Non Medical Healing and Growth

I was speaking in Europe several years ago. The other speaker was a tiny man from Africa. The man was an Anglican Priest and Bishop known in his part of the world as a powerful man of faith and healing. Some of the Clergy in the audience did not take the Bishop very seriously for several reasons.

1. He was African and thought to be inferior.
2. They did not believe his theology was strong. This was a group that was terribly proud of its solid, deep theology.
3. He talked about the supernatural healing and interventions through prayer. Although this was a seminar for Christian Pastors and Priests most were humanistic and secular in their thinking. After all, Africans were primitive but we westerners are sophisticated. We know God no longer heals and brings change. Their disbelief was very strong.
4. He was very small. he did not look like a man of power.
5. He had not prepared for the European winter. He wore sandals because his country was on the Equator.

During the workshop/seminar the Bishop told story after story about miracles of healing. The Europeans asked all kinds of detailed questions like, "Do you pray as Clergy to prepare before you have people come in for healing prayer?"

His answer was "Of course."

They asked, "How long do you pray?"

He said, "Until we are finished."

They asked, "How do you know you are finished preparing in prayer?"

He said, "God tells us when to stop."

Finally, in frustration the Bishop said, "I will ask Dr. Sweeten finish. He knows how to talk with you better than I."

How do we talk with unbelieving people who need God's power?