The Lord placed me here at this great awakening – new Christ-centered launching pad as an answered prayer from my grandmother that is also responsible for my physical birth. My grandmother told my mother she would come up to NYC to help raise me if my mother would promise not to abort me, so here I am. Praise God! I believe the Lord was preparing me to come to the River Church even before I was born as my grandmothers prayer was that at least one of her grand children would become a minister and lead others to Christ which was her heart’s cry and desire.  I remember her being more on her knees then standing and always leading others to know Jesus Christ as their savior.  I never realized before attending the River that I have a call to go out and preach the Gospel and lead other lost souls to the Kingdom of God.

–Betty

River School of Worship is huge blessing for me! To come to RSW was the best decision i have ever made in my life! Youth meetings, Worship times and classes are educative. Especially i learned so many things about to use of the gospel soul winning script. I can feel God’s presence at the church every time i am there . God is really doing awesome things inside of me.He is preparing me for the ministry in Turkey.

Sunday night was my first time at the call center of River Church! I thought my english is not very well for this yet.But it’s not about me, it’s all about the Word of God. Just when you read to the Word of God, it really works! It was awesome, people were so hungry and they had so many prayer request. 3 person healed on the phone! i experienced it here.I am so excited about what God will do in my life. The power of God is real…..

Hosea 4: 6~ My people perish from a lack of knowledge. (KJV). It truly is amazing how many people now of days take that bible scripture lightly. Beginning with my self, I never did really understand that scripture until I began to attend the River Bible Institute. With every day that passes I indulge my self more and more in the word f God to help better my self and also to be able to do good in school. Since I was not the brightest student in high school nor was I the most academically gifted student.

I enrolled in R.B.I. with multiple goals to achieve, one most important one being to do my absolute best in all my study’s and school work and also so graduate at the top of my class. But just as every one around me in my life knows how bad I want this unfortunately so does the devil him self. In all honesty from the moment that I received the call from the administrator letting me know that I had been awarded the scholar ship and had been accepted into The River Bible Institute it is as if almost immediately the devil and his army declared war against me.

I remember out of no where I began to get theses thoughts of doubt and fear and different people around me bean to question my motives as to why I really wanted to get a degree in Theology and also put thoughts into my head through telling me I was waiting my time and that  was going to put two years of my life into something pointless and end up with a degree that would have no way of making any money or bring in any type of income for that fact to be able to help and support my family. As the first day of school began and the first week of revival, I continued  to trust in the all mighty Lord and entrust all my faith upon him.

I must admit the first two weeks of class it was very difficult for me, not s much because the work that would be involved but simply because there were things that were taking place that I was not use to seeing such as curtain ways that they praised God and worshiped, ways that the collected the offering, and just overall the way things were ran. But as a minister used by God once said to me “sometimes those feelings of discomfort are not from the devil, they are just Gods way of pulling us out of our comfort zone and remolding us to the way and standards of the Lord”.

After hearing those words echo in my head I realized that it truly was in Gods plan for me to be attending the RBI school and that it is through the school which God is going to mold e into the servant and soldier that he truly needs for his army to go out to the different nations and shake the corners of the globe with his mighty word and anointing through the knowledge that the Holy Spirit will help me acquire through this excellent school….

We feel we are in place like never before. We rejoice every single day. The kids are also being blessed and are doing great. The Lord has touched them also. We know this is Gods way for us to the nations and to bring in more souls into eternity than we could ever dream of. That is what we live for.

I have got a new revelation since we came here of how I can press into the anointing. He has filled me with his fire and anointing over and over. God has given me a refreshed faith for miracles and I am expecting Him to move like never before. He has told me to shut the door to doubt and unbelief. There is only one way and that is Gods way. God is getting us ready to shake the nations, that vision has been strengthened in a supernatural way.

God has also touched me in the area of giving and I am sowing in faith and expecting a supernatural harvest. I do not want to hold back anything that the Lord asks of me. I have got a restored trust in Him in all the areas of life. He is my source and supply. Nothing else, no one else. I have experienced a new freedom in trusting Him……Sirkku T.

I’m from southeast Iowa and I was actually planning on taking a year off from school to just work and then try to get into Culinary School. I had attended one year at a community college to play volleyball. I did not walk with God while I was there like I should have. After our season was over I started to feel like my life was a waste because I wasn’t doing anything for anyone else and I wasn’t sure of what I wanted to be or do so I just took classes that would keep my playing ball. The sport was the only thing that I wanted to go to college for.

My parents started watching the Great Awakening Broadcast back in February and I started to get into it around June. I heard about the scholarships and always knew I was going to do something for the Lord but never knew what. I keep praying and asking the Lord daily, ‘do you want me to go to Tampa?’ on a Friday night at church my pastor was praying to everyone and then he came and got me and gave me a word of knowledge, the Lord was telling him that I had a huge life changing question on my mind and that my pastor needed to tell me that the answer to the question is a hug YES! My parents and I were very excited!

The Lord was able to bless me with an apartment and a job all in the same day!

Since I have been here the Lord has shown me many things. I have been convicted to delete every single song on my iPod that isn’t glorifying him and to stop watching any and all shows that will not help me with my walk with Him. He’s helped me to not lust after the college life and want to go and hang out with the wrong crowd. Praise God!!! I have given him some things that have really pulled on my heart offering wise but it’s like there is a peace that he gives me right when it leaves my hand. And I know that he will provide every need that I have. I am VERY excited for this coming year!…Karla H.

Then I heard RUN, I got up from my knees to my feet and ran and ran.  I ran outside the building in the lot between buildings.  Then I began screaming and running.  What was going on crossed my mind for a second then I felt my arms above my head flagging all heaven as I screamed and ran.  I didn’t care, I felt so free, so alive.   I felt as if I was wrapped in a fur coat.  Then I collapsed right there on the pavement enveloped, consumed in his presence.

Never in my life would I have thought!  But it happened to me, I know it was real.  I have sowed many more personal things that were of great dollar value but to me the sentimental value was what hurt the most.  But what I am still realizing is that the lord doesn’t want me to find my security in my husband or even the sentimental value of things, but in Him and only in Him.  I have to trust everything to Him.  He needs to be my Security, my everything.

Everyday has been so powerful, but one night stands out in particular. In the first week of orientation I had come for the Friday night meeting. I was so physically worn out that I had almost decided not to go, but every pastor each day kept encouraging us to really press in to what the Lord had for us. Pastor Daniel Magee was giving a powerful message that night on walking in freedom and power. I had really been pressing in for breakthrough in the months prior just for freedom to worship and being who God created me to be. At the end of the night after the broadcast was over, I contemplated leaving because of how exhausted I was. Something in me told me to stay and then moments later,

Pastor Daniel was led by the Spirit to give an alter call for those that felt bound by their past condemnation. I ran up. When he laid hands on me, the anointing of God came on me like never before. The Lord spoke these powerful declarations through Pastor Daniel to my heart. “I am free to live a holy and pure life” and “wherever I go is a safe place because my Dad is the King of the universe”.  As the Lord ministered to my heart I began to scream and shout . With every yell, I could feel the bondage being lifted from me. By far, the most amazing night of freedom so far! Seriously, these words don’t do it any justice. Also, this is so sweet, just days before that night I was talking to a friend about the joy and how I hadn’t experienced it yet. Well, as I wandered somehow from the sanctuary to my car that night to drive home (it was about 1 in the morning) the joy hit me in a major way. I laughed and cried hysterically for about 30 min. I don’t even know how I made it home! Thank You Jesus…Jarrett G.

The soul reason I am attending the River Bible Institute is to learn the word of god, and establish a long lasting relationship with Jesus Christ.  I am moving out of state to devote my life towards the lord.  After high school I wasn’t sure on what I was going to do so I joined the Air Force, after that I proceeded to college, and now I believe I have a calling. With an open heart, and an anxious mind I believe RBI will be the best experience I’ve ever had.

I was saved in early high school; I remember where I was, and who I was with. I’ve always been a strong believer in god, but never took the time to learn his word.  Now I have an opportunity to learn about the Bible, something I’ve wanted to learn all my life. I am the only one of my friends from back home pursuing a degree in theology. My parents are proud, my grandparents are proud, my friends are proud, and I know God is proud.

The time spent here in the last week was so valuable, and rich with information. The word of God and the feeling of his presence are so pure. What I have been getting out of RBI is exactly what I was anticipating. I enjoy learning doctrine, feeling the anointing, and seeing other people get saved. I can feel my relationship with Jesus Christ getting stronger.

Since I’ve moved to Tampa, FL I’ve relied solely on faith to get me by.  God has provided me with friends, a place to stay, and a possible job in the near future. What I experienced since my move has been a blessing from God himself. What seemed impossible is now a reality, and keeps on getting better. With faith, and a solid plan it is certain that with God all things are possible. Brandon G.

This Pastor said well I wouldn’t discourage you I would certainly encourage you. That many people that go thru the school say it’s the best thing they could have done. So we prayed and this Pastor said go sit in service and was blessed and that I was. Still not fully sure if I was going to go to school or not all the while God already had it all planned out. That same morning Pastor Rodney asked everyone to stand and gave an alter call and said, “If you feel that your suppose to be going to the school or if you didn’t sign up yet due to finances then come up here right now.” Well I stood in my seat not sure if I wanted to do this or not and Pastor Rodney said “There are more of you I no it” come down right now!! So I said ok God if I’m going to do this I have to step out of my comfort zone and put my trust in you!! So I came down and decide that I was going to school.

Like this particular Pastor said so far it’s been one of the best choices I could have made for myself. Since starting school I have learned so many things. I saw that I was relying more on friends then I was God. It took me being taken out of my comfort zone to see that. It was like one of those I had to be taken out of the picture so I could see my own picture but from the outside. I have been taken out of my comfort zone already and am learning to put all my trust in God and no body else but him. Because with God by my side I can get thru anything!! I have made lots of new friends that have helped me thru things that I was going thru by sharing there testimony of things there going thru.

God put who I needed in my path at the time I needed them. I just had to trust in him that he would. I now have a better understanding of things and have grown a lot already in my relationship with God. I had that same friend who told me I should go to the school tell me that I am looking like a total new person. How that since going thru this school so far I have so many more smiles and I just look awesome!! Hearing that encouraged me all the more and encouraged me that I had made the right choice. I am really learning a lot about everything and all the while a lot about my Faith and how to use it more. I no that my God is bigger then any fear I have!! I just have to step out and know that he is there to catch me when I fall. As well as being there with continued encouragement when I have to step out of my comfort zone. I can’t wait to see what God has in store for me thru this next year. I no that the best is yet to come….. Naomi H.

I have been blessed serving as an usher for the ministry.  Witnessing others getting blessed by the Holy Spirit has given me more Joy than I have ever experienced in my life.  Every time someone is blessed in the service my spirit man is filled with the fire of the Holy Ghost.

I have learned the duties of an usher have many responsibilities serving the ministry.  Serving and honoring the Lord during the services have made me stronger in the word of God.  My character is a prime example of the Lord taking me to higher levels of worship and obedience in each service I participate in.  Greeting and seating the people for the service, catching them when they are touched by the Holy Spirit are some of my favorite duties serving as an usher.  I feel the anointing and blessing fall on each individual that wants prayer at the end of each service.

When the Pastor is praying for individuals there are times when I am catching the participants and my hands are on fire, my spirit is touched during the prayer line time of the service.  It is an honor and blessing to serve the ministry as an usher and I hope to do it more often in the future.  Thank you Jesus! -Kelvin S