Those were the Days, but Better are Coming
Jim Croft
In the early ‘70s Bob Mumford, Derek Prince and Don Basham held weekly teachings at the Governor’s Club in downtown Ft. Lauderdale, FL. The meetings were well attended as the worldwide Charismatic Renewal was in full swing. In ’74 the brothers launched a church called, Good News Fellowship. In September of ’75, Derek asked me to found a satellite branch that became known as Good News Church.
There are many exciting things that I could say about our services. I will only focus on one. It is the prophetic dynamic of our worship. To this day, I still get many comments from aging members and visitors that it was the most memorable time of their Christian experience.
The worship team was comprised of a 10 piece orchestra; at least 4 singers; the worship leader; and a cast of skilled interpretive dancers. Here is a sample of what might occur in most any Sunday service. One of the instrument players would get a spontaneous melody line from the Lord. It was often our cellist, Cheryl or our flutist, Sue. They would play through a melody that had not previously been heard on this planet. The entire orchestra would have revelatory insight for the direction that the piece was going. Whether the essence was classical, country, or rock, it sounded as though it had been rehearsed all week.
At the onset of the second play through, one of the singers would begin to sing lyrics in unknown tongues. After a bit, either one of the platform singers or, perhaps a prophetically inclined parishioner would come to the microphone and sing the lyric’s interpretation in English. At that, the worship singers would all sing in their prayer languages to the same melody line. After a pause, one of them would sing the interpretation.
A new song of the Lord would evolve with chorus and verses. Usually, the entire congregation would unite in singing the chorus. The content of the lyrics could be about the attributes of a member of the Godhead; any imaginable aspect of redemption; and future glories of the Body of Christ. Whether the tone was worshipfully delicate or that of rhythmic praise, the sheen of God’s presence glistened from tearful eyes and smiling faces as each spontaneous installment of verses came forth.
At varying points during these episodes, it was not uncommon for one of the dancers to minister to the Lord in interpretive dance. Their dance was so anointed that the message of the spontaneous song could be discerned without hearing its lyrics.
More Better
Oh’ how I have longed for repeats of those days of the ‘70s and ‘80s. Tonight, I am getting a message in tongues with an interpretation. As I have listened to myself singing several times, the unknown languages seemed to vary, but the interpretations had little variance. I suspect that the message is comprised of more than one language as there do not seem to be the customary repetitions of articles and verbs of a single language. I will give the tongue message with phonetic spelling and then give the interpretation as it comes to me.
Tongues
Et-treach, Wo meek? Et-treach un gaases et-treach un shoeetta zo na tringgal twilla? Ap chan twa gena, bingo eem motetra neech tre mesa dua ing gen. Na peep ean ba twing Sangu Trinco ta timach bosta ean tabchan met ean drunsa twing Sangminyah.
An Interpretation
Who, I say? Who is this who is created from the nation discounted? It is many people, who will arise and walk the earth united. It is the people of the Living God who will cover the world manifesting the presence of the Spirit of Christ.
That is my hope and I am sticking to it. So be it!
Jim Croftjcm888@comcast.net
Editor's note: I added the Holy Spirit artwork at the top of this blog page. Steve Martin
