Recently I heard retired Salvation Army leader, Commissioner Israel Gaither, speak. (He is the former International Chief of Staff & the former National Commander in the USA.) Commissioner Gaither confirmed several things that God has been speaking to me the past few years:

1) He confirmed participatory church. In some sessions, rather than just speaking to us, he asked us to listen to the God and allowed us to share what the Spirit is saying to us.  Those sessions were very powerful!  The Spirit moved so strongly that one meeting went overtime and we had to cancel the closing song.  (You can experience participatory church with us at The Salvation Army Berry Street in Nashville, Tennessee, where everyday people show and tell what God has done — Sunday mornings @ 10:45, 225 Berry St., 37207.)

2) Commissioner Gaither confirmed prayer walking and claiming a neighborhood for Christ!  He said:  “”Take a walk in the neighborhood around your corps and claim it for God. I dare you! In fact, I double dare you!  Let Jesus reign where you are!”  (Check out this Facebook page:  Prayer Walking With The Salvation Army Flag . . . )

3) He confirmed that we all need to think big, to expect big things from God, to have a big vision for our lives.  He said: “When you begin to believe the lie of ‘I can’t,’ then you won’t.”

4) He confirmed that everyday people are eloquent and can speak for God.  Commissioner Gaither exhorted us:  “You can all speak prophetically!”

Several years ago I met Commissioner Gaither and told him the story of how John Berry McFerrin (who died in 1887) seemed to prophesy about our nontraditional corps in Nashville. Then I said to him: “That could have been a coincidence or it could have been God.”

Commissioner Gaither pointed his finger at me and prophetically said:  “That was no coincidence.  That was God!”  Since then, anytime I’ve started to doubt the vision that God has given me, I’ve remembered those words and been greatly encouraged!  This week when I reminded Commissioner Gaither about that, he said.  “I remember that conversation.  I still believe that!”