

6 Testimony from Vicar Steve Wockner In 2015, Edgar accepted the invita on to come and lead some revival mee ngs and a Holy Spirit seminar for us in Westport, New Zealand. I was surprised when he did not come on his own but brought another ten people with him as a ministry team from the Living Grace Lutheran Church, Toowoomba. This was our first Holy Spirit Conference (1-4 October) where we would not only be talking and learning more about the Holy Spirit, but also having the Holy Spirit conferred or bestowed upon us. two of the four talks. I helped out as one of the catchers and I learnt two things by the number of people who went up for prayer two or more times at each session. Firstly, life was hard for some people and they were so hungry for a touch of God. Secondly, this kind and outreach to the Westport community. It was great to have close to fi y in a endance, including a good representa on from the other Protestant denomina ons in town. Edgar prayed for all the ministers and this was appreciated by them. Over thirty people, plus the Living Grace team, a ended the first night. Edgar taught on the necessity of experience. People received prayer a er the teaching session and the Holy Spirit showed up and, among other things, caused people to rest on the floor in him. Edgar and I had breakfast the next morning. I needed to give Edgar a bit of local advice, saying, Not so many Luther quotes. Not quite so heavy. And you don t have to convince us that what you are doing is Biblical. We are hungry and just want you to feed us with all you ve got. This seemed to be the permission that Edgar needed to let fly in the Holy Spirit and, indeed, the mee ngs went up 100% in expecta on, anoin ng and power. Friday night saw close to forty people present. And there was also a special treat, the miracle of gold sparkles as Jesus manifested his presence to us. This set the scene for greater joy and expecta on the next day. Fi y-four people a ended the Holy Spirit Seminar. Fellow-Chris ans came from other parts of the Nelson Diocese and also from two of the local churches in Westport. There were mainly Anglicans but also a sma ering of Bap sts, Pentecostals and even one Catholic, and we all had on thing in common, a hunger and thirst for more of God. Edgar s teaching was spot-on and the Holy Spirit backed it up with powerful prayer and ministry sessions a er 6 of ministry should not just happen at special events, but should be a part of our weekly services. I have since redesigned the Sunday service format so I can pray for our people at the end of our Sunday worship. On Sunday morning, we had a Parish service, with members of our two satellite churches at Granity and Karamea in a endance. The church was fairly full and the highlight was when Edgar prayed for the gold sparkles again and they came. It was so much fun to see li le children and adults all ac ng like kids in excitement and amazement at this heavenly gi. A community lunch was held a erwards but the queue for ministry was so great that I do not think that the Living Grace team had anything to eat at all. The final mee ng had the focus of praying for the churches of Westport The next week, at our midweek service, five people gave tes monies and four of them shared how the Holy Spirit Conference and/or the gold sparkles had given them a new confidence in witnessing and they had already done so in situa ons which were new to them. One other person explained how she used to explain away all that Holy Spirit stuff in her mind, but the gold sparkles, which she received on her hands, le her dumbfounded and without a ra onal explana on. As a result, her faith has grown incredibly. We are very thankful to God for all the blessings that he gave to us through Edgar Mayer and the team, and for the big boost it gave us along the pathway to revival. (Rev. Steve Wockner, Vicar of the Buller Anglican Parish [Westport, NZ] was formerly a pastor of the Lutheran Church of Australia.)

7 Testimony from Jordan Brown In 2015, at our Chris an Life Week camp (Walker Flat on the Murray River, 28 September 2 October) God did some amazing things. During the whole week there was a special and unique atmosphere, where your heart felt really open and sensi ve to God s touch. A young girl, Bianca Kekewick, hurt her ankle on Tuesday during the night games. She had rolled it while running and could not put any weight on it at all. Later that night, we no ced her limping, and had the chance to pray for her, that God would come and heal her ankle. Immediately a er prayer, she said that it was pain-free and she was able to run around and jump on it completely fine! Samantha Sims, her friend, who had come to the camp for the first me, was not a Chris an. She had no church background, and had only come to the camp because some of her friends talked her into it. By the Tuesday night, she had already become very interested in God and, a er witnessing the healing, she was very excited. My brother, Kieren Brown, spent some me talking to her about God and praying with her, and later that night she gave her life to Jesus! A couple of other people received prayer for colds and headaches and were also healed by God. A er the camp I spoke to numerous campers and leaders and they all agreed that this was the most spiritual, powerful and fulfilling camp that they had ever a ended. There was also an amazing atmosphere of freedom in worship that was so powerful. Many young people were praising God freely, raising their hands and dancing before the Lord. The presence of God was amazing and just being in that atmosphere of God s love was a life-changing experience. The directors of our camp, Kynan Mann and Holly Schiller, are two young Chris ans with incredible hearts for God, and are a big reason why we saw God moving so much during the camp. Their desire to flow with the Spirit and serve those around them created a perfect atmosphere for the Spirit of God to move in. Before the camp started, one of our prayers was that this camp would be a week that forever changes our na on. We prayed that these youths will look back on this week in fi y years me and say, That week, God changed my life forever. We will not see the full impact of that for a number of years yet, but I truly believe that God did all of that and more, and we give him all the praise and glory. CHRISTIAN LIFE WEEK kieren samantha BIANCA 7

8 28-30 OCTOBER Adelaide 2016 thatthey that THEY BE O N E Rolland Baker Barry Manuel Renewal Conference Edgar Mayer Andrew White Lutheran Renewal invites you to a National Christian Renewal Conference This is a FREE EVENT with opportunities for offerings over the weekend. Conference details and registration: Registrations close 20 October 2016 FRIDAY pm: Arrival thatthey that THEY BE pm: Session 1 (Andrew) Conference Program SATURDAY SUNDAY am: Arrival am: Arrival am: Session 2 (Edgar) am: Session 6 (Barry) am: Morning Tea am: Morning Tea pm: Session 3 (Rolland) pm: Session 7 (Rolland) pm: Lunch break pm: Lunch break pm: Session 4 (Edgar) pm: Session 8 (Andrew) : Light Dinner : Light Dinner pm: Session 5 (Rolland) pm: Session 9 (Rolland) Venue: Cornerstone Lutheran College 68 Adelaide Road Mount Barker South Australia