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Latin America: The
Church On Fire!
Charles Carrin
May 31, 2004
Since gaining religious freedom, the Latins have been ignited with the
fire of God. One hundred years ago there was probably less than 50,000
evangelicals in the whole of Latin America; today; there are more than
100,000,000--and the number is growing by 25,000 to 30,000 a day. What
brought the change? Genuine Holy Spirit-empowered, "signs and
wonders," gospel preaching! The Holy Spirit is moving in Latin
America as in the first century. Significantly, it wasn't long ago that
evangelical missionaries were dragged by the hair of their heads through
the streets of Peru and brutally killed by mobs. Two of the historic sites
which our Team visited in Lima were the Court of the Inquisition where
heretics were tried and sentenced to death-- and the cave where their
bodies were dumped together. (We did not go in.) Such places are sobering
reminders that religious freedom has been purchased by the blood of
martyrs.
The first "Fresh Oil--New Wine" Conference in Latin America was
held last year in Quito, Ecuador, where we will go again in July, 2004.
This year the Conference extended to Peru and in 2005 will probably
include Santiago, Chile. There is a possibility that we will go to Buenos
Aires, Argentina. The Latin American pastors adopted the "Fresh
Oil" name from the Conference held each March at Central Baptist
Church, Hixson, Tennessee. David Carrera, an Ecuadorian pastor serving in
the U.S., Eddy Reed, Pastor of Living Stones Church, Shelbyville,
Tennessee, and Bobby Ludlow, his assistant, are the American organizers
for these Conferences. Please help with your prayers and donations. The
need--and the opportunity--is great. For the first half of my ministry I
preached an impotent gospel but at age 73 am finished forever with dead
churches, denominational doctrines, quarrelsome pastors, and powerless
preaching! Give me Christ in His Resurrected Glory! Give me the Holy
Spirit in His anointing! Give me the Father in His truth! Give me Latin
America!
Charles Carrin
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