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Saskatoon Revivals
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Latter Rain Movement of 1948
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As early as 1946 a moving of the Spirit
of God at Bethel Bible Institute (Pentecostal) in Saskatoon many of the
students and staff developed a hunger for deeper things of God. There were
many prophecies which came and spoke of an abundance of "rain".
Some of the attendees then decided to go in the direction they believed
that God's spirit was leading them.
They moved to North Battleford and established a new non-denominational
Bible School called Sharon Bible Institute in October of 1947. In February
of 1948 there was a visitation of God which was accompanied by healings,
miracles and the release other spiritual gifts.
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Before the Revival of 1971
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Pastor Bill McLeod began having a burden
for his congregation at Ebenezer Baptist Church in Saskatoon.
For quite a long period of time he would focus much of his time praying
for them. Then Pastor McLeod called for the congregation to attend a
meeting each Wednesday for prayer. These meeting began with an attendance
of about forty, but week by week it grew until over half of the three
hundred member congregation were attending.
In addition to the meetings at the church on Wednesday nights, Pastor
McLeod initiated smaller prayer meetings throughout the city of Saskatoon
and after regular Sunday evening services. He also organized a 24 hour
prayer calendar so that there were people scheduled to pray at all times
somewhere in the city.
After two years of prayer Ralph and Lou Sutera were invited to lead a
twelve day crusade at the church beginning on Wednesday, October 13, 1971.
The meetings began with little impact on the attendees in the first day or
two, but love and forgiveness among members of congregation escalated and
grew.
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During the Revival of 1971
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The numbers of people were growing so
large as the days past because the Spirit of God was moving so powerfully
that they began to move the meeting to larger facilities.
First, they moved to the Missionary Alliance Church which was the
largest evangelical in the City of Saskatoon at the time. This is the
building where the Faith Alive Family Church is located today. After this
they had to move to the largest of all the United churches in Saskatoon.
Eventually, the revival meeting required acquiring the 2,000 seat civic
auditorium.
The crusade continued, as late as five o'clock in the
morning, every night for seven weeks instead of the original twelve days
that had been planned. There was a sense of love and unity in the entire
christian community of Saskatoon. The revival resulted in the co-operation
of twenty other churches in Saskatoon as well. The revival became known as
the Canadian Prairie Revival.
The results of the revival were evident in many areas
as people returned to businesses that they had cheated to confess and pay
what they owed. One fugitive turned himself in and when asked why he did
it he said," I have found the Lord Jesus here in your town, and now I
want to follow Him. That is why I am giving myself up." Because of
the way he came forward the charges were dropped. He then took his wife
and children to the crusade where the wife got saved and the family was
restored.
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Quotes and Letters From the Saskatoon Revival
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Pastor Bill McLeod:
- "Revival is nothing but the Holy Spirit pointing His finger right at you."
- "The Holy Spirit is love. To be filled with the Spirit is to be filled with love."
- "You can't change anybody, but God can change you."
- "The church has been sweeping things under the rug. God is pulling back the rug."
Quotes From Other Revival Attendees:
- "It
was wonderful! We were all packed into the church, and no one asked
whether we were Baptist, Alliance, Mennonite, or whatever. We sensed
intuitively that we were all part of the same body - the Body of
Christ."
- "I
feel as if God's steamroller had just run over me"
- "When
God uses a solvent He does a good job"
- "This
is group therapy with Christ as the focal point"
- “Any
old bush will do as long is it's on fire!"
- "People
who are right with God can help each other"
- "If
you are not ready to deal with your sin, perhaps you had better go
home and 'pickle' awhile"
- "I
feel as if a 200-pound bag of flour has been lifted off my back, but
on the way to the meeting I prayed for a flat tire so I wouldn't have
to go"
- "Crucifying
the self, giving our sin nature to God, is a painful experience but
it's the only way to the blessing."
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A Letter from Leonard Ravenhill:
(December 2, 1971)
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"Dear Woody: When meetings last until after midnight;
when couples tear up their divorce papers before a thousand people; when
the chief of police says that there is a rash of confessing of crimes;
when the shopkeepers say they are staggered by the great number of folk
owning up to shoplifting; when lawyers, psychologists, and a Jesuit priest
get saved; when deacons and many church members confess with tears and
with great shame and brokenness that they have been living in adultery,
fornication, thieving, and lying; when men from those meetings in
Saskatoon, Canada, fly east to preach at the Toronto Bible College chapel
hour, and the hour lasts until one the next morning, with great
humiliation and confessions — when all this and loads more happens night
after night for several weeks, one might say that there is a touch of
REVIVAL. No star-studded platform, no huge budget, no gimmicks were in
evidence. Indeed, the two evangelists had a bagful of modern tricks and
they threw them all out and cast themselves upon the blessed Holy Spirit.
Result: Right now the Canadian city of Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, is shaking
under the power of God. The outbreak is city-wide."
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Has Revival Started Again in Saskatoon?
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Lois Burgher: December 31, 2002 - Faith Alive Family Church
- “The presence and power of God was overwhelming, especially New
Years Eve night.”
- “Within minutes, all were laying upon the floor”
- “I saw people’s physical bodies react in ways I haven’t seen
since 1995, or in Brazil with Randy Clark.”
- “Most of the people had to be carried out of the tunnel some with
their bodies shaking violently.
Note: Faith Alive Family Church is one of the main church buildings used
when the 1971 revival broke out in Saskatoon
Harvest Christian Fellowship
- “We are a church actively pursuing God for revival in Saskatoon
and Saskatchewan! Our style of worship is contemporary and our setting
is informal. We teach God's Word in a way that it applies to us. We
have time for God to minister to us. We also like to visit with each
other.”
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Compiled by: Mark Wicks
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