Outpouring...a brand-new-believer's take on things...

I've watched the live stream from the Dudley Outpouring because I wanted to see what all the hype was for myself. I watched the worship and the healings but was unable to watch the sermon.

The following is my view on what I saw, I don't mean for it to be offensive and would like people to be aware that a lot of what I am experiencing in my Christian life is alien to me and thus I find certain aspects hard to comprehend and might change stance as I grow in God.

My initial opinion of the outpouring was one of confusion. The worship was, from what I saw, spirit-filled and was very similar to worship I have experienced before. The confusion came when Trevor came on to the stage. There was no introduction, he simply started talking and prophesying. It was very abrupt and cut into the worship.

Before I continue I suppose I should explain my stance on healing and prophesying. I believe in a God that heals both emotionally and physically and would never second guess a healing because I have no right to doubt that God may have worked in the lives of others. I also believe that some people are given the gift of prophecy, I have received words and images from God, via others that were timely and helped me. So when I review what I saw I am doing it from faith and indeed I will not be talking of the actual healings, more what I perceive as issues with the way the outpouring at Dudley is being conducted.

The first issue I think we need to consider is the image that is being portrayed at Dudley. There are lots of people who watch the events and leave feeling it is a bunch of 'weird' Christians. If God is truly administering an outpouring at Dudley then it is of upmost importance to honour that by making the gospel accessible to all that are interested. My problem comes when I hear Trevor claiming that walking sticks are 'artefacts of the devil' and that they make people comfortable with their pain. Like I have said God heals but it isn't always supernatural, often it comes through the skills and brilliance of the medical profession. I am not sure that I feel encouraged by the subtle suggestion that people are ill because they are not trusting in God enough.

Secondly, my understanding is that God bestows spiritual gifts at His will. Trevor has been bestowed with the gift of healing as many people would testify (see here). So I'm not sure what to make of Trevor's encouragement that if you have been healed of a bad shoulder then you are now anointed to heal for the same problem. It might follow but I think that if you have the power of healing then it is healing in general, not specifics.

Following on from that is the assertion that anyone who answers one of Trevor's calls for healing of a condition/illness, then it will be done. Healing doesn't always work like that, sometimes it does and the glory goes to God for that, but often God heals slowly or in some cases not at all. There is no real answer to the question of why God doesn't heal everyone but we must be trusting that He knows why. The danger with asserting that God will heal is that it may lead to some people questioning God's power or compassion, I think more needs to be done to make it clear that while we remain hopeful that all will be healed, some may not.

At one point there was a drop in the noise and excitement of the crowd watching the healings and so Trevor said that they should stay upbeat because God doesn't inhabit the quiet (!!) I think that it is possible in the excitement of the evening and the presence of God that people are getting a little carried away and say things that are not true. In my limited experience I believe that God inhabits all places at all times.
If you are educated in Christianity and can work out which comments are likely to have been said in the heat of the moment then that's all well and good but this is one of the most public platforms that God and healing has had in a long time in this country and so I think a little more care needs to be taken in how certain things are portrayed, and certainly there needs to be a little more explanation and teaching around what God is doing, as He is doing it.

Lastly, I am concerned as Phil Whittall mentioned that the whole movement is centered around Trevor and didn't give chance for others who have gifts to be used by God. He was the main one laying on hands and proclaiming healings (some of which were not technically healings, but improvements). The ways are at times unorthodox, for instance kicking a bad ankle in order to heal and pushing down on someone's back who had a herniated disc, isn't what I would consider a wise move.

All in all, I realise that although I may have come over as a little negative in relation to the whole thing, I believe in the essence of it. I believe that God has been at Dudley and has healed people but I am not sure that it HAS to happen at Dudley. I am concerned that people are beginning to confine God to human terms and believe that every night He turns up at Dudley and that that is the place you have to go to be healed. God is all around and if people are receptive to Him and trust Him then He will hear your prayer and He will decide whether to answer it or not.


I pray that God continues to heal and touch the lives of all people, those who seek and those who don't.