North Omaha, Nebraska

On Sunday, January 7th, 2007, the 7 congregations that compose the “North Omaha Village” launched their Divine Experiment. The atmosphere was charged with energy and expectation about what the Lord is going to do as the village gathers in an increased measure in prayer, fasting, humility, repentance and giving. Because the leaders, the pastors and their wives, have already been on this journey for ten months, the launch gathered their congregations together and advanced them into a deeper place in the journey corporately.

I have had AIDS for some years now. When I went to the doctor last month there was still AIDS in my body. I went to the doctor today, the 11th day of the Divine Experiment, and they could not find the AIDS in my body! -C

Pastors Dennis and Deloris visited the home of a young lady joined the church 3 weeks ago. She had asked if they would come and minister to her family last week. When they arrived they found a houseful of people waiting expectantly for them and very excited they had come to minister to them! People were sitting everywhere, some were standing up. The pastor shared a word with them saying that “now is the time for salvation” and he continued by sharing the gospel with the household. The Holy Spirit began to minister to people and they responded with hunger. When he gave the invitation for salvation, many relatives who were backsliden came back to the Lord, and several others got saved for the first time! This entire household was saved! The next night they were invited over to another relative's home where several new people were gathered again and another person was saved and some came to church that Sunday! -Dennis and Deloris

One man had a brother who was a Vietnam veteran and had suffered for many years with dibilitating flashbacks. He had been given so much medicine but nothing helped him. He was invited to one of the early morning prayer meetings where he was prayed for. He was delivered on the spot when he was prayed for! His whole countenance changed.and then testified to the people gathered to pray what a miracle they had just witnessed because he had suffered for almost 40 years. -Alvin -

My husband would often complain of my tone of voice I talked to him, especially when answering his questions. I decided to try to change, I thought I was but he still complained. On day four of the Divine Experiment, while reading and praying the Lord showed me that it was my unwillingness to share my life with my husband that was holding the door of my heart open for bitterness and resentment to come in and then out of me in my tone. I thank God for showing me this and I pray now for Him to help me make changes.

Upon reading the "Fire of Gods Presence", I pray and long for Jesus to be lifted up and that people would be attracted by His presence only. As a congregation we are meeting down at the Church each evening as we follow the Divine Experiment. Prayer has been wonderful and we are really just beginning to enter prevailing and a little travailing. We cry out to God for our city and to draw by His Spirit. Monday 1/22/07 we were half way through our prayer time. We heard commotions outside the church doors and a knock on the window. I sent one of our deacons back to find out what was going on. When I looked up I saw a young boy come into the church and sit down in the back. We continued to pray and a few minutes later two other boys entered the church and sat down in the back. I felt led to keep on praying. I looked up again and the first boy that came in moved all the way up to the front row. He had his head bowed and was praying in his own way. After prayer I found out that the boys had been walking by the church the first boy was with his mother and he felt a strong urge to come into the church. The other two boys felt this also, so the mother allowed them to stay and pray. Afterward I called them up to the front and asked them if they knew Jesus. One of the boys said yes, and one said I go to church on Easter. The first boy who entered the church started looking at the mic. I ask him if he had something he wanted to say. He said yes, he took the mic and began to testify of all the times that God had keep him safe. One of the times was when they were playing outside with toy guns and the police came up to them and almost shot them. Each one of the boys told their stories and we rejoiced at the goodness of God. They we brought into the church because of the presence of God in the street as we prayed. God honored his word and as we lifted up Jesus, the boys were drawn into his presence, and began to tell of His goodness. The boys have been back one other time this week. Praise God. -Tyrome, Omaha

I praise God for the Divine Experiment. When I started the fast I tried to do one meal a day but because of medication I could not do it. So my pastor encouraged me to do the Daniel's Fast. I'm glad I stayed on the Fast. On about the tenth day of the fast my sister stole my car. I was so mad at her I wanted to fight. But when she came back a day later, instead of fighting her when I saw her I grabbed her and hugged her. I told her how much I loved her despite what she did. Now I understand how God loved me in the middle of my sins and forgave me. -Charlene

My cousin's son, who is about 7, went to Africa with his dad in December. His father forgot to give him some medication to keep him from getting malaria. By time he came home from the trip he was getting ill. He had a fever off and on, and one day he was so sick his mom rushed him to the emergency room. When his blood work came back, they said that he had malaria and they admitted him to the hospital. On the first day of The Divine Experiment our church had prayer and I asked the saints to pray for him. After we prayed, he was home within days. Now, he shows no signs of malaria and is running and playing as if he was never sick. –Shell  

I work at Red Lobster, so you know it's not easy to fast, but I still did. My church had a Watch from 10:00 pm to 6:00 am. I was at the Watch from beginning to end. I never went to sleep. I just stayed before the Lord in prayer, praise and worship. I had to be at work at 7:00 am. So I left the Watch and went straight to work. At work my boss came up to me and told me that I was getting a raise. What’s so blessed about this is that this is my second raise in two months. Staying before the Lord on The Divine Experiment and in the Watch has been a blessing to me. -Cindy

Prior to the Divine Experiment, my appetite was out of control. I ate plenty of meat and junk food. My hands were stiff, achy and sometimes woke me in the middle of the night. At that time I would be unable to grasp things with my right hand. My gums were irritating me for months following a root canal in August 2006. Finally, my right leg was hurting me also. On the fifth day into The Divine Experiment I discovered no pain in my hands, gums or leg. I thank God for my healing! I thank Him for healing in my body everyday. I have changed my dietary lifestyle. I thank him for helping me put away the junk food, meat, sugar and refined foods as well. My appetite is not driving me now! It's a miracle

Thank God for the first time in 15 years we set aside time to pray as a family with out the TV or any music being on. It allowed us to go to bed on time, leave the house on time, and to get to work on time. It feels great to spend time with God and help the kids understand what fasting is all about. -Pat

God used Sister Mary's daughter to correct her about a situation this week. It was concerning her mouth how she needed to learn to listen before speaking so quickly. At first she couldn’t accept correction from her child, but after listening to the Lord and repenting and going to her daughter, asking for forgiveness, she had peace. This is all due to being in the presence of the Lord during this Divine Experiment. -Tyrome

It was during the prayer service that this testimony was given. A public confession was given about a state of pride and how God showed the person how she was not being honest with a friend. She had to first receive this correction from the Lord, and also repent and ask forgiveness from the person. The word was also spoken "GOD is able to release that person when they ask for forgiveness. -Tyrome

At the end of the prayer time today, Sister Deloris gave a testimony of how the cares of this world had just overwhelmed her this year of 2006. At times she felt all alone. The prayer and fasting this month has reaffirmed that the Presences of the Lord is still abiding in her spirit. God also has reminded her of a dream in which she was ministering to the very people we are praying and fasting for during this time, the drug addicted, prostitute and alcoholic. In seeking God there is suffering but it is for his righteousness was the word given to her. -Tyrome

On Friday, January 12 at the church we had a Watch of the Lord from 10:00 pm till 6:00am. This was a glorious time. This was the first Watch the church had (which will be every month). Prayer, worship and praise, communion, repentance and recommitting our selves went up before the Lord. The thing that was so great and unique about the Watch was that we were looking for God to come in and speak great thing to the whole congregation, but God spoke to us as individuals. He made it so personal and real. There was over 75 adults and children. -Marie

Council Bluffs, Iowa

The Divine Experiment launched in Council Bluffs on January 7th! You could feel both the anticipation and the sobriety as you entered into the sanctuary where several hundred believers had gathered together! Each pastor shared his heart and expectation of why they were abandoning themselves to this process and how the Lord had already knit their hearts together in prayer over the last several months. A charge was given to prepare ourselves as “temples” of the Lord even as King Hezekiah “removed the rubbish from the holy place” and begin to prepare a place for the presence of God to rest among us. At the end of the service the pastors prayed and declared their commitment to set themselves apart to God and consecrate themselves to Him in humility and prayer and repentance. As the declaration were made to leave the status quo and return to the Lord you could feel the weight of heaven pressing on us, it was like Jesus Himself gave the charge! There was full agreement in the combined congregations that had gathered, it was like a resounding “yes!” was shouted from the Church back to the Lord!

On 11/28/2006 I had major surgery and was off work for 6 weeks. Since my disability insurance gave me only 50% of my salary during this time and it was the Christmas season, I thought I may have to go into some debt, knowing my next paycheck would be 2 months later on Jan. 28. But the Lord told me to continue my giving and to trust Him during this time of Divine Experiment consecration. With my son’s college tuition coming due, I asked the Lord for an extra $1000. To date, all my bills have been on time and my boss just told me my next check would have a bonus of more than $1000! - Alexis

I have been delivered from fear and anxiety!!! I am not walking around with this knot in my stomach that I have had most of my life (even when on meds). I went off my anti-anxiety meds at the beginning of the 21 day fast. The Anxiety is Gone!!!!! I felt a deep repentance as I realized how much I had been wrapped up in myself and what I had done - and not done – it was almost unbearable.  Denice, Council Bluffs, IA -

Healing: One of the men in our church is praising the Lord since last Sunday night (1-7-07) which was the Divine Experiment launch. His regularly occurring headaches and neck pain are gone! He has been pain free for 7 days. -Vince, Council Bluffs, IA-

Bob confessed that he has had a really negative attitude towards this “Divine Experiment” but that for the first time ever he has been leading his family in the evening devotionals. His heart has been changed and he and his wife are communicating with their children. Denise has been praying that God would break her heart. The Lord is giving her a realization of the churches responsibility for the spiritual condition of the city and surrounding areas. Her heart is softer and walls have come down that had been there for the last years. She also has been able to come off of a medicine she has been using. -Bob, Council Bluffs, IA-

God has been doing deep work in my heart. I kept hearing, “The King is coming, The King is coming!” An awesome fear and concern came upon me for the internal condition of the body of Christ individually. The thought haunted me, “Will we know Him when He arrives?” I feel this week has caused me to prepare soberly for His visitation. -Teresa, Council Bluffs, IA -

The Divine Experiment has begun! I have gotten two testimonies today from our church. Kind of first fruits. One guy told me this morning that he and his wife were praying sitting facing each other last night weeping after they had read through the devo and looked up the scriptures together - they were absolutely overcome by the presence of Jesus and could not speak. He told me his story through tears.

One email today from an older lady in our church who while she was just praying last night - she started speaking in tongues - she has never spoke in tongues before! -Lonnie, Council Bluffs, IA

S. Minneapolis

In May, 3 communities launched the Divine Experiment, two for the first time, one for their second time. One community is in South Minneapolis where about 10 congregations and ministries have joined together in the most ethnically mixed neighborhood in the United States! 150 nations and 100 languages are spoken in the Phillips neighborhood. It is very challenged in terms of crime, poverty and many forms of devastation. But the Church is hungry and crying out for the Lord to visit them! The second community is Anderson, Indiana where a team of leaders has been pursuing transformation for many years with much encouraging fruit! The Lord is exploding in their midst with His presence and power! The 3rd community is N. Omaha who is going through the Divine Experiment for the 2nd time this year. In January the Lord showed up in power, healing many and breaking through in dozens of ways in their midst. See the January testimonies of their journey!

Ron: “One accomplishment of the last couple of weeks is that I’ve been letting loose of anger. . . . To me it boils down to the feeling I’m carrying sin, so don’t sweat the little things. Everyone has trials and tribulations, not just me.”

Bonnie: “Before the Divine Experiment, I had a real problem with depression. I realized during this period that it was pride, pride and sin were the cause of my feelings. I gave it to God. I was on a high for two weeks, and then felt a bit of the depression coming back, but I gave it to God. I now recognize what it is and I’m giving it to God.”

Renee (New Hope Baptist Church): “My mother said ‘With everyone praying for me I feel better than I have in a year.’ Also, I’ve found that my anxiety has really gotten under control the last couple of weeks. . 

Steve: There had been a total of 22 salvations during this Divine Experiment!

Jacob: "The neighborhood around our church has virtually disappeared for the past two weeks. This has become a place of peace."

Jacob: Every Wednesday evening, our church holds their “Kids Club.” It engages elementary and middle school children living in the neighborhood of the church – some attend other churches, some attend no church. Members of the church from a southern suburb have been working with the neighborhood children for almost three years now. In the process this ministry has opened doors of faith with members of the church and created nice relationships with the kids and their families. Since early spring the children have been learning about the gospel. Suddenly on Wednesday the Holy Spirit broke loose and took control. A women came from a different church was at our church because of the Divine Experiment prayer meeting. She was outside the church with her children and those from the Kids Club. The loving work of almost three years was brought to fruition and six children, age 8 to 13, were saved! If it had not been for the Divine Experiment Luz Elena would not have been there. If she had not been obedient to the call of her heart to attend the prayer session, she would not have been here as the final agency of God needed to bring in the harvest for which so many had toiled in love.

 A church member’s mother was healed of serious illness.

· A church member who had been looking for a new job suddenly received several offers after many months of drought.

· “I am now able to understand God’s word better. Things I have been reading my whole life, I get them now.”

· ”I feel convicted that sometimes I need to shut up and listen to God.”

"I was at the Juvenile Detention Center early this morning and I was meeting with a dozen girls. Praise the Lord, eleven of them prayed for salvation with me. Hallelujah." -Yvonne

"I was praying to the Lord at the altar giving everything to him and asking him to let me see him face to face. I was crying and crying and adoring. I then sat down and continued. When the meeting was over, I tried to get up but I couldn't. It was like I was intoxicated. I was completely filled with the Holy Spirit. I was laughing and giddy, but I fully knew what was going on around me even though I had no control over my body. My husband had to lift me under one arm and help me out of the church. I got outside and I fell down in the grass. It was raining and I got all wet, but I didn't care I felt so uplifted by the Spirit. I've never had this experience before. Nothing like this before, and it lasted all night! Even this morning I still felt giddy - all night. It is a new experience for me. But the Holy Spirit filled me and it was incredible."  Luz

 “The prayer theme for the day was ‘He will lift me up.’ During the service, Jacob came up to the microphone and was praying into the prayer points, and he had just gotten to a point where he was pleading to God to lift us up. Mike and his wife and his son Elijah [17 months] were there and Elijah was running around and Mike was following him. Suddenly the boy stopped, turned to his dad and raised his arms wanting to come up. Mike picked up the boy at exactly the moment Jake was praying ‘Father, lift us up.’ This is a picture that will stay with me forever. It is a picture of how we are to be child-like with God. Elijah’s father knew what he needed, and so does our Father. This moment was a gift of the Holy Spirit to me.” -Karen

“Transformation is taking place, and we see it in and around New Hope Church. We see people being delivered from tobacco and alcohol. We see it in our environment. The crime rate was so high the Minneapolis police had declared the immediate area out of control. Yet we’ve seen the entire block cleared of crime centers. The houses used for this purpose are now vacant and boarded up, or vacant and for sale. Last Sunday our assistant pastor got up and repented in a way that I know pleased God. We’ve had more visitors to our hard core worship service than ever before. Transformation is taking place.” -Jacob

 “The landlord of the building where we have our ministry had told me that he was going to raise the rent from $1525 to $2,500 a month starting in June. There was no way we could afford this. I went to God and told him that the Divine Experiment has started and I didn’t want to take time away from Him to deal with this, to pack and find a new place. Today, I called the landlord and he told me that it would take two or more months to rent out the space and we could stay until then. He would even pay the utilities. ‘How much rent do you want to pay?” he asked. I said, ‘One-hundred dollars,’ and he replied ‘One-hundred-fifty.’ I said, “sold!” This is a rent and utilities discount of about $3,000 per month! - Steve

“A person called me [at work] and he said he was ready to say the Prayer of Salvation. He’d been in mental illness, came out of it, and called the Salvation Line because he needed Jesus. He said the prayer and when we were talking he gave me his full name. I asked him if he was related to a famous man with the same last name. That man is his father. So now there is a new Christian inside the home of an influential artist! The other day I also lost a large sum of Money Orders. I prayed about it and went back to the agency and they had found them. I’ve also been asking the Lord for housing. Just last night the man with whom I’m staying said to consider his home my home.” -Jim

“I was outside and all of a sudden I saw the presence of God. It's like a light cloud with swirls. It was going in the opposite direction of Lake Street and it was touching all the houses. It was touching the houses. There's one house at the end of the block and it settled there. And I know that, at that moment, someone in that house was saved. I don't usually share my visions, but this was so beautiful, so powerful." -Libin and Dorcas (Iglesia de Dios):

 “I went to a local restaurant where I bumped into a suburban pastor and his friend from a rehabilitation center. I started to tell them about the Divine Experiment. The pastor and his friend were so interested that came to the evening prayer meeting. Soon the man from the rehab center was praying out using the open microphone. Later, the pastor came forward and cried out to the Lord as well.” -Steve

"Last night I received God's grace through reconciliation with my son. God has shown me that I can walk in love no matter what the circumstance I am in. I don't have to be fearful, and must stay united with my family - with my wife and son. God's grace will help me to be a right father to my son and a right husband to my wife for he wants us together." -Michael (Iglasia de Dios):

 “I was getting married in June and I needed to make some extra money. I asked for God’s help and set a goal of $300 in a three-day garage sale. The first day I raised over $500 and finished with over $800! God has been so good to me!” -Molly

Anderson & Huntington, IN

The sister of one of our staff members had a portion of her kidney removed due to cancer. Two months later she began to have complications. Just as the doctors were going to have to take drastic measures, the problem was corrected – she was healed and is doing fine now. Thank you Lord. 

On May13th, mother's day, we had an interesting service...after worship I felt a burden to pray for the sons of three mothers in the church who are paralyzed....I know for sure two are from the waist down. One of the mothers was visiting from Oklahoma and as I prayed for her son I was impressed to have her put her hands in my hand I believed that the healing anointing would be transferred so when she have gotten back home she could then play hand on her son and release the healing anointing into his body. Little did I know she needed healing also and while she had her hands in my hand the Lord began to minister healing to her personally. She later told me that she had arthritis in both of her thumbs and that she could not move and that she suffered from a lot of pain from this. When she laid her hands in my hand the Lord instantly healed her! She is now able to move her thumbs without any pain at all as has totally free movement!!!

A pastor said that they turned off the TV all three weeks. Now they read the Word with a new hunger.

One man said thank you to the Lord for the broken back of pride.

A pastor has been so blessed by the morning prayer gatherings. The tangible presence of God manifests in the room they are meeting in.

*During this time her teenage son has been reading more of the Bible which is being seen by his unsaved father. God was also working in this teen's heart at the altar this past Sunday.

*Told how God was working in our Children's Church this past Sunday. Several weeks ago a little girl in the first grade was healed from ear problems (she had tubes and possible scaring) but Jesus came in a dream at night and blew in her ear and she is healed. This past Sunday she was praying for another child who had ear problems.

From individuals from Anderson from the first week of their Divine Experiment

* One person received a new van after three days in the process.

* One lady had health problems – hard time breathing. She hasn’t used the inhaler for 2 days now. She learned: Don’t point fingers and judge.

* One lady was a gambler [$100/week bingo player]. God spoke to her of His love. She has been free all week from not gambling.

* A man drives back & forth into Indianapolis to work from the Anderson area. He was getting upset with people the way they drove around him, since his accident. He asked God to help him see the people the way he does. God said to him, “That’s mine.” Since an auto accident, he has been taking medicine for his hand. When he started fasting, He helped him through the whole day fasting, and didn’t need his medicine or food either.

* A man’s son has wanted family devotions since his son was small. They now started the family devotions, and they really love them. It started a revival in the father’s heart.

* A lady has smoked for 50 years. This is her 7th day without smoking.

* A man smoked for almost 20 years, and he hasn’t smoked now for 9 days. He has asthma and has to use inhalers, medicine, breathing machine, and has tubes put into his lungs to drain his lungs at times. He now hasn’t had any need for any of those things for over a week. He also stopped drinking his Mountain Dew. He used to drink a 24-pack in 2 days.

* A lady and her daughter have always had a conflict. There has been no conflict this week. They have talked, and her daughter gave her a hug saying, “Mom, I don’t know what’s happening, but it’s great.”

* A pastor said that he realized that he had to get discipline in his early morning prayer/devotion time. He has a renewed passion to have his early morning prayer time now.

* A pastor said that the Lord is working in him for “more desperation for Him.”

* A man’s fast was to cut off the TV and radio. God said to him that He would entertain him Himself. They are family devotions every night, and they end up laughing at the end of the devotions. It a neat thing the way God is entertaining them, he says. 

* A lady took the hand of a man of a different ethic group. She wanted to repent for prejudices that she has had, and that her ancestors have had. She wants to learn about the different cultures.

* A man said that when he was fasting, he got a headache, stomachache, foot ache… everything ached. He was trying so hard, and God helped him fast.

* A pastor says that he leads pastor’s prayer in the city, & his heart is after transformation and doing all he can for revival. When he thought about needing to humble himself and pray during this time with the Divine Experiment, he thought that he was OK, since he does it all the time anyway. The Lord showed him that he was really in pride and resisting the deeper part of going into the Holy Spirit. The Lord pointed out his self-centeredness. A hardness has fallen off of his heart, and He’s taken him into a deeper place. 

* A man said that at one time he had surrendered some areas to the Lord – averse and greed. That same temptation came upon him over the weekend, but as he turned to God, He gave him victory. The Lord told him to surrender all to him – not half-hearted surrender. When all pride is surrendered, then he can walk in the fullness of life, and be used by Him.

* A lady repented before her church congregation for backbiting, gossip, and keeping anyone from wanting to do anything in the church.

* One man said that God wants to teach “balance” to him. He also believes that he should get “bloody” with the devil and not sugar-coat it.